What do you drive?

[SamplerDoc]

I own a POC and a POS

[Ladyboy_Loser!]

In Thailand, a Toyota Vigo Pickup 4x4 G Model and a Yamaha Nuevo MX. In California a Subaru WRX Wagon and a Suzuki Burgman 400 Motorscooter. Lots of toys to keep me sane and happy.

[nigel69]

always been a Ferrari fan and have owned various models since the early 90's.Also have a BMW M3 Convertible, in case there are more than 2 of us.
Petrol head and sex pervert, vrooom, vrooom.
This is my latest baby.

[mardhi]

Mate fo mine has an M5 in Thailand. Thing stays in the garage most of the time and he drives a regular car most of the time. he reckons he has been through countless tyres and alloy wheels with the poor state of the roads in Thailand. Great car, but with the condition of the roads, you must expect huge upkeep costs ontop of insane pricing due to tax (and greed) reasons.

I have looked many times at BMW's and always decided against here for the simple reason they are a total rip-off. Best example is a Mini. Sells in UK (Incl 17.5% VAT and extra car tax) for about 14-16000 GBP = about 800,000 -1,000,000 baht. despite having the smallest engine size under Thai tax rules, the selling price in Thailand is circa 2,900,000 baht - at least 1,000,000 baht of that is BMW being greedy on profit - the real 'import' price would be about 1,600,000 baht. Same with all BMW and Mercedes models and that includes the one's they build in Thailand which dont even have the same level of import tax applied

Is it any wonder that people buy Toyotas and Hondas by the bucketload here.

Cheers
Mardhi

[harley quinn]

The other thing about Toyotas is that they have this tendency to start in the mornings.

When I first became a free man I "invested" in a TVR as a second car. If anyone has seen that film with John Travolta and Halle Berry tearing through the strip in Vegas shooting everything that moves then you know the model I had (the car not Ms Berry).

The most unbelievable thing about this clip is that two TVRs kept going for more than five minutes. I funded a mechanic's kids through University until I saw sense.

Now I drive a boring Toyota and am planning to help to fund the Thai economy, at least the bit that struts across these pages.

[Guest]

So why are the Jap cars and bikes able to be sold so cheap compared to other foreign owned manufacturers especially when Merc & BMW have production on Thai soil ? Another Thai conundrum

[mardhi]

Its a deliberate strategy on certain premium marques part. Basically the more prestigious the car, then the higher the price. Its stagering that even a bog standard BMW 318 here costs 2,600,000 baht compared to a Honda Accord at 1,200,000 baht. Both are made here, both have same or similar tax structures (ok, maybe the BMW loses out a bit as unlikely to have 40% of the components sourced within Asean) but still makes no case for the price difference. Considering that in pretty much any other market around the world, these two cars are within 0-100,000 baht of each other - just leads me to think its blatant pricing abuse. Having said that - you can't really blame BMW - they initially pitched their cars about 20% cheaper than Mercedes Benz but could not close the huge gap Benz have in terms of 'desirability'. So everytime they upgrade a model, they have closed the gap. The new 5 series is now as expensive as the E Class and represented about a 25% increase over the old model.

To anybody outside of Thailand, they realise its just profiteering, however the average Thai see's it as a purely status thing. Hence Benz's success and continued domination of the premium car market in Thailand. This is certainly not a market where they are chasing volume, hence I suppose, they say, well we have go to make the profit figures so just rip off whatever idiot comes along and pays our ludicrous price.

Cheers
Mardhi

[Road Runner]

I see 4-8 cars recovered back to the UK every week.
50% of them are Landrovers 30% are BMWs. There is no other make that particularly stands out after that.
The only thing is after 10+ years I have only ever seen 2 Mazdas  -  the second one a few days ago.

So which two makes of car would I not buy?  

I drive a Skoda Octavia 2.0TDi.  It's got lots of go in the mid range.  Great for losing 3 series BMWs  

Herself has a Honda Jazz which she uses to great effect carving up Bangkok taxis    

RR.

[buttafly]

(mardhi @ Apr. 05 2007,13:32)    

I have looked many times at BMW's and always decided against   ....... and Mercedes models

Classic, these are 2 of the German-made status symbols I am always smoking on the highways around here!! I cruise by these people with my arrest-me-red Cadillac at 200Kmh and they just look sad and depressed that they wasted all that cash on something just so their hood ornament looks cool; Audi owners also, I really feel bad for those guys.

But fuck 'em they had their choice and blew it.... the only one I have seen or read about up here which puts my Detroit-made muscle car to shame is that Ferrari; wow, I am in the wrong business I guess!!

Nice rig..... Divertwo's H-D also.... if I lived in a warm-weather state I'd have one for sure.

It snowed 8 inches here last night and it's April!! WTF??

[allstar88]

(allstar88 @ Apr. 05 2007,06:15) toyota yaris

my other cars a porsche  

[buttafly]

Porsche is cool..I like the 929 models best but I think they are out of style now!!

[Guest]

I always thouught it was silly to spend a whole shit load of cash on a car as a status symbol. Maybe its because I never had a shit load of money.... I hahve only had about 5 cars in my life and I have never bouught a new one. with my job i drive only aabout 5k miles/year as its always at the airport when i am out on a trip. Right now i havae a 2002 Saturn SL1 (4 door). BTW I havent had a car payment in about 3 years. Comes in handy when youu work in the fucked up airline industry and haave taken a 35% pay cut in the last few years.

i wouold have thought a guy like Buttahfly would have something like an old 1985 Olds or someting like that......

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

[allstar88]

(buttafly @ Apr. 05 2007,23:17) Porsche is cool..I like the 929 models best but I think they are out of style now!!

[buttafly]

(BLUEBALLZ @ Apr. 06 2007,03:08)  
i wouold have thought a guy like Buttahfly would have something like an old 1985 Olds or someting like that......

wise ass!!

that is an '89 Buick for your information!! and YOU rode in it once so consider yourself lucky!!

That's still going by the way, my boy just took it to school ..... Dad upgraded to the Cadillac

coming back up my way sometime soon, BB??

[Guest]

coming your way?? nope. this month going to and from the left coast. I have the sfo and lax run this month. BTW I talked to the one and only Lotusman. he is still alive aand kicking and we might hvaae lunch when I am out his way.

BE CAAREFUL OUT THERE-ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN A 15 YEAR OLD BUICK!!!