Buying A Second Hand Car In Thailand

[nicktraveller]

In fact, i think i found that answer to this question. So this can be deleted (i couldn't find where to do it)

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Hi everybody, I'm sure this has been posted before, but I've done searches and I couldn't find anything.

I'm studying in Chiang Mai, just started and will be here for 4 years. So, I thought it would be a good idea to buy a car. I just want to get a cheap second hand, like the ubiquitous Nissan Sunny or something in that genre. However I've heard that there is a really high tax to transfer ownership of second hand cars (somebody told me in the range of 100%-200% of the cars worth, which sounds ridiculous).

Can anybody confirm this for me or provide information? I've tried searching on the web, on these forums and asked quite a few people (most Thai people I know here are either teachers who bought their car new or students who can't afford one).

Thanks for your help!

Edited November 15, 2008 by nicktraveller

[Guest Reimar]

Welcome to the Thaivisa forum and have a happy "stay" here.

To your question:

Someone was tell you something wrong if you buy an 2. Hdn. Car in Thailand. The high tax applies if you import a car!

The transfer of the ownership of an Thai registered car is about THB 2,000 and the Road Tax is quite cheap for an car up to 2000 ccm.

You need tho have an so named polabor insurance but if the car is registered to the former owner and Road Tax is paid, the car has that insurance already. a 3. Party or even 1. Party insurance is up to you.

So, don't worry about the transfer pp.

Cheers.

[Guest Reimar]

I'll move this topic the the Motor Forum

///MOVED

[nicktraveller]

Thanks!

You know i've been looking through these forums on and off for some months now, and I've never seen the motor forum section! That was part of my problem.

Ahh thats a relief to know about taxes, and that buying a second hand car is actually feasible. Although getting myself a new honda jazz is tempting (just because i can) it would be much more reasonable for me to buy used.

Thanks again

[sassienie]

Personally I wouldn`t buy a second hand vehicle in Thailand unless you are fully aware of it`s past history and owners.

Thais run their vehicles into the ground, than give it another 5 years on top before parting with them.

Better off to purchase a new motorbike, prices start as low as 26000 baht, always desirable and can be easily sold later on.

[RAZZELL]

Thanks!

You know i've been looking through these forums on and off for some months now, and I've never seen the motor forum section! That was part of my problem.

Ahh thats a relief to know about taxes, and that buying a second hand car is actually feasible. Although getting myself a new honda jazz is tempting (just because i can) it would be much more reasonable for me to buy used.

Thanks again

All depends on how much money you have/are prepared to lose, for trouble free motoring.

If you're going to be in LOS for 4 years I'd buy new...No headaches for the length of the warranty and the depreciation over 4 years will not be outrageous

RAZZ

[groovyc]

Thanks!

You know i've been looking through these forums on and off for some months now, and I've never seen the motor forum section! That was part of my problem.

Ahh thats a relief to know about taxes, and that buying a second hand car is actually feasible. Although getting myself a new honda jazz is tempting (just because i can) it would be much more reasonable for me to buy used.

Thanks again

All depends on how much money you have/are prepared to lose, for trouble free motoring.

If you're going to be in LOS for 4 years I'd buy new...No headaches for the length of the warranty and the depreciation over 4 years will not be outrageous

RAZZ

The depreciation would be 30-70% in 4 yrs depending on the model (and the condition of course).

I would rather go for a 4yr old car with a good record and possibly a model which depreciates more within the first few years, if I needed a hassle free cost-effective ride.

btw, I was at a car auction yesterday and a fleet of 2003 corolla altis 1.6ers went for 356k+VAT.

that's a 50% depreciation in 5 yrs - the next 5 will take off a max of 20% more.

they've done more than 200k kms but seemed to be pretty well maintained and in very good condition.

[camble]

There are no legal protections about rolling back the odometers here, and a car's value doesn't depreciate as rapidly as in farangland. Buying a 2nd

hand vehicle is a big risk, have to ask yourself it it's worth it.

