4wd Options - What Are The Alteratives To Pick-ups

[kedawi]

OK - got a bit of info about the 4WD pick-ups....so what about a recent model Landcruiser/Trooper/Pajero?

what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high? you don't see that many around.

[Familyonthemove]

If you are using your own money to buy a large 4X4 SUV, you'd need a very good reason to not buy a locally made Toyota (Fortuna), Honda (CRV) or Isuzu (MU7) or perhaps a Chevrolet Captiva. Tax makes an import uneconomic unless you require an imported car to support a flagging ego. Several threads on here about the relative merits of each option, but in summary ...

Fortuna - new facelifted model just out, improved interior, brakes, safety features and rear ac, large, tough, roomy, three rows of seats, decent ride from rear coil springs, but solid rear axle a little crude, steering wheel only adjusts for height not reach, good off road, good value for money - there's a reason you see so many. Petrol or diesel, 2wd option but 4x4 V spec best bet

CRV - more car-like, more compact, intelligent real time 4wd, good quality smaller SUV, slightly hard but well controlled ride, nice interior, fully adjustable steering wheel, good active safety. Petrol only, 2.4 best option but thristy.

MU7 - big and tough, good value, three rows of seats, but it's very close to a pick up truck with a posh back.

Captiva - between CRV and Fortuna in size, three rows of seats, good ride, more expensive than other options, not as good as Fortuna off road, but it rides well and looks good.

I've been using a rented CRV 2.4 for a month but have ordered the new Fortuna and will be collecting it later in the month.

[kedawi]

OK - now can anyone actually answer my question?

Im not interested in importing a vehicle....I do see several of the above models around and would consider a second-hand one.

I'm looking for a vehicle with good 4wd drive characteristics. .....as shown in the other thread the pick-ups are not really all there.

[Gary A]

Like it or not the key to an effective 4X4 is ground clearance. If it sits too close to the ground it is NOT going anywhere in the mud.

[kedawi]

I'm sorry I'm at a loss to see the relevance of your posting........

If I want to take my poodle to Carrefour and believe I need a good 4wd system to do that, then it's "up to me"...that's not the question - the question is about the tax and insurance on the "proper" 4wds in Thailand.

[Gary A]

I'm sorry I'm at a loss to see the relevance of your posting........

If I want to take my poodle to Carrefour and believe I need a good 4wd system to do that, then it's "up to me"...that's not the question - the question is about the tax and insurance on the "proper" 4wds in Thailand.

I'm looking for a vehicle with good 4wd drive characteristics

Well pardon me. I thought you were looking for a 4X4 that had good 4X4 characteristics.

[kedawi]

Here's the question again...

"4wd Options - What Are The Alteratives To Pick-ups, What about tax and insurance?"

"OK - got a bit of info about the 4WD pick-ups....so what about a recent model Landcruiser/Trooper/Pajero?

what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high? you don't see that many around. "

not that hard??

[mgjackson69]

Some poseur who wants to own a "4x4" but does not care if it actually fulfills its function.

As he said..."up to him"

[kedawi]

So the truth is, as so often on this site, that if no-one can answer they just resort to abuse.

[Cuban]

So the truth is, as so often on this site, that if no-one can answer they just resort to abuse.

With all due respect to you - I assume that English is not your first langauge - as your questions are a little loose shall we say. As for the 'abuse' I think your retort to GaryA's most reasonable reply was a little abusive, but I'm sure he will forgive you.

...what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high?

Tax will vary with engine size and year of vehicle, for a newish pickup truck expect to pay about 6,000 Baht a year for a four door, less for a two door as they are consider a farmer's truck. The tax drops after 5/7(?) years. Insurance would be about 20,000 Baht first class, get quotes from different places and compare the level of cover - cheap insurance is just that.

....you don't see that many around.

Most people want a vehicle that is cheap to run and repair, exotics are more expensive for repairs - and that will affect your insurance costs.

If you are looking to pay such a large amount for a 'special' 4x4 - why do you have to worry about annual running costs? The two concepts are at odds.

I'm looking for a vehicle with good 4wd drive characteristics. .....as shown in the other thread the pick-ups are not really all there.

As GaryA rightly says ground clearance is all, but if you are really talking about off road driving across unmade jungle and across river beds - I think you are in need of a customised 4x4 with non-factory OEM fittings, a fear that would be best addressed in a 4x4 forum, if you need help finding these I can refer you to a few I used to use when I got muddy at the weekend There is also an active Thai off road web site I have seen before now, there will be English speakers there that might offer some direction if you seek more 'local' guidance.

