MoonRiverOasis

Everyone's mileage varies I guess, but my experience with Chevrolet customer service has been so bad that I wouldn't consider purchasing one again, ever, even if it only cost 20 Baht.

OK, OK if it were 20 Baht I'd buy it just to burn it and put it on Youtube

Mistu service is the polar opposite however - absolutely superb.

The salesperson should have asked you of you wanted the manual in English or Thai... In any case, you can but the printed English manual from your dealer for 300 Baht.

28,500 THB for Tabien Rot, Por Ror Bor and 1st class insurance on a City is ludricrous - that's at least 5K overpriced.

They must be feeling lucky at that dealership you're visiting!

The city has at least 40K of discount in it, so you should be able to get all of the above free, plus free tint and some bolt-on accessories. Shop around!

The Alpine unit in the PJS GT can support an analogue AUX input, so no problems adding the player of your choice.

If you're not going to install a CD or DVD Changer, use the KCA-121B (about 800 Baht at any Alpine dealer) - if you want to install a CD/DVD changer plus have an AUX input you'll need one of the more expensive Alpine adaptors - I don't have pricing on these however.

KCA-121B

Answered in the other thread on the topic..

In summary: Facelft in 2-5 months, more substantial update in Nov-Dec 2011, and all-new platform not until 2014.

so anyone of you guys heard of a model change on the fortuner?

it has been in the market for ages.... so there must a NEW fortuner coming up soon, right?

The IMV2 platform is due in 2014 - this will be the next major change for the VIGO, Innova and Fortuner.

However there will be a minor change for Fortuner later this year ( between Sep-Nov), and a more major update around Nov-Dec 2011 in order to comply with the EuroIV standards, and compete against *every* other brand's brand-new platforms at that time.

Providing the scratches aren't too deep, Meguiar's PlastX plastic polish will more than likely do the job.

At 560 Baht a bottle it's not cheap, but it works wonders for head/tail light lenses, LCD screens, CD/DVD/Blu-rays, and window tint. I've even used it to restore cell phone screens.. A bottle will last you several years too.

Meguiars Thailand product page: http://www.meguiars....id=5&lang_id=EN

It's coming to Thailand this year, though no release date announced yet.

No matter what it's still just an Accord - the worst ride quality, worst noise, worst acceleration and least refinement in the segment...

Old news - Thai police have had radar for several years now - I know, I've been the victm of it dozens of times

This April just gone, I got caught 3x in a single day - and all in different provinces too.

200 Baht at the window normally gets you back on the road pretty quickly..

Speed cameras have been in use in Thailand for at least 3 years now, though it appears the fine has increased by 100 Baht..

I was informed by a knowledgable Thai guy in Pattaya that, Toyota have a sale quite regular in Bangkok of second hand trade in vehicles.

He stated that they are also garunteed for a year.

Maybe it is worth checking out.

Might be a bit more expensivebut peace of mind go's a long way.

Hope you find the right deal

Cheers

That sounds like "Toyota Sure" - which is not a special event as suggested, but rather a network of used car yards with warranties sponsored by Toyota. They're all over the country. You'll pay above the odds of course, but you are getting a checked and warrantied used car from them.

Chevrolet has the same concept in Thailand with their "Chevy OK" dealership network.

100K - Nothing in a 1-ton. An old Mazda Familia, or Nissan NV in really bad shape perhaps.

200K - a 15 to 20 year old extra cab, but not a double cab.

The entry level for a 4-door 1-tonner is the 250K-300K mark, which will get you an 8-15 year old pickup.

At 400K your choice widens considerably, and can get you something fairly recent in one of the less popular brands (e.g. Nissan, Mitsu, Chev).

Wow, what an ordeal - I'm lost for words!

In a sense you're right. However, not everyone who's buying a car is aware of this nor capable of doing the math.

Most people with 5 years of schooling will have no problem calculating flat rate interest in their head, or worst, on a napkin, but I'd openly challenge 99% of the population to tell me how much they owe on APR finance at a given point within their loan term, without resorting to google or excel

The 2.89% is just a way to mislead the public ---- a marketing ploy.

The real interest rate is closer to 5.5 or 6 per cent, if it is calculated properly.

