The Saga Of Buying A Truck

[sgunn65]

The saga of buying a truck

Welcome to the wonderful world of the car salesman.

We started off looking for a second hand truck for our business and duly had a look around our local area at the car tents. My wife warned me that we would be quoted farang prices and she was not wrong. At one place the “about 5 year old” truck was quoted to me at 500,000 baht. Through my spousal translation service I suggested that I could buy a new one for a similar price. The salesman smiled and agreed.

So off we trotted to Mitsubishi where we found a new 4 door triton which had been pimped up with mag alloys, body kit etc for 608,000. We eventually negotiated this down to 580,000 and agreed to buy it. The salesman went away and returned to tell us we could have it at that price but without the wheels!! After much toing and froing he finally agreed that a truck needed wheels and the deal was settled.

A couple of days later he came up to do the paperwork for the finance by which time the price had crept up to 585,000. I put him straight on the agreed price and he got all the details, photocopies, recipes for my wife’s mothers Somtam and everything else required to purchase the pimp mobile. Job done I thought! No not at all.

The next day he phoned to say he could not sell us this truck but they would supply a new face lift model with the same accessories for the same price. I thought this was a bit odd as they could sell the one that had been languishing on their forecourt for four months and do a pimp job on the new one. However I said fine lets do it.

The following day they phoned to say I could have the new truck but would have to pay for the accessories (70,000). So I said I would have the old one.

Next they told me they could not sell it as the owner wanted to keep it. Then the next day it could not be sold because the wheels and kit made it ineligible for a warranty.

So we thought we would get a Triton Plus. In the meantime I had seen an Isuzu D max in Pearl White and had been to the garage with my friend and got a price of 800,000. So I went back with my wife where the woman who had given me the price denied ever seeing me!!!

Anyway we sat down and said we wanted a price for the Omega Ltd Edition pointing to the picture in the brochure. What follows is the conversation we had (via translator)

Would you like it in 2wd or 4 wd?

Do they do the omega ltd edition in 2wd?

Yes

But it is not in the brochure, there is only 4wd. Are you sure that it is available in 2wd?

Yes

Ok I would like it in 2wd

Cannot. Finished!

So it’s not available in 2wd?

No!

Why did you say it was?

The salesgirl just smiled and said nothing!!

At which point I smiled and left. Today we go back to the relative sanity of Mitsubishi. This saga may be continued if I don’t tear my own head off in frustration!

[jaiyenyen]

I feel your pain.

I wanted leather interior when I bought my Toyota Prerunner, but was told it was not an option on that model and therefore not available. So, being a nieve newby, I believed them.

Guess what! I've since seen loads of Prerunners with a leather interior.

B4ST4RDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tigerbeer]

if its strictly for business and carrying goods, may i recommend the Suzuki 1.6litre benzene truck for 340,000? add in your LPG fitting for another 30k and there you have a wonderful truck for your business. we bought one to join in our fleet of trucks and are planning to get another one..

[Smithson]

The saga of buying a truck

Welcome to the wonderful world of the car salesman.

We started off looking for a second hand truck for our business and duly had a look around our local area at the car tents. My wife warned me that we would be quoted farang prices and she was not wrong. At one place the “about 5 year old” truck was quoted to me at 500,000 baht. Through my spousal translation service I suggested that I could buy a new one for a similar price. The salesman smiled and agreed.[/font][/size]

This is ironic, I remember reading when you'd happily agreed to the purchase and deciding that I might be better of buying a new, rather than second hand, pick up.

[geoffphuket]

if its strictly for business and carrying goods, may i recommend the Suzuki 1.6litre benzene truck for 340,000? add in your LPG fitting for another 30k and there you have a wonderful truck for your business. we bought one to join in our fleet of trucks and are planning to get another one..

Looks good value for the money but Is it really as robust as a traditional diesel truck, and will it last as long...I doubt it

http://www.suzuki.co.th/carry.php

geoffphuket

[Smithson]

if its strictly for business and carrying goods, may i recommend the Suzuki 1.6litre benzene truck for 340,000? add in your LPG fitting for another 30k and there you have a wonderful truck for your business. we bought one to join in our fleet of trucks and are planning to get another one..

