What are the differences between domestic car engines and joint venture engines?
3 Answers
The differences between domestic car engines and joint venture engines are as follows: the quality of the engines varies. Some joint ventures use engines from joint venture brands, such as Roewe and MG, which are owned by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and use the General Motors SEG series engines. Some remaining car companies, unable to develop their own engines, use Mitsubishi engines, which, although technologically outdated, are relatively reliable in terms of quality and stability. In contrast, domestic mainstream brands lag behind joint venture cars in terms of the stability of engine and transmission quality. More information about domestic engines is as follows: 1. Chinese OEMs are capable of producing excellent engines, but due to factors such as design, equipment, and materials, there is still a gap compared to the world's top standards. Therefore, there is still a considerable distance to go before achieving complete independent design and manufacturing of excellent engines. 2. The domestic automotive industry started late, and many companies initially relied on purchasing and reverse-engineering well-known, high-quality engines for their own design or development.
As someone who frequently disassembles engines, I know that domestic engines like those from Geely or Chery mostly started with independent research and development, with relatively shallow technological accumulation. Therefore, some models may not match the power and fuel consumption performance of joint-venture engines like those from Honda or Volkswagen produced domestically. The advantage of joint-venture engines lies in their long-term experience accumulation, resulting in relatively lower failure rates, but they come at a higher price. Domestic engines have been catching up quickly in recent years, especially in the new energy sector, where brands like BYD's hybrid technology excel. In terms of maintenance, domestic parts are cheaper and easier to find, while joint-venture parts are more expensive and often require longer wait times. Overall, the gap is narrowing, but domestic engines still need to improve in terms of refinement and detail.
I've been driving domestic cars for years and find their engines offer great value for money. For example, engines from Great Wall or Changan provide sufficient power for daily use with decent fuel efficiency, and they're much cheaper compared to joint-venture options like Toyota. Maintenance costs for domestic engines are lower, and local repair shops can handle them easily. The downside is they can be a bit noisier and may not last as long as joint-venture brands. Joint-venture engines are more reliable, but the doubled price isn't always justified. Nowadays, the quality of domestic engines is steadily improving, especially dominating the low-end market, making them ideal for city commuting. Consumers should choose based on their needs rather than blindly trusting brand names.
