rambling

I had 3M Crystalline on one of my cars in the past. In my opinion it is overrated / overpriced. Saw no difference between that and cheaper Lamina I had on another car. I recently changed to another one which came with V-Kool (previous owner) and it seems much better for reducing heat inside the vehicle.

Same thing happened to me. One morning started the car, no power steering. Drove it (barely) to the garage. They run diagnostics, no signal coming from the electric power steering module. Physical inspection discovered electric wires were chewed off. They re-wired the connector and all went back to normal. Half a day and 3,000 Baht.

22 hours ago, Lacessit said:

IMO you'd be better off buying a new Camry or Accord for about the same money.

Be aware cost of maintenance and spare parts for the Mercedes brand in Thailand is 2-3 times that of the Asian brands, and at 11 - 13 years old the car will need both.

2007-2009 E Class is about 500K THB. That amount would be sufficient for a 2015 Camry. Quite a difference in car age (and mileage most likely) but also a different driving experience.

Yes, Japanese cars are typically easier/cheaper to maintain, I suspect the OP and anyone buying a European car is aware of that.

1 hour ago, thaisail said:

I have a 2011 Ford Ranger which has the 2.5 liter common rail engine with turbo. My local Ford dealer where I bought this truck told me not to use biodiesel in any of there truck models older than 2017. But PPT keeps telling me that I can use either B7 or B10. Where can I get the the definative answer from Ford Company because it seems that each Ford dealer has a different opinion. We are now burning B7 because here in Chiang Khan there no longer diesel which is now B10. I don't mind filling with premium once every 3 or 4 tanks but for my trips to Phuket the fuel cost with Premium makes the trip to Phuket about 30% higher cost. Burning B10 would be great if Ford would agree!

Have a look here: https://www.doeb.go.th/data/bio/totalB10update.pdf

This list is purportedly made by the Department of Energy together with manufacturer's input.

I found in the list this mode:

FORD Ranger P4AT EURO3 TDCi (Turbo Diesel Direct Injection) 2011-2013 . It's marked as OK for B10 and not ok for B20.

Btw, there is no 100% diesel anymore in Thailand, lowest Bio ratio is 7% (that includes Premium which are B7 + additives).

Very nice car btw, my gf's family had this alongside the next generation W212 and I liked driving it more than the newer one.

Not official publications but maybe still useful:

E200 NGT was 4.2m it seems: https://www.caronline.net/ทดลองขับ-mercedes-benz-e200-ngt-ngv-แท้ๆจากโรง-2/

Normal E200 was 3.95m: http://www.mercedesmania.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=26702.0

11 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

My Opinions are based on recent BMW’s a 2012 F10 528 and the 15 X5 from from 2015 - Perhaps that is too old to compare to the lates 2020 model. The newer 5 Series and X5’s look excellent - but everything improves as it evolves. 

 

I think my point is fairy valid - I don’t think these vehicles are worth 2-3 times their competitors. Agreed they are better, but really, US$147,000 for a BMW X5 ???? (its cost 4.6MB).

 

That said, its 57 for the Mazda CX-5... Cars here are outrageously over priced (I know thats not the argument). 

 

The argument in this case from my perspective is, is a BMW worth 2-3 time the equivalent Japanese car (Honda / Toyota / Mazda) - I don’t think so. Is the BMW and Merc, Audi, Volvo, VW better ??? Yes, but not 2-3 times better. 

It is difficult to evaluate cars on a per dollar basis. They're an emotional buy for most people rather than pure intellectual logical purchase.

Also incremental added value seldom translates to incremental added price in most fields of life. Can an expensive laptop do 2 times more than a cheaper one which costs half the price? Does having more inches on the TV mean the comedy is funnier etc. etc.

So it's all a matter of taste and what a person values more, reliability, style, performance, image, comfort, fuel economy, color, interior design etc. the list is almost endless.

