Vios, Fiesta, or Pickup Truck?

[IMHO]

Your Missus won't care about the model of the truck you buy, but I guarantee she'll have an opinion about the colour and when is the most auspicious day to buy it.

She'll go and consult the fortune tellers about what day to buy the truck as well as the colour. She'll come back with an answer along the lines of "if you want a black truck, must buy on a Thursday, or if you want a blue truck, must wait until after xx date. Fortune teller says must not buy a brown truck ever".

Oh, and in your budget you'd better allow a thousand baht to pay for the blessing of your new purchase at the local Wat, complete with the dots and gold sheet on the roof lining. If you can, make sure the Monk isn't too blind and manages to put them in the centre of the rooflining, otherwise looks a bit dodgy.

And NO, this is not a joke.

Most Thai people will have a brand preference or two - whatever is most prevalent in their home town, because that's the choice that doesn't need any explaining... i.e. buy a Chev, and in some villages all your wife will end up doing is answering the question "why did you buy a Chev?" (often asked quite incredulously).

If your wife is buddhist, yes, you will need to take delivery on an auspicious day and will need to perform a ceremony. Using a fortune teller to choose a color is something only extra superstitious folk do.

You do not have to ruin the interior of the car with white powder or gold leaf though - if your wife isn't too superstitious, this can usually be substituted with some string around the steering column, and some water splash (which you should wash off right away if the water contained powder).

[Ace of Pop]

No Doubt You have lost Me and a Few Others. Bangers to Sin City isnt bumpy .Car or Truck.

Parts of the motorway are like the moons surface.

Inside Lanes, but they are generally quite good everywher here,some idiots just like to moan,and pick a bumpy route

[fredob43]

No Doubt You have lost Me and a Few Others. Bangers to Sin City isnt bumpy .Car or Truck.

Parts of the motorway are like the moons surface.

I find the M/way ok but once you get off onto the new bit to Pattaya it's the pit's, hole's with general crap rumble concrete. I mentioned it to the G/L last time we went there and her one word answer was 'corruption'

[chiang mai]

Decide whether you want a petrol or diesel model, two or four door, two or four wheel drive, manual or automatic, then buy a Toyota Vigo , highest resale value and easily repaired anywhere at little cost, expect to spend anywhere between 600k and 1 mill., based on your spec.

Or buy an Isuzu for all the same reasons if you do not a ten year old platform.

Just a ten year old engine!

[Wong!]

My SIL's partner is looking to buy a new truck. He wants an Isuzu and so I suggested he takes a look at the Chevys as they have IFC at the moment. He says that Chevys are no good and I tried to explain that it's the same bloody truck as the Isuzu, but it was like talking to a 7 year old (as is most things here). Up to him - his money.

As for getting monks involved and getting finger painting done on my brand new vehicle... luckily my wife isn't daft enough to suggest any of that nonsense to me.

[sjonburi]

10 yo plattform or not, I test drove the Isuzu and found the front suspension waaay to soft., when you're driving over bumps the front end travels up and down like there's no tomorrow, I then decided that I don't like to drive a boat and went with the Hilux instead.. some folks might like it though..

Decide whether you want a petrol or diesel model, two or four door, two or four wheel drive, manual or automatic, then buy a Toyota Vigo , highest resale value and easily repaired anywhere at little cost, expect to spend anywhere between 600k and 1 mill., based on your spec.

Or buy an Isuzu for all the same reasons if you do not a ten year old platform.

[funcat]

My SIL's partner is looking to buy a new truck. He wants an Isuzu and so I suggested he takes a look at the Chevys as they have IFC at the moment. He says that Chevys are no good and I tried to explain that it's the same bloody truck as the Isuzu, but it was like talking to a 7 year old (as is most things here). Up to him - his money.

As for getting monks involved and getting finger painting done on my brand new vehicle... luckily my wife isn't daft enough to suggest any of that nonsense to me.

Wong!...you got it wrong....Isuzu and Chevy share the same platform and similar interior,but engines are different now and of course the exterior.

For Thai drivers there is Isuzu,Toyota...............................................................Chevy(that will be the last choice).

[mogandave]

10 yo plattform or not, I test drove the Isuzu and found the front suspension waaay to soft., when you're driving over bumps the front end travels up and down like there's no tomorrow, I then decided that I don't like to drive a boat and went with the Hilux instead.. some folks might like it though..

Decide whether you want a petrol or diesel model, two or four door, two or four wheel drive, manual or automatic, then buy a Toyota Vigo , highest resale value and easily repaired anywhere at little cost, expect to spend anywhere between 600k and 1 mill., based on your spec.

Or buy an Isuzu for all the same reasons if you do not a ten year old platform.

I am glad you like it. I have 70,000Km on the new Isuzu and think it drives fine, much better than the Toyota I had, or the new Toyota I test drove. I think the Isuzu is cheaper to maintain and has better fuel economy, at least better than the Toyota I had.

I actually like the way the Ford handled, but the lead time was too long.

The Toyota is a fine unit, I'm not knocking it, but were I going to buy a new one, I would wait for a new one.

[transam]

10 yo plattform or not, I test drove the Isuzu and found the front suspension waaay to soft., when you're driving over bumps the front end travels up and down like there's no tomorrow, I then decided that I don't like to drive a boat and went with the Hilux instead.. some folks might like it though..

Decide whether you want a petrol or diesel model, two or four door, two or four wheel drive, manual or automatic, then buy a Toyota Vigo , highest resale value and easily repaired anywhere at little cost, expect to spend anywhere between 600k and 1 mill., based on your spec.

