Buying A Mercedes By The Clock

[corkscrew]

My previous two car purchases were made in Bangkok. Last week I bought one in the USA. What a difference!

In Bangkok we (actually my wife) consulted with a monk to determine the most auspicious day and time for the delivery of both of our vehicles.

For the second BKK car our delivery time was suggested to be at 10:12 in the morning; this was about six weeks ago.

You can see the procedure here:

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/05/06/1bkk/partiv.html

Last week we bought a car for use while we are in the States...the dealer asked me if I could take delivery in the next two hours (he was worried that another salesperson would sell the car to someone else). I said "Yes". The nice thing was that I didn't have to wait around for a fortnight before getting behind the wheel. But, I sort of missed the Thai touch.

Of course, the fact that the same car in Thailand costs 2 to 3 times as much as in the USA takes some of the gloss off that Thai touch. It is awesome...how heavy the tax is on imported cars to Thailand.

[Totster]

Nice car mate..

totster

[corkscrew]

Nice car mate.. 

totster 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is fun to drive in BKK as almost no one drives in the city with the top down. So I put on a gas mask.

Actually it is very practical as its size makes it easy to get into Thai parking spaces.

The car that we bought in the States has 'Distronic'...(a radar type of thing which allows me to cruise control at a safe distance behind the lead car)...which would never work in Thailand. If I had it in BKK there would be 4 cars and a dozen motorcycles between me and the car in front.

[zaz]

V nice corkscrew! I was having a look at some car prices and couldn't believe how much more they cost compared to here in the UK e.g. BMW X5 4.4 over 9 million Baht!!! That's way more than double what it is in the UK!! I might aswell ship my M3 over when I come to LOS...?! (Not seen any M3s in BKK...?)

Edited August 10, 2005 by zaz

[corkscrew]

V nice corkscrew!  I was having a look at some car prices and couldn't believe how much more they cost compared to here in the UK e.g. BMW X5 4.4 over 9 million Baht!!!  That's way more than double what it is in the UK!!  I might aswell ship my M3 over when I come to LOS...?!  (Not seen any M3s in BKK...?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that when you ship it over the Thai tax people will still hit you with the tax. A MB SL 55 AMG in the USA costs $125,000.....in BKK it costs +17 million baht...more than $400k.

[pnustedt]

I hate to spoil the party but there's something seriously missing on that car - where's the bits of string on the wing mirrors? I've never bought a new car in LOS without them - it's a really bad omen if you haven't got them

[susah_sih]

This is totally new to me. Despite that I have started coming to Thailand since 1995 and started to live in Bangkok since last year, I never knew that Thai would go through this ritual for buying cars. But indeed, it is very nice of them to treat cars as living objects. I saw the pic of Watcharee wai-ing to the S-class before she started the engine. I have noticed also that some Tuk-tuk drivers share their beers with their Tuk tuk by pouring some of the beer on the Tuk-tuk's face

Good choice on SLK purchase. At least, you got a chance to drive it by yourself and still look good in it. For the S-class, at least here in Thailand, you need to be chauffeured around to look good in it and that means you are buying a car for the driver to enjoy it

My previous two car purchases were made in Bangkok. Last week I bought one in the USA. What a difference!

In Bangkok we (actually my wife) consulted with a monk to determine the most auspicious day and time for the delivery of both of our vehicles.

For the second BKK car our delivery time was suggested to be at 10:12 in the morning; this was about six weeks ago.

You can see the procedure here:

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/05/06/1bkk/partiv.html

Last week we bought a car for use while we are in the States...the dealer asked me if I could take delivery in the next two hours (he was worried that another salesperson would sell the car to someone else). I said "Yes". The nice thing was that I didn't have to wait around for a fortnight before getting behind the wheel. But, I sort of missed the Thai touch.

Of course, the fact that the same car in Thailand costs 2 to 3 times as much as in the USA takes some of the gloss off that Thai touch. It is awesome...how heavy the tax is on imported cars to Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited August 12, 2005 by susah_sih

[blue eyes]

This is totally new to me. Despite that I have started coming to Thailand since 1995 and started to live in Bangkok since last year, I never knew that Thai would go through this ritual for buying cars. But indeed, it is very nice of them to treat cars as living objects. I saw the pic of Watcharee wai-ing to the S-class before she started the engine. I have noticed also that some Tuk-tuk drivers share their beers with their Tuk tuk by pouring some of the beer on the Tuk-tuk's face

Good choice on SLK purchase. At least, you got a chance to drive it by yourself and still look good in it. For the S-class, at least here in Thailand, you need to be chauffeured around to look good in it and that means you are buying a car for the driver to enjoy it

Howdy susah-sih,

It is not so much that the Thai look at the car as a living object as it is that you put YOUR life on the line every time you get in or on a vehical.So it is bleesed to save your life. Not sure if that is true but sounds good.

[corkscrew]

This is totally new to me. Despite that I have started coming to Thailand since 1995 and started to live in Bangkok since last year, I never knew that Thai would go through this ritual for buying cars. But indeed, it is very nice of them to treat cars as living objects. I saw the pic of Watcharee wai-ing to the S-class before she started the engine. I have noticed also that some Tuk-tuk drivers share their beers with their Tuk tuk by pouring some of the beer on the Tuk-tuk's face 

Good choice on SLK purchase. At least, you got a chance to drive it by yourself and still look good in it. For the S-class, at least here in Thailand, you need to be chauffeured  around to look good in it and that means you are buying a car for the driver to enjoy it 

My previous two car purchases were made in Bangkok. Last week I bought one in the USA. What a difference!

