Changing Your Car

[Bredbury Blue]

The wife and i have two cars and we change them alternately two years apart when each car is four years old, but is there a golden rule about chanding your car after x years to get the optimum number of years of performance to the money back on sale?

[Sanpatong]

Easy. Money-wise, keep them for a VERY long time. That's always optimum, ESPECIALLY in Thailand where maintenance costs peanuts.

Really, by all means keep changing cars if you fancy something new, but if the key factor is money then it really is a no-brainer. Keep them for 10 years if not longer.

Our trucks are around 7 years old now.. Maintenance costs are COMPLETELY negligible. Maybe 25K a year or so? And that's doing all the recommended stuff prescribed by the dealer. Compare that to buying a new car, when you're throwing 10-25K baht in the sea on payments every MONTH. Once you've paid for it, KEEP IT!

Why do people change cars at all? (In Thailand), well:

1. Same reason people buy a new phone when they feel the desire for a fancy new model.

2. Changing requirements; i.e. job or family status changes now require a different type of vehicle.

Edited October 22, 2007 by Sanpatong

[TommyGun]

The majority of people change there cars often to keep up with the Jones. As long as you keep your car maintained and don't thrash the nads off it, it will last a long time. Just depends on how long you feel comfortable driving an older car than your neighbours. New cars are boring anyway. No character whatsoever.

Find a BMW 2002. Thats will never be out of place. Or something similar.

[torrenova]

We'll likely see out out finance contract in 3 1/2 years then save the 16k per month for a couple of years. The truck cost about 800k, would probably be worth about 600-650k after 4 years but someone would probably only be prepared to give us 400k or something stupid. With a likely 50-60k on the clock, it would not make sense selling it really.

[JetsetBkk]

We'll likely see out out finance contract in 3 1/2 years then save the 16k per month for a couple of years. The truck cost about 800k, would probably be worth about 600-650k after 4 years but someone would probably only be prepared to give us 400k or something stupid. With a likely 50-60k on the clock, it would not make sense selling it really.

I doubt you'd get more than 400k after 4 years. No way is it "worth" 600k no matter how much you've looked after it. My pick-up is nearly 4 years old and I was offered 1/2 price part-exchange by Toyota, but that was by the salesperson. I doubt that offer would be made after it had been thoroughly checked - not that there's anything wrong with it. It still looks brand new and it's not burning any oil, so I keep asking myself why do I want to change it? The only answer I can come up with is to show off a new model. So, I'll probably keep it for a few more years.

[torrenova]

Of course you were offered 50% off the robbers at Toyota but no-one in their right mind would give them the business would they ?

Private sales would see people asking far more than that.

They you have the crazy Thai logic whihc says that if the price of a new one has gone up from say 800k to 900k, I can advertise it as a saving against the 900k even though I only paid 800k. Makes it seem even more of a bargain.

I also doubt I would get more than 400k after 4 years but it would be worth more than that and as such, the value remains in the truck and not in trading it in. I see more chance in me buying another motor than letting one go for a knock down price. A private sale to someone who knows me and the truck is the only outlet I see for a fair price other than finding a newbie idiot to pay OTT for it !

[JetsetBkk]

Of course you were offered 50% off the robbers at Toyota but no-one in their right mind would give them the business would they ?

Private sales would see people asking far more than that.

They you have the crazy Thai logic which says that if the price of a new one has gone up from say 800k to 900k, I can advertise it as a saving against the 900k even though I only paid 800k. Makes it seem even more of a bargain.

I also doubt I would get more than 400k after 4 years but it would be worth more than that and as such, the value remains in the truck and not in trading it in. I see more chance in me buying another motor than letting one go for a knock down price. A private sale to someone who knows me and the truck is the only outlet I see for a fair price other than finding a newbie idiot to pay OTT for it !

"the value remains in the truck and not in trading it in" - yes, I think I know what you mean. While the engine keeps running with no significant oil loss, and the transmission hums along without any vibration, I find it hard to justify trading it in for a newer model. Plus the hassle of trading it in, or finding a private buyer and getting the money, or having either no vehicle or two vehicles for a period of time. Just can't be bothered!

