macgt3

My wife’s closest gf’s boyfriend is a high ranking policeman in Thailand. He frequently takes ecstasy and other illegal drugs. I’m afraid it’s part of the culture now and waaay beyond “out of control”. On another note, violet crime in Thailand is becoming a real problem and of course it’s underreported. There are times when I feel safer in the USA and that’s saying something. (Although crime stats back home aren’t reported fairly either because an overwhelming majority of said crimes are isolated to the inner cities. Not suggesting that it’s not a problem, but it is what it is. Also, mass shootings account for 0.1% of all gun-related homicides, which makes them extremely rare.) One thing that stands out to me above all is that, generally speaking, Thai people have an extremely short fuse. I feel safer getting into an argument with someone back home.

Considering there are millions of officially registered mopeds and scooters in Thailand vs almost none in the US, I wouldn't take those "road carnage statistics" too seriously given that 75% of them involve motorcycles. You came here to advise me not to drive a Toyota Yaris on Thai roads because it's too dangerous. Got it. Any other dangers I should avoid? - Bar girls? Street food?

It's all relative, bud. I find that Thai drivers are safer than American drivers. By a long shot. So yeah, it does sound sensible to me. Drove here for 5 years now and I can't relate to any of the cows or dogs jumping out at me ????

Thanks for your suggestion. Things is, I don't want it as an investment. I want it as a fun, engaging, rally-inspired hot hatch with three pedals. There are no cars like this being made anymore. None. The "investment" part is just a byproduct of owning such a car. You can drive it for 5, 10, or 15 years and it'll be worth more. A lot more. None of this is "theory" BTW. There are thousands of examples like this in Thailand. Used Nissan GTR's that were imported here years ago are now *actually* selling for 10-15 million baht. They cost 1/3rd that to import. Rare cars like this only appreciate in price. The irony here is that a GR Yaris is much harder to source nowadays than GTR's were back in the day. This car was officially priced at 2.6 mil baht when purchased directly from Toyota Thailand, which I think is a fair price after import fees and taxes. To that end, I certainly hope that Toyota will create another list of allocations at some point. Otherwise, I will entertain the idea of importing it at a higher cost. Best bet would be to find a slightly used one. Problem there is that used ones already cost a lot more than they did new at 2.6 mil. The car market is insane as it is. But it's multiple times more insane for cars like this. Even in the UK, I highly doubt that you can get a new GR Yaris from a lot for 1.5 mil baht. From what I've seen, most UK dealerships add a hefty markup to this car because demand is off the charts worldwide (not just in Thailand). The only way you can get it at MSRP is if you place your order well in advance. Speaking of which, many folks over at GR Yaris forum have already waited close to 2 years after placing their order.

I’m glad it doesn’t interest you. One less person to bid against. It may be a hefty 3-4 million baht today, but it will be worth 7-8 million baht in 5 years. I can promise you that.

Thanks. I already spoke to these guys several times in the last 2 years and they don't do "preorders" the traditional Toyota way. They just do a direct import from Japan, which can take 1-2 years. They're insanely expensive too (way more than other importers I spoke with).

Thanks. I saw this one a while back. It sold immediately. In fact, it sold before it was listed. The seller already had a buyer lined up, but listed it anyway for good measure. I had my Thai wife reach out to them. The seller told us these cars are harder to source than a pot of gold. And he's not lying. This is probably the most sought-after new sports car on the planet. I know people who ordered theirs directly through Toyota 2 years ago and are still waiting. Sadly, these cars don't last a day on the open market. They are selling for 3.5-4 million baht at the moment here in Thailand. Not surprising, given its true specialness and unicorn status. There's no ICE car like it and I can confidently say there never will be after production ends. I realize that to most people "it's just a Yaris". But if you know, then you know.

Not interested in the GR Corolla. I knew about it last year and now that it's been unveiled, my suspicions are reaffirmed. A watered-down version of the GR Yaris that they're trying to shove down people's throats. In short, I don't like the looks, it's considerably heavier (by almost 400 lbs), and nowhere near the uniqueness/specialness of a true homologation special. GR Yaris is the only car I want. It's incredibly hard to source (worldwide) for a reason. If I can't get one, I will consider a Mitsubishi Evo 5 or 6. To me, it's the closest equivalent in terms of engagement and fun.

No luck. Never found one. Don’t even know where to begin. This car is extremely difficult to source.

Anybody? ???? still looking

Ahhh, you mean you want to test drive a BMW or Mercedes and strip them for parts during your test drive so they are never found again? Sounds like a solid plan.

