BMW 3 series

[Bcgardener]

I'm considering buying a 320 or 328. Can any existing owners give me any feed back on the ins and outs of their inclusive service program, service and parts support, and ownership in general here in Thailand. I have owned many 3 series before but not here in Thailand.

[Aldebaran1981]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!
Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

[hansgruber]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!

Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

Can be bought at BMW Thailand. 4mb roughly with warranty for the hybrid.

[BSJ]

The 3 series is OK visually, and that Hybrid looks interesting.

[bkmbkk]

I am happy with service.

However take the flooding warning on BMW¨s homepage very serously.

I had a almost new 320d engine destroyed by driving it through water up over half the rims.

Here in Th you can often be in a situation with deep water - go aother way.

I now have a 5 serie, also bought new.

If I was to change now i would buy the new 325d as I prefer the diesel torque.

[OMGImInPattaya]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!

Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

Yep, nothing like having that added power for crawling down Sukhumvit at 5 kph.

[OMGImInPattaya]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!

Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

Can be bought at BMW Thailand. 4mb roughly with warranty for the hybrid.

55555...nothing like buying a BMW 3-class for more than the price of a 7-series or Merc S-class in a "normal" country!

[Bcgardener]

Actually the price of a 320i in Australia, optioned the same as the Thai spec, is pretty much the same.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Actually the price of a 320i in Australia, optioned the same as the Thai spec, is pretty much the same.

Another not normal country...I read that Ford Rangers go for AUS$ 60k, while they go for around half that in Thailand. The pricing of vehicles there must be even more whacky than what we have to put up with here in the Land of Happiness.

[mortenaa]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

[OMGImInPattaya]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

So what does that mean, they rip you off in English or German...not Thai? That's a big help.

[stevenl]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

So what does that mean, they rip you off in English or German...not Thai? That's a big help.

Why the need to slag off an honest recommendation for a dealer?

[Woodsie888]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

So what does that mean, they rip you off in English or German...not Thai? That's a big help.

Why the need to slag off an honest recommendation for a dealer?

Probably makes him feel better.

[JAS21]

This came through my door today ... not literally ... seems BMWs are hard to sell at present.

[NE1]

Actually the price of a 320i in Australia, optioned the same as the Thai spec, is pretty much the same.

Another not normal country...I read that Ford Rangers go for AUS$ 60k, while they go for around half that in Thailand. The pricing of vehicles there must be even more whacky than what we have to put up with here in the Land of Happiness.

I think that is because the Ford Rangers are built here then shipped to Australia.

It's the tax that pushes the price up , the same as imported vehicles here.

[Aldebaran1981]

Of course! They aint cheap to begin with. And the x1 is soo outdated already

[OMGImInPattaya]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

So what does that mean, they rip you off in English or German...not Thai? That's a big help.

Why the need to slag off an honest recommendation for a dealer?

Well it was partly said in humour but also a serious question...what makes a car dealership, or any business that's foreign owned, to be recommended over one owned by a Thai (other than possibly easier communication [and that's certainly no given unless Mr. Nelson is working the showroom floor, which I highly doubt]). A recommendation for a particular dealer giving some particulars, other than just it's farang owned, would seem to carry more weight. The recommendation just hit me as more Thai slagging, which of course, is against forum rules.

[Bcgardener]

Actually the price of a 320i in Australia, optioned the same as the Thai spec, is pretty much the same.

Another not normal country...I read that Ford Rangers go for AUS$ 60k, while they go for around half that in Thailand. The pricing of vehicles there must be even more whacky than what we have to put up with here in the Land of Happiness.

I think that is because the Ford Rangers are built here then shipped to Australia.

It's the tax that pushes the price up , the same as imported vehicles here.

Because of the FTA there is no import duty on any cars from Thailand to Oz. There is GMT of 10% and possibly a few extras added to meet local rules such as more air bags but in reality they charge that price because people will pay it. Toyota Hilux is the same, way more expensive than here.

[I knew this would happen]

This came through my door today ... not literally ... seems BMWs are hard to sell at present.

img007.jpg

Oh!

