thaicruze

I think it is a good idea. In the US they used to do blackberry. I think iPads and iPhones are a much better idea for government.

If used properly, it can make communication easier. They can also get work done on the go. Reply to emails, edit documents, work in reminders and set up meetings and calendar events, etc etc without being stuck to a computer. All this stuff will sync with iCloud automatically.

It's the 21st century. Get used to it.

They already have laptop computers supplied by the state. this is just opportunistic. if they want to be MORE mobile they should buy it themselves. just like most other people do.

So you want them to schlep a laptop around?

Are you somehow suggesting that they may be too feeble to lift one.

A laptop is not a real time communications device.

Can't they get the same tablets for MP's as for the school kids?

Somehow that seems appropriate........

The kids deserve better....they are, after all, students with, on average, zero to moderate income..while the senators ?????????????

They're already spending way too much as it is. Too many students to get anything else. They need something that works and is easy to repair.

I think it is a good idea. In the US they used to do blackberry. I think iPads and iPhones are a much better idea for government.

If used properly, it can make communication easier. They can also get work done on the go. Reply to emails, edit documents, work in reminders and set up meetings and calendar events, etc etc without being stuck to a computer. All this stuff will sync with iCloud automatically.

It's the 21st century. Get used to it.

They already have laptop computers supplied by the state. this is just opportunistic. if they want to be MORE mobile they should buy it themselves. just like most other people do.

So you want them to schlep a laptop around? Send and receive emails whenever they can find a wifi signal?

They can buy it themselves. Sure. Nobody is arguing that. The government will spend the million dollars how it wants.

Is it April 1st?

Crosses my mind that Thailand can no longer be considered a poor country if the government have decided to award themselves rich peoples toys like iphones and ipads? Can't imagine there are Thais out there living without electricity, clean water supply or a hygenic/modern bathroom?

Please. Give me a break. Like Thailand is the first country to do this. It's not like they're giving themselves a Ferrari each. It's just an iPhone.

There are people in the USA also living without anything. In tents. With advanced degrees.

1.6 million dollars isn't a lot for any country. Even a poor one.

650 million is a lot. But again, this is an education budget. There are hundreds of millions being spent in other things.

Before you criticize, why don't YOU try running a country? Let's see how well you do.

Thailand is very corrupt and far from perfect, but the attitude by expats no less, taken towards Thailand and bad mouthing every single thing they do is obnoxious. If you really hate this country that much, I'll call you a taxi to take you right back to the airport.

Change isn't easy or fast. For an Asian country, Thailand has come a long way. It'll take the better part of the next 100 years for the future generations to change the status quo.

Remember, it wasn't that long ago we were hanging black people from trees in the USA.

I wonder why they don't spend this money on the homeless and beggars in Bangkok. The flood victims would especially appreciate it, as they have already faced all kinds of problems with getting government assistance. I am positive PMs can afford their own personal iPad and iPhone if they really want one. Where is the real need for this money to be spent?

Every department has a budget. This is the ICT ministry.

What are you going to do with 50 million baht for the flood victims? If you divide 50 million baht by the number of affected people, how much would each person get?

Each issue has a different solution. There's a budget for ICT. There's a budget for the people who are handling floods and getting Thailand better equipped to deal with floods. You can find many articles dealing with this and how Thailand is spending money to get Thailand ready for the rainy season this year.

They'll also spend almost 2 billion baht in tablets for kids. Great idea, but it won't be handled properly because the teachers aren't equipped to understand how to use this technology in the classroom.

But be that as it may, this is an Education Ministry budget. It has nothing to do with floods and beggars.

And there are plenty of beggars in the USA as well. Have you ever driven to Los Angeles on the 10 freeway? Look under every underpass when you're approaching the city. There's another city under the roads.

I think it is a good idea. In the US they used to do blackberry. I think iPads and iPhones are a much better idea for government.

If used properly, it can make communication easier. They can also get work done on the go. Reply to emails, edit documents, work in reminders and set up meetings and calendar events, etc etc without being stuck to a computer. All this stuff will sync with iCloud automatically.

It's the 21st century. Get used to it.

You know why I like pictures? Because in a forum, talk is SHIT. Anyone can come here and say anything. I could've opened a thread about my brand new BMW 5 series and given it a review without ever posting 1 single picture and you guys will believe me?

Poverty Model Altis,but still a nice drive. My Range Rover seats are not shiney, or saggy after 9 months hard use. Just normall quality hide.Neither are our reps Leather Cities after god now what miles.

