Moving to Thailand mid next year 2019, with my wife and 2 kids. I've got all the advices i needed for visa and now i'm looking your expertise on buying cars in thailand.

 

My budget is somewhat 250-400K. 

 

I'd like to pay in credit with 7 years installment but full payment is okay too as long as still within my initial budget.

 

Family cars are must (MUV, SUV, MPV, etc) with at least 7-seater and/or 5-seater but cabin able to contain 2-3 XL sized briefcases.

 

Do i get brand new or second hand?

 

We'll likely to travel long distance quote often (figure about 800-1500KM per week, Bangkok - North)

 

Fuel-efficiency would tremendously help to reduce my travel expense. (Any particular brands to look for?)

 

Shall i get brand new car, what documents must i posses at the time of making the deal? How long before i am given the registered book under my name/wife's name?

 

Shall i get second hand car, what do i need to pay attention closely to? Mileage? Sound of machine? What do i need to change before leaving the dealer? Battery? Oil? Etc?

 

Any advices are greately appreciated. If any expats/locals want to sell their own car that fit most of criterias above, please dont hesitate to make me an offer.

 

So far my google-candidate list are Toyota Avansa, Honda BR-V (or HR-V, god i dont know the different between the twos), Suzuki APV, Isuzu MU-X (or MU-7 whichever comes cheaper), Pajero??, Fortuner???,..  something alikes.

 

Thanks

 

 

Reckon you gotta up the wonga...

New car for 400K? tell him he's dreamin'.

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

New car for 400K? tell him he's dreamin'.

A micro car for 400k but a 7 seater, Pajero? Fortuner?

Triple the budget for a new car and you get close.

 

Even a proper 2nd hand will be hard to find.

It is an often discussed phenomenon that used cars are relatively expensive.

Just now, KhunBENQ said:

A micro car for 400k but a 7 seater, Pajero? Fortuner?

Triple the budget for a new car and you get close.

 

Even a proper 2nd hand will be hard to find.

It is an often discussed phenomenon that used cars are relatively expensive.

I was responding to his wish for an SUV or people mover with a maximum of 400K to spend. Might get something fairly old and tired for that kind of money.

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

A micro car for 400k but a 7 seater, Pajero? Fortuner?

Triple the budget for a new car and you get close.

 

Even a proper 2nd hand will be hard to find.

It is an often discussed phenomenon that used cars are relatively expensive.

Used cars are expensive here because it's a rigged market.

Just now, Lacessit said:

Used cars are expensive here because it's a rigged market.

But you lose a lot less in depreciation.

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

I was responding to his wish for an SUV or people mover with a maximum of 400K to spend. Might get something fairly old and tired for that kind of money.

Agree, I was responding to the topic starter.

250k is a joke, 400k some worn out SUV or so.

 

Approx prices in million Baht:

 

Fortuner 1.24 to 1.75

Honda HRV 0.993 to 1.1

Isuzu MU-X 1.04 to 1.42

 

https://www.zigwheels.co.th/en/new-cars/best-suv

A used Toyota Avanza is probably the OP's best bet. Although he may need up to 500K  for a reasonable one.

Toyotas have the advantage of being reliable, and nearly every mechanic in Thailand knows how to work on them. Boring as a expat on a barstool, but that's what you get.

8 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Agree, I was responding to the topic starter.

250k is a joke, 400k some worn out SUV or so.

 

....Or tuk tuk....

30 minutes ago, giddyup said:

But you lose a lot less in depreciation.

True. However, the fact you can buy just about any brand manufactured here in Thailand in Australia for about 20% less, with more safety features and options to boot, says it all. Not to mention the 100% tax on imported vehicles - so much for free trade.

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

True. However, the fact you can buy just about any brand manufactured here in Thailand in Australia for about 20% less, with more safety features and options to boot, says it all. Not to mention the 100% tax on imported vehicles - so much for free trade.

Accept it, can't change it.

Just now, giddyup said:

Accept it, can't change it.

I do.

I assume (ASS-U-ME) that if OP can post here then he should know how to search on internet using Google or other search engines?  Using "Honda Thailand" or "used car Thailand" on Chrome browser with translate feature can give him some ideas about car pricing in Thailand and whether any NEW car with his desired specs would (NOT) be  within his budget and what secondary market value for not-new vehicles would be.

1 minute ago, HidyHo said:

I assume (ASS-U-ME) that if OP can post here then he should know how to search on internet using Google or other search engines?  Using "Honda Thailand" or "used car Thailand" on Chrome browser with translate feature can give him some ideas about car pricing in Thailand and whether any NEW car with his desired specs would (NOT) be  within his budget and what secondary market value for not-new vehicles would be.

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

A used Toyota Avanza is probably the OP's best bet. Although he may need up to 500K  for a reasonable one.

Toyotas have the advantage of being reliable, and nearly every mechanic in Thailand knows how to work on them. Boring as a expat on a barstool, but that's what you get.

Best bet 

A friend just traded one in 6 yr old very good condition low KM's 

Traded in for new Ford at a dealer & got 350,000 bht 

The budget is dropping rapidly, maybe best wait until the ducks are lined up before buying tickets.

 

 

 

 

31 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Best bet 

A friend just traded one in 6 yr old very good condition low KM's 

Traded in for new Ford at a dealer & got 350,000 bht 

This is not what the trade-in would sell for by the dealer.  I'm surprised anyone got 350,000 for a 6 year old Avanza.....seems more like that would be a retail sales price.  At any rate, one couldn't buy much for 400K in reality.    Perhaps the OP was thinking of a down-payment of 400K.

