Cars In Thailand

[davethailand]

you got me on that one tax. i'm a bit slow this evening

[maerim]

i think maerim was joking tax. 

Honest no joke, the iritating noise gets so bad sometimes usually one a month that I have to take medicine.

However this can't be purchased at the pharmacy as it is too potent so I have to get it from the pub.

This just defeats the object of the execise as the whining noise just increases when I get back.

I am seriously studying taxexiles advice but I really don't see any alternative except get a new model.

The difference it is said between men and boys are the price of the toys.

So it looks like I will have to get a sports model I just hope I don't kill myself with increased performance required of these new models.

Do you think wearing a crash helmet would increase my chances of survival?

[taxexile]

maybe you should just get an old bike to ride, but they are not so good for the uphill journeys.

[RDN]

i think maerim was joking tax. 

Honest no joke, the iritating noise gets so bad sometimes usually one a month that I have to take medicine.

However this can't be purchased at the pharmacy as it is too potent so I have to get it from the pub.

This just deafeats the object of the execise as the whining noise just increases when I get back.

I am seriously studying taxexiles advice but I really don't see any alternative except get a new model.

The difference it is said between men and boys are the price of the toys.

So it looks like I will have to get a sports model I just hope I don't kill myself with increased performance required of these new models.

Do you think wearing a crash helmet would increase my chances of survival?

There's obviously something wrong with your helmet - why not get it polished while you're down at the pub?

[egghead]

Well everybody I bought a 1973 Toyota Crown a year ago from a Thai friend who's Dad bought it new. So that makes me a proud second owner. It has a 24 valve Nissan Cefiro 2.0 6 cylinder fuel injected engine, a new paint job and new tyres. Been to E-sarn at least 10 times and went to Phuket in Febuary. A few minor problems with the ignition and put a new clutch plate and bearings in a couple of months ago. (5000 baht what a bargain) Had the front seats recovered (2500 baht ) and a nice console(1500 baht) So I reckon I have the best buy in BKK.

3 people waiting in line to buy it for 100.000 baht.

[Glenaron]

Coming from the US how hard is it to pick up an American vehicle? I drive a Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins turbo diesel, is something like that available?

[ajahnlau]

Look in BKK Post usually some US made vehicles. Remember cars here are opposite drive to US. Very hard to pass vehicles on hwy when you can't see oncoming traffic. Repairs would be another story. Pick-ups here are a little smaller than the full sized Rams but have all the options available. Don't really need such big pic-ups here.

[maerim]

Very hard to pass vehicles on hwy when you can't see oncoming traffic.

Doesn't seem to bother the Thai's some of them can't see over the top of the dashboard, even when they are awake.

[RDN]

Doesn't seem to bother the Thai's some of them can't see over the top of the dashboard, even when they are awake.

I think you should've said:

Doesn't seem to bother the Thai's some of them can't see even when they are awake.

How many Thais do you see wearing glasses? Does an eye-sight test form part of the Thai driving test?

[Limbo]

I have a little Nissan NV for almost seven years. Very easy in town and extremely cheap in maintenance. Status-neutral, it is the kind of car in which among others young ladies with sugardaddies drive around.

I can trade it in for 130 thousand (10 more than I paid for it during the crisis in 97) if I buy a Ford Mondeo (with ABS, airbags and some other things I don't understand) for 310 thousand.

I like the almost classical design of the seven year old Ford very much and the seats are comfortable. There are no stickers on it with mighty, super, fighter, faster, ranger, trooper, super-de-luxe and so on. A maintenance book comes with it and the former owner stuck to the official Ford dealer for maintenance. It looks as new, as old cars only can do in Thailand.

The last owner didn't invest in maintenance during the last months he owned it: On the maiden-trip the automatic gearbox showed to be without oil and refused to do what it is supposed to do, namely change gears. It takes a month to get a new (or revised) gearbox to town and to get it installed, so I got my NV back for the time being and I was asked if I wanted the money back.

We made the deal that I can decide again if I want to have it when it is ready.

The car has almost 150 thousand kilometers (confirmed by the book) behind its wheels. With the gearbox done, will it be worth it? Are Fords reliable cars? How many kilometers can you expect an engine to function (2 liter vtec or something similar)?

I am not living anonymusly in my area. What will the Thai people think when I will drive around with a car which is much bigger than necessary?

[Limbo]

I am not living anonymusly in my area. What will the Thai people think when I will drive around with a car which is much bigger than necessary?

It sounds maybe a little bit strange and might need an explanation.

I don't think it is polite to drive a bigger car than the headmaster of the school where I have been volunteering a lot of years. Or than the car of the founder and director of a cultural institution where I volunteer. Or than the other journalists of the local newspaper.

I don't like stickers on cars like mighty, super, fighter, trooper and so on, because I allways thought that people who drive around in them have small penises, which they don't want other people to know and compensate with masculine words. As the old saying goes: The bigger the car the smaller the penis!

That's my dilemma: I would like to drive around with this Mondeo, but I don't want to be seen in it or coming out of it. Help! Maybe just one sticker: This car is seven years old and paid?

