Why Are Used Cars So Expensive?

[imaneggspurt]

watch it bud, a 1990 GTO is a nice car, its not a pile of piss. Also 1000 pounds? you wouldnt get close to that in Australia

Its a great car for a grand, ,for 1.1 mill its a pile, get my drift ?

[daiwill60]

This is the best most rational explanation I have read so far in answer to the question of why Second hand cars in Thailand are so expensive. It also explains how the average Thai can also afford to pay these ridiculous prices. However when my missus traded in her old Toyota which was not in bad condition, she got a ridiculously low price for it against her new Yaris. The old car is still being used by the new owner in our town, I can't help wondering how much the dealer my missus traded it in with, charged them for the old car.

Also from a previous reply on here, it would seem that the best place to get a reasonably priced car is down in BKK, though i strongly suspect there may be a glut of slightly damp smelling cars soon to hit the market at very cheap prices in the near future. Maybe this will also have a roll on effect on the price of other second hand market cars at the same time.

I've been looking online at used car prices in Bangkok and they seem to be very close to the price of buying a new car. The type of car I would lie to buy is a Toyota vios, or Honda city.

Is it not worth buying a used car in Thailand or am I looking in the wrong places.

Please suggest any dealers with more reasonable prices.

As to why they are so expensive? I believe, and I could be wrong, but I think it is associated with the crazy amount fo tax that is added to the car at the time of purchase.

You're right. You are wrong.

Although the difference between new car prices and used is pretty small, for many Thais to buy a new car is out of reach because of financing. To get finance on a new car means having a sizeable deposit and passing more stringent requirements. Buying used however often requires only a small deposit and it's much easier for people who don't have a regular monthly income to get passed for finance. This is what keeps used car prices so high.

[daiwill60]

All this whining about prices of cars and mc's here and comparing to back home. Best advice is from Johnnie Walker " Keep on Walkin"

Since 15 years i living here. Yes i can't hear anymore. Make me sick! They want the cheap living, cheap houses, cheap food, cheap labour, cheap insurance, cheap rentals (homes and cars), cheap property, low taxes, chep police tickets and of corse the cheap girls, but it when comes to the car they start whining. Why this peaple only complain and complain and complain? If can't accept the Thai prices of cars, why they don't buy the cars in their home countries, instead of Thailand? Bring them over if you can.

Yes, i'm sure as a used car dealer yourself, you're sick of hearing people's moans about the expense of used cars in Thailand, but the truth is that there's a lot of crap here that is sold for a lot of money. You shouldn't be surprised if your customers raise this to your attention.

Correct Rix, also there is no where near as stringent second hand quality checks here. eg MOT, so half the time you don't know what you are buying or how safe it is , and from what i have experienced when in a crash lately, where the car which was badly damaged, was actually repaired and is back on the road , you also do not know if the car you are buying has been in a smash or worse still may even be a cut and shunt, ie Two cars previously involved in smashes being cut in half and stuck together to make one apparently new car for resale.

So MR STINGRAY, that is why Johnny Foreigner is trying to point out to all Thai's and sellers of second hand cars what seems to be very unfair pricing in the second hand market, it is not a complaint persay, just an observation on the fact that we farang and also the Thais are really getting ripped off in this market, and the sooner that all people realise this the better. If I have to lose Face by paying a high price but know the car is safe and has a good history, then fair enough. But if I lose face by being in ripped off in a suspect car I have had to pay a high price for, and in which I might also risk losing my face in, if in a smash, then that is another matter altogether.

Actually, just had a chat with the missus quickly , her old car was a 12 yr old Corolla, 1500cc manual with 400,000 kms on the clock, which the toyota dealership gave her 120,000 bht for against a new car.

I could have bought a second hand car like this in the UK for about 25,000 - 50,000 bht, from a an independent non dealership second hand car sales place like we see on many roadsides in Thailand, and it would have had an MOT and i could have had it checked by the AA or RAC for any dodgy aspects for a small fee.

So yes there is a great difference in the cost of a car here on the second hand market. The only rational explanation is that everyone wants one, and while finance is easier to arrange ( as previously stated)for the average Thai when buying secondhand then the high cost for most Thais becomes irrelevant i guess, and any safety aspects are just ignored anyway, seeing how people drive here and how people transport themselves on public vehicles and in other peoples cars or on motorcycles.

