Which 2nd hand sports car ?

[Cook my sock]

Classic Mercedes SL? There's a nice rebuilt EVO for sale at Lanna Cars

[YorkshireTyke]

Arthur, they are both 20 years old. I don 't want to drive an old car with old engineering & technology. Same goes for a classic Mercedes SL. EVO does not fit my requirements as a sports car.

I'm beginning to realise not many cars fit my criteria. The Copen is still first choice if I can find a cheapish low mileage one, however most are expensive due to the import tax so I would be paying up to a mill for a car worth 500k, so now I am leaning towards a slightly older MX5 if I can find a good low mileage one. I haven't really researched their spec yet or looked at one.

[VocalNeal]

You want a V10 M5 BMW.

I think some are confused about the term "sports" car. They were really never about outright performance, more like a four wheeled motorbike.

so now I am leaning towards a slightly older MX5 if I can find a good low mileage one

Which will still have import duty on it and you may still end up paying up to a mill for a car worth 500k. Unless you intend to travel to Bangkok, Songkla, Krabi etc. and only bomb around town to Tesco, school or even a few hours in the sun, I believe your first choice is the one. AC is important here and the Copen has a hard top for when it gets too much.

Now you've got me on this I might get one for the wife.

Edited January 15, 2016 by VocalNeal

[NickJ]

Thai's think that there pick ups and basic cars are sports cars and many drive them like they are.I would imagine that the locals who have real sports cars would drive them to death and many would be beat to hell by the time they want to get rid of them.

A few years back I looked at the cp proton here that was set up with Lotus suspension and looked and felt very solid compared to the other cars in its class. I dont know if they still make them though. The ones sold here were bought to race.

[YorkshireTyke]

Vocal Neal, I am retired and as stated only drive 2-3k a year on my scooter, so yes you are right, short trips mainly.

So where would you look to buy that Copen for your wife ?

[ExpatOilWorker]

You want a V10 M5 BMW.

The E60 M5 was introduced in 2005, with an uneven firing V10 engine and 7 speed sequential manual gear box linking the car with the BMW Sauber Formula One program.[2] The E60 M5 was the world's first production sedan to feature a V10 petrol engine and 7 speed sequential manual gear box. As with some of its predecessors, the E60 variant of the M5 was both the quickest and fastest 4-door sedan in the world at the time of its release.[11]

This 2009 is 2.79 million! http://taladrod.com/w30/iCar/CarDet.aspx?cid=1647004

I am in love!

Love and the 5 l engine cost 12,000 baht in tax per year.

[ExpatOilWorker]

You want a V10 M5 BMW.

The E60 M5 was introduced in 2005, with an uneven firing V10 engine and 7 speed sequential manual gear box linking the car with the BMW Sauber Formula One program.[2] The E60 M5 was the world's first production sedan to feature a V10 petrol engine and 7 speed sequential manual gear box. As with some of its predecessors, the E60 variant of the M5 was both the quickest and fastest 4-door sedan in the world at the time of its release.[11]

This 2009 is 2.79 million! http://taladrod.com/w30/iCar/CarDet.aspx?cid=1647004

Sadly it is actually a 2006 and apart from the big engine not that nice a car. I will keep my E39 for now.

[Cook my sock]

You can bag a 2011 scirocco with the updated dash for less than 1m now. Just need to make sure the engine has been properly serviced ie the timing belt tensioners were updated in '12. If not it can fail and needs a new engine

Edited January 20, 2016 by Cook my sock

[YorkshireTyke]

I had 2 used sciroccos back to back in the 90's for about 3 years each, great cars, but I am looking for a convertible.

I know about One2car and Taladrod but I am struggling to find any Copens for sale. Is there other car websites I should be looking at ?

[VocalNeal]

Saw an MR2 on Monday. What about those?

[casualbiker]

I had a look on kaidee.com. there are some Mercedes Slk's

[Naam]

What about Diahatsu Copen? http://www.one2car.com/daihatsu/copen/

"sports car"? goodness gracious!

