Buying a car - just arrived!

[Joedobbs]

We need a car. Have driven in Bangkok before and felt more confident with a “bigger/taller” car. We can’t afford to buy cash right now so looking at options.

 

also advice on what to do and what’s best!

initially plan is to save money while we do long term rental like for 6 months….however finding a suitable car is proving difficult.

 

also looking at buying and wondering if there are any finance options for expats on work visa…..we’ve just arrived though so no history in our accounts.

 

we are on a 2 year contract - so you never know that might be it or we might extend after…..so should we buy second hand - but there doesn’t seem to be any finance Options for second hand? Something like Toyota sure - do they have pay monthly options?

 

buy new? Would they entertain us even if we’ve just arrived?

 

just rent for the 2 years??

 

thanks - I know nothing about cars, just know when driving in bangkok I prefer the taller/bigger cars that’s the sedans - give us more confidence! Oh and we are a family.

[KhunLA]

Owning a car, is a huge expense, renting even worse.  Do you really need, as it appears you can't really afford one at this point.

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, Joedobbs said:

just rent for the 2 years??

My advice would be "Yes".

[Joedobbs]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Owning a car, is a huge expense, renting even worse.  Do you really need, as it appears you can't really afford one at this point.

I definitely need one as will have to commute and can only do it by car - also have family and need a car mostly to get to work.

 

I can’t actually afford one now because I don’t have the cash - I could save up and have the money in a few months. We will be on fairly good salaries - combined income of around 320,000 THB and planning on renting initially, however also thought buying was better than renting because after when you leave you can sell and get some money back.

 

I need more opinions on what to do - also what car to get.

[KhunLA]

20 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

I definitely need one as will have to commute and can only do it by car - also have family and need a car mostly to get to work.

 

I can’t actually afford one now because I don’t have the cash - I could save up and have the money in a few months. We will be on fairly good salaries - combined income of around 320,000 THB and planning on renting initially, however also thought buying was better than renting because after when you leave you can sell and get some money back.

 

I need more opinions on what to do - also what car to get.

If not doing a whole lot of highway kms, budget to buy & operate, Suzuki Celerio, at 328k MT/408K AT.  Perfect for daily commute.  Anything else is about 200k more, entry level Toyota, Mazda, Honda.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, Joedobbs said:

there doesn’t seem to be any finance Options for second hand?

I doubt that there's a used car dealer in the country who could not offer finance to a buyer, they all have access to the facility.  You will probably be asked to provide evidence of income for the last three months, though.  

[DrJoy]

Siam Commercial Bank can finance you a car, if you hold a valid work permit.

 

They requested for 30% down payment (new car)

 

I got a 0% interest deal at the Bangkok Motor Show

[Ralf001]

Rent for 6 months as most finance companies will want to see 6 months of salary slips.

Tisco will do finance for foreigners working, 25% deposit.

[FrankBKK]

Was in a similar situation some years ago - ended up hiring a taxi driver that brought me to work and picked me up evenings for a fixed amount - was win-win for both of us - he got a guaranteed fare each day that almost covered his taxi rental, I got my commute problem solved.

The guy was very reliable, always showed up in time, no fuss at all and on top he got a lot of lucrative fares for friends I recommended.

[Aussieroaming]

I live in Bangkok and own a vehicle.  As it turns out I have only done 6000 km's in 1.5 years because I only ever use it when I leave Bangkok and we had lockdowns as well.

 

I found the BTS and MRT just too convenient to bother with too much driving in Bangkok itself. Sometimes the roads are like a parking lot, with cars jammed everywhere. MRT and BTS every 10 minutes is hard to beat a lot of times, especially as our condo is right at a BTS station and directly across the road from a Big C, so no vehicle really is needed. I do like having the vehicle available for journeys but I could have rented whenever I needed it, like I did before, probably cheaper in the long run.

