Here We Go Again...choices...manual 1St Car For Son? Under 700K!

[stevenl]

Unfortunately Thailand is quite different and times change. Being student here is really a full time job, no chance to make extra money or not a lot. He needs to go to a Uni here and there is precious little public transportation.,

Anyway, may I redirect this thread towards what I wanted to know, not an argument of if it is a good idea to buy a car or not.

He drove my car many times, with me next so I guess he is not a complete novice.

Of course you may And yes, it is your choice to give him a car yes or no. I have made my opinion on that clear, you may agree or disagree (probably the latter), but when somebody calls an honest opinion rubbish that simply ruffles my feathers, sorry about that.

I would check out the Swift, as suggested earlier. I think it looks nice and has more enough power to do what it is supposed to do. A pickup as a starter car would be asking too much of nearly all 18 year olds.

Edited October 17, 2012 by stevenl

[frankphuket]

Swift is the manual 1.25 version. 467k. The 1.5 only came in auto here.

Thanks, will definitely take the Swift in consideration, like the looks and easily to customize for individual style.

[culicine]

Swift is the manual 1.25 version. 467k. The 1.5 only came in auto here.

Thanks, will definitely take the Swift in consideration, like the looks and easily to customize for individual style.

Order an auto swift now and you may get it in September next year! The manual should come fairly swiftly though, but it lacks abs and has just a driver airbag, One of the other eco cars my come a bit faster as they have larger production capacities - the swift looks the best of the bunch, in my opinion, and on a par in the looks stakes with mazda 2. It certainly best to start out learning in a manual, then any car is possible to drive. I've been in a car with someone who hadn't obviously driven a manual before (or not very often)...scary!!

[frankphuket]

Swift is the manual 1.25 version. 467k. The 1.5 only came in auto here.

Thanks, will definitely take the Swift in consideration, like the looks and easily to customize for individual style.

Order an auto swift now and you may get it in September next year! The manual should come fairly swiftly though, but it lacks abs and has just a driver airbag, One of the other eco cars my come a bit faster as they have larger production capacities - the swift looks the best of the bunch, in my opinion, and on a par in the looks stakes with mazda 2. It certainly best to start out learning in a manual, then any car is possible to drive. I've been in a car with someone who hadn't obviously driven a manual before (or not very often)...scary!!

Exactly my reasoning. Driving a manual educates you about how a car works. That it actually has several gears, not only one: D....hehe

My only concern about getting an Eco car is the longevity of them, I mean after 3-4 years maybe you wish to have a bit more space, power, etc....that's why tend towards the Jazz. Even I enjoy driving a Jazz, it moves rather well. You don't feel wanting....having a bit of oomph is also an advantage when overtaking.

Someone mentioned the Proton Neo: like the design, but not everything else, quality is surely sub standard and resale would be pretty poor. Spending a bit more for a car which he can keep for more than 5 years makes sense to me.

[anon210]

Swift is the manual 1.25 version. 467k. The 1.5 only came in auto here.

Thanks, will definitely take the Swift in consideration, like the looks and easily to customize for individual style.

Order an auto swift now and you may get it in September next year! The manual should come fairly swiftly though, but it lacks abs and has just a driver airbag, One of the other eco cars my come a bit faster as they have larger production capacities - the swift looks the best of the bunch, in my opinion, and on a par in the looks stakes with mazda 2. It certainly best to start out learning in a manual, then any car is possible to drive. I've been in a car with someone who hadn't obviously driven a manual before (or not very often)...scary!!

I started learning with a manual in Thailand (Ford Ranger, very old model)... This way, I was able to drive a manual in the Philippines (if you thought the driving conditions are dire in Thailand, try the Philippines!). And now, driving an automatic is not an issue - in fact, I had difficulty when I started learning on the automatic car, with the power steering.

[theslime]

Swift is the manual 1.25 version. 467k. The 1.5 only came in auto here.

Thanks, will definitely take the Swift in consideration, like the looks and easily to customize for individual style.

Order an auto swift now and you may get it in September next year! The manual should come fairly swiftly though, but it lacks abs and has just a driver airbag, One of the other eco cars my come a bit faster as they have larger production capacities - the swift looks the best of the bunch, in my opinion, and on a par in the looks stakes with mazda 2. It certainly best to start out learning in a manual, then any car is possible to drive. I've been in a car with someone who hadn't obviously driven a manual before (or not very often)...scary!!

