Buying a second-hand car (Pattaya)

[bkksteve123]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm looking to buy a second-hand car in Pattaya. I've never owner a car in Thailand so not that familiar with the market. I've owned many big bikes and scooters so quite familiar with that scene, but never a car.

 

The reason for buying a car is that I recently adopted two dogs, and realized I need to have a car to be able to transport them to various places as needed. Also, it will be used for general shopping and perhaps some road trips. Because of this I'm not really looking to spend a lot, in fact, as little as possible. I know that the dogs will probably pee in the car and ruin it ????

 

I've been looking at different cars on FB Marketplace, Bahtsold and visited a few car lots in Pattaya (very overpriced). A Thai friend of mine has told me to avoid Ford and Chevrolet, due to maintenance issues and difficulties getting parts. I tend to take advise from Thai people with a grain of salt, because sometimes they really don't know what they are talking about. 

 

What are your experiences with different car brands? Are there some to avoid? If you were looking to buy a car for say 100-150k THB, what make and model would you be looking it?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Olmate]

Didn’t know dogs peed in cars Steve! Why got get a Ute if that’s the case?

[bkksteve123]

3 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Didn’t know dogs peed in cars Steve! Why got get a Ute if that’s the case?

They might when they are young and afraid of new things. They also chew on everything at this age.

[jackdd]

Did you have a look at what's available in your 100-150k price range yet?

That's not much, mostly 20 year old cars with 200k+ kilometers.

If you go with Toyota or Honda you should not have problems with spare parts, but due to this they cost a bit more than other brands.

[bkksteve123]

Just now, jackdd said:

Did you have a look at what's available in your 100-150k price range yet?

That's not much, mostly 20 year old cars with 200k+ kilometers.

If you go with Toyota or Honda you should not have problems with spare parts, but due to this they cost a bit more than other brands.

Yes, I've been looking for a few days now and what I see are some roughly 15-20 year old cars with 100k-200k kilometers. Some good deals on older Ford and Chevrolet sedans. Toyota and Honda prices are higher and I guess this is due to the reason you mention, they are simply more reliable and easier to find spare parts. This of course is quite valuable with an older vehicle. Thanks for the advice.

[johng]

Yes get a pickup truck so they can pee in the back.

 

Second hand cars/trucks in Thailand are overpriced compared to other countries..but the running costs are lower here.

 

Get a Japanese vehicle the mechanics know how to work on  them parts are quickly, cheaply and easily available.

 

Chevrolet have withdrawn from the Thai market.

 

[PFMills]

My wife is interested in getting rid of her 1997 Mazda Lantis, she has had it from new.

[nightfox]

There's nothin g wrong with Chevrolet or Ford as I been driving them for many years in Thailand. Parts are easily available for average price as they assemble the cars in Thailand, they are not  imported or more expensive then your average Toyota parts. The reason why there are cheaper then Japanese cars because Thais just prefer popular brand names like Toyota and Honda rather then American brands.

[nauseus]

Good for you for homing the dogs. For the vehicle, all I can say is that something like our truck might suit (not trying to sell ours). But there are similar trucks for sale around the country and I would say that it is probably better not to buy in Pattaya, pricewise. We bought a Toyota Tiger 3.0 in 2002 when this D4D version came out and it has been excellent - still running well although mileage is quite low. Several similar in the link added and you can look around but you will need to be careful to avoid the lemons, of which there are many around! Good luck:

 

https://www.kaidee.com/browse?q=toyota tiger d4d

 

  

[Guderian]

For that sort of money, all you'll probably get is a car that smells of pee, lol.

[Ireland32]

Toyota  has Tons of parts available easily fixed , why Not  rent a car I see many 7,000 b a month try them out 

[Ireland32]

You better be careful these cars were not in floods 

[nauseus]

2 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

You better be careful these cars were not in floods 

Soggy lemons! ????

[bkksteve123]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

For that sort of money, all you'll probably get is a car that smells of pee, lol.

That is the plan

[Darkside Gray]

On 10/18/2020 at 8:32 AM, jackdd said:

Did you have a look at what's available in your 100-150k price range yet?

That's not much, mostly 20 year old cars with 200k+ kilometers.

If you go with Toyota or Honda you should not have problems with spare parts, but due to this they cost a bit more than other brands.

there is no problem finding spare parts for Fords or Chevy's, have owned both and never had a problem!

[bsa650]

bkksteve123

 

Hi Steve,

 

I have a reliable Toyota 2lt Corona 1998. Body solid and spent money on repairs, receipts available.

John

Edited October 19, 2020 by bsa650
spelt car name incorrectly

[Nanaplaza666]

On 10/18/2020 at 11:59 AM, nightfox said:

There's nothin g wrong with Chevrolet or Ford as I been driving them for many years in Thailand. Parts are easily available for average price as they assemble the cars in Thailand, they are not  imported or more expensive then your average Toyota parts. The reason why there are cheaper then Japanese cars because Thais just prefer popular brand names like Toyota and Honda rather then American brands.

