BMW bursts into flames on tollway inbound to Bangkok - driver left to watch his 11 year old car burn

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Highway fire services were called after a BMW 320i burst into flames inbound on the tollway from Chonburi to Bangkok in the Bang Saothong area of Samut Prakan, KM 21. 

 

Rescue services were first on the scene and used a chemical fire extinguisher and what water they had to hand but they could not stem the fire. 

 

The fire servces took 30 minutes to get the blaze under control and by that time half the car had been consumed. 

 

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Picture: Daily News

 

Driver Prama, 45, was in a state of shock, reported Daily News. 

 

He said he was going home to Bang Kaew from a factory in Chonburi when the engine started overheating and there was smoke. As he parked and fled the vehicle a fire took hold.

 

He said that he had not had time to get a leak in the oil pipe fixed. 

 

He'd had the car for 11 years. 

 

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Picture: Daily News

[SAFETY FIRST]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said that he had not had time to get a leak in the oil pipe fixed. 

 

He'd had the car for 11 years

I see so many of these older German cars being driven by Thais. 

 

Older German cars are expensive to maintain, when they do get repairs done its from some Dodgy backyard mechanical shop. 

 

We see so many of them go up in flames on the motorways from poor workmanship or in this case lack of workmanship. 

 

Spend the money having the vehicle maintained by the dealers and they'll last for ever. 

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST

[Thailand]

"He said that he had not had time to get a leak in the oil pipe fixed. "

 

Make sure you put that in your insurance claim.

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

We see so many of them go up in flames on the motorways

describe so many ... 

Edited March 19, 2022 by KhunLA

[Longwood50]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that he had not had time to get a leak in the oil pipe fixed. 

Well it looks like he will find the time now. But instead of a oil pipe with a different car. 

[SAFETY FIRST]

19 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

describe so many ... 

The owners bling these older cars up, different bit and bobs (cheap LED lighting etc) with faulty wiring from Dodgy automotive electricians and next thing, the cars up in smoke. 

 

Over the many years I've seen quite a few ablaze. 

[Isaan sailor]

During my working career in America, I owned 5 BMWs (not all at once).  Never bought a new one.  Drove mostly highway miles.  Repairs were steep, but well worth it.  Not sure I would ever buy a used BMW here—this is a perfect example why.

[klauskunkel]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Driver Prama, 45, was in a state of shock,

otherwise he would have taken a selfie.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that he had not had time to get a leak in the oil pipe fixed. 

I'm sure he'll have fond memories to cling on too... then remember his in-actions that led to the fire.

[Anant72]

7 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I see so many of these older German cars being driven by Thais. 

 

Older German cars are expensive to maintain, when they do get repairs done its from some Dodgy backyard mechanical shop. 

 

We see so many of them go up in flames on the motorways from poor workmanship or in this case lack of workmanship. 

 

Spend the money having the vehicle maintained by the dealers and they'll last for ever. 

 

“Spend the money having the vehicle maintained by the dealers and they'll last for ever.” That’s what I have been doing and my 21 year Mercedes with 225,000km on the odometer. The engine runs like clockwork. It has been serviced exclusively in a Mercedes garage.

[SAFETY FIRST]

25 minutes ago, Anant72 said:

“Spend the money having the vehicle maintained by the dealers and they'll last for ever.” That’s what I have been doing and my 21 year Mercedes with 225,000km on the odometer. The engine runs like clockwork. It has been serviced exclusively in a Mercedes garage.

Yep.

The Germans make the best cars on the planet (I hope I don't upset anyone with this true statement), but you need to properly maintain them. 

 

 Dealer servicing is expensive therefore the resale price is much lower than what it should be. 

 

The Thai's buy these quality German cars for a steal but refuse to service them properly, worse is that they get their mates (backyard mechanics) to install cheap, nasty Chinese, crapppy Bling that looks ugly, it catches fire because they haven't wired/connected the item correctly. 

 

[brianthainess]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that he had not had time to get a leak in the oil pipe fixed. 

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

and what water they had to hand but they could not stem the fire. 

Nuff said.

[SAFETY FIRST]

15 hours ago, Thailand said:

Make sure you put that in your insurance claim.

The cars value is a few hundred thousand baht.

 

I doubt he'd have insurance 

[impulse]

16 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Spend the money having the vehicle maintained by the dealers and they'll last for ever. 

But you'll be broke...

 

Scotty Kilmer's mule laughs at people who buy German cars and has them serviced at the dealer.

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by impulse

[SAFETY FIRST]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

But you'll be broke...

 

Scotty Kilmer's mule laughs at people who buy German cars and has them serviced at the dealer.

 

It's extremely expensive. 

If you can't afford it buy Japanese.

 

Toyota, Honda, Mazda reliable, comfortable cars with affordable servicing

Edited March 19, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST

[Andycoops]

The Thai malaise of only fix it when it's too late, yet again.

