We ordered a new vehicle a while back and are waiting for delivery.

We will be buying this vehicle for “cash”. No payments. I’ve never purchased a car in Thailand before. When buying a new car for ‘cash’ at a dealership, do you need to actually pay physical cash, or can you transfer funds to the dealership? Can you go into your bank and have them do a transfer of funds to the dealership? Can the bank make out a check to the dealership? Or do you do a transfer using the banks app on your phone?

I’m not comfortable carrying around that much cash money. Even if it is only from the bank to the car dealer. Also not so comfortable transferring that much money with a phone app. One misplaced number and ‘Poof’! Your money is gone. ????

So what’s the best way to pay for a new car at a dealership?

Have the salesperson at your dealership give you the details of going to the bank and withdrawing the money from your account and get a cashier's check from the bank with the name of the company/person who will receive the check and go to the dealership with the check and present it to them.  Deal done. 

 

 

Thais like to turn up with bundles of cash for the photos, looks better than a cheque on fb and line. If a woman is involved it might be a consideration

1 minute ago, proton said:

Thais like to turn up with bundles of cash for the photos, looks better than a cheque on fb and line. If a woman is involved it might be a consideration

Never seen that....  But it sounds good for a Thai bash to accuse them of being shallow... 

 

Cashiers check is the way to to... metisdead has the answer you are looking for, Op. 

Use your phone banking app to make a bank transfer, couldn't be easier.

 

32 minutes ago, metisdead said:

Have the salesperson at your dealership give you the details of going to the bank and withdrawing the money from your account and get a cashier's check from the bank with the name of the company/person who will receive the check and go to the dealership with the check and present it to them.  Deal done. 

 

 

Exactly the way Ive done it each time

Use your phone banking app to make a bank transfer

send a small amount 100 baht and get confirmation from the dealership they have received it before transferring remaining amount

If you are not confident inserting the correct amount in a banking app should you really be driving a car?

4 minutes ago, Cardano said:

If you are not confident inserting the correct amount in a banking app should you really be driving a car?

The op is correct there have been many cases where either the sender has make a mistake or the receiver when providing the bank details has incorrectly sent the wrong details 

I picked up a new car last week. Paid 50K deposit when I ordered it, paid the balance by bank transfer two days before I picked it up - when I inspected the vehicle prior to final pre purchase checks, window tints etc.  Very easy.

4 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

The op is correct there have been many cases where either the sender has make a mistake or the receiver when providing the bank details has incorrectly sent the wrong details 

It really is not difficult to make sure you have the correct details….  I’m with Cardano on this one!

1 minute ago, G Rex said:

It really is not difficult to make sure you have the correct details….  I’m with Cardano on this one!

And what if the dealership provide incorrect details missing out a digit or they type a zero instead of a nine

Once the money goes into someone else account its a complete nightmare to get the money returned.

52 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Never seen that....  But it sounds good for a Thai bash to accuse them of being shallow... 

 

Cashiers check is the way to to... metisdead has the answer you are looking for, Op. 

Really, my first truck 10 yrs ago we shoed up with 900K cash at dealership. Just business as usual. I like the way Thais look at using cash.

59 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Never seen that....  But it sounds good for a Thai bash to accuse them of being shallow... 

 

Cashiers check is the way to to... metisdead has the answer you are looking for, Op. 

where is the bashing? just my experience, it's done for face. OP should ask his other half which she prefers.

15 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

And what if the dealership provide incorrect details missing out a digit or they type a zero instead of a nine

Once the money goes into someone else account its a complete nightmare to get the money returned.

I only have experience with Bangkok Bank's Bualuang banking app. it shows the name of the recipient. 

 

If it's in Thai I take a screenshot then use Google Lens to translate. 

 

If I'm standing next to the recipient I show them the screen and ask them to confirm that it is correct. 

 

A test transaction for the minimum amount is a good idea, then if successful add the payee to your favourites so you don't have to redo the above process.

1 hour ago, srowndedbyh2o said:

not so comfortable transferring that much money with a phone app

even if you wanted to, will the app let you transfer that much money? New cars cost a couple mil don't they?

13 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

even if you wanted to, will the app let you transfer that much money? New cars cost a couple mil don't they?

