Advice on buying a new car in Thailand

[transam]

7 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

So the coating does protect? Others seem to have said it does not. 

I wouldn't "complicate" your car. ????

[HauptmannUK]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

So the coating does protect? Others seem to have said it does not. 

'Ceramic' or 'nano' coatings are basically silicon dioxide nanoparticles suspended in a polymer carrier. The fumed SiO2 powder is purchased from Chinese suppliers at around $5/kg and then mixed with the carrier, decanted into small bottles, branded, and sold at an astonishing mark-up. Dealers then charge a further extortionate amount for 'installing' the coating.

The products are indeed strongly hydrophobic but most of the claims made for paint protection are wildly exaggerated. The coating is fairly hard (9H is the usual claim) but only microns thick and does not protect the paintwork from scratching. You best use a plastic film for that.

The coatings usually degrade within a few months. Any 'guarantees' invariably come with T&C that require regular 'maintenance' applications.  That's not to say they don't work at all, just not nearly as good as the claims.

Best advice to keep paintwork good is park the car under cover, avoid aggressive washing (high pH chemicals and jetwashing).

Buy a decent polish - the likes of Mcguiars etc and get your own guy to handwash and put it on for a few hundred baht every couple of months.

 

Incidentally I see you are wanting MT.  Resale value will take a hit because MT is not popular in Thailand. Of course if you are keeping for a long time then that won't be much of an issue.

[HashBrownHarry]

On 6/12/2020 at 5:22 AM, petermik said:

Forget the coating...if you ever have a prang in your coated car the colour of the repaired section  will never match.........  

Why not?

[HashBrownHarry]

On 6/12/2020 at 5:33 AM, pineapple01 said:

In my opinion it wont stop scratches, about as much use as the Window Films stopping heat myth.. What a good coat does well is stops Bird Poop acidity staining the Paint.

Bird poop and some sap that falls from trees that can damage paint work.

 

In the past i've also had bike tanks done that prevents scratches so those who say it does n't i disagree.

 

There's no negatives with the wraps / skins ( except the cost ).

[The Theory]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

So the coating does protect? Others seem to have said it does not. 

It actually does but some and won’t make it rock proof. It is all depends on how hard and sharp it hits a car. If I buy a white Honda or Toyota car (not metallic) I would definitely coat it (specially white color). For front end I still recommend soft clear film, but keep in mind that during time It could cause different color shade. 

Edited June 13, 2020 by The Theory

[Airalee]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

So the coating does protect? Others seem to have said it does not. 

If the protection you are looking for is against “rock chips” and such you want something like 3M paint protection film.  The glass/ceramic coating is a substitute for wax.

 

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/post-factory-installation-us/paint-protection-film/

[HauptmannUK]

2 hours ago, Airalee said:

If the protection you are looking for is against “rock chips” and such you want something like 3M paint protection film.  The glass/ceramic coating is a substitute for wax.

 

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/post-factory-installation-us/paint-protection-film/

I highly recommend 3M Ventureshield 7510.  Its a 200micron polyurethane. Very tough but goes on easy.

[Airalee]

1 minute ago, HauptmannUK said:

I highly recommend 3M Ventureshield 7510.  Its a 200micron polyurethane. Very tough but goes on easy.

I’ve actually never used any of the films as I don’t like the visible line on the car but I know that some of the Porsche club members use it.  I always just preferred to polish with Zymol HD Cleanse and then follow up with a coat of Zymol Vintage glaze.  (I used to own a detailing business)  I personally avoid rock chips by staying far back from the cars in front of me.

 

https://www.zymol.com/vintage.aspx

[daveAustin]

Dealer every time. Sold back to Toyota and they offered more than any lot would. Brought me out cash and decided to pay another 5k as it was in such good nick. All told, and with currency fluctuations, I ended up getting more than I paid after three years. 

[Lancashirelad]

Used to work for a Main Stealer Dealer in the UK many years ago. (though not in sales). Best discounts are to be had when a new model is anounced but they still have stock of the old model, unless of course the newest [untested] model is a must have.

 

Also, last few days of the month. Agents gets better perks and discounts from the manufacturer based on monthy sales figures.

 

Be aware that Toyota has a "Sure" scheme offering late model, low mileage approved used cars with warranty at some saving to new. Large companies such as banks and International car rental chains often dispose of cars only a year or so old.