Exactly my reasoning. Driving a manual educates you about how a car works. That it actually has several gears, not only one: D....hehe

My only concern about getting an Eco car is the longevity of them, I mean after 3-4 years maybe you wish to have a bit more space, power, etc....that's why tend towards the Jazz. Even I enjoy driving a Jazz, it moves rather well. You don't feel wanting....having a bit of oomph is also an advantage when overtaking.

Someone mentioned the Proton Neo: like the design, but not everything else, quality is surely sub standard and resale would be pretty poor. Spending a bit more for a car which he can keep for more than 5 years makes sense to me.

Gidday, Check out how supposed Eco Car Batteries are disposed of. Personally I think a Car for your Son that has Max Air Bags and removable Panels which can be swapped if damaged too much.. Also Thai made. Good Luck Sleeping.when he,s out there its Insane.

[John 1]

What are you talking about Eco car has same battery as any other.

[ignis]

The other problem is resale on a manual. is low..

Looks OK. Chery A113....... 1.3 manual, 5 door hatch with ABS and Airbags even has leather seats....... new 425,000 baht or 1 year old 275 - 300,000 baht.... http://www.one2car.com/CHERY_A113/H17120205

even the QQ is manual and ABS and Airbags... was not a bad small car in the UK as a Daewoo Mitz years ago.

Re the Honda Jazz, not sure that the manual version has ABS or Airbags

[theslime]

What are you talking about Eco car has same battery as any other.

What are you talking about, Eco battries are Larger than normal which means more Mining/Contamination. Also will have a big impact on Energy grid, more Pollution. Lithium is one of 6 types of Eco Batteries and as Tibet is one of the Worlds main sources having your Lithium is helping China exploit Tibet, on a side note Lithium is used as a sedative so see if you can get hold of some and have a lie down.

[CBR250]

I am not sure which way to go in the debate over buying new vs second hand for a first car. I will say that even 2nd hand I would want every safety feature for a first time driver.

As to cars - I have gone right off the micro 1.2l Eco cars after concerns about durability - and less than impressive real world driveability. The next engine size up (1.5 in Jazz, Yaris, Mazda 2) would be my first choice. BTW, I was disappointed in a recent rental Jazz - as much as I like their engines and overall quality/practicality, the thick front A pillars were a real blind spot driving through the mountains.

I hope your son appreciates what a thoughtful dad he has!

[culicine]

What are you talking about Eco car has same battery as any other.

What are you talking about, Eco battries are Larger than normal which means more Mining/Contamination. Also will have a big impact on Energy grid, more Pollution. Lithium is one of 6 types of Eco Batteries and as Tibet is one of the Worlds main sources having your Lithium is helping China exploit Tibet, on a side note Lithium is used as a sedative so see if you can get hold of some and have a lie down.

Batteries in the eco cars are the same as any other cars. Don't confuse them with batteries used in hybrid cars such as the camry and prius.

[culicine]

The other problem is resale on a manual. is low..

Looks OK. Chery A113....... 1.3 manual, 5 door hatch with ABS and Airbags even has leather seats....... new 425,000 baht or 1 year old 275 - 300,000 baht.... http://www.one2car.c..._A113/H17120205

even the QQ is manual and ABS and Airbags... was not a bad small car in the UK as a Daewoo Mitz years ago.

Re the Honda Jazz, not sure that the manual version has ABS or Airbags

A Chinese Cherry was bound to have low resale, auto or manual. Manuals are harder to sell, and you get less for them, but they cost less from the start, and having kept one for 5 years resale becomes less of an issue.

[stevenl]

What are you talking about Eco car has same battery as any other.

What are you talking about, Eco battries are Larger than normal which means more Mining/Contamination. Also will have a big impact on Energy grid, more Pollution. Lithium is one of 6 types of Eco Batteries and as Tibet is one of the Worlds main sources having your Lithium is helping China exploit Tibet, on a side note Lithium is used as a sedative so see if you can get hold of some and have a lie down.

I think you're talking about hybrid cars here, not Eco cars.

[ignis]

The other problem is resale on a manual. is low..

Looks OK. Chery A113....... 1.3 manual, 5 door hatch with ABS and Airbags even has leather seats....... new 425,000 baht or 1 year old 275 - 300,000 baht.... http://www.one2car.c..._A113/H17120205

even the QQ is manual and ABS and Airbags... was not a bad small car in the UK as a Daewoo Mitz years ago.

Re the Honda Jazz, not sure that the manual version has ABS or Airbags

A Chinese Cherry was bound to have low resale, auto or manual. Manuals are harder to sell, and you get less for them, but they cost less from the start, and having kept one for 5 years resale becomes less of an issue.

