Motorbikes, Buy In Samui Or Get In Surat Thani?

[poorfarang]

Im moving to Samui from bangkok and will also buy a motorbike. I didnt see any motorbike shops on Samui selling bike but they must be there somewhere. Im also wondering if it will cost 10-15% more being on the island and all and maybe I should get it in Suratthani.

Can anyone offer some insight into this.

[girlx]

most people tell me that it's best to buy in surat and bring over on the car ferry. or even buy in bangkok (cheaper) and bring it down on the train!

[poorfarang]

Can I just walk in there and slap 40k baht down as a farang? Will my gf need to sign something? What if shes not with me?

[Samuian]

Can I just walk in there and slap 40k baht down as a farang? Will my gf need to sign something? What if shes not with me?

Yes, not exactly, but very much like it.

You can have it in your name - depending on your visa status.

don't have your "girlfriend" signed the papers, then it's her's!

and she will never understand why not!

if you want to drive your bike from punpin station/suratthani to samui -

to save a couple a hundret baht - buy it in bangkok or suratthani.

here on samui are honda/yamaha and kawasaki dealers - and a rather large 2nd hand market.

[poorfarang]

Well there is no way im going to buy it there to save a few hundred baht. But if its more like 5,000+ extra on Samui then I would buy it elsewhere.

I dont have a one year visa or anything so can I still buy it? If I have to I will put it in her name, not really a big deal but of course would rather have it as my own.

[sbk]

You need a non-immigrant visa to buy a bike in your name.

The car ferry charges to bring the bike over, you have to pay gas to drive it. YOu might save 2000 baht buying it in Surat thani but then you'd have to pay for the boat over, ferry boat back (motorbikes are charged plus a passenger) then the gas to drive it. Seems to me the bit that you would save would hardly be worth the trouble.

[limbos]

Seems like a big shop next to the traffic lights in Bophud opened, couldn't really make out what shop it was, all names were in Tahi only, there are cars for sale as well.

[Samuian]

The cheapest it is in Bangkok, but then you may curse yourself on the way trying to get it down here.

The local shops are also very fit in dealing with foreigners and registration, so on.

If you going to live on samui i highly recommend get the bike HERE!

What's about warranty services, are you going back to bkk or even just to surat for that, will they send the registration plates, will these plates find you? Or will they disappaer in the mail?

I knew somebody.......

There is a Honda and a Kawasaki/Suzuki Shop in Nathon, in Mae Nam, and as i alraedy mentioned quite a big 2nd Hand Market.

Edited April 9, 2006 by Samuian