For average Thai roads and un-made dirt tracks during heavy rains most 4x4s made and sold here are fine, I have a Ford Ranger but have used other pickup rentals before I bought my own. If you are needing to tow tracors out of flooded rice fields, again you should look at something more specialist.

....question is about the tax and insurance on the "proper" 4wds in Thailand.

If my and others' posts have not covered this question - please define 'proper'.

Landcruiser/Trooper/Pajero?

I understand that these will be imported models to Thailand and will therefore be subject to import taxes - direct questions about their tax and insurance might best be directed to the retailer or agent that imports them (to order?) I would expect a Google might find you such a company in BKK. I would expect those that can affort 2x the price of a vehicle would not be wasting their time on a forum like you & I.

HTH

Edited September 3, 2008 by Cuban

[kedawi]

My English is fine ...maybe your comprehension was a little slow....what is loose" about this question?

"what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high? you don't see that many around."??

Answer - you don't know.

please don't waste your time - and nine - I get an email every time one of you wasters posts on this thread!

Edited September 3, 2008 by kedawi

[LeungKen]

Cuban, Your post was polite, comprehensive, factual & informative.

Not a lot more to be said, though if it was me I'd be saying Many Thanks.

Edited September 3, 2008 by LeungKen

[Gary A]

Cuban, no I won't forgive him. He appears to be a rude little kid who is bored and has nothing to do except ask irrelevant vague questions then sees fit to insult those who try to help him.

[Carib]

Cuban, no I won't forgive him. He appears to be a rude little kid who is bored and has nothing to do except ask irrelevant vague questions then sees fit to insult those who try to help him.

I do agree with the above. Sounds like a grumpy rude person. And he just got another email.....because this time I was the waster.

[mgjackson69]

The OP might have clarified what he meant by "good 4wd drive characteristics" rather than being such a rude c_nt.

BTW, "4wd drive" is redundant...sort of like you.

Another email for you my friend.

[Cuban]

Do you ever feel people are talking about you behind your back?

My English is fine ...maybe your comprehension was a little slow....what is loose" about this question?

"what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high?..."Well technically you should start a sentence with a capital letter and prohibitively is a subjective term dependent on your disposable income, it would help if you suggest the amounts you consider acceptable. You must be within a budget otherwise you would not waste the time and internet bandwidth asking such a question. Generally if you are looking to spend about a million Baht on a vehicle you don't need to count every Satang for running costs, fuel alone will be your biggest spend.

".....you don't see that many around."??Again this is subjective, in rural Issan I have seen almost none, in Bangkok and Pattaya I have seen a selection on the roads - I would assume in proportion to the level of Toyota, Isuzu and Mitsubishi vehicles on the road in general. I would guess that you could estimate the number on the road with a little further research with the dealers and figures that are published in The Bangkok Post from time to time, but as you are clearly intellectually superior to me you have probably already worked out these figures. The only think I can helpfully add is that the Landcruisers seem to be mostly white or gold.

Answer - you don't know.

Well yes, technically I don't know if the costs are beyond you and I have no idea of why Somchai doesn't drive a Baht Bus - Pajero, but I'm happy to guess that cost is part of the mix.

I hope the link below is of some help in your quest for the perfect car.

Tax and Insurances rates for Thai 4x4s.

[LeungKen]

Nice One Cuban, that pretty well wraps up this thread doesn't it ?

[Familyonthemove]

Here's the question again...

"4wd Options - What Are The Alteratives To Pick-ups, What about tax and insurance?"

"OK - got a bit of info about the 4WD pick-ups....so what about a recent model Landcruiser/Trooper/Pajero?

what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high? you don't see that many around. "

not that hard??

Rude sod .... find out yourself.

Edited September 3, 2008 by Familyonthemove

[Lopburi99]

Here's the question again...

"4wd Options - What Are The Alteratives To Pick-ups, What about tax and insurance?"

"OK - got a bit of info about the 4WD pick-ups....so what about a recent model Landcruiser/Trooper/Pajero?

what is the tax and insurance like on these? Is it prohibitively high? you don't see that many around. "

not that hard??

Rude sod .... find out yourself.

kedawi, TV is a great site having hundreds of polite and concerned members who take the time to help others, such as you. I hope next time your responses will be more mature.

[cheshiremusicman]

Cuban, Your post was polite, comprehensive, factual & informative.

Not a lot more to be said, though if it was me I'd be saying Many Thanks.

I could not agree more with you! It seems a great pity that people who come on to the TV site can't take the trouble to phrase the real questions that they want to ask before slagging others off who have spent time and effort in replying with what to me would appear to be sound responses. If the OP wants specifics about 'a specific vehicle' then why the heck don't they say so. I feel sure that the OP will get 'specific' responses here on this sight if they can have the patience to wait!

