Deep discounts from The Germans

[Bob A Kneale]

On 6/29/2020 at 2:23 AM, daveAustin said:

That's well over 100% more than you'd pay in EU for the 530e. Each to their own.

He's not going to be buying in the UK, what's that got to do with prices in Thailand?

[samtab]

On 6/29/2020 at 11:44 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

100,000 Quid for a Benz that is not as well built as one from Germany..... Sheeesh! Some people have more money than sense.

 

 

 

easy ! just buy an imported model as I always do !

 

[HauptmannUK]

October last year I reached the point where I'd decided to treat myself to a new car.  I have owned a number of MB and BMW in the UK.  I have a good Thai friend in Bangkok who drives a BMW and he visited the MB and BMW dealers in Rangsit on my behalf to do a bit of negotiating for me. We ended up with offers at just shy of ฿3M for a C220d (Avantgarde spec IIRC) and about the same for a 320d GT.

I then went over to Rangsit and we visited the dealers together for test drives and further haggling. The MB had a nice interior and the engine was great. However the autobox was horribly sluggish and unresponsive. I did some research later and it seems the gearshift programming is designed to reduce emissions.

The BMW was a much better drive, but it did feel quite spartan. Looking carefully around the car after the drive I was surprised to see the paint was rather poorly applied. Obviously the Thai assembly plant QC is not up to German standards. I looked at it and thought '£80k for THIS?'.

Decided not to buy either car and still got my old Camry for the time being.

[pedro01]

Went for the 2020 c43 in the end. Great car, lots of fun. Very happy with it & it's a very good looking car. 

 

There's still some 2019 models with very deep discounts around - 3,790,000 was the best for a 2019. Just under 3.9 for the 2020. 

 

As for all the moaners...

 

I used to live in Denmark, which has 87/150% tax on new cars. People still drove cars there too.

[pedro01]

On 6/29/2020 at 9:10 PM, Pilotman said:

Here is a maybe unpopular view, having owned BMWs for over 25 years in the UK and been a big fan,  German cars are a waste of space and money  in Thailand. Too expensive, too sensitive to rough handling and rough terrain, too much depreciation and there are so many better Asian produced options to choose from.  I wouldn't even consider buying one here.   

 

Too expensive: Everything is relative. If you earn $100k a month, then it's pretty much throw-away money.

Too Sensitive: I have a 6 year old 528i MSport that I've owned from new. Great drive, driven all over the country - never had any issue with terrain and the terrain hasn't shaken it to pieces yet. Isaan roads are pretty good if we go that way. We go to Koh Chang a lot - roads are fine too. Not on par with EU/US roads but the Germans have such great suspension/sound proofing - they iron out a lot of the bumps. 

Depreciation: I buy a car to drive around in, to enjoy. I don't worry about selling it. In fact, I couldn't bear to sell my old 5 - it's still such a great car it's worth way more to me than the second hand value.

Better Asian options. lololololololol...

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, pedro01 said:

 

Too expensive: Everything is relative. If you earn $100k a month, then it's pretty much throw-away money.

Too Sensitive: I have a 6 year old 528i MSport that I've owned from new. Great drive, driven all over the country - never had any issue with terrain and the terrain hasn't shaken it to pieces yet. Isaan roads are pretty good if we go that way. We go to Koh Chang a lot - roads are fine too. Not on par with EU/US roads but the Germans have such great suspension/sound proofing - they iron out a lot of the bumps. 

Depreciation: I buy a car to drive around in, to enjoy. I don't worry about selling it. In fact, I couldn't bear to sell my old 5 - it's still such a great car it's worth way more to me than the second hand value.

Better Asian options. lololololololol...

okay

[Pilotman]

2 hours ago, pedro01 said:

Went for the 2020 c43 in the end. Great car, lots of fun. Very happy with it & it's a very good looking car. 

 

There's still some 2019 models with very deep discounts around - 3,790,000 was the best for a 2019. Just under 3.9 for the 2020. 

 

As for all the moaners...

 

I used to live in Denmark, which has 87/150% tax on new cars. People still drove cars there too.

you can buy a decent house for that price in Thailand.  Frankly, I think its a bit daft to spent that amount on a car that in a few years will be worth precisely zilch.  Next thing you will be telling us that such a car is a good investment, with an excellent ROCE? 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Pilotman

[pedro01]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

you can buy a decent house for that price in Thailand.  Frankly, I think its a bit daft to spent that amount on a car that in a few years will be worth precisely zilch.  Next thing you will be telling us that such a car is a good investment, with an excellent ROCE? 

I have 2 houses already. I don't have anywhere to park a 3rd.

 

The car cost a fraction of my annual income. So "that amount" might be large to you but it's not to me. It's a bit like saying "I think it's a bit daft to spend 150k on a Vespa when you can get a Yamaha Fino for 50k." Or is that a silly example because we've come down to your disposable income level?

