How can I get scammed?

[stoneinfocus]

I've seen a nearly new car for a silly low price. My wife has spoken to them and they claim the car is fine, they just need money quickly. 

 

How might it be a scam? Apart from a registration document and a bill of sale, what else do I need to make sure it's legit?

 

It's advertised online, with 7 good photos, and plenty of detail in the description, so it doesn't appear to be dodgy...

 

Cheers. 

Edited April 21, 2021 by stoneinfocus

[richard_smith237]

Have you seen the Blue Book ?

 

Outstanding finance using the car as collateral  ?

[Susco]

6 minutes ago, stoneinfocus said:

It's advertised online, with 7 good photos, and plenty of detail in the description, so it doesn't appear to be dodgy...

 

This is my car, for sale at 1M baht

 

[stoneinfocus]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Have you seen the Blue Book ?

 

Outstanding finance using the car as collateral  ?

Haven't seen the blue book (is that what us Brits would call the V5/reg' doc'?), but there's almost certainly outstanding finance. 

 

What's the procedure here? 

[Susco]

6 minutes ago, stoneinfocus said:

Haven't seen the blue book (is that what us Brits would call the V5/reg' doc'?), but there's almost certainly outstanding finance. 

 

What's the procedure here? 

 

The procedure is that the buyer takes over the finance, or makes an agreement with the finance company to pay it off in one go.

 

Blue book is in the name of the finance company

 

So a nearly new car at a cheap price, with another 4 - 5 years of finance remaining, might be not that cheap at all

Edited April 21, 2021 by Susco

[stoneinfocus]

ah

[BenDeCosta]

I would suggest that the car has a lot of outstanding finance, I'm not sure if there is an equivalent of an HPI check here in Thailand (hopefully someone here knows about this). Failing that, the car could have catastrophic engine damage or some other issue that'll cost you a small fortune to fix. Thai people generally don't do bargains, when they sell second-hand goods they price it fairly close to the original purchase price. That is, unless there is something they aren't telling you.

 

My understanding is that the bluebook is not handed over until the finance is clear. So ask for the bluebook, and if they don't have it, run a mile. If they do have it, then pay a mechanic to check the car over. It could be a genuine bargain, but I highly doubt it.

 

Then again, some Thai people become convinced that their car is haunted by ghosts and then they might want to get rid of it, so it will be a bargain.

Edited April 21, 2021 by BenDeCosta

[blackcab]

Chances are you are not paying them for the car. You are paying them for the option to take over the finance payments.

 

If they need money quickly then they could be behind with their payments and the car could be snatched back soon.

 

You need to find out the final settlement figure from the finance company and add that to whatever the person selling the car is asking.

[stoneinfocus]

Cheers, chaps. I'll let you know the outcome. 

[richard_smith237]

First things first... 

 

........ Find out where the Blue Book Registration book is... then move on from there. 

 

IF the car is under finance (and the finance company is holding the Blue Book) - then find out directly from the finance company how much left there is to pay.

 

IF the car is not under finance and you are shown the Blue Book you will need to perform further due diligence, get a mechanic etc (one you trust), go to the DLT with a copy of the Blue Book and ask if there is anything amiss etc etc.... 

 

 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

35 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

This is my car, for sale at 1M baht

 

Would you take 999,999 baht.

[Susco]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Would you take 999,999 baht.

 

Come on, can't be that you don't see the value of my offer.

 

 

[A1Str8]

Check the paperwork. Then have the car checked by a mechanic. If all is well. Buy it. 

[Covedian21]

1 hour ago, stoneinfocus said:

Haven't seen the blue book (is that what us Brits would call the V5/reg' doc'?), but there's almost certainly outstanding finance. 

 

What's the procedure here? 

First, you need to understand that people might have the blue book for the car, but that doesn't mean much. It's not like in other countries that once you've got the book, you're the owner.

 

   People might have taken a loan and made a copy of the real book, or they went to a loan shark who's holding the original book. There are so many possibilities that are not in your favour. 

 

    One is for certain. Keep your hands off things that sound too good to be true. The car might be bought through finance and with the purchase, you'd have to pay the "rest" which could easily be a lot of money, back.