Edited September 6, 2008 by cheshiremusicman

[Plus]

The OP doesn't really say what he wants.

Tax, for example, greatly depends on whether you are buying new or second hand. Comparing to locally made Toyotas or Hondas, imported cars quickly drop their value, the import+excise tax is paid by the first owner, essentially.

Then there are annual road taxes, of which Cuban spoke at length - is the OP interested in those at all?

New Pajero/Landcruiser would cost somewhere in 4-5 million baht range, Rangerovers a couple million more.

There's BMW X3 at "reasonable" 3.5 mil price and more expensive X5, also Volvo XC90 which is consedered a great value for money by motor journalists who'd never buy one themselves.

Majority of Thai customers won't even think of taking a 150,000 dollar car anywhere near mud, unless they have money to burn. From what I see the off-road scene here is mostly second hand vehicles.

I remember 1.4 mil for a second hand Landcruiser, there are plenty of websites to check the availability.

Oh, yeah, there are plenty of oldish Jeeps running around, I see them at LPG stations all the time, the owners must be happy that it's pretty easy to convert and save on fuel.

[think_too_mut]

New Pajero/Landcruiser would cost somewhere in 4-5 million baht range, Rangerovers a couple million more.

Ha-ha-ha. Then he is worried about insurance.

In BKK, LandCruiser (I owned a 100 Series in Australia, it was V6) would burn 25-30L of petrol per 100km.

Now they are all V8. To fill it up (my ex-V6) by today prices would cost almost 6000B (six thousand). V8 probably more.

And the rude kid is asking if insurance "prohibitivelly" high.

And he does not care about a cost of a crane that may have to be called to the rescue - to lift the car up and turn around when stuck in some small soi (I watched that happening back in 2002).

And he is wondering why there are not so many?

You have mail....

[mgjackson69]

Cuban, Your post was polite, comprehensive, factual & informative.

Not a lot more to be said, though if it was me I'd be saying Many Thanks.

I could not agree more with you! It seems a great pity that people who come on to the TV site can't take the trouble to phrase the real questions that they want to ask before slagging others off who have spent time and effort in replying with what to me would appear to be sound responses. If the OP wants specifics about 'a specific vehicle' then why the heck don't they say so. I feel sure that the OP will get 'specific' responses here on this sight if they can have the patience to wait!

Isn't that the truth?

"What is the best <something>?"

"Is <item/action> worth it?"

Asking vague, highly subjective questions, then bitching when someone calls them on it, or does not tell them exactly what they want to hear.

Like children who want to be told exactly what to do, so long as it matches what they want to do.

[bkk_mike]

My wife dragged me off to look at a new landcruiser a few years ago (pre-Fortuner times)

The price was extortionate (because of the standard import duty on cars not made in Asean), and it had a petrol engine, so I told her no way...

A friend of hers did get one, but even she complained about the running costs of filling it up (and that was 4 years ago, before the oil price started climbing...)

You can buy 4 Fortuners for the cost of a landcruiser here. That makes it a simple decision these days.

[kedawi]

I can get a Trooper/Pajero/Landcruiser for around 1 million....they are a far superior vehicle to the Fortuner in both build and what Iwant to use it for....however this is not the question really

i want t know the yearly tax rates on these vehicles....etc not what to buy. Im aware of the cost of fuel - the Fortuner has 3 litre diesel ansd the LC has a 4 litre diesel option (6 cyl) the others have 3 or 3.2 litre diesels........ but they hav better 4 WD systems. This is all irrelevant ayway...it is the tax and insurance I'm interested in.

[Lilyjade]

i want t know the yearly tax rates on these vehicles...

You will choose which car to buy, depending on how much

the yearly tax is??

I think he is joking. He is not looking for a car at all.

[mgjackson69]

I do not know what the hel_l the OP is looking for...but he/she just received another email.

[Cuban]

I do not know what the hel_l the OP is looking for...but he/she just received another email.

....yes the OP mentioned something about emails earlier.

[harrry]

i want t know the yearly tax rates on these vehicles...

You will choose which car to buy, depending on how much

the yearly tax is??

I think he is joking. He is not looking for a car at all.

Could't the OP get that information straight fron the Government Departments concerned. Or maybe they wont give him the answers he wants.

[kedawi]

I was hoping that I didn't have to go to a govt department, I thought that someone on TV might actually own a vehicle other than a Fortuner and actually had an answer, instead a load of innuendo and ad hominem arguments...

heres the crux of the Q again.......

"so what about a recent model Landcruiser/Trooper/Pajero?

what is the tax and insurance like on these? "