[Khutan]

What about this one http://www.kaidee.com/product-112531238/

[YorkshireTyke]

What about this one http://www.kaidee.com/product-112531238/

It's not got a hardtop, it's done over 100,000 KM's, it's over 20 years old and looks it.

A newer merc, yes, but I don't want to spend millions on a car to sit in my drive most of the year.

[YorkshireTyke]

Saw an MR2 on Monday. What about those?

They are a little bit old aren't they so usually high mileage also. Just looked at One2car and have nice looking MR-S for under a mill but 10+ years old and over 100k on the clock.

I would settle for a Copen if I can find one, they seem to sell quickly. One on One2car is 2011 with 30k on the clock for 789,000 which would be ideal but it's sold but they don't seem to take the old ads down.

I have had a reply to one of my Copen wanted ads which I will go to Bkk to see after the weekend. It's 2005 but only done 15,000 but the same price range as the one above so a bit pricey for it's age.

[casualbiker]

Saw an MR2 on Monday. What about those?

They are a little bit old aren't they so usually high mileage also. Just looked at One2car and have nice looking MR-S for under a mill but 10+ years old and over 100k on the clock.

I would settle for a Copen if I can find one, they seem to sell quickly. One on One2car is 2011 with 30k on the clock for 789,000 which would be ideal but it's sold but they don't seem to take the old ads down.

I have had a reply to one of my Copen wanted ads which I will go to Bkk to see after the weekend. It's 2005 but only done 15,000 but the same price range as the one above so a bit pricey for it's age.

you may find that the 2011 was actually older some dealers state the Thai registration date not manufacturing date..beware do a lot of checks.

[casualbiker]

Dunno if still available but this is a site I've never seen before. http://www.xn--72c3a7ag1brb1f.com/i=55189

[YorkshireTyke]

Saw an MR2 on Monday. What about those?

They are a little bit old aren't they so usually high mileage also. Just looked at One2car and have nice looking MR-S for under a mill but 10+ years old and over 100k on the clock.

I would settle for a Copen if I can find one, they seem to sell quickly. One on One2car is 2011 with 30k on the clock for 789,000 which would be ideal but it's sold but they don't seem to take the old ads down.

I have had a reply to one of my Copen wanted ads which I will go to Bkk to see after the weekend. It's 2005 but only done 15,000 but the same price range as the one above so a bit pricey for it's age.

you may find that the 2011 was actually older some dealers state the Thai registration date not manufacturing date..beware do a lot of checks.

Yes, I agree, the website main ad headline said 2014 but when I read the detail it said 2011.

[casualbiker]

It might pay just to call some of the guys in Bkk that import these cars and see what they have coming in.. There are LOTS available on the Japanese auction sites.

[YorkshireTyke]

Dunno if still available but this is a site I've never seen before. http://www.xn--72c3a7ag1brb1f.com/i=55189

Yes, I've seen the same car on a couple of sites, that's quite old at 2006 and there's a date of 12/5/15, which I am guessing is the date of the ad. I've contacted a few but all say they are sold when they finally understand what I am asking about as they are all Thai.

There's a few on this site also:

http://th.priceprice.com/Daihatsu-Copen-8526/

But all say sold already when I ring.

[casualbiker]

I would get a Thai to call and ask if they can get one.. My understanding is that somewhere in Bkk there is a large import operation that the smaller dealers buy from.. Maybe, just maybe you will get a car dealer who has enough sense NOT to turn away a sale!

This is a Japanese website.. I suppose you could email them and ask if they have sold any to a Thai dealer.. http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car_smart/japan%20car/daihatsu/copen/?si=300

Edited January 20, 2016 by casualbiker

[casualbiker]

Hi. I found this on Facebook. A private Daihatsu workshop.. The guy seems to do everything Daihatsu including Copens. Might be worth getting a Thai to call for you.

