I’ve
had the LDV G10 van for a little over a year now. I’ve clocked up nearly 30,000km.
On the whole I’m happy with it. But it’s in my nature to be critical, negative
and nit-picking so here are a few of my gripes.
The Oil Pressure sensor triggers once every
week or so and stops the van from starting. Most times the van will start on
the second go, but a few times it has taken multiple attempts to get the van to
start. Never happens on first start-up for the day, and no, the actual oil level
has never been low. I have mentioned this to the sales-clerk but nothing's ever come of it.
A panel on the front edge of the van is
rusting out. It is to be fixed under warranty. I can only hope it’s not the first
of many.
The transmission takes a few minutes to warm up and until it is selecting
2nd gear is very slow and awkward unless you’re happy to graunch the
gears. Typically I double clutch the lower gears for the first short trip of the day.
I’ve had to top up the oil three times in
25,000 km with a half litre each time. The first time it happened I phoned the
sales-clerk who assured me this was normal for a new vehicle. I haven’t asked
him how long the vehicle is considered to be new and therefore how long I will
have to keep on topping it up.
It is horrendously expensive to run, especially
now that fuel prices are what they are ($2.35/l in my corner of NZ). In hindsight I'd've got a diesel. The van computer says its long term fuel economy is 9.5l/100km
I finally figured out how to dismiss the
service alert that blocks the computer screen (also the low fuel ‘light’), very
happy about that. I don’t think the sales-clerk knew about this trick, you simply
press the ‘Clr’ button on the computer menu stalk.
The van
battery goes flat if you leave the key in the ignition overnight.
Having
a drink bottle in the drink bottle holder means you can’t get CD’s in or out of
the player. The Aux input on the player won’t recognise Android devices
(presumably it does Apple).
The
monsoon on one side is come half unstuck, I asked the sales-clerk to send me
some adhesive to repair it but none has been forthcoming.
The
G10 has no outside thermometer, unlike our Suzuki Swift.
The
heater is slow to warm up when it’s cold and you’re on a short town-trip.
Sometimes
the reversing camera is slow to come on-line.
My
wife still doesn’t like driving the van. She finds it too big, too awkward to
park, has difficulty in reserving it and generally misses our Swift.
Having
moaned on about it faults and failings, what do I like about the LDV G10?
Excellent
comfort on rough roads.
Digital
speedo is excellent. I really hated it after my first service was due as the
service alert over-rides the computer read-out after about 1.39 seconds. (I have the van
serviced at a workshop that doesn’t have the plug-in capacity necessary to
re-set the service schedule.) For months I had to get used to the analogue read-out
until one day, while re-setting the Trip meter I realised that the same button-push
that re-sets the meter also dismisses the alerts – including low fuel.
The extra sun-glasses holders are useful
for storing a variety of small objects and keys.
Car
seat covers are good, I’ve certainly given them beans.
Roof
rack is ok – although it is losing the small plastic cover panels.
From
a work perspective it’s everything I need. Versatile, spacious, easy to get in
and out of.
 |
| Life as a work vehicle |
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