2m to spend & I have a short-list

[kevvy]

17" wheels

I have to question whether low profile wheels are worth it on Thai roads. They might look nice and give better performance but at what cost.

My current ride has 215/45R17 tyres that I constantly check to make sure the pressures are right. I've replaced 3 rims in the past 4 years after they were damaged by poor roads.

Had low profile wheels on my car and the first pot hole I encounted it blew out my front tire (it was that big a family was living in it) The roads are really bad where I live. After many flats I finally got rid of them

[OMGImInPattaya]

17" wheels

I have to question whether low profile wheels are worth it on Thai roads. They might look nice and give better performance but at what cost.

My current ride has 215/45R17 tyres that I constantly check to make sure the pressures are right. I've replaced 3 rims in the past 4 years after they were damaged by poor roads.

Had low profile wheels on my car and the first pot hole I encounted it blew out my front tire (it was that big a family was living in it) The roads are really bad where I live. After many flats I finally got rid of them

How do run-flat tires do on Thailand's F'd-up roads? All BMVs come with run-flats standard...from what I understand in general they can't be repaired after a puncture but must be replaced!

[worldfun]

so far so good on the run flats! I go fast but avoid the pot holes

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[steveromagnino]

vw scirocco, mini cooper, audi a1 or a3. This is the first tier choice. (But some may be ruled out as outside budget - maybe a demo car?)

toyota gt86, mercedes gal

Out of this list, I would almost say you should consider to knock the A3 off the list, they are simply hardly available here, and would be a total PITA to service for the Audi specific parts; essentially it's a Roc so you should stick with an authorised dealer Rocco instead.

A1 the 185HP is a lovely car, that's around 2.5-2.6m grey market (meaning it comes in via a slight loop around as Audi Thailand is almost non existant); the 122HP version is probably a bit gutless around 2m grey market - both of these I'd be looking to buy lightly used, as the depreciation on Audis is huge in the first few years due to the grey market status and lack of dealer support. The A1 can be modified via MTM/APR etc to get it up to around 160HP, but it's still never going to be the drivers car that the Roc or the Mini is IMHO; it's a little more staid and in the Benz/BMW camp.

Mini Cooper the new F56 is an interesting car; whereas before the cooper S was supercharged (R53 generation) or turboed (R56 generation 2007-2013) (and the Cooper was normally aspirated) that is no longer the case. This makes the Cooper a more interesting car, I would guess it will be around 2.2m legit and 2.0m grey - when you consider how popular these are and how easy it would be to do a few minor tweaks (air intake, ECU tune, exhaust) to get it an extra 20HP, that would probably be the driver's car pick - if you have not previously driven a Mini then you should try one. Do not get the current R56 cooper version even on sale; it's not worth it as the new version cooper is so much better engine wise.

Could get grey or authorised depending on if there is somewhere to service it in the north. I know that CarMax Rama 9 has like 50 of the little beasts coming in soon.

If you are considering the GLA, the Countryman is IMHO a horrid twisted grown up cousin of a MINI hatch, but it is assembled locally, and probably cheaper than the GLA, in fact that's probably why the GLA is coming here - AFAIK around 2.0m and they go quite ok.

Mini has a strong resale market and hold their value well; easy to service in BKK.

[Aldebaran1981]

U mean stay away from the pre 2012 cooper s models??

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[triffid]

Thanks again, steve, for those comments.

I've been nervous about audi's servicing & support difficulties in the country, and I'm sure that will apply more in Chiangmai than Bangkok. So your remarks may have pushed me over the edge, and I may rule out audi - however much I like the car.

I agree the mini countryman looks a bit of a dog's breakfast, but what do you think of the mini paceman which is the other attempt to offer a bit more space and driving comfort and lose less in looks and performance?

Without affecting my liking for the Scirocco, I keep wondering if I should have removed vw gti from the reckoning. So maybe I should mull over the gti, the scirocco and the mini.

The other nagging issues are: will the gti mk 7 be available soon? will vw have a maintenance package? will the new bmw 116i expected this year be a lot better looking, and with its 5 year maintenance package force itself into the running?

PS. As you may have gathered I am somewhat less expert or enthusiastic on sheer performance than you evidently are - though of cours my choice of cars should disclose my liking for a certain level of performance and driving pleasure.

Edited April 8, 2014 by triffid

[triffid]

Had a look at the scirocco today and have decided to rule it out. Reason: my personal - and irrational - quirk of wanting a clear view of the bonnet which, even with the seat jacked up to the max, I couldn't get.

So now it's down to vw gti or the mini. In both cases I'm going to wait for the latest versions, and if that proves not possible in the near future I may bring the new version of the bmw 116 and the merc gla back into the reckoning.

[watcharacters]

I normally just read the comments and never post but once I read this, I registered as it is a topic close to my heart so this is my first post.

