Buying A 2Nd Hand Car Here In Chiang Mai.

[westbounder]

PLEASE ONLY ANSWER IF YOU HAVE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE ON THIS MATTER OR IF YOUR KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT CARS.

I have spent 30 years in America buying and selling used cars as my profession.

I know how to find a good used car when I see it, but my question is what kind of car to buy for me here in Chiang Mai.

I have long legs and I also need an automatic transmission.

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I only travel locally with an ocasional trip to Bkk.

I have a small budget of about 200,000 baht.

I was thinking about either a Nissan NV Queen Cab/LPG (does the engine have enough power?)

or a Toyota Corona/LPG.

Could anyone tell me of what they recomend or what they can tell me about these cars. I want LPG because gasoline is to expensive here.

I want something very reliable, easy to fix and easy to get parts for.

Thank you kindly

[elektrified]

The first thing I recommend is to up your budget to 300K THB! You will get junk for 200K or you will get a car 15-20 years old. I looked for months and in the end bought a car with very low km and the engine was in great shape. But it needed tires, shocks, brakes, and a service including A/C service. It's been so long now but I think we paid 250K for the car and put another 25K into it and have had a problem-free car for years now.

Edit: I might add reliable, easy to fix and get parts for = Japanese car.

Edited October 2, 2012 by elektrified

[Mousehound]

Small Jap car - simple to fix. Corolla is the best value IMO - you know what to look for. Timing belt change is often neglected and this can be pricey to fix - get the water pump done at the same time. I have had three Corollas, a Crown and a Camry and still have an Echo (yaris). The Echo has done 420k km and is now needing it's first major expense (clutch). Otherwise the Corollas have been the best and the Camry OK but not as cheap to run - even though it is on LPG. I have also had three Suzuki's over the years - all good.

Good luck.

[Anonymous1713]

I bought an old euro car 6 years ago for 80,000B and never did anything but oil and tune ups.

[Beetlejuice]

My advice is, under no circumstances buy a second hand car in Thailand, unless you have knowledge of the car’s history, or have personally known the previous owner or comes highly recommended by someone you know and trust.

Thais usually run they’re vehicles into the ground, than still keep them going for another 5 years, plus most of this pile of junk is well over priced.

Trust me on this one, I’ve lived and worked here for 31 years, been there and have made all the mistakes.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Beetlejuice

[mcgriffith]

To second what BJ said, in slightly less harsh terms...be very cautious buying a used vehicle here.

Doesn't matter you used to work as the used car manager at the biggest dealership where ever, or have years of experience buying and selling used cars back in the west.

I was affiliated with the car industry for decades, and have more than a little knowledge about the way thing work back home, and here...

Not to say that some have not found a great deal vehicle here- low miles, driven by a lady school teacher, etc.

Used cars here are priced at stupid money, compared to the west.

A car that would be worth $500 in the US, is $2000-$4000 here.

Forget about whether Thais maintain or don't maintain vehicles properly. Some do, some don't, same as the west.

The real issue is that there are no consumer protection laws to speak of, and people selling cars (whether used car dealers or private individuals) turn back the odometer with impunity, doctor the failing motor with all kinds of concoctions...it is like the US in the 1950's before the authorities cracked down on fraudulent practices.

My best advice is be very thorough in mechanically inspecting the car.

Not just the engine/transmission. Or body work for crash damage.

Remember the big floods last year in November?

There are 1000's, maybe 10's of 1000's of flood damaged cars all over Thailand now for sale, that were (sort of) fixed up, and moved to be sold in other provinces.

I wouldn't touch a used car in this market, personally. With the exception of a fully warrantied and certified vehicle bought from a main line dealer.

[elektrified]

When I was looking for a used car, my mechanic told me that about 8 of the cars I brought to him to look at had the odometer turned back! 8!

mcgriffith is spot on. Maybe try the place that sells factory refurbished Toyotas across from Niyom Pannich. That is where I would buy my next car. But they start at about 350K THB as I recall. Once in a great while they might have something for 320K.

[kjhbigv]

Have to agree with buying new....in the past I have had a bit of paintwork done here and there on our car.....visiting some of the approved insurance repairers is an eye-opener!

Vehicles that would be written off in the west are fixed! Irrespective of the damage!

One I saw being fixed was a relatively new 4x4, been rolled extensively and the were just cutting the roof off at the pillars and welding a new one on!

No vehicle is irreparable here!

[moe666]

The cng maybe cheaper but the problem of finding it especially in smaller towns, when you do find it the lines are long to fill up. A few years ago me and the girlfriend went to Hua Hin with some of her family members, what a trip, as we spent parts of each day looking for a cng station then they finally asked someone and found out the closest place would be on the way back to Bangkok. We still had a great time while there but the search for cng was really funny.