[culicine]

I would agree with the previous owner that it is best to keep the vehicle as long as possible. if there are no major problems with it and it's not in the garage every other week, I see no reason to sell it. Just keep up the log book maintenance and keep it clean and shiny. You don't seem many sparking 10-15 year old cars on the road here, which is a shame. The longer you keep the car, the less and less is the yearly depreciation.

We once bought a 2 yr old honda city, and paid it off over a few years. Cost about 350K in total. Sold it down a car tent for 245K a few year later. So we got 5 yrs out of it and it only cost us about 20K a year in depreciation. My current car is 3.5 yrs old now and I've be lucky to get 2/3 or the original price down at the tent. So selling it now is like throwing money away. I'll be keeping it till the engine dies and then there is my excuse to drop in a type-R engine:)

[Bredbury Blue]

I'm told by one of the wife's friends supposedly in the car business that my 4 yr old Ford Ranger 2.9L Auto is worth around Baht 300k and if i want to sell it to get a new car, our best bet would be to part exchange it for a new car at the car showroom. If i did that, how much less than the Baht 300k would the car showroom likely offer me?

[torrenova]

A friend of mine has a Mitsubishi Strada 4WD and liked the new Triton so he went to ask the garage. They offered him about 300k for the truck off a full list price new one. He reckoned he could get 500k second hand and no-where like 200k off for cash so it was a no brainer, no deal.

Why do people buy 2nd hand cars from a dealer in the west ?

Legal comeback - not here

Guarantee - not here

Not ringed - not here

High maintenance bills - not here

So why buy from a dealer here ? I see nearly no reason and couple that with the high prices for 2nd hand, I see more and more a "run it into the ground" mentality.

[Bredbury Blue]

Sofrom the comments above it would seem that:

1. Run it as long as possible, not 2 or 4 yrs as i thought.

2. Sell privately as dealers will offer rubbish trade-in prices.

[culicine]

Sofrom the comments above it would seem that:

1. Run it as long as possible, not 2 or 4 yrs as i thought.

2. Sell privately as dealers will offer rubbish trade-in prices.

Yes. Unless you have oodles of money and don;t mind throwing 300K to 1million ever 3 years, then buy new, maintain it/modify it and keep it for a long long time:) That's my plan anyway!

Yes the honda dealer offered us 10K less for our honda city that the car tent 2 kms up the road. it's not like the west where if you trade in the same make you get a better deal. Honda just didn't seem all that interested, though we got quite a few goodies thrown in when we bought new. There's just too much risk when you buy second hand here, unless you personally know the owner and how they have treated/maintained the car.

[JetsetBkk]

A friend of mine has a Mitsubishi Strada 4WD and liked the new Triton so he went to ask the garage. They offered him about 300k for the truck off a full list price new one. He reckoned he could get 500k second hand and no-where like 200k off for cash so it was a no brainer, no deal.

Why do people buy 2nd hand cars from a dealer in the west ?

Legal comeback - not here

Guarantee - not here

Not ringed - not here

High maintenance bills - not here

So why buy from a dealer here ? I see nearly no reason and couple that with the high prices for 2nd hand, I see more and more a "run it into the ground" mentality.

Very good points! Much better - if you want to buy second hand - is to go for a long drive with the owner, try to get to know him and find out the real reason why he wants to sell.

I remember a very silly "Top Gear" programme where they tried to "destroy" a Toyota pick-up. Can't remember everything they did to it, but dropping it from a great height and dropping things onto it were a couple. The engine kept on running...

[RAZZELL]

I remember a very silly "Top Gear" programme where they tried to "destroy" a Toyota pick-up. Can't remember everything they did to it, but dropping it from a great height and dropping things onto it were a couple. The engine kept on running...