Or buy an Isuzu for all the same reasons if you do not a ten year old platform.

I am glad you like it. I have 70,000Km on the new Isuzu and think it drives fine, much better than the Toyota I had, or the new Toyota I test drove. I think the Isuzu is cheaper to maintain and has better fuel economy, at least better than the Toyota I had.

I actually like the way the Ford handled, but the lead time was too long.

The Toyota is a fine unit, I'm not knocking it, but were I going to buy a new one, I would wait for a new one.

Ride ''feel'' perhaps is different for different drivers.

[sjonburi]

Exactamundo, some like booty, some like boobs, I like both \o/

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sitta]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

[chiang mai]

Yup, sounds about right.

[makecoldplayhistory]

We had exactly the same decision (but 2nd hand and with an Avanza thrown into the mix). Last Friday we picked up an ISUZU Hi-lander D-Max.

We live in a nice easy part of Phuket (Kok Kaew) so for us, it wasn't down to needing a big car, 4x4 etc.

So far, the things that have made me think we made the right choice are, in no particular order;

literally sweeping sand out of the back after a day on the beach

changing my son on the tail gate

mountain bikes in the back

driving through puddles - only 6-8" deep, but enough to make you a little worried in a little car

seeing the mpg compared to the VIOS we'd hired for the previous month

putting a cool box, stroller, big beach bag, change of clothes and other assorted stuff in the back very easily. Would have taken some major juggling around in a VIOS / Fiesta

the smile I get looking at the pick up on the drive

knowing my wife and son are safer than in the smaller cars

pulling a guy in his Honda City out of some mud where he'd parked on the side of the road

[Wong!]

My SIL's partner is looking to buy a new truck. He wants an Isuzu and so I suggested he takes a look at the Chevys as they have IFC at the moment. He says that Chevys are no good and I tried to explain that it's the same bloody truck as the Isuzu, but it was like talking to a 7 year old (as is most things here). Up to him - his money.

As for getting monks involved and getting finger painting done on my brand new vehicle... luckily my wife isn't daft enough to suggest any of that nonsense to me.

Wong!...you got it wrong....Isuzu and Chevy share the same platform and similar interior,but engines are different now and of course the exterior.

For Thai drivers there is Isuzu,Toyota...............................................................Chevy(that will be the last choice).

Yes, they're essentially the same, as I said.

[ClareQuilty]

The roads are excellent in Isaan ?.............. ..................

Unless one lives in a village, all the provincial capitals and secondary small towns are connected by excellent highways. The smaller streets/roads within provincial centers and small towns are occasionally potholed during and just after rainy season, but nothing that would require a truck. In fact the smoother ride of a car might be appreciated.

The real argument for a truck is greater ability to deal with flash floods - roads are often flooded a bit too deep for a regular car for 1-2 hours here after heavy downpours.

So, if you a patient person and can wait a bit occasionally during 3-4 months of the year, get a Toyota Vios.

[sitta]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

Since the NEW Vigo model is going to be released soon, any discounting on the current model out there?

[chiang mai]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

Since the NEW Vigo model is going to be released soon, any discounting on the current model out there?

Toyota seems not to discount on their trucks, is my experience.

[Ace of Pop]

No Way, New is New. Thais dont care when it comes to Trucks,they are work horses to them. Just Ferangs and Bargirls bother.

[IMHO]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

Since the NEW Vigo model is going to be released soon, any discounting on the current model out there?

Yep. There's a factory campaign that gives up to 50K discount (in the way of extra trade-in value or downpayment discount), and I've seen field reports of up to 70K discounts being given.

[chris2004]

I rented a new Vios and although the car was OK ish the automatic gearbox was terrible. Only seemed to have 2 gears, motorway cruise and maximum rev. Personally i would always go for a hatchback but thais seem to prefer booted cars.

[Ace of Pop]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

Since the NEW Vigo model is going to be released soon, any discounting on the current model out there?

Yep. There's a factory campaign that gives up to 50K discount (in the way of extra trade-in value or downpayment discount), and I've seen field reports of up to 70K discounts being given.

Not in our area they dont, friends just tried it. Big City is a different story,Its called Competition.

[IMHO]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

Since the NEW Vigo model is going to be released soon, any discounting on the current model out there?

Yep. There's a factory campaign that gives up to 50K discount (in the way of extra trade-in value or downpayment discount), and I've seen field reports of up to 70K discounts being given.

Not in our area they dont, friends just tried it. Big City is a different story,Its called Competition.

yeah well, why give away money if you don't have to?

[sitta]

Toyota Vigo Single cab, manual, Diesel, around 530k, correct?

Since the NEW Vigo model is going to be released soon, any discounting on the current model out there?

Yep. There's a factory campaign that gives up to 50K discount (in the way of extra trade-in value or downpayment discount), and I've seen field reports of up to 70K discounts being given.

I don't mind 70k discount on a VNT model, do have more info re: the dealer please? you can PM me..

[NBD]

Pick up was an easy choice for me, after a couple of years of owning a small cars.

- Even with LPG the difference in fuel costs aren't that great, and I expect LPG will rise over the next few years as more people use it.

- The trucks are sturdier and even if the roads you use most of the time are fine most of the time, there are plenty of places all over Thailand where you can wreck a small car in short order.

- Floods are no problem at all in a truck.

- A bit more road presence for waking up dawdlers on the motorway

- Plenty of room for 4 adults, a car seat and all the luggage in the back. Even if you only use that a couple of times a year, it's worth it IMO.

- Trucks hold their value way better.

And that's living in Bangkok. The only drawback is some of the tight car parks can be a pain, but I doubt you'll face that much in Isan.