[taxexile]

limbo , i dont think that your perceived status will change much as a result of switching from a seven year old nissan to a seven year old ford.

i wouldn't worry too much about what others think about the size of your organ either , just buy what you want and enjoy it. airbags and abs might come in useful one day.

let the others do the soul searching.

as for buying a poorly maintained ford with 150,000kms on the clock.... i would stay away and look for a toyota soluna with a good service record.

[chanchao]

Get real.. a 7 year old Ford is considerably below what people dream wealthy foreigners would drive.. A new Benz, that would be something! But seriously, it doesn't work the same way here in Thailand as it does in the West. Showing off is actually good! Many people will spend far more money on their car than on their house! All show. I see collegues at my company trade in perfectly fine Honda Cities/Civics or Toyota Solunas/Corollas for something the same size that's just newer. Then they put on mag wheels and get a 5000 baht brass plated exhaust shipped in from somewhere. (Whish looks like it's just begging to drop off at the first major speed-bump or pot-hole..)

I think I will keep driving pick-ups for the foreseeable future. No worries on any Thai-built pick-up with 150,000 kms on the meter, but a 7 year old Mondeo....... well.... And parts will be expensive too.

Yesterday had an Isuzu truck serviced at the dealer, 60,000 kms.. thought this would finally be a major maintenance thingy.. Nope.. 700-kwa-baht. Cheaper than filling up the tank these days!!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Limbo]

Dear Khun Chanchao and Khun Taxexile,

Thank you very much for your kind answers.

I asked a very techically developed Swiss friend (he is specialised in antique Rolexes and cameras and knows how to repair them) to look at it and he was very enthousiastic. And we both loved the design. As far as we know the Mondeo is the first European made (and designed, possibly Bertone or Georgetti) American car.

For the technical part I probably should have consulted one of my American friends. But you made me think, thanks!

[chonabot]

He'll be handy if the clock breaks down then......

Mondeo's blow.

[Thaicoon]

In Thailand drive a new Isuzu Highlander, this would cost a fortune in the uk, but in the uk drive a 911 turbo and a merc sports, i would like to bring them to the LOS, but the cost would be worth more than the cars in Thai duty.

[Kringle]

Thaicoon, Got any pics of the Mercs sport and the 911? I'm still riding that Honda steed 400cc but my friend wants to sell it now. Can't wait till I get that Kawasaki 900. I'll PM you later.

[Ryan]

Hi all!

I purchased my 2003 Accord 3.0 V6 in November of last year after 3 months of debating what was worth getting. Im a single male and something sporty was what I first intended to buy.

It was either a second hand Mazda rx7 twin turbo or a second hand subaru imprezza wrx.

In the 1.5 million baht range there is no competition in speed, power and space. Puts those expensive and underpowered BMW 318's too shame I say.

Anyone have an accord?

[flackjacket]

We are currently on our third Isuzu, this time a Rodeo 4x4 4 door. Plenty of room for passengers and still space to carry freight in the back. Powerful enough to get one out of trouble but flexable for long distance driving. Have to pay more tax as it is a 4 door but well worth it.

[gregor200]

We are driving now a new Isuzu DMax 3.0 Diesel. With about 30 ct per liter, Diesel is relatively cheap. Inside the car is very quiet on driving and makes no problem for my wife, who doesn´t want to change gear so much, always starts in second gear and uses third gear to drive around the mountain serpentine..

There are a lot of addons on the market, lke hardtop for the pickup part etc.

[ThaiPauly]

Mini's are great cars, but as previously said are TWICE the price than in the UK. I would love one, but cannot justify the cost, feel as we are being RIPPED OFF.My Isuzu Adventurer cost me 1.3m baht fully loaded brand new,with 4WD and Auto + Leather. CD, I am chuffed to bits with it.

diesel so its cheap to run, can't beat it for VFM in LOS. (Oh and spare parts are no problem)

Ehh? Minis are cr*p, always were are always will be. Will rust to sh1t in no time, too small to put anything in and too small to see anything but the big fat ar5e of the truck in front. And they'll get stuck on a bump in any road other than the expressway in bkk. Don't let nostalgia cloud your judgement!

Minis are CR#P are they? thats why they have been around for 50 years then, and are even better now they are owned by BMW. I am not saying they are great for Thai roads but they are great cars have you driven the new ini Cooper?

Get a life

[Simbo]

Correction. The Izuzu D max does have airbags on domestic models, and ABS.

I have just bought one.

[chanchao]

I saw that yes.. Could be a recent thing, since they started calling it the 'highlander' ? Anyway, good move on the part of Isuzu.

(And congrats with your new car!!)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Thaicoon]

Kringle,

You will have that Kawasaki 900 on the road before long, bringing a head from the uk, look good with a bird on the back.............see ya soon

[Khutan]

I drive a Nissan Frontier. Umm, its a ZDI 3.0 Bought it new a few months ago for 570,000. I call it the "Peasant Rice Farmers Luxary Package". Got all the carry-boy stuff around the car, but not the thing on the back. So it came with the wheel arches and the side steps bonnet guard and the tray liner. I also got leather seats and a CD Player, oh and the big fat tyres and huge alloy wheels. Personally it is good in my opinion for the price.

