Advice buying a 2nd hand Ford Laser glx 2002 model.. (Girl newbie here)

[Aina24]

Dear car enthusiasts,

My friend is selling his Ford Laser glx 2002 model for 50k bht because he is leaving the country on Friday. The original offer was 65k but I managed to convince him to drop the price. It's clocked aprox 215,000kms. He's been driving his family around in it for 6 months with no problems at all, he even goes on long roads trips sometimes.. I understand the car is old, but it sees to run fine and all the electrical components are in great shape. Realistically, for the price and age of the car I'm not expecting much, but what do you think the lifespan of this model would be? Do you think It's even worth buying? What will I need to check before buying? Any constructive advice is much appreciated.

[Kwasaki]

I would say if you consider him a real friend, if say it was me I wouldn't let you buy the car if it were no good. 

 

Has he had it serviced since his had the car 

Personally I don't consider it that old and the price seems very reasonable. 

 

Whatever could go wrong unless you're unlucky won't cost too much. 

Service it at a B.Quick or a Cockpit outlet,  I wouldn't use a Ford dealership unless the one near you has a good reputation. 

Good luck enjoy your wheels. 

 

[Aina24]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

I would say if you consider him a real friend, if say it was me I wouldn't let you buy the car if it were no good. 

 

Has he had it serviced since his had the car 

Personally I don't consider it that old and the price seems very reasonable. 

 

Whatever could go wrong unless you're unlucky won't cost too much. 

Service it at a B.Quick or a Cockpit outlet,  I wouldn't use a Ford dealership unless the one near you has a good reputation. 

Good luck enjoy your wheels. 

 

 

 

hmm, I wouldn't consider this person a 'close' friend more so a mutual colleague that seems trustworthy if that makes sense? I'd be happy to get a solid few years out of the car, which HOPEFULLY only requires little  maintenance and regular service checks. 

That leads me to my next question. What are the things I should look for when checking the car? Engine? Fluid levels? Sounds etc? Told you I'm a real noob lol

[canthai55]

If you have limited knowledge, take it to a garage and have them check it over. They can put it on a hoist and see everything. Money well spent

[Peterw42]

OP, for 50k I dont think you could go wrong. So long as it starts and stops, no smoke or noises etc.

I wouldn't bother with an inspection on a 20 year old car as they will find lots of minor things wrong, , anything major would be obvious to see.

 

The great thing in Thailand is the cost of repairs, even if repairs are necessary in the future, ends up being cheap.

[Kwasaki]

16 minutes ago, Aina24 said:

 

 

hmm, I wouldn't consider this person a 'close' friend more so a mutual colleague that seems trustworthy if that makes sense? I'd be happy to get a solid few years out of the car, which HOPEFULLY only requires little  maintenance and regular service checks. 

That leads me to my next question. What are the things I should look for when checking the car? Engine? Fluid levels? Sounds etc? Told you I'm a real noob lol

Well I think you'll find it difficult to find a car at that price elsewhere, have a drive of it and see how you feel.

As you said he is using the car and you know the car runs, so that's a plus.

 

As I said a B.Quik or Cockpit outlet in your area can check and service it at reasonable costs if you do not know of anyone who has some knowledge of cars.

[2530Ubon]

50K is very reasonable. 65-100k is the average price. You can check out site like these to compare;

https://th.priceprice.com/car/used/?maker=Ford-150&model=Ford-Laser-8054

https://rod.mitula.in.th/searchC/q-ford-laser-glx-2002?req_sgmt=REVTS1RPUDtTRU87U0VSUDs=

 

Old cars like these will cost a fortune to upkeep though. Fuel efficiency, repairs, tax. If your here to stay and going to spend money on a car anyway, then take one from a reputable dealer. f two or three months later there is a problem, you have options with a dealer. You can even get finance which will usually come with warranties, insurance and replacement car terms in the contract. You might spend 10/20 k more in the store, but you'll have peace of mind and coverage.

 

If you buy this one from your friend, then you'll be stuck with a big chunk of useless scrap with tax & repair bills should anything go wrong with the car.

 

Good luck searching!

[vandeventer]

Yes it is a good price, but as said take it to a good mechanic and check for rust and engine performance. You might want to check out the availability of parts also.

[Kenchamp]

I wouldn't buy it. I know it's not much to pay for a car in Thailand but for that sort of money you could look for something like a Nissan NV which in my opinion would be a much better buy. Don't forget it's a buyers market, offer low and see what happens.

