Buying A Small Motorbike

[RugbyMan]

Hi

Has anybody bought a small motorbike recently for the thai girlfriend, what do they charge interest rate for credit and are any dealers better than others, thanks for all replies.

[NormanW]

Hi

Has anybody bought a small motorbike recently for the thai girlfriend, what do they charge interest rate for credit and are any dealers better than others, thanks for all replies.

Except zero discount if buying new, (maybe a free poxy helmet if you ask) Mitiyon dealerships are great they have the market share here in Pattaya.

I paid 47000 baht for a Suzuki Hayate with 2 years insurance 2 years ago. I got a free disc lock and helmet but I really had to push for it speaking the most polite Thai I could.

Good luck.

[Spoonman]

I know a girl who has bought a new honda click on finance, i may be wrong but im sure the repayments were something crazy like 2000B per month for 36 months, makes for an expensive scoot !!!

[gotlost]

Hi

Has anybody bought a small motorbike recently for the thai girlfriend, what do they charge interest rate for credit and are any dealers better than others, thanks for all replies.

First step for being a sucker. Next step "I want you to meet my parents".

[tropo]

The best deal of all will be buying at an auction.

The second best option is to buy a very low kilometer (3000 km or less) almost brand new bike which has been repossessed. You can easily save 10,000 to 15,000 baht on near new low kilometer bikes if you shop around.

[monty]

Whatever you do, don't buy on finance!

Interest rates are extortionate, on a 3 or 4 year plan you can expect to pay at least 180% of the cash price...

[Guderian]

I bought a second-hand Honda Click in March from Platinum Motors. 6000 km on the clock and the cost was 30,000 Baht. The owner of Platinum Motors, an American guy named Bobby, threw in a good quality helmet, a disk lock, and waived the 1000 Baht he usually charges to get the ownership papers transferred as I was a 'friend of a friend'. I'm very happy with the bike, anyway.

I looked at 3 of the Mityon branches (2 on Pattaya Tai and 1 on Thepprasit), but couldn't find anyone working there who seemed interested in speaking English. I've learnt since that they do have a few helpful staff who can speak English, but you have to be a bit patient when looking for one. Overall, their second-hand prices seemed higher than Bobby's.

If you're interested, I've been told that Platinum have recently relocated from Third Road to the Thepprasit night market area.

If you know your bikes then there is a weekly auction on Thepprasit which would probably save you a lot compared with going via a dealer. It's all done in Thai, so if you can't speak the lingo you'll need to take someone with you.

[Ronaweigh]

You can check out the notice boards at Carre Four and Friendship also for low milage scooters

Please note that if you buy a bike registered outside of Chon Buri district you will have to go to Chon Buri registry to get the green book changed, many bikes at the auctions are from outside the Pattaya, Chon Buri district

They are usualy repos from Bangkok etc

[rolypie]

Platinum motors on third road maybee ok for second hand bikes but stay away from the cheap deal new bikes they are crap and dont last 2 mins. The auctions are ok if you know what you are buying, personally i have bought all of my bikes new with full warrenties etc wich i think is safer in the long run. If you are thinking of buying with finance then think again, its painfully expensive and you will regret it in the end.

Happy hunting.

[nam-thip]

Bike salerooms don’t want you to buy a new bike for cash and will offer you nothing more than a 120 baht plastic bump hat.

They like people to buy motorbikes on credit.

Example: Cost of new bike if you pay cash: 45000 baht

The interest charge on a 45000 bike bought on credit will be somewhere in the region of 15.000 - 20000 baht depending on which loan sharks they use.

Two years ago my lady bought herself a motorbike on credit over a four year period.

Had she paid cash for the bike it would have cost her 42000 baht.

She pays 14000 baht a year so over 4-years that’s 56000 baht.

Interest charged: 14000 baht

Go for the deal with the plastic bump cap and pay cash.

Thai girlfriend?

If you have an ‘O’ visa put the bike in your name.

[tropo]

Two years ago my lady bought herself a motorbike on credit over a four year period.

Had she paid cash for the bike it would have cost her 42000 baht.

She pays 14000 baht a year so over 4-years that’s 56000 baht.

Interest charged: 14000 baht

Go for the deal with the plastic bump cap and pay cash.

What's the big deal of paying 14,000 baht interest over 4 years? That's only 290 baht per month interest. Not a bad deal at all.

What kind of interest would you expect a finance company to charge?

[gmac]

Two years ago my lady bought herself a motorbike on credit over a four year period.

Had she paid cash for the bike it would have cost her 42000 baht.

She pays 14000 baht a year so over 4-years that’s 56000 baht.

Interest charged: 14000 baht

Go for the deal with the plastic bump cap and pay cash.

What's the big deal of paying 14,000 baht interest over 4 years? That's only 290 baht per month interest. Not a bad deal at all.

What kind of interest would you expect a finance company to charge?

I agree it's not a vast sum to pay but the interest rate does seem high. When you buy a car the finance companies charge something like 3% as a flat rate which on 42000 would work out to a total of 5040 Baht. Why should it be almost 3 times as much for a motorbike?

[Tim207]

Two years ago my lady bought herself a motorbike on credit over a four year period.

Had she paid cash for the bike it would have cost her 42000 baht.

She pays 14000 baht a year so over 4-years that’s 56000 baht.

Interest charged: 14000 baht

Go for the deal with the plastic bump cap and pay cash.

That is aprox. 15% APR. Not as bad as I expected finance rates to be but still fairly high.

[tropo]

I agree it's not a vast sum to pay but the interest rate does seem high. When you buy a car the finance companies charge something like 3% as a flat rate which on 42000 would work out to a total of 5040 Baht. Why should it be almost 3 times as much for a motorbike?

It depends on where you come from and the risk of the loan. A car loan in Australia can do you for a lot more. Credit card interest rates these days are up near 20%.

Most of the loans given to Pattaya residents (mostly transients) are considered high risk loans and 14,000 on 42,000 over 4 years is good.

[Dontdisturb]

Pay cash, less than 1500$ is not such a big amount you can not afford, isn't it ?

2nd step, get an insurance and plates.

Edited November 8, 2009 by Dontdisturb

[Meg_2003]

I bought a low km 2nd hand Limited Edition Fino last week. 1 previous owner, fantastic little runner, 31,000 baht including new chrome wheels. A friend of mine went for the same bike new from Mityon paying monthly. We worked it out and it would have cost him somewhere around 60-70,000 baht. He could not continue the payments and had to give the bike away.

Definitely look around before you buy, We were quoted up to 38,000 for an old 2nd hand fino at one of the larger shops on 3rd road, when the same bike (same year) was in a different shop for 30,000.

For piece of mind I wouldn't bother with the Auctions - You don't really know what you're buying and have seen people having to load the bikes into the back of a pick up because they couldn't get them to start after they bought the bike.

I purchased my bike from a bike shop which is right near the corner of Sophon Cable Soi. I know many people who have purchased there with no problems.

I've purchased new from Mityon before too. Got a free trampy looking Jacket after spending 43,000+ baht there

Good luck!