kanook Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I am looking to purchase a new small car, but am surprised that my preferred option (Mazda 2) is not available with a manual transmission. I have looked at Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta and told they are not offerred with a manual transmission. Two cars that I liked less; Nissan March and Misubishi Mirage can be bought in standard trim with a manual. Test drove the March (automatic) and it was a slug compared to a Micra I drove in Europe 6 months ago with the same engine. I know many of you follow the Thai market closely and may have insight into other options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denim Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 If you could put up with a nearly new second hand car, say 3 years old , you could find a Yaris with manual transmission. Plenty on www.one2car.com . Other than that the new restyled version of the Mirage looks a whole lot better than the older one but you might have to wait a while for delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseTheBass Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Fiesta 4 door has a manual, Suzuki Swift has a couple of manual options. I wouldn't touch any of the other small cars here with a barge pole, manual or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanook Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 Fiesta 4 door has a manual, Suzuki Swift has a couple of manual options. I wouldn't touch any of the other small cars here with a barge pole, manual or not. Thanks JaseTheBass, the manager of the Ford dealership in Chiang Rai told me none of the Ford cars are available with a manual. I asked him twice, are you sure? and he said, no manual. Not sure what is happening here, but I do know that the Mazda 2 had a manual option for 2015 in the four door and thought maybe Ford is going down the same road as Toyota, Honda and Mazda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanook Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 If you could put up with a nearly new second hand car, say 3 years old , you could find a Yaris with manual transmission. Plenty on www.one2car.com . Other than that the new restyled version of the Mirage looks a whole lot better than the older one but you might have to wait a while for delivery. I definitely don't have a problem with a used car in my home country. My concerns here are the lack of depreciation, and whether the car was in an accident or maybe had the odometer rolled back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007cableguy Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I had a Manual Mazda 2 it was a great little motor and fun to drive, The only problem with manual is not easy to resell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rixalex Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Concerning the March being a slug... perhaps you need to try driving the manual version. I have an Almera which uses the same engine and whilst it's not fast, nor is it slow - certainly not anyway in comparison with other 1.2 ecocars. Four years of ownership and 70k on the clock and it has been faultless. Great fuel economy too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I would try to get more details on the Mazda 2. If I understand right, it is a 6 speed automatic with manual mode. That is great value for a small car! http://www.mazda.com/en/innovation/technology/skyactiv/skyactiv-drive/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearpolar Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Concerning the March being a slug... perhaps you need to try driving the manual version. I have an Almera which uses the same engine and whilst it's not fast, nor is it slow - certainly not anyway in comparison with other 1.2 ecocars. Four years of ownership and 70k on the clock and it has been faultless. Great fuel economy too. that's because you arent stuck behind yourself in traffic, looking at the car in front of the damn nissan almera getting over 200m away at the redlight before you manage to cross the intersection, knowing that 20 people behind you could of crossed before the next red light if you had had a working engine and not a bunch of bunnies spinning plastic wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardokano Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 If you could put up with a nearly new second hand car, say 3 years old , you could find a Yaris with manual transmission. Plenty on www.one2car.com . Other than that the new restyled version of the Mirage looks a whole lot better than the older one but you might have to wait a while for delivery. I definitely don't have a problem with a used car in my home country. My concerns here are the lack of depreciation, and whether the car was in an accident or maybe had the odometer rolled back.Not this is way look. 1-3 year old almast on guaranty. So almast people use dialer service. So can look history in service book. Vut have another problem: 1. 1-3 year used Toyta price not go far from new. 2. Thailand people almast not so much care about car. So its can be not realy clean inside and can so many scrach outside. So do not see big reason buy second hand Toyota. Good luck in any car you choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavisH Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I have the auto swift 91hp. The manual version is faster. Honda jazz has a manual 555k baht i think 117hp and 4 wheel discs and two airbags on that one. If i was looking for a 1.5 mt that would br it. Lots of space in it. Vios also has a mt version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rixalex Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Concerning the March being a slug... perhaps you need to try driving the manual version. I have an Almera which uses the same engine and whilst it's not fast, nor is it slow - certainly not anyway in comparison with other 1.2 ecocars. Four years of ownership and 70k on the clock and it has been faultless. Great fuel economy too. that's because you arent stuck behind yourself in traffic, looking at the car in front of the damn nissan almera getting over 200m away at the redlight before you manage to cross the intersection, knowing that 20 people behind you could of crossed before the next red light if you had had a working engine and not a bunch of bunnies spinning plastic wheels. If you are getting stuck behind a car at the traffic lights these days it generally means one of three things, 1) you are not long past puberty and believe that all your traffic light drive-offs must be approached as if starting a formula one race, 2) you drive a supercar, 3) you are behind a slow driver - plenty of those about of course. Slow cars though?... slow to the point of not being able to keep up with normal driving speeds and to the point of holding up queues of traffic - they don't really exist. They used to when there were things like the 2CV and cars of that ilk on the road, but not now. I speak as someone who has driven most things up to the Teana and the Fortuner. And as said, i also speak as someone who has driven the Almera 70,000 kms. If