Buying A Car

[kempos]

can i buy a car in thailand on finance?

[Thaiboxer]

Kempos,

From what I understand, you can buy a car in Thailand and have it legally registered to you provided you have a work permit. I assume that means you can negotiate with the dealership/individual who you're buying it from as to the financing you would be subjected to...same as any Thai buyer would do. As far as driving a car that isn't in your name, nobody seems to mind here. The cop who pulled me over didn't even ask who the car belongs to, so if you don't have a work permit, you may be able to just buy a car without getting it registered in your name as long as you have the money...you'll obviously need to finiance in such a way that your not having a work permit isn't made obvious. An individual seller most likely won't care, but without a work permit I'm not sure what a dealership would say. To be sure (since regulations change so often) take a Thai friend/family member to a dealership of your choice and ask them. Just out of curiosity, are you in the market for a new or a used car? I drive an old car that Papa lets us use so we're not required to do any financing Works great since cars here are proportionately more expensive to one's income/other expenses than they are in my home country (USA). Chok dee!

[Dah fahrang]

...and can anybody shed light on insurance?

In anticipatation of movie to LOS and car purchase, say for a new car about B1m - B1.5m is fully comprehensive insurance cover available, and what would I be likely to pay?

And does anybody have experience of being shunted, or shunting someone else, and having to claim?

[wcr]

I own 9 cars, (due to my business). Three are on finance, the others are owned.

Yes is the answer, you can get a car on finance. You need to have a non tourist visa of some sort, 'O' or 'B' for example. If buying in your name, you need to have a work permit and residency cert. from immigration plus lots of other bits of paperwork. Or if you have a company you can buy it through the company. You don't need a work permit for this. However you will need a Thai guarentor. The dealerships will make it a lot easier for you if you can put 50% down.

As far as insurance goes, fully comprehensive insurance is available here and its called 1st Class insurance. Works the same way as you would expect it to back home. Costs depend on the car and value, but for 1m - 1.5m you should expect something around 25,000 - 33,000 Baht as your yearly premium.

Smashes, yes experience of them too, 3 so far!, (Not me, my customers). What do you want to know?

[Digger]

...and can anybody shed light on insurance?

In anticipatation of movie to LOS and car purchase, say for a new car about B1m - B1.5m is fully comprehensive insurance cover available, and what would I be likely to pay?

And does anybody have experience of being shunted, or shunting someone else, and having to claim?

My GF is a recognised Thai crash dummy tester and could get a job in any country around the world if only she was orange or yellow in colour. In the 3 years she has had her own car, she has been in 7 accidents, all of which she claims were not her fault. Apparently the friend who phoned her mobile was at fault when she bent down to pick up the phone to answer it from the passenger seat and shunted the car in front . The other accidents were all of a similar vane except drunk motorbike rider who she then chased along the highways of Pattaya while phoning the police who stopped him.

So do we have experience of crashes, the answer is yes and the service with first class insurance is superb. Our premium has never gone up as a result of the accidents (but also not come down in the form of no claims bonuses although Im not sure how that works if at all here). On every accident, she calls the AXA hotline and a little guy arrives normally by motorbike to look at the damage and make a report. Tells her where to take the car if drivable and has it towed if not for repair and she does not pay a cent as any kind of excess. Police have a passing interest just to make sure that everyone is insured and extort money from anyone drunk, no licence etc and then go. having said that she has not had a serious accident - these are just shunts etc.

For my sins, I once reversed into a pickup in a multistory car park while reversing - insurance guy came and he said "why did you not do a runner? " - well why would I with 2 security guards having already written down my number plate and you guys picking up the cost of all damage

Hope this helps

[Felt 35]

The law about non immigrant visa for purchase a car/motorbike changed about two years ago. You can check it with a law office which is update.

You can buy a car cash with tourist visa.

If finance, you will probably need two Thai citizens as a guaranti. They have to have a income which is higher than your monthly payment on the car.

