Can anyone recommend a good BMW thesedays?

[speedtripler]

Haven't had a bmw in about 15 years since I sold my M3 in Europe and I'd like to get a decent car but I don't mind buying a 1-3yr old used one.... 

 

I first looked at the i8 but it seems a bit expensive compared to other countries/currencies and there is probably very few places to charge a hybrid engine 

 

There is a 3 litre m2 that gets good reviews on YouTube but I don't know if there would be any 2nd hand yet so that would probably have to be ordered new

 

Would also consider a used m3 or even a 7 series if I found one I liked (had one once and loved it) 

 

Is it very risky to buy a 2nd hand BMW in Thailand!? 

 

Open to any opinions and suggestions, including other brands etc 

[Kwasaki]

320d gets good reviews.

[tifino]

Lease, instead of Buy...

 

... you don't inherit somebody else's dumped problems then...

 

 

...seen way too many breakdown Beamers 

[richard_smith237]

I'm on my second BMW in Thailand.

 

The first was the 528i F10 model - had it for 3 years

The Second is the X5 25d F15 Model - Had it for 3 years and currently selling. 

 

Never had any issues with BMW, incredible cars... 

 

I prefer to buy new and sell them after 3 years while they are still under warranty... 

 

I imagine there are numerous around which in excellent condition... the same goes for many cars of similar age. 

 

Not every second hand car out there is a lemon - in fact ALL of my cars which I've had here have been Sold on - the buyers most defiantly purchased a car in excellent condition. 

 

 

I'm curious about the least option you mentioned tifino - What lease options are there available in Thailand ?

 

 

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

I have been a happy BMW owner for 11 years in Thailand and still love my 5-series.

 

The M-sport models you see on the market are not true V8 M cars, but you are probably aware of that.

 

i8 is cool, but like the Z4, more of a toy for the boys (with deep pockets).

 

I guess I am Richard's customer, because I look for value for money in the 3-4 years old Bimmers.

Cars don't rust in Thailand, so you will have the darn thing for the next 20 years.

[HidyHo]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'm on my second BMW in Thailand.

 

The first was the 528i F10 model - had it for 3 years

The Second is the X5 25d F15 Model - Had it for 3 years and currently selling. 

 

Never had any issues with BMW, incredible cars... 

 

I prefer to buy new and sell them after 3 years while they are still under warranty... 

 

 

Just curious about experience of selling .. fairly easy?  how to calculate selling price (blue book?)?  do people bargain hard?

 

[richard_smith237]

 
Just curious about experience of selling .. fairly easy?  how to calculate selling price (blue book?)?  do people bargain hard?
 

A lot of tire kickers, some entertainingly so...

Price gauged on refinancing value from SCB, insurance valuation and what others are asking for the same car.

I’ve sold 5 cars in Thailand over the years I’ve been here... never been completely happy with the price paid, but then again the buyer was never 100% satisfied with the price they paid... mark of a good deal I suppose - neither party completely happy, but at least a private is better than putting profits in the hands of the cowboys!!!!... buyers got a great car & I moved on... never a bad experience...




Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[speedtripler]

16 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I have been a happy BMW owner for 11 years in Thailand and still love my 5-series.

 

The M-sport models you see on the market are not true V8 M cars, but you are probably aware of that.

 

i8 is cool, but like the Z4, more of a toy for the boys (with deep pockets).

 

I guess I am Richard's customer, because I look for value for money in the 3-4 years old Bimmers.

Cars don't rust in Thailand, so you will have the darn thing for the next 20 years.

although I  would love the i8 it does seem like an unsuitable/impractical  vehicle for Thailands roads 

Small fuel tank ,2door,  cramped back seat, limited range, small trunk  and probably nobody knows how to fix it  when something breaks down etc etc  

 

A lightly used 3, 5 or 7 series  seems to be the best idea..... 

 

Too many cars, not enough time

 

Watched a YouTube video of the Mercedes amg gtr and it looked amazing but I haven't dared to Google the  Thai price  yet lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

4 minutes ago, speedtripler said:

although I  would love the i8 it does seem like an unsuitable/impractical  vehicle for Thailands roads 

Small fuel tank ,2door,  cramped back seat, limited range, small trunk  and probably nobody knows how to fix it  when something breaks down etc etc  

 

A lightly used 3, 5 or 7 series  seems to be the best idea..... 

