Buying First Car/Motorbike In Thailand

[chris5346]

hello,

i'm looking into buying a motorbike and maybe a car shortly and i don't know how to register and any pit falls i may come accross.

i'm living in chiang mai with my girlfriend and we have just had a baby so soon hopefully i can change my tourist visa into a non imm type o.

i'm thinking of maybe a second hand bike and a new car because the finance deals.

i believe there's a green book with the bikes ? i presume the registration book ?

what happens if the seller hasn't put it in there name ?

do we need to both be present when changing the names over ?

where do i go to change names and what's required ?

i'm renting a house and my names not on the kor ror 14 house book is that a problem ?

i have my driving licence from the uk with me (just the plastic card).

i'm thinking of buying one from outside chiang mai what difference will that make ?

can i just believe the seller if they say i can easily transfer it ?

what happens if i buy one from outside chiang mai and the seller wont help me in the future if there's a problem ?

are those bike markets a good idea ? surely if the bikes there were a good deal they would be sold before they get there ?

you see many bike shops with bikes stripped down and things getting swopped around so surely buying second hand is very risky ? or is that me ?

same with a car - i'm thinking of new because doubt i will find a suitable second hand one and the prices aren't that much different.

seems like many new cars around the £12,000 mark which maybe a few thousand cheaper than europe ? also finance deals 1-2 % on new - are they a good idea ?

if i get finance my girlfriends family have said they can gaurantee for us.

everyone raves on about hondas here - why is that ?

any particular models that seem to be better for depreciation etc ? i see the honda jazz has a waiting list does that mean they are better buy ?

any advice greatly appreciated.

chris

[MikeyIdea]

Buying a motorcycle is a good idea. I recommend a Honda Scoopy or Click or possibly a Yamaha Fino with a kid. Honda has better quality but the Fino looks nicer.

Your girlfriend will use the bike with your child a lot in the future (and so will you I think) - The main point is the space between the front and the saddle, perfect for your kid to stand or sit in front of you when she gets a little bit older, much better than having her sit at the back behind you, enables the driver to keep track of the child much better

[MikeyIdea]

Blimey, got to have a lay down after reading that lot. Loads of info on the forum to help you out. Thai license is a must.

Agree that Thai license is a must

OP, don't do what I do, 19 years and I still haven't gotten one.

Transam - I admit I am lazy

[MikeyIdea]

Blimey, got to have a lay down after reading that lot. Loads of info on the forum to help you out. Thai license is a must.

Agree that Thai license is a must

OP, don't do what I do, 19 years and I still haven't gotten one.

Transam - I admit I am lazy

And Lucky.

I thought so in the beginning but I don't any longer. I have had plenty of contact with the police in 19 years, I always speak Thai with them, I am always polite and I have never ever had any problems. That goes for insurance companies as well, they have never questioned that I don't have a Thai license. I've even passed policemen waving at me to stop at 160 - 180 km/h a few times, no way I could stop in time so I passed them, then just reversed back. Oh yes, especially one of them was angry and I got a thorough lecture that I happily accepted because I deserved it. But never a word about my driving licence

[chris5346]

i've had a quick look on the forum but it's all a bit patchy and everyone in different circumstances that's why i tried to say as much as poss.<br>is my tourist visa holding me back a lot ? i can try and convert it at immigration maybe next week if not i have to wait 2 months and then goto laos etc.<br>do i need to get my name registered with an address in thailand also ? for licence and registerring bike/car ?<br>other choice is just putting in gf's name but she has no licence and i don't want everything in her name if poss. makes me feel not too good.<br>thinking of a car because of transporting baby things ,bike around CM is fine - we've already 3 of us been on few short outings - some think dangerous but i think safe if not riding crazy.<br>i'm looking at getting an airblade from central thailand because it's cheap and were in the area shortly but i'm concerned about re-registerring in CM or maybe should register it where we buy it. <br>cheers guys<br><br>

[chris5346]

glad to hear your brains recovered.

i'm 6 foot 2 and struggle with most of the 125's and below - i've rented a few models over the months . bikes maily for shopping and stuff but i suppose i do have a bit of fun on them too.

a lot of the scooters my legs get all tangled up and i think maybe with child also will get messy - i think one of those after market baby seats is better for me.

i want an auto if possible because i struggle to change gear - i think the airblade or neuvo maybe best for me but airblades don't come up very often.

if the click was a bit bigger i would get one of those - i will check out a scoopy but i was trying not to buy new if poss -

i still have the mind thought that buying new i will lose money.

