Proton Savvy

[sunny747]

i have been driving old ecar lancer for long time. i'm tired of spending for it every now and then. today i went to bitech and really loved the proton savvy. i have been hearing some positive reviews as the shock, handling and designed by LOTUS. i had a test drive and it does feel like go cart. quite fast for it's 1.2 cc. Exterior is ok. Interior is little plasticy.

the one i saw was MT and really value for price. just around 400,000 baht. i could actually sell my old car and pay for the down. they told me , for foreigner i have to pay 25% for down.

now is there any savvy owner? i need some feedback. i heard the company that distributes proton has some bad reputation.

do you guys think it's a good buy?

[skippybangkok]

i have been driving old ecar lancer for long time. i'm tired of spending for it every now and then. today i went to bitech and really loved the proton savvy. i have been hearing some positive reviews as the shock, handling and designed by LOTUS. i had a test drive and it does feel like go cart. quite fast for it's 1.2 cc. Exterior is ok. Interior is little plasticy.

the one i saw was MT and really value for price. just around 400,000 baht. i could actually sell my old car and pay for the down. they told me , for foreigner i have to pay 25% for down.

now is there any savvy owner? i need some feedback. i heard the company that distributes proton has some bad reputation.

do you guys think it's a good buy?

Nick named "potong" in Malay ( = break / broken ) for a good reason.

Used to drive one when living in KL

[jcon]

First time sitting in a Proton was this weekend... was the passenger both friday and sat night. Don't know which model it was, but it was a 2-door hatchback. Didn't get a chance to drive it, but it seemed nice enough and kinda roomy for how small it was. But it's a total chick car.

They did get one thing right - window switches in the center console - just like SAAB Now if they could have only gotten smart enough to put the ignition keyhole in the center as well.....

[gobs]

Not only Savvy but... check here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Proton-t173887.html

Pros and cons, as usual!

[sunny747]

thanks.

do you guys think i should sell my ecar 94 and get this proton? very confused. need to take wise decision. i'm not a guy with lots of buck.

[kartman]

thanks.

do you guys think i should sell my ecar 94 and get this proton? very confused. need to take wise decision. i'm not a guy with lots of buck.

As you are a guy with not a lot of bucks maybe you should hold fire for a while then go s/hand route i think they are even better value pre owned have seen them down near the 300,000 mark on the one2car site and they don't appear to stay long. I think once the proper Eco Cars hit the market later this/next year they may be even cheaper S/H as fashion concious owners ditch them for the latest in vogue offering.

[gobs]

Wise advice from you Kartman... IMHO...

At least it is what I should do.

[keff]

check out www.autoworld.com.my

and click on forum and then Proton Owners forum......definitely you will be abel to decide.

Cheers!

[ScubaBuddha]

for foreigner i have to pay 25% for down.

I was in Proton Phuket today. They want 40% deposit from farang. Interesting they told you 25%. That gives me some ideas on haggling.

My feeling was 40% plus WP/passport and a Thai garantor was all I needed. I didn't ask about if I needed a good credit record myself, but I did ask about my garantors credit record, since she signed once before for her Thai friend and her friend didn

t pay on time. "No Problem" was the answer.

[groovyc]

thanks.

do you guys think i should sell my ecar 94 and get this proton? very confused. need to take wise decision. i'm not a guy with lots of buck.

Don't. Not that I know much about proton, but generally buying a new car is a bad idea for a guy who can't afford top lose 20-30% of the value when you walk out from the dealer. I'd say, go buy a 5yr old Corolla at an auction - some pretty good ones went for 350k last time I went to one. Much much better value for money. Maybe you don'"t need a Corolla - get a Vios for cheaper then. Anyway, you need to find the cash upfront for an auction tho AFAIK.

[stingray]

thanks.

do you guys think i should sell my ecar 94 and get this proton? very confused. need to take wise decision. i'm not a guy with lots of buck.