 

Too many cars, not enough time

 

Watched a YouTube video of the Mercedes amg gtr and it looked amazing but I haven't dared to Google the  Thai price  yet lol

 

I agree with your i8 conclusion, but I don't follow how you can consider the 3, 5 and 7 series. They are vastly different cars.

3 series is a great young boys car, fun and nimble, but too small for a tall guy.

5 series are the perfect family car, safe and reliable.

7 series is made for the back seat passengers comfort while the driver chauffeur the owner around. All Thai 7 series are the stretched L version.

[speedtripler]

5 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I agree with your i8 conclusion, but I don't follow how you can consider the 3, 5 and 7 series. They are vastly different cars.

3 series is a great young boys car, fun and nimble, but too small for a tall guy.

5 series are the perfect family car, safe and reliable.

7 series is made for the back seat passengers comfort while the driver chauffeur the owner around. All Thai 7 series are the stretched L version.

I didn't have a family in the past so I travelled primarily on motorcycles .... 

Now I have a family but it wouldn't make much difference to them which one 

 

I had a 3 series before so I know I can fit in it(unless they've  made them smaller) 

 

Buying second hand I'd consider any of them if the price is right

 

I remember my old 7 series and it was a great car so maybe I'm biased towards the 7 but the luxury of it was amazing..... 

 

 

 

[Crash999]

Look on taladrod to get a sense of used car costs. Used BMWs are a good deal as prices drop like a rock in two years but I believe the BMW warranty here is five years so there are a lot of cars for sale still under warranty. 

 

I assume you already know about the crazy tax here and the effect it has on sporty cars. 

 

Don’t buy grey market imports. Unknown history and too many legit BMW Thailand cars to choose from so no need. 

[speedtripler]

17 minutes ago, Crash999 said:

Look on taladrod to get a sense of used car costs. Used BMWs are a good deal as prices drop like a rock in two years but I believe the BMW warranty here is five years so there are a lot of cars for sale still under warranty. 

 

I assume you already know about the crazy tax here and the effect it has on sporty cars. 

 

Don’t buy grey market imports. Unknown history and too many legit BMW Thailand cars to choose from so no need. 

Yes, I know it makes a lot more sense (financially) to buy a locally made vehicle and I still might consider one

 

What is the Thai made equivalent of a BMW though? (similar engine /performance /spec/build quality  etc

 

Off topic I know but My friend bought a fully loaded ranger wildtrek and it's not a bad deal  for the price (a bit bouncy tho) 

 

The modified ones look  cool but you can spend more on mods than the car itself...  

 

[dotpoom]

Car_complaint.mp3

[mike324]

Avoid a 7 series, resell prices are horrible. Do go with a 520d or 320d, those hold prices fairly well and diesel cars generally have less problems that petrol engines due to less heat (that is what the service adviser told me, they have less problems with diesel cars). Based on my own experience of owning a 520d for 10 years, I did not have a single problem with the car, but a lot with my 3 and 7 series petrol engine.

 

I think you can't go wrong with a x3 as well. You can generally get a good deal on used cars (less than 10,000 km) nowaday at 200-300,000 baht cheaper than a new car. I've seen a handful this past year, all from dealers and with full 5 year warranty as most are just test cars. If you don't mind a smaller car such as X1, they aren't too bad. 

 

If your budget isn't that high, you could look at cars from 3-5 years ago which have depreciated quite a bit and are a good buy also. In the end, if you can let us know your budget and type of car you want, sedan vs suv, that would help.

 

Servicing really isn't much of an issue nowadays, and reliability have improved quite a bit compare to 10 years ago. Only thing I worry about with new cars is electronics, its getting more expensive to repair if a part should go bad, such as gear shift or displays.

[mike324]

2 hours ago, speedtripler said:

Yes, I know it makes a lot more sense (financially) to buy a locally made vehicle and I still might consider one

 

What is the Thai made equivalent of a BMW though? (similar engine /performance /spec/build quality  etc

 

Off topic I know but My friend bought a fully loaded ranger wildtrek and it's not a bad deal  for the price (a bit bouncy tho) 

 

The modified ones look  cool but you can spend more on mods than the car itself...  

