GWM Utes worth it for $20K-$25K? Are repairs expensive?

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NexDerek101

New Member
I'm not really here for financial guidance, but I’m wondering if anyone has any firsthand experience with GWM Utes? I’m looking for a used 4WD in the $20,000 to $25,000 range. They seem like such great value for the money, but I truly want to know—are repairs costly, or are they actually pretty reasonable?
Thanks so much.
 
Head over to YouTube. Search Wheels by the Ocean. Find everything on GWM utes. The 2.0L fits your budget.
 
My top two picks would be the Isuzu D Max or the Mitsubishi Triton.
I truly believe both are incredibly reliable.
I feel people don't give Mitsubishi enough credit.
I personally work on two of them now and then, each with around 450,000 kilometers. Honestly, there have been no major problems just the occasional seal, along with normal brakes, clutch, and regular servicing.
 
Oh wow, Misses' 24 XSR is seriously fun to drive it totally handles better than my 24 Pajero Sport!

I was genuinely blown away by how awesome it drives!
 
Hey mate, check out the China utes. Solid chance you could grab one that's maybe three years old and still have like four years of warranty left on it. Honestly, mine's been way more reliable than my last three rides had a Pajero Sport, a Patrol, and a Prado before this.
 
Alright, so those GWMs are fine just be sure it comes with a full service history and all the receipts. If you ever need warranty work, you'll need those invoices to submit, and make absolutely sure it wasn't registered commercially before you bought it.

Here's a real example: there's this guy who bought a Haval GT (that's a GWM), and the motor got cooked totally overheated. He went in for warranty, but it turns out he bought it from someone who used it for Uber. That commercial use dropped the warranty down to 7 years or 150,000 km, and his had already hit 200,000 km. So, warranty denied. Cost him $18,000 just to get one of those 11.5T motors installed.
 
For $25,000, you're getting an older modern model. You'll pay a high interest loan AND high insurance. If you can afford a loan, get brand new. The interest rate is lower. A 5 7 year warranty means they look after you if any issues arise. Then, after five years, you own it and still have a vehicle worth $30,000 $40,000. I wanted to do tthe same thing before someone explained this to me. If you're going second hand, buy QUALITY over modern junk. Get something common and reliable that people know how to fix, with plenty of spare parts available.
 
I've had this Great Wall camera for a couple of years now, and honestly, it's just unreal. I picked it up brand new for $35k, and even after about 40,000 clicks, I still haven't found a single fault with it.
 
I'd steer clear of that one. My boss got two GWM utes, and both have been nothing but trouble. The first needed a whole new engine, and even after that, it's back in the shop. The other one's had a bunch of problems too. I wouldn't buy a GWM.
 
If you're interested in an SUV, consider the VW Touareg. It's underrated, capable off road, comfortable, and reliable. People sometimes avoid it because it's European.
 
Man, I'm at car auctions all the time, and the dealers just steer clear of these! I actually asked a guy about it once, and he flat out told me it's too risky for them because they have to stand by that statutory warranty. Honestly, with your budget, I'd be all over a 2020 Isuzu with around 100k KMs that's the sweet spot!
 
Triton and GWM are both excellent choices when you don't overload them. A D Max will serve you well, but please be careful the differentials can fail if yu load them too heavily in models before 2017. I've driven D Maxes at 3.5 tonnes their whole lives, and the only troubles I ever faced were differential explosions and air conditioning issues in the earlier versions, though there are fixes available now. For the later models, I own one with 240,000 kilometers and another with 180,000, and they are running beautifully.

GWM vehicles are constructed with impressive quality and are truly capable. Tritons are wonderfully reliable, but I truly believe it's best to keep them in their original, unmodified state.
 
I’ve got a BT50 4JJ3 model and had a couple of issues with it.

Minor one uneven tire wear.
Minor one a leaking rear main seal.

I sorted the first one out myself.

The second was fixed under warranty, but only aftr weeks of going back and forth with them.

Go for a Hilux I had a 2013 model brand new and kept it till 2019. The guy I sold it to is still driving it today, with over 300,000 kms on it.

No issues at all, just a really solid machine. My next vehicle is definitely going to be a Toyota.
 
Been doing a lot of research lately… and can say, convincingly the best value for money resides with the GWM Cannon. If you need a non Chinese build… the next value for money is the Kia Tasman whilst slightly underpowered it offers pretty good functionality.
 
I've got one for my work ute, and it's a fantastic vehicle. Snagging it brand new with a tray for $35k was such a great deal. I know some folks mention resale value, but let's take a closer look...

You get a $35k brand new ute with a 7 year warranty.
In about five years, I'll probably put 100,000 kms on it.
Even then, it should still be worth at least $10k and have two years of warranty left that works out to around $5k a year for a new ute, which isn't bad at all.

It drives really nicely, feels comfortable, and so far it's been super reliable.
 
Tbh, I just test drove a brand new GWM Cannon Alpha (the top spec one) and the driver’s seatbelt buckle was backwards on the sash. That’s all I needed to see imo, with that kind of quality control, it’s a hard no.
 
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