Farang Buying A Car In Thailand

[minefield]

I have been looking on line for cars as we arrive to retire in Thailand next week and am interested in buying a ford ranger 4X4 double cab around 2002 to 2005 and have seen prices from 185.000 BHT to 325.000BHT the one' s low mileage and in good condition, The best prices by far is on, thaisecondhand.com

Can someone please tell me is thaisecondhand.com , Private Thia's selling there own cars on line??? Or are there dealers? Like our "trademe" or "Ebay", here in New Zealand and Australia

Any info would be a help

[stingray]

There are not so many private sellers. It's allways difficul to say who is a private seller and who not. Many "Mini Car dealers" sometime selling one or two cars per month, from their home, pretending them to be a private seller, but in the reality they aren't. Prices are different from 185'k to 300'k up. Depend, what you want to pay, you'll get what you pay for. Manual is cheaper than automatic, 2 wheel drive is cheaper than 4 wheel drive. Open- Cap Version is more expensive than the old space cap version. Opencap is almost like 4 door, but the doors are "suzidedoors". Then again 4 door with powerwindows, automatic, etc are more expensive, maybe in the 300+++k price range. Don't let you fool be the stickers of "4 wheel drive or 4 wheel ABS". A "4WD" sticker can be used also as "4 wheel disc". There is not allways a 4WD if the sticker is on the car. 4 wheel ABS, mean the ABS brakes and have nothing to do with 4 wheel drive. Don't go only for the "cheapest one" Sometime or mosthly the "cheapest one" is junk.

[minefield]

There are not so many private sellers. It's allways difficul to say who is a private seller and who not. Many "Mini Car dealers" sometime selling one or two cars per month, from their home, pretending them to be a private seller, but in the reality they aren't. Prices are different from 185'k to 300'k up. Depend, what you want to pay, you'll get what you pay for. Manual is cheaper than automatic, 2 wheel drive is cheaper than 4 wheel drive. Open- Cap Version is more expensive than the old space cap version. Opencap is almost like 4 door, but the doors are "suzidedoors". Then again 4 door with powerwindows, automatic, etc are more expensive, maybe in the 300+++k price range. Don't let you fool be the stickers of "4 wheel drive or 4 wheel ABS". A "4WD" sticker can be used also as "4 wheel disc". There is not allways a 4WD if the sticker is on the car. 4 wheel ABS, mean the ABS brakes and have nothing to do with 4 wheel drive. Don't go only for the "cheapest one" Sometime or mosthly the "cheapest one" is junk.

Not much chance of getting fooled, I have been in 4wd clubs here in New Zealand for the past 20 years, Built up my last 4WD, Nissan SWB 4.2 deisel top mounted turbo 4'' lift kit 12000lbs winch set up for winch challanges, so they would have to be super damm good to fool me.

What I was more interested in was thaisecondhand.com and why most of the car's in there adverts are a lot cheaper than anywhere else

[Eazy-Going]

OP, please beware when buying a secondhand here, a lot of them have had serious accident damage repair completed, particularly if they seem cheap. As one poster said, you get what you pay for. I went through this whole process in January with my g/f's BIL who works in a motor repair shop on BKK, it is surprising the percentage, (or not seeing how Thai people drive), the amount of 'cover-up' repairs done on vehicles to sell, they hide the damage very well and his help was invaluable. However, reading from your post, you are quite profficient yourself so obviously know what to look for. I ended up buying a new pick-up, at least I knew its history...also why a Ford Ranger, why not go for an Isuzu or Toyota, far more about and their re-sale value is a lot better?

[stingray]

OP, please beware when buying a secondhand here, a lot of them have had serious accident damage repair completed, particularly if they seem cheap. As one poster said, you get what you pay for. I went through this whole process in January with my g/f's BIL who works in a motor repair shop on BKK, it is surprising the percentage, (or not seeing how Thai people drive), the amount of 'cover-up' repairs done on vehicles to sell, they hide the damage very well and his help was invaluable. However, reading from your post, you are quite profficient yourself so obviously know what to look for. I ended up buying a new pick-up, at least I knew its history...also why a Ford Ranger, why not go for an Isuzu or Toyota, far more about and their re-sale value is a lot better?

For used Toyota or Isuzu you pay twice the price of a used Ranger. I myself bougt a new Ford Wild Track 6 months ago, it's the nicest design or Trucks overhere, because it looks so American, not Asian. That was the reason i bought it. BTW the Duratec engine is powerful and economical. So why should pay more for a used Toyota? Resalevalue for a used Toyota or Isuzu is higher, but buying price is higher too, but they aren't better. U can buy second hand, why not saves you a lot of money if you don't need to drive the newest shape around. Accident's can see, small accidents are common overhere. Traffic is to much, unlike the New Zeeland. To many Ladybikes in traffic, shopping carts in Schoping centres, narrow parking spaces, sunlight, all this things affects your paint and after 3 year most cars getting resprayed (because can claim on insurance anyway) There are no cars without accidents in Thailand, unless the owner never drove the car and keep it in the garage only. The matter is not about the accident, the matter is, how big was the accident.

BTW, not every cardealer is a crook! Sometime it's better to buy from a delaer / mecanic, who haves expirience and car knowledges (because he know what he buy in stock), than the usual story of the grandma who drove the car only to the church (temple overhere), once a week and not even know where is the oilstick and what is the temerature gauge.

[Rdrokit]

If you arelooking to by from a private party you can look at

http://www.taladrod.com/w2/Search/TLSch2.aspx

or

http://www.bahtsold.com/advsearch.php?req=...y=24&price=

also TV classifieds

I find this is a good site for used dealers

http://www.one2car.com/CarInfor/fromcarbrand.aspx

Not sure where you are going to be living but if you are in Pattaya you should contact Stinray. He has a used car lot and may be able to find you something. He is active on TV and you could always PM him. I bought a used Cefiro from him 3 years ago and never had a problem with it. I am still driving it today.

[ScubaBuddha]

Thai's don't seem to like Ford or Mitsubishi. I had a Mitsu Strada 2001 for a year last year and it was a great truck. I found it on www.one2car.com for 259,000 and 100,000km on the odometer. I flew to Bangkok (cars are cheaper there than in Phuket by a lot) and took a taxi from the airport directly to the tent dealer and within a couple hours had the truck I wanted. We went to the Land Transport Department and had it put in my name the same day. The sales lady even gave me a 40,000 baht personal loan on the spot and sent me the book after I paid her in 2 months time. It was the most surprisingly easy and painless process I have ever experienced in Thailand.

[minefield]

Thai's don't seem to like Ford or Mitsubishi. I had a Mitsu Strada 2001 for a year last year and it was a great truck. I found it on www.one2car.com for 259,000 and 100,000km on the odometer. I flew to Bangkok (cars are cheaper there than in Phuket by a lot) and took a taxi from the airport directly to the tent dealer and within a couple hours had the truck I wanted. We went to the Land Transport Department and had it put in my name the same day. The sales lady even gave me a 40,000 baht personal loan on the spot and sent me the book after I paid her in 2 months time. It was the most surprisingly easy and painless process I have ever experienced in Thailand.

I'm glad that Thai's don't like fords, Keeps the price where it should be and I know the ford Ranger uses Mazda running gear and the pre 2005 uses the 2.5 Mazda turbo deisel, My last work truck was a Mazda ute 2.5 turbo deisel fantastic truck just over 350k's when I sold it and it never missed a beat.

ScubaBuddha I am going to Phuket will be there on friday the 9th and I am looking at doing the same as you thats why I asked about thaisecondhand.com , Cars at good and not over inflated prices.