Buying New Car budget 500k to maximum 1 Million

[John9]

Please advice buying new car (preferably 4 wheel drive)  in maximum budget of THB 1 Million. Its only me driving but need safe car

on all roads reliable one. Please advice what documents I will need and which dealer to go to for highest discount for cash purchase.  Am on Retirement and live in Jomtien.

 

[FritsSikkink]

have a look here:

 

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

[KhunBENQ]

You live in Jomtien and prefer a 4 wheel drive?

Do you have plans to do serious off-road/dirt road driving?

 

I ask because 4WD will limit your choice and quickly reach the 1 mil. limit.

As far as I know you would be limited to 4WD pickups.

I doubt that an SUV type 4WD is available for that budget.

 

You live/drive alone, so why not stick to a proper sedan.

Endless choices within the 1 mil budget.

(Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Honda...)

500 k is at the lower end, subcompact, 4 cyl.

Reliable: our 13 year old Toyota VIOS and my 7 year old Mazda 2 never had any significant problems. Driving about 100'00 km with my Mazda 2 and was never troubled/stuck.

I take care for proper inspections of course.

 

The only argument for an off-road (high wheeler) are the occasional flooded streets in Pattaya/Jomtien which are not fun with a sedan.

 

Edited June 1, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[Jitar]

If you really need a 4WD car, not a pickup, a Subaru XV would be one choice around 1M Baht.   

Can't think of any other new cars under 1M Baht available with 4WD.  

 

Edited June 2, 2018 by Jitar

[cornishcarlos]

I agree with the above, do you really require 4x4 ?? I've never had 4x4 here and we have a couple plantations that I take the pickup in.. Just don't do it when it's too wet ?

Secondly, I don't think you will get much discount from any dealers for a cash purchase. They like you to take the credit option, as that is where they make commissions...

I'd be tempted with a Honda Jazz or Toyota Vios, if I was city living...

[Juan B Tong]

Wife wants an Almira, but is having separation anxiety regarding her beloved 1999 Honda City.

Mother in law is working on the best lucky day to buy.

[KittenKong]

I am retired in Jomtien and live alone. When I bought my vehicle I thought about 4WD but decided that I would probably never use it. So rather than waste money on that I just bought a high-end 2WD pickup with automatic transmission. There are many new ones available for around 800-900kB. A similar SUV would be around 200-300kB more.

It handles (mostly) like an SUV but doesnt have the extra seats that I dont need. It lacks some of the pointless (for me) "luxury" features that SUVs usually have, but it does have most of the ones that I want. More modern versions of the same vehicle have all the features I would want.

It does have extra space at the back that is sometimes useful for transporting large objects. I had a cover fitted to the flatbed in Bangkok (18,000B) to make it more like a normal vehicle.

The purchase price and yearly tax and insurance are all fairly low due to it being classed as a utility vehicle rather than a car.

It is very handy in floods, and when going over rough roads or tracks. I would not attempt to drive it off-track though.

It is very robust and is designed to carry much more weight than I ever put in it, so in theory it should last.

It is very powerful and does not slow down on hills.

It is comfortable in the front (I dont care what it's like in the back as I never sit there).

I climb up into the seat rather than fall down into it, which at my age is much nicer than being in a sedan. And I get a fairly good view when driving due to being a bit higher up. That would apply to an SUV also though.

I like to think that in an accident I may come off somewhat better than a car driver, though I hope never to put it to the test. Smaller vehicles tend to avoid mine.

As for the actual purchasing: I found all dealers in Pattaya/Jomtien to be uniformly useless. They had little or no stock and little or no desire to negotiate or even attempt to sell the vehicles. In the end I got quotes from Bangkok dealers and played them off against the local ones to get a discount/freebies, but it was a struggle. If buying again I would just go straight to Bangkok. Warranties are valid at all dealers and Bangkok dealers can arrange for the vehicle to be registered in Chonburi rather than Bangkok (though I'm told that in practice it makes little difference unless you want to sell the vehicle).

As for discounts, after much effort I got 20,000B off the quoted price, free insurance and a flat-bed liner from the manufacturer (both standard), and from the dealer I got free window film, free reversing camera (now standard), free mats, free spare wheel lock (I still lost the unused wheel within 12 months, though I never worked out how - was it stolen or did it just fall off?), various bits of trim, and a partial tank of diesel.

Edited June 2, 2018 by KittenKong

[superal]

I have heard of peoples cars / trucks being repossessed  by the banks because they were unable to make the monthly payments . So what happens to these vehicles , are they bought by dealers or go to auction houses ?  Do the banks sell to Joe public ?   I am conversant with the workings of UK auction houses but are the Thai the same ?

