Car recommendations

[JBChiangRai]

16 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

I know you were looking at Good Cat at one point

Amazing pictures here of good cat flooded for 3 days and battery does not need replacing

some comments state that Catl battery has very good waterproofing.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1108386864190877&set=pcb.1108205944208969

 

Good Cat is still a possibility.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

On 10/10/2024 at 2:48 PM, Ralf001 said:

 

Sorry, what advice did you offer ?

Horses and Water ............... 

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Horses and Water ............... 

I have owned horse's... costly to own, cars are cheaper.

[Yodarapper]

Update:

thought about it and considering we don’t know how long we are going to be here we are not going to buy electric. I would love to as think Thailand is better prepared than Europe and I like the idea of charging at home (I will not have the house or driveway I have here back at home) but the fact we may leave in a couple of years just means no full electric.

 

new top contenders are the Toyota Yaris Cross or the Veloz. I prefer the Corolla Cross but unfortunately that’s just out of our budget.

 

I am going to test drive both - the Yaris cross is nice but it seems smaller than my current MG ZS….anyway between these two cars any advice? Anyone here owns either?

 

thanks for all your comments!

[Yodarapper]

19 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

Update:

thought about it and considering we don’t know how long we are going to be here we are not going to buy electric. I would love to as think Thailand is better prepared than Europe and I like the idea of charging at home (I will not have the house or driveway I have here back at home) but the fact we may leave in a couple of years just means no full electric.

 

new top contenders are the Toyota Yaris Cross or the Veloz. I prefer the Corolla Cross but unfortunately that’s just out of our budget.

 

I am going to test drive both - the Yaris cross is nice but it seems smaller than my current MG ZS….anyway between these two cars any advice? Anyone here owns either?

 

thanks for all your comments!

Forgot to ask - how much down payment do I need to put down to not need a Thai guarantor?

 

Last question - should I go new or is it worth finding something on Toyota sure and financing there? But for example an older model Corolla cross is still upwards

of 800k so is a new Yaris cross or veloz better?

[josephbloggs]

24 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

Forgot to ask - how much down payment do I need to put down to not need a Thai guarantor?

 

Last question - should I go new or is it worth finding something on Toyota sure and financing there? But for example an older model Corolla cross is still upwards

of 800k so is a new Yaris cross or veloz better?

I bought second hand here once and regretted it, but that was 25+ years ago before you could get certified used cars, you could only buy from unscrupulous tents.

Since then I have always bought new but that's because I planned on keeping each one for maybe 7 years. If I only thought I would be here for a couple of years I would definitely buy a certified second hand dealer car. But that's just my personal opinion, it doesn't make it right - I just don't see the point of buying new and selling it again after two years.

[Sigmund]

Petrol or EV no matter...I only swear by japanese.

 

Today, even Audis or VW's are breaking down on highways,  just after few months or years of use.

[Kinnock]

The GWM Jolion hybrid looks to be a good deal at the moment.  Price just reduced too, although no third row of seats.  Seems to be lots of GWM dealers too.  For family transport the new Toyota Innova looks great, but it's over 1 million.

 

I'm also looking for a replacement for my X-Trail.  It's been a great car, and as we visit farms the 4X4 capability is useful.  The trade-in price was a bit of a shock though.  Our X-Trail has been well cared for (still looks new) and always main dealer serviced, but dealer only offered 200k for our 6 year old low-ish mileage car.

 

I checked used prices against Toyota, and while the price drop was less, the discount given on the original new price for the X-Trail (compared to zero discount on Toyata at the time) makes the depreciation similar .... so I think it's the fall in the used car market rather than brand specific depreciation.

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

58 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

The GWM Jolion hybrid looks to be a good deal at the moment.  Price just reduced too, although no third row of seats.  Seems to be lots of GWM dealers too.  For family transport the new Toyota Innova looks great, but it's over 1 million.

 

I'm also looking for a replacement for my X-Trail.  It's been a great car, and as we visit farms the 4X4 capability is useful.  The trade-in price was a bit of a shock though.  Our X-Trail has been well cared for (still looks new) and always main dealer serviced, but dealer only offered 200k for our 6 year old low-ish mileage car.