Watch here:

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hzRLG8dA-E

Part 2

RAZZ

[qualtrough]

I have had my truck 10 years and it just turned 32 this year. I hope it outlives me. Our other vehicles is a Volvo 850, 8 years old and in like new condition. Will keep that around as long as it is in one piece and looks presentable. I enjoy not making car payments, in fact never have, but to each his own. I do almost all my own repairs so my case is probably not typical. Like others have said, repair work here is dirt cheap. You must be very careful though as there are a lot of cowboys around who will end up with a handful of nuts and bolts on the floor when the job is finished.

[JetsetBkk]

I remember a very silly "Top Gear" programme where they tried to "destroy" a Toyota pick-up. Can't remember everything they did to it, but dropping it from a great height and dropping things onto it were a couple. The engine kept on running...

Watch here:

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hzRLG8dA-E

Part 2

RAZZ

I'd forgotten about them putting it on top of the tower block and demolishing it.

Hilarious.

[torrenova]

now where is Vigoman ?

[percy2]

I like to change every 3 years.

Though this time I think I will just buy one more car and keep the current and continue its development as an off road vehicle.

Cheers

[JetsetBkk]

I like to change every 3 years.

Though this time I think I will just buy one more car and keep the current and continue its development as an off road vehicle.

Cheers

I was thinking of that. But my car port is only long enough for one pick-up.

[Rdrokit]

You should keep it as long as it is not a money pit on repairs. If a vehilcle has been maintain properly it will last MANY years. My Cefiro is 10 years old and runs like new, why would I want to buy a new car? If you are the original owner of the car then you know the maintanence record. Some thing to think about is how the mileage is put on a vehicle. 100,000 kilometrs driven at 120km/hr has about 833 hours of use on the engine. The same vehicle with 100,000km driven at 60km/hr has 1666 hours of use on the engine, twice as much use for the same mileage. Also, stop and go mileage has more wear on an engine. Just a few things to consider.

[Petch01]

You should keep it as long as it is not a money pit on repairs. If a vehilcle has been maintain properly it will last MANY years. My Cefiro is 10 years old and runs like new, why would I want to buy a new car? If you are the original owner of the car then you know the maintanence record. Some thing to think about is how the mileage is put on a vehicle. 100,000 kilometrs driven at 120km/hr has about 833 hours of use on the engine. The same vehicle with 100,000km driven at 60km/hr has 1666 hours of use on the engine, twice as much use for the same mileage. Also, stop and go mileage has more wear on an engine. Just a few things to consider.

Good point. How do you find our whether a car is driven for 833 hours or 1666 hours? Ask the driver's job?

More about ratios? 833 hours/100,000 km in 4 years or 1666 hours/100,000 km in 8 years?

What's the best deal?

Petch01

[Rdrokit]

You should keep it as long as it is not a money pit on repairs. If a vehilcle has been maintain properly it will last MANY years. My Cefiro is 10 years old and runs like new, why would I want to buy a new car? If you are the original owner of the car then you know the maintanence record. Some thing to think about is how the mileage is put on a vehicle. 100,000 kilometrs driven at 120km/hr has about 833 hours of use on the engine. The same vehicle with 100,000km driven at 60km/hr has 1666 hours of use on the engine, twice as much use for the same mileage. Also, stop and go mileage has more wear on an engine. Just a few things to consider.

Good point. How do you find our whether a car is driven for 833 hours or 1666 hours? Ask the driver's job?

More about ratios? 833 hours/100,000 km in 4 years or 1666 hours/100,000 km in 8 years?

What's the best deal?

Petch01

That's the inherit problem of buying a used car, espically from a used car dealer is that you do not know the driving history of the car. IF and that is a big word here in Thailand, you could believe the mileage on the odemeter you can put together a little history on the car like how many kilometers it is driven a year. Buying a car from a private party you can get some history and maybe maintanence records.

On the ratios you quoted how can you compare 4 years of use to 8 years of use with out driving conditions? The only think I could say is the car with 1666 hours has at least twice as much wear on the engine. I have see gas engines that have had regular service go for upwards of 5000 hours of use.