Maxus is the most dependable carrier brand in the UK, according to a recent survey of commercial vehicle reliability done by the insurance company Warranty Direct.
The Maxus/LDV brand was taken over by the largest Chinese automaker, SAIC, in 2009, and despite now being manufactured in China, Maxus commercial vehicles still retain their British design and technology.
The latest Warranty Direct survey found Maxus vehicles had fewer breakdowns than its rivals with an average of 22% suffering a fault each year. Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of Warranty Direct, said: “Time is money for companies using commercial vehicles so every minute they’re off the road costs them.”
The lowest repair rate and highest cost performance means UK companies using Maxus/LDV logistics, transportation and commuter vehicles are getting the best value of all from their investments.
According to the survey the most common faults recorded were suspension damage, accounting for almost one in ten garage visits. Electrical and fuel system issues were the next most reported problems (see list of top ten manufacturers per annual incidence rate below).
Locally Maxus is distributed and sold by Mandarin Motors, part of the Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) group, a leading South African motor retailer group listed on the JSE, and currently there are twelve dedicated Maxus dealers spread throughout South Africa.
The current Maxus range includes a luxury people carrier, everyday people carrier, logistics vehicle and drop-side carrier priced from R299 900 to R399 900.
All the vehicles in the range are powered by the same four cylinder turbodiesel engine of 2,499 cc driving the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. The engine offers 100 kW of power at 3,800 rpm and a maximum torque figure of 330 Nm at 1,800 rpm.
Average fuel consumption on the combined cycle (unladen) is 7.4 l/100 km; and the vehicles emit 230 g of CO2 per km. All Maxus vehicles come with service intervals of 15,000 km; and a warranty of 100,000 km which is valid for 36 months.
Warranty Direct reliability survey:
| Position | Manufacturer |
| 1. | Maxus/LDV |
| 2. | Mercedes-Benz |
| 3. | Mitsubishi |
| 4. | Fiat |
| 5. | Renault |
| 6. | Ford |
| 7. | Volkswagen |
| 8. | Citroen |
| 9. | Nissan |
| 10. | Peugeot |