You are absolutely right. I was quoted 2.5% on my Honda paperwork. The banks says the same, and then says 4.75 Effective Rate (is that APR??). B.S. Same crap was done in the US until that law requiring APR to be listed.

People, it's flat rate interest. It's not by default a 'scam', nor a rip-off, nor misleading - in fact flat rate is the original easy-to-understand interest calculation method. APR was invented by banks, for the banks, so they could get the bulk of their interest repayments earlier in the loan term rather than having to wait for it. Nothing more, nothing less. Thailand's spin on this is to only give 50% discount on the remaining interest when paying out early. Do the math.. it's all pretty similar.

If you want to make comparsons, google will point you to any number of calculators that can compare flat rate to APR. The fact is, the MLR (min. loan rate) in Thailand is currently 5.85% and the the MRR (min. retail rate) is 6.45% so the 'flat rate' deals you're getting on car finance at 0.85% to the high 2%'s are still very good deals, no matter how you cut it.

Also, don't forget that the first rate you'll be offered by a salesman is always the worst. Negotiate it <deleted>

"The production of the Mazda3 will continue in the Philippines. Since the new factory belongs to Ford, we won't be shifting the Mazda3 production to Thailand. We'll continue to import it from the Philippines," said a source at Mazda Sales Thailand.

I'm curious as to the "source" of this Mazda 3 news, seeing as it's incorrect The next generation Mazda 3 (already available in most markets - we'll get a minor change of the new shape) will be manufactured in Thailand.

Still the Ford news is good news, so long at they spend at least some of the $450M into improving their Thai dealer network... The last 500M Baht they "invested" in it did nothing.

As i read it here you dont get market value but a fixed percentage. That kinda sucks im pretty sure the market value would be higher.

A misunderstanding

In Thailand your insurance premiums are always 'agreed value' (i.e. a fixed value in the contract), however if you do not specify the value you want, your insurance company will default it each year to 80% of the current market value (not new price).

The amount it's out appears to be almost exactly 1 month's repayment - are you sure your last repayment (the 12th one) has actually registered in their system? It's not unusual for it to take 3-7 days for an automatic payment to be credited against your loan account.

The insured value of your car can be negotiated no problem, and you can raise it mid-contract with an additional fee, or set the value when renewing. I have done this for every car I've owned to insure the value of accessories and the real replacement value of the vehicle was all covered.

I have paid out finance on 4 different cars in Thailand, all early by at least 2 years, and I've never been ripped off on the 50% discount on the remaining interest. All different financiers too: Sicco, Toyota Leasing, Thanachart and Ayudhya.

Are you sure it's not a case of an early payout 'fine' distorting the numbers? Some of our financiers warned that paying out the loans before 1 year / 2 years of payments had been made would result in an early payout fee.

Are you willing to share the numbers for a quick double check?

Does anyone know a relaible supplier for fiberglass (or even carbon/kevlar) matting, resins, gel coats etc in Chiangmai?

Need some for a DIY project..

Hello to forumers, I just want to ask if the maker of these carpet will be able to send it in the Philippines? I really want a set of these carpet mattings but unfortunately my location is far. Can I have his e-mail address? Thank you very much.

PM Sent.

here is the before dealership cleaning pic

Well, on the plus side it would definitely not appear to be someone maliciously damaging your car

My best guess with be that you rubbed up against a shrub - the lack of gouges and dents (or impressions) suggests it was not caused by a motorcyle.

Besides a device reducing fuelconsumption with 30% and increasing power would damage any engine. Running lean, less fuel, burns engines internals. For now at least.

Agree 100% The only way to increase fuel effeciency by 30% is by reducing HP.

How about engines that are already designed for FE (Fuel Effeciency) using techniques like advanced conrod angles, lightened (weaker) parts etc where even 15-20% HP increase becomes potentially fatal to the engine? The Toyota 1NZ-FE (as used in Yaris, Vios, Avanza) springs to mind here...

IMHO, there's no substitute for the hard and slow work of refining engine designs in an incremental fashion.

For my Pajero Sport, Lamina was 5,500 Baht and 3M 6,000 Baht, so your price in on the high side by ~10% I guess.

just include a free set of steak knives with every order, and you'll sell a shit load

Yes, and load the marketing guff with superlatives like: Amazing! Incredible! As-seen-on-TV! World-First! Innovation! NASA! Secret! and Conspiracy!