Fortuner for a year - what could go wrong?

[ldarcy]

Hi,

 

I plan to stay in Thailand for a year and would like to have a car to travel around. One option is to rent - for about 10-15K/month I probably could get a small/midsize sedan, so it would be 120-150K for the whole year give or take. On the other hand, I could buy a used 2017/18/19 Fortuner for around 900K. I should be able to sell it after a year and, say +50K km, for 750K, no? So for the same amount of money I'd get a much better car.

 

What could go wrong? Am I too optimistic that the Fortuner would hold its price/I can sell it reasonably quickly? Any other pitfalls I'm going to find myself in?

 

Thanks

ldarcy 

[Kwasaki]

Well a Nissan Micra is about 190,000 for a year.

 

So IHMO be best to buy SUV maybe an older one 5-6 year old and sell it but try to do a deal with a tent in BKK to buy off of them and ask them if they would buy it back next year.

 

I say that because SUV's cars, trucks and motorbikes are not easy to sell unless you are prepared to lose quite a bit more than you banked on.

[kwak250]

29 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Well a Nissan Micra is about 190,000 for a year.

 

So IHMO be best to buy SUV maybe an older one 5-6 year old and sell it but try to do a deal with a tent in BKK to buy off of them and ask them if they would buy it back next year.

 

I say that because SUV's cars, trucks and motorbikes are not easy to sell unless you are prepared to lose quite a bit more than you banked on.

Good advice but not sure about the tents buying it back for what they say.

They will tell you anything to sell it.

[finnsk]

Take a look at second hand cars at KAIDEE.COM.

 

Some categories keep the value and other lost much money a year.

 

Keeping the best values seems to bee diesel pickup trucks with some years, the models with new suspension types can be ok comfortable, many of them is avaiable as vans if you dont like the farmer look

 

To buy used, the brand with most safe value for used car seemes to be Toyota, Isuzu is another strong brand when we are talking about the pickup types.

 

The MPV/SUV categories seems to be more price variable(risky)

[brianthainess]

Not sure about now, but trucks used to be cheaper to rent than saloon cars, renting could mean no maintenance costs and come with full insurance if you go through the big companies.  

[ldarcy]

Thank you for your answers! I checked kaidee and the listed prices of the 2015-ish Fortuners (probably a pricepoint I would be selling at if I buy a 2017 one today) match my expectations. The other thing if they are actually getting sold for those prices or just being listed there for months... 

Edited December 20, 2020 by ldarcy
Clarification

[mistral53]

Don't be too fixated on what you could lose over a 12 months period - I would be much more concerned to find the well maintained vehicle that gets you through a trouble free 12 months, without having to spend good money on repairs. Apart from regular maintenance cost, in case you put on 50k km and the tires were not new at the time of purchase, you might also look at a set of new tires. The list goes on........

 

Unlike the 'know-it-all- posters on here, I have a few weeks back sold an SUV and it was sold in a snap - on FB for all places. Find the right car discussion group - and that by definition is not on TV! - for the most sensible information and support.

 

[Ireland32]

On 12/19/2020 at 9:58 PM, ldarcy said:

Hi,

 

I plan to stay in Thailand for a year and would like to have a car to travel around. One option is to rent - for about 10-15K/month I probably could get a small/midsize sedan, so it would be 120-150K for the whole year give or take. On the other hand, I could buy a used 2017/18/19 Fortuner for around 900K. I should be able to sell it after a year and, say +50K km, for 750K, no? So for the same amount of money I'd get a much better car.

 

What could go wrong? Am I too optimistic that the Fortuner would hold its price/I can sell it reasonably quickly? Any other pitfalls I'm going to find myself in?

 

Thanks

ldarcy 

You can a car in Pattaya T Star Rental 420 b a day or 7,000 a month something like that 

[jackdd]

You forgot to take other costs into consideration.

A year first class insurance will cost you 15k or so

If you do 50k in a year, that's a set of tires, another 20k

No idea how much one or two services (oil change and so on) for a Fortuner costs, but could well be another 10-20k.