 

I checked used prices against Toyota, and while the price drop was less, the discount given on the original new price for the X-Trail (compared to zero discount on Toyata at the time) makes the depreciation similar .... so I think it's the fall in the used car market rather than brand specific depreciation.

 

I bought a Haval Jolion Ultra, I fell in love with the car when it appeared at local malls together with the Haval H6 ( the H6 a little too big for my needs ) around Nov 2021 i think.

I wasn’t in the market at the time but admired it from a  distance until around 18 months later when they started to sell off the showroom models with a healthy discount and I bought one.

The Jolion is a remarkably well put together car with a plush white interior ( now available in black also ) which took a little getting used to but i came to like. A very comfortable ride with a good acceleration ( combined 190 hp ) and imo a beautiful car.

 

The downsides, for me, were:

A small luggage storage area for a decent size SUV, 390L, due to hybrid and 12v batteries in the rear, forget about a spare/donut tyre.

Poor fuel economy, although quoted at something like 23.5 km/l in reality 17 km/l was the max i could squeeze out of it, not great for a hybrid.

Limited infotainment system.

No way to utilise the hybrid part of the system, it tended to do its own thing ( running in EV mode on and off ).

Made me rethink the whole Hybrid option and vowed to go PHEV or HEV next time.

 

My brother in law was deeply impressed with the car and took up my offer of the same price as i had paid ( heavily discounted showroom model with 7k on the clock in mint condition, one of the last available ). So i let it go after 6 months and only adding another 6k km.

 

The H6 PHEV is a much better option, imho, with a great 201 km ( in reality probably 150/180 km ) range and now reduced to a reasonable price. A much more flexible car which takes advantage of a healthy EV range and more flexibility.

 

A Jolion PHEV would have been ideal for me but sadly it never transpired and i moved on to a full EV.

[BKKBike09]

On 10/6/2024 at 7:28 AM, Yodarapper said:

can you recommend any suitable cars? Not more than a Million and I am open to electric if it’s a good option but I will want to sell it on when we leave Thailand. Will be putting down around 200K and financing the rest.

 

I know you're now leaning towards a Yaris of some sort but have you considered Mitsubishi Xpander? All models less than THB 1 million. Lots of room for when the grandparents visit.

 

I don't usually care for the mini MPV look but quite like the Xpander - I think it looks better in the flesh than in the pics. There are various promotions at the moment till end Oct. Including 0% interest offers.

 

There's also a new HEV version - also under a million.

 

High-capacity electric motors deliver a maximum power of 116 horsepower alongside torque of up to 255 N•m. This ensures responsiveness, excellent acceleration, and enhanced driving comfort. The new 1.6L DOHC MIVEC gasoline engine delivers a maximum of 95 hp at 5,100 rpm and peak torque of 134 N•m

 

 

[Yodarapper]

27 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

I know you're now leaning towards a Yaris of some sort but have you considered Mitsubishi Xpander? All models less than THB 1 million. Lots of room for when the grandparents visit.

 

I don't usually care for the mini MPV look but quite like the Xpander - I think it looks better in the flesh than in the pics. There are various promotions at the moment till end Oct. Including 0% interest offers.

 

There's also a new HEV version - also under a million.

 

High-capacity electric motors deliver a maximum power of 116 horsepower alongside torque of up to 255 N•m. This ensures responsiveness, excellent acceleration, and enhanced driving comfort. The new 1.6L DOHC MIVEC gasoline engine delivers a maximum of 95 hp at 5,100 rpm and peak torque of 134 N•m

 

 

They look good but would a veloz be better? What about resale value? Would Toyota be easier to sell down the road?

[vinny41]

As you are in the 3rd year of your rental car and assuming it was brand new when you 1st started the rental have you considered asking the rental company for a price to buy the car

as your rental must have nearly paid for the car

[BKKBike09]

7 hours ago, Yodarapper said:

7 hours ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

I know you're now leaning towards a Yaris of some sort but have you considered Mitsubishi Xpander? All models less than THB 1 million. Lots of room for when the grandparents visit.