[YorkshireTyke]

I would get a Thai to call and ask if they can get one.. My understanding is that somewhere in Bkk there is a large import operation that the smaller dealers buy from.. Maybe, just maybe you will get a car dealer who has enough sense NOT to turn away a sale!

This is a Japanese website.. I suppose you could email them and ask if they have sold any to a Thai dealer.. http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car_smart/japan%20car/daihatsu/copen/?si=300

I had a guy reply to my Copen wanted ad and he said he could import one for me from Japan and gave me that website. Fantastic I thought, a nearly new one, low mileage, around 500,000 Baht. If he charges me 200-300,000 baht it's still a good deal. How much are your charges I asked, 200% of the value of the car was his reply!!

I will check on the Facebook guy, thanks.

[casualbiker]

I would get a Thai to call and ask if they can get one.. My understanding is that somewhere in Bkk there is a large import operation that the smaller dealers buy from.. Maybe, just maybe you will get a car dealer who has enough sense NOT to turn away a sale!

This is a Japanese website.. I suppose you could email them and ask if they have sold any to a Thai dealer.. http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car_smart/japan%20car/daihatsu/copen/?si=300

I had a guy reply to my Copen wanted ad and he said he could import one for me from Japan and gave me that website. Fantastic I thought, a nearly new one, low mileage, around 500,000 Baht. If he charges me 200-300,000 baht it's still a good deal. How much are your charges I asked, 200% of the value of the car was his reply!!

I will check on the Facebook guy, thanks.

YES. Unfortunately import duties and registration ups the cost immensely.

[Cook my sock]

1st gen Z4? Plenty of these hovering around 1m

[AlexRRR]

I never knew cooper made A sports car.The BMW Z4 is nice.Not sure how much of A new ne you can afford.

Mini Cooper S is a sports salon also comes as a convertible so qualifies what the op is looking for, the S is set apart from the cooper with a Bonet scoop, though latest models seem to be all coming with fitted turbos but smaller engines,where the S now his a pulsating 2 litre.

There is also a "works" cooper S which is a tricked up version, even more tighter and powerful.

[Naam]

I would get a Thai to call and ask if they can get one.. My understanding is that somewhere in Bkk there is a large import operation that the smaller dealers buy from.. Maybe, just maybe you will get a car dealer who has enough sense NOT to turn away a sale!

This is a Japanese website.. I suppose you could email them and ask if they have sold any to a Thai dealer.. http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car_smart/japan%20car/daihatsu/copen/?si=300

I had a guy reply to my Copen wanted ad and he said he could import one for me from Japan and gave me that website. Fantastic I thought, a nearly new one, low mileage, around 500,000 Baht. If he charges me 200-300,000 baht it's still a good deal. How much are your charges I asked, 200% of the value of the car was his reply!!

I will check on the Facebook guy, thanks.

what about buying a "real" sportscar? 2m down, balance financed interest free. i hope my dogs don't read this. they like to drive around "roof down".

[canthai55]

Mark One 3.8 Liter ?

[Dan5]

I understand what you are saying Alex, however my needs are for the busy roads in Hua Hin, having a 3 litre drag machine would be useless here, there is too much congestion. Also if it was performance I wouldn't need to stick to a sports car.

My desires are more of style rather than speed, a hot hatch will deliver speed, I am more concerned with looks, but thanks for all replies. I do like the Mini Cooper but again overpriced over here and although a dream car when I was younger after watching the Italian Job, it seems over here they are all driven by Thai girls!

Z4 handling really sucks for a sports car. If you could find someone to put a turbo charger on a Miata, that would be good. Had one in the US. Turbo, after cooler, racing springs. Total investment including the used Miata less than 15k. Run away from a Z4 and beat a lot of Porches for not a lot of money.

[Estrada]

I have had a Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz M Series, Porche, and BMW in the UK. Sports cars and others with low wheel bases are impractical in Thailand due to road conditions and floods. Even cars are impractical in Bangkok, I prefer to use the BTS and leave my high wheel base Honda CRV at home for trips outside of Bangkok.