I thought the idea of the OP was to get his son a 1st car to learn to use a manual, and not something long term... ?

I would have thought ideal would be something that has ABS and Airbags, to buy any small manual car here new is going to lose more money than an Auto = to me would have thought a Proton or Chery with ABS and Airbags or something 1 year old where a lot of the deprecation has already been lost would make more sense if keeping only for a year or so.

The new Chevy Sonic manual has NO ABS or Airbags, not sure on the Jazz manual, most Toyota's manual also NO ABS and Airbags..

So what is there New Nissan Almera saloon, yes has ABS and Airbags but never seen anyone young driving one ... Nissan March, youngster could customize that a bit, has Airbag but NO ABS.. New Mitz Mirage starts @ 380,000 baht for a manual No idea off hand if they have any safety features

As for Manuals are harder to sell, and you get less for them, but they cost less from the start,.. I was looking at New price verses 1 or 2 year old manual and how much they lost, verses New price and 1 or 2 year old Autos and how much they hold hold there value, on the main stream Thai makes..,

As someone said the Suzuki Swift, great car, do they /did they ever have a manual version in Thailand ?

[IMHO]

Assuming your son is a teenager, the first prerequisite that springs to mind is "something not fast" - quickly realizing that that's a gimme in Thailand, the next thing the springs to mind is "something with stability control and ABS". Then I start thinking of options, and there's only one in the price range - a Fiesta.

Buy your kid a car, not a coffin!

Edited October 18, 2012 by IMHO

[IMHO]

if you are ordering now he could be eligble for the first car rebate

Only if he is Thai!

...and 20+ yo

[frankphuket]

Guys, been surprised by all the feedback.

Seems that many have a rather negative perspective of the "teenage race" these days...can't blame you guys, times have changed. I did not get ABS and stability control in my first car....but I managed. I think m

[IMHO]

Guys, been surprised by all the feedback.

Seems that many have a rather negative perspective of the "teenage race" these days...can't blame you guys, times have changed. I did not get ABS and stability control in my first car....but I managed. I think m

Please do bear in mind that a bog-stock V6 Camry is faster than the Ferrari 308 GTS that Magnum drove, and you ain't in Kansas anymore

[John 1]

What are you talking about Eco car has same battery as any other.

What are you talking about, Eco battries are Larger than normal which means more Mining/Contamination. Also will have a big impact on Energy grid, more Pollution. Lithium is one of 6 types of Eco Batteries and as Tibet is one of the Worlds main sources having your Lithium is helping China exploit Tibet, on a side note Lithium is used as a sedative so see if you can get hold of some and have a lie down.

I hope you read the above posts so you now know what to talk about.

[IMHO]

What are you talking about Eco car has same battery as any other.

What are you talking about, Eco battries are Larger than normal which means more Mining/Contamination. Also will have a big impact on Energy grid, more Pollution. Lithium is one of 6 types of Eco Batteries and as Tibet is one of the Worlds main sources having your Lithium is helping China exploit Tibet, on a side note Lithium is used as a sedative so see if you can get hold of some and have a lie down.

I hope you read the above posts so you now know what to talk about.

Very, very slight correction John 1 - eco cars sold in TH with idle-stop have slightly heavier duty batteries than normal. But yeah, this dood is thinking eco=hybrid heh

[mjj]

What about an old Merc? Sorry I don't know the price so it might be silly money, but it will be safe and not too fast.

[culicine]

The other problem is resale on a manual. is low..

Looks OK. Chery A113....... 1.3 manual, 5 door hatch with ABS and Airbags even has leather seats....... new 425,000 baht or 1 year old 275 - 300,000 baht.... http://www.one2car.c..._A113/H17120205

even the QQ is manual and ABS and Airbags... was not a bad small car in the UK as a Daewoo Mitz years ago.

Re the Honda Jazz, not sure that the manual version has ABS or Airbags

A Chinese Cherry was bound to have low resale, auto or manual. Manuals are harder to sell, and you get less for them, but they cost less from the start, and having kept one for 5 years resale becomes less of an issue.

I thought the idea of the OP was to get his son a 1st car to learn to use a manual, and not something long term... ?

I would have thought ideal would be something that has ABS and Airbags, to buy any small manual car here new is going to lose more money than an Auto = to me would have thought a Proton or Chery with ABS and Airbags or something 1 year old where a lot of the deprecation has already been lost would make more sense if keeping only for a year or so.

The new Chevy Sonic manual has NO ABS or Airbags, not sure on the Jazz manual, most Toyota's manual also NO ABS and Airbags..