 

BMW and Mercedes are assembled in Thailand.

 

Your other option is japanese brands such as Honda and Toyota. I can vouch for Honda Accord, the new ones drive very nice, has a nice heavy steering feel somewhat like a bmw. Drives and feels very confident on the road. Lots of features as well and spacious interior. Thats probably most most simliar to a bmw in terms of locally made.

[speedtripler]

27 minutes ago, mike324 said:

Avoid a 7 series, resell prices are horrible. Do go with a 520d or 320d, those hold prices fairly well and diesel cars generally have less problems that petrol engines due to less heat (that is what the service adviser told me, they have less problems with diesel cars). Based on my own experience of owning a 520d for 10 years, I did not have a single problem with the car, but a lot with my 3 and 7 series petrol engine.

 

I think you can't go wrong with a x3 as well. You can generally get a good deal on used cars (less than 10,000 km) nowaday at 200-300,000 baht cheaper than a new car. I've seen a handful this past year, all from dealers and with full 5 year warranty as most are just test cars. If you don't mind a smaller car such as X1, they aren't too bad. 

 

If your budget isn't that high, you could look at cars from 3-5 years ago which have depreciated quite a bit and are a good buy also. In the end, if you can let us know your budget and type of car you want, sedan vs suv, that would help.

 

Servicing really isn't much of an issue nowadays, and reliability have improved quite a bit compare to 10 years ago. Only thing I worry about with new cars is electronics, its getting more expensive to repair if a part should go bad, such as gear shift or displays.

 

Budget is not the most important factor but i usually buy used vehicles to avoid the depreciation hit of driving it out of the showroom.... 

 

 

Don't really like the looks of the x-series though 

 

 

Safety, comfort, fun to drive  and decent build quality is more important 

 

I don't do really high mileage so not that worried about fuel economy 

 

Lots of people recommend the diesels now as they are much improved over diesels from  years ago so I might check that out 

 

(the latest one is almost as fast as an m3 which I would never have predicted ) 

 

 

[MartinBangkok]

I am driving a 320d LCI (facelift) F30 2016-model which I bought 1.5 years ago from Millennium Auto Lat Phrao. Amazing car, it drives so well. I have been to my home country Norway three times since I bought the BMW. On each occasion I have rented a car. Volvo V40, Audi A3 and Mercedes GLA. Rubbish all of them compared to my BMW. I am amazed at the difference in handling and driving experience. The BMW is far far superior.

My 320d has 190 bhp (not at the wheel) and 400 NM of tourqe as standard. An Austrian guy in West Bangkok has a rolling road dyno. He adjustet my ECU and now I have 225 hp measured on the wheel. And 507 NM of torque also at the weel. Freaking amazing (almost the torque of a supercar!) I am guessing I now do 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 6.0 seconds or even less (7.2 seconds before tuning) The power now is awesome. I paid 2.8m for the car. 25% cash and the rest on 5 year BMW finance. My plan is to sell when three years old and buy the upcoming new 3-series G20. It will also be a diesel. I just love the BMW B47 diesel engine. Perhaps the best diesel engine in the world. And so efficient and powerful at the same time. My average is 0.5 litres per 10 kilometers! This is the first diesel car I have owned. I will never change back to petrol again! 

PS: The cost of the rolling road dyno-tuning was 18.000 Baht.

[Searat7]

A bit off topic but I went to auto show here this month to look at new BMW X3 because I plan to buy one in USA soon . Price here with Big tax is equivalent to $111,000. Sticker price in USA is about $47,000 and I will pick it up at the factory, get a factory tour and drive one on a racetrack. (South Carolina)

[Will E Vormer]

Looked at an i8? Wow whats your budget, because even in europe thats a v expensive car. I was going to suggest an F10

[malibukid]

BMW's have lost their soul after the E46 models.  not the car they use to be. had a few 2002's, E30 and E36. also smaller engines over here.  however i hear the new M240i 2 Series, has some of the lineage of the classic 2002.