 

I don't usually care for the mini MPV look but quite like the Xpander - I think it looks better in the flesh than in the pics. There are various promotions at the moment till end Oct. Including 0% interest offers.

 

There's also a new HEV version - also under a million.

 

High-capacity electric motors deliver a maximum power of 116 horsepower alongside torque of up to 255 N•m. This ensures responsiveness, excellent acceleration, and enhanced driving comfort. The new 1.6L DOHC MIVEC gasoline engine delivers a maximum of 95 hp at 5,100 rpm and peak torque of 134 N•m

 

 

Expand  

They look good but would a veloz be better? What about resale value? Would Toyota be easier to sell down the road?

 

I think they're all pretty much the same (Veloz, Xpander, BR-V etc). I've always thought basic Toyotas are the most boring of Japanese cars so I'd choose Xpander over Veloz just because etc.

 

Toyota might be marginally easier to sell but it all comes down to asking price and local obsession with km on the clock. I'd guess if you bought a Veloz/Xpander new now for say 900K, in three years you'd probably be able to sell it privately quite easily for around 600-650, especially if low km.

 

If you want a bigger car then I'd look at Isuzu Mu-X. I like the styling and they're big comfortable cars. Plenty of the smaller engine 2WD ones for around 900K, couple of years old. The 3.0L AWD ones run about 1-1.1 million or so at that age (they're now about 1.7 new I think).

 

Here are some of the 2WD ones on One2Car - top one says it's only 8,xxx km and still has a couple years of official 3-year warranty.

 

 

 

[Yodarapper]

7 hours ago, vinny41 said:

As you are in the 3rd year of your rental car and assuming it was brand new when you 1st started the rental have you considered asking the rental company for a price to buy the car

as your rental must have nearly paid for the car

I did try but they said no.....

 

I am now looking at 3 vehicles - The Toyota Yaris Cross, The Toyota Veloz and The Mitsubishi Xpander Cross HEV. I am going to try to test drive all 3 at some point if I ever have time but I am thinking that checking them out with the family, test driving them and seeing what deals are available will help me make a decision.

 

Any owners of any of these cars have any advice? Thanks Anything else to look out for?

[Yodarapper]

4 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

I think they're all pretty much the same (Veloz, Xpander, BR-V etc). I've always thought basic Toyotas are the most boring of Japanese cars so I'd choose Xpander over Veloz just because etc.

 

Toyota might be marginally easier to sell but it all comes down to asking price and local obsession with km on the clock. I'd guess if you bought a Veloz/Xpander new now for say 900K, in three years you'd probably be able to sell it privately quite easily for around 600-650, especially if low km.

 

If you want a bigger car then I'd look at Isuzu Mu-X. I like the styling and they're big comfortable cars. Plenty of the smaller engine 2WD ones for around 900K, couple of years old. The 3.0L AWD ones run about 1-1.1 million or so at that age (they're now about 1.7 new I think).

 

Here are some of the 2WD ones on One2Car - top one says it's only 8,xxx km and still has a couple years of official 3-year warranty.

 

 

 

 

thanks this is all very helpful.......Yeah, I need to sit down to see actual numbers, if I can get 600k after 3 years then makes sense as renting would cost me around 500K+ for that time......

 

Cheers, I am going to have to try to drive all 3 and see what offers deals are available. Any other tips when buying?

[vinny41]

55 minutes ago, Yodarapper said:

I did try but they said no.....

 

I am now looking at 3 vehicles - The Toyota Yaris Cross, The Toyota Veloz and The Mitsubishi Xpander Cross HEV. I am going to try to test drive all 3 at some point if I ever have time but I am thinking that checking them out with the family, test driving them and seeing what deals are available will help me make a decision.

 

Any owners of any of these cars have any advice? Thanks Anything else to look out for?

@LosLobo purchased a Yaris Cross recently maybe check past posts or maybe they can give you some useful tips

I know that the Yaris Cross has ground clearance of 210mm which is quite high as most pickup's are around 220-225mm

MG ZS has ground clearance of 177mm 

[Yodarapper]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

@LosLobo purchased a Yaris Cross recently maybe check past posts or maybe they can give you some useful tips

I know that the Yaris Cross has ground clearance of 210mm which is quite high as most pickup's are around 220-225mm

MG ZS has ground clearance of 177mm 

Thanks yes I am looking at the Yaris - only issue is it seems to be smaller than my current MG ZS.

