Was talking to a friend this weekend about the price of cars. Their super expensive and everyone's driving the best models

We just sold my wife’s Honda jazz, 2002 model with high mileage for 350,000 baht.. Would have been lucky to get half that back in my own country

Can anyone explain what dictates the prices here? some kind of corruption tax??

Looking to buy a new car soon and would appreciate any tips on where to pick up a good deal..

Are there any vehicle auctions In bkk?

Cheers

Moved to the Motoring forum.

Excise tax of approx. 30% on new cars keeps prices high for resales. Either pay up like everyone else or get a pick up truck which have excise tax around 3%.

I know what you mean,before I bought a brand new Toyota, I paid 150,000 baht for an 11 year old one, which is about £3100,in the UK I would have paid no more than £400 - 500.

The only thing I can think of: it's cheap on spares in Thailand,and Garage labour costs,put a rusty heap in for a respray,and they do a very good makeover job for 15 - 20,000 baht.

As someone said a few months ago,on another thread "has anyone ever seen a car scrap yard in Thailand" ?

I know what you mean,before I bought a brand new Toyota, I paid 150,000 baht for an 11 year old one, which is about £3100,in the UK I would have paid no more than £400 - 500.

The only thing I can think of: it's cheap on spares in Thailand,and Garage labour costs,put a rusty heap in for a respray,and they do a very good makeover job for 15 - 20,000 baht.

As someone said a few months ago,on another thread "has anyone ever seen a car scrap yard in Thailand" ?

I know of plenty, in fact on a few Thai boards like Thaiscooter there are car sub forums where they sell tons of parts, rolling bodies, shells, halves, etc.

There are also many 40-100k cars out there in very good condition, granted they are quite old.

Does anyone know the tax import duty on second hand cars?

I know what you mean,before I bought a brand new Toyota, I paid 150,000 baht for an 11 year old one, which is about £3100,in the UK I would have paid no more than £400 - 500.

The only thing I can think of: it's cheap on spares in Thailand,and Garage labour costs,put a rusty heap in for a respray,and they do a very good makeover job for 15 - 20,000 baht.

As someone said a few months ago,on another thread "has anyone ever seen a car scrap yard in Thailand" ?

Go to the upper end of Rhamkhamheang road, there's scrap yards there. As you say the price of parts/labour means even in these scrap yards its only the totally burnt out cars which aren't bought, fixed up and sold.

I think part of the reason is that is it hard for many thais to come up with the cash (or finance) for a new car so they have to buy second hand. This keeps the second hand values at an unrealistic level. For anyone who can raise the cash it would be crazy to buy second hand. I've seen cars 6-7 years old with 100,000 kms sold for 60% of the cost of a new one. In the UK it would be hard to give them away.

Thailand is cheep compared to Singapore. My wife wanted to get a Toyota Corolla when we moved there in Jan 2011, After she visited the showroom and found out that the started price was $80,000 US for a base model she changed her mind about wanting a car.