I get about 120km for 10 litres of diesel, now the engine is run in. It appears to be a very close copy of the "GU" Patrol, but with a pick-up tray and a 3-litre diesel engine. Even though it is a 2wd, I have been told by someone in Australia, I can put the "GU" model parts on and convert it properly with genuine parts very cheaply.

Some things I don't like. between 75-90 km/h the power steering is too light, even with the huge tyres. It just desn't have a "Positive road feel" at that speed. Secondly, I don't like that you can only turn down the aircon so far, so if it is raining and cool, you only want t touch of aircon to keep the windows dry. Finally, I don't like that you cannot de-fog the front window. I am tempted to buy the Australian "GU" dashboard and modify the thing myself.

We also looked at the D-Max and the Ford Ranger, but for what you paid and what you got the Nissan seemed better value. My wife tells me that "Nissan break easy", but then again no one in her village gets their cars serviced.

I also ride a Honda Nice 125. It is fantastic for getting around Bangkok in a hurry. It is a light and powerful bike and gets around the traffic really well. It has a top speed of about 120 km/h, well thats as fast as I have been game to go on it. It is cheap to run, Its about 6 baht for 10km. When we go out to Issan, I normally throw the bike on the back, and ride the bike around the village and leave the car in the garage.

Finally my last question is who is the Farang that drives the rusty-brown Mitsubitshi "Catalytic Champ" on Highway 24 through Burriram, If you are reading - you drive too slow and blow too much smoke.....

[Ajarn]

We are driving now a new Isuzu DMax 3.0 Diesel. With about 30 ct per liter, Diesel is relatively cheap. Inside the car is very quiet on driving and makes no problem for my wife, who doesn´t want to change gear so much, always starts in second gear and uses third gear to drive around the mountain serpentine..

There are a lot of addons on the market, lke hardtop for the pickup part etc.

I also have the new Isuzu 3litre 4-door D-Max. Mine is an automatic gearbox though....Great vehicle.

I originally wanted a Ford truck, but the saleslady was too pushy.

Then I went to Mitsubishi for their SUV, which I think has the best color options, but the view through the windscreen from the inside looked like ...too narrow of a view, plus some piece of bodywork sticking p from the bonnet that further blocked the driver's view...

Then I wanted the Isuzu-thairung Adventure, but the window buttons were in the console vs the door (I only have mobility in my right arm and hand)

Then, I checked out the D-Max. Best aircon among the group. And it was f'ing hot that day

I've also found Isuzu's service to be the best I've seen anywhere, and there are more Isuzu service centers in Thailand than any other brand. Excellent customer service, in my experience.

The comment about Isuzu being quiet is interesting, since a few people had tried to warn me off of Isuzu because of engine noise....I guess things have changed, for inside my vehicle, it is quite difficult to even know the engine is running without looking the rpm guage...

[Ajarn]

I also ride a Honda Nice 125. It is fantastic for getting around Bangkok in a hurry. It is a light and powerful bike and gets around the traffic really well. It has a top speed of about 120 km/h, well thats as fast as I have been game to go on it. It is cheap to run, Its about 6 baht for 10km. When we go out to Issan, I normally throw the bike on the back, and ride the bike around the village and leave the car in the garage.

Absolutely, a bike is the practical vehicle for Bkk, or most other places

I used to commute from Nonthaburi to Rama 4 everyday. The bike was better and faster- until the expressway opened. But parking is still a major avantage on a bike, isn't it?

And there's that visceral experience that I just can't get from driving a car...'Zen, and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' is a great read on this topic...

Sure do miss my bikes...

[Khutan]

But parking is still a major avantage on a bike, isn't it?

For me it wasn't much of a problem, but I didn't work in central Bangkok, so you could always find a good spot to park.

One other thing riding a bike tought me was to be so so aware of the traffic. After a few weeks you are used to the traffic and riding between moving busses and trucks at full speed.

I actually also find the full-face helmet is cooler to ride in than an open helmet, obviously only when you are moving, they have little vents in the top and you get a contsant flow of air over your head.

The problem now is I wish sometimes my Frontier would be able to fit between the lanes - it is so frustrating sometimes driving a pick-up

[chanchao]

> The comment about Isuzu being quiet is interesting, since a few people

> had tried to warn me off of Isuzu because of engine noise....I guess

> things have changed, for inside my vehicle, it is quite difficult to even

> know the engine is running without looking the rpm guage...

Really! That's definitely an improvement then.. Isuzu's used to be so loud it was rediculous. How about at 3000 rpm? Still acceptable?

Quietness is about the only good thing I can say about the Ford/Mazda engine..

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Ajarn]

Really! That's definitely an improvement then.. Isuzu's used to be so loud it was rediculous. How about at 3000 rpm? Still acceptable

I guess the interior insulation has been improved, as I never notice the engine noise, even at 3,000rpm. Sounds like a Cadillac to me-