[wcr]

Sorry felt 35 but you are wrong. If you are buying privately you don't need to show a passport of course. Its not the sellers business about your status in this country they just want to sell. If you buy from a dealership they WILL take a copy of your passport/visa/exit and entry stamps and tm card, if you are on a tourist visa you WILL NOT get finance. Why would a dealership sell you a car on finance when you are on a 30 day visa?

As far as a guarantor is concerned, you need ONE if buying in a company name. They don't need to have twice the income of the loan either. My guarantor earns 10,000 Baht per month, his money goes into his account and out again within about 7 days. My loan repayment is 9000 Baht per month. The most recent car I bought was LAST WEEK, and it was an 800,000 Baht car.

Kempos, go to any dealership and ask, thats the way to find out. The rules may change depending on where you are going to buy. I live and work in Pattaya where they are used to dealing with farang and maybe therefore a little more flexible? Please disregard Felt 35's advice it is wrong

[Felt 35]

Can be about the finance WCR, but very often it is a way around.

[Dah fahrang]

Thanks WCR & Digger.

It was the re-assurance that insurance companies are easy to deal with, and settle claims in a reasonable manner that I so wanted to hear.

Digger's partners experiences attest to this.

Besides AXA, what other reputable companies are there?

And is there such a thing as an insurance broker, (as in UK) to buy from, rather than through the garage where one buys the vehicle?

[Digger]

Thanks WCR & Digger.

It was the re-assurance that insurance companies are easy to deal with, and settle claims in a reasonable manner that I so wanted to hear.

Digger's partners experiences attest to this.

Besides AXA, what other reputable companies are there?

And is there such a thing as an insurance broker, (as in UK) to buy from, rather than through the garage where one buys the vehicle?

If you buy a new car, you can invariably get the insurance included for free for the first year. If you finance the car, the finance company insist in my experience that you use one of their approved insurers and pay the premium through them.

I have car insurance with Thai Zurich which is very good and they allow you to use main delaers for repairs. AXA on my GF's car do NOT use main dealers, but their selected repair shops. Ask when you buy the car but premiums are almost always the same whoever you go to.

[wcr]

As already stated, if you buy on finance you will have to use the company stated by the dealership, but its only for the first year.

As well as the companies mentioned who are good, I use Viriyah, who are the biggist insurance company in Thailand. I have found the claimes service to be acceptable. The positive thing about Viriyah is as they are the biggest they have offices all over Thailand. This is important if you intented to drive around the country as it means where ever you are you will not be far from an office, where a man on a motorbike can come out to you should you have an accident. Also they are THE ONLY insurance company to let you have access to a loan car should yours be off the road for several days or weeks even. This saves you a lot of money in rental car fees, that you will have to pay out for and cannot claim back.

As far insurance brokers as in the UK, yes they are here too. Again where are you going to live? If its in a big farang area you will find farang owned brokers. In Pattaya there are several to choose from. If you are living away from these areas then I have no idea, but if they are available I am sure they will only speak Thai.

[Maverick]

The law about non immigrant visa for purchase a car/motorbike changed about two years ago. You can check it with a law office which is update.

You can buy a car cash with tourist visa.

If finance, you will probably need two Thai citizens as a guaranti. They have to have a income which is higher than your monthly payment on the car.

I tried to buy a car 3 years ago without a work permit thru a dealer - no dice - wasnt allowed and had to put it in GF name even though i bought it. NO work permit = invisible man.

RE car insurance i use a broker in Bangkok, business run by a Scot if u want i can PM his number also does house insurance he been here about 12 years in business.

[randyksf]

Seems like as in typical Thai fashion it depends on what dealership and what bank you go through. Also what time of the month will have a lot to do with it.

Rule of thumb is start looking mid month and come to buy on the last two days of the month. It's all a numbers game for the dealership and bank. Also more cash you put down the better too. 50% really will make the car sales man work his butt off..

[kempos]

I will have a work permit, but probably valid one year. So can i have a car for 2-year finance?

i want to buy a used, not too expensive car.

i have a very good thai friend, i can trust. if he was my quarantor how much would he earn?

or maybe better option for me is just to take a car on his name?