No idea that maintenance prevents such things happening.

 

In my village a few weeks ago I was taking my Toyota pickup for a service and was leaving home early at 7.15am as I had the first appointment at 8am.

 

3 neighbours were chatting outside my gate and enquired where was I going.

The look on their faces when I told them was one of complete bafflement, shoulder shrugs all round.

 

When I returned after paying a 11000+ baht bill as I had several wearing out parts replaced, there was more of the same.

Maintenance is incomprehensible to most Thais.

[Isaan sailor]

There is a happy medium for servicing expensive out-of-warranty cars.  In America, you can find independent specialists for these brands.  They charge half what the authorized dealer charges. Not easy to find a good one, though.  I’m sure you can find the same in the urban areas of Thailand.  Of course, you’ll need to bring a translator, and some Baht.

[tgw]

6 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

There is a happy medium for servicing expensive out-of-warranty cars.  In America, you can find independent specialists for these brands.  They charge half what the authorized dealer charges. Not easy to find a good one, though.  I’m sure you can find the same in the urban areas of Thailand.  Of course, you’ll need to bring a translator, and some Baht.

the best in Thailand is to driver older Japanese cars that use very little electronics.

lots of checked / refurbished second hand parts available from Japan and everyone can repair them.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 3/19/2022 at 9:14 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

We see so many of them go up in flames on the motorways from poor workmanship or in this case lack of workmanship. 

Do we?   Any examples of the "so many gone up in flames"?   

 

How would you know which cars on the road have been maintained well or badly and where they were taken to be worked on?

[Liverpool Lou]

23 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

The owners bling these older cars up, different bit and bobs (cheap LED lighting etc) with faulty wiring from Dodgy automotive electricians and next thing, the cars up in smoke. 

 

Over the many years I've seen quite a few ablaze. 

Hahaha!  Of course you have and you know the reason for them all "going up in smoke", don't you?  I guess that you were involved in the insurers' investigations, yes?

Edited March 20, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

20 hours ago, Anant72 said:

my 21 year Mercedes with 225,000km on the odometer. The engine runs like clockwork.

You have to keep winding it up? 

 

I prefer my cars engines to run like engines and franchised dealers are not required to achieve that.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, Andycoops said:

Maintenance is incomprehensible to most Thais.

The always busy dealers' service departments may disagree with that false generalisation.

[SAFETY FIRST]

15 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I guess that you were involved in the insurers' investigations, yes?

What are you talking about? Get real. 

These older German cars owned by Thais are not insured, they don't have money for insurance. 

 

This owner wouldn't spend the money to get an oil leak repaired, he won't have the money for insurance. 

 

It's a status thing for fake people, to brag, show off.

 

I reckon he tells his friends and the naive woman he's trying to pick up from the bar.........

I own a Benz, BMW, Audi etc. 

 

He doesn't tell them it's an old dilapidated, jalopy and I don't have money for 

-Insurance 

-Tax

-Repairs 

-Servicing 

-Petrol.......... 

 

Fake people, they're everywhere. 

[Ralf001]

On 3/19/2022 at 9:14 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

 

 

We see so many of them go up in flames on the motorways from poor workmanship or in this case lack of workmanship. 

 

 

 

My daily work commute totals 1000km a week on the 7 motorway.

 

In the 4 yrs ice been doing this commute ive not seen a single car, truck or bus on the motorway in flames.

 

Which motorways are you seeing all these vehicles go up in flames ?

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

the 4 yrs ice been doing this commute ive not seen a single car

Sample size is too small.

 

I've been driving the roads of Thailand for 25 years. 

 

Report back in another decade. 

 

 

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Sample size is too small.

 

I've been driving the roads of Thailand for 25 years. 

 

Report back in another decade. 

 

 

So nothing to back up your claims then, No surprises there.

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

So nothing to back up your claims then, No surprises there.

What are you doing reporting back, come back in a decade. 

 

Your just wasting my time. 

 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

What are you doing reporting back, come back in a decade. 

 

Your just wasting my time. 

 

Which decade are you dribbling on about, I moved here in 1998.

 

So what motorways did you see all these cars go up in flames on ?

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

7 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Which decade are you dribbling on about, I moved here in 1998.

 

So what motorways did you see all these cars go up in flames on ?

 

 

Aaaah, the story changes. 

 

Go away, annoy someone else. 

[Ralf001]

17 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Aaaah, the story changes. 

 

Go away, annoy someone else. 

Which story changed ?

 

Ahhhh you think because I have been commuting the 7 motorway for 4 years that is how long I have lived here.

 

Hahahahahaha you would be very very wrong assuming that.

 

So which are they motorways have you seen all these cars going up in flames ?

 

Should not be a hard question to answer unless of course you are telling lies.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Ralf001