Are 'tent' used car dealers all bad?

[simon43]

As I'm looking to buy a fairly cheap, used car, I have been looking on the one2car.com website.

 

There are many used cars within my budget.  But most sellers seem to be tent dealers.

 

I have heard horror stories about buying used cars from these types of dealer.  But is it always a bad idea to buy from them?  Does anyone have good stories of reliable cars purchased from these types of dealer?

[stevenl]

No, not necessarily bad. They tend to be more expensive than private buy though. Quite often used: want to sell a car, go to a tent and see how much they will give, after that sell it privately for minimum that money, preferably a bit more.

[South]

Simon, you've been here long enough, you should know. Never had a problem with the tents. Insurance, warranties etc all covered. Think of it this way, 'Rot tent' or a big flashy downtown showroom? Who has the biggest expenses? There is your answer.

[NickJ]

Get the car in question checked out. I always liked to check the compression . Now days you can hook the thing up to a dealers computer and pretty much know what your looking at. 

[simon43]

@South - Some years ago I bought a Mitsubishi G-Wagon from a long-established tent dealer in north Phuket.  I never had any problems at all with the car or dealer service, but I have heard of horror stories.  Buyer beware I think is the motto, whoever the car is purchased from.

[Just Weird]

I've experience of Honda Accord, BMW E36, Mitsubishi Evo4, Audi S2, Merc 500SEL, Maserati 222, all from tents and no issues that wouldn't be expected from any used car regardless of where it was bought.

[MatteoBassini]

Try buying from a private seller if possible.

 

The only reason most used cars are in tents is because when people want to sell a car here, almost no one has cash ready to pay them the price of the car other than tents. And when done right, tents are a lucrative business and they're everywhere because they are able to lowball people successfully and sell for a large profit margin because buyers almost always finance it and think "only 1,000 baht more per month!" when buying from the tents.

 

Heard a story of a guy selling his Fiesta to a tent, was offered 80,000 baht (because it's a Lemon and made news headline for days in Thailand about the issues), and that was the best offer he got. Tent sold it a few days later at 300,000.

Edited August 4, 2018 by MatteoBassini

[Denim]

All my cars and friends bought from tent dealers....no problems.

 

A couple bought from private sellers and had later problems from finance companies who still technically owned the car.

 

Tent sellers are ok providing you know a fair bit about cars and what to expect with a second hand car.

 

If you expect to pay 160,000 baht for a  17 year old car but want it to be as good as a 10 year old car which would cost 275,000 you are likely to be disappointed.

 

The best thing is to target a few makes of car you like then do intensive research on those cars so that you know how much to pay and how much any repairs will cost.

 

The whole thing about private sales being better than tent sales is completely bogus. With both you really have to know your onions and be patient and careful.

[stevenl]

On 8/4/2018 at 10:42 PM, Denim said:

All my cars and friends bought from tent dealers....no problems.

 

A couple bought from private sellers and had later problems from finance companies who still technically owned the car.

 

Tent sellers are ok providing you know a fair bit about cars and what to expect with a second hand car.

 

If you expect to pay 160,000 baht for a  17 year old car but want it to be as good as a 10 year old car which would cost 275,000 you are likely to be disappointed.

 

The best thing is to target a few makes of car you like then do intensive research on those cars so that you know how much to pay and how much any repairs will cost.

 

The whole thing about private sales being better than tent sales is completely bogus. With both you really have to know your onions and be patient and careful.

"A couple bought from private sellers and had later problems from finance companies who still technically owned the car."

That is simply stupid: buy it and get the regirtsration book, without that no payment.

[Henryford]

I would never buy second hand in Thailand, unless from a known trusted farang. Buy new.

[transam]

On 7/31/2018 at 10:51 AM, Just Weird said:

I've experience of Honda Accord, BMW E36, Mitsubishi Evo4, Audi S2, Merc 500SEL, Maserati 222, all from tents and no issues that wouldn't be expected from any used car regardless of where it was bought.

WOW, photos......

[giddyup]

42 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I would never buy second hand in Thailand, unless from a known trusted farang. Buy new.

The first two cars (a Jazz and an Isuzu) I bought in Thailand were from the same used car dealer, both proved excellent and trouble-free. Sold the Isuzu D Max on to partner's family and it's still going strong, only a new set of tyres. Nothing wrong with used cars, not everyone has the cash to buy new.

[JAG]

51 minutes ago, transam said:

WOW, photos......

Yes, I would love to see the tent a Maserati was sold from! 

https://goo.gl/images/E8dNMa

[dotpoom]

What's a "tent" dealer. ...Somebody who erects a tent and sells cars from it?

[Denim]

Just now, dotpoom said:

What's a "tent" dealer. ...Somebody who erects a tent and sells cars from it?

 

Basically yes. The tents protect the cars from the elements.

[TheFishman1]

Three years ago I bought my car at a car Auction the car was still under factory warranty saved a lot now three years later not one problem go figure TIT

[murraynz]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

What's a "tent" dealer. ...Somebody who erects a tent and sells cars from it?

i have never heard of a tent dealer either---are they non registered  car dealers ???