[Pilotman]

24 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

I have 2 houses already. I don't have anywhere to park a 3rd.

 

The car cost a fraction of my annual income. So "that amount" might be large to you but it's not to me. It's a bit like saying "I think it's a bit daft to spend 150k on a Vespa when you can get a Yamaha Fino for 50k." Or is that a silly example because we've come down to your disposable income level?

lucky you. 

[pedro01]

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

lucky you. 

Some would call it hard work.

[DaRoadrunner]

On 6/30/2020 at 12:52 AM, mistral53 said:

So I take it you have been to the Benz factory in Thailand, and since you have a degree in manufacturing engineering for automobiles, we are safe to trust your expert opinion..........

As for having money - so far the overwhelming majority on here frown on communism in China, that implies we are open to accept everybody has a right to spend his surplus money on frivolous luxuries if he is so inclined.

No, I have not been to the Thai Benz factory. No need, I just examined the product in the showroom. After years in the uk motor trade working for five car manufacturers I knew what I was looking at. If you want to pay more than the cost in Germany for a Thai copy, go ahead.

[salsajapan]

On 7/2/2020 at 3:40 PM, Pilotman said:

you can buy a decent house for that price in Thailand.  Frankly, I think its a bit daft to spent that amount on a car that in a few years will be worth precisely zilch.  Next thing you will be telling us that such a car is a good investment, with an excellent ROCE? 

if you call decent a 3 or 4 millions house, we really do not have the same opinion on things ! keep driving your jap tin boxes and let us have style and love for beauty ❤️

 

[pedro01]

23 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

No, I have not been to the Thai Benz factory. No need, I just examined the product in the showroom. After years in the uk motor trade working for five car manufacturers I knew what I was looking at. If you want to pay more than the cost in Germany for a Thai copy, go ahead.

PMSL

 

You know the cars are just assembled here from parts sent from Germany, right? That's why you never hear them say "made in Thailand" but "Assembled in Thailand".

 

If they were made in Thailand, the prices would be way lower - but local assembly puts them in a different tax bracket.

 

So when you were (for example) looking at a German made door that had been bolted on in Thailand - what did your expert eye reveal?

Edited July 3, 2020 by pedro01

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, salsajapan said:

if you call decent a 3 or 4 millions house, we really do not have the same opinion on things ! keep driving your jap tin boxes and let us have style and love for beauty ❤️

 

well we are not all as wealthy as you, or as arrogant and self opinionated.  

 

Edit: Forgot to add, your car may have style, you clearly do not.

Edited July 3, 2020 by Pilotman

[pedro01]

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

well we are not all as wealthy as you, or as arrogant and self opinionated.  

But you ARE a "reverse snob" - which is a form of arrogance. 

 

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/reverse--snobbery

"a person overly proud of being one of or sympathetic to the common people, and who denigrates or shuns those of superior ability, education, social standing, etc." 

[Pilotman]

5 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

But you ARE a "reverse snob" - which is a form of arrogance. 

 

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/reverse--snobbery

"a person overly proud of being one of or sympathetic to the common people, and who denigrates or shuns those of superior ability, education, social standing, etc." 

what planet do you live on mate?  The common people, 3 to 4 million for a house,  New Japanese car.  You may be able to quote English, but you clearly don't understand it.  So having money gives you automatically a higher social standing does it, a higher educational intellect and superior ability, is that your argument? Give me strength.  if you are an example of it, then I think you seriously need to reconsider your weird view of the World. 

Edited July 3, 2020 by Pilotman

[salsajapan]

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

what planet do you live on mate?  The common people, 3 to 4 million for a house,  New Japanese car.  You may be able to quote English, but you clearly don't understand it.  So having money gives you automatically a higher social standing does it, a higher educational intellect and superior ability, is that your argument? Give me strength.  if you are an example of it, then I think you seriously need to reconsider your weird view of the World. 

 

Drive a Benz or Beemer once in your life and you will understand that you are no more considered as a useless person anymore by anybody in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, salsajapan said:

 

Drive a Benz or Beemer once in your life and you will understand that you are no more considered as a useless person anymore by anybody in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

pathetic. 

[mistral53]

On 7/2/2020 at 8:19 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

No, I have not been to the Thai Benz factory. No need, I just examined the product in the showroom. After years in the uk motor trade working for five car manufacturers I knew what I was looking at. If you want to pay more than the cost in Germany for a Thai copy, go ahead.

That's like saying 'I sold Japanese watches all my life, hence I know all there is to know about Swiss watches.........' - indeed, Japanese watches show time and so do Swiss watches, but for the owner of a Swiss watch that is secondary, even though his watch might have been 10 times the price as the former. Same story with wine - why bother buying an expensive wine - even a cheap wine gets you drunk.....the list goes on all the way down in the gutter to the bar girls, but I guess you get the drift.