 

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

A used Toyota Avanza is probably the OP's best bet. Although he may need up to 500K  for a reasonable one.

Toyotas have the advantage of being reliable, and nearly every mechanic in Thailand knows how to work on them. Boring as a expat on a barstool, but that's what you get.

Agree. Another good choice mighr be a Honda BR-V, if you can find one a few years old. Seven seats, good fuel economy. I just finished a new car search. I was impressed with the Hondas, but beyond my budget for new.

The subject of this thread is "recommend" me, not "mock" me.

 

Just to clarify few points because OBVIOUSLY some members just wanted to mock and not even bother reading past the 3rd sentence:

 

0. I knew i should have put ";". Do i get; a new car or second hand car? Someone has stated how second hand cars market is pretty rigged. So there's my answer.

 

1. 250-400K, never once i said this is for NEW CAR. I've specifically wrote about installment on the 4th paragraph or 5th paragraph BUT some of members decided to be such child and stop reading on the first 10sec upon arrival on this thread.

 

2. Yes, i used Google, www.one2car.com, and personally checked each manufacture websites. I got their prices noted down. However, NONE of the websites mentioned anything about fuel consumption and/or the length it takes to finish off the registration book to reach my hand. (Yes, that's why i asked here AND again, nobody read until such point). I am confident that i posted this thread on the right section, am i? 

 

3. I really appreciated for mature answers from other members too. I realize not everyone has the answer for all questions that were asked. Sometime it is easier to mock somebody based on the first 2-3 lines rather than answering such difficult questions.

 

4. Note the "????" after i wrote Pajero & Fortuner. That should briefly explains my "sarcasm". I did read the brand of MG which offers similar model as those expensive SUV, but at half the price. However, i have no idea what company that is and how reliable their cars are. My best bet was made-in-China cars. 

 

5. For a second there, i thought i was at gaming forum. Some replies were identical to those at gaming forums. I cant even comprehend how anyone could immediately assume such budget for a new car. At least someone got the word "tuk tuk" there.

Was a bit confusing, but I was under the impression OP meant the budget was for the initial payment, and then would pay the monthly payments over 7 years. 

7 minutes ago, arfandy said:

1. 250-400K, never once i said this is for NEW CAR. I've specifically wrote about installment on the 4th paragraph or 5th paragraph BUT some of members decided to be such child and stop reading on the first 10sec upon arrival on this thread.

Not sure if English is your native language but I suggest you read your OP again. When you say your budget is X then that is what you are going to spend.

Nowhere did you say it was a deposit and the rest would be on instalments although @wildewillie89 managed to apparently make the deduction - good for him.

 

As to ?????????? meaning sarcasm it is pretty obvious nobody got that and I have never heard of it meaning that.

 

You may now get some sensible answers but you only have yourself to blame if you don't 

Try this site for prices... https://www.zigwheels.co.th/en

But the cheapest SUV starts at ฿679,000 new

You might be able to pick up an older Volvo Estate for that money. As I recall some of them had an extra two rear facing seats that popped up in the rear loading bay.

 

Look on rod.kaidee.com

You can get a small ECO car like Nissan March for under 400k new. They are great city cars and do not use a lot of gas , E20 . But not suited for big families, max 4 people .

Or just buy a second hand Toyota Vius .

 

 

14 minutes ago, topt said:

Not sure if English is your native language but I suggest you read your OP again. When you say your budget is X then that is what you are going to spend.

Nowhere did you say it was a deposit and the rest would be on instalments although @wildewillie89 managed to apparently make the deduction - good for him.

 

As to ?????????? meaning sarcasm it is pretty obvious nobody got that and I have never heard of it meaning that.

 

You may now get some sensible answers but you only have yourself to blame if you don't 

English is not my native language. I did say "budget" because that how much i can take travel with me without having to deal with those officials at airport. I wasnt sure whether to get brand new car OR second hand car. Hence i thought the use of word "budget" should also be sufficient. And I would've used the word deposit had i was sure about getting brand new car (i didnt know the rigged pratice of 2nd hand car market until someone mentioned here). 

 

Other than "???" to convey my sarcasm Pajero & Fortuner, i have no idea what symbols could i use. And even having the symbols "???" right next to these expensive SUV models, obviously people were still assuming i was being dead serious.

 

I did get some sensible answers.

5 minutes ago, balo said:

You can get a small ECO car like Nissan March for under 400k new. They are great city cars and do not use a lot of gas , E20 . But not suited for big families, max 4 people .

Or just buy a second hand Toyota Vius .

 

 

I've read of this Nissan March and how it receives most Eco-Friendly award in 2017. Any idea how big the cabin is? My greatest concern is to take with me few XL briefcases whenever i travel long distance. Passengers-wise, likely just 3 adults and 2 kids at most. Everything else is great and perfect about Nissan March. 

 

I just need to check out the fact how big the cabin is and how fast can this car speed up in highway? And whether this car can handle uphill road with full passengers on board? I live in North, likely most road are up & down, with plenty of curves.

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

New car for 400K? tell him he's dreamin'.

 

 

I think some cars are within that range.

 

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

I think some cars are within that range.

 

 

 

 

Not SUV's or people movers aren't, and that's what he was looking for.