Which Pickup Truck Would You Buy........ And Why ?

[johnh101]

Corolla Altis, 1.8G, Top model, automatic, 995,000 Baht

This is from the Expatcars website detailing the current cost of new cars in Thailand, but when you add on the extras for Leather, tints, mats, insurance, etc the quoted price was over 1.1.m.

Or maybe they were taking the pi55 !

[Thaiboxer]

The Civic isn't a bad car....I once had a CRX in the States and it got great mileage despite having a carburator. However, the price of Civics here is outrageous! They're a bit small for a family vehicle and they're not too comfortable on long highway drives but for a city car they're hard to beat; fun to drive, easy to park and excellent reliability. A great family vehicle would be either a Camry or an Accord but those are over 1 million baht; even for the most basic model. I think they're all in automatic as well.

[jbowman1993]

Isn't this thread supposed to be about trucks?

You skirt wearing Civic boys have your own threads.

Peace

[Weho]

I'm no expert, but i know some of the pickups only have one driver airbag, no passenger airbag, like the lower cost Ford pickups. I believe the Izusu can get both driver and passenger airbags.

[Thaiboxer]

Dual airbags and ABS are options in Thailand (expensive ones too) whereas in the West they're often standard on just about any vehicle. One of the big trends over here is 4wd trucks. Most people who drive them will never need to use all four wheels and it adds a lot to the purchase price of the vehicle. Besides, true off roading tears up the trucks so bad it would only be practical if you had another vehicle for everyday chores.

[wilko]

Dual airbags and ABS are options in Thailand (expensive ones too) whereas in the West they're often standard on just about any vehicle. One of the big trends over here is 4wd trucks. Most people who drive them will never need to use all four wheels and it adds a lot to the purchase price of the vehicle. Besides, true off roading tears up the trucks so bad it would only be practical if you had another vehicle for everyday chores.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

4 wd is not just for off road...in fact the average 4wd pick up is not a very good off roader at all. I use 4wd a lot in Thailand. The high ratio is really for poor driving conditions and the low for inclines and rough tracks.

I have saved myself severe problems; e.g. when coming back from Koh Chang one time. after heavy rain I engaged 4wd and felt myself going a bit wide round a corner (at Klaeng), it was then I noticed 10 other pickups in the ditch and on the verges; they had all slid off the road. I work around Chonburi province and Rayong and 4 wd drive is incredibly useful in the wet especially with rain, flooding, and the ensuing landslips. In these conditions it would be the 2wds that get the wear and tear...mines stil doing what it's s'posed to...

[Thaiboxer]

My older brother-in-law made that point; 4wd does give you an advantage in the rain. However, people have been using 2wd for a long time and have been ok. A lot of it has to do with how you drive in certain conditions. A lot of people drive too fast/crazy for certain road conditions and end up hydroplaning right off the road. I once saw four sports cars do the same thing and these were high performance cars which are more stable than trucks.

Would the 4wd last as long gear/engine wise as a 2wd? I've read that 4wd is A LOT more expensive to repair if something goes awry.

[jbowman1993]

I was interested to hear about your use of 4wd, and I can understand that use, especially in the parts of the country you were talking about.

My experience has been that 4wd owners tend to put to much faith in their machines, speeding past because they have a "false?" sense of confidence that their 4wd will let them drive normaly in inclement weather.

As for the 10 2wd pickups in the ditch. Thai drivers just don't know how to drive in the rain. God forbid it should ever snow (cringe). Same thing happens in the southern part of the US. People think they can whip around corners, and stop on a dime.

[Thaiboxer]

God forbid it should ever snow (cringe).

That's one thing I like about Thailand...no snow! Never had to deal with snow since I'm from SE Florida. There are lots of accidents attributed to snow/poor driving in the States; even at low speeds you'll see several cars piling into each other.

