Should I do it?

Can't help on those questions, but someone on the Whirlpool thread has suggested this Saturday, BYD have extra discounts available in store (only) if you go to put money down on one.

Ask yourself this. Have their products been around long enough to iron out any issues? What is the general consensus on this particular product?

I'm really happy with the car, but the aftersales service is a bit shit atm. BYD knows that and hired some exec to fix it. The car feels reliable and quality, it feel like I'm driving an upgrade to my camry I had last. However, time will tell. I'd suggest the Performance, it's not much of a jump in price for the increased quality.

I wouldn’t suggest the Performance. I’m coming from a G6E Turbo (5.1s 0-100) and the Premium feels plenty fast enough. A workmate is coming from a Kia Stinger (4.7s) and test drove the performance thinking he couldn’t bear less, and he ordered the Premium. His opinion was that no-one needs to go THAT fast. Your priorities are your own of course. For mine the extra range was more important.

I bought the BYD Seal Premium in March and picked it up early this month. Car is amazing, but like others have said, the sales and support is atrocious. I ordered mine from Alexandria BYD and there were zero updates until I initiated all the way until delivery. On the day of delivery, the person in charge told me he was too busy to go through the car with me and I should deal and learn it myself - that was until I threatened to escalate my complaint. He was then very thorough, to the extent of explaining what the volume knob does. Maybe other dealerships are better but I'd stay away from Alexandria

I have had Atlantis Grey Premium for some about 4 month, 5000km. Love it! Had the 3 month free check up with MyCar and they were great. As for build quality, I do look after my car but everything has been amazing, no issues other than one cover screw was loose and fell on floor in garage. But..... Not sure if I'm the only person in Aus that got given complete lemon first up. Would cut out, systems turn off...the works. Had to fight BYD support office nearly to the courts to get replacement. They wanted to repair. I told them to feck off. Was no communication at all from BYD corporate at all. Service Dept guy would call me daily, but his hands were tied. Tried his best, as did Sales Team. Got hold of executive at Eagers and got new car in a month. Given all that... on balance...is car worth it now I have one with no issues and would I do it again. Yes - only because I'm out of the tunnel obviously, at the time I was pissed. In saying this, my friend bought lemon Mazda, didn't get replacement, and spent the year getting things fixed. So they are all just as bad?

I went the performance and love it, it's capabilities are eye watering.

It all depends on your driving habits. I'm around the city, charging each night, and set the awd as a safety feature in the tropical wet season. A performance vechile at 70k with LFP seemed like a great deal to me.

I've driven BYD and Tesla. Summary: You're better off with a Tesla. Long answer: Performance and Technology: Superior Range: Tesla vehicles have a longer driving range on a single charge compared to many BYD models, which is beneficial for long-distance driving in Australia. Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability: Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features are more advanced compared to BYD’s driver assistance systems. Charging Infrastructure: Supercharger Network: Tesla has an extensive and rapidly expanding Supercharger network in Australia. Home Charging Solutions: Tesla provides robust home charging solutions, including the Tesla Wall Connector, which can charge vehicles faster than many generic chargers. Brand Reputation and Resale Value: Brand Recognition: Tesla has a strong brand presence. Resale Value: Tesla vehicles tend to have higher resale values compared to many other electric vehicle brands, including BYD. Software and Updates: Over-the-Air Updates: Tesla regularly provides over-the-air software updates that can enhance vehicle performance, add new features, and improve existing functionalities. Integrated Technology: Tesla’s vehicles come with a highly integrated software ecosystem, including advanced infotainment systems and connectivity features. Design and Aesthetics: Minimalist Interior Design: Tesla’s minimalist and futuristic interior design is more appealing and premium compared to BYD’s designs. Ecosystem and Innovation: Energy Ecosystem: Tesla offers a broader energy ecosystem, including products like the Powerwall and Solar Roof, which can integrate seamlessly with their vehicles. Customer Experience: Service Centers and Support: Tesla has dedicated service centers and customer support which (from experience) provide far better support. Mobile App Features: The Tesla mobile app offers a wide range of features, including remote vehicle monitoring, control, and software updates, providing a more connected experience.

