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Car Upgrades

Posted: January 17, 2019, 8:26 pm
by jackspratt
Has anyone done either/both of the following upgrades, or aware of a shop(s) in Udon which can do same:

- supply and/or fit aftermarket cruise control to automatic sedan, with drive by wire throttle

- supply and/or fit upgraded head unit with touch screen, navigation, bluetooth etc etc

Thanks

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 8:20 am
by saint
What car are you talking about Jack ? Some already are drive by wire .
The upgrade for head unit should not be a problem , but again what vehicle .

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 8:55 am
by jackspratt
The car is a 2012 Honda City auto. From my research, it appears to be DBW already.

I was looking at getting something new, but figure I could get the features I want by the above upgrades, and hopefully the Oz$ will improve over the next couple of years.

Cheers

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 10:25 am
by saint
O K ,The head unit upgrade should not be a problem , any bigger I C E shop in Udon should have a touch screen upgrade , or certainly get one in a few days .
Cruise control maybe harder , If they did , or do cruise control on any City or Jazz then it should be quite easy , but i would think expensive , depending on how much electronics and how many sensors they have to change .
I have cruise control , and have had it on many past vehicles , and the only time ive ever used it was to check it still functioned .
Never an option i would choose given a choice .

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 10:34 am
by timmy
did,nt know you could add a aftermarket cruise control to your car , I too would be interested to know anywhere in Udon that can fit 1 to the car ...
also I have a touch screen entertainment system in my car ( chevy sonic ltz 2015 ) can you get aftermarket " sat nav "
to work through the car touch screen . thanks

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 10:45 am
by sometimewoodworker
saint wrote:
January 18, 2019, 10:25 am
I have cruise control , and have had it on many past vehicles , and the only time ive ever used it was to check it still functioned .
Never an option i would choose given a choice .
Have any of them been the adaptive CC version?

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 11:21 am
by saint
sometimewoodworker wrote:
January 18, 2019, 10:45 am
saint wrote:
January 18, 2019, 10:25 am
I have cruise control , and have had it on many past vehicles , and the only time ive ever used it was to check it still functioned .
Never an option i would choose given a choice .
Have any of them been the adaptive CC version?
No . Still an option i wouldnt choose given a choice . Unfortunately many times you dont get the choice , they just lump it in with the other goodies on high spec vehicles these days . :(

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 2:30 pm
by jackspratt
It seems that vehicles with drive by wire (eg my car) may be able to use a far simpler "plug and play" aftermarket system ie without the complex under the bonnet mechanical changes required with a cable throttle system.

For example, Kit #250-1877 in the following link shows a kit for a 2008-2012 Honda Fit, which was the US name for the Jazz. It evens includes a .pdf instruction manual.

http://www.rostra.com/custom-pedal-inte ... hp#2501877

Worth investigating further.

ps I would get plenty of use out of a CC unit, just for driving from Ban Dung into Udon, and even more particularly on the long drives to visit relatives in and around Chonburi.

EDIT: Rostra unit apparently available through eBay (approx TBH9500 landed, not including import taxes; and Amazon, though doesn't ship to Thailand ie need to re-ship from US address).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rostra-250-187 ... 1218654275

https://www.amazon.com/Rostra-250-1877- ... a+250-1877

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 8:18 pm
by sometimewoodworker
jackspratt wrote:
January 18, 2019, 2:30 pm

ps I would get plenty of use out of a CC unit, just for driving from Ban Dung into Udon, and even more particularly on the long drives to visit relatives in and around Chonburi.
I wonder if you have used the standard cruise control? I as because on a recent visit to the UK I had my first experience and after that I think rather like @saint not something that would get used often or at all here. I used to think it was a great idea.

In the daytime it was less than useful, and felt dangerous, only at about 2am with empty roads was it any good.

I haven't yet tried adaptive cruise control, I think that it may make it useful even in the daytime.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 9:44 pm
by jackspratt
Yes, I am quite experienced and comfortable with using CC. My last 3 cars in Australia all had CC, and it was one of the first things I was looking for in the 2 new vehicles I have purchased in Thailand.

Unfortunately, for CC both vehicles would have required almost top of the range, which I wasn't willing to pay.

