Ford Hi-rider

[costas]

well, here it is,

i know nothing about cars, and i need one.

from those i've seen (all pick-ups) i can understand on no major differences, or at least none that would affect the intended uses of the car (commuting to and from work, occasional weekend trip)

The most convenient , financially, servicewise, etc seems to be the Ford HiRider

2.5, auto, with all the trimmings

but is it worth it?

anyone with first hand experience or valuable opinions to throw at me please?

cheers

costas

[Thetyim]

Has the model line-up changed ?

I thought the auto only came with the 2.9 engine.

[taxexile]

its an old design , 8 years or so , and is due to be changed soon.

the diesel engine technology is also old , isuzu and toyota common rail engines are more fuel efficient. the ford interior is outdated too.

its an old nail that has been given a makeover to give it showroom appeal until the new model comes along. i've heard that ford servicing and customer service doesnt compare to toyota or isuzu , but i have no first hand experience of the model.

if you want the car as a workhorse or appliance then its probably fine.

but for a slightly bigger outlay you could be getting , i believe , a much better car.

chevrolet who use isuzu technology have a new model on the market and it is priced competitively.

[Thetyim]

Tax,

I agree with you.

But some Ford/Mazda models are being outed at 25 percent discount now and that puts a different slant on it.

The 2.9 is a dog but despite the old technology the 2.5 turbo isn't all that bad for an indirect injection and there are no electronics to go wrong so for a work horse it is OK (ish) .

[costas]

Thanks ,

i know it sounds silly but since

a. i'll only doing 20 km a day on a flat straight line

b.i'll only be going locally for WE trips, i.e not major journeys involved

c. i could not care less about how better a model i dont really need is

and most importantly

d. i'll be paying as a Thai,

i.e itsnot a visit to the shop with cash in pocket (as i dont have any)

but over 4 years, it would appear that for 650k (ish) i'll probably be getting something that will do my job.

i know that most will laugh at the notion of trying to get something 100-150k cheaper but i just dont have it at the moment.....

as long of course as the car is not an established mankiller that has a history of breaking down every 20 minutes or something

thanks again and keep the opinions coming, i wont be buying till the weekend

costas

[Doctor John]

You could try Second Hand, I bought that one over a year ago, 1999 Toyota Tiger 4WD, 395,000 Baht

1 Year later I have had no problems and I would probably still get what I paid for it or very near if it was for sale.

Edited February 23, 2005 by Doctor John

[taxexile]

c. i could not care less about how better a model i dont really need is

you are a car salesmans nightmare , but its the only way to buy really.

i know that most will laugh at the notion of trying to get something 100-150k cheaper but i just dont have it at the moment.....

100 to 150k is about 5 years worth of fuel and servicing , the only smile should be on your face.

[RamdomChances]

If you are only doing 20km on straight raods, have you considered a small car, they start at 450-500,000 and are better on fuel than the pick up's, easier to drive and more comfartable, but you lose on practicaly and resale value, can get some good second hand deals although finance thend to be much more expensive second hand. The Isuzu and toyota are about the pick of the pick-up's at the moment, with the toyota probably the better.

[Darknight]

You could try Second Hand, I bought that one over a year ago, 1999 Toyota Tiger 4WD, 395,000 Baht

1 Year later I have had no problems and I would probably still get what I paid for it or very near if it was for sale.  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice car doc

just bought this one

[costas]

Thank you all

i appreciate a lot all the input!

havent bought the car yet, still the toyotas to look at...

as i said, being totally ignorant of cars, i thought that second hand would not be an option worth investigating, i'd be ripped of in a heartbeat

as for small cars definetely in the run, but unfortunately my size would not allow them to be too small ... so, the money goes up....

PS. is it true that the Ford i am eyeing drinks double than the equivalent isuzu / totyota/ chevy? thats what my maths suggest but i'd love an informed opinion...

cheers

costas

[Thetyim]

A toyota D4D will give you 12 km per litre overall.

The Ford will give you less, and I will take a guess here at 10 km per litre

[jonik]

Hey , living in thailand you don't go buying a german car do you. You'd better off with a mitsu,toyota or similar. Sure it's more expencive but for a reason you know. 10 years with ford tought me this , you get what you pay for.

[jonik]

Mercedes made a a car named sangsoung rexton someting.I think it's a good enging in a jap shell.Don't know if they sell it in thailand thou.

[taxexile]

i believe its an old mercedes engine in a korean car , supposed to be an ok machine.

[Thetyim]

Ssangyong.

Very good design

Very good engineering

Absolute SHIT build quality

[jonik]

Yeah you better off with a Daewoo

[chuchok]

Yeah you better off with a Daewoo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where do you think the Ford hi rider is assembled/built?( like about 90% of these types of vehicles in Thailand)