Buying a used car in Thailand - How negotiable is the price?

[JaiLai]

On 3/22/2019 at 3:57 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

But you're not in Thailand, so what's your point?

 

Op when buying privately the price is negotiable....   Imagine yourself selling a car would you be rigid on price if someone gave you a reasonable offer?

 

When buying from a Tent it may be on behalf of the owner who needs to be contacted, or the tent may own the car and then able to negotiate. 

 

That said - I would never buy from a Tent in Thailand... I think it would be much better to look for the car you want with a private sale - a 2017 car should still be in Warranty with the manufacturer - just make sure the warranty is transferable to you. 

 

If you're looking for a car only a couple years old I'd rather buy new, the price difference is not worth piece of mind IMO.

 

Plus nothing beats  new stuff.

[Lacessit]

17 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

If you're looking for a car only a couple years old I'd rather buy new, the price difference is not worth piece of mind IMO.

 

Plus nothing beats  new stuff.

I recently purchased a Mazda 2. 2017, 9000 km on the odometer. Engine looks like it's just left the showroom.

New price with options such as leather seats, 600,000 baht. I paid 449,000 baht. IMHO 150,000 baht price difference is better in my pocket.

[JaiLai]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I recently purchased a Mazda 2. 2017, 9000 km on the odometer. Engine looks like it's just left the showroom.

New price with options such as leather seats, 600,000 baht. I paid 449,000 baht. IMHO 150,000 baht price difference is better in my pocket.

I'd have bought the new one but that's just my preference, to each their own.

 

 

[wilcopops]

On 3/20/2019 at 11:33 AM, petermik said:

Same as anywhere else in the world...you have the cash they have the goods...negotiate or walk away...tell them "this is my final offer" leave your phone number and wait for them to call

_{I agree ... if the OP needs to ask this question they probably don't know how to negotiate/bargain in the first place.}

[wilcopops]

21 hours ago, JaiLai said:

If you're looking for a car only a couple years old I'd rather buy new, the price difference is not worth piece of mind IMO.

 

Plus nothing beats  new stuff.

As most cars have a 3 year guarantee, it can be well worth being a "recent" used model.

[Lacessit]

On 3/23/2019 at 8:22 PM, emptypockets said:

 

I read somewhere that Henry Ford was a business genius when it came to selling cars. But he takes second place to the bloke who invented the concept of 'last years model'.

Henry Ford was a business genius, full stop. He specified timber packaging of certain dimensions to some of his parts suppliers. Much later, they realised the packaging was used to form the floor of the T-model Ford.

[SteveK]

On 3/23/2019 at 4:24 PM, tonboy said:

some points to mention :
1. Thais do not maintain their cars, only repair what is really broken. To buy a secondhand car you need to be a mechanic or use one to inspect the car
 

 

This has been my experience, they drive it until there is a problem, then get the issue fixed and carry on driving until something else goes wrong. That's why so many Thais don't like buying second-hand.

Edited March 25, 2019 by pr9spk

[wilcopops]

I'm delighted when people say they won't buy cars from "a Thai", that means all the more for me to choose from and less idiots who can't bargain offering too much money.

[Myran]

23 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I recently purchased a Mazda 2. 2017, 9000 km on the odometer. Engine looks like it's just left the showroom.

New price with options such as leather seats, 600,000 baht. I paid 449,000 baht. IMHO 150,000 baht price difference is better in my pocket.

My neighbor bought a second hand Honda Accord, just a couple of years old. Looked brand spanking new inside, outside and underneath. But after a month or so the engine would just stop randomly and they had to have it towed. After disassembling much of it they came to the conclusion it had likely been in a flood, but they'd cleaned it up so well you'd never be able to tell just from looking at it.

 

They managed to get it working properly after spending som serious dough, but all-in-all he really regretted not waiting a few extra months to get a new one.

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, Myran said:

My neighbor bought a second hand Honda Accord, just a couple of years old. Looked brand spanking new inside, outside and underneath. But after a month or so the engine would just stop randomly and they had to have it towed. After disassembling much of it they came to the conclusion it had likely been in a flood, but they'd cleaned it up so well you'd never be able to tell just from looking at it.

 

They managed to get it working properly after spending som serious dough, but all-in-all he really regretted not waiting a few extra months to get a new one.

