Scraping low car Bangkok

[0svald]

Im considering what car to buy and I do like low ones. Anyone own or seen how low cars manage parking garages etc in Bangkok? I have experience in other country with several cars but unsure what cars will handle some of these inclines. I want to be able to go anywhere in the city and Im capable of avoiding holes and water. Thank you in advance!

[transam]

What car are you considering....?

[Callmeishmael]

Are you talking about a lowered car like a low-rider?  In Bangkok the issue isn't hills or even speed bumps, but floods.  Bangkok has fairly frequent floods in many areas and a very low car could literally float away in some streets.  A lot of people buy SUVs, not for going off-road, but for driving safely in the city after a heavy rain.

[Moonlover]

Why on earth do you want a car in Bangkok? Any car!

[Liverpool Lou]

27 minutes ago, 0svald said:

Im considering what car to buy and I do like low ones.

Such as? And how low..."modified low" or "factory low"?   Impossible to advise without some specifics.

[transam]

6 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Why on earth do you want a car in Bangkok? Any car!

Off-Topic................????

[KhunLA]

44 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Why on earth do you want a car in Bangkok? Any car!

Have to agree, unless you think you have some need for a car.  When we visit bkk, I rarely drive anywhere, and use public trans, and I enjoy driving.  But not in bkk.  Of course depends where in bkk you live and go regularly.  

 

Between rush hour, good portion of the day, and lack of parking, along with cost per km, since sitting most times, it would hard to justify having.

[transam]

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Have to agree, unless you think you have some need for a car.  When we visit bkk, I rarely drive anywhere, and use public trans, and I enjoy driving.  But not in bkk.  Of course depends where in bkk you live and go regularly.  

 

Between rush hour, good portion of the day, and lack of parking, along with cost per km, since sitting most times, it would hard to justify having.

There's me thinking BKK was a big town/city, well it was when I drove round it, in my own wheels, and to have folk like you tell me/us, what do you want wheels for, is ridiculous as we usually do what we want, but in your case with an EV, you may be better off on the bus, and be "charged" a fare....????

[Chongalulu]

You could get one of those ‘dancing' cars so beloved by many Mexicans ! ???? 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

You could get one of those ‘dancing' cars so beloved by many Mexicans ! ???? 

Actually, my friend has a very low car, so low in fact he installed hydraulic suspension to deal with anything, pull a lever and up it went....

 

[Chongalulu]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

There's me thinking BKK was a big town/city, well it was when I drove round it, in my own wheels, and to have folk like you tell me/us, what do you want wheels for, is ridiculous as we usually do what we want, but in your case with an EV, you may be better off on the bus, and be "charged" a fare....????

Well I suppose if you enjoy sitting gridlocked in traffic and then when the traffic moves ,doing burnouts (like in your avatar picture) for 20 metres before it stops again.. ???? Still,whatever gets you off…

[Chongalulu]

1 minute ago, transam said:

Actually, my friend has a very low car, so low in fact he installed hydraulic suspension to deal with anything, pull a lever and up it went....

 

Can he stand outside the car with the remote box and make it dance for him ????? ???? 

[transam]

Just now, nchuckle said:

Well I suppose if you enjoy sitting gridlocked in traffic and then when the traffic moves ,doing burnouts (like in your avatar picture) for 20 metres before it stops again.. ???? Still,whatever gets you off…

Absolutely, as a Londoner, it was quite normal, but sitting in one's own personal carriage, it was OK, especially in the Merc...????

[transam]

Just now, nchuckle said:

Can he stand outside the car with the remote box and make it dance for him ????? ???? 

No, it was only for getting up ramps, etc, I think only tools do the pimp my ride thing....????

[richard_smith237]

When single I had a low car in BKK.... Large speed bumps were proper pain in the backside, most side streets were awkward...  multi story car parks were horrible... (catching the front end), of course....  