[Locked in Ozzie]

It's a <deleted>box and you will spend your life getting it repaired.  That it got to that mileage astounds me,  Do not do it you will be disappointed.

[paulbrow]

It sounds like a fairly good deal. However, if nothing else, I'd take it to a garage and have a compression check run, as well as a general look over. If that indicates good valves and rings, buy it. This is one area that is worth checking, IMO, as it can turn into a very high cost repair and the cost of the test should be minimal.

Edited February 25, 2021 by paulbrow

[BKKBike09]

On 2/24/2021 at 9:40 AM, Aina24 said:

Dear car enthusiasts,

My friend is selling his Ford Laser glx 2002 model for 50k bht because he is leaving the country on Friday. The original offer was 65k but I managed to convince him to drop the price. It's clocked aprox 215,000kms. He's been driving his family around in it for 6 months with no problems at all, he even goes on long roads trips sometimes.. I understand the car is old, but it sees to run fine and all the electrical components are in great shape. Realistically, for the price and age of the car I'm not expecting much, but what do you think the lifespan of this model would be? Do you think It's even worth buying? What will I need to check before buying? Any constructive advice is much appreciated.

If you can't be bothered to look around and it looks / drives okay, then buy it but mentally prepare for up to say 25K in expenses in short order. 

 

Any car of that age is going to be pot luck. Is it an auto or manual? Auto gearbox more likely to have problems at that age than a manual one. Other age related mechanical issues would be things like shock absorbers and CV joints (turn the front wheels fully to left at rest, move off and listen for a knocking sound; stop, turn fully to right and repeat). Also pumps (fuel / coolant). All can be fixed.  

When parked, are there oil spots under the engine? Could go on but you get the picture.

 

You say you're not expecting much. If you approach on that basis and keep the car for a couple of years maybe it's not a bad deal. 

 

Apart from the car itself, presumably your friend has the green registration in his name? That's key, as is getting his signature on transfer papers and a sales contract before he hands over the keys. Otherwise transferring registration to you (or anyone else) could be a problem.

 

 

[NanLaew]

At that price I say go for it.

[whaleboneman]

Used car buying tips:

Check engine oil - should be at full mark and not black. If it's down a liter you will know consumption based on last oil change.

Check auto trans fluid - should be red (some brands green or blue) and not black with burnt smell.

Make sure coolant is up and not dirty.

When cold, take off radiator cap - coolant should be clean and have no oil deposits (rainbow colours).

Take off oil cap and if it's milky coloured oil that's a bad sign.

Look around perimeter of engine bay for paint overspray (to see where repairs have been made).

Fridge magnet wrapped in cloth is good to find damage repair all around car. It won't stick to bondo (fibreglass repair).

Check all tires for uneven wear.

Road test car and do at least one panic stop.

In parking lot, take car in a figure of eight pattern at slow speed and listen for any clunking sounds.

Place car in all gears and note any unusual noise or shuddering (auto transmission).

Take at least one drive at highway speed.

You already checked electrics.

Happy motoring.

[jvs]

That car if it has a book will be worth that price for a couple more years.

Have you been in the car?Does it drive well?

So what if you would have to spend some money on repairs?

You do not have take out a loan,pay everything in cash and make sure you can get it in your name.

Buying the same (shiny)car at a lot will cost double.

Don't be too positive,don't be too negative,be realistic.

Take it for a spin and then make up your mind,have fun!

 

 

[Aina24]

1 hour ago, whaleboneman said:

Used car buying tips:

Check engine oil - should be at full mark and not black. If it's down a liter you will know consumption based on last oil change.

Check auto trans fluid - should be red (some brands green or blue) and not black with burnt smell.

Make sure coolant is up and not dirty.

When cold, take off radiator cap - coolant should be clean and have no oil deposits (rainbow colours).

Take off oil cap and if it's milky coloured oil that's a bad sign.

Look around perimeter of engine bay for paint overspray (to see where repairs have been made).

Fridge magnet wrapped in cloth is good to find damage repair all around car. It won't stick to bondo (fibreglass repair).

Check all tires for uneven wear.

Road test car and do at least one panic stop.

In parking lot, take car in a figure of eight pattern at slow speed and listen for any clunking sounds.

Place car in all gears and note any unusual noise or shuddering (auto transmission).

