Do I need the Brown Book?

[dia1]

I bought a new car and they gave me a stack of books/papers which I just slammed in the glove compartment.

 

After a couple months of having a red plate, I started harassing the dealer as I knew the process to get a regular plate should’ve been sooner and I’m about to move. Finally, after a lot of annoying them, they gave me white plates but asked for a book when they did so. Turns out it was a brown book of some sort that I had shoved in my glove compartment with the other stuff. Had some stuff written in it not no idea what.

 

They went in the office and did some things when I waited, put the plates on, and were about to send me on my way without giving the book back. I asked them about the book and they said they will call me in a couple weeks to give it back. At least that’s all I could make out as nobody could speak any English and explain what was going on ????

 

Now that I have white plates, do I still need that book? Is it important? Why do they need to keep it for 2 weeks... ? so confused 

[Crossy]

49 minutes ago, dia1 said:

Turns out it was a brown book of some sort that I had shoved in my glove compartment with the other stuff. Had some stuff written in it not no idea what.

 

Probably the log book that goes with the red plates, you are supposed to fill it in whenever you drive the car (nobody does). You don't get that back as it goes with the red plates.

 

What you should get is the actual log book (blue book) if the car isn't on finance. If it's on finance you get a copy of the book and the loan co keep the original.

 

[JAS21]

You will have paid a deposit for the red plates quite often 3000Baht. 
 

Look at your invoice for the car, that deposit should be showing. They should return it to you when you return the red plates, or a week or two after, don’t forget.

[dia1]

1 hour ago, JAS21 said:

You will have paid a deposit for the red plates quite often 3000Baht. 
 

Look at your invoice for the car, that deposit should be showing. They should return it to you when you return the red plates, or a week or two after, don’t forget.

Thank you... there were several receipts all in Thai, but I did notice one of them was for 3xxx baht. They didn’t give me anything back.

 

I paid cash, so I guess maybe they will give it back to me when I get the blue book? From the poster before you, seems I will be getting a blue book in two weeks instead of the brown one.

[richard_smith237]

You ‘should’ get the Blue Book immediately with your white plates. 

 

At the same time you returned the red plates and associated brown book you should have received your ‘red plate’ deposit back. 

 

 

It does seem the 3xxx baht was for the Red Plate deposit - get a Thai to read if for you and double check and don’t forget to claim your deposit. 

 

There is no reason for the dealer not to give you the blue book immediately this is rather strange. 

 

 

Also - if you are not sure what receipt is what, it’ll be a good idea to get organised. 

You should check for 

- Payment receipt (which includes extras such as mats, film etc).

- Receipt for red plates

- Proof of Warranty 

- Warranty handbook (where the service stamps are stamped)

- Tax (blue square) - display in windshield

- Por Ror Bor - (compulsury insurance - usually about 800 baht or there about)

- 1st Class insurance (if it comes with the new car, or organise this yourself) 

- Blue Book 

 

 

[dia1]

52 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

You ‘should’ get the Blue Book immediately with your white plates. 

 

At the same time you returned the red plates and associated brown book you should have received your ‘red plate’ deposit back. 

 

 

It does seem the 3xxx baht was for the Red Plate deposit - get a Thai to read if for you and double check and don’t forget to claim your deposit. 

 

There is no reason for the dealer not to give you the blue book immediately this is rather strange. 

 

 

Also - if you are not sure what receipt is what, it’ll be a good idea to get organised. 

You should check for 

- Payment receipt (which includes extras such as mats, film etc).

- Receipt for red plates

- Proof of Warranty 

- Warranty handbook (where the service stamps are stamped)

- Tax (blue square) - display in windshield

- Por Ror Bor - (compulsury insurance - usually about 800 baht or there about)

- 1st Class insurance (if it comes with the new car, or organise this yourself) 

- Blue Book 

 

 

 

Thank you for this!

 

I will make sure I get all of that. I bought the car from one of the biggest Toyota dealerships in BKK, so I would be surprised if they are scamming me, so I'll wait out the 2 weeks...

