63Tommy1

Chevy's current promotion includes 40K off sticker price and 0% financing for 3 years. I'm tempted by the Captiva too.

Yes stay clear of 2nd hand vehicles is good advice.

Captiva is an excellent family car!

But its resale value is really low, thats WHY i bought one

Second hand, of course, 1.085.000Bath , for a less than 1 year old car that cost the first owner 1.560.000Bath.

I plan to keep it, its great.

Tommy

After writing my previous reply i found manuals on the net.

Did you consider trying Google?

Write "toyota hilux manual pdf" and see where that gets you!

I did not download any of them, so I won`t promise anything.

Tommy

Recently bought a 2nd hand Chevrolet in Bangkok, it came with a thai manual.

First Chev-dealer i asked got me one straight away, they had them on the shelf, not for free but still good!

Try asking another dealer! Or ask a friend in some civilized city to pick one up for you!

Tommy

I would get A Fortuner or A MU7, if I wanted A car that was suited for off-road, but really I dont, I drive on roads.

How many Fortuner/MU7 owners has ever been off the asphalt or tarmac, is 5% a fair guess!?

And off those how many really needed it, instead of just wanted to try it, once...

The off road-capabilities is mostly b¤llox, (almost) no one needs it, and it makes the cars unsafe on highways, were they will be, and are driven at high speeds.

So why not get a real road-car(?), The Captiva is good choice, if you need more than 5 seats and superior comfort and saftey for your passengers!

Regards,

Tommy

3 Months with the best Thai built SUV, and I must say: "Why Would anyone buy a crappy Fortuner, when the Captiva exists?"

Captiva is smooth on the road, usable on dirtroads, fast and stable on highways, gives a good all-a-round view in Bkk traffic...

Possibly THE car for Thailand, but thats just my opinion.

Best regards,

Tommy

You have tinted headlights?

No but the light sensor is mounted on the dashboard...

What a crazy idea. This makes people lazy. You'd be better off hiring a car to drive you everywhere...preferably a car with FULL MANUAL control of everything.

Oooh, I forgot, it also has automatic windshield wipers, they turn on when it rains, adjusts the speed to the amount of rainfall!

And by some kind of modern hokus-pokus, it changes gear by it self, lazy bugger needs me to put it in reverse though...

Maybe time to try something from this millenium?

Kind regards,

Tommy

A side effect from the dark tint is that the cars "Automatic-hedlights" turns on in the slightest shadow during full daylight, like passing under a highway overpass... Annoying, cuz i like tha aut-lite, when i go into parking garages and tunnels.

You have tinted headlights?

No but the light sensor is mounted on the dashboard...

Kind regards

Tommy

I´m not Danish but Swedish and the two countries have similar laws.

I have asked our embassy, on behalf of a woman with a Swedish ex-husband and a child with the ex, if the child is entitled to child-support from Sweden (as the man is registred as the childs father, in Thailand and Sweden).

The answer was YES!, if the child lives in Sweden, otherwise NO.

The child holds a Swedish passport and can go to Sweden anytime, but is not registred as a recident.

So if your daughter is a Danish citizen, you can move to Denmark (I think!) and get Child support and other benefits, please understand, I´m not 100% sure, but if you ask the Danish Embassy, they can help you.

Just my 5 cents...

Tommy

Recently bought a Car with tinted windows all-around.

Thought I was loosing my Night-vision, the first evening when it got dark, its dangerous, think I will have them change to a lighter tint on the windscreen when I come to Thail next time.

A side effect from the dark tint is that the cars "Automatic-hedlights" turns on in the slightest shadow during full daylight, like passing under a highway overpass... Annoying, cuz i like tha aut-lite, when i go into parking garages and tunnels.

Tommy

elkangorito... RU kidding? Putting sand in the colingsystem, sounds risky bordering to stupid, I have never heard of it before.

There are other cleaning products you can use, and it works like you said in your post, but sand???

Also, Glychol is added as an anti freeze to your cooling system, but a coolant with glychol will also contain anti corrosion and lubrication additives.

If you live in a warm country, like Thailand, you will do just fine with the additives!

And YES too much additives will give build-ups in the cooling system, CAT for instance recommends 6-8% of their additive in the coolant.

Tommy

For your information, the proper amount of coolant lubricates the water pump, prevents corrosion, keeps the hoses soft and pliable and has a higher boiling point than water. Using plain water is usually an expensive cost savings.

Amen o that!

Running on plain water can cause a lot of problems, a common one is a leaking water pump, due to lack of lubricants for the pump bearings, cheap to fix for most non-import makes.

Corrosion inside the engine itself takes longer and will cost you a great deal more...

So the correct amount it should be, to much can give you other problems, like crystals clogging the system, already mentioned in this thread.

Tommy

Doesn't your foot get tired (or does it get annoying having to constantly shift) while driving a manual transmission in stop and go traffic like in Bangkok? I prefer manual transmission normally but I don't live in a big city so I'm wondering what it would be like to drive it in a place like Bangkok.

I recently bought a car in Bkk, for use in Bkk.

Soo glad that I opted for an Automatic transmission! , Never had automatic before (25 years driving in Sweden).

Even Bkk-Taxis are starting to use Auto, 4 years ago I didn´t see 1 Taxi with aut-gear, now almost 50% of new Taxis are automatics.

