It's just a small thing - don't bother with the insurance...

[Venom]

21 hours ago, Guderian said:

It's not just Thailand. Back in the UK my brother drives an old VW Passat estate. It has one of those push-button operated hand brakes which is snazzier than the lever-and-cable type, but a month or so back it suddenly stopped working. He took it to the garage he uses (a cheap place as it's an old car, not the official VW dealer) and they said it was the pads that the hand brake applies when it's activated that had frozen and that bit of the assembly needed replacing. Total bill was £450, for fixing the hand brake in a 15+ year old car. He said the garage owner had told him the bill would have been close on double that if he'd taken it to the main dealer.

 

The solution is to only buy cars that have a 5 or 7 year warranty and change them before it runs out. Not sure which ones have that in Thailand, but I think Kia offer it.  

Where can you service a Kia? 

[Don Mega]

23 hours ago, KamnanT said:

 

 

I wonder if anyone has mailed auto parts to Thailand and what treatment they got from Customs? I suspect duty rates are high.

Bought some parts for one of my toys last month, 30% import and 7%Vat.

 

Parts were 60% cheaper in the UK than buying locally so I still came out in front.

[Don Mega]

36 minutes ago, Venom said:

Where can you service a Kia? 

Typically cars are serviced at the dealership however some choose to use other independent mechanics too.

[Venom]

6 hours ago, Don Mega said:

however some choose to use other independent mechanics too.

And void the warranty? ????

[JAS21]

Troll post removed

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, Venom said:

And void the warranty? ????

 

As I understand it, as long as you can show the maintenance has been done, the warranty remains valid. I am certain this is true in the US, and you can even do the service yourself as long as you maintain records.  I assume it is true most places as they would be compelling you to buy parts and services from them under threat of voiding the warranty. 

 

That said, using parts and supplies that do not meet or exceed the manufacturer's specifications can void the warranty. Given the cost of service at most dealerships I don't know that it makes sense to not use them unless you do the work yourself. 

[pedro01]

On 10/7/2020 at 12:30 PM, Jitar said:

The OP has a Mercedes and they assemble a lot of models in Thailand.  The OP does not say if the car concerned was fully imported.  It would be interesting to compare the parts costs for Mercedes locally assembled and imported models.  I would not be surprised if there is little difference.  

 

Generally OEM parts prices seem to be as much related to market as production of shipping cost.   

It's a locally assembled Benz. 

 

With Lord Rothschild running the spare parts business... 

[pedro01]

On 10/7/2020 at 12:18 PM, connda said:

It's cheaper not to drive a status symbol. 

It's more expensive to drive a Volkswagen here. 

 

This Benz is a little GLA 250. Our requirements were... 

- smallish hatchback

- room for bikes in the back with rear seats down

- couple of hundred horses, something with guts

 

All the Jap <deleted> was 1.2 liter engines that do 0-100 in about 3 days. 

 

European imports like VW hot hatches were way more expensive than this Benz. 

 

Sometimes you get something because it fits your requirements. 

[Grumpy one]

On 10/7/2020 at 12:18 PM, connda said:

It's cheaper not to drive a status symbol. 

I better tell my F I L that his buffalo is no longer a status symbol  

[Seeall]

On 10/7/2020 at 10:53 AM, Grusa said:

My friend has a very expensive twin engine plane, bought new from Europe, and flown here. On the way, a fuel transfer pump, which pumps fuel from the reserve tanks where it cannot be used to the main tanks where it can, failed, forcing him to land in India to refuel.

The pump was replaced under warranty by the local dealers, but failed again several times. The fault was eventually found - not by the dealers - to be an under-rated fuse, in a highly inaccessible place. 

The "certified" fuse cost over $100. it consists of a bog-standard fuse and two crimped on terminals, covered in heatshrink tubing and a part number stamped on. Total cost of parts from a local electronics shop, retail, 20baht. But, totally illegal to use the non-certified parts.

Sorry I don't have a picture. 

 

"Just because you are paranoid, it doesn't mean they are'nt out to get you!"

Aviation is another thing totally!

[pedro01]

On 10/11/2020 at 12:25 PM, Seeall said:

Aviation is another thing totally!

He's obviously seen my wife drive. 

 

Upshot is wife found a repair shop that can do it for 28k. 

 

I actually feel good about paying less than $1000 for a wing mirror. Never thought I'd say that. 

 

Nearly went for the Honda Click idea though... 

 

 

[HashBrownHarry]

In all my years here, i've never seen a 'scrappy' or 'breakers yard'?

 

Do they exist or are they top secret and for Thais only?

[jaiyenyen]

If it's got tits or an engine, it'll give you problems and cost you money ????

[Yellowtail]

On 10/11/2020 at 12:25 PM, Seeall said:

Aviation is another thing totally!

 

If it flies, floats or <deleted>*ks, rent it. 

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

In all my years here, i've never seen a 'scrappy' or 'breakers yard'?

 

Do they exist or are they top secret and for Thais only?

 

They are around. I used to drive by a couple off 304 in Prachinburi and a few around Bangkok. 

 

 

[pedro01]

On 10/16/2020 at 7:47 AM, jaiyenyen said:

If it's got tits or an engine, it'll give you problems and cost you money ????

Rent dont buy ????

[JAS21]

A number of Troll and baiting Posts have been removed. The OP has already said that he has sorted his problem.

 

For anyone interested in in having work done on their Mercedes car, but not by a main dealer, they could Google Thomson garage which is in Bang Na. They told me that they will supply genuine Mercedes parts at a lower price than a main dealer. They  have an ex Mercedes mechanic working there.

 

They also have Hofmann wheel alignment equipment there.

 

Post closed