Of course, you keep TALKING about your Range Rover but never offered any proof of it.

most of us dont take photos of every tin can we purchase, and if done we dont post them to brag

Yea right.

ONE picture of the car you own.

Of course you won't, 'cause you aint got shit. What are you afraid of? Criticism? Easy to criticize others no?

Any car that gets the seats cleaned and polish will have some shiny-ness after you do

It goes away after a while.

Poverty Model Altis,but still a nice drive. My Range Rover seats are not shiney, or saggy after 9 months hard use. Just normall quality hide.Neither are our reps Leather Cities after god now what miles.

Of course, you keep TALKING about your Range Rover but never offered any proof of it.

I can show you. This is how the passenger seat looked like maybe 3 days before I polished it (this seat was polished a couple of weeks before)

My wife scratched it, so we are getting it fixed next week

Here is a couple of days later when I polished it again

I polish them every couple of weeks. They lose that shiny-ness in a couple of days.

My leather is not shiny. It's like that because I polished it.

Get over it.

I seriously could not consider shiny black leather in this climate, must seriously burn the ass when you climb aboard.

1) The only reason why it may have "looked" shiny a couple of days ago is because I had just cleaned them. They don't stay shiny for more than a couple of days.

2) No. The leather doesn't get that hot at all.

3) All black leather will get "shiny" after you clean it with some sort of leather conditioner or cleaner.

4) it's not really the spray itself that makes it shiny. If I spray it and clean it with a rag, it doesn't get shiny. I usually do it with a polishing sponge, so it is a bit shiny for a day or so.

I can take a picture now. It's been 2 days since I cleaned it.

black leather does not get shiny if a lanoline product is used, and finish off with cotton. All jags, aston, land rover, range rover leaves factory with leather treated with autoglym, had they been shiny they could not sell them

Must be so hard to get another product and rub it on there. I mean, imagine. Shiny leather. No way out of that one now!

I seriously could not consider shiny black leather in this climate, must seriously burn the ass when you climb aboard.

1) The only reason why it may have "looked" shiny a couple of days ago is because I had just cleaned them. They don't stay shiny for more than a couple of days.

2) No. The leather doesn't get that hot at all.

3) All black leather will get "shiny" after you clean it with some sort of leather conditioner or cleaner.

4) it's not really the spray itself that makes it shiny. If I spray it and clean it with a rag, it doesn't get shiny. I usually do it with a polishing sponge, so it is a bit shiny for a day or so.

I can take a picture now. It's been 2 days since I cleaned it.

That Altis wasn't a 1.6. It was a 1.8.

From seats to engines, you always talk about crap you know nothing about.

Looking at that Altis video, my Cruze can achieve 140kph at lower RPMs. I've taken my car to just above 140 and I've never seen the RPMs go as high as that Altis. and the acceleration seems to be the same. The Altis is not any faster.</div>

This is similar to the way I saw the Cruze for the first time. Just walking around at a mall

This is a mall in Korat

This is the LS like mine. As you can see, the viewing area is big. Front windshield seems to go forever.

My Ford Focus has excellent seats, really firm, supportive and a nice blend of leather and meshed fabric. I found the Cruze's leather seats in the test LTZ to be a bit 'slippery' and they didn't give great lower back support... but I guess that is just the natural feeling after sitting for nearly two years in great seats.

It's funny, but I figured that to make a car feel great, manufacturers need to have great front seats and a thick, attractive steering wheel. For me, everything else is secondary. Always strikes me as crazy that they don't all do this...

Mine aren't slippery. Different texture.

The thing about back support is subjective. I found the Focus' seats uncomfortable as they dig into my lower back. That would drive me crazy. That was one of the main reasons why I didn't go for a focus.

I like that the Cruze really hugs the sides and keeps you in. Not the same in the Focus.

Seats, however, you can change.

Hi TH Cruze,

I agree with you, the seats on the 'new' Focus (it's mechanically the same as my 2005 Focus but with nicer interior and a newer exterior) I found to be quite flat and I found them also to be 'slippy', not moulded/slight bucket seats at all, in fact, I found them similar to the Cruze's leather ones on the LTZ test drive. They weren't 'bad'... just not quite to my personal taste.

Oh, you either have the driest sense of humour imaginable or you really are a petty minded twit. I have yet to decide... and kudos to you for that :-)

Don't be scared. It's not me, it's just the way to deal with Forum bullies. No real person would say "I am a class above you". I guess people here have no sense of humor.