 

Took the time to read all 7 pages as I'm aware you have been a long time contributer here and helped many with medical related questions.

[Sheryl]

Update: I am nearing final negotiations, this is what the dealer is offering (550,000 is correct list price)

 

Negotiations are hampered by language barrier, while I speak Thai pretty well for everyday purposes I lack the relevant vocabulary and of course absolutely no one at the dealer speaks a word of English.

 

2 questions:

 

1 - am I correct in understanding from this that they are NOT covering the registration/tag costs but they are discounting 5,000 baht from the total price plus registration/tags? And want a 5,000 deposit?

 

2 - They are telling me that routine warranty would be only 3 years and that this Honda Care 5 years is an upgrade. Is this true? I though 5 years was standard? And does anyone know if Honda Care includes routine maintenance as well as repairs? (oil & filter change etc)

 

Thanks!

[Sheryl]

Also - can anyone confirm that it is no longer forbidden to drive to another province with red plates?

 

I am trying to figure out whether to get the red plates or just wait for the full registration. The problem with doing the latter (my original plan) is that the dealer has agreed to buy my old car from me as part of the deal (maybe 10-15k less than if sold privately but   from past experience very hard to sell it since it is a manual) and to clinch the deal I'd have to hand over the old car at time of purchase.

[Lancashirelad]

AFAIK if you're off the road by dark and fill in the log book that comes with the red plates (some say, in pencil) it's unlikely anyone will bother.

If pushed hard the dealer should be able to get the white plates within a week. (Unless there is a backlog I don't know about caused by CV19 reduced staff levels, etc.)

[Sheryl]

They are telling me 45 days!!! I can't imagine why.

 

I need to drive the car into Bangkok, that's why I ask.

[Lancashirelad]

10 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

They are telling me 45 days!!! I can't imagine why.

 

I need to drive the car into Bangkok, that's why I ask.

I'm no expert I just go by the things I've read in this subforum over the years. Basically, they don't like to part with the registration fees. They would prefer to have, say they sell 2 cars a day, (probably a lot more) 90 x 5,000bht registration fees sitting in their bank = 450,000bht.

 

Also, as I think others mentioned previously, window film thrown in the deal tends to be cheap stuff.

[richard_smith237]

39 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

They are telling me 45 days!!! I can't imagine why.

 

I need to drive the car into Bangkok, that's why I ask.

Sheryl, don’t worry too much about driving in Bangkok on red plates. 

I’ve had 5 or 6 new cars over the years and have not once been stopped for driving with red plates, either at night or to another province. 

 

The worst thats going to happen is a 200 baht fine if in the unlikely event you are stopped at a check point. 

[Sheryl]

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

Sheryl, don’t worry too much about driving in Bangkok on red plates. 

I’ve had 5 or 6 new cars over the years and have not once been stopped for driving with red plates, either at night or to another province. 

 

The worst thats going to happen is a 200 baht fine if in the unlikely event you are stopped at a check point. 

Thanks...I'd still like to know, as I heard somewhere the law had changed. My route into Bangkok passes several permanent check points and I do nto fancy either the hassle or the expense of being pulled over, possibly twice each way. I don't think the checkpoints would fail to fine me if in fact the law still prohibits inter-provinical travel, they are very thorough.

[richard_smith237]

44 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

They are telling me 45 days!!! I can't imagine why.

 

I need to drive the car into Bangkok, that's why I ask.

 

If you go to the DLT (at MoChit) yourself you can select your own licence number, they then log you into the system, give you a code etc. You give this to the dealer who can then have your plates made and blue book issued.

 

This should take less than 10 days (I’m not sure if there is any Covid-19 delay). 

 

 

The reason dealers take a long time is that they do not register cars on an individual basis, rather they wait until they have 10 (or so) registrations and then go to the DLT to get them registered all at once saving multiple trips. 

You can get the jump on this by going to the DLT yourself. 

 

 

[Sheryl]

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

 

If you go to the DLT (at MoChit) yourself you can select your own licence number, they then log you into the system, give you a code etc. You give this to the dealer who can then have your plates made and blue book issued.

 

This should take less than 10 days (I’m not sure if there is any Covid-19 delay). 