Have been thinking hard about what car to buy when I move permanently to Thailand later in the year

Have a similar budget, could go more at a push. Depreciation not an issue assuming I make the right choice first time. Like German cars but they are pricey in the Thai market and this price tends to get the lower end of their range. If I went for a BMW would like the X3 but over budget mentioned

So my inclination is for a small SUV: good higher driving position, higher ground clearance for dealing with crappy roads and floods and they are reasonably well built and equipped for the Thai market

So Mazda CX5, Honda CRV and Subaru XV or Forester are what grabs my interest. Actual preference is for the Subarus which are rugged natural AWD with a strong and loyal following in some other markets but in Thailand no one buys them so I guess I will be boring and go for the CRV

However if someone can persuade me to go for one of the saloons/hatchbacks suggested by the OP I may think again

.

That's right.

All too frequently what you think is a familiar model from your home country comes stripped of features in TH. at a much higher price.

[worldfun]

my heart is very close to the suv vs saloon as basically most 2 car+ households will have one of each which serves well its purpose...having only one will be a compromise where u have to weight in the amount of real upcountry/off road/flooding u will really cover? a regular saloon can go pretty much anywhere and it handles bkk and major city roads just fine unless one is hyper sensitive or put the lowest profile wheels in the racing shop lol!

I choose the bmw320d saloon to replace my suv/van and my 2nd car will more likely be a suv/cx5 than a GTR type or eco car if any!

try a lot of cars and see how u feel. keep in mind a poor saloon may feel inferior to a decent suv even if u though u really wanted a saloon

whatever u do dont buy an underpowered car!!

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[steveromagnino]

U mean stay away from the pre 2012 cooper s models??

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sorry very unclear.

I mean don't buy a NEW R56 (model year 2007-2013) Mini Cooper or Cooper S, as it is about to be superceded by the new F56 model. Second hand is fine, and in fact 2nd hand Mini is a nice car to buy; you could pick up a lower mileage one fairly cheaply, and unlike a lot of the other cars, there are enough of them around that servicing is not difficult.

However, personally if you like driving, I would go for the R56 Cooper S, not the R56 Cooper S JCW and not the Cooper; the Cooper S r56 drives markedly better than the cooper (which is sloooooow). The JCW is too expensive for the performance difference IMHO.

back to the OP

By comparison the F56 the 2 models are a lot closer together, so the Cooper would be a better option if performance isn't the single most important thing; it will still handle really well, and is a new model year car with slightly bigger size than the outgoing R56 model - I always believe in getting cars early in their model life, not at the end. The Cooper is not so bad to consider grey, simply because it is easy to service them, as they are relatively common (there are something like 5,000++ mini hatches in Thailand at least,and half of them are grey). However, grey doesn't always help you so much in that the car is marginally cheaper upfront, and marginally cheaper when you sell it. The only one around now is the Cooper S; in your position I'd go for the Cooper.

http://showroom.one2car.com/carDetail.aspx?car_id=d01140422

The Paceman is effectively a 2 door countryman, just as much of a dogs breakfast design wise and even less practical; Mini are looking at discontinuing it if the rumours are true. The advantage of the Countryman I think is they are locally assembled, so cheaper than a hatch; as it is a pseudo SUV the pricing is not so bad; look 1 is 1.84m baht and you don't expect it to really drive well (and it won't, it's an SUV after all). 2.49m for the countryman with the cooper S engine in it, again though its mid life model wise - cooper s will drive sort of ok; way more practical than a hatch if you expect to fit in more than 3 people EVER in the car. The paceman is 500k - 1m baht more for what, 2 less doors in a model that will be discontinued ? no thanks! I'd pick the F56 cooper over the country man every time

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140313/carnews/140319905

VW Thailand still doesn't have access to the mark 7 golf GTI, so the only option is grey at the moment; which doesn't bode well if you want to service it (upcountry can be tough to get access to mechanics).

Which kind of leads you back to the A180, BMW116, and that's why people keep buying them; not really a car that makes my pulse race, but price wise and service wise, pretty understandable. Hate to repeat again, but really take the time to take a look at the Volvo V40, in terms of looks and straight line performance it really is a step above the A180 and the 116....for the same money. The more logical choice (not really a drivers car, but it is a new model is a C class (new model just came out) 2.3m; better value than the A class or CLA, and easier to service.

I'd say it's really down to Mini Cooper F56; BMW 116, and both are fairly close to available now.

Edited April 10, 2014 by steveromagnino

[CWMcMurray]

@OP: No Benz's made your shortlist?

Is there one in my budget? I like the CLA but is that available here at under 2.5m. And even so the competing 320i is available with bmw's 5 year free maintenance, which is not to be sneezed at.

GLA? Haven't looked that much into it.

Mercedes A180 1.99 million baht ...

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[steveromagnino]

The only issue with the A class is that dual clutch and weird gear selection, which would drive even the most patient driver around the bend. Maybe the 180 is ok, the 250 was unbearable. Also, Benz has no BSI equivalent, which kind of sucks. If they have a fix for this, that would be a great car. the GLA having looked at it seems like a jacked up A class, which much like the V40 cross country or the ford ecosport, appears to serve not much purpose unless you have kids and some problem climbing in and out of a low car and want a nicer marginally higher view of traffic....at the cost of worse handling.