[chanchao]

> New Civic a tad over the mil? It's all relative, of course,

> but new 2L Civic would kick any pickup's ass in any department,

> except 4wd

And a head-on collision. (And some flooding) (And hauling some stuff about) (And taking the dog into the forest, have it emerge like a hog in mud and then having to transport it home) (and making it over even some speed bumps or minor obstacles) (and transporting 15 people in an emergency) (and have it run 200,000 kms and still sell it for half the purchase price) (and cost of fuel) AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: Try celebrating SONGKRAN properly in a CIVIC!! HA!

> Isn't this thread supposed to be about trucks?

> You skirt wearing Civic boys have your own threads.

LOL I think they even have their own branch don't they? (oopss)

> I'm no expert, but i know some of the pickups only have one

> driver airbag, no passenger airbag, like the lower cost Ford

> pickups.

My Ford is almost 5 years old and does have a passenger-side airbag. But indeed cheaper models exist without it.

> Besides, true off roading tears up the trucks so bad it

> would only be practical if you had another vehicle for everyday chores.

True.. But there's some middle ground as well where you just take it on fairly mild trips into the forest, going camping and stuff and only occasionally encounter a puddle, or a steep muddy hill. But indeed you only need to look at Forestry Dept or Royal Project pick-ups to see what actual every day off-road use does to them. (And those typically use real bad ass front suspension with leaf springs above the axel, not the wishbone/chicken wings you find on regular 4WD pickups)

> Would the 4wd last as long gear/engine wise as a 2wd? I've read that 4wd is

> A LOT more expensive to repair if something goes awry.

Well, yes, but even for people who do go off road some of the time, the actual driving time where 4WD is engaged is not that long. And then, the parts that then get used is just the 4WD gearbox, the front drive shaft, differential and general stuff that drives the wheels... That's not stuff that wears down rapidly, and in any case it will wear at a rate FAR slower then the normal rear-wheel drivetrain because it gets used so much less.

Basically the only think you have to do is not have it serviced at some local uncle's shop who forgets to change the front differential oil, then don't use 4WD for years and years and then suddenly use it without differential oil to speak of.. That'd be bad I'd imagine. Fortunately, living in Chiang Mai they provided the perfect opportunity to require 4WD use, namely that new road along the railroad track from which no 'official' intersections exist until you get all the way to the railway station.. If you want to get on or off that road from the Aom Muang ring road, that requires going through a ditch that seems deep enough to be awkward with 2WD.. (Did that ever happen to anyone? Like get stuck in a ditch such as those that separate the lanes in a 4 lane provincial highway? Like you think you can just U-turn through the ditch but then you get stuck where one wheel is far enough off the ground to free-wheel, the other stationary? That's F'ing embarrassing! 'twas that day I vowed to never drive anything ever again that doesn't have 4WD.

Cheers,

Chanchao

Edited December 9, 2005 by chanchao

[chanchao]

(Of course I could also have vowed to just drive to next official U-turn in the future, or to carry enough momentum through the deep end of the ditch, but that would have been a less manly vow. )

[RamdomChances]

4 wd is not just for off road...in fact the average 4wd pick up is not a very good off roader at all. I use 4wd a lot in Thailand. The high ratio is really for poor driving conditions and the low for inclines and rough tracks.

Mine's pretty good, although it has some limitations due to the tyres, and not having raised suspension, but for most practical purposed i.e not compitition, it will get you where you want to go.

I'd agree with the fact that 4wd High is good for poor conditions but driving sensible there should be no real need for it, 4wd H will also get you most places thet you want to go. I very rarely use 4WD L only in extreme conditions and never on the road, I'm not sure but I think it may act like a diff lock on mine as unless its really muddy you can feel the whells scrubbing when turning. Its also good on very rough ground where you want to keep the speed down but the revs up as it negates the need for riding the clutch.

Cant think of many times I've had to use 4wd L, pulling my tractor out when it was stuck was one, tow starting a 10 wheeler(full), up a slight incline was an other, but for most people I bet they hardly ever use it.

