Andrew Dwyer

BYD giveth and BYD taketh away !! https://autolifethailand.tv/official-price-byd-dolphin-ev-bev-jan2024/

BYD had a rethink on the 50k ? Now 100k off till the end of February 2024. https://autolifethailand.tv/official-price-feb2024-byd-atto-3-ev-bev/

I went to see the Sinjet guy in Bangkok to downgrade the cars system version so APK’s could be added. So , he downgraded from 2310180.1 ( the latest version , including the OTA ) to 2307210.1 which is further back than just the OTA as I now have the ice cream van sound with no AVAS button which I didn’t have when picking up the car Nov 30th. Possibly the version @macahoomhad when he received the car as it precedes @Bandersnatch’s ( this could be the reason you are not having success @JBChiangRai ). The latest OTA popped up while driving back, so will try that soon . Anyway, the downgrade was done via a usb and took around 30 minutes . The guy knows his way around this stuff and downloaded pretty much all I asked for except for Charge Loma and PlugShare ( PlugShare I downloaded from the GBox app but had trouble opening due to a password error, will try again tomorrow ) Anyhoo, here’s the apps he loaded ( 12 ). At home I managed to add Waze from my usb using the password GHY0613byd They all worked fine, some are administrators tools and I will see if I can put them in a separate folder ( as iPhone does ). Youtube, YouTube Music, Tik Tok, Brave and Waze. All seem to stay loaded when i put car into Drive unlike the BYD browser and karaoke which will only run in position P . Plugshare having difficulty loading but could be due to gps signal ( car in car port ). Obviously i want to see all the apps still work after the OTA update, which tbh isn’t urgent except for Mr Whippy !! but I want to wait a couple of days as I might think of another app to upload. As a bonus i got the old wallpaper back which i prefer to the mainly blue/purple options. In summary, the guy has some insider information from a Chinese friend at BYD and this lead to him doing the Seal, and now Dolphin, rear view mirror/camera as his “ other “ job is selling electric unicycles out of his shop in Bang Na. Tbh, I think he could have sold this sideloading as a separate enterprise especially as the Seal update has now quashed it. ( I did tip him as he did a great job ). I will return in a couple of days to report back.

so you are saying I should be getting 6.3/6.4 kw .

Went out for lunch today around 11 came back about 2, around 4.30 the little lady and eldest lead weight head out to the local market. But she returns before she even left ( what ? ) saying the new meter is here !! Sure enough the TOU is on the post all wired up and working, the cables to the wall charger are terminated. ( according to the curtain twitcher next door they came around 12.30 ). Not even a phone call !! or a note in the post box, if eagle eyed wifey hadn’t noticed the bits of cable on the ground outside the gate it could have gone days before we noticed it ! Turned the breaker on and plugged the car in and it started charging immediately which I was pleased to see. Pulling 7 kw at the meter and 6.1 kw going into the car, more loss than I expected with an all new setup but I blame PEA , they couldn’t even set the clock right on the meter ( 10 minutes adrift ).

I had heard Gbox mentioned a few times and never investigated, but will now. Tik Tok , also a great idea. thanks .

Well that’s disappointing, i’ll go ahead with the downgrade process and see what happens.

So, when I booked my appointment with the Sinjet guys to fit the rear view mirror/cameras they said they could unlock the screen to accept third party apps also and i should ask for this early in the installation as it could take a while. Well i forgot ( maybe because i had asked them to fit the BYD dash camera also) and he never mentioned it so it never happened. So today we had this conversation: So, I think I will go for it, I will prepare a usb flash drive with APK versions of apps I think will be handy, so far I have: Google Chrome Google Maps Waze Youtube Youtube music Youtube ( hopefully a pre Google Play Services version) Plugshare Charge Loma Will look at some of the charging apps also, PEA Volta, EV PluZ etc Anyone think of any others that could be useful, this could be a one time deal.

Do you have the App Store which has Browser and Karaoke downloads, or the electronic manual ?, both found on last page swiping left from Home Screen ?? These came with OTA update.

Could be, tbh I am in uncharted territory and think that if the Sinjet guy confirms to me that Google Maps and YouTube will play after he has done his downgrade magic I will take the plunge. Although, I do think that BYD will probably find a new way to block third party apps in the future. Been reading some blogs on Reddit about it and someone reckons that the OTA update to 13.1.33.23.10180.1 is where they removed the SilentInstaller and Third Party Apps method along with the USB debugging switch (?). Anyway, looking likely only a downgrade will work for me and am in two minds whether to bother or not .

Well it all seems a little hit and miss, the Malaysian guy’s video on kevp’s post states Google owned apps will have problems but others won’t ?? and other than kev’s podcast app and gweiloman’s youtube app has anyone had any success sideloading ?? My usb didn’t require a password when entering the car but JB and Aussie Paul’s did so points to some definite changes made with the last OTA. Think I’ll hang fire a little to see if my Sinjet guy can confirm that downgrading allows Google Maps and YouTube to be side loaded ( and what happens if you want to upload ? ) before hitting Bangkok traffic.