Edited November 2, 2011 by daiwill60

[MisterBeetle]

All this whining about prices of cars and mc's here and comparing to back home. Best advice is from Johnnie Walker " Keep on Walkin"

Since 15 years i living here. Yes i can't hear anymore. Make me sick! They want the cheap living, cheap houses, cheap food, cheap labour, cheap insurance, cheap rentals (homes and cars), cheap property, low taxes, chep police tickets and of corse the cheap girls, but it when comes to the car they start whining. Why this peaple only complain and complain and complain? If can't accept the Thai prices of cars, why they don't buy the cars in their home countries, instead of Thailand? Bring them over if you can.

Yes, i'm sure as a used car dealer yourself, you're sick of hearing people's moans about the expense of used cars in Thailand, but the truth is that there's a lot of crap here that is sold for a lot of money. You shouldn't be surprised if your customers raise this to your attention.

Correct Rix, also there is no where near as stringent second hand quality checks here. eg MOT, so half the time you don't know what you are buying or how safe it is , and from what i have experienced when in a crash lately, where the car which was badly damaged, was actually repaired and is back on the road , you also do not know if the car you are buying has been in a smash or worse still may even be a cut and shunt, ie Two cars previously involved in smashes being cut in half and stuck together to make one apparently new car for resale.

So MR STINGRAY, that is why Johnny Foreigner is trying to point out to all Thai's and sellers of second hand cars what seems to be very unfair pricing in the second hand market, it is not a complaint persay, just an observation on the fact that we farang and also the Thais are really getting ripped off in this market, and the sooner that all people realise this the better. If I have to lose Face by paying a high price but know the car is safe and has a good history, then fair enough. But if I lose face by being in ripped off in a suspect car I have had to pay a high price for, and in which I might also risk losing my face in, if in a smash, then that is another matter altogether.

Actually, just had a chat with the missus quickly , her old car was a 12 yr old Corolla, 1500cc manual with 400,000 kms on the clock, which the toyota dealership gave her 120,000 bht for against a new car.

I could have bought a second hand car like this in the UK for about 25,000 - 50,000 bht, from a an independent non dealership second hand car sales place like we see on many roadsides in Thailand, and it would have had an MOT and i could have had it checked by the AA or RAC for any dodgy aspects for a small fee.

So yes there is a great difference in the cost of a car here on the second hand market. The only rational explanation is that everyone wants one, and while finance is easier to arrange ( as previously stated)for the average Thai when buying secondhand then the high cost for most Thais becomes irrelevant i guess, and any safety aspects are just ignored anyway, seeing how people drive here and how people transport themselves on public vehicles and in other peoples cars or on motorcycles.

And that my friends is why (if you can) you should always buy a new car in Thailand. Less worries and when it comes time to sell, you might actually get some baht back.

In Australia, in my family, we normally bought a car second hand, drove it for 6 or more years and then traded it in for peanuts on the next one.

I remember being offered $500 trade in on my old Alfa Sud 'Clover leaf', when I was looking for an upgrade. I ended up selling it private for $750, with 6 months rego and pink slip.

[MoonRiverOasis]

Do you realize you just dragged up a 2.5 year old thread?

[Kwasaki]

Due to the floods and all the future secondhand cars swimming around at the moment I wonder how new cars for sale have got on on down south.?

When people check out a car to buy I suppose checking for fish will be on the list.

[kartman]

Do you realize you just dragged up a 2.5 year old thread?

To inform us secondhand car dealers buy and sell for a profit ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

[MisterBeetle]

Do you realize you just dragged up a 2.5 year old thread?

To inform us secondhand car dealers buy and sell for a profit ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

hahaha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVWBOXM61Tw

[MoonRiverOasis]

Do you realize you just dragged up a 2.5 year old thread?

To inform us secondhand car dealers buy and sell for a profit ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

hahaha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVWBOXM61Tw

Oh wow, that's bad. I'm surprised Toyota haven't sent YouTube a take-down order

[wandrinstar]

Do you realize you just dragged up a 2.5 year old thread?

With a Fish dangling on the end.