In Bangkok we (actually my wife) consulted with a monk to determine the most auspicious day and time for the delivery of both of our vehicles.

For the second BKK car our delivery time was suggested to be at 10:12 in the morning; this was about six weeks ago.

You can see the procedure here:

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/05/06/1bkk/partiv.html

Last week we bought a car for use while we are in the States...the dealer asked me if I could take delivery in the next two hours (he was worried that another salesperson would sell the car to someone else). I said "Yes". The nice thing was that I didn't have to wait around for a fortnight before getting behind the wheel. But, I sort of missed the Thai touch.

Of course, the fact that the same car in Thailand costs 2 to 3 times as much as in the USA takes some of the gloss off that Thai touch. It is awesome...how heavy the tax is on imported cars to Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In my building I am one of only two farangs who drives his own car. A lot of Thai drivers who work for other people in my building want to drive for me. But, I like to drive....except when I am going someplace where parking is a bitch.

Edited August 15, 2005 by corkscrew

[zaz]

Corkscrew, off topic but just a quick question, is there any satnav functionality in BKK and/or other parts of Thailand?

[corkscrew]

This is totally new to me. Despite that I have started coming to Thailand since 1995 and started to live in Bangkok since last year, I never knew that Thai would go through this ritual for buying cars. But indeed, it is very nice of them to treat cars as living objects. I saw the pic of Watcharee wai-ing to the S-class before she started the engine. I have noticed also that some Tuk-tuk drivers share their beers with their Tuk tuk by pouring some of the beer on the Tuk-tuk's face 

Good choice on SLK purchase. At least, you got a chance to drive it by yourself and still look good in it. For the S-class, at least here in Thailand, you need to be chauffeured  around to look good in it and that means you are buying a car for the driver to enjoy it 

My previous two car purchases were made in Bangkok. Last week I bought one in the USA. What a difference!

In Bangkok we (actually my wife) consulted with a monk to determine the most auspicious day and time for the delivery of both of our vehicles.

For the second BKK car our delivery time was suggested to be at 10:12 in the morning; this was about six weeks ago.

You can see the procedure here:

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/05/06/1bkk/partiv.html

Last week we bought a car for use while we are in the States...the dealer asked me if I could take delivery in the next two hours (he was worried that another salesperson would sell the car to someone else). I said "Yes". The nice thing was that I didn't have to wait around for a fortnight before getting behind the wheel. But, I sort of missed the Thai touch.

Of course, the fact that the same car in Thailand costs 2 to 3 times as much as in the USA takes some of the gloss off that Thai touch. It is awesome...how heavy the tax is on imported cars to Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In my building I am one of only two farangs who drives his own car. A lot of Thai drivers who work for other people in my building want to drive for me. But, I like to drive....except when I am going someplace where parking is a bitch.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, Garmin offers a very good Navigation System for BKK and for Thailand. But for some strange reason it will not read through MB windscreens. It needs to be roof mounted...temporarily with a magnet.

[MikeRay]

All German cars are even cheaper in the States than in Germany.The US has a very competitive market and at the moment even Mercedes and BMW subsidize their products to increase sales.

The UV-protection in the windscreens won´t let send or receive datas.There are metallic particles for heat insulating in the windows,high-tech glas!

[WhiteShiva]

This is totally new to me. Despite that I have started coming to Thailand since 1995 and started to live in Bangkok since last year, I never knew that Thai would go through this ritual for buying cars. But indeed, it is very nice of them to treat cars as living objects. I saw the pic of Watcharee wai-ing to the S-class before she started the engine. I have noticed also that some Tuk-tuk drivers share their beers with their Tuk tuk by pouring some of the beer on the Tuk-tuk's face 

Good choice on SLK purchase. At least, you got a chance to drive it by yourself and still look good in it. For the S-class, at least here in Thailand, you need to be chauffeured  around to look good in it and that means you are buying a car for the driver to enjoy it 

My previous two car purchases were made in Bangkok. Last week I bought one in the USA. What a difference!

In Bangkok we (actually my wife) consulted with a monk to determine the most auspicious day and time for the delivery of both of our vehicles.

For the second BKK car our delivery time was suggested to be at 10:12 in the morning; this was about six weeks ago.

You can see the procedure here:

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/05/06/1bkk/partiv.html

Last week we bought a car for use while we are in the States...the dealer asked me if I could take delivery in the next two hours (he was worried that another salesperson would sell the car to someone else). I said "Yes". The nice thing was that I didn't have to wait around for a fortnight before getting behind the wheel. But, I sort of missed the Thai touch.

Of course, the fact that the same car in Thailand costs 2 to 3 times as much as in the USA takes some of the gloss off that Thai touch. It is awesome...how heavy the tax is on imported cars to Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In my building I am one of only two farangs who drives his own car. A lot of Thai drivers who work for other people in my building want to drive for me. But, I like to drive....except when I am going someplace where parking is a bitch.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, Garmin offers a very good Navigation System for BKK and for Thailand. But for some strange reason it will not read through MB windscreens. It needs to be roof mounted...temporarily with a magnet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I bought a Toyota Camry last year with DVD/GPS (Garmin). The receiver is mounted on the inside of the front screen, and this works fine. The windscreens are tinted, but not VIP style