Good deals actually! (for the Thai market). And the 6th year BSI is free? I didn´t get that

They really seem to want to get rid of the X3, 3 years insurance and 6 years BSI? Nice! I got a call from Millenium 2 weeks ago that they could give me one for 400K less or a

316i for 1,79MB. Didn´t know that they were selling 316i´s here, but there seem to be some around.

http://www.headlightmag.com/webboard2011/index.php?topic=36104.0 scroll down a litte for the price list

Why the 328i? Costs more and it has only 218HP, it´s detuned for tax reasons (220HP or 2.000cc limit) It should have 245 HP. No real difference to the 320i

I´d go for the 320d, much better fuel economy, plenty of torque, fast enough for Thailand.

[JAS21]

For what it's worth, my view is that the 3-series and the C Class are just okay.

I had a 520d, it was quite nice, for five years and nearly replaced it with another, in fact considered the 525d, BUT had a stroke of common sense, pointed out strongly by my wife, ... hang on ... you have just suffered two million baht depreciation, do you really want to do that again? I eventually decided on a 3Ltr V-Cross and I enjoy it much more. Don't worry too much about the pot holes and the view from up there is great, it isn't going to get stuck in mud and probably won't ingest any water!

It's a pity that eight years ago top-of-the-range pickups were not like they are now. But if you want a 3-series, I agree, get a 'd'.

[pedro01]

I would avoid the 320 and go for the 328 with the sport gearbox.

The gearbox in the 320 has issues and besides, the 328 versions are much more fun.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[pedro01]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

So what does that mean, they rip you off in English or German...not Thai? That's a big help.

Why the need to slag off an honest recommendation for a dealer?

Well it was partly said in humour but also a serious question...what makes a car dealership, or any business that's foreign owned, to be recommended over one owned by a Thai (other than possibly easier communication [and that's certainly no given unless Mr. Nelson is working the showroom floor, which I highly doubt]). A recommendation for a particular dealer giving some particulars, other than just it's farang owned, would seem to carry more weight. The recommendation just hit me as more Thai slagging, which of course, is against forum rules.

My personal experience is that Europa Motor on jaran sanitwong is exceptional.

I had issues & they went way beyond the call of duty.

Not a farang in sight either

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[OMGImInPattaya]

For what it's worth, my view is that the 3-series and the C Class are just okay.

I had a 520d, it was quite nice, for five years and nearly replaced it with another, in fact considered the 525d, BUT had a stroke of common sense, pointed out strongly by my wife, ... hang on ... you have just suffered two million baht depreciation, do you really want to do that again? I eventually decided on a 3Ltr V-Cross and I enjoy it much more. Don't worry too much about the pot holes and the view from up there is great, it isn't going to get stuck in mud and probably won't ingest any water!

It's a pity that eight years ago top-of-the-range pickups were not like they are now. But if you want a 3-series, I agree, get a 'd'.

I recently had a sit-in of the new Nissan Navarra at a dealer and it was similar to a typical mid-range SUV interior. With some fat tires and the OEM LED running lights it looks great. Of course, much to practical for the BMW fanboys.

[rixalex]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!

Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

Can be bought at BMW Thailand. 4mb roughly with warranty for the hybrid.

55555...nothing like buying a BMW 3-class for more than the price of a 7-series or Merc S-class in a "normal" country!

The real cost of a car though isn't how much you pay for it, it is the amount you lose when you sell it.. and I think it's quite a safe bet that you'll end up losing more in a 'normal' country than you will in Thailand.

[Bcgardener]

Thanks everyone for all the posts. After some time at various dealers I am considering the 320i luxury but comparing against a Honda Accord Hybrid. Obvious price difference but the Honda has a lot more features and better performance. BM is a better drive on good roads but the Honda is better on your average Thai road. I've always had 3 series in Oz but the Honda is giving it a run. Not sure about resale on hybrids but I will do some research and check

[JAS21]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!

Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

Can be bought at BMW Thailand. 4mb roughly with warranty for the hybrid.

55555...nothing like buying a BMW 3-class for more than the price of a 7-series or Merc S-class in a "normal" country!

The real cost of a car though isn't how much you pay for it, it is the amount you lose when you sell it.. and I think it's quite a safe bet that you'll end up losing more in a 'normal' country than you will in Thailand.