Looks good value for the money but Is it really as robust as a traditional diesel truck, and will it last as long...I doubt it

http://www.suzuki.co.th/carry.php

geoffphuket

The 'traditional' pick seems to be a thing of the past. Models these days are designed as much as family cars as work cars, maybe more even.

My guess is it would be a very practical car, much more so than all the 4WD pick ups you see around. It depends a lot on what you'd be using it for, but I remember in Australia when tradesmen laughed at 4 cylinder vans. These days everyone's got one.

This car is 1/2 the price of a lot of pickups and would be extremely economical on LPG. Much more sensible a business proposition than a turbo diesel.

[sgunn65]

The update!!!

We went down to Mitsubishi again this morning and agreed to the purchase of a Triton Plus. They are replacing the velour seats with new leather seats from the 3.2 4x4 for 5,000 and a parking camera (DVD screen comes as standard) plus parking sensors for another 7,000. So the whole deal came to 712,000 which includes registration, insurance, plates, tinted windows and rear lining.

The whole thing including finance papers etc was done in an hour with no hassles. What a relief!!!

Still I will actually believe it when I see it as we don't take delivery until Friday. And 72 hours is a long time in carr buying thai style!!! I hope to report a trouble free delivery at the end of the week but who knows. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst!!!

I am buying it as a second mode of transport as we are a bit in the sticks and our business means that we have to escort clients to and from the Airport which is why we have the CRV. The truck will be dual purpose for going to the market etc but also with leather seats and being new it is plush enough for ferrying our clients around locally who pay alot and expect alot. What is great is that the Triton is so expensive in the Uk so it looks like we have spent more than we actually have!!

[tigerbeer]

if its strictly for business and carrying goods, may i recommend the Suzuki 1.6litre benzene truck for 340,000? add in your LPG fitting for another 30k and there you have a wonderful truck for your business. we bought one to join in our fleet of trucks and are planning to get another one..

Looks good value for the money but Is it really as robust as a traditional diesel truck, and will it last as long...I doubt it

http://www.suzuki.co.th/carry.php

geoffphuket

The 'traditional' pick seems to be a thing of the past. Models these days are designed as much as family cars as work cars, maybe more even.

My guess is it would be a very practical car, much more so than all the 4WD pick ups you see around. It depends a lot on what you'd be using it for, but I remember in Australia when tradesmen laughed at 4 cylinder vans. These days everyone's got one.

This car is 1/2 the price of a lot of pickups and would be extremely economical on LPG. Much more sensible a business proposition than a turbo diesel.

diesel trucks were cheap to maintain. alas 4-5 years ago? with today's prices of petroleum, it makes great sense to move to something like suzuki's with LPG installed. .. basic around town delivery truck. we deliver furniture for your information and its pickup area is broader than that of a regular pickup truck. we have filled it up with lots of furniture and its superb. we still have our 4 other trucks should we need more power going up to the doi etc.

we have started to save on petrol expenses with this truck.

its worth the buy for business... not something to run around with family though.

[sgunn65]

A final update. The garage agreed to deliver my new truck on friday with all the extra's fitted. They phoned this morning and re-arranged delivery to today. They are here now. The truck has been fitted with beautiful leather seats with contrasting stitching (5000 baht!!!) a rear camera (5000 baht) and parking sensors (2000 baht) plus tinting and truck bed. All the work has been done beautifully and all works really well.

A very happy ending.

[jasreeve17]

Good news.

Good luck with your new vehicle, and hope that you don't have to buy another one too sone (which is ever).

[t.s]

A final update. The garage agreed to deliver my new truck on friday with all the extra's fitted. They phoned this morning and re-arranged delivery to today. They are here now. The truck has been fitted with beautiful leather seats with contrasting stitching (5000 baht!!!) a rear camera (5000 baht) and parking sensors (2000 baht) plus tinting and truck bed. All the work has been done beautifully and all works really well.

A very happy ending.

pics?