 

With a family you will need to buy something that takes enough luggage for when your family escapes Bangkok. I bought a new CX-3 which is pretty crappy for luggage space but it suited my wife and I for size and price, as a lack of luggage isn't a show stopper for a couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[damen]

If you are tight in finance, my advice is not to buy now. Rent for 1-2 months first if you really need it now. And save up money to fully paid a second-hand car within your budget range. Try to get Toyota or Isuzu so you won't need to worry about their reliability or fixing costs as they are usually relatively much cheaper compared to other brands. 

Second-hand cars (finance on used cars usually have a high-interest rate, which I find not worth it)

First-hand cars (usually they will have some kind of promotion- ie: downpayment of 30% of the car price and take a loan for 48 months. The interest rate is usually around 1.3% - 1.6%.

I have bought 10-11 cars within 5 years times of my stay in Thailand. I usually buy second-hand cars as cars usually depreciate like mad. As I don't find a need to get a first-hand as I feel that as long the car feels price right, I will get it.

For example, during the end of 2019. I bought a Toyota Fortuner (4 months old) at 1 mil baht. New was 1.49 mil. No crash or any other nonsense problem. Sold it during Jan 2022 for 850k. If I were to buy second-hand, my losses will be even higher.

There is every price of the car for your budget. So depending on your budget.

You can get a relatively cheap Camry 2013 - 2017 model for 300k - 500k.

Hardly spoil if you were to ask me and standard EU safely.
 

[Joedobbs]

7 hours ago, damen said:

If you are tight in finance, my advice is not to buy now. Rent for 1-2 months first if you really need it now. And save up money to fully paid a second-hand car within your budget range. Try to get Toyota or Isuzu so you won't need to worry about their reliability or fixing costs as they are usually relatively much cheaper compared to other brands. 

Second-hand cars (finance on used cars usually have a high-interest rate, which I find not worth it)

First-hand cars (usually they will have some kind of promotion- ie: downpayment of 30% of the car price and take a loan for 48 months. The interest rate is usually around 1.3% - 1.6%.

I have bought 10-11 cars within 5 years times of my stay in Thailand. I usually buy second-hand cars as cars usually depreciate like mad. As I don't find a need to get a first-hand as I feel that as long the car feels price right, I will get it.

For example, during the end of 2019. I bought a Toyota Fortuner (4 months old) at 1 mil baht. New was 1.49 mil. No crash or any other nonsense problem. Sold it during Jan 2022 for 850k. If I were to buy second-hand, my losses will be even higher.

There is every price of the car for your budget. So depending on your budget.

You can get a relatively cheap Camry 2013 - 2017 model for 300k - 500k.

Hardly spoil if you were to ask me and standard EU safely.
 

I definelty need a car as will work out by airport.

 

will rent for a few months and see what’s what but now not sure to buy new or used -  where should I look for used cars and not grt

cheated!

[KhunLA]

18 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

I definelty need a car as will work out by airport.

 

will rent for a few months and see what’s what but now not sure to buy new or used -  where should I look for used cars and not grt

cheated!

FB Marketplace - 2 yrs of no income for many people, so should be a buyers market.

 

Getting cheated is up to you, as used market is the same worldwide, TH no different.  I think Toyota has 'authorized' used car resellers.   Maybe someone can chime in to verify that.  If wanting to go with a dealer/warranty.   Other wise I'd stick with private seller as most used car dealers have some silly prices.

[damen]

2 hours ago, Joedobbs said:

I definelty need a car as will work out by airport.

 

will rent for a few months and see what’s what but now not sure to buy new or used -  where should I look for used cars and not grt

cheated!

Normally I will check with Talarod (Google Translate) - a famous website in Thailand for the used car market. You can buy your car over there on the website or you can check the as a price reference.

Most of the cars sold over there usually came from second-hand dealers (In Thailand they called them: Car secondhand -Tent).  Try to search for cars with low mileage and guarantee by the dealer that there is no crash, flooded, or amended odometer. Ask them to put this in your contract. Check on youtube for signs of crashes, and flooded cars. It will definitely help you a little along the way.

