Buying A New Car In Thailand

[percy2]

Going slightly off the forum topic (sorry)

Someone told me last night that the best way to keep my brake discs looking new and shiny is to spra y WD-40 on them.

(I don't know if WD-40 exists in every country but it's basically oil in a can that you spray on - good for padlocks)

Anyway, I don't know if he was trying to kill me or is just plain stupid but suffice to say - I aint gonna try it - lol

WD-40 is a degreasant, not oil, and displaces water, hence WD - Water Displacement... or something along those lines.

I think the local brand name is Sonax.

Cheers

It's an oil-based product and not advisable for brake discs

But good for padlocks

[ignis]

I was thinking of getting one a while back until I drove the thing. Didn't like the handling, gearbox, braking, lack of visibility due to front pillar etc. Look alright and big enough inside but not for me after the test drive. Whatever floats yer boat though

Yes indeed, or everyone would drive the same car.......

WD-40 you can buy everywhere, I use it every week on all the metal door and gates... Home Pro, Central Plaza, Carrefour, 1st one I bought was a small spray can some 4 years ago, now buy the large spray can

[Gary A]

Be very wary of the interest rate if you don't pay cash. One dealer gave me a pretty good deal and told me I could finance it at 1.4 percent interest. I was actually sold on the deal until I broke out my trusty calculator. I totaled the monthly payments and then divided the amount financed by the number of months. Subtract the amount per month financed from the payment and that's how much interest you are paying per month. It just didn't calculate. He then admitted that 1.4 percent was the MONTHLY rate. I don't do business with people who try to pull that kind of thing. I will NEVER step foot in that dealership again. Keep in mind that interest is simple add on and you pay as much interest on the last month as you did on the first month.

[batami]

back to the original question - discounts are available. A (Thai) friend of mine bought a Camry and got 60,000 discount plus a load of goodies. I bought a Vigo and got around 60,000 discount also plus free service, free insurance, etc (4x4 auto)

checking with my thai firends discounts are common (as well as the goodies) but as you are a farang (oops, i can hear BP rising again) you can afford to pay full price.

shop around. be clear on what you want then do the "well the guy down the road offered me 20K what are you going to do" and it is always worth the "a dealer in BKK offered me "x", if you are in Chiang Mai - or vice versa. The guys are all on sales quotas and commissions and if they are not at their quota near the end of the month then it might just be worth an extra push on the discount to book the sale.

also, as the other posters have implied, if you are not hung up on a particualr model, try to search for what is being promoted this month.

final point, make sure when they "give' you all the goodies they are branded products. Like, for example, chrome covers on mirrors on a Vigo - there are loads in the aftermarket and if you are not very specific when you spec the vehicle you might find yourself with an aftermarket product. I came across this because my indicator in the mirror housing failed and I took it to Toyota and the guy told me it was because it was not a Toyota part - until i pulled out the spec sheet and the invoice wiht extras on it and pointed out that they fitted it. He seemed to imply that they don't always fit the "real" part!!! (or maye we both misunderstood

Yes, and watch the interst scams - maybe our Thai friends are not so versed in the way that interest works but a "only 0.9% interest" works out at (I think) at around 20 per cent APR over 2 years - i am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Hope this helps

[Jimmy2004]

Be very wary of the interest rate if you don't pay cash. One dealer gave me a pretty good deal and told me I could finance it at 1.4 percent interest. I was actually sold on the deal until I broke out my trusty calculator. I totaled the monthly payments and then divided the amount financed by the number of months. Subtract the amount per month financed from the payment and that's how much interest you are paying per month. It just didn't calculate. He then admitted that 1.4 percent was the MONTHLY rate. I don't do business with people who try to pull that kind of thing. I will NEVER step foot in that dealership again. Keep in mind that interest is simple add on and you pay as much interest on the last month as you did on the first month.

Been there, seen it, couldn't afford the t-shirt.

Yep - I was offered 2% once on an el cheapo Corsa - The car was 120,000B - With interest it was 180,000 or summat - Yep all interest rates are monthly.

The Vigo is on offer for 0.88% at the moment - Get the calculator out!

[batami]

Be very wary of the interest rate if you don't pay cash. One dealer gave me a pretty good deal and told me I could finance it at 1.4 percent interest. I was actually sold on the deal until I broke out my trusty calculator. I totaled the monthly payments and then divided the amount financed by the number of months. Subtract the amount per month financed from the payment and that's how much interest you are paying per month. It just didn't calculate. He then admitted that 1.4 percent was the MONTHLY rate. I don't do business with people who try to pull that kind of thing. I will NEVER step foot in that dealership again. Keep in mind that interest is simple add on and you pay as much interest on the last month as you did on the first month.

Been there, seen it, couldn't afford the t-shirt.

Yep - I was offered 2% once on an el cheapo Corsa - The car was 120,000B - With interest it was 180,000 or summat - Yep all interest rates are monthly.

The Vigo is on offer for 0.88% at the moment - Get the calculator out!

I tihknk that is a real annual rate of interest of 22 per cent - i.e. say 1000000ThB (for easy calcualtion) over two years 212000 interest - i am assuming the average balance is 500000 and interest each year is 106000 = approx 22 % -- I know thre are more sophisticated ways of calcualting it ... but it just points out that it is a total rip off ....

they used to do this in the UK until they were forced to divulge the actual interet rate (APR) -- then they got into some clever ways of hiding the true cost buy using "non interest costs" - arrangement fees, finalisation fees, etc etc which were charged but were not included inthe calc of the actual interest rate

[Jimmy2004]

Be very wary of the interest rate if you don't pay cash. One dealer gave me a pretty good deal and told me I could finance it at 1.4 percent interest. I was actually sold on the deal until I broke out my trusty calculator. I totaled the monthly payments and then divided the amount financed by the number of months. Subtract the amount per month financed from the payment and that's how much interest you are paying per month. It just didn't calculate. He then admitted that 1.4 percent was the MONTHLY rate. I don't do business with people who try to pull that kind of thing. I will NEVER step foot in that dealership again. Keep in mind that interest is simple add on and you pay as much interest on the last month as you did on the first month.

Been there, seen it, couldn't afford the t-shirt.

Yep - I was offered 2% once on an el cheapo Corsa - The car was 120,000B - With interest it was 180,000 or summat - Yep all interest rates are monthly.

The Vigo is on offer for 0.88% at the moment - Get the calculator out!

I tihknk that is a real annual rate of interest of 22 per cent - i.e. say 1000000ThB (for easy calcualtion) over two years 212000 interest - i am assuming the average balance is 500000 and interest each year is 106000 = approx 22 % -- I know thre are more sophisticated ways of calcualting it ... but it just points out that it is a total rip off ....

they used to do this in the UK until they were forced to divulge the actual interet rate (APR) -- then they got into some clever ways of hiding the true cost buy using "non interest costs" - arrangement fees, finalisation fees, etc etc which were charged but were not included inthe calc of the actual interest rate

Save money - pay cash - no probs - lol