Thanks for your input. I’m a huge fan of the Hilux chassis. I wish we had them in the US because I would be all over it. In fact, when the time is right, I also plan on purchasing one here in Thailand. Toyota is going back to its roots with the Gazoo Racing offerings and I aplaude them for it in the context of everything “old school” being phased out. The fact that the GR86, GR Yaris, and the all-but-confirmed GR Corolla and GR Supra will all offer a manual transmission is a blessing in the skies to us purists.

I already have. Not my cup of tea. Nowhere near the pedigree, feel, and speciality of the GR Yaris. Most powerful 3-cyl engine in the world, loads of carbon and lightweight parts, astonishing AWD with 50-50 to 70-30 split, built mostly by hand in Motomachi plant… the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, the GR86 is a good car for the price, but it is not in the same league and will never age as well as the GR Yaris will. The GR Yaris is an instant classic that’s already selling for double the price in some parts of the world. Mexico sold out of them in less than 24 hours. It’s truly the most unique and special Toyota ever built. IMO, much more special than the likes of MKIV Supra, etc. A homologation unicorn. Those come once in a lifetime. The last homologation model that you could write home about was the e30 M3 and that was 35 years ago. I know this market well. The GR Yaris is a car that will be worth 10+ million Baht 5-10 years from now. I can promise you that.

This is exactly the way I was leaning. Do you know of any reputable ones here? - I know there’s Spyder Auto Import. Any others?

Because to me it’s the best looking hot hatch ever made. It’s also a true homologation special. Find me a faster, more rewarding AWD hot hatch with a manual transmission in this price range. You can’t. The only new car in existence that comes close is the Golf R, which is not only more expensive, but also heavier and nowhere near as nimble.

There are several well-known Thai companies that import cars to Thailand, legally. Depending on the car, sometimes the applicable import taxes and fees are not too far from what the car retails at in Thailand to begin with. I already found a place that can import the GR Yaris from the UK for around 3.5 million Baht. I imagine that a good chunk of that price is their fee. So I figured it should be possible to import individually for less than 3.5 million. Yes, I know there is a lot of paperwork involved, but still probably easier than applying for a Thai visa. As for the people questioning my choice in cars, trust me, I’ve been in the car space for over two decades. This car will be worth 5+ million in a few years. It’s basically a car you can drive occasionally and watch it go up in value drastically over the years. With the way Thailand’s limited JDM models were skyrocketing in price (even before the pandemic), I can promise ya’ll this car will continue to appreciate like crazy worldwide, let alone in Thailand.

Yes, I realize Thailand got 100-some of them imported and that all were sold out. However, I also know that Toyota extended production to 2023 (possibly beyond). Long story short, I'm American living in Thailand and I'd like to buy a new GR Yaris here before it goes out of production. Short of buying one used, what are my options? - All I'm looking for is to secure an allocation. I don't mind waiting 1-2 years for it to arrive. Toyota of Thailand has been extremely uncooperative. My Thai wife and I called Toyota of Thailand for months and they simply refused to help us with acquiring this car. We called multiple dealerships, as well, with pretty much the same outcome. I wanted this car ever since it debuted, but it's been a nightmare trying to secure one. Like with anything in life, it's all about connections. And sadly, I don't have any here lol. The Thai Toyota website with the GR Yaris info doesn't lead anywhere either (https://www.toyota.co.th/en/model/gryaris). I'm losing all hope ???? . Yeah, I know, first world problems (I'm a huge sucker for these homologation specials). Taking into account Thailand's ridiculous import tax laws, I'm wondering if the cost of importing one from the UK would come out to roughly the same amount??? - They are much easier to find in the UK and much cheaper too. Curious if adding Thai import tax would equate to a similar price. Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hey guys, I just got married in Thailand. We’ve been dating for 4 years. After countless visits and stays, I decided that it was time to lock it in. We just completed the entire process in Thailand, including having the marriage MFA-certified and authenticated by the US embassy in Bangkok. So my question is, what’s next? I understand that “most states recognize the validity of legal marriages registered in Thailand. If you would like to register your marriage in the United States, you must contact the Attorney General in your state of residence to inquire about their specific documentary requirements.” However, I haven’t been unable to get a straight answer about this from Illinois. What I would like to know is: Am I basically finished with the marriage process? Is this marriage recognized in IL? Should I hire a lawyer to start the US marriage visa process to bring her here? - Or is this pretty straightforward and something I can do easily by myself? If anyone can shed some light, I would highly appreciate it. Lots of conflicting information about this all over the internet. Thanks in advance!