Just as Wu Xiaozhong was showing his parents the cars, the salesperson who had gone to check the order information returned.
"Hello, sir. I've checked your order. Your top-trim Jiuzhou Mini is over here. I'll take you to have a look."
As he spoke, the salesperson gestured for them to follow and led Wu Xiaozhong and his family toward one of the Jiuzhou Minis.
It was a yellow car. Its exterior looked much like the others around it, with only a few minor differences in the details.
It looked even better!
The high-trim version used the exterior design of the Wuling Hongguang Mini Macaron. It was much more refined than the standard model.
With a press of the key fob, the doors unlocked automatically—a feature that still seemed rather advanced in 2008!
After all, most inexpensive cars at the time still required a key to unlock and lock the doors. Many basic models even had manual windows!
It had the best of domestic cars: fully equipped for just a little over thirty thousand yuan!
The salesperson opened the car door, then took out a list of features and went over them with the group.
"The specific powertrain configuration of the Jiuzhou Mini high-trim model you ordered is as follows."
"A Chaowei 96-volt, 150-amp-hour lead-acid battery, with a range of about 190 kilometers and a charging time of around twelve hours; a Doctor 6-kilowatt permanent-magnet synchronous motor with a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour; and a Gaobiao sine-wave controller."
"The basic features include MacPherson independent front suspension, a non-independent multi-link rear suspension, front and rear disc brakes, driver and passenger airbags, and rear parking sensors."
"Power windows, a variable-frequency heating and cooling air conditioner, remote locking, four Sony speakers throughout the car, extra-bright xenon headlights..."
After giving the customer a long list of details about the car, the salesperson handed the feature sheet to Wu Xiaozhong.
"Sir, you can compare the car with this list and check carefully for any issues. If everything looks good, you can pay the remaining balance and take it home."
As Wu Xiaozhong took the list, the salesperson added, "The mileage on our cars when they leave the factory is under one kilometer. Once they come off the production line, they're driven here and parked. Your car only came off the line yesterday."
"I'll be right over there. If you have any concerns, just let me know."
Having finished his job, the salesperson stepped aside to wait, leaving Wu Xiaozhong and his family to inspect the car.
His parents had already been captivated by the little car. Wu Xiaozhong smiled at them and said, "All right, now it's our turn to get to work. Let's see if there are any problems with the car, like dents or scratches, or anything that doesn't match the listed features."
"Mm. If everything looks fine, we should be able to take it for a test drive, too."
His parents eagerly climbed into the driver's and passenger's seats.
His father ran his hand over the steering wheel, reluctant to let go. "This is great. Is it genuine leather?"
"I heard it's high-quality PU leather."
It wasn't genuine leather, but his father still seemed satisfied. Smiling, he said, "Mm, very nice. When we get home, we can buy a steering wheel cover at the auto mall and put it on!"
His father said, "It only costs a little over thirty thousand, but the details are much better than I expected. You can tell from the little things that it's better than the cars Uncle Wang bought, like his Chery QQ. This was money well spent!"
Wu Xiaozhong, who had spent some time studying cars, wholeheartedly agreed. "Right? I think so, too.
"They use the same manufacturing processes as regular cars. Apart from the engine and transmission, it has everything a car has.
"The high-trim model even comes with two airbags!"
"The seats are nice, too. They're soft. Much better than the one Old Li's family has!"
"This is the highest-trim version, after all."
His mother didn't know as much about cars as the two men, so she could only comment on how it felt to ride in one.
"Mm. It's not as comfortable as riding in our son's car, and it's a lot smaller, but it's still much better than riding on the back of a motorcycle."
Wu Xiaozhong explained, "Since it'll just be the two of you using it, Mom, you can slide the passenger seat farther back to give yourself a lot more room."
As he spoke, he walked over to the passenger side and showed her how to adjust the seat.
"There's a lever here. Just pull it up, and you can slide the seat back and forth.
"If you have a friend riding with you, move it a little forward to give the back seat more room.
"When it's just the two of you driving out to buy groceries or something, slide it farther back. It'll be much more comfortable."
After trying the car out for a while, the family tested its various functions under Wu Xiaozhong's guidance.
They checked the brake lights, xenon headlights, interior reading lights, turn signals, dashboard displays, and so on.
They looked over the body for scratches and dents, and made sure the stereo worked properly, among other things.
The whole family pitched in, and after spending more than an hour, they had checked everything except the features that required driving to test, and the airbags that only deployed in a collision.
Once they were sure there were no issues, Wu Xiaozhong went back to find the salesperson. Now all that remained was to pay and take the car home.
That part was quite simple, too. The office building was nearby, and Jiuzhou Automobile's finance department was inside. They accepted both cards and cash.
Unlike a regular car, it didn't require them to pay vehicle purchase tax or go through the process of registering a license plate. They only had to pay, get a VAT invoice from the company, and drive off in the Jiuzhou Mini.
It took Wu Xiaozhong just over ten minutes to finish everything with the salesperson's help.
After getting their car, they didn't rush off. The driving practice area was already crowded, but they still needed to practice.
Holding the key, Wu Xiaozhong returned to the Jiuzhou Mini they had bought and opened the driver's door.
"Dad, I'll drive it over to that open area first so you can try it out. Once you get a little practice, we can head over to the driving practice area."
His father nodded. "Sure. That makes sense. I'll do what you say!"
Wu Xiaozhong got in, and his parents sat beside him.
As he started the car, he said to them, "There are a lot of cars in the practice area, but it's still a good place to build your driving skills. Then you won't have any trouble driving in busier places.
"And since our car is small, it'll be easy to maneuver. It won't be hard to learn, either. It's perfect for beginners."
His parents nodded together. "Mm-hmm!"
Wu Xiaozhong didn't hurry to pull out. Instead, he continued, "There's also a place where students can take a break. The instructors teach common driving tips there."
"You can park the car over there to charge it, and listen to the instructors' advice while you rest."
"There's also a big screen where they show the instructors explaining common traffic situations and proper driving practices. I think you two should watch those videos."
His parents nodded together again. "Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!"
"Safe driving is the most important thing. We have to take your safety seriously."
"Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!"
Wu Xiaozhong thought for a moment, then said, "Oh, I have a USB drive in the car. We can ask the instructor to copy the materials onto it. Then we can watch them at home whenever we have time."
"Later, I'll suggest that they give every Jiuzhou Mini buyer a USB drive with instructional materials. This company seems serious about making a good product."
"We can practice until about four this afternoon. We'll charge the car during our two-hour lunch break, and that should be enough to replace the power we used this morning.
"Our car has a pretty long range, too. It can easily make the hundred-kilometer trip between the two cities.
"Come on, Dad, you can do it! I'll lead the way on the drive home this afternoon. Just follow me, and we'll take the old road!"
"Good, good, good!"
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