[HAKAPALITA]

8 minutes ago, superal said:

I have heard of peoples cars / trucks being repossessed  by the banks because they were unable to make the monthly payments . So what happens to these vehicles , are they bought by dealers or go to auction houses ?  Do the banks sell to Joe public ?   I am conversant with the workings of UK auction houses but are the Thai the same ?

Same worldwide, the owners/ lenders use all the outlets that suit them.

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

with automatic transmission.

Don't want to start another religious war, but yes automatic of course!

Especially for crowded traffic like in Pattaya.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[4MyEgo]

As others have said, forget the 4x4 if you rnot going to use it, and naturally the price climbs above the mil baht.

 

I ended up with a Ford Ranger 2.2, that was 2.6 years ago, was 835,000 baht, dealer took 35,000 baht off for a cash deal, free insurance, i.e. 80% of the value of the vehicle, that's all they covered me for, free tray lining, mats, tint to windows, although I had them done a year later with a stronger tint to my liking (6,000 baht) worth every baht as the sun doesn't burn me when I am driving now.

 

I put a lockable rear tray cover on it with auto rise button and it was painted to the same colour as the vehicle, i.e. white, as white reflects the sun, and personally can't understand for the life of me why people buy black as it absorbs the heat. It cost 25,000 baht, pretty standard price all around in Isaan, and having the tray covered is great for shopping or carrying materials, or items back home in either the sun or rain.

 

The engine is powered by a turbo which gives it that extra that it needs at times, have really enjoyed the car and Ford always wiling to please, services are fair in price and you get the 3 years warranty, insurance is around 15,000 baht per annum, and apparently you can buy 2 more years warranty for about 20,000 baht, what that covers I don't know as I am lining up the Ford Everest 2.2 bottom of the range for 1,369,000 baht with the sales lady saying she would do 1.3 without sneezing, but I think I will wait till the warranty is up on the Ranger, i.e. 6 months and see if I what I can get from the dealer and private buyers before I proceed, although the dealer said they would probably give me over 500,000 baht easily ?

 

Would recommend the Ford Ranger 2.2 any day and its within your budget.

[gandalf12]

Honda civic is just under the million Baht mark. Very reliable and comfortable. Easy to get parts should you need to buy some which you wont with a new one

[Tony125]

If 4 wd not necessary  I was at a mall the other day and saw  yellow/black  MG compact selling for 500,000 baht and a bigger silver sedan for slightly over 600,000 baht. Hard to beat for a brand new vehicle.

Edited June 2, 2018 by Tony125
spelling

[Nemises]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

As others have said, forget the 4x4 if you rnot going to use it, and naturally the price climbs above the mil baht.

 

I ended up with a Ford Ranger 2.2, that was 2.6 years ago, was 835,000 baht, dealer took 35,000 baht off for a cash deal, free insurance, i.e. 80% of the value of the vehicle, that's all they covered me for, free tray lining, mats, tint to windows, although I had them done a year later with a stronger tint to my liking (6,000 baht) worth every baht as the sun doesn't burn me when I am driving now.

 

I put a lockable rear tray cover on it with auto rise button and it was painted to the same colour as the vehicle, i.e. white, as white reflects the sun, and personally can't understand for the life of me why people buy black as it absorbs the heat. It cost 25,000 baht, pretty standard price all around in Isaan, and having the tray covered is great for shopping or carrying materials, or items back home in either the sun or rain.

 

Rear tray cover sounds excellent. Where/who in Isaan did the job?

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Gregster said:

Rear tray cover sounds excellent. Where/who in Isaan did the job?

Udon Thani, not sure of the name of the place, but its on Thahan Road which is a main road, its on a corner and opposite some army place (building) with a plane at the front. If you are having troubles, I can press the Mrs for the contact and name of the place.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Gregster said:

Rear tray cover sounds excellent. Where/who in Isaan did the job?

 

[Muzarella]

Brand new? Subaru XV - Mazda X3 - Toyota RV - Nissan   - No discounts for brand new cars in Thailand , only when a new model is coming...

 

Second hand? Honda HRV - Toyota Fortuner 

[Nemises]

VERY nice Ranger mate . [emoji106]

 

 I know the place in Udon. Will go talk with them. Thanks for sharing.

[DavisH]

Around 1M baht (slightly more for higher specs) the mitsubishi triton would be a decent choice as it's 4wd system can be used on normal roads, unlike other brands. Decent performance (for its segment) and comfortable seats. 

 

The xv is 4wd but not so popular here - perhaps because service and parts charges are quite high (about double cx-5/cr-v)

 

For a sedan, there is a 1.8 civic (or 1.5 turbo for 1.16-1.2M baht). 

 

There's plenty in the eco-car category to choose from as well.

 

[newnative]

Honda HR-V if you can do without 4WD.  Not too big, not too small.  Good power and it swallows up everything we buy--even large and long items--with the flexible seats.  Very reliable.