.... So I also got a 4x4 which I drove when I wanted comfort and the low car when I wanted to look cool (I was young so I probably looked like a total to$$er to anyone over 35 !!!).... 

 

A low car looks good... just too much hassle...  

[0svald]

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

When single I had a low car in BKK.... Large speed bumps were proper pain in the backside, most side streets were awkward...  multi story car parks were horrible... (catching the front end), of course....  

.... So I also got a 4x4 which I drove when I wanted comfort and the low car when I wanted to look cool (I was young so I probably looked like a total to$$er to anyone over 35 !!!).... 

 

A low car looks good... just too much hassle...  

What car did you have?

[0svald]

6 hours ago, transam said:

What car are you considering....?

I have many cars I consider, but its sports cars, pretty low from factory. Some are worst than others and I wonder if any of them will be ok..

[0svald]

6 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

Are you talking about a lowered car like a low-rider?  In Bangkok the issue isn't hills or even speed bumps, but floods.  Bangkok has fairly frequent floods in many areas and a very low car could literally float away in some streets.  A lot of people buy SUVs, not for going off-road, but for driving safely in the city after a heavy rain.

I can skip driving when there are potential floods so I worry more about the hills/ramps.

[Sandboxer]

Or you could just grow up and buy an adult car^^

 

 

[macahoom]

14 minutes ago, 0svald said:

I have many cars I consider, but its sports cars, pretty low from factory. Some are worst than others and I wonder if any of them will be ok..

The Porsche Taycan has air suspension and the chassis height can be controlled from inside the car.

 

There are four different heights: LOW, LOWERED, MEDIUM and LIFT. 

[0svald]

12 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Or you could just grow up and buy an adult car^^

 

 

Yeah if I cant drive everywhere I will..

[Lemsta69]

12 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Or you could just grow up and buy an adult car^^

 

 

why, they look silly. this is the way to go (pic taken at Hansar Hotel) ????

[HauptmannUK]

Its not difficult to scrape even a standard height saloon/sedan car in Bangkok (or any other Thai city for that matter). There are sharply angled ramps, bits of raised ironwork, sharp dips in the road etc.   If you are going to drive a vehicle with low ground clearance then you need to be very observant. Easier said than done, I know.  When I had my Ultima GTR (in UK) I scraped it on some raised ironwork. It cracked the gearbox casing. That was an expensive mistake!

[0svald]

10 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

Its not difficult to scrape even a standard height saloon/sedan car in Bangkok (or any other Thai city for that matter). There are sharply angled ramps, bits of raised ironwork, sharp dips in the road etc.   If you are going to drive a vehicle with low ground clearance then you need to be very observant. Easier said than done, I know.  When I had my Ultima GTR (in UK) I scraped it on some raised ironwork. It cracked the gearbox casing. That was an expensive mistake!

I see a lot of low cars but perhaps they stay away from these places. Thank you for replying!

[Lancashirelad]

Everyone is talking about low cars, no one has given any suggestions as to what cars (not 4 x 4 pickups) are not so low.

[Yellowtail]

Quite a lot of speed bumps in and around Bangkok.

 

Sister in law loves the Supra. 

[transam]

On 6/12/2022 at 2:05 AM, Lancashirelad said:

Everyone is talking about low cars, no one has given any suggestions as to what cars (not 4 x 4 pickups) are not so low.

CRV....????

[DavisH]

On 6/10/2022 at 10:02 PM, 0svald said:

I can skip driving when there are potential floods so I worry more about the hills/ramps.

You can't always do that though. I had a lowered civic a few years ago. Hated driving home in the wet season, not knowing which afternoon the roads would be flooded out - and the roads I would take would flood. It did get flooded in the floor once - stuck on a flooded road and couldn't turn back. Now I have a crv and no such worries. It wouldn't lower a car again, and probably would not buy another sedan - certainly no living in Bangkok, anyway. 

[0svald]

Thanks for all your feedback! I will start with an SUV. The XC60 looks ok for me so will try that, and if I dont like it go for the Macan.