 

i am looking for people with experience with the following 3 cars:

TOYOTA YARIS CROSS

MITSUBISHI XPANDER CROSS

TOYOTA VELOZ

 

those are the 3 I am looking to buy.

[Yodarapper]

Also, why have two dealers said they don’t have any veloz in showrooms is that because there is a new model coming?

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, Yodarapper said:

Thanks yes I am looking at the Yaris - only issue is it seems to be smaller than my current MG ZS.

 

i am looking for people with experience with the following 3 cars:

TOYOTA YARIS CROSS

MITSUBISHI XPANDER CROSS

TOYOTA VELOZ

 

those are the 3 I am looking to buy.

There is a Veloz hybrid coming out shortly

https://www.car250.com/toyota-veloz-2024-10.html

If your looking to get a new car without putting down a  downpayment you should check out Toyota leasing scheme Kinto

Yaris Cross 36 month lease B18,440 per month

https://www.kinto-th.com/Home.aspx

The necessary documents for consideration include:

1.National ID card or passport.
2.Work permit for foreign nationals working in Thailand.
3.Thai driver's license or international driving permit.
4.Various income documents such as the latest monthly salary slip, bank account statement for the past 3-6 months.

It is possible to apply for the service without the need for a guarantor.

 

[KhunLA]

It makes no sense to buy a new vehicle, if knowing you be gone in 2-3 years, unless you just simply want one. 

 

Just decide what your budge is, and what's available in that budget.

 

Could be a comfy used ICEV, or even a new BEV, PHIEV, for the same price, or a used EV for half the new price, but sill like new.

 

If 2nd hand, I'd buy from a city, district, province that isn't prone to flooding.

[vinny41]

23 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

It makes no sense to buy a new vehicle, if knowing you be gone in 2-3 years, unless you just simply want one. 

 

Just decide what your budge is, and what's available in that budget.

 

Could be a comfy used ICEV, or even a new BEV, PHIEV, for the same price, or a used EV for half the new price, but sill like new.

 

If 2nd hand, I'd buy from a city, district, province that isn't prone to flooding.

I agree with you it is more confusing when you read the op post 2 weeks ago

So currently renting MG ZS B18,000 per month he will be in Thailand until next July and then  possibly another year or 2

Doesn't want don’t want a big down payment or big monthly iinstallments no higher than B20K per month

I assume with rental Insurance , servicing costs are all built into the rental contract

and getting B600K return selling car after 3 years

If car cost was B1,000,000 and you can find any dealer willing to accept just 10% down payment leaving balance of B900,000 if that was on 0% installments over a 48 month period that would be B18,750 per month excluding road tax,insurance and servicing 

he should expect to take a huge hit if he leaves next July

if he stays the full 2 years repayments to finance would be B450,000 (24XB18.750per month) leaving B150K assuming he gets the B600K on resale

[JBChiangRai]

I would look at a one year old, average mileage car.

 

I would probably choose from the cars that depreciate the most in the first 12 months.

 

Twice I have bought one year old Suzuki Ciaz's for my daughters, a 2018 RS we paid 395k for and a 2019 GL Plus we paid 350k for (this one only had 700km on it).

 

We sold the RS about 18 months ago and got 330k for it, we lost 65k in 3 years and the GL Plus she still has but I'm looking to replace it with a one year old 18k km MG4 X that I have offered 500k for and I think that deal will go through in a few weeks.  The GL Plus might lose anything up to 80k on, it's now done 19k km and is in showroom condition.

 

What I wouldn't buy is Nissan, it looks like they're going bust, S&P downgraded their credit status to Junk 6 months ago.

[Yodarapper]

I will try to explain. I know nothing about cars other than I like some and some not so much. I have a family and didn’t have the cash to buy when we first arrived so rented and just kept going.

My work in contractual and we are here for fixed contracts but we have family etc back home and never know how long we will be here but again that means we may be here 5 years or 2? Who knows!!??