As an indication, I have been looking at a Mazda 2 here, for which I would have to pay TBH670,000 for the lowest model with CC. That is about A$30,000 - the same model, with a lot more inclusions (eg air bags etc) would cost about A$20k in Oz, and it is also made in Thailand. :shock:

I was happy to buy the Mazda, except for the fact that it is demonstrably smaller than my current Honda City.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 18, 2019, 10:20 pm
by sometimewoodworker
jackspratt wrote:
January 18, 2019, 9:44 pm
Yes, I am quite experienced and comfortable with using CC. My last 3 cars in Australia all had CC, and it was one of the first things I was looking for in the 2 new vehicles I have purchased in Thailand.

Unfortunately, for CC both vehicles would have required almost top of the range, which I wasn't willing to pay.

As an indication, I have been looking at a Mazda 2 here, for which I would have to pay TBH670,000 for the lowest model with CC. That is about A$30,000 - the same model, with a lot more inclusions (eg air bags etc) would cost about A$20k in Oz, and it is also made in Thailand. :shock:

I was happy to buy the Mazda, except for the fact that it is demonstrably smaller than my current Honda City.
I was just wondering due to my extremely limited experience about standard CC.

Personaly I don't think that there is much point in making price comparisons, specification comparisons, negotiation ways etc with other markets in cars, as Thailand almost always suffers and it's depressing to look over the fence and you either buy the spec you want at the price they sell or don't get the spec.

I would probably not retrofit CC as it certainly voids any warrantee and I don't have the automotive knowledge to be sure that it's safe. If you do good luck and a report will make interesting vicarious reading.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 19, 2019, 9:56 am
by saint
I can understand having C C in Oz or the states . Long , straight , empty roads and all that , but here and the U k a complete waste of time .
No sooner as youve set it , some idiot pulls out in front of you , brakes for no apparent reason , and the like , and your forever messing with it .
Each to their own i guess .
Good luck in your quest though Jack .

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 19, 2019, 10:04 am
by jackspratt
Thanks saint - I will update this thread as things progress.

Although I am getting some pushback from the Mrs, who would rather get a new car. ;)

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 19, 2019, 11:41 am
by minimiglia
Cruise control is so useful would never buy a car without it, those who cannot use it need to look at their driveing proficiency.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 19, 2019, 12:08 pm
by sometimewoodworker
minimiglia wrote:
January 19, 2019, 11:41 am
Cruise control is so useful would never buy a car without it, those who cannot use it need to look at their driveing proficiency.
:lol: 555555555 :lol: :lol: :lol:

Though certainly if you can't use CC usually shouldn't drive.
But on the vast majority of roads and times I drive I would be partly brain dead to use standard CC. My next car comes standard with adaptive CC so I hope that will make a virtually useless feature into a must have.

You seem to drive on roads I've never driven or at times I don't drive.

However each driver uses the tech they like if they have, or can get, it.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 19, 2019, 12:50 pm
by fantom
Jack, in March 2018 we paid THB609K for Suzuki New Swift auto with cruise control - you are welcome to come and see it. For extra 20K we could have had "Navi" model with 7inch touchscreen. Cheers, Tom (not dead yet)

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 19, 2019, 3:12 pm
by saint
minimiglia wrote:
January 19, 2019, 11:41 am
Cruise control is so useful would never buy a car without it, those who cannot use it need to look at their driveing proficiency.
Really , whatever . Its not a case of not being able to use it , its simply i do not like using it . To me its just a hiso gimmick that is next to useless . I prefer the feel through my right foot , i mean its not exactly stressful using the accelerater pedal , is it ?
I suppose your one of those people that if its fitted , its another toy you must play with. :roll:

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: January 20, 2019, 7:16 am
by minimiglia
No not a gimmick it is much more relaxing to be able to move your feet/legs and be comfortable, all my cars for the past 20 plus years have had it. It certainly not a gimmick.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: February 1, 2019, 1:38 pm
by jackspratt
As promised, an update.

After-market cruise control ordered from the US, and will be hand carried by a BD local who is working in the US at the moment.

I have ditched the retro-fitted head unit idea. After a bit more thought and investigation I have discovered that I can get almost the same effect by utilising an unused Nexus 7 android tablet (7 inch), together with an appropriate dash-mounted cradle/bracket, and a 2A power outlet from the cigarette lighter- all for less than TBH1000. Easily removed when not in use.

Now just looking at the required apps to put on the tablet.

Re: Car Upgrades

Posted: February 1, 2019, 3:05 pm
by saint
Thanks Jack .