Take at least one drive at highway speed.

You already checked electrics.

Happy motoring.

This is pretty much spot on of what I'm going to be looking for when I do the inspection later today. Thanks mate!

[jomtienisgood]

On 2/24/2021 at 1:19 PM, Kwasaki said:

Well I think you'll find it difficult to find a car at that price elsewhere, have a drive of it and see how you feel.

As you said he is using the car and you know the car runs, so that's a plus.

 

As I said a B.Quik or Cockpit outlet in your area can check and service it at reasonable costs if you do not know of anyone who has some knowledge of cars.

Sounds all like very good advise and I seriously doubt you can find another bargain for 50K.

[KhaoYai]

3 hours ago, Aina24 said:

Check engine oil - should be at full mark and not black.

I believe the laser is a petrol engine but don't place too much reliance on 'black' oil on a diesel.  Unless flushing oil is used during the oil change process (rare these days), new oil in diesel engines will turn black again almost immediately - especially in older diesels. Its also not unusual for an older engine to use a little oil - bear in mind its a 50K car!

 

As others have said, you can't expect a lot for that price but neither do you want to pay 50K for a pile of scrap.  A 19 year old car will no doubt have had accident repairs done in the past and may have minor faults etc. - neither of which may matter. A full inspection at a gararge will no doubt find lots of faults, some of which might not really matter but anything major should show up on a test drive. However, if you don't have any mechanical knowledge, you may misread any strange noises ect.  A knocking could be something serious or could just be a ball joint and cost 2000-3000 baht to fix.  In general, if it drives OK, stops OK, keeps its temperature and doesn't smoke, there's probably not much wrong.

 

If you can find a 'local 'type garage that will take a look at the car and allow for its age rather than a full inspection, that would be your best bet with an old motor.

Edited February 25, 2021 by KhaoYai

[GreasyFingers]

8 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Yes it is a good price, but as said take it to a good mechanic and check for rust and engine performance. You might want to check out the availability of parts also.

Good price for an 18 year old car.? Our neighbor bought a car for 10000 baht and it still drives.

[Aina24]

This is a check list of the things I will get the mechanic to do. If I have missed something, please let me know.

 

-Change oil. 

-Change timing and fan belt.

-Change spark plugs.

-Oil and air filters.

-Flush radiator.

-Change transmission fluid.

-Change power steering fluid.

-Check break pads.

 

Have I missed something? ????

Edited February 25, 2021 by Aina24

[whaleboneman]

8 hours ago, Aina24 said:

This is a check list of the things I will get the mechanic to do. If I have missed something, please let me know.

 

-Change oil. 

-Change timing and fan belt.

-Change spark plugs.

-Oil and air filters.

-Flush radiator.

-Change transmission fluid.

-Change power steering fluid.

-Check break pads.

 

Have I missed something? ????

Not sure all that needs to be done. Are there service records with the car?  I like to do timing belts every 5 years or 100,000 k whichever comes first. If no record then change it. If it fails - your engine will be damaged. If timing belt is done, change water pump and pulleys as well - they are inexpensive and should be done at the same time. 

[canthai55]

Very comprehensive list - you did well.

I looked up your engine - 1.6 L DOHC - a Mazda design, is a non interference engine.

This means that if the timing belt breaks the engine will not be damaged - so a good thing.

Is there no maintenance records showing when and at what mileage the belt was replaced ?

If not, make sure the shop changes the belt tensioner also

Good luck

 

[Aina24]

On 2/26/2021 at 6:22 AM, canthai55 said:

Very comprehensive list - you did well.

I looked up your engine - 1.6 L DOHC - a Mazda design, is a non interference engine.

This means that if the timing belt breaks the engine will not be damaged - so a good thing.

Is there no maintenance records showing when and at what mileage the belt was replaced ?

If not, make sure the shop changes the belt tensioner also

Good luck

 

 

It seems like you know your stuff man! The book came with no service logs, but all the transfer + tax papers were in good order. The man I bought it off assured me it wasn't a dud, and I do believe him since we've worked together for eight years. Fortunately for me I'm both Thai / American so the transferal process was a walk in the park. This leaves me to my next question. The last thing I want is to get completely ripped off by the mechanics, so I want to go in there at least knowing a rough estimation of what I'm expected to pay for a complete service for what I want done? Realistically what do you think I'll be expecting to pay?  ????

