On delivery day the new Australian MG4 EV you’ve bought will have a bow on it but what happens beforehand and what do you as a buyer need to ask your MG dealer to do while negotiating?
I’m going to explain my experience ordering a MG4 77 2024 Long Range from Sydney CIty MG dealership, I hope this advice is useful for you.
I’m going to assume you already know that the MG4 EV is a multi award winning rear wheel drive hatchback electric car and you want to buy either the base Excite 51 model, one of the mid range 64 models, the 77 Long Range or X-Power speed demon version.
Research and Test Drive
Do your own research reading reviews but be aware that overseas reviews and videos like MG4 videos from UK are not the exact specification as Australian MG4.
Reviews by EV specialists are more accurate and useful than reviews by ICE car media
Do a proper test drive with your family members , check all your stuff fits in and whoever will drive it finds the drivers seat comfy.
Do you like the regen braking? The MG4 defaults to the 2nd strongest setting by default. Turn One Pedal Driving (OPD) on to see if you like it. OPD is a premium EV feature BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora don’t have.
Negotiation
This depends on your personality, I love to bargain but I know a lot of people don’t.
At the time I bought my MG4 77 2024 Long Range I managed to get a slightly better price than advertised, not thousands less but still a decent amount. The negotiation occurred back n forth via phone and emails for a month before I placed my order. Obviously if there had been a sale on I would’ve ordered faster.
Usually you’ll have more bargaining power if you ask for the free default paint colour, which is White for the MG4 as there will be more of these in stock. I also paid for slim white licence plates as my car is white and I don’t like the look of the standard yellow NSW licence plates.
The best times to negotiate are mid year EOFY when I bought and late in the year when the car is on runout sale because they need to clear stock to make room for new cars. eg: it’s now September 2024, and there is a sale for 2023 MG4 and 2024 MG4 as 2025 stock will arrive in just over 3 months time.
If you don’t care what colour your MG4 find out if any of the unsold stock at your dealer has been sitting there the longest, that’s the one the dealer will be most keen to sell at a bigger discount.
One of my friends just bought an MG4 X Power with a “boring” colour that wasn’t popular for about 18K off the list price! It helped that my friend contacted dealers outside of Sydney who would be more keen to sell
Even if the dealer says price isn’t negotiable you might be able to get some freebies included. I got an MG dashmat included free. I already had charging cables, wanted a 3rd party longer V2L cable and rubber floor mats so I bought all those elsewhere.
Other Australian MG4 buyers have managed to get some of these free: 22kW charger cable, V2L cable, dashmat, tow bar, carpet mats.
Dealers will try and upsell you to pay for official accessories. Only take them if included for free, accessories are usually available elsewhere for better prices eg: an MG V2L cable is much more expensive than one from EVChargers.com.au which is where I bought mine.
Dealers will also try and sell you a dashcam, window tinting and ceramic coating. If you want those pay for them yourself elsewhere like I did eg: my ceramic coating and ceramic glass tinting was done at Fine Shine Zetland. The price and/or quality doing it yourself will almost always be better than the dealer offer.
Honest, original journalism like this article takes a lot of time and effort. You can support Neerav with a One off donation or by becoming a Member.
Ordering and Financing
Once you’ve decided to order make sure the dealer is told in writing by email that your order is subject to:
- All available software updates for your MG4 being installed, even if it takes hours for them to do so. *All* updates not just a few. Note : the MG4 does not have OTA updates sent via the built-in car Vodafone eSIM.
- Your built-in Sat Nav maps (only for Essence 64, Long Range 77 and X-Power) are updated to latest version
- MG4 Undertray fix is done . Send them a link to my article Before & After Photos: MG4 Undertray fix bulletin AS-TEC-02112023-01 on hoist. Plenty of readers have used that article to get the Undertray fix done for free under warranty or before new car delivery.
- Free 1000km service checkup. Some dealers offer this by default, others only if you make them.
Payment depends on your situation. Some people will buy with cash savings, others with a car loan, some via a novated lease.
Either way you’ll need to pay a deposit of around $500-$1000 to lock in an order and the balance a few days before picking up the car.
Note if you do want to get an MG4 via novated lease get the lease company to see what the best price they can get for your preferred MG4 model and then negotiate directly with an MG dealer to see if you can manage to get a better deal.
Choose whichever is cheaper. If you order yourself, once you order you can tell the MG dealer to refund your deposit and deal with your lease company as the buyer.
The Waiting Game
Typically once you order the car will be ready quite quickly depending on whether it is in stock at the same dealer or has to be brought in from a holding yard. Your dealer should keep you informed with updates.
Mine took 2 weeks to arrive from holding, get checked, undertray fixed, software updated and ready for pickup.
While you wait do some research about what accessories you want and who will do your ceramic coating, window tinting etc if you want those.
Delivery Day
The double sided Pre-Delivery Inspection Sheet below shows everything your dealer should have done prior to handing you the car.
Especially if it has been stored outside check the car paint and bodywork for any scratches, chips, hail dents etc.
Your licence plate on front and back should have a little blue EV triangle in the middle. It is legally required.
The car boot should have a soft case containing a slow charger that can plug into a standard home wall power socket.
I always wondered how new car bows were attached to the car, turns out it is a magnet.
Also your dealer should give you a bottle of MG branded wine on delivery day.
Post-Delivery Follow-up
Join an MG4 owner community such as the MG4 Owners Australia facebook group and MG EVs International web forum group.
Make sure you keep the car serviced in order to keep your warranty.
You don’t have to get it serviced at an MG dealer but I will do that because Sydney City MG where I bought the car has a service centre a short drive from my home and I want the latest software updates when my car gets serviced.
Before I get comments like “what about Tesla they don’t need servicing”. Does Tesla provide a 10 year warranty. No.
MG dealers need to make some ongoing income otherwise they won’t be in business to provide the 10yr warranty. Also software updates can only be done by dealers not OTA.
Leave a Reply