Andrew Dwyer

I took a look at one yesterday at my local mall, marketing the new Mint Green colour , that makes 6 colours in all, more than most. I stick with my earlier comments that it is not for me and would like to see some more “ stuff “ inside for another 100k or so but agree that it is a good looking car externally. The price is unbeatable imho and as a company car makes perfect sense. For anyone looking for an EV for local use on a budget it’s a perfect buy. I haven’t discounted it totally as my 2nd car , at around 220k/250k ( MG EP and Dolphin ) less than it’s nearest rivals it’s a bargain. Plus , recently discovered that my car port is not very good for 2 cars so the slimmer body of the Neta V might just seal the deal.

I was all set to replace my ICE with an EV , had researched the models extensively and decided on the Atto 3 as my only car. Planned to get a secondary electric meter fit ( TOU ) for cheap nighttime charging. But i travel frequently, mainly around a 500 km round trip but recently, on a whim, went on a 2000 km road trip down south and found the flexibility of refuelling an ICE preferable. Of course my frequent trips and the odd longer journey could be achieved with an EV but it takes planning and patience especially if travelling to “ off the beaten track “ destinations and I am lazy/not ready for this level of commitment. So, my compromise: bought a hybrid for the longer trips and will go for BYD Dolphin for local stuff, charging at home. As said already on this thread: EV’s are not for everyone ! We all have different lifestyles, different priorities and different views. Some have solar installed and for them an EV is a no brainer, for others a TOU ( Time of Use ) meter can be fit at home to provide cheap overnight charging and those living in apartment/condo/parking on the street or dedicated parking space have to consider seriously if an EV will work for them. For me to go EV only i would need some changes: Longer ranges ( which are slowly but surely coming, check out BYD Seal 700km ) Faster charging More charging points (please don’t post the map again !! ) Singling out the Neta V is a little unfair imho, the Neta V is a budget vehicle and the cheapest in its class but a MG EP or BYD Dolphin can be obtained for less than 800k and competes admirably with ICE cars at a similar size or level of comfort. Like them or loathe them EV’s are here, MG have 3, BYD have 2 ,Neta has 1 and Good Cat has various models in its range, even touching on the more expensive models, Tesla, Volvo, BMW, Porsche etc with local favourites Honda and Toyota arriving soon !, plenty of choice for every level of income/wealth.

Apparently not but this is small town rural Nakhon Sawan. My bil , who lives in the same town, was a monk for 9 years but allowed to drive on medical grounds . Having kidney failure and needing dialysis several times a week he could drive himself to a local or Nakhon Sawan hospital. On longer trips, to Bangkok for example, he would get a friend to drive him or pay someone.

Okay, hopefully someone will be along with an answer for you @Crossy or @orchidfan ?

As is the norm here we had to pay a visit to my wife’s hometown Wat for the head monk to stick some gold leaf, wrap some coloured ribbons, draw some symbol on the bonnet in powder and splash plenty of “ holy “ water over the car , and us ????, on the occasion of a new car !! ( keeps the little lady happy ) Head monk “ Ajarn “ ( teacher ) was in a particularly good mood as one of his faithful followers had had a bit of good luck on the lottery and proudly presented him with a gift . Quite an upgrade from his previous electric vehicle which was a little limited ????

As DrJack stated, most are 30 days and some are 45 days. Post your location for a more definitive answer or contact your IO.

Following in the footsteps of GWM looks like MG might be selling off some of their showroom cars. Anyone interested should make some enquiries. Here’s the VS HEV with a healthy discount :

13 days after applying for online 90 days reporting I received the approval notification. I already went in person over a week ago so when are the in person and online systems going to align ?? …… rhetorical question ☹️

The Peacocks won’t be strutting next week. Toffees have a good chance of scraping by. Foxes have a tough couple of games and i think it’s too much for them, especially the Toon away !

Yup, I think they do here too , Although I seem to recall that this has been outlawed.

The Neta V is the cheapest EV right now and as I have dropped my sights from the Atto 3 ( 1.2 mil ) to the Dolphin ( 800k ) for city driving it could be classed as justifiable to take a look at the Neta V, had previously seen it at a local mini motor show and wasn’t impressed. But now I have deemed my EV will be local use only I might have another look, although from a quick glance at a YouTube video the gap between Neta V and Dolphin is vast, despite the 250k price gap ( am not that pushed for money, if I was skint i’d be looking at a Celerio !! ). From what I see it’s a good looking car, albeit not very wide so probably a 4 seater in reality, and is lacking some basics. Add a 60/40 split seat ( that cannot be expensive can it ?), connecting that centre armrest to the minuscule centre console ( what were they thinking ? ) would make a world of difference, bring that instrument cluster forward ( so binoculars are no longer required ), improve the trim level, bang a spoiler on the back, add 100k to the price and call it limited edition !! The Neta V has sold quite a few here and has potential but it’s a big jump to the Neta S or U Pro so they either need to slot another in between or make some cosmetic changes if they want to compete with BYD.