hondas seem to hold there price better so shud try and get one of those.

what do you think about this one ?

http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/automotives-vehicles/motorcycles/air-blade-57672.html

it's a long way from CM but we have family close by so can tie in collection with seeing them but i'm a bit concerned about registerring and also i think the bike has been mainly used on mud tracks, 3 years old only 10,000 Km , 32,000 baht is a good price so i'm tempted - i guess the air filter will be clogged up and maybe an idea to get a service asap ? french guy selling it who i think does off roading also.

may also need a car sometime but in CM bike works well.

maybe better to buy bike and put in gf's name and get a car for me when i know what to do and i have papers in order.

[chris5346]

i like the idea of a truck because i'm thinking of buying some land and building a house or something like that but gf says truck not needed.<br>isn't a 2 door car much cheaper to tax also ?<br>i like the mazda 2 but a 2 door maybe difficult to get people in and out the back . also they are small. i should try and get something that's going to last me a while.<br>would it be worth changing to lpg ? or is fuel pretty cheap here ? we may drive down to pucket a few times a year and family near udonthani.<br>if the weather nice probably prefer the bike for kicking about chiang mai.<br>what's the honda service check ? should i do that b4 i buy ?<br>all seems much harder here in the u.k used to buy cars not even worry about filling in the paperwork properly.<br>another thing if i buy a new car and move back to the u.k would it be worth taking with me  ?<br>chris<br>

[hkt83100]

As an Advanced Member you should be able to answer about 85 to 90% of your questions on your own. And if you cannot, maybe it has been a wrong decision to move here.

I don't want to give destructive comments, but somehow I was just feeling like giving this answer (after living here for about 15 years... I stopped counting a few years ago).

Good luck on your decisions, and let me tell you, it is always good to have vehicles (and other stuff) registered in your name

[MikeyIdea]

I'm 6 foot one 96 kilos and I don't struggle at all on a Yamaha Fino, also with my daughter in front of me and the missus at the back. Depends on what driving you will do most of the time and I bet it will be A to B 90% of it - then stability is hardly a problem, practibility is. I'd still go for a scooter with nice space in front of the driver for bags etc. Honda Scoopy or Click

The 1 to 2 percent interest is FIXED interest! Note that you pay the percentage on the original mortgage also the last month 5 years later

If you live in CM, buy the bike and cars there. Not enough in it to go somewhere else

Never ever! buy a vehilcle where the name in the book doesn't match the seller's id card or company registration

Take the extra effort and register the bike and the car in your name

Honda is status, looks better on the inside but isn't as durable as a Toyota. You wan't status, you pay for it. In the bike world, Honda clearly has better quality than the other Japs

Good Luck

[chris5346]

hi,

can you explain please :

The 1 to 2 percent interest is FIXED interest! Note that you pay the percentage on the original mortgage also the last month 5 years later.

so are the car finance deals not really 1-2 % on the total paid back ?

i've got some flyers - i'll try and work it out but everythings written in thai.

please advise and i'll try and look up a few threads also.

of course i'm a novice on registerring a vehicle i've not done it before in thailand - it sounds different to the process in uk.

advanced - that'll be the day.

[JohnLeech]

As an Advanced Member you should be able to answer about 85 to 90% of your questions on your own. And if you cannot, maybe it has been a wrong decision to move here.

I don't want to give destructive comments, but somehow I was just feeling like giving this answer (after living here for about 15 years... I stopped counting a few years ago)......

I have to agree - anyone who asks something like "is fuel pretty cheap here?" would seem to be visually challenged, as the prices are clearly displayed in front of every petrol station. As virtually all these questions have been addressed and answered recently here, and you seem to have missed them all, I can't help thinking this may be the case - particularly when I can't see how you are going to fit your "after market child seat" on your preferred Airblade.

Just to show that I am prepared to help the needy, however, below are answers to your first post:

You can't, unless applying for a Retirement Extension of Stay.

Yes. Yes.

No problem if he has the correct paperwork, for example from a dealer.

No.

The Land Transport Office. From you: copy of your passport and certificate of residence.

No - you need a Certificate of Residence.

And so …?

You will need to register a change of ownership then register a change of address.

No.

If its new, its under guarantee. If its secondhand, tough.

Only if you know what you are doing (so in your case: no). Usually, yes.

No, as long as the paperwork (and the mechanical work) is correct. Its you.

A few thousand pounds? On a 600,000 baht car? No. Yes, if you can't afford cash.