Anyway. So far, I've made my second payment already. How long now? Maybe almost 2 months with my Cruze. It's a good car. As the JD Power people said, on par with what's out there. No better or worse.

The things that tipped it for me aren't important. I just like the interior styling better than the Lancer and it's not common on the road, so it's a bit "special" in that way. When you see one on the road it's like "Hey! there's a Cruze"!. I never went "Hey! there's a City!".

I've been seeing more and more on the road, but not nearly as many as Lancers. It's a new model so not many people know about it yet. They go "you have a what"? or they ask me "what kind of car is that?". I guess it'll become as popular as the AVEO at some point.

It's a tough one. The only way to really know is to take a saturday and go test drive them both. Check them out. Get down on the floor and look at them underneath. Lift up the hood. Touch all the buttons inside and run your hands through everything. Do it with both. Get somebody to take pictures. Then you can decide later.

It's the thing with cars. They can look great on paper but then when you get inside it just doesn't "feel" quite right. You may end up getting something you never thought. Remember, when I went out to get a new car, I was out to buy a Civic and I ended up in a Cruze. Didn't know what it was until I saw it at the mall.

Here's something on the Lancer from Car Sanook

Actually, let's not forget, the Corolla Altis actually. My wife hates it, but to be honest if you get it in black it doesn't look like a Taxi, it is comfy and it's big. Nothing wrong here at all

The only reason why I didn't look at this one any further was because my wife just gave it a NO as soon as I started looking.

And here are the rear seats

And here is the center console

What can you say but "perfection achieved".

And here is the "suspect looking leather dash instead of cloth"

I don't see what is suspect about it

Now, notice how I am the only one postin pictures of his car, while others just TALK about it.

^

Good man. You're a gentleman among all these animals.

Anyway. Here is my seat right now

I dont see what is so terrible about it. The leather in the LTZ fits the same way in the ass area. It is not tight, it is a bit loose. That's just the way the leather fits. There are some seats where the leather is super tight. Other seats that look like sofas. Not all leather seats look the same. For 5,000 baht, I think my seats are good. I dont get all the hate.

My Ford Focus has excellent seats, really firm, supportive and a nice blend of leather and meshed fabric. I found the Cruze's leather seats in the test LTZ to be a bit 'slippery' and they didn't give great lower back support... but I guess that is just the natural feeling after sitting for nearly two years in great seats.

It's funny, but I figured that to make a car feel great, manufacturers need to have great front seats and a thick, attractive steering wheel. For me, everything else is secondary. Always strikes me as crazy that they don't all do this...

You mentioned you were now considering the new City, though I guess selling the Focus is your first goal. I can tell you that for the past year, I weekly drive long distance in that car, a few hundred kilos and back, and NEVER feel tired in that driver's seat. It is modest, but very comfortable. Similarly, the steering wheel, as you know, in the City, has that deep, thick, steering wheel, which is gives you a better feeling of control. At the same time, I know you are considering the Mazda 2, again, very comfortable driving seat, I've done that route many times in that car too, however the steering wheel is the more traditional, and does not have that deeper grip.

Isn't that weird though? Such a wonderful Ford Focus with excellent seats and great handling and he is trying to get rid of it and downgrade. Very odd that.

Not odd at all if you've lived in Thailand for any time. I had a 2 year old top of the line Ford Everest, flawless, took me 9 months to sell it and at a loss. You will experience this phenomenon when you attempt to sell your Cruze.

In 10 years, when I sell my Cruze, I'll trade it in.

I am not saying I'll buy a Chevy. It maybe something else. It depends what the best is at that time.

My Ford Focus has excellent seats, really firm, supportive and a nice blend of leather and meshed fabric. I found the Cruze's leather seats in the test LTZ to be a bit 'slippery' and they didn't give great lower back support... but I guess that is just the natural feeling after sitting for nearly two years in great seats.

It's funny, but I figured that to make a car feel great, manufacturers need to have great front seats and a thick, attractive steering wheel. For me, everything else is secondary. Always strikes me as crazy that they don't all do this...

You mentioned you were now considering the new City, though I guess selling the Focus is your first goal. I can tell you that for the past year, I weekly drive long distance in that car, a few hundred kilos and back, and NEVER feel tired in that driver's seat. It is modest, but very comfortable. Similarly, the steering wheel, as you know, in the City, has that deep, thick, steering wheel, which is gives you a better feeling of control. At the same time, I know you are considering the Mazda 2, again, very comfortable driving seat, I've done that route many times in that car too, however the steering wheel is the more traditional, and does not have that deeper grip.