 

The reason to buy is thinking that if and when we leave we will be able to sell and recoup something…..renting we are just spending 18k every month and at the end we won’t recoup anything.

 

We send money back every month and invest in private pension etc so to buy outright we would have to stop that for 3/4 months - hence why I prefer to buy on finance. I can put down 170-200k down payment.

 

buying new seems easy and straight forward - second hand I don’t want to risk and I’m not sure they do finance. Also I don’t have a Thai guarantor but someone said if you put a big enough Dow payment you don’t need one?

 

well I hope that helps explain a little better my situation.

 

advice?

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, Yodarapper said:

I will try to explain. I know nothing about cars other than I like some and some not so much. I have a family and didn’t have the cash to buy when we first arrived so rented and just kept going.

My work in contractual and we are here for fixed contracts but we have family etc back home and never know how long we will be here but again that means we may be here 5 years or 2? Who knows!!??

 

The reason to buy is thinking that if and when we leave we will be able to sell and recoup something…..renting we are just spending 18k every month and at the end we won’t recoup anything.

 

We send money back every month and invest in private pension etc so to buy outright we would have to stop that for 3/4 months - hence why I prefer to buy on finance. I can put down 170-200k down payment.

 

buying new seems easy and straight forward - second hand I don’t want to risk and I’m not sure they do finance. Also I don’t have a Thai guarantor but someone said if you put a big enough Dow payment you don’t need one?

 

well I hope that helps explain a little better my situation.

 

advice?

Banks and non-banks are strict about car loans, asking for a 30% down payment to reduce bad debt and seize cars.

https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/finance/investment/1118155

Personally I would look at a Brand where their 2024 sales figures are not good as they might be inclined to offer you a good deal

GWM sold 310 cars in August and 4,799 for the whole of 2024

GWM are offering

GWM launches a campaign with 0% interest, low down payment, and full discounts and installment assistance

https://autolifethailand.tv/gwm-august-promotion/

Yaris cross up to 30th June sold 19,668 its been the number 1 seller in the B-SUV / Crossover for thw whole of 2024

https://autolifethailand.tv/sales-report-b-suv-crossover-june-2024/

TOYOTA VELOZ sales for 2024 until end of July was 2,121

MITSUBISHI XPANDER sales for 2024 until end of July was 6,477

https://autolifethailand.tv/sales-report-mini-mpv-july-2024/

I have always found if a vehicle is selling well no need to offer incentives

Selling a car that is under finance can be tricky as shown in this thread here

 

 

[BKKBike09]

1 hour ago, Yodarapper said:

I will try to explain. I know nothing about cars other than I like some and some not so much. I have a family and didn’t have the cash to buy when we first arrived so rented and just kept going.

My work in contractual and we are here for fixed contracts but we have family etc back home and never know how long we will be here but again that means we may be here 5 years or 2? Who knows!!??

 

The reason to buy is thinking that if and when we leave we will be able to sell and recoup something…..renting we are just spending 18k every month and at the end we won’t recoup anything.

 

We send money back every month and invest in private pension etc so to buy outright we would have to stop that for 3/4 months - hence why I prefer to buy on finance. I can put down 170-200k down payment.

 

buying new seems easy and straight forward - second hand I don’t want to risk and I’m not sure they do finance. Also I don’t have a Thai guarantor but someone said if you put a big enough Dow payment you don’t need one?

 

well I hope that helps explain a little better my situation.

 

advice?

 

Only buy new if you don't really care about resale value and the initial depreciation hit the moment you drive out of the dealership.

 

Sure, leasing feels like you're 'wasting' money but you are also paying for convenience. And if you're suddenly laid off by your employer, you're not saddled with an asset you may have to sell in a hurry, accepting whatever you can get for it.

 

Also ... new cars can be lemons just as much as second-hand and dealerships generally are very happy to sell but much less interested in after-sales. Honda may be an exception as I've always found their after-sales pretty good, but then I've never owned a Toyota.

 

 

[Yodarapper]

6 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

Only buy new if you don't really care about resale value and the initial depreciation hit the moment you drive out of the dealership.