Not everyone.

No. No.<br style=""> <br style="">

[tigerbalm]

hi,

can you explain please :

The 1 to 2 percent interest is FIXED interest! Note that you pay the percentage on the original mortgage also the last month 5 years later.

so are the car finance deals not really 1-2 % on the total paid back ?

i've got some flyers - i'll try and work it out but everythings written in thai.

please advise and i'll try and look up a few threads also.

of course i'm a novice on registerring a vehicle i've not done it before in thailand - it sounds different to the process in uk.

advanced - that'll be the day.

Hi regarding the interest on car loans if say the company quotes you say for ease 2% and you take a loan over 5 years you will be paying 2% per year so the real interest rate will be 2% x 5 years = 10%

Here is a good way i have found to calculate your payments, say on a 300,000Bht loan over 5 years at say 2%.

300,000 x 2%= 6000 x 5 (5 being the period in years the loan was taken over) = 30000 + 300,000 (Add the original loan amount)= 330000 / (divided) by 60 (the number of months over the loan period)= 5500, so 5500 baht is what you will be paying every month on a 300,000 baht loan over 5 years.

I must stress that on that 5500 Bht you will have to pay VAT every month on top of the loan.

Hope this is of use.

[chris5346]

hi thanks for replies - useful.

i find it amusing even though some are having a go .

guys i'm not trying to waste people time - yes i've tried looking at some threads but people don't go into detail sometimes and i find reading difficult.

basically i haven't driven a car in 5 years.

yes the fuel stations say approx. 30 baht - so what a gallon ? litre ? it costs me 100 baht £2 to fill a scooter but i haven't don it in the uk either so what can i compare against - even so i'm not fussed about fuel consuption - i just want some advice an what car to buy in thailand and what other people are choosing etc. i don't want to choose a diesel then find i can't sell it,

i've never had finance or any bank loans in the u.k except for a mortgage so i have to learn about interest - i looked last night and the interest isn't really what they say - the finance don't take into account the money you pay back to them yes the first year maybe say 3 % but if you take over 2 years and pay back half of it the first year then the second year your effectively paying 6% - i think i'm correct ?

i can get money from the uk to buy outright or second hand but i was hoping the finance was cheap here and a good idea ? i have someone who will gaurantee the finance if i want it but i just want to know how much it's costing extra. maybe i should buy second hand.

here's those seats - maybe home made - i 'll ask my neighbour where it came from.

so do i have to got bangkok to get certificate of residence ? or can i get from chiang mai ? or through post ? how much does it cost ? can i get one certificate then photo copy it for bike then car later ? surely if my names on the house book that should be enough or maybe they need a proper copy.

if i buy second hand then does the seller write my name on the release papers ?

if it's outside of chiang mai should i register in the province where brought from or should i re-register in chiang mai ? maybe the number plates need changing ?

john i hope your wrong that i need to apply for retirement to stay in thailand - i wasn't even asking a question because i think i can apply because of father to thai child.

regards,

chris

[JohnLeech]

so do i have to got bangkok to get certificate of residence ? or can i get from chiang mai ? or through post ? how much does it cost ? can i get one certificate then photo copy it for bike then car later ? surely if my names on the house book that should be enough or maybe they need a proper copy.

if i buy second hand then does the seller write my name on the release papers ?

if it's outside of chiang mai should i register in the province where brought from or should i re-register in chiang mai ? maybe the number plates need changing ?

john i hope your wrong that i need to apply for retirement to stay in thailand - i wasn't even asking a question because i think i can apply because of father to thai child.

regards,

chris

Chris, that isn't an Airblade - I think its a Wave, which is very different.

All your questions can be answered, in detail, by reading posts on the first page of this and the motorcycle forum under the appropriate headings. I am not having a go at you but if you can't handle that in English, here, and you don't know whether you are putting three litres or three gallons in your scooter then I really think that you need to think carefully about whether you are capable of living abroad at all.

To answer the questions above (and I am not into spoon feeding or being wound up, so my interest ends here):

You can get a Certificate of Residence from the local Immigration Office; take the house book with your name in it and your passport and get the relevant photocopies and photos done there; you will need one per vehicle; photocopies are not valid; cost varies depending on the office - usually 200 baht.

If your wife/GF can't help you then forget about buying privately or from outside Chaing Mai as it will apparently be beyond you - seriously. Buy from a dealer (new or second-hand) and keep it simple.

Good luck, and good bye.

[chris5346]

ok nice 1