Don't. Not that I know much about proton, but generally buying a new car is a bad idea for a guy who can't afford top lose 20-30% of the value when you walk out from the dealer. I'd say, go buy a 5yr old Corolla at an auction - some pretty good ones went for 350k last time I went to one. Much much better value for money. Maybe you don'"t need a Corolla - get a Vios for cheaper then. Anyway, you need to find the cash upfront for an auction tho AFAIK.

You talking about a corolla altis i guess. Boring style. I'm not for the Savy either as i can see the design is asian for sure. But the Proton Neo is a nice car for just a little bit more money. I saw they start from 499'000 Baht. Thes could be Lotuis deisgn. I'm sure Savy and Neo had a different designer. Anyway what's wrong wit ha new Proton against a 5 year old Corolla Altis with maybe 200'00 km already (20 Isaan Trips per year trought all the potholes). I wouldn't go for that, Sorry.

[katabeachbum]

thanks.

do you guys think i should sell my ecar 94 and get this proton? very confused. need to take wise decision. i'm not a guy with lots of buck.

Don't. Not that I know much about proton, but generally buying a new car is a bad idea for a guy who can't afford top lose 20-30% of the value when you walk out from the dealer. I'd say, go buy a 5yr old Corolla at an auction - some pretty good ones went for 350k last time I went to one. Much much better value for money. Maybe you don'"t need a Corolla - get a Vios for cheaper then. Anyway, you need to find the cash upfront for an auction tho AFAIK.

You talking about a corolla altis i guess. Boring style. I'm not for the Savy either as i can see the design is asian for sure. But the Proton Neo is a nice car for just a little bit more money. I saw they start from 499'000 Baht. Thes could be Lotuis deisgn. I'm sure Savy and Neo had a different designer. Anyway what's wrong wit ha new Proton against a 5 year old Corolla Altis with maybe 200'00 km already (20 Isaan Trips per year trought all the potholes). I wouldn't go for that, Sorry.

I think the Savvy is an attractive small car. Its not really up to date compared to other small cars in the rest of the world, but neither of them are available in LOS. Savvy is the only 400-450k car I would consider here.

I certanly would not pay 350 k for a 5 year old Corolla at an auction, with one key, angry exowner abel to track your adress with VIN in DMV and no history. Besides OP already has an old car.

Comparing new Savvy with 2-3 year old farang owned Yaris or Jazz is a tough one though.

[babykyo]

savvy is 400k to 450k. How about toyota vios? 500k to 600k. If this is the pricing in malaysia. Proton would be bankrupt. In singapore and malaysia. Only those who dream about a very basic 4 wheel would buy a proton.

[katabeachbum]

savvy is 400k to 450k. How about toyota vios? 500k to 600k. If this is the pricing in malaysia. Proton would be bankrupt. In singapore and malaysia. Only those who dream about a very basic 4 wheel would buy a proton.

Savvy is the only acceptable car in this segment (400-450k) in LOS. Neither Toyota or Honda want to compete in this segment in LOS.

It goes the other way around too.

If VW, Audi, BMW, Peugot, Volvo and Ford all where selling cars in LOS at the same price as Honda and Toyota like they do in Europe, there wouldnt be 80 % Toyota and Hondas here

[stingray]

savvy is 400k to 450k. How about toyota vios? 500k to 600k. If this is the pricing in malaysia. Proton would be bankrupt. In singapore and malaysia. Only those who dream about a very basic 4 wheel would buy a proton.

Savvy is the only acceptable car in this segment (400-450k) in LOS. Neither Toyota or Honda want to compete in this segment in LOS.

It goes the other way around too.

If VW, Audi, BMW, Peugot, Volvo and Ford all where selling cars in LOS at the same price as Honda and Toyota like they do in Europe, there wouldnt be 80 % Toyota and Hondas here

Those european brands (named above) not have any production in Thailand. Therefore they have to pay a lot of import tax. Therefore the selling price is very high.

[katabeachbum]

savvy is 400k to 450k. How about toyota vios? 500k to 600k. If this is the pricing in malaysia. Proton would be bankrupt. In singapore and malaysia. Only those who dream about a very basic 4 wheel would buy a proton.

