buying a used SUV Isuzu MuX vehicle

[wood]

Hi,

we are not in Thailand at this moment, arriving in 2 weeks for an extended stay.

Even my Thai wife of 20 years is finding it virtually impossible to locate ( by phoning from the Uk ) a dealer that physically has the vehicle still for sale that is listed on their website.

We are after an Isuzu MuX in white, Auto, used with Sat Nav.

Can anyone give advice how to get hold of one.

It has been a while since we bought a used vehicle in Thailand and will likely buy it from a dealer, can you offer any words of caution and advice.

Ideally we want to arrive on a Friday morning, view later that day and over the weekend, then, collect the car on the Monday to avoid rentals.

Is it possible ?

[kartman]

https://www.kaidee.com/c11a68-auto-car-mu/

[IMHO]

This site is mainly tents, so you shouldn't have any issues with them having the stock still:

http://www.one2car.com/isuzu/mu-7/

[wood]

Thanks for that, much appreciated.

Would you mind outlining the process to buy a used, dealer, car, or even a private sale.

1. Do they give you the legal ownership documents when you drive away.

2. Is it possible to check the vehicle history and how.

3. How can I determine if there is any outstanding finance or liens on the car.

4. Is there any kind of MOT testing and how periodically.

5. Any other concerns ?

Cheers

Wood.

[bearpolar]

Have you read just how bad that car is on the forum? Lots of experts have dissected it

[IMHO]

Thanks for that, much appreciated.

Would you mind outlining the process to buy a used, dealer, car, or even a private sale.

1. Do they give you the legal ownership documents when you drive away.

2. Is it possible to check the vehicle history and how.

3. How can I determine if there is any outstanding finance or liens on the car.

4. Is there any kind of MOT testing and how periodically.

5. Any other concerns ?

Cheers

Wood.

In Thailand, there is a blue book called the "Tabien Rot" (Car Registration book) that details who the owner is, and any official finance leins on the car (but that does not normally include load sharks).

1. Yes. There is no reason you cannot have the Tabien Rot, in your name as the official owner on the day you buy it.

2. As noted, any official leins will be in the Tabien Rot, and it wont' be possible to transfer the ownership until/unless they're cleared.

3. Already covered.

4. Cars > 7 years old must undergo a mechanical inspection in order to renew road tax, but not req'd for ownership transfer.

5. Plenty of things you should be concerned about.. That's a whole topic unto itself.

[wood]

Have you read just how bad that car is on the forum? Lots of experts have dissected it

Feel free to list here, I've read some reviews, what's your concern ?

Cheers

Wood.

[wood]

5. Plenty of things you should be concerned about.. That's a whole topic unto itself.

Thanks for listing these, can you expand on your comment above.

Cheers

Wood

[IMHO]

5. Plenty of things you should be concerned about.. That's a whole topic unto itself.

Thanks for listing these, can you expand on your comment above.

Cheers

Wood

The topic os pitfalls buying used cars has been done dozens of times before...

In a nutshell, look out for:

* Cars that have not been well maintained. Clean does not mean cared for.

* Cars that were victims of the 2011 floods, or any other floods or beach driving.

* Cars that have unusually low odometer readings

* Cars that have been in major accidents - inc. those where airbags might have been deployed and not replaced.

* Cars that might have been modified sometime in the past or present, in a way that may have compromised the lifespan, reliability or ability to pass emissions regulations.

* Cars where the seller cannot supply all of the original keys.

Edited January 20, 2016 by IMHO

[Assurancetourix]

Buying a second hand car in Thailand is like playing Russian roulette with six bullets in the barrell;

Something I will never do .

[bearpolar]

if SUV's were graded. The isuzu wouldnt even get an F, it would get a "didnt show up to school" message for the parents.

[wood]

if SUV's were graded. The isuzu wouldnt even get an F, it would get a "didnt show up to school" message for the parents.

Can you expand on this BP, you have not given me much to work on.

Cheers

Wood

Edited January 20, 2016 by wood

[IMHO]

if SUV's were graded. The isuzu wouldnt even get an F, it would get a "didnt show up to school" message for the parents.

Can you expand on this BP, you have not given me much to work on.

Cheers

BP

I can't speak for bearpolar of course, but in comparison to current model competitors, it falls short on several criteria:

* Engine power - up to 23HP and 120Nm less than competitors

* 5-speed auto in a field of 6 and 8 speeders

* Only 2 airbags in a field that has up to 7

* Zero active safety tech against some very comprehensively equipped competitors

* No cruise control

* No rain sensing wipers or auto headlamps

* No dual zone climate control

* No option for powered tailgate or 3rd row seats

Feature bullet points aside, it also trails almost everything (Trailblazer excepted) when it comes to ride quality, handling, noise control and overall refinement.