The C-Class I now realise is actually 2.79m for the new model, so maybe there's less of a gap between the new C and the CLA of the sedans, even though it looks great from most angles there is one 3/4 angle from the rear that the CLA looks very dumpy; the A on the other hand looks great from every angle.

All depends a little on how much the driving matters; hard to imagine buying a basic model Benz and expecting it to drive particularly well; the basic model smaller Beemers tend to be quite ok if somewhat underpowered IMHO. C Class also seems a little like it is trying, whereas the CLA and the A both have a bit more attitude (again, something that is in the eye of the beholder, I also think the 1 series is a little more attitude and cooler than the 3).

Edited April 10, 2014 by steveromagnino

[worldfun]

Actually having just bought an expired bsi and looking at the 4 service bills im not too sure how much worth there is to this similar to the run flat tyre?

e.g tyre is not covered by bsi as there was a hefty 40k bill for those. another billed item was a battery so not sure how much value I would put on it for a new year expecting few to none expensive parts replaced?

so dont let that be a reason for the bmw if the benz model otherwise is more useful

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[Spaniel]

I recommend the new Honda CRV although it wasn't on your list. I have had two CRV's here in Thailand and as soon as I sell my 2007 model I will order the new one.

[worldfun]

how much power/torque does crv have? consumption? any diesel engines?

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[bkkjames]

how much power/torque does crv have? consumption? any diesel engines?

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thirsty, no diesel, only likes top top fuel lol

[worldfun]

haha thirsty and slow...perfect on bkk roads

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[OMGImInPattaya]

I recommend the new Honda CRV although it wasn't on your list. I have had two CRV's here in Thailand and as soon as I sell my 2007 model I will order the new one.

I think the op is looking for something sporty...the Civic 2.0 iVTEC maybe but hardly a CRV.

[mortenaa]

I recommend the new Honda CRV although it wasn't on your list. I have had two CRV's here in Thailand and as soon as I sell my 2007 model I will order the new one.

Testdrive a BMW X3

[OMGImInPattaya]

I recommend the new Honda CRV although it wasn't on your list. I have had two CRV's here in Thailand and as soon as I sell my 2007 model I will order the new one.

Testdrive a BMW X3

The budget is B 2-2.5M...so maybe a 3-5 year old model. Agree the X3 is nice but B 3-3.5M is a big pill to swallow (for 1.5M car).

[triffid]

I continue to narrow the focus Been reading reviews, dropping in on BMW's & VW's showrooms here and corresponding with Mini, Ekkamai/Bkk.

VW as yet have no info on availability of the mk7 gti. They don't think they'll include a maintenance/service package.

BMW's 116, and also the 320i, look great. They include a 5 year, 100k kilometres service/maintenance.

Mini coopers will be available in q4 if I place an order now. They offer a 3 year 50k kilometres service/maintenance package

The 320i and the gti and the mini cooper are all going to be more or less 2.3m baht; the bmw 116i is 1.8m or 2.0m for the standard or the sport version.

Considering the reviews and the thai premium one pays over the London price it seems clear that the 320i is best 'value - and the reviews rave over its drivability, performance too. In fact it wins out in the review stars overall, with some solid reviewers (autocar) giving it the full 5 stars.

So I'm still in a quandary. The bigger back seats and space that the others have over the mini are irrelevant to me as I have no family, and anyway I have a second, more practical car. But the mini seems to have the worst record of the three for reliability - on the other hand this is a new mini and engine etc. so things might be different. Of course the bmw 320 and the gti are also new iterations.

They are all affordable, they are all new or newish versions, they all are praised for performance and drivability and generally and are all well reviewed. So it remains a very close run thing as far as I can see now.

I'm going to go look at the volvo v40 which steve is strongly recommending, even though on the photos it doesn't look as good in my eyes as my current short list - which I want to make shorter and not longer!

[triffid]

I recommend the new Honda CRV although it wasn't on your list. I have had two CRV's here in Thailand and as soon as I sell my 2007 model I will order the new one.

Testdrive a BMW X3

The budget is B 2-2.5M...so maybe a 3-5 year old model. Agree the X3 is nice but B 3-3.5M is a big pill to swallow (for 1.5M car).

That, and also I don't need such a big car/suv.

[worldfun]

x1 diesel would give u some fun

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[triffid]

x1 diesel would give u some fun

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i don't see an x1 diesel available in Thaialnd

[worldfun]

I see them on the road so if not tru dealer so grey

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[worldfun]

second hand

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[triffid]

As a mater of curiosity - or maybe it could become of practical use - is there an efficient/easy way/website(s) to browse available thai grey market cars and approximate prices - in english?

[Wong!]

Kia Sorrento. Lovely car, superb engine, great to drive and makes the CRV redundant.

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[Woodsie888]

x1 diesel would give u some fun

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i don't see an x1 diesel available in Thaialnd

Diesel is priced at 2,799,000 THB thru BMW TH Dealer network. Or at least it was, if not offered now.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Woodsie888

[Woodsie888]

As a mater of curiosity - or maybe it could become of practical use - is there an efficient/easy way/website(s) to browse available thai grey market cars and approximate prices - in english?

No