 

 

The reason dealers take a long time is that they do not register cars on an individual basis, rather they wait until they have 10 (or so) registrations and then go to the DLT to get them registered all at once saving multiple trips. 

You can get the jump on this by going to the DLT yourself. 

 

 

 

Annoying but I may have to if they persist with this 45 days nionsense. Especially as I now understand there is a 10,000 fine for failing to register within 30 days.

 

.I am not in Bangkok, so it's not Morchit.

 

But really this is a service the dealer should provide.

[Don Mega]

The fixed price/little room for negotiation thing.

 

there is plenty of fat in the purchase price (for ford and Mazda anyways). buying a Ranger shortly, and as a supplier I get a discount on all model that ranges between 120k and 200k depending on model and they will still be making a profit.

 

[Sheryl]

Anyone able to confirm it is now legal to drive out of orovince with red plates?

 

Anyone with info on Honda Ultimate Care?

[transam]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

Anyone able to confirm it is now legal to drive out of orovince with red plates?

 

Anyone with info on Honda Ultimate Care?

I think "legal" maybe stretching it, as cops from around the country all have a different view on stuff.

Years back I hired a car in Ubon to drive to BKK, it had red plates, no probs for two weeks..

 

Read this, my PC automatically translates it, it may come out in English, it reads good..

 

https://web.honda.co.th/service/special-service/ultimate.php

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, transam said:

I think "legal" maybe stretching it, as cops from around the country all have a different view on stuff.

Years back I hired a car in Ubon to drive to BKK, it had red plates, no probs for two weeks..

 

Read this, my PC automatically translates it, it may come out in English, it reads good..

 

https://web.honda.co.th/service/special-service/ultimate.php

 

I saw that but the translation is a bit hard to read. From #7 and # 10 It seems to exclude essentially everything: parts and  labor....surely this cannot be correct?

And per #14 also excludes towing. What is left?

 

Anyone out there actually have this???

 

Exceptions and beyond the scope of service

The Honda Ultimate Care Special Quality Service Program does not include any services Which is related to the following events

1. Damage caused by negligent maintenance as specified in the warranty book And / or car user manual Or misuse of the deliberate manual of the car user manual Or careless
2. Damage caused by repair, adjustment or maintenance By a method that is different from the Honda Company
3. Damage caused by incorrect use, such as overloading Park the car for a long time. Keep it in a location that Honda considers inappropriate, etc., or use other than as determined by Honda Company or damage caused by abnormal use in the environment.
4. Damage caused by using artificial spare parts Or fuel lubricant Or various fluids That is not recommended by Honda.
5. Car fading, deterioration of the metal surface Deterioration of the rubber or plastic parts, rusting which occurs over time
6. Normal phenomena such as noise, vibration, wear and tear, normal deterioration
7. Spare parts And consumables that must be changed according to the lifetime Or maintenance, such as all filters, front and rear brake pads, fabric clutches, spark plugs, fuses, carbon brushes, gaskets, various pathways, rubber pipes, plastic tires, engine pedals Rubber, wiper blades, belts, oil and lubricants of all kinds, batteries, distilled water in the battery, coolant, air conditioner, automotive tires, ball joint, various rubber boots and other items as determined by Honda Company.
8. Damage to the decorative equipment that is installed from Honda Company, purchased and / or installed by the Honda dealer service center Including the installation of decorative equipment from people other than the Honda dealer service center
9. Car radio damage And a navigator system that is installed from Honda, purchased and / or installed by the dealer service center of Honda Including the installation of car radios And navigator From others who are not service centers of Honda car dealers
10. Wages for routine maintenance such as checking the engine Air conditioning cleaning Cooling system or fuel system Adjusting the brake, clutch, belt, tire counter, wheel center, etc.
11. Damage caused by an accident That affects the performance or driving of cars
12. Repair or adjustment by someone other than the Honda dealer service center And / or consequential damages
13. The cost of fixing material defects Or poor workmanship Which had been done before from others That is not a service center of Honda car dealers.
14. Expenses such as towing fees, accommodation costs, time wages, medical expenses, fuel costs, telephone charges or damages due to lack of convenience Or damage the business
15. Damage caused by theft Or various natural disasters such as fire, earthquake, storm, flood, hail, lightning etc.
16. Damage caused by the environment such as smoke, rubber, trees, bird droppings, salt, rain, acid, chemicals etc.
17. Damage of windscreen Rear windscreen And window glass The inspection found that it was not caused by a defect of the manufacturer.
18. Damage caused by events beyond our control Or external causes, whether directly or indirectly, such as war, rebellion, revolution, the use of military force Terrorism etc.