[stingray]

There are no legal protections about rolling back the odometers here, and a car's value doesn't depreciate as rapidly as in farangland. Buying a 2nd

hand vehicle is a big risk, have to ask yourself it it's worth it.

Typical a lot of panic makers overhere. Not everyone can afford to spend 600'k for a floor model of new plastic car and financing getting difficult now, because 20% down payment on market cars (not 10% anymore). U can buy a cheap car like a early 90 Mitsu Champ or a Nissan Sunny for below 100'k (ugly, but bulled proof). Even if you drive and repair another 30'k during the next 2 years, you still beable the sell the car for, let's say 60'k at the end of the 2 year period. doesnt matter if the car got some scratches and dents. You not worry about, because it's old and cheap. So what you lost, is a maximum of 70'k for a 2 year drive with a low investment. If you wreck it, not a big loss!

Second opinion: You buy new, for 600 ore more thousend ,a nice little unsolid "plasic car", drive, maybe get involved in a accident, even you are not wrong. Yes of corse, Free Insurance will pay for repairs, and the next 2 months during the repairing time you stay without vehicle, and after that you still have a "accident car" which nobody and no dealer ever would buy anymore if you want to sale. And beleve me accidents are easly possible in this country.

My recommend: Buy a junk or a tank. There are many old and strong cars available like the ones i named before. If you like something bigger, buy a Volvo or a Toyota Crown. They run forever and noone gonna steal it. But nice little Vioses and Jazzes getting stolen manytimes.

[mortenaa]

There are no legal protections about rolling back the odometers here, and a car's value doesn't depreciate as rapidly as in farangland. Buying a 2nd

hand vehicle is a big risk, have to ask yourself it it's worth it.

Typical a lot of panic makers overhere. Not everyone can afford to spend 600'k for a floor model of new plastic car and financing getting difficult now, because 20% down payment on market cars (not 10% anymore). U can buy a cheap car like a early 90 Mitsu Champ or a Nissan Sunny for below 100'k (ugly, but bulled proof). Even if you drive and repair another 30'k during the next 2 years, you still beable the sell the car for, let's say 60'k at the end of the 2 year period. doesnt matter if the car got some scratches and dents. You not worry about, because it's old and cheap. So what you lost, is a maximum of 70'k for a 2 year drive with a low investment. If you wreck it, not a big loss!

Second opinion: You buy new, for 600 ore more thousend ,a nice little unsolid "plasic car", drive, maybe get involved in a accident, even you are not wrong. Yes of corse, Free Insurance will pay for repairs, and the next 2 months during the repairing time you stay without vehicle, and after that you still have a "accident car" which nobody and no dealer ever would buy anymore if you want to sale. And beleve me accidents are easly possible in this country.

My recommend: Buy a junk or a tank. There are many old and strong cars available like the ones i named before. If you like something bigger, buy a Volvo or a Toyota Crown. They run forever and noone gonna steal it. But nice little Vioses and Jazzes getting stolen manytimes.

Sounds like a panic-paker urself dude!

My advice, buy the car you want and desire, for the money you can afford to spend. Car is lifestyle. Myself, I love driving around in a comfortable car. Taking road trips. Its freedom. All new cars have start blocking systems, and alarms can be purchased. They all depreciate, but they depreciate less in Thailand than other countries. Especially "Japanese" cars. Spare parts and service is dirt cheap. If you buy a second hand, look for the service book, and contact the show room where it was originally bought. Nobody can guarantee that the odometers wasn't talked with, but makes it more difficult if the service history comes up correct. Good luck with ur new life and car in Thailand!

[stingray]

Sounds like a panic-paker urself dude!

My advice, buy the car you want and desire, for the money you can afford to spend. Car is lifestyle. Myself, I love driving around in a comfortable car. Taking road trips. Its freedom. All new cars have start blocking systems, and alarms can be purchased. They all depreciate, but they depreciate less in Thailand than other countries. Especially "Japanese" cars. Spare parts and service is dirt cheap. If you buy a second hand, look for the service book, and contact the show room where it was originally bought. Nobody can guarantee that the odometers wasn't talked with, but makes it more difficult if the service history comes up correct. Good luck with ur new life and car in Thailand!