I joined the FB BYD Dolphin group ( Thailand ) it’s early days as yet and the admin is posting furiously , but nothing Dolphin related ! I find these FB groups are great for info regarding issues, accessories and mods etc, gave me a lot of insight into the Atto 3 and MG4. Some of the Thai sites, when using Google translate, appear gibberish but you get the general idea. I joined a Haval Jolion group about a year ago and I’m sure by joining that group it led to me being inundated by the various ads from showrooms selling their “ Activity “ cars off . With this in mind i popped into my local showroom and …. long story short …. got a new (ish) car with all the warranties, roadside assistance and freebies ( film, insurance, mats ) etc for 154k below normal price , that’s going to buy me a lot of gas . Bil has always said he wants my ZS ICE so hopefully i can pass it on to him and then take a look at the Dolphin. Might even go for the purple, more of a lilac colour in my eyes but i don’t mind it at all, will have to put my foot down if Hello Kitty stickers are mentioned though ! My last trip before retirement was to Japan, been 5 or 6 times, and always said I would love to return as a tourist, better not tell the little lady this just yet though .

About once a week you spread this misinformation !! If you have no evidence to back up your claim please desist.

Yes, I was all set for the H6 PHEV when it was announced, despite it being bigger than I want/need, but then the price came and i got dismayed, held out for a Jolion PHEV but it never transpired. But I see your point, a Jolion and a Dolphin together would be more than the H6 PHEV, although did a deal today on Joe Lion at 845k so worked out less by 50k ish ! I think the Dolphin will be ideal for local stuff, charging at home, and Joe for the longer stuff. Did an impromptu week away recently, Ayutthaya to Nakhon si Thammarat with stops in Prachuap, Chumphon and Hua Hin, nearly 2000 km. Some would argue that i paid dearly for gas but for trips of this length i prefer more carefree mode of travel. The H6 is a desirable machine without a doubt but i think it would be too much to handle for the little lady.

I’m not sure it does illuminate, it’s called an “Electrified Matrix Grille “ but i think the electrified part is because of the blue “ eyebrows “ , as Thai like to call them, above and below the grille. The rear of the VS is disappointing as it is almost identical to the ZS. Haval has done a good impression of MG VS grille with their recently released Xiaolong Max.

Indeed, the interior is very nice, that double screen works very well, not so sure about the grill that merges into the paintwork though. Saw one when I had a nosy round my local showroom on a service last week, in white with the black roof looks pretty nice and fits in with the latest trend , most Toyotas I see on the road recently seem to have adopted this. But yes that green is nice also.

Yes, it was 450k in pocket when i chose between the ZS ICE and the Corolla Cross, celebrated with another mb ( that’s motorbike not Mercedes Benz !!, am not Rockefeller ). Got the chance of a Jolion Hybrid Ultra in white ( i might have mentioned my attraction to this car before ???? ) ex showroom car with all the warranty and freebies at 140k discount, for the longer trips . If it comes off will look at the Dolphin for local trips, charging at home. Barring that will go for the Atto 3 and maybe keep the ICE for the longer trips, depends on how the CS infrastructure keeps up with the EV invasion.

I have to add that while i quite like a sunroof, albeit not used frequently, it is refreshing on those mountain trips and evening rides, am happy to see the Dolphin here is not equipped with a sunroof . The reason being that in the Chinese/European versions a sunroof ( actually a glass roof ) is fitted and has caused a big dip in the headlining for the sunshade mechanism reducing headroom significantly, picked up quickly by reviewers.

I would say that the Atto 3 is worth the extra 230k over the MG4. The sunroof, electric tailgate, larger screen with excellent resolution ( and can be upgraded to 15.6” for 28k ) , bigger boot and nicer interior materials ( ignoring the ott design ). But i would say the MG4 is worth the extra 170k over the Dolphin. The exciting driving experience, better looking MG4 , makes it for me. But, it depends on your reasoning for buying, if looking for a second/city car then I see the Dolphin as ideal, affordable, more than adequate medium hatchback. If looking for a primary car then the Atto 3 wins the race. But, of the above 2 options the MG4 is also an option . A dilemma indeed and I don’t envy you as I have changed my mind on this subject so many times over the last few months, just when i thought I had it sorted another model popped up !! If i were in your shoes i would go Dolphin , as you already have the H6 PHEV for longer trips, but that would be purely for financial reasons and might not be your case.

Some people are easily confused ???? I use a Radio App Also use Spotify and have my favourite music on my phone. Works for me.

Read it again. He clearly stated application for non imm O visa not extension .

Not sure which tyres come as standard on the Dolphin but the Atto 3 tyres ( Atlas Batman ) have come in for a lot of bad press. A lot of owners in TH, Aus and NZ have changed them fairly sharpish, noise and slippery in the wet being the major concerns. Many Thai going for 19/20” wheels despite losing range, I don’t mind the standard Atto wheels personally. On the positive side , a lot of cheap Batman + wheel available if you fancy a full size spare. Apparently European Attos will get Continental tyres in the near future.

So, if an EV comes with 11kw AC charging power and I have only single phase would I get 7kw or would it be only 3.6kw ?

A it more about the newest addition to the Haval range. 2 models, Xiaolong and Xiaolong Max , wonder if these two will replace the Jolion and H6 ? https://carnewschina.com/2023/05/13/great-wall-motors-haval-brand-new-xiaolong-suvs-will-launch-on-may-15/

Meanwhile ……. in some other coffee shop !