Isn't that weird though? Such a wonderful Ford Focus with excellent seats and great handling and he is trying to get rid of it and downgrade. Very odd that.

The other dealer I went to, they said it would be 9,000 baht. That's the price for "fake leather" or PVC Leather. Here are the prices from SiamSeat

http://www.siamseat.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=17

As they said, 8- 9,000 baht.

If it is 18,000 is grade A

If it's 25-30 (35,000 for SUV) then it is AA Grade Leather

If it's 45,000 and up, then you are getting AAA Grade leather.

Mine is Grade A. Nothing special, but it doesn't mean it is fake.

My Ford Focus has excellent seats, really firm, supportive and a nice blend of leather and meshed fabric. I found the Cruze's leather seats in the test LTZ to be a bit 'slippery' and they didn't give great lower back support... but I guess that is just the natural feeling after sitting for nearly two years in great seats.

It's funny, but I figured that to make a car feel great, manufacturers need to have great front seats and a thick, attractive steering wheel. For me, everything else is secondary. Always strikes me as crazy that they don't all do this...

Mine aren't slippery. Different texture.

The thing about back support is subjective. I found the Focus' seats uncomfortable as they dig into my lower back. That would drive me crazy. That was one of the main reasons why I didn't go for a focus.

I like that the Cruze really hugs the sides and keeps you in. Not the same in the Focus.

Seats, however, you can change.

To be honest, it maybe that parts of it are not real 100% leather. But, who cares?

My deal was very similar to yours, but I still had to pay a bit. Anyway, they are very easy to clean and comfortable which is the reason why I chose them. It's very rainy and I didn't want it smelling "wet" like my City. The seats were disgusting.

Now I can spray a leather cleaner every weekend and the car smells great. I don't care if I got out of work and got soaked from one of those thai mini hurricanes.

That's basically why I got it. Easy to maintain. In 5 years, as you say, if the front seats get rough or all messed up, I will send them in and replace the leather. It will most likely be the 2 front seats.

In my car shopping, the best leather seats I saw were the ones in a top Toyota Camry Hybrid. It had all the options and it was almost 2 million baht. Those seats were all 100% the real deal. You could smell it as soon as you sat in there. They were perforated tan leather.

I saw the same car being sold used at the mall. I opened the door and the car smelled like sweat and ass, the seats were dirty (tan leather is the worse) and the seats were all cut up and wrinkled. The car was probably 2 years old or less.

So, 100% real or not, eventually seats will get fuc_ked up.

Camrys leather is crap, and half of them made of synthetic. I used to own one, 14 months and 40 k km, they looked like shit, despite being treated with Autoglym leather care every month, as done with all my cars.

Best quality Thai I have had, tan leather in Accord and 5 x Vigo/Fortuna. also synthetic backside, but even with hard use, like Accords 70k km in 14 months, still as new

No leather ever beats my Range Rover tho, purchased new in 1994, a friend owns it now, better than new

I can attest to hondas leather. The factory fit in my civic is still perfect after 190K kms and nearly 9 years. Just a slight stretch in the driver seat from my 85kg frame:)

Anyone know about siamseats AAA royal premium leather? Is it any good?

And of course, you have pictures of your seats to show us right? You don't expect me to take your word for it do you?

There is a friend here who owns a Civic. About 5 years old. Tan. His seats look like shit.

That's one of the things that put me off from buying the Civic. My test car was almost 1 million. Tan leather. It looked like it was a taxi. And the seats were uncomfortable.

Well. Let's not get on with the Civic. That was a really shit car in every way.

At the end of the day, you can just go have the leather replaced. What's the big deal? Are you really going to die for 18,000 baht?

And here is the Kicker..

siamseats AAA royal premium leather

If you go to the Siamseats website you can see the prices there. When I bought my Cruze the sales girl told me "The leather is Grade A leather and it is 18,000 baht, but I will give it to you for 5,000). Then, the trolls here say it's NOT real leather because that's too cheap.

Well, you can see in their website

http://www.siamseat....showpage&pid=16

There... grade A Leather for the Chevy Cruze 17,900 baht.

I just love humiliating these idiots.

The Royale Premium Leather for the Optra (so I presume the same for the Cruze) is 43,000 baht. So, the Chevy dealer sold me exactly what it said it would sell me.