I have no doubt. If the option existed to just pay the difference and upgrade I’m sure I would last less than six weeks before I upgraded. I’m kind of glad that the range is as it is. If I could have paid more for the Performance’s performance and an even bigger battery to match the range of the Premium I would not have been able to resist.

Thanks legends! I’ll consider all your thoughts.

One interesting thing I've noticed with my Seal is during installation of my front/rear dash cam, I had a really hard time pulling off the panels, trims and rubber seals around the edge of the car for wiring. I've installed dash cams on my previous cars and all of my family members' cars, which were mostly Korean and Japanese cars, but they all had a familiar amount of force needed to tug to remove panels for fitting the wires. My Seal was the first time I had to use 2 pry tools to get the wiring in. I had extremely sore fingers and was impressed at the fit and finish for the interior panels. They exceeded my expectations. Everything else about the car is amazing and has been said already. Also, on the AGL EV plan, charging is 8c/kwh from midnight to 6am. If you continue charging like this, it ends up being $5 for a full charge on the Dynamic, which is about 400km. I'm on a novated lease, which means I get 4.2c per KM returned, so I actually make a profit when I drive. Over a year, at 10,000km travelled, I get $250 profit, assuming I stick with the 8c charging. At a more modest 30c/kwh, that's still 20 bucks per full charge.

The design an aesthetics comment is complete rubbish and is opinion only. who is it more appealing to? I love both Tesla and BYD for pushing EV's out to the mass market but I would suggest the majority of people prefer the traditional cabin of the Seal over say the Model 3.

It's more appealing to people who want to drive a sleek, modern vehicle, instead of a hodgepodge mix of cheap plastic buttons, some weird rubber band thing in the doors, and equally cheap finishings. If that's your thing, all good, but Tesla's design aesthetic objectively stands out to all other EVs - because all the others (including BYD) haven't fully committed to the minimalist approach. I take your point though, that might be the minority opinion!

Might want to check your facts mate and google the interior of the BYD seal. It is nothing like the Atto which you are referring too, which I agree is a mess.

Ah yeah fair point! I was talking about the Atto (which I've driven a fair bit) haven't checked out the Seal yet. Keen to take it for a drive if they've improved the interior.

It’s worthwhile. The whole car is really quite stunning for the price point.

Blacktown is great

It changes "I wonder if I could" to "I wonder if I should". Haha

It certainly looks nicer from the pics. I still can't get over the fact that the tech, particularly the self-driving software doesn't feel as polished. I'm sure they will improve that as time goes on. But at the moment, it feels like the Tesla is the iPhone and the BYD is the Android version of EVs id that makes sense? Like its cheaper, nearly hits the mark in terms of function but isn't as polished or simple?

Yeah for sure. The self driving is of zero interest to me as I enjoy driving so not something that I am chasing or have looked into too much. I think Teslas and BYD’s philosophy is very different in that regard, hence why I like both of the companies.

Yeah they're certainly pitched at different drivers. Keen to see the 4WD/Utility versions of BYD. And if they hit the 1000km range first I'll switch back in a heartbeat.

Never understood the appeal of having sone kid give a 30 min demo on how to operate the radio

I can't recommend Liverpool BYD more. Andrew was so good throughout the whole process and handover.

Nice GPT response lol

Can confirm you'll score a pair of Sonos wireless headphones (~$600 RRP) but will need to lay down the $1000 deposit. Some other giveaway they were a bit coy about. No further discounts on actual car pricing. Source: Interaction with staff at BYD experience centre in WA earlier today.

Might go cancel my order and do a new one straight away on Saturday then.

Could do yeah. I just locked in the Dynamic today as it hadn't already been allocated and was good to go soon. Big wait on Premiums (backlog orders) at least in WA (got told 4 months min). If you receive the vehicle after the discount period in pricing it won't apply FYI.

Consider where your money goes and what or who it benefits, if I buy an electric vehicle it will not be a Tesla or any of the Chinese vehicles...

I had a very similar experience at the same store.

guess the saving grace is that we're not hearing constant negative news about it like we are with the cybertruck