If you found a good and nice car you wish to buy, get them into a written contract with all these requirements which I told you (no crash, flooded, or amended odometer else return double or full of the amount which you paid). And usually, you can also get a bargain of free transfer too. if you are good at bartering.

I don't usually get from the Facebook market as I cannot get some kind of assurance from private sellers as compared to big second-hand car dealers. At least for the dealer, it is hard for them to run away since the shop is there.

[damen]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

FB Marketplace - 2 yrs of no income for many people, so should be a buyers market.

 

Getting cheated is up to you, as used market is the same worldwide, TH no different.  I think Toyota has 'authorized' used car resellers.   Maybe someone can chime in to verify that.  If wanting to go with a dealer/warranty.   Other wise I'd stick with private seller as most used car dealers have some silly prices.

Actually, in my experience, a private seller is the one who always sells much higher compared to the market price. But maybe it could be my location. I stayed in Phuket and usually I buy most of my cars in Bangkok.

And won't want to touch EV cars in Thailand. Hybrid Lexus or Toyota car (big yes) but not EV. Charging in a Public Thai station is a nightmare.

[n8sail]

1 hour ago, damen said:

Actually, in my experience, a private seller is the one who always sells much higher compared to the market price. But maybe it could be my location. I stayed in Phuket and usually I buy most of my cars in Bangkok.

And won't want to touch EV cars in Thailand. Hybrid Lexus or Toyota car (big yes) but not EV. Charging in a Public Thai station is a nightmare.

I have an EV here and I don't find charging to be that big of a problem.  However, I charge 99% of the time either at Condo or at my work.   The couple dozen times I've needed to charge elsewhere, it was only annoying one time as the charger didn't work until after 10pm (EA Anywhere Network), so I had to wait 10 minutes before starting.

 

The EV costs 1/3 to drive right now compared to my Ranger 2.2l XLT truck.   No oil changes.  I do 35k+ kilometers a year so it adds up.

 

Problem is actually FINDING an EV right now.  The MG EP that I have has an 8 month waitlist right now!

 

I have had loans with TISCO and also Kasikorn bank.  I'm on Non-B Visas.  Both companies required 25% downpayment from me, but others on here, as mentioned above, have found loans that required less downpayment.

Beware 2nd hand cars if you don't know anything about cars...  Seen a few people get really screwed here by unscrupulous dealers.   That happens in every country though.

[KhunLA]

20 minutes ago, n8sail said:

I have an EV here and I don't find charging to be that big of a problem.  However, I charge 99% of the time either at Condo or at my work.   The couple dozen times I've needed to charge elsewhere, it was only annoying one time as the charger didn't work until after 10pm (EA Anywhere Network), so I had to wait 10 minutes before starting.

Amazing how EV owner's experiences are so much different than non EV owners ... ⚡⚡⚡

[damen]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Amazing how EV owner's experiences are so much different than non EV owners ... ⚡⚡⚡

Err, I do own an EV car. ORA Good Cat for wifey. Also, my current car is also a plug-in Hybrid outlander. So I do know what I'm talking about. 

 

 

[Joedobbs]

This is all very helpful information…..however I’m still not sure what the best course of action is. I need a car. That’s a given.

I’m renting currently and plan to do that for next few months.

 

but if I am staying a minimum of a year or 2, does it make sense financially to buy a car - so I can sell when I leave and recoup some of the money - rather than renting for a year or 2?

 

also if I buy should I buy newish….from a dealership and see if giving a down payment they would accept without a Thai guarantor?

 

or should I just try to rent and save for time being and then buy something cheaper?

 

finally what car?! I prefer the bigger cars, gives me more confidence with the family And traffic - I liked the elevation of a pick up truck which I’ve driven so I’m thinking fortuner, one of the bigger Hondas or a ford Everest rather than the smaller compact SUVs…..thoughts?!

[Joedobbs]

Any more assistance please?

[Ralf001]

30 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

Any more assistance please?

IMHO you will get better finance deals on a new car.