 

I know the timing + fan belt and water pump + the labor work will cost a few satang $ - but I knew knowingly well before my purchase the car will need some work, that's why I offered only 50k instead of the price my mate wanted (65k)..That way I'm left with more funds for an emergency.. Once again I do genuinely appreciate your  help so much. Thank you

Edited February 27, 2021 by Aina24

[canthai55]

PM sent

[Yellowtail]

I would change the oil and check the other levels as soon as I got it, but then I would drive it a month before I did anything else. No point in putting money into something you decide you hate, or that has a lot of costly issues to hammer out. 

 

I believe some of the shops now have transmission oil "polishing" systems where they are able to re-refine the existing ATF. I have not had this done and do not know what it costs but it is something I would seriously consider if I were buying an older used car without a service record. If all went well, I would change the ATF to OEM spec a month after the polish. 

 

In any event, I would not do everything at once. Becoming a regular customer at nearby shop that treats you well has it's advantages. 

 

Buy quality parts and supplies.

 

 

[KannikaP]

On 2/24/2021 at 1:23 PM, 2530Ubon said:

50K is very reasonable. 65-100k is the average price. You can check out site like these to compare;

https://th.priceprice.com/car/used/?maker=Ford-150&model=Ford-Laser-8054

https://rod.mitula.in.th/searchC/q-ford-laser-glx-2002?req_sgmt=REVTS1RPUDtTRU87U0VSUDs=

 

Old cars like these will cost a fortune to upkeep though. Fuel efficiency, repairs, tax. If your here to stay and going to spend money on a car anyway, then take one from a reputable dealer. f two or three months later there is a problem, you have options with a dealer. You can even get finance which will usually come with warranties, insurance and replacement car terms in the contract. You might spend 10/20 k more in the store, but you'll have peace of mind and coverage.

 

If you buy this one from your friend, then you'll be stuck with a big chunk of useless scrap with tax & repair bills should anything go wrong with the car.

 

Good luck searching!

Why do you keep metioning TAX. Isn't that the same whether car is 2 or 20 years old.

[Yellowtail]

10 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Why do you keep metioning TAX. Isn't that the same whether car is 2 or 20 years old.

 

Why bother arguing with someone that thinks they they are saving money by buying a new car? They have to spend $100 a month to repair the old car, so they buy a new car and have to spend $800 a month to pay for it. Big savings huh?

 

Also, regular maintenance and consumables are often cheaper on older cars than new.

 

I like driving a nice new car, but the reason to buy a new car is because you want a new car, not because you want to save money. If you want to same money, take the bus or walk. 

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Also, regular maintenance and consumables are often cheaper on older cars than new.

Please explain. Oil is oil, tyres are tyres, wiper blades, filters, labour costs are the same.

Edited February 27, 2021 by KannikaP

[Yellowtail]

Just now, KannikaP said:

Please explain. Oil is oil, tyres are tyres, wiper blades the same.

 

New car goes to the dealer, old car to b-quick or some such. Also, most new cars are using full-synthetics which are more expensive.

 

New cars sometimes use model-specific tires they contract with manufacturers to purchase, that results in limited availability which drive up the price for a least a few years. Also, many new models have larger wheels and low profile tires which are generally more expensive. Older cars generally have more standard size tires.

 

Look at the wiper blades on a new Fortuner. Not available after market that I can find. You can get Bosch blades that will fit, but they look crappy. The OEM blades have a "aero" look, that one would likely not care when it's 20 years old. The OEM blades are 600 each, the Bosch 300 a pair. 

 

Again, I am speaking in generalities. Certainly one can find exceptions. 

 

 

[KannikaP]

5 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

New car goes to the dealer, old car to b-quick or some such. Also, most new cars are using full-synthetics which are more expensive.

 

New cars sometimes use model-specific tires they contract with manufacturers to purchase, that results in limited availability which drive up the price for a least a few years. Also, many new models have larger wheels and low profile tires which are generally more expensive. Older cars generally have more standard size tires.

 

Look at the wiper blades on a new Fortuner. Not available after market that I can find. You can get Bosch blades that will fit, but they look crappy. The OEM blades have a "aero" look, that one would likely not care when it's 20 years old. The OEM blades are 600 each, the Bosch 300 a pair. 

 

Again, I am speaking in generalities. Certainly one can find exceptions. 

 

 

Point taken. But crappy looking wiper blades? Who looks at them, well from the outside.