The thing with the 4wd pick up (I've got a 4 door one) is that its so versitile, you can seat 5 in comfort, curise down the main roads, with out having to worry about pot holes, and still do all the pick-up/off road stuff if you've got to. I recon that if I lived in town though I'd have a car, it's just you can't pull a tractor out or go racing across fields afer escaped cows in a honda civiv

RC

[Thaiboxer]

Most 4wd trucks I've seen are the manual version but with an automatic transmission, they can get up around 900,000 baht for some models. It's funny seeing these decked out trucks in Bangkok...like you really need 1 meter tires, a winch and a snorkel for flooded streets and commuting to/from the office. It's like some of these guys are prepared for an asteroid to land in the Gulf of Thailand. I have to admit though, the steel framework around the bumpers might come in handy when you need to "remind" some idiot not to butt in near a flyover

Edited December 9, 2005 by Thaiboxer

[chanchao]

> I very rarely use 4WD L only in extreme conditions and never on the road, I

> 'm not sure but I think it may act like a diff lock on mine as unless its

> really muddy you can feel the whells scrubbing when turning.

Right. Many have limited-slip differentials, so I can't really imagine using 4WD on normal paved roads if it just rains a little (or a lot, even). However when the surface gets slippery, then, sure.

(Oh, and then there's the old Ford/Mazda 2.5 Turbo-Diesel engine that's such an utter b*tch of a machine that you actually need to put it in low to drive up a very steep hill while carrying any kind of load.. Ok, not many of those very steep paved hills exist, but I found one in a village near the Salween river near Burma. I hate that engine sometimes.)

> Cant think of many times I've had to use 4wd L, pulling my

> tractor out when it was stuck was one, tow starting a 10 wheeler(full),

> up a slight incline was an other, but for most people I bet they

> hardly ever use it.

I like using it when going up steep unpaved roads. Again don't try this in a Ford 2.5TD, but on a Toyota or Isuzu you can actually put it in 1st-low, don't touch any pedals, also not the gas, and just let the beast claw itself up the hill, any hill. These are 'real' off-road diesel engines, they simply don't stop/stall in 1st-low (or reverse-low) even when hitting the brakes! It's nice to go up (or down) difficult terrain as slowly as possible; just point it at something and it goes..!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Gary A]

A friend of mine has a 2002 XLT 4WD Ford Super Cab with the 2.5 liter turbo diesel. It has 68,000 kilometers on it. It looks like new. His wife can't drive the manual transmission so he is going to buy a new automatic. I made him an offer and I think he is going to take it. I looked at the Internet reviews and they were impressed with the 116 horsepower and the economy. It has more horsepower than my 3.0 liter Nissan. What do you see wrong with it?

> I very rarely use 4WD L only in extreme conditions and never on the road, I

> 'm not sure but I think it may act like a diff lock on mine as unless its

> really muddy you can feel the whells scrubbing when turning.

Right. Many have limited-slip differentials, so I can't really imagine using 4WD on normal paved roads if it just rains a little (or a lot, even).  However when the surface gets slippery, then, sure.  

(Oh, and then there's the old Ford/Mazda 2.5 Turbo-Diesel engine that's such an utter b*tch of a machine that you actually need to put it in low to drive up a very steep hill while carrying any kind of load..   Ok, not many of those very steep paved hills exist, but I found one in a village near the Salween river near Burma.   I hate that engine sometimes.)

> Cant think of many times I've had to use 4wd L, pulling my

> tractor out when it was stuck was one, tow starting a 10 wheeler(full),

> up a slight incline was an other, but for most people I bet they

> hardly ever use it.

I like using it when going up steep unpaved roads. Again don't try this in a Ford 2.5TD, but on a Toyota or Isuzu you can actually put it in 1st-low, don't touch any pedals, also not the gas, and just let the beast claw itself up the hill, any hill.  These are 'real' off-road diesel engines, they simply don't stop/stall in 1st-low (or reverse-low) even when hitting the brakes! It's nice to go up (or down) difficult terrain as slowly as possible; just point it at something and it goes..!