So what is there New Nissan Almera saloon, yes has ABS and Airbags but never seen anyone young driving one ... Nissan March, youngster could customize that a bit, has Airbag but NO ABS.. New Mitz Mirage starts @ 380,000 baht for a manual No idea off hand if they have any safety features

As for Manuals are harder to sell, and you get less for them, but they cost less from the start,.. I was looking at New price verses 1 or 2 year old manual and how much they lost, verses New price and 1 or 2 year old Autos and how much they hold hold there value, on the main stream Thai makes..,

As someone said the Suzuki Swift, great car, do they /did they ever have a manual version in Thailand ?

For the jazz, yes the base manual has abs/twin airbags and 4 wheel disc brakes. It's about as safe in that regard as you will find in these parts for the price, 590K I think. It's plenty fast enough for a teen; much safe than my modified 100mph mini with its crappy drum brakes. I managed to survive that though....such poor engineering really makes you concentrate on driving . To me, buying new is the way to go, as first class insurance will cover everything, and the warranty for 3 yrs or so. Second hand prices of hondas and toyotas are outrageous.

[ignis]

as first class insurance will cover everything

Not sure about that, believe my 1st Jazz new here was covered to about 80% on 1st class insurance.

A car involved in a mid to heavy accident in western Countries in the 1st year would be replaced with a new car, here they are repaired, so yes buying new is the way to go.

[funcat]

Assuming your son is a teenager, the first prerequisite that springs to mind is "something not fast" - quickly realizing that that's a gimme in Thailand, the next thing the springs to mind is "something with stability control and ABS". Then I start thinking of options, and there's only one in the price range - a Fiesta.

Buy your kid a car, not a coffin!

+1...Fiesta has also this new look and it is a best seller in most of the world(from what I've heard)...IMHO can correct that

[IMHO]

Assuming your son is a teenager, the first prerequisite that springs to mind is "something not fast" - quickly realizing that that's a gimme in Thailand, the next thing the springs to mind is "something with stability control and ABS". Then I start thinking of options, and there's only one in the price range - a Fiesta.

Buy your kid a car, not a coffin!

+1...Fiesta has also this new look and it is a best seller in most of the world(from what I've heard)...IMHO can correct that

Uh huh, and able to be

as something far more befitting of a young Thai man than some of the girlie/grandpa cars suggested already

[funcat]

Assuming your son is a teenager, the first prerequisite that springs to mind is "something not fast" - quickly realizing that that's a gimme in Thailand, the next thing the springs to mind is "something with stability control and ABS". Then I start thinking of options, and there's only one in the price range - a Fiesta.

Buy your kid a car, not a coffin!

+1...Fiesta has also this new look and it is a best seller in most of the world(from what I've heard)...IMHO can correct that

Uh huh, and able to be

as something far more befitting of a young Thai man than some of the girlie/grandpa cars suggested already

Ken_Block...this guy is almost a family...but haven't seen this clip yet,thanks...Fiesta,definitely IT for a teenager(?!) ...but I wouldn't mind that 'dressed up' one for myself ...have to work on the driving skills a bit thou

[Jitar]

Assuming your son is a teenager, the first prerequisite that springs to mind is "something not fast" - quickly realizing that that's a gimme in Thailand, the next thing the springs to mind is "something with stability control and ABS". Then I start thinking of options, and there's only one in the price range - a Fiesta.

Buy your kid a car, not a coffin!

Good points but don't the extra safety gear like stability control come with the power shift version. As the OP originally said (point 3) the basic manual is only in the little sedan, which does not have quite the same look.

[culicine]

as first class insurance will cover everything

Not sure about that, believe my 1st Jazz new here was covered to about 80% on 1st class insurance.

A car involved in a mid to heavy accident in western Countries in the 1st year would be replaced with a new car, here they are repaired, so yes buying new is the way to go.

True it doesn't cover for full loss, but they cover typical dings and scratches that a teen (and wannabee teens) will do to their rides. I practically had my car resprayed because of scratches, under insurance.

[ignis]

Fiesta,definitely IT for a teenager

as a hatch yes, but the manual is in Gram pa's saloon model only......

So Mazda 2 manual ? as also made as a hatch..

Trying to think as a teenager, Proton Neo looks much sportier

Edited October 18, 2012 by ignis

[thaicruze]

Do yourself and your son a favor and get a Honda City. Whether you like it or not. Just go buy one.

And forget about the looks and all the bullshit.

Trust me. Get a Honda City. You'll thank me in 5-6 years.

Edited October 19, 2012 by thaicruze