 

Sure, leasing feels like you're 'wasting' money but you are also paying for convenience. And if you're suddenly laid off by your employer, you're not saddled with an asset you may have to sell in a hurry, accepting whatever you can get for it.

 

Also ... new cars can be lemons just as much as second-hand and dealerships generally are very happy to sell but much less interested in after-sales. Honda may be an exception as I've always found their after-sales pretty good, but then I've never owned a Toyota.

 

 

I get this, but in my head renting is throwing away money - if I buy at the end I will get at least something back?

 

I know some people here are here to retire, but others like myself I guess are working and on 2 year contracts etc and we never know if we may stay in thailand 10 years or maybe things change at work, our happiness changes or emergencies back home and that may mean our time here is shorter.

 

Anyway, I think now I am even more confused....:)

 

Also, does anyone know if I finance a car on 48 months and then need to cancel the finance early.....is it a matter of just paying the remaining amount in a lump sum or are there penalties etc? Is it simple to do?

[LosLobo]

14 hours ago, Yodarapper said:

Thanks yes I am looking at the Yaris - only issue is it seems to be smaller than my current MG ZS.

 

i am looking for people with experience with the following 3 cars:

TOYOTA YARIS CROSS

MITSUBISHI XPANDER CROSS

TOYOTA VELOZ

 

those are the 3 I am looking to buy.

I've owned a Toyota Yaris Cross for over three months now. What information would you like to know about it?

[Yodarapper]

10 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

I've owned a Toyota Yaris Cross for over three months now. What information would you like to know about it?

How does it compare to an MG ZS - been told it’s smaller but I’ve been in it and can’t tell. We have two child seats back should fit right. How is the sound driving on highway heard it’s loud?

is the premium luxury worth it what extra do you get?

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, Yodarapper said:

How does it compare to an MG ZS - been told it’s smaller but I’ve been in it and can’t tell. We have two child seats back should fit right. How is the sound driving on highway heard it’s loud?

is the premium luxury worth it what extra do you get?

If you list you priorities, its easier to give advice. Like new vs second hand first. You will get more for your money if buying second hand (the initial drop in value has happened). Resale is not great on any brand at the moment but its best with toyota and honda. It's a buyers market if you are looking for second hand (don't go too old though_ and see if you can find something with warranty remaining on it. You can find something larger and better specced than a yaris cross. Do you need size, performance, comfort, etc. Do you travel far or mainly in the city. etc. Sorry if you have already mentioned your main specs. 

I do like the yaris, if I wanted something smaller than I have (crv diesel) and wanted a relatively fuel efficient car that can cope with road flooding. Or try second hand fortuner/mu-x, but the ride is stiffer than most regular cars (easy to sell though!)

[LosLobo]

2 hours ago, Yodarapper said:

How does it compare to an MG ZS - been told it’s smaller but I’ve been in it and can’t tell.

The reason you might not have noticed is likely due to the negligible difference in size, except for the boot storage. However, I've provided a detailed comparison below, courtesy of my AI assistant.

Comparison of the Thai MG ZS 2024 and Toyota Yaris Cross 2024.

Summary of Key Points

• Dimensions: The MG ZS is slightly larger overall, providing more boot space, making it ideal for carrying more cargo.

   

• Ground Clearance: The Yaris Cross has a significant advantage with 210 mm, making it better suited for Thailand's flooded roads and rough terrains compared to the MG ZS's 165 mm.

   

• Wheelbase: The Yaris Cross features a longer wheelbase of 2,620 mm, compared to the MG ZS's 2,585 mm. A longer wheelbase often translates to improved ride comfort, better stability at high speeds, and enhanced handling during turns. It also allows for more interior space, contributing to rear legroom and passenger comfort, which is particularly beneficial for families or long journeys.

   

• Underfloor Storage: The Yaris Cross includes a practical underfloor storage compartment, enhancing utility for everyday items. In contrast, the MG ZS does not emphasize this feature but offers a larger boot space overall.

Conclusion

If you prioritize handling varied terrain and flooding conditions, along with improved passenger comfort, the Yaris Cross is the better option. However, the MG ZS provides more cargo capacity, making it suitable for those who require extra space for everyday use.