I am looking to buy a used Benz as I will soon be retiring to Thailand. I noticed on Facebook Marketplace (first red flag) some very cheap 7-10 year old cars. A 3rd of the normal going price.

When I enquired about one vehicle and asked for the V.I.N. or plate number so I could do some due diligence on the car he refused and said I could see them when I picked the vehicle up. I asked why the vehicle was cheap and he said it was a PAWNED vehicle. It was a repossion from a finance company. He said all that was needed to "check the confiscated status and the confiscated status can be removed by hiring a deletion".

 

Obviously this all sounds very dodgy to say the least but I would love to know what these cars are and teir legal status.

• Are they repossesed?
• WIll the finance company come after you?
• Can ownership be transferred? 

You don't buy a car or any high value items unless you see it in your own eyes and check the credentials

and authenticity of such item and under no circumstance send money to anyone..

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

 

Agreed with the above poster. The trade in stolen cars cross borders in the region is substantial and hi end cars are the target. Be very very careful, it is worth the premium to buy from a reputable dealer.

1 hour ago, wozzlegummich said:

I am looking to buy a used Benz as I will soon be retiring to Thailand. I noticed on Facebook Marketplace (first red flag) some very cheap 7-10 year old cars. A 3rd of the normal going price.

When I enquired about one vehicle and asked for the V.I.N. or plate number so I could do some due diligence on the car he refused and said I could see them when I picked the vehicle up. I asked why the vehicle was cheap and he said it was a PAWNED vehicle. It was a repossion from a finance company. He said all that was needed to "check the confiscated status and the confiscated status can be removed by hiring a deletion".

 

Obviously this all sounds very dodgy to say the least but I would love to know what these cars are and teir legal status.

• Are they repossesed?
• WIll the finance company come after you?
• Can ownership be transferred? 

• Are they repossesed? Unlikely
• WIll the finance company come after you? More than likely
• Can ownership be transferred? In Most Cases No as there is no Blue Book
• See threads here
• https://aseannow.com/topic/1219358-car-out-of-pawn-what-is-the-story-with-no-book/https://aseannow.com/topic/1140823-pawned-cars/

• Over 130 cars sold illegally by “car for cash” dealer seized by police

• https://www.thaipbsworld.com/over-130-cars-sold-illegally-by-car-for-cash-dealer-seized-by-police/

• Normally someone will report car stolen to finance company but in reality they have sold the vehicle to someone else without informing  finance company

Edited February 23, 20242 yr by vinny41
add

34 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.

No, it probably IS too good to be true. 

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

No, it probably IS too good to be true. 

Coffee, need coffee! 🙂

Repossessed cars at 1/3 of their value ! Run Forest run.

If the terminology is right and the car has been pawned at a government run pawn office the normal procedure is you buy the pawn ticket from the seller for whatever price they ask, then go to the pawn office and pay the outstanding pawned value to the pawn office, they then release the blue book and vehicle to you.

Don't buy anything of high value on Facebook....

 

On second thought...

 

Don't buy ANYTHING on Facebook.

3 hours ago, wozzlegummich said:

I am looking to buy a used Benz as I will soon be retiring to Thailand. I noticed on Facebook Marketplace (first red flag) some very cheap 7-10 year old cars. A 3rd of the normal going price.

One2car.com for used cars. 

 

Be very careful buying used cars in Thailand, these guys repair cars that would be righten off back home. 

 

If buying a MB, take the car to the MB dealer and ask for a printout of the cars service history. 

 

 

Edited February 23, 20242 yr by SAFETY FIRST

3 hours ago, stratocaster said:

If the terminology is right and the car has been pawned at a government run pawn office the normal procedure is you buy the pawn ticket from the seller for whatever price they ask, then go to the pawn office and pay the outstanding pawned value to the pawn office, they then release the blue book and vehicle to you.

government run pawn office doesn't accept motor vehicles and the max item can't exceed B100,000 

https://www.pawn.co.th/#/pawn-service-item

On 2/23/2024 at 11:34 AM, vinny41 said:

• Can ownership be transferred? In Most Cases No as there is no Blue Book

May I enquire, what is a blue book?

Edited February 25, 20242 yr by wozzlegummich

36 minutes ago, wozzlegummich said:

May I enquire, what is a blue book?

A cars blue book has all the particulars, owners details, cars serial numbers, tax payment etc. 

 

The car is basically worthless without its blue book. 

 

Edited February 25, 20242 yr by SAFETY FIRST

On 2/23/2024 at 6:17 AM, wozzlegummich said:

I am looking to buy a used Benz as I will soon be retiring to Thailand. I noticed on Facebook Marketplace (first red flag) some very cheap 7-10 year old cars. A 3rd of the normal going price.

When I enquired about one vehicle and asked for the V.I.N. or plate number so I could do some due diligence on the car he refused and said I could see them when I picked the vehicle up. I asked why the vehicle was cheap and he said it was a PAWNED vehicle. It was a repossion from a finance company. He said all that was needed to "check the confiscated status and the confiscated status can be removed by hiring a deletion".

 

Obviously this all sounds very dodgy to say the least but I would love to know what these cars are and teir legal status.

• Are they repossesed?
• WIll the finance company come after you?
• Can ownership be transferred? 

From experience, I can say buying a used Benz is not a sensible decision.