 

Everything about the transaction has been weird... from the nearly 3 months wait to get the red plates taken off, to needing to bring my passport to them and leave it for a week, to this now 2 week delay on getting the blue book. I'll cough it up to TiT <deleted>, but if I don't get everything on your list, I'll have a word with them. I know I got the stamps and insurance information but haven't checked everything else.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, dia1 said:

 

Thank you for this!

 

I will make sure I get all of that. I bought the car from one of the biggest Toyota dealerships in BKK, so I would be surprised if they are scamming me, so I'll wait out the 2 weeks...

 

Everything about the transaction has been weird... from the nearly 3 months wait to get the red plates taken off, to needing to bring my passport to them and leave it for a week, to this now 2 week delay on getting the blue book. I'll cough it up to TiT <deleted>, but if I don't get everything on your list, I'll have a word with them. I know I got the stamps and insurance information but haven't checked everything else.

 

You needed to leave your passport with them for a week ?????  No !!!! 

 

I’ve purchased numerous cars in Thailand and never had to leave my passport - this is definitely unnecessary, someone is making up their own rules or doesn’t understand the existing rules. 

 

You do need Proof of Address (from Immigration) or Affirmation of Residence (from your Embassy) or a Yellow Tabien Baan House Book to have the car registered in your name. This is presented when applying for the Blue Registration Book. 

 

IF you have white plates without the Blue Book it seems as though you either have ‘fake plates’ (i.e. white plates which are not yet registered to you or the car) OR Toyota have some sort of deal with the DLT where they can issue the White Plates and then Register the Plates to your car and you, but this would be doing things in reverse order. 

 

It's a very strange situation.

 

 

A long wait for the plates is not uncommon - Dealerships are lazy and seem to only go to the DLT to obtain registration when they have about 50 cars to register (i.e. do it in bulk). 

I have always just gone to the DLT myself, chosen my own number etc because I don’t want to wait for the dealers delays etc (it takes between 1 and 2 weeks !!!) i.e. Go to DLT with brown book and proof of Ownership of car (payment receipt), ID and Affirmation of Residence, choose your number (from a list), you get a receipt. Give the receipt to the dealer, it should then take them about 1 week to get the white plates and blue book. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dia1]

38 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

You needed to leave your passport with them for a week ?????  No !!!! 

 

I’ve purchased numerous cars in Thailand and never had to leave my passport - this is definitely unnecessary, someone is making up their own rules or doesn’t understand the existing rules. 

 

You do need Proof of Address (from Immigration) or Affirmation of Residence (from your Embassy) or a Yellow Tabien Baan House Book to have the car registered in your name. This is presented when applying for the Blue Registration Book. 

 

IF you have white plates without the Blue Book it seems as though you either have ‘fake plates’ (i.e. white plates which are not yet registered to you or the car) OR Toyota have some sort of deal with the DLT where they can issue the White Plates and then Register the Plates to your car and you, but this would be doing things in reverse order. 

 

It's a very strange situation.

 

 

A long wait for the plates is not uncommon - Dealerships are lazy and seem to only go to the DLT to obtain registration when they have about 50 cars to register (i.e. do it in bulk). 

I have always just gone to the DLT myself, chosen my own number etc because I don’t want to wait for the dealers delays etc (it takes between 1 and 2 weeks !!!) i.e. Go to DLT with brown book and proof of Ownership of car (payment receipt), ID and Affirmation of Residence, choose your number (from a list), you get a receipt. Give the receipt to the dealer, it should then take them about 1 week to get the white plates and blue book. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rent so I gave them proof of address from the embassy when buying the car, and they made copies of my passport. It was only until I started harassing them about the the plates that they asked me to bring me them my passport again, and when I brought it they said they needed it for 3 days which turned into a week.

 

I don’t understand any of it myself but again one of the biggest—maybe the biggest Toyota dealer in Thailand.  Whole thing has been a big waste of time and kind of wish I had went to another dealer. Honestly, I think it’s al due to staff incompetence, because they seemed surprised that I still didn’t have white plates when I called and promised them in 3 days. I think someone misplaced the paperwork and are trying to fix their mistakes without actually letting me know they made a mistake... ????