In case something breaks you have to pay for it, can be expensive. While the car gets fixed you will also be without a car.

[HashBrownHarry]

12 hours ago, jackdd said:

You forgot to take other costs into consideration.

A year first class insurance will cost you 15k or so

If you do 50k in a year, that's a set of tires, another 20k

No idea how much one or two services (oil change and so on) for a Fortuner costs, but could well be another 10-20k.

In case something breaks you have to pay for it, can be expensive. While the car gets fixed you will also be without a car.

I changed tires on my Fortuner after 80K.

 

Servicing is about 5-7K normally.

 

Insurance you're bang on, about 15-18K

[RedCardinal]

Biggest problem may be selling at the end.  Can you wait if no immediate buyers?  Will you still be here to take care of the blue book transfer?  Do you have somewhere to store the vehicle if you have to leave it here pending a sale? 

 

Thailand is the land of paperwork, and it's often not trivial to get things done.  Selling involves changes in ownership which generally need to be done at Transportation Office in person.  Otherwise you'll need a power of attorney.  If you're not here in person, it tends to get even more dramatic to get things done.  

[CanadaSam]

On 12/21/2020 at 12:14 AM, Ireland32 said:

You can a car in Pattaya T Star Rental 420 b a day

 

The cheapest I've found in Pattaya is MAKS, even cheaper, and reliable.

 

https://thai-rent-car.com/

[Sam Lin]

If you buy a good copy (and don't get scammed by a shady rollback dealer), it's a solid plan. Fortuner will resell very well, they're nice trucks, great interior but harsh truck ride, and yes nicer than most rentals for that period.

[transam]

Resale value on a Fortuner is good, but selling can be problematic, it is nowhere near as easy as back home if the LTO finds a problem..

Toyota's are probably the most reliable rides in LOS, Revo, Fortuner are near bullet proof.

Even servicing costs are peanuts and the first few are probably free for labour.....

If you buy new you will not need to replace the tyres or brake linings in your year unless you do drag racing burnouts.

[ldarcy]

22 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

 

The cheapest I've found in Pattaya is MAKS, even cheaper, and reliable.

 

https://thai-rent-car.com/

Yup, I rented from them, very satisfied. They price (for an official rental, rather competitively) Fortuner rental at 29K/month ????... 

[phetphet]

Bear in mind that with the current COVID situation, the bottom of the car market might drop out soon, and you may have to sell far cheaper than you planned in order to get rid of it.

[NanLaew]

The OP should avoid buying used SUV's.

 

He should buy a brand new Ranger Raptor. This opens up the off-road aspects of grand touring in Thailand

 

When his holiday's over, I'll take it off his hands for 500k baht.

Edited December 25, 2020 by NanLaew

[jackdd]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

He should buy a brand new Ranger Raptor. This opens up the off-road aspects of grand touring in Thailand

Afaik you want solid axles for off-roading, so the raptor might be marketed as off-roader, but actually it isn't.

[Lacessit]

Vehicles in Thailand are a bit like marriage anywhere, easy to get into, a lot more difficult to get out of. All the highways are lined with secondhand vehicles, repossessions, plus people who have lost their jobs with coronavirus and can't afford to run a car anymore. They sit there for months without moving.

Unless the OP is seriously into off-roading, IMO all he needs is a car. I've been over a lot of Thailand in a Vios.

The problem with secondhand vehicles here is their previous history. Many have wound-back odometers, and have been abused by the previous owners who skimped on servicing.

IMO the OP would save himself the money, and the stress of trying to sell in a glutted market, by renting. Not to mention someone else would be carrying the can for registration and insurance.

[canthai55]

Thai Ford Raptor - 555

This is a Raptor - Possibly 760 hp Supercharged V8 Or 660 HP V6 for 2021

Presently 450 HP twin turbo V6

 

[canthai55]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Many have wound-back odometers, and have been abused by the previous owners who skimped on servicing.