 

    Another trap is that you can't get a vehicle in your name if you don't have the signed ID of the previous owner. believe me, I know what I'm talking about. "A friend of a friend" bought a bike from a foreigner who's holding the book and he thought what could go wrong?

 

   All went wrong, the previous owner, an English bloke bought the bike, but it was in his wife's name. Then after the "gentleman" built a nice house for her, she met a richer American "fell in love"? and moved to the US.

 

Love here is usually based on how much money someone has. 

 

     Please try to get a signed copy of her ID card when she's in the US and is afraid that people could do many other things with such a signed ID card.

 

  To be honest, only Photoshop helped "my friend" to get the overprized bike in his name and he still had to fix all the mistakes that were done by Thai mechanics and put a fortune into the bike.

 

 No idea if you are aware that totally destroyed cars will be "rebuild" by usually very cheap companies the insurance have a contract with.

 

   To give you an example, after my pick up got totally destroyed by a red light doing drunk and speeding ar_eh_e.,the car was totally destroyed and then more than a year at this shop.

 

When it came back, it didn't drive straight anymore, all ball joints were still destroyed, the whole chassis was so out of order that even the insurance guys could see it with their eyes. 

 

   Then it was clear that it had to completely be redone again, but this time by a dealership. These people welded the frame, but didn't replace important parts of the steering, brakes and other parts.

 

   It took another nine month to get the not good fixed car back, but there were still so many serious problems with the steering and brakes that I could pop a ball joint out with a screw driver.

 

    A friend of mine had his truck destroyed by his stepson who wriggled the truck around a tree and died inside. 

 

   The truck was also "redone", looked pretty nice, but the rear wheels were not where the front wheels were, the truck drove sideways very well, but not straight and the truck was almost not drivable.

 

The whole chassis was still not straight, many parts not changed basically all that was underneath wasn't done. Just some new parts put on that it looked like a truck. 

 

   I could write a lot more examples, but I hope you get my message. Never buy something from a Thai that's way too cheap. There's always something not quite right.

 

There are Car for Cash places that would buy such a cheap car, but there's obviously something wrong with it.

 

   Keep your fingers away, you won't be happy with the "cheap car."

Thais aren't stupid, but a lot of them think we are.

 

I hope that answers your question. 

 

   

 

   

Edited April 21, 2021 by Covedian21
Thanks China, we love you all.

[stoneinfocus]

Yep.

 

My brother in law just phoned them, and the woman 'was like a different person.' Not so friendly, and the price had gone up...

 

If you want to find the car, it's a red Honda City RS, up at 510k, approx' 100k less than it should be up for. It's on Rot Kai Dee and One2Car. 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by stoneinfocus

[Patong2021]

32 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Check the paperwork. Then have the car checked by a mechanic. If all is well. Buy it. 

 

After finance, I would expect serious mechanical / repair issues.  I expect that as soon as the offer was made subject to satisfactory Honda certified mechanic  inspection, the buyer would pull back offer.

[SiamRead]

2 hours ago, stoneinfocus said:

Haven't seen the blue book (is that what us Brits would call the V5/reg' doc'?), but there's almost certainly outstanding finance. 

 

What's the procedure here? 

Don't buy ????

[Andy from Kent]

 

If it sounds too good to be true it probably isn't true.

 

[ChrisP24]

How might it be a scam?   Lots of ways, just a few that come to mind:

 

     - flood car (has been in a flood, cosmetically looks fine for now but will have numerous problems soon; rust, electrical problems, rotting components, bad smell, etc.)

 

     - title problems

 

     - downright fraudulent title

 

     - outright scam, an attempt to purchase will turn into complications/drama calculated to part you from your cash (down payment or fees, fake escrow company or whatever) with no intention to ever deliver a car that isn't even theirs. 

 

     - etc. etc. etc.   

 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by ChrisP24

[vinny41]

2 hours ago, stoneinfocus said:

Yep.

 

My brother in law just phoned them, and the woman 'was like a different person.' Not so friendly, and the price had gone up...

 

If you want to find the car, it's a red Honda City RS, up at 510k, approx' 100k less than it should be up for. It's on Rot Kai Dee and One2Car. 