[Fruit Trader]

1 hour ago, murraynz said:

i have never heard of a tent dealer either---are they non registered  car dealers ???

Many used vehicle sellers store stock under canvas to protect from the sun so I guess some view the scene as cars inside tents that relocate on the wind.
 

[Nicebus]

6 hours ago, Denim said:

 

Basically yes. The tents protect the cars from the elements.

Used to be "Umbrella Dealers" from memory

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed as well as the replies. 

[dddave]

Is there any particular area of Bangkok that has a concentration of "Tent Sellers"?   I remember there used to be many used car lots along SriNakarin Rd but most of them seemed to have been replaced by condos the last time I was past there.

Are they mostly 7 day a week operations or weekend affairs?

Didn't there used to be an area where private sellers would congregate on weekends, sort of an automobile flea market?

[Denim]

15 minutes ago, dddave said:

Is there any particular area of Bangkok that has a concentration of "Tent Sellers"?   I remember there used to be many used car lots along SriNakarin Rd but most of them seemed to have been replaced by condos the last time I was past there.

Are they mostly 7 day a week operations or weekend affairs?

Didn't there used to be an area where private sellers would congregate on weekends, sort of an automobile flea market?

There are many areas all around Bangkok. No one specific area. They like to colluster together to attract punters. Mostly in the suburbs where ground rent is cheap , especially where new roads are cut through empty land. In cases like this , car sellers like to rent empty plots while rents are cheap and before other businesses arrive to push up rents.

[Bung]

I was surprised recently to look at a vigo pickup at a tent dealer, very low klm (99% sure it was correct going by the condition) top model G going for less than all the private ads for similar vehicles that were only the lower E  models with higher mileage. 

[gaff]

13 hours ago, Henryford said:

I would never buy second hand in Thailand, unless from a known trusted farang. Buy new.

 

Totally agree, especially if I was as successful as the OP ?

And knowing that it might be the last car that I would buy in my life, I would buy it new for sure.

 

 

[transam]

Second hand rides are just pot luck, after all, if one owns a "lemon" it is sold on and someone buys it, perhaps they will have the problems to deal with. In LOS not much is thrown away, so l reckon many crashed stuff has been toshed up and sold on, but there are good repair shops too.

 

There are some good second hand places out there where their reputation may come into their sales stuff, one that comes to mind is "Sure"...

[jvs]

I bought a truck at a tent 7m years ago,Toyota 4x4 with low km.

Surprize when i went to the dealer,some one adjusted the odometer

200.000 km down.

I just sold the truck a few weeks ago,over 350.000 km and never a problem and got a lot of money for it!

I told the buyer about the odometer but he did not care.

Fool me once.

Looked on one2car for another truck and founf one i liked at another

car tent dealer.I went to have a look and this time asked for the service book because i already decided without that i would not buy.

This truck is 9 years old with 61000 km and looks like new but so did the other one.

They gave us the original service book and we went to the ford dealer to check it.61000 original km and they have a complete history on their

computer.

Before you buy varify  the odometer and you can,t go wrong.

This truck should last me for another ten years.

[transam]

My farang chum has 2012 Toyota saloon, not sure what it is, l know it has a 1500cc engine with auto trans, perhaps a Corolla. Very nice car, l have been in it a few times. He was thinking about buying a new car but trade in is shit. I reckon he would be OK with 200K for it...But folk do change their mind...?

[giddyup]

36 minutes ago, jvs said:

I bought a truck at a tent 7m years ago,Toyota 4x4 with low km.

Surprize when i went to the dealer,some one adjusted the odometer

200.000 km down.

I just sold the truck a few weeks ago,over 350.000 km and never a problem and got a lot of money for it!

I told the buyer about the odometer but he did not care.

Fool me once.

Looked on one2car for another truck and founf one i liked at another

car tent dealer.I went to have a look and this time asked for the service book because i already decided without that i would not buy.

This truck is 9 years old with 61000 km and looks like new but so did the other one.

They gave us the original service book and we went to the ford dealer to check it.61000 original km and they have a complete history on their

computer.

Before you buy varify  the odometer and you can,t go wrong.

This truck should last me for another ten years.

How much did you pay for a 9 year old Ford pickup?

Edited August 7, 2018 by giddyup

[HAKAPALITA]

Simon, you've been here long enough, you should know. Never had a problem with the tents. Insurance, warranties etc all covered. Think of it this way, 'Rot tent' or a big flashy downtown showroom? Who has the biggest expenses? There is your answer.

Its Thailand not big tax on a Showroom , generally the Dealer owns the land anyway in the provinces..


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[jvs]

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

How much did you pay for a 9 year old Ford pickup?

Well i took a lot of things into consideration before i bought it,i mainly looked at the difference in price between my old 2003 Tiger and the asking price for the Ford.The Tiger had just over 350 000 km on it and the Ford 60 000,nearly 300 000 difference.Sooner rather then later i would have gotten large maintenance bills .

I ended up paying 100 000 Baht more for the Ford than what i got for the Tiger.This gives me a 6 year newer vehicle with a lower mileage for a very reasonable amount of money.It also uses 20% less fuel.