I think, you are not too long in Thailand. I got all the expirience, stay now for 15 years. If you living up country, no problem. If you living in Pattaya or BKK, you'll see. Every half professional carthief can unlock anbd deactivate any safetysystems of any japanese models. And forget about Service History. We living in Thailand, not in USA. There is maybe one Thai of hundert who keeping the service records. Even mee not. Because no one who have a little bit of comon sense pay 3 times more for a "service" in a dealership than in a local garage. Peaple with common sense buy the condition of the cars, not the miles or the service history. I saw cars with 240'k on the clock which are much in better condition than otherones with a 120'k. Where and how you want to find out the original Show room, where a 12 year old car was sold, specially if have already the second blue book? Some peaple maybe have a Uiniversity degree, but never worked in the practical field. and i ask you, if you buy a new car and some old Pick Up truck hit's you badly, how would you feel when your car getting fixed by the insurance for the next 2 months? How would you feel to pay for a rental car by your self during the repair time of 2 months? How would you feel when you get your "fixed and stretched" car back? It's now a accident car. How would you feel if someone refuses to buy, because it's a accident car? I had a friend who parked his almost new toy on the sidewalk of the road, when a old Pick (local driver) hit and wrecked his car compleatly, without insurance. The police impounded the Pick which was no value anyway. My friend never got a penny. I could go on and on, but this things happen always. I'm not a panic packer, i talk about expirience over 15 years.

[yabaaaa]

Personally I wouldn`t buy a second hand vehicle in Thailand unless you are fully aware of it`s past history and owners.

Thais run their vehicles into the ground, than give it another 5 years on top before parting with them.

Better off to purchase a new motorbike, prices start as low as 26000 baht, always desirable and can be easily sold later on.

I bought new for this reason too many cars here would probably have been written off in other countries but here they are repaired. Not a huge price difference either between new and 3-4 years old cars.

[Denim]

Most of my friends and myself have bought secondhand cars for less than 150,000 baht and not had any trouble. Yes, we have had to change batteries , tyres , oil filters etc which would not have been necessary with a new car but all that doesn't amount to much when you consider the big loss you will make on depreciation when buying a new car. If you are planning on keeping a car for a long time this is not so bad but not very pleasant if you only want the car for a year or two. A friend of mine brought an old Nissan Sunny for 59,000 baht, owned it two years, drove all around Thailand with it then sold it for 49,000 baht. Pretty good value for money !!! A hel_l of a lot depends on how much you know about cars in the first place, whether you are patient enough to wait for a good car, and how important ' face ' is. If you just want something to get you around and don't care if it has electric windows etc.....I recommend the Nissan Sunny old shape......very reliable. On the other hand, if you have loads of money to blow and don't mind losing a hundred thou or so....buy new.

[nicktraveller]

Thankyou to everybody who replied on the forum.

To Sassienie:

I don't know how to ride a push bike, let alone a motorbike and I don't think Thailand is the place to start! Especially considering that one of the farang who recently died was an International Student at Payap University (like me) and the accident happened on a quiet closed campus road right outside my dorm. hel_l I'm still trying to navigate my way around a bum gun!

So, it's a car for me.

To Razzell (making reference to the beatboxer?) groovyc, stingray, and everybody else:

Yeah I could afford to buy a new car (although with the exchange rate at the moment its not too favourable) and I had thought about getting a honda jazz or something, but because of depreciation it doesn't seem like a good idea. It seems like there's a flood of Nissan Sunnys on the market. I would guess they fill the function of the cheap reliable car (kind of like a ford laser in australia or a renault twingo in france?) and seems to be the most sensible solution.

A crisp new car does seem appealing though....

[ignis]

If you want a pickup.....

Leading the pack is Ford Thailand which is introducing offers of Bt100,000 discounts or low monthly installments for buyers of its Ranger pickup lineup.

Bangkok Post 21.11.08