 

Still flogging that old dead horse - along with many other posters.

Thai people don't do maintenance !!! - pray tell how they get over 700,000 km without doing so

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, canthai55 said:

Still flogging that old dead horse - along with many other posters.

Thai people don't do maintenance !!! - pray tell how they get over 700,000 km without doing so

My Gf's daughter bought a Honda City secondhand, 150,000 km on the odometer. Engine blew up after just 20,000 KM.

700,000 km? How many Christmas beers did you have before you started pecking at the keyboard?

[canthai55]

Could not get a Grab early morning. Rode my bike to where the yellow songthaews park

Man in an Isuzu TFR all alone, took me to the superhighway for 200 baht.

Commented on how nice the truck was. "Yes, I bought it new" "How many KM I asked ?"

732,000

Your daughter should have done better due diligence

Never had a beer in almost 30 years

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Could not get a Grab early morning. Rode my bike to where the yellow songthaews park

Man in an Isuzu TFR all alone, took me to the superhighway for 200 baht.

Commented on how nice the truck was. "Yes, I bought it new" "How many KM I asked ?"

732,000

Your daughter should have done better due diligence

Never had a beer in almost 30 years

Of course they do that kind of mileage, all taxis do. That's because the engine is running hot all the time, most wear and tear happens starting up from cold. The vehicles standing in second-hand lots are not ex-taxis.

Not my daughter, full Thai. Quite a stunner, also an airhead.

[canthai55]

Nice back pedaling ...

[sirineou]

We had a Chevy Colorado Pick Up truck that we sold when we moved back to the US for a final spurt of work for a few years and then retire, we thought  we would not come back often enough in that period of time to justify keeping the truck. and for the couple of weeks that we would come once a year we would rent a car, This did not work out, because of this and that, the wife ended up coming back more often and staying longer, and it became expensive renting a car. So we bought a 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage to have while we were there. It was only about 3000 bht  . and we were very happy with the decision, but we own a house to keep it in , and my brother in law , stars it up and moves it for us every once. in a while  for us.

  If The Op has a place to keep it, I would suggest something like that because chances are after he leaves Thailand  he will be coming back  again and find himself in the same situation as we did. Once in Thailand very hard to stay away for too long. 

 PS: I retired this year and as soon as we can come back without having to quarantine for 14 days we will move back fir good, and we will look to buy a more substantial vehicle, but we will keep the Miraze as a second vehicle,  it would be a waste to sell it 'cause it has very low milage and is still like new, 

[Lacessit]

13 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Nice back pedaling ...

Can you explain the relevance of comparing the longevity of a taxi engine to that of a privately owned vehicle?

[NanLaew]

18 hours ago, jackdd said:

20 hours ago, NanLaew said:

He should buy a brand new Ranger Raptor. This opens up the off-road aspects of grand touring in Thailand

Afaik you want solid axles for off-roading, so the raptor might be marketed as off-roader, but actually it isn't.

True, but maybe you don't know how comparatively lame and un-challenging Thailand's off-road experience can be? I mean if a Pajero with a bull bar, fancy decals and low-profile tires on 20" rims can do it...

[Lacessit]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

True, but maybe you don't know how comparatively lame and un-challenging Thailand's off-road experience can be? I mean if a Pajero with a bull bar, fancy decals and low-profile tires on 20" rims can do it...

Try around Doi Mae Salong, Doi Tung and Doi Angkhan in the rainy season. There's bitumen roads there that give pause.

[NanLaew]

17 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Thai Ford Raptor - 555

This is a Raptor - Possibly 760 hp Supercharged V8 Or 660 HP V6 for 2021

Presently 450 HP twin turbo V6

 

Absolutely stunning... and so totally and completely inappropriate for Thai roads (and drivers). Before the borders closed, the Udon streets at weekends would see oversized Tundra's and Denali's from Laos trying to fit in with the local traffic. Didn't see too many Fords of any flavor and absolutely no Dodge RAMs so I assume that Toyota and GM have the lion's share in the LPDR.