SSangyong Stavic 2.7 Diesel

I own a Ssangyong Stavic, 2.7 Xdi, 2006 model.

I have done just over 200 000km on my stavic. I regularly tow a trailer or my boat, a 17 ft Regal, quite heavy. The car has been reliable. Had an eleetronic problem at 60 000km, turned out to be a stupid mechanic who fiddled with the multiplug in the engine bay(left front firewall). Fuel system is sensitive to dirty fuel. Must use 50ppm only. I used 500ppm and "farm" diesel for a while, not knowing of better at that stage. Sure, it did mess up the injectors. Not the cars fault, all modern common rail fuel systems have the same vulnerability. Had the injectors overhauled and cleaned by ultra sound, fixed now.

The space, practicality and performance of this car is unreal. Yes, to some it is ugly. Gues buying a stavic is like marrying an ugly women!

The Mercedes Benz based engine in this scar works very well, something between the engine mapping and gear ratios makes for a wonderfull combination. It is a pleasure. The fuel consumption is very good. I get 9.5 to 10 km per litre in town driving and 12.5km per litre on the open road (if I stick to the legal speed limit, very difficult in this car) It is quite happy to purr along at 160km/h on the open road, and have power left for quick over taking. It is a magic towing vehicle.

I love it.

A SSangyong Stavic has apposing strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are in its space, features and comfort. But its weaknesses mean it is nice shiney lemon which is worth nothing.

It has a far too complex fuel system, which breaks far to easily and rendors the car useless. The car stops without warning and is far too costly to warrent the bother to repair.

Fuel system problems happen to nearly all SSangyong vehicles, it is only a matter of time (Russian rulette). Common parts are absurdly expensive ($5500 for a set of injectors and $4000 for a pump). This means a fuel system repair will start at around $5000, average around $10000 and could be as much as $20000. This is ridiculous. A new stavic only costs around $35000. How can repair of of common service problems cost half the price of a new car? Basically the car is a write off once fuel problems exist.

Be warned as pretty and shiney as a SSangyong may look, they will empty your wallets of vast sums of money, not to mention the weeks of no car waiting on repairs, leaving you wishing you had of purchased anthing else (even a bycicle).