I think you are only living in the night nightfox because Chevrolet is pulling out of thailand so spare parts are going to be rare and if ordered will come from abroad so will take a long time before their in . As of Ford those are quit good but also a bit risky because there where engine problems a while ago with a sertain production year/model so be aware where you buy it . If you want to buy it and bkksteve wants as cheap as possible i would not buy a Ford because you will probably buy someone elses problems if buy a Ford buy new out of showroom so you have waranty wich you will not have on a cheap second hand .

[gjoo888]

Get a Toyota. Easy to get parts, and every Thai repair shop knows how to fix them. Plus, unless you get a very old or abused car, they don't break often. I have a 15 yr. old Toyota Avanza that runs like new, and in the 15 years we've owned it, we've spent very little on repairs.

[Nanaplaza666]

50 minutes ago, Darkside Gray said:

there is no problem finding spare parts for Fords or Chevy's, have owned both and never had a problem!

Did you also buy them for 100-200k baht with 200k miles on it ?? I geuss not . And chevy is pulling out of thailand so spareparts will be rare or will take ages to be delivered hence the pricedrop of 50% on some models a while ago . Same is happening with KTM motorbikes at the moment there was a model that was 1.2 milj baht and is now 660k also because they are going to leave thailand so spareparts are going to be the same story as Chevy . 

[Kenchamp]

A little Nissan NV would do you. Cheap as chips now and spare parts easy to come by, nippy, economical and enough space in the back for your dogs.

[Peterphuket]

It happens to me some years ago with an Ford Escape, driving on gas, and an explosion in the airfilter...

only the airfilter 14,000 thb. Cheap?? Man-o-Man

[elliss]

On 10/18/2020 at 8:32 AM, jackdd said:

Did you have a look at what's available in your 100-150k price range yet?

That's not much, mostly 20 year old cars with 200k+ kilometers.

If you go with Toyota or Honda you should not have problems with spare parts, but due to this they cost a bit more than other brands.

        Hold on .

         Give it a few Months , and prices will fall..

         Including high rise condos ..

         Buy a motor , get a condo, thrown in free..

[PJPom]

A couple of years ago I bought a 2006 Ford Focus 1.8 for less than 200K with 96,000km on the clock .in two years I have done a couple of trips to Issan from Krabi and it has never let me down. Outlay over two years has been full service and report by Ford costing approximately 4000 baht, full set brake pads and four new tyres 8000, only replaced as they were old. 
Currently valued for insurance at 150K but have seen them for less, parts easy and cheap and nothing very complicated, all in all well worth looking for. 

[scammed]

save a buck and buy a 2nd hand sidecar for your scooter

[Techno Viking]

On 10/18/2020 at 8:35 AM, johng said:

 

Chevrolet have withdrawn from the Thai market.

 

That does not mean parts will now be hard to source.

[Techno Viking]

10 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

It happens to me some years ago with an Ford Escape, driving on gas, and an explosion in the airfilter...

only the airfilter 14,000 thb. Cheap?? Man-o-Man

Yeah these days you can get a air filter for an escape for Bt.280.

 

@ 14k I suspect it was more than just the filter replaced.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ford-escape-2003-2007-2030-by-d-filter-i308560559-s539742427.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.3.167e5692yUUOC3&search=1

[Techno Viking]

13 hours ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

Did you also buy them for 100-200k baht with 200k miles on it ?? I geuss not . And chevy is pulling out of thailand so spareparts will be rare or will take ages to be delivered hence the pricedrop of 50% on some models a while ago . Same is happening with KTM motorbikes at the moment there was a model that was 1.2 milj baht and is now 660k also because they are going to leave thailand so spareparts are going to be the same story as Chevy . 

The teir 1 and teir 2 suppliers are not pulling out so why would spare parts be scarce ?

[Peterphuket]

5 hours ago, Techno Viking said:

Yeah these days you can get a air filter for an escape for Bt.280.

 

@ 14k I suspect it was more than just the filter replaced.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ford-escape-2003-2007-2030-by-d-filter-i308560559-s539742427.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.3.167e5692yUUOC3&search=1

I don't think so, that kind of prices you'll never forget. And of course not at Lazada but the Ford dealer. That time Lazada don't exist.

[bkksteve123]

16 hours ago, scammed said:

save a buck and buy a 2nd hand sidecar for your scooter

Hah, I thought about that, but turns out they are actually illegal. Of course, illegal doesn't really to matter in Thailand and we see them everywhere. I don't think it would work so well with the dogs though. Would need to be a cage!

 

After viewing a few options these past 2 days, I've decided to go for something bigger (SUV style) and increase my budget to 400k. Looking at a Ford Everest 3.0 Diesel AWD (2013). The extra space would be nice when family visits from Europe, if this COVID nonsense ends someday ????

[nauseus]

Just now, bkksteve123 said:

Hah, I thought about that, but turns out they are actually illegal. Of course, illegal doesn't really to matter in Thailand and we see them everywhere. I don't think it would work so well with the dogs though. Would need to be a cage!

 

After viewing a few options these past 2 days, I've decided to go for something bigger (SUV style) and increase my budget to 400k. Looking at a Ford Everest 3.0 Diesel AWD (2013). The extra space would be nice when family visits from Europe, if this COVID nonsense ends someday ????

Seen quite a few dogs in sidecars, grinning, ears flying behind in the wind, they love it and don't ever seem to want to jump out.