To Own Or Not To Own A Car/truck

[middlepath]

Recently I made my first post in the CM form about living inside the moat area. Mostly for the reason of being able to not own and vehicle and being able to walk or bicycle or take public transportation.

The question here is, how many of you choose NOT to own a car/truck and rely on pubic transportation? Now, I know most of you I'm sure can afford one , same here, well maybe not a fancy one. Not owning one would for sure be easy on the budget, but maybe way to inconvenient. Just curious, thanks.

PS. I'm sure I could do a search but this is more fun.

[barryofthailand]

We own a motor bike and plan to purchase a new car next year. If you are living in Thailand for any length of time ,you need some sort of transportation. And if you want to travel you will eventually need a car or truck wheather the choice is to own, or to rent.

Barry

[Chainat1]

Recently I made my first post in the CM form about living inside the moat area. Mostly for the reason of being able to not own and vehicle and being able to walk or bicycle or take public transportation.

The question here is, how many of you choose NOT to own a car/truck and rely on pubic transportation?  Now, I know most of you I'm sure can afford one , same here, well maybe not a fancy one. Not owning one would for sure be easy on the budget, but maybe way to inconvenient. Just curious, thanks.

PS. I'm sure I could do a search but this is more fun.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm way to lazy to be cycling !

[Firefan]

Good question and one that I am currently contemplating.

One one hand I like the thought of having a car, especially to get out of Bangkok/go to the beach Etc. but also to move around BKK.

A car with own music is a little "safe"-haven in crazy BKK compared to pushing around skytrains/busses or fighting with Isaan drivers having never heard of the World Trade Center...

I had a car when I lived here a few years back and truely enjoyed it - but my place location and work location required the car.

Now I live close to a subway station and I do appreciate to be free from all the hassles of parking/getting serviced/remembering to pay various stickers/paying fines Etc. I.e. less worries.

On the cost side the decision is ofcourse a no-brainer. A b400k car would cost about b25k per year in tax/insurance alone - and that is BEFORE gasoline, service, repairs/spare parts, fines, parking fees and the loss of value on the car. That fairly easily adds up to b120k/year in total - one can do a lot of taxi for b10k/month... one can actually rent a car(adding only gasoline)...

Ah, but the FREEDOM of having own car.... AS you can see I am still not sure what I want...

Cheers!

Edited September 7, 2005 by Firefan

[olaus]

In the forests of my homecountry I always had to have a car. Living in Thailand up in Issaan, I do not need one. There are cheap and good buses everywhere. I can meet all sorts of thai people on buses. And when I go to Bangkok, I find it a sport to use every sort of transport - riverboat, tuk tuk, subway, skytrain... I feel free and very happy. And I do not have to be anxious, if anybody steal or damage my car. And it saves money!

[LivinLOS]

I have an old beater of a jeep.. Nearly never use the thing..

Only shopping / supermarket runs.. Let the real insurance expire and just tax and gov insurance of 2k or so a year..

Thinking of selling it..

[terdsak_12]

I love my motor. Done taxis, buses etc in my earlier years here, never again.

[middlepath]

All great answers, thanks.

Some see freedom owning a car some see freedom not owning a car.

Love to get by, by not owning one but may not be able to.

Here in the USA wife and I both have a car, really need it here in Los Angeles, but once in Thailand one car will be enough. Will relay on the wife to drive. Still would love to take the car out of the budget though.

What you own owns you. The simple life sounds so good. If we go get one I guess we will get a 4 wheel drive pick up.

Thanks again.

[lopburi3]

I have lived here both with and without a car. As I am now retired and live in Bangkok, and do not particularly like driving here, I find the taxi service fits my needs as do not have to keep up on latest shortcuts or worry about parking. The cost of the taxi is only a fraction of what a car would cost so it also makes economic sense. When I need to make trips can always find a taxi driver willing to go anywhere in Thailand and have the option to rent a car, take a train or fly.

Outside of a metropolitan area believe I would consider a car or truck a necessity but in a city it is more of a ball and chain.

[donx]

Call me crazy, but my wife and I bought a car in Thailand this year and we don't even live there! My wife is from a rural village in Southern Thailand. It used to be that every time we visited her parents, getting around was extremely difficult. Since my wife usually stays for over two months, we decided to buy a car that we could use while we are there. It's actually in her brother's name, but everyone understands it is really our car. Renting vehicles in that area is unheard of. Besides, the mother-in-law likes to pretend that we bought it for her (even though she doesn't know how to drive) which gives her a lot of face.

If I lived in Bangkok, I doubt I would own a car. My wife might insist, but I prefer using public transportation. If I lived in Chiang Mai, I would probably own a car since there are so many interesting places to visit up there in the countryside.

[raro]

When I was living in bkk I didn't own a car - public transport is so much cheaper and everywhere available. For the trips out of town i rented a car over the weekend, also not a great expense. Now, living upcountry, a car is indispensable.

[gisele]

Living in Nakhon without a car is not practical.

We are thinking of getting a second car

[Sydney_Tom]

I have a sprorty Car for Bangkok and a 4WD when I go to E-sarn.

[englishoak]

I Live in Bangkok when I'm there, just cannot see a reason to have a car in the city. I use public transport and taxis. I have a motorbike which is useful for shopping/navigating the traffic and ok for country runs within 3 hours drive. Easy to park and cheap to run. Ok so it's dangerous but at least i'm movin and it's fun too.

