buying a tuk tuk in Udon Thani - Samlor

[pmc]

better check on how my glasses are coming on.

[poocman]

hahahahah "Look wan Farang Farang he drive tuk tuk i bet the welds are creaking at the seams and his Wife she look so unhappy look she is now putting empty rice bag over her head " (Thai laughter) not that the Thai's are a judgemental group and all that . LOL

I agree 100%. Here, everything is about image, you just invite ridicule from the Thai's who just think you can't afford a car or you're a cheap charlie. When they smile at the misguided expat samlor owner and laugh they are taking the pi$$. You'll never pull a girl in a samlor.

I have found people that come here to live and are wanting to impress other People be it Thais or other falangs generally don't have a "pot to pi$$ in" it's all "posh frock and no knickers"... They like to feel they are better than the next man... Have a better car... have a nicer house... flash clothes... In reality they are the poorer man...
The People who don't go out to impress are generally much happy... confident... secure people financially and mentally....

[pmc]

VERY WELL PUT.

[martynsnowman]

I was hoping for a photo of the driver of that cheesy looking car, a few of us have bet running about the colour of his shoe's, we think white with long socks, and how big the gold chains are.

The cheesy car was a BMW M3 343 BHP 185 MPH (with the limiter removed) £60,000 new I dare say faster and more expensive than your purpose built Stannah stairlift .
Ok back to the OP get the Mr's to ask a Tuk Tuk taxi driver they may know someone prehaps a fellow Taxi worker who is selling one cheap just a thought all ways please to help .

i was being nice when i only said a bit yesterday , when a man of your age buys a car like that i realy think he,s sad old man trying to hold on to his youth , let it go and grow up ..... btw the starting price in this weeks autotrader for M3 ragtops are 3700 quid , i,d stick with a tuk,tuk .

[NongKhaiLee]

I am confused....wasn't the original question about where or how to buy a TukTuk ? Some people seem to think that it was "what do you think about me buying a TukTuk?"

I have driven a Daihatsu TukTuk for three years and love it, other than it is old and worn out. I have thrown five bags of cement in the back and several hundred Kilo's of steel on the top and driven our friends and family to the markets in it. Bring me a fancy convertible and I'll be happy to try the same...as long as it's not mine!

As far as what other people think...I have not done anything to intentionally offend them. I see some foreigners here act in a lot of ways and do a lot of things that made me ashamed to be a foreigner, but driving a TukTuk isn't one of them. I think our world would be a better place if everyone paid as much attention to what they looked like on the inside as they do to what they look like on the outside.

[wallylee]

Hi..I saw lots of them in Phuket awhile ago..Also they seem to be based on Daihatsu Hijet..
have a look at http://www.taladrod.com and also http://www.truck2hand.com they have a few Hijets on the sites.www.cars2hand.com
There was also a couple of the 3 wheeler types with Daihatsu engines.

Certainly a good vehicle to use for around the place.

Good hunting.

[davecryan]

Hi there udonites I was thinking of buying a tuk tuk but a BMW M3 took my fancy a few people may have seen me in mojo's and other drinking establishments

For some of our newer members, the driver is none other than the Mighty Chang..a well known troll, who kept us entertained for a few years.

Nice to see you Danny

[NongKhaiLee]

Went to AEk Pa Nit today,

NongKhai Style TukTuk (enclosed front, 660 cc Daihatsu engine, 5 speed transmission) is 121,000 baht. 30,000b is required down before they will start building it and it takes two months to finish.

They said that the TukTuk's being built in Na Ghae are built with the same drive trains (they are buying the parts from Aek Pa Nit) but that they build their own bodies and they are not quite as heavy duty...that's why the price difference.

[kopkei]

that is expensive , last year i also informed about this tuk tuk , the price was 95.000 baht...
looks like the price is dependable of the mood they are in ...
11years ago i bought same tuk tuk there and payed 65.000 baht,
the tuk tuk bangkok style i bought 5 years ago in ayutthaya , was 95.000 baht on gasoline and 120.000 with lpg...

[NongKhaiLee]

Yes...I agree, that is expensive. I am "regrouping" at the moment and reconsidering buying one. When I thought the price was around 3,000$ u.s. I was actually ready to buy one, even though it was expensive, but 4,000$ u.s. is quite a lot of money for what you get.
It appears they may be the only company that is making this style TukTuk, and that the little Samlor TukTuk's and Bangkok style TukTuk's have taken over the market, so that they have cut production back and upped the price. They also said that foreigners are buying many of the larger TukTuks they are building.

The price of a new one makes rebuilding my old one more of an option, the other choice would be to buy a newer model than mine second-hand and then rebuild it. Mine is so old that I have only seen one other like it here in NongKhai, and it was being used by a scrap recycler.

The price of the Na Ghae TukTuk's is appealing, but they don't appear to have quite as much "leg room" inside the bed, but I'm not sure...as I haven't seen one first hand yet.

[KHONDAHM]

I did the convertible, highly modified, custom sports car thing (which blew the doors off M3's and 911's, btw). Then I grew up, donated it to charity, and moved to Thailand. I'm heading out on my 2010 run-down looking samlor in a few minutes. Best vehicle I've ever owned - and I've owned plenty...

[JR]

Went to AEk Pa Nit today,

NongKhai Style TukTuk (enclosed front, 660 cc Daihatsu engine, 5 speed transmission) is 121,000 baht. 30,000b is required down before they will start building it and it takes two months to finish.