Okay, when I plug in the usb there’s no request for password , I can see the APK’s , can move them to local, but they will not open. I guess the last OTA stuffed it for us. @kevp will probably come back to confirm.

You used the Tall Paul guy’s method and password ? I assumed that you have the latest software ?, might give mine a go !! TBH , I’d be happy with just Google Maps permanently installed .

Does every app need to be an APK ?? Am creating a flash drive with the stuff I want to sideload ( via the Sinjet guy ) and its all a little above me.

Just asked the Sinjet guy about how to unlock the screen and he confirmed it is not possible on the latest update and need to downgrade to another version, which apparently is not an easy task. In Brazil, where the Seal was released 2/3 months ago, they also confirmed that. Now , this guy in Aus made it look very easy but have to assume they have an older version. Anyhoo, my Sinjet guy offered to do it for me if I visited his shop in south east Bangkok. So, I might well do that, I am thinking Google, Google Maps and YouTube and possibly PlugShare and Charge Loma would be good for starters …… Any thoughts ?

I believe that for the latest version of the Seal it has become more difficult ( or maybe the password is not out yet ) as I see many on FB advertising their wares( rear springs, wraps, coatings etc etc ) are offering to “ unlock “ the screen to add apps for free with their goods unless having the latest firmware which means downgrading and a small fee. The company I bought the rear mirror/cameras from is saying the same. But to have Google Maps and other stuff installed on the cars software is definitely appealing.

The government subsidies ( 150k for the majority, depends upon the size of battery etc ) supposedly ended at the end of 2023 and will start again sometime soon with a reduced subsidy ( 100k for the majority ). The announcements of subsidies ending and when the new will begin have stopped coming, even some showrooms are not aware what is happening. So instead of the government announcing the curtailment of subsidies and price increases until the new subsidies start we have manufacturers announcing promotions for the month of January. Maybe they have some insight what is happening on subsidies but more likely, as some have said, they are pushing the lower end models to clear stock. Likely see a dip in sales figures this first quarter as many would have taken advantage of the subsidy in 2023.

Local is the onboard storage, I think it’s around 56 gb (?). I have all my music on my iPhone ( 82 gb ) and I just use Bluetooth via the Music app , works just like my iPod touch ( now resigned to the drawer ). Now if you want to use google maps via Apple CarPlay it might not be a good option to play music via Bluetooth as well. There is the option to sideload Google maps but now most Seal owners have updated I don’t believe it is possible and I am reading Seal owners on the latest version are downgrading to sideload/install APK’s then updating again ……. sounds like a lot of work !

I must admit that although i did say a 6 monthly wax would be sufficient i still feel a PPF would give infinite more protection from those bouncing stones from that big old trucks pulling out in front of me ( i avoid these like the plague !!). I had toyed with the idea of a front end wrap combined with a ceramic coating, purely for economical reasons, but that wouldn’t help when the owner of the old pickup lets his kids open the door with gay abandon ( can we say that anymore ? ) hitting my car despite me parking at the most remote end of the car park !! Not looking to change the colour, just a clear wrap will do, but that 60k (guessing there) would go a long way towards touch ups or even 6 monthly waxing. Decisions, decisions !!, why do we have to have options ?? How did you get on with the touch up @Bandersnatch ?, i have done it in the past with far from satisfactory results but once it is hidden then it is forgotten.

Here’s a bit more on the Polestar 4 in detail. Interesting rear view mirror/camera idea which gives a hatchback opening for a sedan. As someone who uses a camera instead of the rear window view i can see the trend towards removing the rear window and using a camera instead ……. why not ?, much better view, no head rests or heads in the way !

I think we have already established that Ayutthaya have recently started requesting a home visit and under consideration period for a retirement extension, as yet no one else has reported this happening at any other IO. Your statement: ” No ‘under consideration’ period for a Retirement extension is needed. Only for marriage. “ is wrong and isn’t helping all others .

You missed the point of the whole thread . Ayutthaya immigration now requires a home visit and under consideration stamp for a retirement extension. Maybe not at your IO but that is not relevant.

A few more discounted EV’s for January 2024:

Yep, I used the extension cord at 10A and only as a test to recreate the ground fault I had with the BYD charger. When PEA get round to fitting the TOU meter the Lazada charger will go in the frunk for travelling and the BYD charger will probably get resigned to the wardrobe in the spare room with the other surplus stuff.

Bought one of these from Lazada, tested it with my Seal using a 2 pin extension lead ( which had given me a ground fault with the BYD charger ) and it worked fine. Tried out the different amperage and at 16A it charges at 3.1 kw which is a definite improvement from my 1.8/1.9 kw with the BYD charger. Handy piece of kit to have, especially as PEA are still on holiday … allegedly ! and still not appeared to fit my TOU meter .