Btw I was pretty shocked reading your experience with the 528i. Seems like experiences can really vary. I pretty much abuse my 525D and take it all over Thailand including on pretty bad roads up country, in extreme traffic jams in Bkk, on high speed highways, and the only unplanned service / breakdown was an engine vibration damper croaking after 140,000 km. It cost 20,000 Baht to replace.

On the benefits side I get a super comfortable relaxing long distance cruiser AND a real hooligan aggressive performer all rolled into one. It's the automotive version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ????

I have a F10 525D and like it a lot. No special issues other than normal maintenance and wear and tear. I like the comfort, handling, sportiness, etc. I don't think I can get the same driving experience from a Japanese car. I could be mistaken.

It does 4.8L/100km on a typical Bangkok-Korat trip (double that in the city) and I do that back and forth every weekend plus other trips (about 25 KM a year). So quite economical from a fuel consumption point of view.

Maintenance at the dealer is expensive, you'll need to find a reliable indy garage. There are quite a few of them.

2 minutes ago, Susco said:

Thanks for that.

 

I did a Google and found that BMW raised that issue with the Malaysian government in 2015, because there B10 would become common diesel from October that year.

 

So since this is 5 year already, how did they sort it in Malaysia?

 

 

I am not sure how it was handled there but I believe they would have approved it here if they could because all manufacturers are under pressure to support this government initiative (in support of Palm farmers).

If you look at that PDF it says: "List of vehicle models certified by vehicle manufacturers to be able to use B10 high speed diesel oil". It is not a very long list, and has comments and disclaimers on specific engine models for which they're showing check mark under the right most column titled "B10 can be used".

These are more recent news items from this year from Malaysia as they introduce and promote B20:

https://www.piston.my/2020/02/20/biodiesel-upgraded-to-b20-from-today-but-b7-will-still-be-available-for-euro5-diesel/

https://www.wapcar.my/news/malaysia-begins-sale-of-b20-biodiesel-what-cars-can-use-b20-should-you-fuel-up-with-b20-1340

Generally from what I read the message is that people will need to check on compatibility for anything above B7.

For example Ford:

"The newer Ford Ranger and Ford Everest with 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines (single and bi-turbo variants) can run on B20. Older models with 2.2-litre and 3.2-litre Duratorq engines however, will need an upgraded B20-compliant fuel filter, which can be installed at any Ford authorised service centres. Otherwise, it is recommended that owners fuel up with Euro 5 B7 biodiesel.

All other diesel powered Ford vehicles (including the older Focus TDCi) should use fuel up Euro 5 B7 biodiesel. "

Interestingly, support for B20 could be retrofitted to some models, but without this upgrade they recommend to stick to B7 - not even B10. The 3.2 litre Duratorq mentioned  was fitted from 2011 - 2019 in Ford Ranger, some Everest and some Mazda BT-50.

2 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

I think the bad advice is you claiming there are cars that are approved up to B7 and not B10.

 

You have a source or list of cars that are approved to B7 ONLY? I don't think there is such a list, because if they are approved to any form of Bio Diesel, they will be minimum B10 approved.

 

I will stand corrected if you can post any list of recent cars that says B7 maximum.

 

 

Fair request. Please see post #62 above you for a list of cars are approved for B10 by the manufacturer.

For my car, a 2012 model equipped with N57 engine the recommendations by the manufacturer are as follows:

BMW and MINI cars with diesel engines.
Apart from item 1. At the moment, such as N47, N57, etc.
In an emergency where Biodiesel cannot be found
Level up to B7 can be filled with diesel fuel.
Normal speed rotation (B10) can be temporarily as far as
Only necessary. B10 oil is not recommended
Continuously because it affects the oil supply system
Fuel and equipment in the engine in the case of use
On a regular basis Which may not be covered under
Conditions for car quality guarantee

Original:

1. รถยนต์ BMW และ MINI ใหม่ที่จำหน่าย
ในปัจจุบันรวมถึงรถยนต์ BMW และ MINI ที่แสดง
ในตารางนี้ที่ใช้เครื่องยนต์ดีเซลที่ขึ้นต้นด้วยรหัส
B37, B47 และ B57 เท่านั้นที่สามารถใช้น้ำมัน
ดีเซลหมุนเร็วธรรมดา (B10) ได้ โดยไม่กระทบต่อ
เงื่อนไขการรับประกันคุณภาพรถยนต์
2. รถยนต์ BMW และ MINI ที่ใช้เครื่องยนต์ดีเซล
นอกเหนือจากข้อ 1. ในขณะนี้ เช่น N47, N57 ฯลฯ
ไม่รองรับน้ำมัน Biodiesel ประเภท B10
โดยรถยนต์กลุ่มนี้สามารถรองรับน้ำมัน Biodiesel
ระดับไม่เกิน B7 เท่านั้น
3. รถยนต์ BMW และ MINI ที่ใช้เครื่องยนต์ดีเซล
นอกเหนือจากข้อ 1. ในขณะนี้เช่น N47, N57 ฯลฯ
ในกรณีฉุกเฉินที่ไม่สามารถหาน้ำมัน Biodiesel
ระดับไม่เกิน B7 เติมได้นั้น สามารถเติมน้ำมันดีเซล
หมุนเร็วธรรมดา (B10) ได้เป็นการชั่วคราวเท่าที่
จำเป็นเท่านั้น ไม่แนะนำให้ใช้น้ำมัน B10
อย่างต่อเนื่องเพราะมีผลต่อระบบจ่ายน้ำมัน
เชื้อเพลิง และอุปกรณ์ในเครื่องยนต์ ในกรณีใช้
ต่อเนื่องเป็นประจำ ซึ่งอาจไม่ถูกครอบคลุมภายใต้
เงื่อนไขการรับประกันคุณภาพรถยนต์

8 minutes ago, Susco said:

Yes as of November B10 will be called diesel.

 

Anyway you are already using B7 for the past 6 years, as that is what is called diesel since, and if that doesn't give you problems, I assume B10 will be fine for you

That is an incorrect assumption and a very bad advice. Regular use of B10 in a car which is approved for up to B7 will result in damage to engine and/or fuel system.

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

How do I find out if my 2010 ranger can take B10? If they are going to call it diesel I guarantee someone is going to put B10 in the tank.

http://www.doeb.go.th/data/bio/total_B10.pdf

Looks like 2011 onwards are compatible with B10.

Lots of cars on the road should not use B10 it's really unfortunate they decided about this renaming.

8 hours ago, fredob43 said:

I haven't a clue what Shell put in??? All I know is I always put premium Diesel in my lump. And V power gives a bit more get up and go than PTT premium. I'm waiting to give V/P another try, but I still have over 1/2 a tank of PTT left from the last fill up.  

From the horse's mouth:

"Thank you for interesting in Shell products, According to your question,  We are  writing to let you know about shell v power information as follow  :  Shell V power Diesel – is shell's new oil formula. 
Contains components of Diesel Fuel 93% and Biodiesel(B100) 7% which can help to clean the ID valve and Oil nozzle which is the key components in the fuel supply system.
Shell V power Diesel is  the fuel that delivers the best performance from Shell , with dynaflex technology, restoring your vehicle's engine to its full estimation."

So V-Power Diesel is a B7 + additives as was suspected.

I used to put V-Power on alternate fill ups but not too long ago they canceled the normal B7 and they're consistently more expensive on the premium. I switched to Esso premium and Bangchak B7. The latter is surprisingly good in terms of mileage.

11 hours ago, fredob43 said:

I for 1 will not be using PTT anymore. I put a post it the other week about the drop in power when using PTT Premium Ver Shell V power. Now I see that their premium is B7 Premium what's going on??? Question Have they changed the price.

Does Shell not use any % of biodiesel in their VPower? I don't see any information about this on their website, so it's impossible to know if they're using B7 + additives and call it VPower Diesel as far as I can see.

4 hours ago, salsajapan said:

10000thb to change oil in the benz, so every 10000kms is enough !

 

That's very high. It's 6,xxx at BMW dealer for F10 525D N57 (6.5l of oil).