If I lived in the country I would need a pickup/4wd so guess it depends where you are too.

[Spaniel]

When we lived in the city (Bangkok) on sukumvit Soi 1 and I was working we didn't have a vehicle for two years. When the job finished and I retired we moved out to Minburi in 1996 and we bought a car. Now couldn't live without it. If I were single and lived in the city I wouldn't have one.

[lenk]

I have an old beater of a jeep.. Nearly never use the thing..

Only shopping / supermarket runs.. Let the real insurance expire and just tax and gov insurance of 2k or so a year..

Thinking of selling it..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

Been seriously thinking about a car but can't handle the thought of anything new and expensive. Always owned old bombs. Very interested in your jeep. Please get back to me with details. Cheers Len. [email protected] 05 1503688

[paulfr]

After living here in BKK for one year, I got a Thai DL and rented a car. Then I bought one. Best thing I ever did. No more dripping wet with perspiration walking to the BTS or in the rain. I ride in my little air conditioned bubble with my favortie music and I am in heaven. The long term cost is about 80KTHB per year with my new car, but I could have dropped this way down if I bought used.

Adding up taxi fares and BTS fares every day for me and my wife saves about 36KTHB/year so I think I am way ahead. (100B/day x 30 x 12)

Downside is the traffic can be very bad at times, but you learn what and where to avoid.

It really changes your whole experience having your own car.

Parking is available at nearly all large buildings/destinations like the movies or shopping at Emporium or MBK.

I love it.

Oh, almsot forgot. In that first year, I was almost killed walking the streets of BKK on three different occasions. That was a real motivator to get off the streets walking to/from the BTS or taxi. I feel much safer in my car as long as I drive carefully and defensively.

Edited September 8, 2005 by paulfr

[Firefan]

almost killed HOW? (traffic or attacks?). Cheers!

[bkk_mike]

I live out in the suburbs, so no buses (except songtaews) within walking distance.

With the school run, and trips to the supermarket, the car becomes essential.

On the other hand - if I was near the subway / skytrain - I mightn't see the need for a car in Bangkok. (I got rid of my car in London for just that reason...)

[paulfr]

almost killed HOW? (traffic or attacks?). Cheers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well one time we were crossing Soi 3 with all the cars stopped and jammed up. I was about to step into a lane between cars and my wife grabbed my arm. An instant later, a motobike came ripping thru at about 40 mph. I would have been cream soup all over the street.

Another time coming off the curb near Rahmkahnheng U with a green light for ped's, a car rips around the corner (no way to see back behind me as poles and vendors block the view) and makes a left turn. Again, I just stopped in time.

It really can be dangerous walking/crossing streets in Bkk. A tourist out at night in the red light districts is probably safe. But if you live here and go about a life (shopping for food, etc, going to work, meeting friends, etc) it requires more mobility and destinations. Be careful !!

[think_too_mut]

To rent a car from a small shop (a new or near new ford laser or similar) would be 12-15K per month with unsurance and maintenance.

Some Thais who "own" their cars told me it's 8K monthly repayment + insurance and the rest, so 12-15K is not bad.

If I were to live there, I would go with the rentals for first 6-12 months and then decide whether I continue or buy my own.

In any case, will have a car.

[Valjean]

I've been wondering this also. Pretty much ready to get me one of them Toyota Fortuners for my get out of BKK car but will continue to go to work via BTS. I can't imagine wanting to be in the traffic everyday - even with a driver. Very close to my office is a Hertz and I have rented the same car there, around 3000 b / day all inclusive. If I think I did that 2x a month - say 5 days a month, that's 18,000 bath a month and toss in two longer trips - so say 75 days a year. That's 225,000b per year. The car costs 1.2M b to buy. I think a good argument could be made that over a 3-5 year time frame it's cheaper to rent but weigh that against just knowing I have a car anytime I want.

[Firefan]

Very good advise Paul! Cheers!

almost killed HOW? (traffic or attacks?). Cheers!

Well one time we were crossing Soi 3 with all the cars stopped and jammed up. I was about to step into a lane between cars and my wife grabbed my arm. An instant later, a motobike came ripping thru at about 40 mph. I would have been cream soup all over the street.

Another time coming off the curb near Rahmkahnheng U with a green light for ped's, a car rips around the corner (no way to see back behind me as poles and vendors block the view) and makes a left turn. Again, I just stopped in time.

It really can be dangerous walking/crossing streets in Bkk. A tourist out at night in the red light districts is probably safe. But if you live here and go about a life (shopping for food, etc, going to work, meeting friends, etc) it requires more mobility and destinations. Be careful !!

[Firefan]

I agree. As I indicated upstairs I have also been checking for rental oppurtunities and a long term rental (or a month at a time) might actually make financial sense -at least based on the numbers I used above. Cheers!

To rent a car from a small shop (a new or near new ford laser or similar) would be 12-15K per month with unsurance and maintenance.

Some Thais who "own" their cars told me it's 8K monthly repayment + insurance and the rest, so 12-15K is not bad.

If I were to live there, I would go with the rentals for first 6-12 months and then decide whether I continue or buy my own.

In any case, will have a car.