400k Car/advice.

[thai4u]

I live in isaan area and want to buy a car.

The car will be used for around 200Km per month. not much..right?

Mostly in the city and little bit driving to the villege around where the road is not so good.

What do u think I should buy for this amount of money?

I have to say that I am dont want to buy car on finance..

I thought about Toyota altis OR Toyota pickup OR D-Max OR..and this is the one I think is the best for me (as the milage is so low) is RAV-4(toyota).

What do u think ,advice?

[expatwannabe]

I think you should buy my Isuzu DMAX truck.

But I'm in CM.

[thai4u]

I mistake, around 300+ km /month.

[thai4u]

CM ?

[thai4u]

also a good question , Is it cheaper or more expensive to own diesel pick-up VS regullar car (the rav-4/altis)..?

[Mid]

pick-ups have a full chassis , look at your roads ................

[thai4u]

The roads r not sooo bad.. have 1-2 km that need to drive slow..

I saw a rav-4 96' manual gear for 300K . is it worth it ?

I hate to buy pick up just to think about it .. with this noisy diesel engine and slow motion driving.. I want light car..but match to the second hand market and not expensive to own and take care.

I know the answer is pick up . I hate it.

[bino]

I don't think that you would find an Altis in your budget... you would probably be looking for a Toyota Corolla from the previous generation before the Altis.

If the RAV4 is clean, low mileage, and accident free, 300 K might be a good deal. If you're not mechanically inclined and / or don't know what to look for when buying used cars, you might want to take the vehicle to a good mechanic for a check-out.

There was a lot of good advice about surveying used cars in this thread.

BTW: CM = Chiang Mai

[Pomthai]

Sorry but long gone are the days of Diesel=Slow-Motion driving.

I've got a 3-litre D-Max, yes its heavy and yes its a truck, but one thing it isn't and thats slow. Put me next to the average wannabe boy racer in his honda whatever & its bye bye.

[thai4u]

Do u really think D-max will take over honda civic/accord?

In your dreams... I had a honda before (not in thailand) and this car is a rocket. (with "pimp my ride" on the back window..hehe).

Anyway to the point I think there is no argument these pick-up diesel engine suffer from slow acceleration compare to almost any private car 1.6 engine and up.

[jcgodber]

My Isuzu 3.0 liter common rail D-Max auto is NOT slow and I can blow the doors off a 1.6 engine car.

Jim

[thai4u]

Do u want to sell it for me ?400K its the budget..

[peterd1961]

Do u want to sell it for me ?400K its the budget..

Even it's slow ore fast! It's a very nice isuzu you got

[thai4u]

I can give him maybe bonus more 20K baht .I'm sure he'll be happy .believe me its a gr8 deal.

[Skyline]

Isuzu diesel quicker than a 1.6 Honda saloon?Maybe some of the non-VTEC models yes!

Up against any of the Hondas with B16A and D15B engines,most pick-ups would be left a long way behind!

[LivinLOS]

Sorry but long gone are the days of Diesel=Slow-Motion driving.

I've got a 3-litre D-Max, yes its heavy and yes its a truck, but one thing it isn't and thats slow. Put me next to the average wannabe boy racer in his honda whatever & its bye bye.

hmmm sure.. Would you care to bet your car on that statement ?? Either standing start 1/4 mile or even better through anything twisty ??

Sure the DMax has some grunt.. But really against anything mildly sporty its toast !!

Edited June 22, 2007 by LivinLOS

[LivinLOS]

Cant seem to find 0 - 60 figures on the D-Max but with 136 horsepower out of the 3L commonrail in that weight of truck, versus 160hp up to 185hp out of a B16 engine common to civics up and up to the integra R, in a car that probably weighs not far off half as much.. Well I would say those number speak for themselves..

Off topic. Just trolling to find these numbers I came across images of the old CRX (2ng gen up to 92) which I owned one when I was a nipper.. Great little cars with bulletproof high revving engines.. Never seen one in LOS.. Would actually really enjoy a VTEC one even if it is front wheel drive.

[wilko]

If you compare the weights of truck and say a Camry there's not a lot in it.

All the same, my money would be on the car

[thai4u]

So my question is what do u think is the middle way that goes between pick-up to a regullar car.. ?