 

 

The new price is 739,000 its a 2020 model so deduct 15-20% from the new price leaves you with 591,200  the model was launched January 2020 if it is a early 2020 model take another 15% off taking the price down to 502,550 the only other 2020 model is with a dealer and they want 615,000 I guess it depends on what the mark up that a dealer loads on their cars I suspect it must be 80K and they would build into the price any discounts that they make offer. I noticed its a private sale

[richard_smith237]

I’m wondering why the car has ‘older number plates’ 

 

1 xx 3023 - which are number plates from a few years back. 

All recent number plates start with 6 xx XXXX I think they are currently on 8

 

(the plate is a Bangkok Plate)

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/honda-city-rs-bangkok-metropolitan-rama-iii-sathon-rama-iv/7724878

 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

IF this is the car.... (on the one2car site) The car itself looks good.... 

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/honda-city-rs-bangkok-metropolitan-rama-iii-sathon-rama-iv/7724878

 

But as you (op) wrote, the price has gone up. Probably because the owner made a mistake in the initial pricing of the car and has had a load of people calling up about the original price. 

 

Call again (from a different number) and ask a few polite questions... 

Ask the exact mileage, any accidents, manufacture year, which company insures the car. 

Ask for the VIN number, call the insurance and check its not be in an accident.

Call Honda and check its not been in an accident. 

 

Go and see the car. 

 

[vinny41]

here is a similar car same age priced at 550,000 , some sellers will artificially inflated the price to include any discount that the buyer may ask for 

as a rule dealer prices are always more than a private seller 

The unknown factor when looking at dealer prices is the 7% vat include in the price or is that an extra on top of the advertised price

https://www.taladrod.com/w40/icar/cardet.aspx?cid=2448791

Edited April 22, 2021 by vinny41
additional info

[QballQ]

On 4/21/2021 at 8:55 PM, stoneinfocus said:

Yep.

 

My brother in law just phoned them, and the woman 'was like a different person.' Not so friendly, and the price had gone up...

 

If you want to find the car, it's a red Honda City RS, up at 510k, approx' 100k less than it should be up for. It's on Rot Kai Dee and One2Car. 

 

 

I believe I've seen that one and had considered it at that price. 

 

 

[stoneinfocus]

I bought an old, blue Benz! 

[DavisH]

On 4/22/2021 at 11:41 AM, richard_smith237 said:

I’m wondering why the car has ‘older number plates’ 

 

1 xx 3023 - which are number plates from a few years back. 

All recent number plates start with 6 xx XXXX I think they are currently on 8

 

(the plate is a Bangkok Plate)

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/honda-city-rs-bangkok-metropolitan-rama-iii-sathon-rama-iv/7724878

 

 

Thwy may have transferred a plate froma  pervious car they owned. I've seen a few like this. Our swift is also a '1XX" plate and that is 2013. 

[DavisH]

On 4/22/2021 at 1:11 PM, vinny41 said:

here is a similar car same age priced at 550,000 , some sellers will artificially inflated the price to include any discount that the buyer may ask for 

as a rule dealer prices are always more than a private seller 

The unknown factor when looking at dealer prices is the 7% vat include in the price or is that an extra on top of the advertised price

https://www.taladrod.com/w40/icar/cardet.aspx?cid=2448791

I dont think there is a huge difference between dealer and seller prices. What is different is when you sell a car 0 you may get 200K privately, both the dealer may only give 150K. I sold  a honda civic privately and got 230K for it - which is actuallya bit more than what I saw dealers selling for (for cars in much worse condition). 

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, stoneinfocus said:

I bought an old, blue Benz! 

Is that a w124 E class? How is the reliability? This is one of the better older Benzes to own. 

[stoneinfocus]

It's broken already!! Yay!!!

 

New alternator, battery, sort wiring issues, etc. 25k bill on its way.

 

<deleted> it - I like old cars, especially triple blue Benz. 

Edited April 28, 2021 by stoneinfocus

[alacrity]

On 4/21/2021 at 7:09 PM, stoneinfocus said:

Haven't seen the blue book (is that what us Brits would call the V5/reg' doc'?), but there's almost certainly outstanding finance. 

 

What's the procedure here? 

So the 'blue book' isn't available for which car????

Would that be for the relatively new Honda, or the ancient Mercedes?

Probably neither, in my estimation.