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Owning a car in Thailand


asiafun

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I have got a few friends who live out in the provinces that swear by beaters (old banged up cars) or pick up trucks. I could see having an SUV especially if I spent any real time in the sticks. What would be most practical in a city like BKK though? I am thinking a used car. Also how difficult is it to get an import?

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Given that cars do not devalue in price fast in Thailand like they do in the West, then a new car is a real option. And with high petrol prices, you probably want something economical. Something like a Honda Jazz would be a very reliable, economical car. Also, it is small and easy to park.

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Stick,

Jazz, not much room for 6 footers !

Some cars drop like a rock, those people that buy odd ball (here anyway) brands get hit hard.

In 04 brought a Volvo 01 with 80K, has reasonable room and 200Hp was immaculate till my kids started picking the upholstery to bits. 620,000 baht and new price was about 2.2 million, so that was a fair hit over 3 and a bit years. Like every car I have brought in Thailand it gets bugger all use, only upcountry trips, weekends in Pattaya and a drive to the Lotus carpark to get us to the skytrain. When you look at the fixed expenses it cost me about 23 baht a kilometer to run over the 10k a year I use it. My Vigo pickup costs half that per Km. Less depreciation, much cheaper insurance and regisitration, less fuel use.

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Can you name a Thai car company? You can answer your own question. Yes, some cars are manufactured or assembled here but they are still imports legally (exception being some pick-ups)...

 

So you live in a city with gridlock and a severe shortgage or parking and just road space allocation in general. You have many things other than cars that share road space designed for cars. You want to know wht size car to get? Again, you have to answer your own question..

 

As to the honda jazz, only cute young thai girls are allowed to drive. Jazz is good for the girl and the dog to motor around town and congested areas, but not ideal for those highways and country roads when a semi, pick-up truck with the McCoy family in the back or a drunk on a honda wave is bearing down on you.. That is when you need to have a Road Warrior type of car.....

 

CB

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