Cheers,

Chanchao

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited December 9, 2005 by Gary A

[Plus+]

Well, Chanchao, you expressed pretty well how pickup is better than Civic, but face it, most Bangkok pickup buyers will never ever do most of the things you mentioned.

Trucks got very popular lately because they greatly improved - performance, handling, comfort. Civic just puts the cars one step ahead.

But the tread is about trucks, of course.

[Gary A]

I'd still like to know about the 2.5 liter Ford turbo diesel and what problems the 4WD drive have. It is a 2002 model XLT.

[wilko]

God forbid it should ever snow (cringe).

That's one thing I like about Thailand...no snow! Never had to deal with snow since I'm from SE Florida. There are lots of accidents attributed to snow/poor driving in the States; even at low speeds you'll see several cars piling into each other.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

First drove legally (aged 16) in the snow - on a motor-bike!

I have driven all over the world on both sides of the road on both sides of the car/truck...at one point I was clicking up 70.000 miles a year. I've driven off road and on road etc etc,

I know that if you buy 2nd hand 4wd there are certain points to look for that aren't relevant for 2wd, but it's just as easy to abuse a 2wd as 4wd, just look at the pickups in Thailand! The thing to look for is has the thing been used commercially or privately and how often has it been off road or loaded up.

BTW - in the case of a collision I would always prefer to be in a saloon rather than a pickup!

Buying 2nd hand 4wd here is quite good as they often have never been off-road at all. It is however important to check for a service history and above all that the transfer box and diff oil have been changed regularly...they are not part of the ordinary oils system. If the diff oil isn't changed you will loose your limited slip diff, which incidently is another bonus with 4wd. However I wouldn't be surprised if it was an option on 2wd pickups. My Holden station wagon was fitted with one in Oz.

One of the main problems with 4wd is that you should periodically put it in 4wd just to circulate the lubricant and keep the thing in good nick…..a lot of owners forget to do this. So you could end up buying a good looking vehicle that actually doesn’t have 4wd or limited slip diff.

[jing jing]

In answer to the original topic -- which pickup truck would you buy and why:

After much shopping around, and I mean well over a month of looking, I ended up buying a 2002 Toyota Hilux Tiger D4D 4 door 2.5L automatic Prerunner (the 2WD that looks like 4WD - liked the looks and additional ride height).

Why? Because after driving all the different brands including a new Hilux Vigo, I decided I liked the feel of the Toyota Tiger the best. Nothing really tangible - just that combination of roadworthiness and good ergonomics - it felt like the most solid package and had the roomiest rear seating area.

I got the 2.5L 16 valve commonrail engine because the 3 liter is much more expensive in taxes and fuel consumption, and the 2.5 turbo is plenty quick enough around town.

After much indecision I opted for the auto box, and I'm glad I did... it's way convenient in the dreaded Bkk traffic.

The truck had one previous owner, 65K km on the clock. I did the front brakes (needed rotors turned and a few pistons replaced due to lack of maintence ) changed all the fluids and filters, and now she feels like a brand new truck.

[Thaiboxer]

Those Hilux Tigers are great trucks. My father-in-law has a 2001 model (2 door/2wd). They're pretty roomy for a small truck (even the cab isn't bad) and they handle well. I've driven it and no problem moving it in and out of small parking places at the local mall. It's low enough so that you're in no danger of scraping the roof in some parking garages and yet it's high enough to drive through the moobaan during a flood.

[stumonster]

Do any of the locally produced 4WD pickups(utes) have a chain driven transfer box ? or are they all belt?

[wilko]

Do any of the locally produced 4WD pickups(utes) have a chain driven transfer box ? or are they all belt?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll have to check that!?!?!?!

Many of the trucks here are the same model as in Oz/NZ, whick judging by the use of the word UTE is where you're from. The current Toyota in Oz is built here in Thailand and the Mitsubishi Straa is the same as is the Izuzu (Holden) so is you look up the spec. in Oz/NZ you should get your answer....these are the independant front wheel models not the beam axles.

[stumonster]

The current Toyota in Oz is built here in Thailand

the current landcruiser?