2 minutes ago, jamora said:

I know a few guys who buy on eBay. There are some good shops in Germany, where they buy totaled cars, cut them up in Eastern Europe, and sell the parts.

one problem might be to get a mechanic change them.

I just had our Airmatic system replaced, found all the parts on eBay, but no one here would change it if the parts were not new, so ended up getting it done at Mercedes Thailand.

There's usually 30% customs + 7% VAT on auto parts, did you need to pay that?

22 hours ago, VyacheslavKHV said:

taladrod.com

This. + facebook marketplace + one2car.com. Privately sold cars typically priced a bit above those sold by tents.

When was it last changed? Timing belts are also susceptible to wear over time from the heat regardless of km done.

How much would it cost to change? I would change it just for peace of mind if last change was 4-5 years ago.

It seems then that this issue of which DLT office applies to inside of Bangkok only. My books registration address is covered by Bangkok DLT Office Area 4 (at Nong Chok, way out..) so when we (me and buyer from another province) went to do the transfer we couldn't do it at any other Bangkok DLT office (such as HQ Area 1 at Chatuchak) and were sent to Area 4 office. But based on others reports here if the transfer is done outside of Bkk, in another province such as CM, then that's fine and there's no need to show up in Bkk - which makes sense.

13 hours ago, steve187 said:

this is incorrect information, please stop posting it, the vehicle can be registered in local near home DLT, not required to be registered in place of current registration first, if the seller is happy to go and do the change then go for it, but as long as the buyer has all required paperwork then there is no need. 

I have tried twice to do as you suggest here, with 2 different vehicles, and was turned away on both occasions at Chatuchak and sent to the DLT office handling the address showing on the Blue + Green books inthe owner page. First account was selling my bike to another foreigner, second account was selling my car to a Thai. In both cases buyer+seller present and all documents were in order, nothing missing (ID/forms/tabian baan books/original vehicle books etc etc). I live here for 13 years and have bought and sold vehicles many times. Maybe we've been unlucky and given incorrect information by Chatuchak DLT officers in all these instances. But that has been my experience, the OP is welcome to try and report back. It's possible HMMV.

2 hours ago, ivenius said:

Thanks a lot, that's very useful! I thought if I'm buying a bike in another province, I have to register it in the same province, and I cannot register it in mine. That's also what @rambling mentioned.

What the owner said is correct. And what I meant is that the first step of ownership transfer is always at the DLT of the current owner registration locale. You cannot do that anywhere else (not even head office Chatuchak). Afterwards if you wanted to change the plate location (from upcountry province to Bkk) then you can do that on your own as a second step at your local DLT (Chatuchak or one of the other ones in Bkk depending on your address - each DLT serves a different part of Bkk).

At least that has been my experience as recently as 5 months + 7 months + 2 years ago.

No there's no problem. In the first step you will do the transfer at the DLT in the area of the existing owner. You will then take your green book and go change the plate and registration province at your own local DLT.

I bought and sold a bike + car to/from another province.

P.S. The bike I sold was a CB500F ???? great bike.

21 hours ago, JAS21 said:

You should look at the private sales or even advertise for one ... no dealers ...,

Indeed, I do that as well. On the other hang it's difficult to find vehicles which have been cared for and maintained well all the way till the actual day they get sold. From my experience many private sellers neglect their car for quite some time while they are looking to sell and/or after having bought a replacement car.

13 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

I just don't understand why on earth would you buy such an expansive car in Thailand

considering the road fatalities and accidents. As I mentioned before my car is 24 years

old but it gets me from A to B

Trying to understand this logic.. It seems to imply that accidents + road fatalities = better to have a cheap old car with lower safety standards..?

Amorn Prestige is now here: 168 Ratchadaphisek Road, Chan Kasem, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Amorn+Prestige+Co.,Ltd/@13.8132786,100.5633683,15z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1samorn+prestige!3m4!1s0x30e29dab39e7d707:0xa61541ec23cf96bd!8m2!3d13.8201843!4d100.5753691

I have not serviced there but I heard positive feedback about the place.