Depends on what the op is buying

If he buying a volt city ev prices start from 325,000 baht

https://autolifethailand.tv/official-price-volt-city-ev-thailand-ev-primus/

 

41 minutes ago, G Rex said:

It really is not difficult to make sure you have the correct details….  I’m with Cardano on this one!

Foolish. 1 typo you lost 20 grand. Take 3 weeks to get back.

 

Send $1 to test. 

 

 

38 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

And what if the dealership provide incorrect details missing out a digit or they type a zero instead of a nine

Once the money goes into someone else account its a complete nightmare to get the money returned.

Correct. Takes 3 weeks to get it back. This is what the bank told me.

 

Test $1. Make sure. 

The bigger car dealers will have bank account with all the major branches.

My last truck,

Got notification my truck was in.

Go to the dealer tell them I deal with SCB bank, get there SCB bank account number

Go to bank, transfer the amount of the truck from my account to the car dealers account.

Return to the dealer with the transfer slip, they check there account

Get keys to new truck.

49 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Never seen that....  But it sounds good for a Thai bash to accuse them of being shallow... 

 

Cashiers check is the way to to... metisdead has the answer you are looking for, Op. 

Really, my first truck 10 yrs ago we shoed up with 900K cash at dealership. Just business as usual. I like the way Thais look at using cash.

I have also paid in ‘cash’ for a car. A Thai has also paid me in when buying my car. 

 

What I haven't seen is the ‘bundles of cash’ for the photos...  

 

1 hour ago, proton said:

Thais like to turn up with bundles of cash for the photos,

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Correct. Takes 3 weeks to get it back. This is what the bank told me.

 

Test $1. Make sure. 

In some cases it can take longer and can involved a court case, Thai Banks are not allowed to simply reverse transfers that have been paid into someone else account. They are required to get permission from the incorrect bank holder to transfer the funds back

6 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

In some cases it can take longer and can involved a court case, Thai Banks are not allowed to simply reverse transfers that have been paid into someone else account. They are required to get permission from the incorrect bank holder to transfer the funds back

Or if they spend it

 

1 minute extra to make sure best

 

 

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I have also paid in ‘cash’ for a car. A Thai has also paid me in when buying my car. 

 

What I haven't seen is the ‘bundles of cash’ for the photos...  

 

 

 

 

Well thats what we did, lots of photos!

Last car I paid with a check from bank, was going to pay with cash but using a check was just less trouble. I like the way Thais handle cash, it's no big deal. In the US you walk in with $50K cash and you're automatically a criminal.

2 hours ago, vinny41 said:

2 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Correct. Takes 3 weeks to get it back. This is what the bank told me.

 

Test $1. Make sure. 

In some cases it can take longer and can involved a court case, Thai Banks are not allowed to simply reverse transfers that have been paid into someone else account. They are required to get permission from the incorrect bank holder to transfer the funds back

There's absolutely nothing stopping anyone who has personal experience of cocking up an app transfer from fronting up at the dealership with a bag of folding stuff. Nothing whatsoever.  This also applies to those who are just scaremongering with their anecdotal tales of digital banking woe.

3 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Depends on what the op is buying

If he buying a volt city ev prices start from 325,000 baht

https://autolifethailand.tv/official-price-volt-city-ev-thailand-ev-primus/

 

LOL how kewt ????

Coins. Definitely bags of coins.

 

Just saw a story where a Thai guy bought a brand new PCX with coins.

 

Staff seemed to enjoy counting all the coins!

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

There's absolutely nothing stopping anyone who has personal experience of cocking up an app transfer from fronting up at the dealership with a bag of folding stuff. Nothing whatsoever.  This also applies to those who are just scaremongering with their anecdotal tales of digital banking woe.

Scaremongering you need to get out more you clearly don't know what your talking about

Here a lady that transferred 293,439 baht to a wrong account , The person that incorrectly received the money in error went on a spending spree paid off balance of car loan, purchased new motor cycle, purchased 1 baht of gold.

managed to recover and return 160,000 baht as for the outstanding amount of  133,439 the original owner of the money was advised " "It's all used up." The rest is not ready to go to jail instead"

https://www.sanook.com/news/8561578/

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

There's absolutely nothing stopping anyone who has personal experience of cocking up an app transfer from fronting up at the dealership with a bag of folding stuff. Nothing whatsoever.  This also applies to those who are just scaremongering with their anecdotal tales of digital banking woe.

Gteat