Why can't I see the prices on the windscreens of second-hand cars?

[nglodnig]

Hi is this a local (Chiang Mai) thing or what? I go past these "showrooms" (usually just an open shed ) and NONE of the cars have prices on them. Worse, there's nobody there to ask! There's a phone number but I want to talk to somebody face-to-face

[josephbloggs]

29 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Hi is this a local (Chiang Mai) thing or what? I go past these "showrooms" (usually just an open shed ) and NONE of the cars have prices on them. Worse, there's nobody there to ask! There's a phone number but I want to talk to somebody face-to-face

Simple, don't buy from a second hand tent - they are generally unscrupulous and untrustworthy.

All the major brands sell certified second hand cars, so they have been inspected for QC, you get a warranty with them, you can trust what you are buying. Transparent pricing too.

Toyota Sure

Honda Certified
Volvo Selekt
BMW Premium

You get the idea, you can search for other brands' certified used cars. Never trust a tent.

[novacova]

Some tent dealers in cm actually do have prices posted in the cars on the dash. Important questions to ask, has it been in a wreck, flooded or any insurance claims. Run the vin through an insurance company and see what pops up. Finance companies don’t give loans on vehicles that were in a wreck and some are pretty good are sold for dirt cheap cash in full, wouldn’t go there unless you’re mechanically inclined and know what to look out for.  

[scottiejohn]

15 minutes ago, novacova said:

Important questions to ask, has it been in a wreck, flooded or any insurance claims.

And of course they will tell you the truth!  T!TS.

[novacova]

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

And of course they will tell you the truth!  T!TS.

 

18 minutes ago, novacova said:

Run the vin through an insurance company and see what pops up.

 

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, novacova said:

Run the vin through an insurance company and see what pops up.

How, especially if the car was not insured recently?

T!TS.  !!!

 

[KhunLA]

With the pricing of new vehicles, I don't understand why anyone would buy a 2nd vehicle.   If not having a price, it's so they can price it after they see what you arrive in, how you're dress and how much gold you and or wife / gf are wearing.

 

Remember way back when, looking for first car here and hit the local large 2nd lot.   Every car was 350k baht, no matter what year or how many kms on it  

 

Most, more than a few years old and or high kms.  Left, went to Toyota and bought new for 500k.  Never looked at 2nd hand again.

 

If a bit budget conscious, then buy 2nd hand from private owner, for less.  FB Marketplace is full of bargains.

[jcmj]

Found a great deal on one on Facebook marketplace. You definitely need to take it to a shop to check it out, but there are some good deals if you’re patient. 

[essex boys]

I live in Khon Kaen and we have a lot of fairly large second hand dealers in the city, it looks like they take the trade ins from the main dealers, but again these don’t have prices on the screen/ windshield, I bought a car from a teacher in the university when I went to view the car I took a small OBD2 code reader with me after the test drive I plugged the reader in and got zero fault codes so I had a pretty good idea if the car was good or not, I ended up buying the car after doing a few more simple checks, just remember Thais are not good at getting basic maintenance done, the tyres on the car I bought were over 7 years old ( tyres have a date of manufacture stamped on the sidewall) good tread but the sidewalls were starting to crack, the second hand car market is a minefield no matter where in the world you are

[jippytum]

Go to  ' specsavers'

[john donson]

16 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Hi is this a local (Chiang Mai) thing or what? I go past these "showrooms" (usually just an open shed ) and NONE of the cars have prices on them. Worse, there's nobody there to ask! There's a phone number but I want to talk to somebody face-to-face

 

in french, tete du client

 

charge you whatever they want, depending on your face...  farang = pay more for sure

 

2nd hand prices for cars of 10+ years that would be worth near to nothing, here sold at 70% of new price

[kiwikeith]

17 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Hi is this a local (Chiang Mai) thing or what? I go past these "showrooms" (usually just an open shed ) and NONE of the cars have prices on them. Worse, there's nobody there to ask! There's a phone number but I want to talk to somebody face-to-face

I have seen them all over the place, lots in BK, my wifes GF has a brother who sells these, they negotiate the price for as much as they can swindle out of you, some take trade ins, they buy stock from auctions and repossessed cars which they have to get the right money for the finance company who probably refinances the car for them and they make e nice cut.

So they just leave them in an open shed with a phone number and will negotiate with you if you call them, they are not interested much  in Farlangs

[Grumpy one]

16 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

And of course they will tell you the truth!  T!TS.

Are you implying used car dealers here are low life liars      

[khunJam]

2 hours ago, Grumpy one said:

Are you implying used car dealers here are low life liars      

He’s implying that he has been scammed by car dealers for being mechanically challenged.

[nglodnig]

Thanks for all the info

[khunJam]

18 hours ago, novacova said:

Run the vin through an insurance company and see what pops up.

 

18 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

And of course they will tell you the truth!  T!TS.

some do mr paranoid 

17 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

How, especially if the car was not insured recently?

T!TS.  !!!

 

Well that went right over your head. Just get the vin and have your insurance company look to see if there were any claims. 

17 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

How, especially if the car was not insured recently?

T!TS.  !!!

 

you must drive a jalopy, all new vehicles need insurance until paid off and a lot of those vehicles are traded in for new vehicles and sold or auctioned to tent dealers and some of those were in accidents. My girlfriend bought a 2018 Honda city SV+ for 210000 bht from a tent that was in an accident with front end grill bumper and radiator damage the tent dealer said cash only because it was in a accident. She took the vin to the insurance company and it showed the car was repaired at the Honda dealership. I checked it out and drove before purchasing, it was a great deal. These cars are good deals because most Thais can’t pay cash so end up paying more than what the car is worth. 

[khunJam]

18 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Most, more than a few years old and or high kms.  Left, went to Toyota and bought new for 500k.  Never looked at 2nd hand again.

That’s what I did but I paid more like 1.2m

[Andycoops]

There is no price ticket displayed so the seller can eye up the potential buyer and invent any price he thinks you might pay.

 

The same practice is used in many local Thai shops, you have to always ask how much is this and how much is that.

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, khunJam said:

That’s what I did but I paid more like 1.2m

Wasn't sure if I was staying in TH, so cheap, walk away machine to go Point A to B.  That, in 2003, and really didn't decide to stay pass the kid raising responsibility, till 2016 -2019 (test true retirement), and contracted last / present house build in 2019, and bought a car we actually liked, 2020 MG ZS.

[chiang mai]

21 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Hi is this a local (Chiang Mai) thing or what? I go past these "showrooms" (usually just an open shed ) and NONE of the cars have prices on them. Worse, there's nobody there to ask! There's a phone number but I want to talk to somebody face-to-face

It's a tax and licensing issue. If the business has above a certain number of vehicles it must be licensed, that  means the prices must be displayed on each vehicle. But, if the number of cars is below the limit, no license is required and prices don't have to be shown. Bottom line is, if you don't see prices, you're not dealing with al licensed vehicle broker.

[scottiejohn]

4 hours ago, Grumpy one said:

Are you implying used car dealers here are low life liars      

All used car dealers are low life liars, no matter the country!!

[DaRoadrunner]

Being ex uk motor trade, Da Roadrunner is appalled at what he finds on examining a used Thai car. Let the buyer beware. If you don't know about cars, take an expert with you (and I don't mean the idiots talking rubbish on a bar stool). Or have the car inspected at a main dealer for that model. The main dealer should also be able to use the VIN to check if there is a service history. If the seller will not allow such inspection, walk away.

[jchfriis]

You may want to check out Expat Auto. They give warranty on most of the cars they sell.

https://expatautocm.com