That all said, this segment of SUV's saw 3 all-new models last year - The new Everest, new Pajero Sport, and new Fortuner. The MU-X and it's Trailblazer brother are now the oldest releases in this segment, and it shows.

If comparing the MU-X to the previous generation, it's a lot closer match though. If you've driven the car and are happy with the way it compares to the old Pajero Sport and Fortuner, go for it

Edited January 20, 2016 by IMHO

[wood]

thats what i need to read IMHO, thank you for your cup half full attitude ...

Regarding Bi polars response, i will await any feedback that is presented and take it onboard.

There's obviously a price matter at play here.

If I was to say "whats the best and newest, with Sat Nav, leather, available 7 seat auto SUV new or secondhand for a max budget of 1M baht". What would it be ?

Cheers

Wood

[IMHO]

thats what i need to read IMHO, thank you for your cup half full attitude ...

Regarding Bi polars response, i will await any feedback that is presented and take it onboard.

There's obviously a price matter at play here.

If I was to say "whats the best and newest, with Sat Nav, leather, available 7 seat auto SUV new or secondhand for a max budget of 1M baht". What would it be ?

Cheers

Wood

Given they're so new, there's no way you're finding any of the new models released in 2015 for 1M or less - so that means you're shopping for 2014 or older models.

There will be a lot of choice for you, because practically any of these 2 years old or more will be within budget - and there's plenty in the market because of all the people who've updated to a 2015/16 model.

In the previous generation, there really was no clear cut winner like there is now. Back then, they all did basically the same job with basically the same features and basically the same performance. The Pajero Sport, Trailblazer and MU-X edged ahead of the Fortuner when it came to ride quality. The Fortuner's 3.0L diesel was the pick of the engines though. The Fortuner lost more points on it's interior with it's awfully dated dash styling, and cumbersome 3rd row seat arrangement.

Then outside of how they might have been assessed as a new car, you have all the variables of them being used now... condition, price etc. It's not a question I can really answer for you.. But I can say this: against it's <= 2014 company, there's certainly no cut and dried reason to eliminate the MU-X from the list of candidates - there are plenty of reasons one might choose this over the others in the segment.

As a new car purchase right now, the MU-X and Traiblazer are both the easiest to dismiss - which is probably the angle that other poster was coming from.

[Jitar]

Agree with IMHO + the Fortuner resale prices are high, for no good reason apart from Thai loyalty to Toyota. Given the similarity in performance and features, if you are planning to keep the car for a while, the MUX or PJS to a lesser degree would be a better deal.

E.G. 2015 model under 1M http://www.taladrod.com/w30/icar/CarDet.aspx?cid=1697967

Edited January 21, 2016 by Jitar

[pgrahmm]

Never owned one....But rented one for a few months (Thailand) to see what it was like....

Having always owned at least one 4x4/SUV constantly since the 80's this one quickly identified itself as the worst handling one I've ever driven...Especially on wet roads - worse if uphill and wet conditions.....

[wood]

Thanks Jitar, IMHO and all the others, it's giving me something to think about, please keep comments coming.

I have a fairly new G Wagon over here and I am well familiar with "older" design 4x4's.

Bought it because I and my wife prefer vehicles without all the bells and whistles and purposely avoided buying the latest factory mass produced SUV which not only becomes outdated within 6 months, but also hammers you on depreciation unless you keep it long term.

The G still uses a ladder chassis and can genuinely be maintained mechanically by myself when necessary, many of the the rolling parts haven't changed in a good few years, so it's very satisfying, no shortage of spare parts.

My message is, I am not too bothered with buying the latest SUV full of the latest gadgetry.

It seems to me that with the MuX, there's a lot of car for the money and yes, there's always some compromise, we are not all the same are we ?

With my budget of £1M baht, it's either the MuX, Fortuner or Pajero, I am yet to be convinced about the latter two.

Cheers

Wood

[wood]

Here's the G wagon with his snow hat on

[Jitar]

Wood, keep your options open and take you time and look at the MUX / Trailblazer / PJS / Fortuner. These are all OK and the differences between them are subtle. IMHO summarised the driving characteristics well. The choice comes down to personal preference between the looks and feel of each model.

The designs are very similar, pretty robust and not difficult to work on. The MUX / Trailblazer are more recent but the late model Fortuner TRD did improve the interior and the later model PJS got an upgraded sound system to freshen it up. All are based on pick up components that have been around 10 years so are pretty reliable. The main difference in specs, MUX / TB have rear disc brakes but part time 4WD, the Fortuner and PJS have rear drum brakes and full time 4WD.

The previous model Ford Everest is also around but this model is bigger and more truck like than the others. Good Engine though and maybe a bit cheaper. Boxy styling also more like your G Wagon.

There is a lot of criticism of Chev customer service and dealers. I have not used Chev but my experience with numerous company pickups and SUVs from Toyota, Mitsu, Isuzu and Ford has been good. All have been reliable, dealers and parts OK.