[JoePai]

If it's free take it but if not forget - not worth the 15k they charge for this

[Sheryl]

5 minutes ago, JoePai said:

If it's free take it but if not forget - not worth the 15k they charge for this

 

I It is free, but it seems to be completely worthless as it covers nothing. I f all pats and labor are excluded what is left?

 

I thought new cars would come with a warranty that would provide free repairs (labor and parts) for 3-5 years?? This is apparently not it but this is all I have been offered....

[DavisH]

On 7/30/2020 at 1:58 PM, Sheryl said:

Update: I am nearing final negotiations, this is what the dealer is offering (550,000 is correct list price)

 

Negotiations are hampered by language barrier, while I speak Thai pretty well for everyday purposes I lack the relevant vocabulary and of course absolutely no one at the dealer speaks a word of English.

 

2 questions:

 

1 - am I correct in understanding from this that they are NOT covering the registration/tag costs but they are discounting 5,000 baht from the total price plus registration/tags? And want a 5,000 deposit?

 

2 - They are telling me that routine warranty would be only 3 years and that this Honda Care 5 years is an upgrade. Is this true? I though 5 years was standard? And does anyone know if Honda Care includes routine maintenance as well as repairs? (oil & filter change etc)

 

Thanks!

The 5 year ultimate care is the extended warranty - 5 years / 140K kms. I got that with my crv last year and coat over 20K extra. You pay the normal fees for the service and parts at the service intervals. For the jazz it will be quite reasonable. I guess you realise you have the Thai boy racer's dream car now 555. Resale is very good, even on the manual version. 

 

You mentioned about ceramic/glass coat. I got the ceramic coat that is topped up every 6 months. Mine is due now actually. I think its worth it - reduces staining from bird poop. I've have a few light scratches in it and they polish right out. So I guess it does give a bit of protection to the clear coat.  

[DavisH]

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

If it's free take it but if not forget - not worth the 15k they charge for this

It's worth it - many parts that fail on a car can be expensive - LED headlights 30K (on my crv); the turbo unit is nearly 200K baht; steering rack 20K, cvt gearbox, 300K baht, etc. 

On my old civic my airbag sensor failed at 110K kms. Out of warranty, 17K baht. The evtra 40k kms warranty would ahve covered that, but the ultimate care was not avainable back then. 

[HauptmannUK]

On 7/30/2020 at 7:58 AM, Sheryl said:

Update: I am nearing final negotiations, this is what the dealer is offering (550,000 is correct list price)

 

Negotiations are hampered by language barrier, while I speak Thai pretty well for everyday purposes I lack the relevant vocabulary and of course absolutely no one at the dealer speaks a word of English.

 

2 questions:

 

1 - am I correct in understanding from this that they are NOT covering the registration/tag costs but they are discounting 5,000 baht from the total price plus registration/tags? And want a 5,000 deposit?

 

2 - They are telling me that routine warranty would be only 3 years and that this Honda Care 5 years is an upgrade. Is this true? I though 5 years was standard? And does anyone know if Honda Care includes routine maintenance as well as repairs? (oil & filter change etc)

 

Thanks!

They are charging ฿5000 registration and ฿4000 for plates. You are paying ฿5000 order deposit and there is ฿5000 discount.

 

Seems like the factory warranty is three years. The additional two years besically excludes all service/maintenance items and wear and tear.

Edited July 31, 2020 by HauptmannUK

[petermik]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Anyone able to confirm it is now legal to drive out of orovince with red plates?

 

You will get a book that applies to the red plates...if you need to go out of province or anywhere at night fill it in beforehand and if ever you should get stopped just show it....nothing to worry about

[Sheryl]

7 minutes ago, HauptmannUK said:

They are charging ฿5000 registration and ฿4000 for plates. You are paying ฿5000 order deposit and there is ฿5000 discount.

 

Seems like the factory warranty is three years. The additional two years besically excludes all service/maintenance items and wear and tear.

 

Thanks. Does the 3 year factory warranty include service/maintenance (oil changes etc)?