Web Sites For Used Cars

[mickmac]

Has any one got any web address' for 2nd hand car vendors. My laptop hard drive fried with one or two good ones on it, and cannot remember them off the top of my head.

Any help would be appreciated.

[PeaceBlondie]

On the subject - how reliable is any used car in Thailand? I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but how would you know? Do Thais change the oil, align the wheels, or change the timing belts on schedule? How do you know where the car has been? What does even an honest dealer know about the vehicles he buys to resell? Since resale rates are so high (compared to the USA or UK), wouldn't it be worth a few hundred thousand baht to buy new? When a car more than 5 years old breaks, how easy is it to get realiable mechanical work done in Chiang Mai?

[meadish_sweetball]

PeaceBlondie: Good questions but certainly not easy to answer.

From my experience, Thais themselves are very wary about buying second hand cars (as well as other second hand stuff) unless it is from somebody they know well, partly because of the risk of getting fooled, and also the fear of bad luck and ghosts (think traffic accidents) that may accompany second hand goods.

It is important to have some knowledge about what you are shopping for - dealers are often even more clueless than you about the things that really matter.

The advice I typically receive is to go for a Toyota or Honda since they are everywhere and mechanics from experience will know how to fix them; plus spare parts and work are a lot cheaper than for European and American cars.

The second hand dealers (tents) usually seem to know their stuff (especially being able to see if a car has been involved in an accident or not) - but that does not mean they will tell the BUYER all of what they know, only that they will point out several reasons to bargain down the price to their desired level when you are the SELLER...

[mickmac]

And so, back to my original question:--

"Has any one got any web address' for 2nd hand car vendors?"

Any help would be appreciated."

Thank you

Edited April 17, 2005 by mickmac

[Beanster1]

Has any one got any web address' for 2nd hand car vendors. My laptop hard drive fried with one or two good ones on it, and cannot remember them off the top of my head.

Any help would be appreciated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mickmac

There's only one site I know of for cars specifically in Chiang Mai.

www.chiangmai2car.com

However, if you are willing to go to Bangkok you'll save a lot and have a much better selection. Here are a couple of sites, the second one has some cars in CM but not many.

www.one2car.com

www.taladrod.com

Hope this helps

Beanster1

[Nomad97]

One of the best second-hand car sites I have found, new cars too for reference purposes, is www.rodthai.com. It is all in Thai but if you look at the address bar you will find English pointers to help you get around the site. The car logos help navigation too.

[SPADA]

A very interesting web site in Thailand is : sawadeecar.com

Very fast, clear and easy. In Thai & English !

This is not a complicated portal where you get lost... Try it !

[chanchao]

> Do Thais change the oil, align the wheels, or change the timing

> belts on schedule?

Yes. Unless perhaps you're talking about some uncle in Lamphun on his 15 year old Mazda Familia. But for middle class people running middle class cars: yes.

> Since resale rates are so high (compared to the USA or UK), wouldn't it be worth

> a few hundred thousand baht to buy new?

You answer your own question below:

> When a car more than 5 years old breaks, how easy is it to get realiable

> mechanical work done in Chiang Mai?

VERY EASY. And more importantly: VERY AFFORDABLE.

This is the sole reason why second hand cars cost so much money: Their VALUE is also higher because maintenance is so affordable; you'd have to be out of your mind to buy a 10 year old car in UK/USA.. Here though.. Not really a problem.

Cheers,.

Chanchao

[Puwa]

chiangmaicar.com is another site.

rodthai.com, one2car.com, rodban.com etc are good for reference but have very few listings for chiangmai. most cars listed are in bangkok.

many people prefer to buy a car directly from its owner (rod baan) over buying one from a used-car dealership (rod tent).

what can you really say about used-car dealers? they're the same everywhere. they buy old cars cheap, do the minimum to fix them up and make them look presentable, then try to turn them over for maximum profit.

the best one i know of in chiang mai deals only in late model japanese cars, only buying them and selling them in good condition. if you turn left from the superhighway after lotus, past the first stoplight, you will see a lot of tents. the good one is on the right hand side, second to the corner. the same family has another lot across the road.

[seeker108]

You may be in luck. I am about to sell my 1997 Toyota Soluna. Runs perfect and looks like much newer car. I and the previous owner have had first class insurance on the car for the life of the car.