400K remember? not much.

[chinthee]

Go here: http://www.onetwocar.com/index.aspx

It's in Thai, but I've found it the best used auto site. Try search parameters for your price range, etc..

On the front page is an Isuzu trooper for 400k. Something like that, an older SUV maybe.

[Skyline]

LivinLOS,

There are a few CRX here in BKK for sale,most have the D15b JDM engine and are great fun.Not sure of the prices though.

P.S.If anyones wants to try their pick-up against my 'boy racer' Honda at Khlong 5 raceway this weekend...let me know;)

[teejay]

better yet.... if anyone wants to try their pick-up against my heavy old FWD Saab on the Bang-Pa-In Freeway, bring it on!

any pick up will have some low-end torque, because they are made to haul around crap and people and 12 relatives -- which makes pickup drivers think they are fast cuz they have some mis-leading low end torque... once you near any admirable kph you will surely puff-out and at 240kph if you still dare in the aerodynamically nightmarish pickup then i back down because you probably have a gun in your truck....

skyline, i'd meet you on the freeway for fun someday, but klong 5 and it's standing starts.... Saab clutches aren't cheap....

Edited June 23, 2007 by teejay

[LivinLOS]

LivinLOS,

There are a few CRX here in BKK for sale,most have the D15b JDM engine and are great fun.Not sure of the prices though.

P.S.If anyones wants to try their pick-up against my 'boy racer' Honda at Khlong 5 raceway this weekend...let me know;)

I only liked the pre 92 ones and have never seen one on the road here..

[BlackArtemis]

wow I didn't realize every hatchback had a b16, b18, or h22a swap I guess all those "m3's" are real too!!!! these turbo diesel trucks are no slouch, and if you bring up engine swaps, then up the boost, upgrade the turbo etc etc, pointless argument.

[Skyline]

I didnt say every hatch had a swapped engine.

I'm saying that a B16 is a standard Honda Civic engine and alot of the Civics in Thailand have them.

B18 and H22A?...Thats a 1.8 and 2.2 litre and we were discussing 1.6.

Read before posting in future!

[chanchao]

also a good question , Is it cheaper or more expensive to own diesel pick-up VS regullar car (the rav-4/altis)..?

Yes. Unless you get the petrol powered car converted to LPG, which may or may not be hard to find in your area.

[Nibor1945]

Go here: http://www.onetwocar.com/index.aspx

It's in Thai, but I've found it the best used auto site. Try search parameters for your price range, etc..

On the front page is an Isuzu trooper for 400k. Something like that, an older SUV maybe.

I've recently bought a 1999 Sportrider for well under B400,000. An excellent people mover, and certainly more economical than my car (old mazda 626). I live in a rural area and have actually needed the 4WD in the recent rains, certainly a good and more versatile alternative to a car if you don't like pickups.

[thai4u]

Its absolutly a good option.

My only problem is that I prefer auto gear for 2 reasons:

I regullar drive on the left side (same in america,the opposite side).

and I can be more focus on driving with automatic gear ..

[Nibor1945]

Its absolutly a good option.

My only problem is that I prefer auto gear for 2 reasons:

I regullar drive on the left side (same in america,the opposite side).

and I can be more focus on driving with automatic gear ..

There are Toyota Sport Rider automatic Transmission 4WD versions around, but they will of course be RHD in Thailand and you will have to search harder to find one for sale. The height of the vehicle is a bonus in that if you are driving in one of our nieghbouring countries which has "driving on the right" you can see over most of the traffic. I owned a RHD car in Germany for 3 years without to many problems.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

Hi Thai4u,

sounds like a nice car for you.

Pickups are great in some respects for sure, but if you're a slow, careful driver I would say the benefits and convenience of a 4 door saloon outweigh the heavier, more cumbersome truck.

If you've never drove a pickup, they are big yes, but easy to drive and give great views all round. I had one and recently got a Civic instead. Can't say that I miss my truck at all.

If you have some free time, go for a test drive in a new pickup and new car - you don't have to buy and it's good fun! Will give you a better idea of whether to choose a pickup or a 4 door saloon.

For 400k, plenty of choices - Corolla , Altis... personally I'd head for a Honda Jazz. Luvely to drive, practical and cheap to run.

Cheers

James