BTW - I once owned a car from a UK manufacturer, by far the fastest and technologically advanced car in the super car bracket - but the built quality was abhorrent, and to this day that company still cant put together cars on par with the Germans...........

[richard_smith237]

On 7/2/2020 at 2:19 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

After years in the uk motor trade working for five car manufacturers I knew what I was looking at. 

Roady... you’ve sung that song on a few previous threads about ‘German cars’.... 

 

I don’t recall you answering what it was you did for those ‘5 Car manufactures’ that gives you such an insight.

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, mistral53 said:

On 7/2/2020 at 2:19 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

After years in the uk motor trade working for five car manufacturers... 

I once owned a car from a UK manufacturer....

 

I don’t know why anyone does this... Why so secretive? How hard is it to write ‘floor sweeper’ and ‘McLaren F1’  ???

[pedro01]

4 hours ago, Pilotman said:

what planet do you live on mate?  The common people, 3 to 4 million for a house,  New Japanese car.  You may be able to quote English, but you clearly don't understand it.  So having money gives you automatically a higher social standing does it, a higher educational intellect and superior ability, is that your argument? Give me strength.  if you are an example of it, then I think you seriously need to reconsider your weird view of the World. 

You just pretty much proved my point.

 

I don't presume anything about anyone. I don't believe in social standings, nor do I put myself on any particular rung of social standing.

 

All I wanted to do here is point out the fact that dealers are falling over themselves to sell you a car. I didn't think I'd have to apologise because of some house/car price ratio I wasn't even aware of...

[pedro01]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I don’t know why anyone does this... Why so secretive? How hard is it to write ‘floor sweeper’ and ‘McLaren F1’  ???

To be fair - is more likely to be a Lotus (given the quality complaint) but could be a Caterham, Morgan a TVR or a Morris Minor for all we know....

[pedro01]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Roady... you’ve sung that song on a few previous threads about ‘German cars’.... 

 

I don’t recall you answering what it was you did for those ‘5 Car manufactures’ that gives you such an insight.

 

 

 

I think he was a fluffer.

[pedro01]

5 hours ago, salsajapan said:

 

Drive a Benz or Beemer once in your life and you will understand that you are no more considered as a useless person anymore by anybody in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

Has to be said - the locals do treat you differently in one of these and that's not a good thing.  The belief that the police pull you over less is a myth. Sure - they pull you over less than an Isaan Pick-up - but on par with a Honda Civic.

 

I just love the way they drive. I can drive to Sakhorn (9+hours) in my 5-Series and feel fresh as a daisy. Do that in a Fortuner and you need a few days rest.  It's a pleasure to be happy in a traffic jam and to look forward to the driving part of going somewhere. It's a personal thing. It's everyone's cup of tea but it pleases me.

[richard_smith237]

31 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

43 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Roady... you’ve sung that song on a few previous threads about ‘German cars’.... 

 

I don’t recall you answering what it was you did for those ‘5 Car manufactures’ that gives you such an insight.

 

I think he was a fluffer.

As a weekend job ?

[Susco]

44 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

52 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I don’t know why anyone does this... Why so secretive? How hard is it to write ‘floor sweeper’ and ‘McLaren F1’  ???

To be fair - is more likely to be a Lotus (given the quality complaint)

 

That was also my thoughts, because I doubt that anyone who can afford a McLaren F! would be active on this forum.

 

And anyone who calls lotus a super car, has no idea what a super car actually is.

 

I have owned 2 brand new Lotus Espirit, must be 35 years ago now, and I agree, I think they are all built on a Monday morning

 

Edit to give the correct name., That long it is ago

Edited July 3, 2020 by Susco

[Sundown]

39 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

All I wanted to do here is point out the fact that dealers are falling over themselves to sell you a car.

If you think that a 530 at 100k euro is a bargain then go for it, why open a thread about it here? I don't understand. If the average TVF member had 4m THB to flush in the toilet he would buy 2000 nights of fun not a taxi car!

 

[Gene1960]

On 6/29/2020 at 9:03 PM, Meat Pie 47 said:

I just don't understand why on earth would you buy such an expansive car in Thailand

considering the road fatalities and accidents. As I mentioned before my car is 24 years

old but it gets me from A to B

My BMW is hardly expansive ...Or maybe I am just overweight. 

[mistral53]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I don’t know why anyone does this... Why so secretive? How hard is it to write ‘floor sweeper’ and ‘McLaren F1’  ???

Bloody good guess - McLaren is pretty much the only English car company that deserves the accolades about technologically advanced......... funny that McLaren is known only for the F1 - their present crop of super cars are actually faster than the F1 was, and their hyper cars (P1, Senna) are quite a bit above an F1 at every measure of performance.