There are used MUX's around and plenty of used Fortuners and PJS available but used car deals in Thailand really need to be done face to face after very detailed inspection. Treat anything in online adverts or that you cant verify yourself as suspect and especially check for signs of damage repair.

Used prices have dropped over the last couple of years so asking prices are very negotiable. Good luck with your car shopping.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Jitar

[wood]

Thanks Jitar,

I am struggling to find any legible and clear Isuzu MuX 3.0 spec sheets for the thailand model, plenty of nice pictures, models, microphones and tips on how to be a leader who likes challenges if you're passionate, but not much detail.

Regarding the 3.0 MuX 4x4, how is the 4 wheel drive actuated, is it permanent ? or does it activate automatically ?

Is there a driver actuated transfer case for gear ratio shifting ?

If any one has an English tech sheet or "useful" brochure, it would be welcomed.

Cheers

Wood

[JaseTheBass]

Some specs here

http://www.caradvice.com.au/isuzu/mu-x/price-specifications/

[Jitar]

I think the MU-X uses the part time 4WD system like most pickups. A rotary control electrically selects 2H, 4H or 4L.

No automatic activation AFAIK, probably uses dog clutches in the transfer case and front axle instead of multi plate clutches.

If you want permanent or constant 4WD, i.e. a center differential, look at the old model Fortuner or the PJS.

[wood]

Thanks Jase, Jitar.

Are you certain that the 4WD 3.0 gives an option to drive in 2 or WD ?

That would be ideal if the case.

Jase, I am trying to determine if the Thailand car specs & names are the same as the products in your link ?

The adverts are amazingly vague and most don't declare the mileage ?

Makes you a bit suspicious of dealers who play that game....

The Nett result for them is they won't get my money

Back to the 3.0 MuX, what would be the current Thai baht cost for running 100 km ?

Cheers

Wood

[IMHO]

Back to the 3.0 MuX, what would be the current Thai baht cost for running 100 km ?

Cheers

Wood

Diesel is now 19.x Baht/Litre, and it's fair to assume the 3.0L will average around 10KM/L in mixed driving, so expect around 200 Baht/100KM.

[Jitar]

The MU-X definitely has a 2WD mode because without a center diff, 4WD should only be used on loose or slippery surfaces.

Like most other Part time 4WD systems it has 2H, 4H and 4L.

2 Baht /km is about right as IMHO said. A little less on a gentle highway run.

[wood]

Back to the 3.0 MuX, what would be the current Thai baht cost for running 100 km ?

Cheers

Wood

Diesel is now 19.x Baht/Litre, and it's fair to assume the 3.0L will average around 10KM/L in mixed driving, so expect around 200 Baht/100KM.

Thanks for that IMHO, for comparison purposes, the G Wagon is currenty costing me circa 650 baht per 100/km, thats with the cost of diesel coming down over here by 15 baht per litre over the last 12 months.

FYI - In the UK diesel can be bought for £1 per litre ( about 52 baht per litre).

Cheers

Wood.

[wood]

The MU-X definitely has a 2WD mode because without a center diff, 4WD should only be used on loose or slippery surfaces.

Like most other Part time 4WD systems it has 2H, 4H and 4L.

2 Baht /km is about right as IMHO said. A little less on a gentle highway run.

That makes sense Jitar,

on all the pictures and brochures I have found, I can not see any sign of a dial wheel or button of any sort to activate 4WD, hence my question asking if it is permanent 4 WD.

Would you have a picture to show this button for 4WD activation ?

FYI - on the G Wagon, it is permanent 4WD with a central Hi/Lo transfer case with differential and lock, plus lockable diffs on the front and rear axles.

Cheers

Wood

[Jitar]

The Isuzu Australia MU-X site has a picture of the 4WD "Terrain Command" switch.

https://www.isuzuute.com.au/mu-x/performance.aspx

The Fortuner and PJS are similar to your G Wagon, Permanent 4WD with low range but they only have a center diff lock and no axle diff locks like the early Land Rover 110 and Range Rover). The PJS center diff uses a viscous coupling while the Fortuner used a Torsen center diff.

The PJS system also allows 2WD like part time systems. Personally I found no significant difference in fuel consumption between the PJS in 2WD and 4WD or the Fortuner so I doubt the 2WD mode helps much but YMMV.

Constant 4WD is a nice feature to have on and off road in the wet season here, but not essential. Part time 4WD is fine off road.

Axle diff locks are rare on Thai SUVs. Traction control on some of the newer models may help, depending on how it is set up.

[wood]

That's clear now Jitar, thanks for going to the trouble to respond.

I have a good list to view off the web now, but they are all 2wd models.

Struggling to find a used 4wd model in white ??

Cheers

Wood