Insurance valuation of the car is 250,000, and I am asking 200,000.

In general I find used cars in Thailand to be an excellent value as the Thais tend to maintain their cars very well (parts and labour being quite cheap for most brands). Though I always do check out a car completely with at least one mechanic and maybe two.

Seeker

[Ajarn]

VERY EASY. And more importantly: VERY AFFORDABLE.

Not so easy, in my experience. When I used to have an older toyota wagon, I had some crap work done at least a couple of times, and once, my alarm was stolen while at the shop... Once you have some experience around, you seem to be okay, but for me, I like owning new because you wouldn't really be having such problems

[ThaiPauly]

Be careful when buying second hand in CM.

I have posted it before but I will post it agian for your benefit MM.

I looked at a 5 year old BM last month...35k on the clock....look closer..worn leather seat on the drivers side and a "Europacar" sticker on the back.

If that car had done 35k then I am the Queen of England !

It is common knowledge that they turn the odometres back.

Today I saw a 2 year old Honda City at 430,000 Baht...I could buy new at 495,000 so whats the point in buying second hand ?..you do not know if it has been in a wreck, labour is as Chancho pointed out- that even if a car is a 90% write off ..its still worth repairing..unlike back home.

FACT 90% of Suburu Imprenza's are two cars welded together in Thailand.

I know this to be true through someone I know that brought one..and now cannot get it insured

As I said please BE CAREFUL with second hand cars MM

Cheers

TP

Edited October 30, 2006 by ThaiPauly

[likite]

VERY EASY. And more importantly: VERY AFFORDABLE.

Not so easy, in my experience. When I used to have an older toyota wagon, I had some crap work done at least a couple of times, and once, my alarm was stolen while at the shop... Once you have some experience around, you seem to be okay, but for me, I like owning new because you wouldn't really be having such problems

I guess we would all like to buy brand new but for most of us thats not an option.

And of course you can get crap work. Just as you can get bad work in your home country - nothing new there.

If you don't know about cars you are at a disadvantage. I bought second hand with no problems but it did come with the remainder of the manufacturers warranty for comfort.

Be careful when buying second hand in CM.

I have posted it before but I will post it agian for your benefit MM.

I looked at a 5 year old BM last month...35k on the clock....look closer..worn leather seat on the drivers side and a "Europacar" sticker on the back.

If that car had done 35k then I am the Queen of England !

It is common knowledge that they turn the odometres back.

Today I saw a 2 year old Honda City at 430,000 Baht...I could buy new at 495,000 so whats the point in buying second hand ?..you do not know if it has been in a wreck, labour is as Chancho pointed out- that even if a car is a 90% write off ..its still worth repairing..unlike back home.

FACT 90% of Suburu Imprenza's are two cars welded together in Thailand.

I know this to be true through someone I know that brought one..and now cannot get it insured

As I said please BE CAREFUL with second hand cars MM

Cheers

Good advice from ThaiPauly

[seeker108]

To micmac and anyone else who might have been interested. Bad news (though not for me). My car was snapped up imediately. A Thai guy with an agent/mechanic/driver actually flew up from Hat Yai and bought right away.

One nice thing about cars in Thailand is that even though they are expensive they do hold their value fairly well (especially used, if you research well and check the car carefully and bargain where necessary).

Cheers

Edited October 31, 2006 by seeker108

[sg1]

i dont know why you all affrade now ? as there a new company who do computerzed car inspection and you can see in 30 min if the car is good or piss of shit.

www.testcar.co.th

[mongoose]

i dont know why you all affrade now ? as there a new company who do computerzed car inspection and you can see in 30 min if the car is good or piss of shit.

www.testcar.co.th

The website identifies a location in BKK. Do they have a branch in Chiang Mai?

[Maejo Man]

i dont know why you all affrade now ? as there a new company who do computerzed car inspection and you can see in 30 min if the car is good or piss of shit.

www.testcar.co.th

Just another expensive variation on an MOT or RWC and the only extra that I could see, was that they used a colour refraction comparator to check for mismatched paintwork, which can often happen pre delivery on a new vehicle, and the tests are only as good as the engineers/mechanics operating the instruments. A complete waste of money IMHO