Um ... according to this https://www.bmw.co.uk/vc/ncc/xhtml/start/startWithConfigUrl.faces;jsessionid=c1b101f1dd57c15096cf6b20e6d0.3?country=GB&market=GB&productType=1&brand=BM&locale=en_GB&name=n6e6q4q0#MODEL_ENGINE you can get a new top of range 520d for less than 37000GBP

[OMGImInPattaya]

i believe servicing shouldn't be a problem at all in Thailand, especially Bangkok!

Go for the 328. it's higher in spec and with more power

I would go for the 335i active hybrid if they had that in Bangkok!

Can be bought at BMW Thailand. 4mb roughly with warranty for the hybrid.

55555...nothing like buying a BMW 3-class for more than the price of a 7-series or Merc S-class in a "normal" country!

The real cost of a car though isn't how much you pay for it, it is the amount you lose when you sell it.. and I think it's quite a safe bet that you'll end up losing more in a 'normal' country than you will in Thailand.

Another example of Thailand not being a normal country when it comes to cars and pricing. I rest my case.

[mortenaa]

They all have turbos now, so the torque is no problem anymore. The diesels tend to use less fuel though.. A friend of mine drives the Hybrid. With a tune, its almost as fast as an M3

I can really recommend Nelsons Autohaus. The only "farang" owned dealer in Thailand..

So what does that mean, they rip you off in English or German...not Thai? That's a big help.

Why the need to slag off an honest recommendation for a dealer?

Well it was partly said in humour but also a serious question...what makes a car dealership, or any business that's foreign owned, to be recommended over one owned by a Thai (other than possibly easier communication [and that's certainly no given unless Mr. Nelson is working the showroom floor, which I highly doubt]). A recommendation for a particular dealer giving some particulars, other than just it's farang owned, would seem to carry more weight. The recommendation just hit me as more Thai slagging, which of course, is against forum rules.

Its absolutely not Thai slagging, but as a foreigner, some might like to talk to another foreigner.. etc.. Mr Nelson is indeed working on the floor, together with his genuinely car interested son, which deals with after sale service etc. You get straight answers. I've been talking to staff and sales staff at several BMW dealers around Thailand (Bangkok), and I believe Nelson is one of the better dealers out there.

[mortenaa]

Another example of Thailand not being a normal country when it comes to cars and pricing. I rest my case.

Several countries in Europe have high car taxation, and BMW's sometimes cost even more than Thailand. Actually my first 320D was indeed similarly priced compared to a same spec back home..

[OMGImInPattaya]

Another example of Thailand not being a normal country when it comes to cars and pricing. I rest my case.

Several countries in Europe have high car taxation, and BMW's sometimes cost even more than Thailand. Actually my first 320D was indeed similarly priced compared to a same spec back home..

I get it...many countries have very high taxes of various sorts on cars as a way to raise revenue, cut down on traffic, and for other reasons. Heck, just to our south, Singapore has some of the highest car taxes around, with a simple Honda Accord costing over US$ 100k! At least in those countries, these high rates are levied on all cars depending on various specifications and not the Thai system tri-level tax/price scheme of made in Thailand, made in Thailand from knockdown kits, and completed imported vehicle, all with differing tax rates. You combine this with differing rates based on engine size, type of vehicle (car, SUV, ppv, truck), and type of fuel used and it's a real cockup.

Another thing to consider, besides the complete I practicability of imported luxury vehicles in a tropical country like Thailand with very poor roads and a propensity for flooded roads, is that the Thai government also taxes luxury vehicles heavily as it's one of the few way to get rich Thais to pay any taxes. Businesses in general have myriad ways to legally and illegally reduce their taxable business and personal incomes to zero that one of the few ways to collect any money from these people is to super-tax the cars they and their kids are so fond of buying. Therefore, as a foreigner, even though you most likely didn't gain any benefit of not paying any taxes on your income in Thailand, you're forced to participate in this scheme to collect taxes from the rich when you elect to purchase a luxury car.

However, of course is obviously a personal choice to buy such a vehicle or not.