pedro01

We were renting in Sukhumvit 65. Wife wanted a house, so we comprimised on doing that if the mortgage was less than the rent. I put up the deposit and interior cash. 10 years on, I couldnt imagine being back in town. Suburbs all the way.

BTW did everyone forget this thread started off as a joke about BMWs and flat bed trucks?

How do you cope with the million dollar oil change?

No more of these vaccines for me. I've had the 2 they told me to get. For me to have another one - I need some evidence that it is going to be beneficial to me.

True The Z4 (pictured on the flatbed in post 1) - was 5.1 million. The Toyota equivalent - the Supra costs 5.2 million here. So the Toyota and the BMW are about the same price. As for the C43 AMG - I am not sure what the equivalent would be - as I can't see an equivalently performing coupe from Toyota. So let's take it against the Toyota sports car - the GR Yaris AMG - 4 million. GR Yaris 2.7M AMG - 3.0V6, GR Yaris 1.6 V3 (lol) tuned close to death AMG - 385hp, Yaris - 257hp (which you gotta admit - is pretty cool) GR Yaris Interior (looks like the inside of a Thai Taxi) C43 interior (looks like a tarts bedroom in this pic) - the lighting is standard, we have ours set to purple - to avoind Mongers gathering around red lights. Yaris Exterior C43 Exterior Now - the Yaris GR is the closest I could find - and I think the AMG justifies the higher price being bigger and better. The Yaris interior is horrific. So I am not sure how these cars are so much more expensive than equivalents (both 3.0 V6) from other brands. In fact - the BMW is cheaper than the Toyota!

Lexus are more expensive than Benz/BMW and full of plastic. As for Toyota - there is absolutely no comparison between a Camry (steers like a fish) and a 5-Series (sticks to the road). As for Benz being used as taxis in Europe - correct - comfort, style, and they will run forever if looked after. They chose the right car for sure. It's a credit to Benz.

Just because you cannot afford one - doesn't mean only the rich can. Exactly - these people are basically imagining a state where they can just about afford a Benz/BMW - in that case - I would agree. But if you could buy one a month and buy one every 3 years - different thing. But a hard thing for an employed person to grasp.

OK - so the cars are out of your price range but you have a fallback excuse of why you don't own one which will suddenly disappear if you (and I hope you do) win the lottery! ???? I think it's because people love their cars and many people buy the best one they can afford. So they see the BMW/Benz and think the owner of that did the same. It's like a 4-wheel d**k swinging competition that the BMW/Benz drivers didn't know they were a part of and won by default. So it creates a little resentment.

I often hear how BMW/Benz owners are all stretching their finances. But I only hear that from people that don't own them. I have a lot of friends that have them, one of them has their own park in Bangkok. I am a business owner. I am by no means wealthy - certainly not compared to many of my Thai friends. I exist, I have lots of friends that are way wealthier than me. I don't spend much more than 1-2 months earnings on a car and I have a new Benz and a new BMW I like the Pannamera. It's 12 million Baht for the model I like. I could buy one - but I am not at the point where I'd be comfortable with that level of spend. Nor am I in a hurry to get there. So we hear that all BMW owners are over-extended - but what about people that are buying a BMW because it's a fairly insignificant sum to them and it's got no impact on anything else you want to do? Because according to everyone here - they are all owned by show-offs, using borrowed money who can't use indicators. You all need to quit your jobs, start a business and come back to me in 3 years when you are earning $750k a year and then talk about affordability.

OK - so just to be sure - you don't think you got this Benz for cachet - but everyone else that has one did so for that reason. As for the other stuff. It all comes down to what is affordable to you. So you, me, everybody has a level of income they can dispose on a car and the upkeep. Most here seem to come from a salaried background and in that case, I can see how these costs would be painful. But lots of people don't come from that background. They have businesses, the costs are higher but then get offset against taxes, so end up 30% lower - BUT - many are simply at a level of disposable income where the odd $1,000 here or there is of absolutely no significance. For some - it's about trade-off. If I they have the Benz, then another purchase has to be put off. For others, there is no trade off. And for others the cost of maintaining a Benz is a pittance to them, just like maintaining your 16 year old Toyota is a pittance to you. It's all relative at the end of the day. This thread was a poke at BMW quality - but in light humor because I don't think BMW could have stopped that rock getting in the brakes. All threads like this tend to go down the path of "affordability" yet not acknowledge that this is a sliding scale.

Yeah - well that's Thai politicians/press for you. The message seems to have got to the people that 6 is ok. So they believe they are within the law. My part in this is listening and shutting up. I ain't getting involved with their crazy Tom Kha Gai "Green". It's all leaves anyway - and they are probably using hemp seeds. I think the "technique" they employ is throwing a bunch of seeds in the garden and hoping. So I don't think any of them are in danger of getting high.

Define "tons" - about half the Thai people I know (mostly moms and pops) are growing in their gardens and throwing it in their Tom Ka or Tom Yum.

When you say "owned a Benz here" - do you mean home in Australia or your holiday in Thailand? And you purchased a Benz for cachet? Did sir buy a used one for that lower cost cachet? That's always tricky. I would say that just because you purchased a Benz for cachet, many people buy them because they are well within their budgets and the odd 20k here or there isn't going to make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

A BMW is not a rarity here. Never heard of one attracting criminals. But I have logged it as reason #29943 I would not have a German car, even if I could afford one. As for tires destroyred and undercarriage smashed - nope. But were that to happen - or this "motocy hitting the side" - it would apply to all cars. These one's I left out as while I can't speak for every criminal looking for a well-stocked handbag - I can say these are definitely not usable excuse as they don't happen.

Tons of Thais are growing 6 plants now. I dont mean kids, I mean moms, pops and grannies. I think lawmakers know they have to catch up.

To the OP. Did you speak to them in Thai or English?

Its not free. It is built into the price.

Yeah but people that dont have one say they are more expensive than that because they heard somebody paid more once.

At your current level of wealth/income, I would agree. But take a test drive when you are wealthier, you might find that they are fine cars which are fun to drive. When you can buy a Camry every week, why not save up 4 weeks and buy a 5 Series?

Your car is nuts. In a good way.

lolol and lololol a bit more

lol Or maybe it's because the indicators on a BMW are where the gearshift is on a Benz....

wow! You have such a low opinion of the locals.

This is just the people you met - via a prostitute you met in a bar. This does not represent the majority here. Just the majority of your experiences.

The excuse is in. Nobody needs to believe it - it just needs to be there. He will get off - it's a done deal.