[speedtripler]

23 minutes ago, Will E Vormer said:

Looked at an i8? Wow whats your budget, because even in europe thats a v expensive car. I was going to suggest an F10

I can afford an i8 but it would feel a bit stupid to pay  what they want for them in Thailand.... In the UK you can get them on the used market for £54k upwards and there is a good few nearly new ones  to choose from so I might buy one over there and get something else for Thailand..... 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?postcode=wc1e7hu&make=BMW&model=I8&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Used&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1

 

You're right, the F10 looks like it might be a winner! 3 litre petrol or diesel would be fine, not too slow, not too fast..... Decisions decisions...  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bleble]

Buying a second hand BMW or Benz in Thailand... If you cannot buy a brand new one, buy a Toyota ! And avoid problems.

 

And how ridiculous are people who choose a diesel ?! To save what ?!

 

 

 

 

[malibukid]

BMW's are a complete rip off here and have puny engines too boot, save your $$$, buy a Toyota.  besides the way Thai's drive here you will never be able to enjoy it's potential.

[bleble]

4 hours ago, mike324 said:

BMW and Mercedes are assembled in Thailand.

 

Your other option is japanese brands such as Honda and Toyota. I can vouch for Honda Accord, the new ones drive very nice, has a nice heavy steering feel somewhat like a bmw. Drives and feels very confident on the road. Lots of features as well and spacious interior. Thats probably most most simliar to a bmw in terms of locally made.

 

No Honda or Toyota can compare to a BMW or Benz about driving...

Do you think that people pay x2 at least for a German car only because of the badge ? Of course not.

I always have Benz and when I try someone "fabulous" Honda or Toyota, it reminds me why...

 

 

 

[bleble]

10 minutes ago, malibukid said:

BMW's are a complete rip off here and have puny engines too boot, save your $$$, buy a Toyota.  besides the way Thai's drive here you will never be able to enjoy it's potential.

 

...said the poor cheap charly who never owned anything nice his whole life !

 

 

[speedtripler]

13 minutes ago, bleble said:

Buying a second hand BMW or Benz in Thailand... If you cannot buy a brand new one, buy a Toyota ! And avoid problems.

 

 

 

 

The extended warranty period is 5 years so I think it would be fairly safe to buy a 2yr old BMW at a substantial  discount from the new price

 

I can afford a Lambo but I am not going to buy one for various reasons

[speedtripler]

23 minutes ago, bleble said:

Buying a second hand BMW or Benz in Thailand... If you cannot buy a brand new one, buy a Toyota ! And avoid problems.

 

And how ridiculous are people who choose a diesel ?! To save what ?!

 

 

 

 

The new diesel engines are surprisingly good :

 

 

[speedtripler]

54 minutes ago, malibukid said:

BMW's are a complete rip off here and have puny engines too boot, save your $$$, buy a Toyota.  besides the way Thai's drive here you will never be able to enjoy it's potential.

A luxurious car is better than a cheap one in all driving conditions and you don't risk losing your licence for going over the speed limit in Thailand either so there  are a few advantages to the west

[hawker9000]

8 hours ago, malibukid said:

BMW's have lost their soul after the E46 models.  not the car they use to be. had a few 2002's, E30 and E36. also smaller engines over here.  however i hear the new M240i 2 Series, has some of the lineage of the classic 2002.

Agreed.  I've got a 3-series going on 15yo in the states, and I wouldn't trade it even-swap for a brand new one, even direct from Munich.  But that's partly because I've maintained it in a pampered condition inside & out.  But buy a used one?  Anywhere?  No way.  Buy one in Thailand at 2-3x the price?  Same answer.   And if I ever did, I'd be afraid to drive it or park it anywhere.  No thanks.

 

[Will E Vormer]

I have access to a 3 yr old 520 diesel- it is pretty fast and v comfortable. The turbo diesel is great on long trips, great midrange pull. This car never had one mechanical issue since new. Good looking car too.

Things I dont like - rear leg room shd be better for this size of car, and dont buy one with the ghastly orange brown interior.. thats about it.

Look at the s/h prices compared to a 3 series.. they have depreciated fairly steeply.  Try to get one with a couple of yrs left on warranty. No brainer imo.