2009 PROTON SAVVY 1.2 - anyone got one? HELP!!

[cliveshep]

We are looking to buy a cheap small car for my wife to go to UNI and work in - Bangkok area so loads of traffic. It has to be automatic, and economical. She wanted a Yaris or a Jazz, The Jazz is so small it seems it would fit in the back of our current car - an Innova, so the Yaris would win except because it is a late model car it is way over our budget. Our Innova is being sold, we have a buyer, so the pressure is on.

 

We also want to build an extension to house one of her sisters and her dogs plus buy a Tata SuperAce truck to fetch and carry and be a mobile shop later. The Tata is no problem, sourced that, love the idea of a fuel-sipping 1.4 diesel after our juicy Innova, but the little car for her is problematic. The sale price of the Innova is such that in theory we can buy the Tata, 2015 vintage, buy everything to build the 10m extension, and still have around 120,000 for a cheap small car. 

 

I've seen this Proton Savvy 1.1 2009 AT model, very clean, Toyota engine so presumably mated to Toyota running gear as well, only 145k on the clock so relatively low mileage, but is it effectively what it seems - a cheap and cheerful Yaris copy with genuine Yaris powertrain or is it a total turkey?

 

These customer survey sites all seem to be UK or Australia, all the cars have Renault powertrains, and customer satisfaction is 50/50 on lovely little car very sporty and reliable to heap of doo-doo, under-powered, unreliable, expensive to repair etc.

 

Anyone got any input from a Thailand owned car point of view please?

[thequietman]

Been looking at this little car for the wife as well, so will be watching this posting.

[moose7117]

i am on my second proton in Thailand, the cars are great, however spare parts, after sales service are not really that hot.

I needed some spare parts, so i ordered them through Proton head office, now three months later i am getting them shipped from Malaysia.

general items such as brake pads, oil filters etc will be no problem but i needed a new glove box door............ just too hard. rang a proton dealer in KL and "yes sir we can have it in two days".

 

so just be aware.

[transam]

We just bought a s/h Suzuki Celerio CVT..I was amazed at how quite it is and how it fly's when you need it to. It has more head room than my Vigo..

I know the Suzy engine is near bullet proof and the CVT is made by Nissan (Jatco) and used by other car brands..

 

[cliveshep]

Just to elaborate, the Innova is finally going for 310000, so that is our budget for a Tata (around 99,000), our extension (40,000) and insurances plus tax and transfers for 2 cars - whatever is left is for her car - so around 120,000 only.

 

It can be done the Savvy I saw was 118,000, she has found one at 125,000, also seen a Kia hatch for the same money.

 

I hate all of them, a 2008 or later Altis in very good condition can be bought for the same money, but she insists that all Altis cars were previously taxis which is total cobblers but - how to convince her? She says they are resprayed and clocked, I say look at the book, if it was a taxi it will say so. Fuel consumption is pretty much the same as a Yaris or the Savvy and it is a far more comfortable car. it's also a lot more car for the money, and no shortage of s/h major spares. But - wives................!!!!!!????

Edited November 11, 2018 by cliveshep

[DavisH]

Stretch the budget if possible and get an ecocar like a yaris, mirage, swift, etc. 200-300K should get a good specimen. Easy to get parts and service centres everywhere and quite far ahead of proton in the quality of its product. I have a swift with 80K on the clock and it's quite reliable. I would avoid proton due to it's quality and availability of service centres. 

[cliveshep]

The budget cannot be stretched, I already support 2 families on one shrinking UK pension. We live as cheaply as we can, most of our running about is done on one of two motorbikes including shopping. One is pretty old and smoky with high mileage, the "worth almost nothing" spare bike, the other is low mileage, a HP "snatch-back" and is our main bike even though a year older than the other! But my wife cannot ride a bike in Bangkok - she'd get killed! 

 

[kartman]

On the money you have Proton Saga could be an option conventional auto box and a lot newer the Savvy's you have found are well over the top price wise and you don't state which Toyota motor is fitted 4A, 5A ? so the road tax will be higher as your on a budget.