I have only ever seen one late model landcruiser trayback in thailand - the tray was a bit skinnier than the average tray in Aust , but still looked quite serviceable.

[chanchao]

* I always understood that the Isuzu is chain-driven. Not sure if this is still the case.

* Land cruiser is of course not made in Thailand, only the hi-lux truck, so the 1 tonne truck named 'Vigo' in Thailand.

* > I'd still like to know about the 2.5 liter Ford turbo diesel and what

> problems the 4WD drive have. It is a 2002 model XLT.

Well, don't get me wrong, that's what I have and I'm very happy with it! Especially reliability, low engine noise, no diesel-smoke-problems, good highway performance. It's a good all-round truck, in general use the only drawback is that it's slightly thirstier than others.

Would I buy one NEW: No, the new model is due next year. (Actually it was due like last year but it's coming next year.

Would I buy again second hand: YES, it's a very good vehicle.

Would I buy one for off-roading or hauling heavy loads: No. Engine is less suitable for that. (Ford/Mazda also offer a non-turbo 2900 cc engine that may be a lot better for this, but that one has less highway-horsepower.)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[DUNK Performance-Thailand]

sawasdee took kon!!!

Buy a Toyota Hilux

[jbowman1993]

As the Granddaddy of all Motoring Forum Threads, I felt bad that this slipped to page 7 so i am resurrecting it! lol

[Bung]

With regard to the Ford Ranger 4wd, they are good reliable cars and should present no problems if it has been looked after.

Things to look out for are oil changes in the transfer box and diff's. As said this needs to be done regularly and may have been overlooked if not driven off road so I would change that as a matter of course.

Also you should look at the rubber boots that cover the front driveshafts and if anything is non standard ie suspension parts, have a good look at that as well.

If you get the oil changed at your local garage you can always jump into the pit with a flashlight and have a good look around. It's well worth changing anything thats worn ie steering tie rods as it's pretty cheap to do here and makes a big difference in how it drives. Don't forget to pump a bit of grease into where it is needed - ball jionts and propellor shaft etc. They can do this at the oil change shop but watch them, they love to pump too much in! God bless 'em

Another thing I have found is that people never change their shock absorbers out regularly enough. They should be done evey 40k but will vary according to brand. You can check them by looking for oil leaks and bouncing the car up and down. When you let go the car should rise up and stay there. If it moves up and down a bit it is time to change them.

I could go on, maybe best to have toyota have a good look at it on the hoist and advise....

[wilko]

With regard to the Ford Ranger 4wd, they are good reliable cars and should present no problems if it has been looked after.

Things to look out for are oil changes in the transfer box and diff's. As said this needs to be done regularly and may have been overlooked if not driven off road so I would change that as a matter of course.

Also you should look at the rubber boots that cover the front driveshafts and if anything is non standard ie suspension parts, have a good look at that as well.

If you get the oil changed at your local garage you can always jump into the pit with a flashlight and have a good look around. It's well worth changing anything thats worn ie steering tie rods as it's pretty cheap to do here and makes a big difference in how it drives. Don't forget to pump a bit of grease into where it is needed - ball jionts and propellor shaft etc. They can do this at the oil change shop but watch them, they love to pump too much in! God bless 'em

Another thing I have found is that people never change their shock absorbers out regularly enough. They should be done evey 40k but will vary according to brand. You can check them by looking for oil leaks and bouncing the car up and down. When you let go the car should rise up and stay there. If it moves up and down a bit it is time to change them.

I could go on, maybe best to have toyota have a good look at it on the hoist and advise....

New model Ranger out about now...so old model should be cheap!

New model (A Mazda really) is quite a looker!

[chanchao]

Really, new Ford/Mazda is out, finally??! It better look awesome given how long they had the old model on sale..

Any links / pictures? So far I just saw that pictures of the vehicle they had at the BKK Motor Show which was an American model that just showed off some design-cues.. By no means something that had anything to do with the new truck for the Thai market.

Any links / pics?

[jbowman1993]

Happy happy happy