that doesn't qualify me as knowing what i am talking about with the car, nothing will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavisH Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I leave most thai drivers in the dust at the lights. And i'm certainly no boy racer these days. Just moderate acceleration. Most drivers here are extremely slow leaving a set of lights. Probably they are expecting so idiot driver to jump the red light on the other side. That happens a lot. Certainly most of the modern ecocars are more than adequate for driving around town and geting up to 100kmh. Even driving at 130 to 140 is no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearpolar Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I have yet to see a non aesthetically moded vios or an almera actually moving at a reasonable speed from 0 anywhere. These 2 cars are always holding up traffic. Many farang in those almeras and just as slow as any thais in them. When i see one of these 2 cars at the front of a line, i usually pass them and park myself in front and 100% of the time a few seconds after the light turned green im far awaym without reving above 2000rpm, with them not being seen anywhere in my mirrors. I then get to pass the next few lights on the green while them, the slow motorbikes and the people stuck behind are getting redlight after redlight.. all that without having to go above 60-70kph or earing the engine rev much. These cars are either unable to accelerate or the people chosing almeras have a problem up in the samong, you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rixalex Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace of Pop Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Honda City Base Model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseTheBass Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Fiesta 4 door has a manual, Suzuki Swift has a couple of manual options. I wouldn't touch any of the other small cars here with a barge pole, manual or not. Thanks JaseTheBass, the manager of the Ford dealership in Chiang Rai told me none of the Ford cars are available with a manual. I asked him twice, are you sure? and he said, no manual. Not sure what is happening here, but I do know that the Mazda 2 had a manual option for 2015 in the four door and thought maybe Ford is going down the same road as Toyota, Honda and Mazda.The last time I looked on the Ford website they did them. Maybe they're not available anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace of Pop Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 P.S. Its 125 BHP, E85, and is faster then all the clonkin smelly SUV and Truck tings at only 550 K Bht, best value out there imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rixalex Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Fiesta 4 door has a manual, Suzuki Swift has a couple of manual options. I wouldn't touch any of the other small cars here with a barge pole, manual or not. Thanks JaseTheBass, the manager of the Ford dealership in Chiang Rai told me none of the Ford cars are available with a manual. I asked him twice, are you sure? and he said, no manual. Not sure what is happening here, but I do know that the Mazda 2 had a manual option for 2015 in the four door and thought maybe Ford is going down the same road as Toyota, Honda and Mazda.The last time I looked on the Ford website they did them. Maybe they're not available anymore. I think the moral of the story is don't believe what the sales people tell you. I went to my local Ford dealer a week or two back asking about the four door Fiesta Ecoboost, to be told that such a car wasn't sold...never existed. Thought i must have been losing my mind. Went home and checked on the Ford Thailand website. Nothing wrong with my mind it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RigPig Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I've owned a Proton Saavy for 6 years no complaints, it is what it is. Renault motor and gearbox, chassis by Lotus..... 450,000 with ALL extras including a full set of low profile wider mags including a full size spare. DON'T get the Auto Manual version... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearpolar Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 wow, 6 seconds to get to 40kph while floring it.. no wonder when people just accelerate normally it takes them 20-25 seconds to get to 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stupi Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Why on earth would anybody want a manual car in 2016. The sooner they are completely off the market, the better. The automatic transmissions are so good these days and many models now come out with semi manual, also a bonus. Try the MG3 it is MAGIC ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPI Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I bought a "SonicLT" nearly 4 years ago and have never regretted the decision. Manual transmission works really well, although with 4 up and the A/c going flat chat you have to work 3rd and 2nd gear on some hills! With the A/c off and just with two people it goes like a little rocket, as good as some V8's I've owned! It was a slug when I first bought it, ate petrol and had firm thoughts of setting it on fire for the insurance! Chev came out with a new chip and WOW! what a difference! THB 600,000 is a good deal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartman Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I've owned a Proton Saavy for 6 years no complaints, it is what it is. Renault motor and gearbox, chassis by Lotus..... 450,000 with ALL extras including a full set of low profile wider mags including a full size spare. DON'T get the Auto Manual version... Nice early manuals now under 100,000 Baht so good runabout . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Why on earth would anybody want a manual car in 2016. People who like to drive - that is who. People who want to sit back and turn the steering wheel buy autos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearpolar Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 the paddle ship on autos is nothing like manual.. first thing is it downshifts you by itself.. second you cant move to second speed often before 20kph.. so when you're driving a 6-7speeder with the paddles, you often have no idea in what speed you are because it changes them automatically, really annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 i think all the honda's come with manual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seedy Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Troll / Flaming post Removed Keep the Personal Attacks off the Forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerome2 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Almera nissan very good but no ABS for manual when we bought it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanook Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 Honda City Base Model. Thanks, Ace of Pop, 125 bhp and the price means I will definitely take a long look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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