Tommy

How about a Chevrolet Belair , ca 1960, with a Nissan 2.0L turbo engine?

http://www.one2car.com/CarInfor/cardetails...90417&row=2

Nice looking car, would look better with a big V8 though, easily fixed?

Tommy

I had the same question but regarding my Chevrolet.

A simple email to Chevrolet Thailand gave me the answer "Yes it is ok to use B5" they replied both via Email and an english speaking lady on telephone!

I´m saving that mail.

So why not try that, ask the source.

Tommy

It´s quite common theese days.

My Car has a fridge option in the "Glovebox" , simply open or close a nozzle in the glovebox, from the air-con as wanted, works great!

Tommy

Thanks for the replies guys....certainly put me off plus the fuel consumption sounds appaling.

We are gonna test drive a deisel Captiva tomorrow , not much of a price difference but I have read good things about it

You cant go wrong with the Diesel powered Captiva, just said in another thread, "I have one and I love it!"

The only(?) problem is low 2nd hand value, bad if you buy new, good if you buy 2nd hand.

We saved 485.000bath on a almost new, 2008 Captiva 2.0 LT, compared to its original price, and still have 2 years factory warranty on it, i´m

Tommy

I'm interested in buying something with 7 seats. I have an old Kia Carnival at the moment. Anyone know of any good deals out there to buy something with 7 seats? (you know the type, 43baht down and pay off over 20 years...ok, that's a joke, but school fees for my two daughters are limiting the amount I can put down).

I hear you on the School fees, have 2,5 kids (I have 2 the wife has 3)...

Like I have said before, "Ford Everest"!

Built sturdy, to last, low price as 2nd hand, slightly stupid seat arrangement on the older ones, but still useable.

There are more options, 2nd hand, but look at the Ford, New or 2nd hand.

Oh! and the Chevrolet Zafira, great ride if you compare to your Kia, and depending on budget, the Chev Captiva I have one and just love it!

Tommy

Theres a car yard just outside of bkk that has a lot of American cars and others just for this, I remember seeing someone post pics of them, I think the place sells them all for around 300k each.

Thanx, thats really helpful, outside Bangkok? Ok I know exactly where that is (No really could you specify?).

I saw a really great looking Chevrolet pick up today (seen it before too), in our neigborhood (Bkk, Rahm Intra Km2), might have been 40 years old... Thats what I want! As long as the body looks classic, I dont care soo much about the moving parts...

Tommy

Wow Hyundai H1! I have seen a couple and thought they were more expensive than that, 1.4mil for the top of the line...

Nice looking car http://www.hyundai-motor.co.th/en/H1PriceList.asp

Hej förresten CS! skall du köpa bil?

Tommy

Maybe the Peugeot would be a good deal 2nd hand (the HDi is new now, right? So I guess 'second hand' would require to wait for a bit - but for sure it should take a depreciation hit and a good find would be a good deal IMO).

YES... There is a August 2008 'SW' HDi [estate] for sale near me @ 1.8 million, this model new just a year ago would have been just under 2.8 million, so a saving of almost 1 million baht... or a loss for the old owner and it has 11,700km on the clock..

If you are spending that kind of money on a car, why not have a look at a brand new Chev Captiva LTZ.

Its built in Thailand and gets good revues in Europe, its a superb car, not a Peugeot, wich are all cr=(p

Tommy

I thought your examples were based on Corolla and Hilux or did I miss something you were thinking but didn't say yet?

Ah, misread the post and now see the point you are trying to make - let me take a look and come back, which I will do.

Almost a real time discussion, apologies, I should remember to read the full post before posting!

You've quoted a price differential on two vehicles in Thai Baht, Corolla and Hilux - you've also accounted for that differential by suggesting that excise tax is the reason. But excise tax is only due on exports and since both vehicles are manufactured/assembled here, surely excise tax cannot be the answer.

Not picking a fight here, but are you sure?

I am pretty sure all cars are subject to Excise tax.

Tommy

Without seaching any further than this forum, heres a hint of what the tax difference might well be:

"Captiva is a frontwheeldrive with additional allwheeldrive ability. More agile on road, but hopeless offroad.

I like them both. Basicly Fortuner is a more expensive truck, but its PPC taxbreak (build on frame) in LOS (only 20% compared to Captivas

35% excisetax) makes them compete in same pricerange." from this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Chevrolet-Ca...0&start=100

So the excise tax on a Corolla Altis is 35% and Hilux is only 20%.

Please bear in mind I have not checked these figures myself.

But there is part of the explanation for the strange pricing.

Tommy

14% more for a smaller, benzine powered, 2WD car is not much?

Anyway how is the weather on your planet?

Tommy

BanJarn (Very common brand at least in Bkk, they have a green leaf as symbol) gasstations have Euro4 "B5" Diesel, the little testing I have done sofar is inconclusive, First I belived Shell V-Power was slightly better, giving lower consumtion, but after some further testing, I´m just not sure.

The Euro4 from BanJarn is ca 3 bath cheaper/Lit, still testing

Tommy

I would go with taxes beeing the reason for high prices.

Why would a Hilux 4WD, 4-door "top of the line" (950.000) Cost way less than a "top of the line" Corolla (1.100.000)?

The answer is different taxes.

Tommy