The business I bought the car from guarantees cars less than 7 years old for one year. It has a good reputation. The car also still has one year of manufacturer warranty.

If the Accord was only a couple of years old, I'm surprised the usual 3 year warranty didn't cover it.

[Myran]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

The business I bought the car from guarantees cars less than 7 years old for one year. It has a good reputation. The car also still has one year of manufacturer warranty.

If the Accord was only a couple of years old, I'm surprised the usual 3 year warranty didn't cover it.

A couple as in a few, not sure about the exact year as they all look the same to me. If it was still on warranty I'm sure they would've used it (perhaps it didn't cover damage from natural disasters).

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, Myran said:

A couple as in a few, not sure about the exact year as they all look the same to me. If it was still on warranty I'm sure they would've used it (perhaps it didn't cover damage from natural disasters).

It would have taken an extraordinary event such as a flood. The Honda Accord in the US was rated the No. ! car for durability a couple of years ago.

[SteveK]

If the car was in a flood, there are three possible outcomes:

 

1 - The engine was running when the water level reached the air filter, drawing water into the engine and causing hydrolock.

2 - The engine was not running during the flood, but after the flood dissipated, someone tried to start the engine whilst the air filter and manifolds were wet, causing hydrolock.

3 - The engine was not running when the flood happened and since then nobody has tried to start the car. This is the best scenario, tow the car to somewhere dry and let it dry out for several days, you might get away scot-free.

 

Hydrolock is when the engine draws water into the cylinder, instead of air, and tries to compress it. Water doesn't compress anywhere near as much as air does, so this damages the seals and can wreck an engine. Think bent con-rods, cracked pistons, and destroyed piston rings. A very expensive lesson.

 

If your car was running at a decent rpm when the water was drawn into the cylinder, then this will cause a lot more damage. Repairing the engine can easily cost more than the car is worth, in many instances the engine would need to be removed, stripped and repaired, requiring real expertise. Much cheaper to buy a used engine and have it fitted, but that still won't be cheap!

 

Any job requiring the engine to be stripped and repaired should generally only be done if your insurance is paying for it. A small engine like a motorbike engine can be fixed at home, but if you don't know what you're doing then you'd be better off not attempting it. There are just SO many things that can go wrong! All the bolts have to be tightened to a specific torque, and then even if you finish it, you might find that you have a piece left that should have gone in, requiring you to strip the engine down again - this happened to me!

Edited March 25, 2019 by pr9spk

[wilcopops]

After the flooding in Bangkok a few years ago there was a problem with flood damaged cars....the Honda factory was in fact flooded. There were warnings about the possibility of these cars both new and second hand coming onto the market.

This sort of criminality is by no means the preserve of Thailand though.

 

[wilcopops]

19 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

If the car was in a flood, there are two possible outcomes.

 

1 - The engine was running when the water level reached the air filter, drawing water into the engine and causing hydrolock.

2 - The engine was not running during the flood, but after the flood dissipated, someone tried to start the engine whilst the air filter and manifolds were wet, causing hydrolock.

 

Hydrolock is when the engine draws water into the cylinder, instead of air, and tries to compress it. Water doesn't compress anywhere near as much as air does, so this damages the seals and can wreck an engine.

 

If your car was running at a decent rpm when the water was drawn into the cylinder, then this will cause a lot more damage. Repairing the engine can easily cost more than the car is worth, in many instances the engine would need to be removed, stripped and repaired, requiring real expertise. Much cheaper to buy a used engine and have it fitted, but that still won't be cheap!

 

Any job requiring the engine to be stripped and repaired should generally only be done if your insurance is paying for it. A small engine like a motorbike engine can be fixed at home, but if you don't know what you're doing then you'd be better off not attempting it. There are just SO many things that can go wrong! All the bolts have to be tightened to a specific torque, and then even if you finish it, you might find that you have a piece left that should have gone in, requiring you to strip the engine down again - this happened to me!

You're not a mechanic by any stretch, are you?

[Happy Grumpy]

Was quoted the finance cost on 220k baht.

 

4 years @ 4.25% = 6,085thb p/m.

= 292,000thb.

 

I didn't realise that 4.25% of 220,000 was 72,000.

 

5 years @4.75% totaled 310,000thb.

 

I didn't realise that 4.75% of 220,000 was 90,000.

 

 

So if negotiating. Pay 100% cash. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Happy Grumpy