Chinese firm, Great Wall Motors, has made a respectable name for themselves locally both in the passenger car and more overly, in the light commercial sector. Their attractive pricing and a rather robust build quality have made them a viable alternative to the traditional favourites.
Related: What is covered under GWM Steed 5 manufacturer car warranty?
Ever-increasing running costs and escalating purchase prices are systematically pushing the likes of the Hilux, Ranger and D-Max out of the realm of the small business operator. Trends have also seen fleet operators electing to replace vehicles on a more frequent basis rather than run fleets for longer periods of time.
Whether you're a fleet operator, a small business manager, or just looking for a more affordable bakkie, the GWM range of vehicles certainly looks appealing. But what about their long-term running costs? How do they fare against the competition?
Calculating costs
There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to calculating the running costs of a vehicle. There are simply too many factors that come into play; use, driving habits, mileage, terrain, service intervals, and the likes. Parts prices are easier to work with and will remain fairly stable each year. When it comes to calculating repair costs, the above factors also come into play and the only way to compare like for like is to use a baseline.
The AA Kinsey report is a study into parts prices and compares three parts baskets across a range of popular models in a specific vehicle category. Parts basket A looks at service parts. These include filters, spark plugs, wiper blades, and brake pads or shoes. Parts basket B is the repair basket that consists of components that wear over time. These include shock absorbers, brake discs, timing belts and chains. Parts basket C looks at crash items, items that would ordinarily require replacing in the event of a minor accident to the front corner of the vehicle.
This report also looks at the total of these parts baskets as a percentage of the purchase price.
How expensive are GWMs to repair?
The Kinsey report was compiled up to 2020 and the GWM Steed 6, the precursor to the P-Series, was featured in the 2017, 2019 and 2020 reports (no report was compiled in 2018). While you may be looking for information specific to the P-Series, the study will help you gauge how GWM compares to the competition nevertheless.
The Steed 6 took the accolade of having the cheapest service parts basket in both 2017 and in 2020 and finishing as a runner up for service parts in 2019. The 2020 report also saw it come second overall for cost of the three baskets combined, one position up from the 2019 report that saw it finish third, behind the Toyota Hilux and Isuzu KB (now the D-Max).
| 2017 Kinsey Report | GWM Steed 6 |
| Purchase price (2017) | R329 900.00 |
| Basket A: Service | R2 956.74 |
| Basket B: Repair | R17 287.23 |
| Basket C: Crash | R72 533.82 |
| Total: | R92 777.79 |
| Percentage of purchase price | 28.12% |
While the Steed 6 performed well in the service parts section, its manual gearbox meant that its basket B cost was the highest of the vehicles sampled. This relegated the Steed 6 to last place overall when compared to the Hilux, Navara, KB, and Ranger.
| 2019 AA Kinsey Report | GWM Steed 6 |
| Purchase price (2019) | R284 900.00 |
| Basket A: Service | R3891.56 |
| Basket B: Repair | R12 620.74 |
| Basket C: Crash | R77 860.40 |
| Total: | R94 372.70 |
| Percentage of purchase price | 33.12% |
Once again, the manual gearbox complicated matters for the GWM Steed 6 and bumped its basket B subtotal to well over that of the opposition. The service and crash parts prices were extremely competitive with the competition but the affordable purchase price results in a high final percentage.
| 2020 AA Kinsey Report | GWM Steed 6 |
| Purchase price (2020) | R319 900.00 |
| Basket A: Service | R3443.04 |
| Basket B: Repair | R7645.32 |
| Basket C: Crash | R75 016.96 |
| Total: | R86 105.32 |
| Percentage of purchase price | 26.92% |
The 2020 report excluded the wear items associated with a manual gearbox and this helped level the playing field between the contenders. This year saw the GWM Steed 6 take top honours with the service parts cost and place second, behind the Ford Ranger, for overall costs.