They said that the TukTuk's being built in Na Ghae are built with the same drive trains (they are buying the parts from Aek Pa Nit) but that they build their own bodies and they are not quite as heavy duty...that's why the price difference.

I believe the model with enclosed front and a flat floor for the driver has had that price for a couple of years. The other model with the same engine and transmission but with a bike-like driving position and a plexi glass screen is cheaper. It was 87.000 last year.

[NongKhaiLee]

I ordered the same TukTuk as Richard bought, from Ban Na Gae. The price quoted me was 85,000 baht, with a 5,000 baht deposit before they would begin to build it. Estimated time of delivery quoted was between one week and one month. They did say they could build me one of the enclosed front style TukTuks also, and quoted me a price of 130,000b. While I would really rather have the enclosed front version...and already drive a very old one, I can't see that it is worth the extra money. But who knows? Maybe I'll be singing a different tune after I drive the open-front version for a while!

[ting_tong]

an 850cc daihatsu tuktuk is for sale here:
http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/p ... ml#p308094

[NongKhaiLee]

We picked up our new TukTuk in Na Kae yesterday, rode the motorbike there from NongKhai then put it in the back of the TukTuk for the trip back. The TukTuk was actually faster than the motorbike.(Honda Wave 100)

The TukTukwas exactly as RichardRenu's Pictures show, as far as the power train goes even though it says "1400cc 5 speed" on a big sticker on the side the engine is a Daihatsu three cylinder 660cc coupled to a five speed transmission. It holds 70 kph easily, I didn't have enough guts to run it up as far as it would go but did hit 90 a couple of times.

As Richard had said the clutch and brake pedals are not exactly foreigner friendly, the trick is to get the clutch and brake adjustment at the point that you can operate them with the heels of your feet, leaving your toes up on the foot rest on the "highway bars". ( and eat a lot of bananas to avoid muscle cramps) I am still trying to figure out whether or not to move the pedals and highway bars forward or to move the seat backwards, or just live with it.

The final price was 84,000 just as Richard said also, by the way they did say that the TukTuk I bought was actually built by a shop in Nakhon Phanom...maybe the same one Richard had originally put a deposit down at?

Here are the downsides so far compared to the "enclosed front" tuktuk I also have:

Cramped clutch & brake pedal positions
No luggage rack
Manual brakes...not power assisted
a bit of agility required to climb up onto the drivers seat

But when compared to the price difference of 36,000b these things can be dealt with either by just getting used to them or living with them!

[kjellsnell]

Here and many options on second hand things all in Thailand...also new stuff can be find:

http://www.dealfish.co.th/c67-auto-vehicle/

Can be god to know

[tomtom4u]

i Have bought a sum lor or tuk tuk There!! Im Very Disappointed in the Chrome they applied!! They said you have a 3 moth Garantee but after 2 months is stated to rest out!! Plus the battery had to be replace in 6 months also i have a shaft driven tuk tuk the drive shaft had to be repaier 4 times at my expense!! then the carb ---- the bed!! i had to replace that at the cost and shipping to me all these parts i had to replace my self!! Even shifted the Engine back to them at my cost!! They dont back up there product!!

[tomtom4u]

I Have a Samlor from Udon Thai its shaft driven and have car rims the tire size is 4-50-12 i want to put Wider Tires on the rear say 205-50-12 i have car rims!! any comments?? also how can i change from 6 lug nuts to 4 lug nuts without changing the axeles?

[KHONDAHM]

Anyone buying a samlor should be buying for pleasure or utility, not for looks or expectation of it lasting through the stated warranty. That should be obvious after a good look at any non-taxi samlor. Taxis drivers tend to spend lots of downtime maintaining their money-maker and therefore are excepted.

The upside of my samlor is only I drive it. I (mildly) abuse it occasionally knowing it is dirt cheap to repair at the village mechanic's shop. I drop it off, tell him what I think has gone awry, then he fixes it and drops it off at my home. Excellent service everytime. A tire change, full inspection, adjustment of something or other here or there, and a good cleaning costs maybe THB 120. I'd think something "major" like a carb refurbish or change might be less than THB 300-500. A recent electrical inspection/adjustment and battery charge was THB 60.

Other reasons to own one for personal enjoyment include hayriding with the wife and kids around the village on lazy afternoons (my son LOVES that!). Effortlessly hauling 700 bagged red bricks from a somewhat distant supply store for the wife's latest busy-body landscaping project. I could list dozens more benefits.

In my opinion, it's the best vehicle for those who are not in a hurry to get anywhere, not looking to impress anyone, and loves to simply enjoy a lazy life and lifestyle in Thailand. Certainly, one should have a car, truck, or SUV for going places with the family; but for pretty much everything else, the samlor (not to be confused with a Tuk-Tuk) is absolutely the way to go.

[waanjai]

Anyone buying a samlor should be buying for pleasure or utility, not for looks or expectation ....

Very well formulated. And true for both samlors as well as the tuk tuks with engines above 500 ccl.
But the Media have always advertised the modern pick-ups. This now even means, that many a wife is rejecting to enter such vehicles as these would be somewhat for poor people only.
So the man's decision requires to have enough self-confidence and ability to convince the wife that is is really a fun thing.

I have the tuk tuk now over 4 years and I am being constantly asked by fellow male drivers of pick-ups in the parking area of Lotus/Tesco. They are at times astonished by the fact that I am just as happy with my tuk tuk as they might be - but at 10x higher prices. I then tell them that for all larger distances I take the airplane or rot tua. So they know I am not a cheap charley.