Simple reason - servicing costs and spare parts are 3 times that of most other vehicles.

A dealer that refuses to let you have the VIN details is a huge red flag. Walk away.

My son looked at a Merc on my behalf recently in Bangkok. It was advertised on a well known Thai website.

 

It was very cheap with low mileage. Certainly the best deal for a Merc in that class on the site.

 

The guy insisted on meeting him in a Lotus carpark. 

 

He never brought the blue book.

 

My son asked him if it would be OK to take the car to a Mercedes dealer to get it checked out. He seemed ok with that.

 

They parted company with the man promising to send my son a copy of the blue book. My son never heard from him again.

 

Sounded very dubious to me. A trusted dealer is always the best option.

 

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

From experience, I can say buying a used Benz is not a sensible decision.

Simple reason - servicing costs and spare parts are 3 times that of most other vehicles.

A dealer that refuses to let you have the VIN details is a huge red flag. Walk away.

 

I've bought 3 used Mercs. Always low mileage, 3 to 4 years old.

I haven't found the servicing costs to be that expensive. Never needed major parts.

It depends on the model. Obviously the AMG range is going to cost $$$.

2 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

 

I've bought 3 used Mercs. Always low mileage, 3 to 4 years old.

I haven't found the servicing costs to be that expensive. Never needed major parts.

It depends on the model. Obviously the AMG range is going to cost $$$.

The Benz I bought broke down in heavy traffic - twice.

The second time, it was because a Benz dealership had diagnosed the cause of the breakdown incorrectly. Charged me 15,000 baht for a new alternator.

I could not get rid of the bloody thing quickly enough.

 

I see a new MB dealer south Pattaya on the Sukhumvit opposite lotus.

Anyone know if they do servicing? 

 

 

Edited February 25, 20242 yr by SAFETY FIRST

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Benz I bought broke down in heavy traffic - twice.

The second time, it was because a Benz dealership had diagnosed the cause of the breakdown incorrectly. Charged me 15,000 baht for a new alternator.

I could not get rid of the bloody thing quickly enough.

 

 

Was it a 10+ year old car?

 

Maybe just bad luck? 

 

I can only speak from experience, I've had no major issues in the 12 years of owning Mercs. Fingers crossed.

 

100,000km and I am looking to move them on.

 

2 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

 

Was it a 10+ year old car?

 

Maybe just bad luck? 

 

I can only speak from experience, I've had no major issues in the 12 years of owning Mercs. Fingers crossed.

 

100,000km and I am looking to move them on.

 

Yes it was, 83000 km. Looking back, I should have realized the odometer was probably tampered with.

I have owned Mitsubishi's that have done over 300,000 km, IMO Mercs are overrated.

On 2/23/2024 at 10:05 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

Be very careful buying used cars in Thailand, these guys repair cars that would be righten off back home. 

Do they?  Who are "these guys"?  Of course, "back home" no one repairs  written-off cars for resale, do they, whereas practically every used car dealer in Thailand does?   Load of old urban myth b0llocks.

8 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

My son looked at a Merc on my behalf recently in Bangkok. It was advertised on a well known Thai website.

 

It was very cheap with low mileage. Certainly the best deal for a Merc in that class on the site.

 

The guy insisted on meeting him in a Lotus carpark. 

 

He never brought the blue book.

 

My son asked him if it would be OK to take the car to a Mercedes dealer to get it checked out. He seemed ok with that.

 

They parted company with the man promising to send my son a copy of the blue book. My son never heard from him again.

 

Sounded very dubious to me. A trusted dealer is always the best option.

 

Which trusted website?

19 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

The guy insisted on meeting him in a Lotus carpark

This is what the Russian car sellers in Pattaya do, arrange meetings in shopping centre carparks. 

 

21 hours ago, Lacessit said:

From experience, I can say buying a used Benz is not a sensible decision.

Simple reason - servicing costs and spare parts are 3 times that of most other vehicles.

Buying a used Benz is a very sensible decision for me. I enjoy the inherent safety, the superiror engineering and engineered longevity. I do all the service myself.

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Benz I bought broke down in heavy traffic - twice.

The second time, it was because a Benz dealership had diagnosed the cause of the breakdown incorrectly. 

I could not get rid of the bloody thing quickly enough.

 

So you blamed the car for the technicians inablity to do his job? Strange logic.

15 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Which trusted website?

 

Not trusted, well known.

1 hour ago, wozzlegummich said:

Buying a used Benz is a very sensible decision for me. I enjoy the inherent safety, the superiror engineering and engineered longevity. I do all the service myself.

Engineered longevity? Not in my experience.

 

All Benz has going for it is the cachet. Step into a Hyundai Kona N or Kia Stinger, they are better cars at significantly less cost.

Show me a Benz that is within a bull's roar of a Hyundai I30 N, in that class, positively pedestrian.

2 hours ago, wozzlegummich said:

So you blamed the car for the technicians inablity to do his job? Strange logic.

Nothing strange about getting rid of a vehicle that let me down twice, in dangerous conditions. Perhaps my sense of self-preservation is better than yours.

2 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

17 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Which trusted website?

 

Not trusted, well known.

But which one...why the secrecy?  One2car.com?

Edited February 26, 20242 yr by Liverpool Lou

17 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The guy insisted on meeting him in a Lotus carpark. 

Perhaps it was a private sale, so no dealer premises?