 

For instance, Ford currently has a deal on New Rangers, 1.99% interest with 25% deposit over 48 months.

 

Tisco (Ford) does do finance for foreigners (no Thai guarantor) but want to see 6 months of salary slips.

 

 

[KIngsofisaan]

47 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

Any more assistance please?

Big cars use a lot more gas.

 

Insurance

 

Hard to park.

 

Stop and go traffic 

 

If you buy new or used, you still have the issue to try to sell after 2 years which may not work out in your timeline?

 

Can you write off your car as a tax expense? Maybe buying would help there.

 

If you can prove reliable income and have cash down payment, many finance options for new cars at all dealers.

 

Used car dealers, if you are not mechanically inclined, find someone that is, to go with you if you buy used, so you don't get ripped off.

 

Lots of cars in Thailand with unseen problems from being in floods and other issues.

 

Examine your driving route and times to and from work. You might find it a traffic nightmare you don't want to deal with.

 

Out by the airport, lots of tolls to get out that way, more cost

 

Although if you have already arrived in Thailand and cannot afford a car, you might want to think twice about adding any long term debt.

 

Save your money until you have something to fall back on in the event the job evaporates for unknown illogical Thai reasons.

 

Ask the people you are working with what is best? If they have cars, they should have answers.

 

Having a car in the middle of the city and trying to find a place to park is a real drag.

 

 

 

[Joedobbs]

Been offered a nearly new MG ZS for around 450/500 with transferable warranty - from the company that I rent from….would this be a good car for a few years? Again I’m not sure if I’ll be here 2 years or 6 - who knows?

don’t want to spend more than 500 really…..

 

thoughts?

[Kwasaki]

Go for it. 

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

Been offered a nearly new MG ZS for around 450/500 with transferable warranty - from the company that I rent from….would this be a good car for a few years? Again I’m not sure if I’ll be here 2 years or 6 - who knows?

don’t want to spend more than 500 really…..

 

thoughts?

Khun LA will be beside himself...    one more vehicle to give that knowing ‘we’re ahead of the curve’ nod and wave too.....   you’ll be able to support him on all the EV debates on this forum !!!!   

[KhunLA]

22 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

Been offered a nearly new MG ZS for around 450/500 with transferable warranty - from the company that I rent from

Have ZS and really like ours.  What year & kms ?

[richard_smith237]

24 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

51 minutes ago, Joedobbs said:

Been offered a nearly new MG ZS for around 450/500 with transferable warranty - from the company that I rent from

Have ZS and really like ours.  What year & kms ?

Awww... cute, I knew you two would get along !!! ????

 

(sorry, couldn’t resist).

 

 

If Mazda did a CX-5 EV I’d be on it....  but would be a somewhat nervous about a 340km trip to Koh Chang....   or driving BKK to Baan Pae and leaving the car parked up while on Koh Samet...  finding a charging station on the way there or the way back, because there aren’t any at the car-park there and we can’t leave the car plugged in for 3-4 days (can we?) other people would need the charging station (if there was one).... 

 

But, for the most part, the school run and journeys around Bangkok where charging at home is only ever needed.... a CX-5 EV would be ideal. 

 

 

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

....  but would be a somewhat nervous about a 340km trip to Koh Chang....   or driving BKK to Baan Pae and leaving the car parked up while on Koh Samet...  finding a charging station on the way there or the way back,

 

 

How many CS do you need ...

 

 

[Joedobbs]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Have ZS and really like ours.  What year & kms ?

Not sure yet but I’ll post - will be available at Xmas I think….I’ll check in here.

 

is it an ok car to drive around bangkok and fort road trips in Thailand?

then easy enough to sell when time to leave Thailand?

 

thanks

[EricTh]

@Joedobbs

 

Unlike western countries like USA or Canada where there is ample parking space, the parking space in Thailand is pathetic and the roads much narrower.

 

So it's better to buy smaller cars and not big cars.

 

Furthermore, the way that the Thai people ride their motorbikes will potentially cause more accidents if you have a big car.