Savvy is the only acceptable car in this segment (400-450k) in LOS. Neither Toyota or Honda want to compete in this segment in LOS.

It goes the other way around too.

If VW, Audi, BMW, Peugot, Volvo and Ford all where selling cars in LOS at the same price as Honda and Toyota like they do in Europe, there wouldnt be 80 % Toyota and Hondas here

Those european brands (named above) not have any production in Thailand. Therefore they have to pay a lot of import tax. Therefore the selling price is very high.

Wrong Stingray

Volvo, Ford and BMW makes cars in Thailand. If you buy a BMW in Australia its made in Thailand. Import tax is not the issue.

Proton Savvy is not made in Thailand

[stingray]

savvy is 400k to 450k. How about toyota vios? 500k to 600k. If this is the pricing in malaysia. Proton would be bankrupt. In singapore and malaysia. Only those who dream about a very basic 4 wheel would buy a proton.

Savvy is the only acceptable car in this segment (400-450k) in LOS. Neither Toyota or Honda want to compete in this segment in LOS.

It goes the other way around too.

If VW, Audi, BMW, Peugot, Volvo and Ford all where selling cars in LOS at the same price as Honda and Toyota like they do in Europe, there wouldnt be 80 % Toyota and Hondas here

Those european brands (named above) not have any production in Thailand. Therefore they have to pay a lot of import tax. Therefore the selling price is very high.

Wrong Stingray

Volvo, Ford and BMW makes cars in Thailand. If you buy a BMW in Australia its made in Thailand. Import tax is not the issue.

Proton Savvy is not made in Thailand

Yes, correct i forgot Ford is made in Thailand, therefore Ford isn't expensive at all, Volvo i don't know if they do any assembling overhere, But Peugeot, VW, Audi, are very expensive overhere and they defenitifely DON'T manucfactering any cars overhere, they fully import. BMW, some they made some in Thailand, but i think it was only a low standard series 3 model with plastic seats. Proton is Asian made and i think there is not such much high import taxes like the cars from Europe. And of corse you can't compare the quality of a Proton Neo with a VW Scirocco for example (similar car). But then again, for the amount of a Scirocco, you'll get 3 Proton Neo. BTW, in Malaisia you'll get a Proton alreadfy for 220'000 Baht

[katabeachbum]

Yes, correct i forgot Ford is made in Thailand, therefore Ford isn't expensive at all, Volvo i don't know if they do any assembling overhere, But Peugeot, VW, Audi, are very expensive overhere and they defenitifely DON'T manucfactering any cars overhere, they fully import. BMW, some they made some in Thailand, but i think it was only a low standard series 3 model with plastic seats. Proton is Asian made and i think there is not such much high import taxes like the cars from Europe. And of corse you can't compare the quality of a Proton Neo with a VW Scirocco for example (similar car). But then again, for the amount of a Scirocco, you'll get 3 Proton Neo. BTW, in Malaisia you'll get a Proton alreadfy for 220'000 Baht

Stingray

BMW made in Thailand, 320, 325, 330, 320D, 520, 525, 530, 520D, 730, 730D. With all options, and the seats are beutiful leather, dont even make fabric/textile. BMW 520D/177hp has less tax than Accord/Camry 2,4. Benz too. Benz E200K/184hp has less tax than Accord/Camry 2,4 in LOS. Volvo, S60, S80, XC90, V70. Again Volvo S80 has less tax than Accord/Camry 2,4. They just want to sell their cars with less tax than japanese at double price. Benz S 500 made in LOS.

[Plus]

European brands didn't invest in supporting industries, they assemble cars here form imported parts and so pay higher tax. If they manage to source some 80% locally, don't know the exact number, they could compete with Japs on price. Before 1997 BMWs and Pegeouts could be had for little over 1 mil.

Protons are fully imported but within Asean import tax is only 5%.

I believe local BMW is their only plant outside Germany. Other Euro brands use Yontrakit plant or Thai Auto something that builds Benz here, among others. Fully imorted models usually cost about half mil more than locally assembled ones.