Do not buy a new motorbike from unauthorized dealers

[Bagsida]

Years ago Honda didn't have a rule about independent dealers putting signage up like the one in your pic. Three years ago this changed though and it now not allowed. This is either a sub dealer for an authorized dealer or an old independent dealer who hasn't bothered to change his signage.

That´s it !

This company is existing since more than 20 years and I am quite sure too that they were authorised in the past but now definitely not and they are also no sub dealer.

They buy the bikes from almost everywhere in Thailand (my bike was originaly delivered to "RideIt" in Bangkok, registered from them in Bangkok in the name of Bangkok Motorcycles Phuket which isn´t a sub branch of them.

After that Bangkok Motorcycles Phuket registered my bike in my name in Phuket.

The information about the original dealer of my bike is as far as I can believe the information AP Honda gave me for this bike a fact.

Even the authorised dealers on Phuket are suppliers of Bangkok Motorcycles Phuket.

[Johnnie99]

yankee99, how do you identify an official Honda dealer? I always thought if the building is mostly red and there are big Honda signs everywhere inside and outside and some of the stuff wears Honda shirts then it is a Honda dealer. But maybe i am naive as TiT?

Call the quoted Honda hotline.

[Ulic]

Why would ap honda or any other mfg care who resells their bikes?

Reputation due to consistency of customer service etc.

As long as whoever you are buying from doesnt claim to be a dealer then no harm no foul....Shops such as Red Baron, pattaya super bikes etc have been saving customers money for years....

These shops effectively ARE claiming to be official dealers. Most countries have laws to counter the practice.

Listen you are making accusations that these companies are claiming something which they're not>>> It wont take long before a mod deletes your post for slander....I have been to these shops and they make no such claim to be a authorized dealer....

The lie of omission and misrepresentation. I always thought all the shops were official dealers. The signage, staff uniforms, official looking

display cases with catalogues and pamphlets. Thats not to say I would not buy from one of these places but I would prefer an official

dealer. I would like to know which are as I have always had my vehicles dealer serviced. Thanks for the heads up.

[Bagsida]

The lie of omission and misrepresentation. I always thought all the shops were official dealers. The signage, staff uniforms, official looking

display cases with catalogues and pamphlets. Thats not to say I would not buy from one of these places but I would prefer an official

dealer. I would like to know which are as I have always had my vehicles dealer serviced. Thanks for the heads up.

That´s exactly what I mean too.

If you could save money like if you buy a re-imported Audi in Germany, then can think about buying from such a dealer, but why should a customer buy from an unauthorized dealer if he only has disadvantages ?

My recommendation :

If you buy a new motorbike, bring your motorbike which is still in warranty for service or made services already and you are not 100% sure the dealer/mechanic is certified by the trade mark for sell and/or service, call the customer hotline and ask them.

After that you can decide where to buy, where to bring the bike for services or if you want to complain e.g. because of you have lost your warranty because the service was made by an unauthorizised mechanic already.

[myluckythai]

Never buy anywhere else than a dealer of the brand, you are absolutely right!!!

Did it once, and when rea lproblems emerged ,more than an oil change oir changing a brake pad, i had 6 months of trouble, listening to lies,not getting anything fixed and in the end no warranty at all.

I posted a story at the mototrbike forum about this Yamaha bike.

Oh yeah the company i bought from was PS LEASING in Buriram city.

For those living there, Stay away from this shop

[Bagsida]

Never buy anywhere else than a dealer of the brand, you are absolutely right!!!

Did it once, and when rea lproblems emerged ,more than an oil change oir changing a brake pad, i had 6 months of trouble, listening to lies,not getting anything fixed and in the end no warranty at all.

I posted a story at the mototrbike forum about this Yamaha bike.

Oh yeah the company i bought from was PS LEASING in Buriram city.

For those living there, Stay away from this shop

If some small warranty complaints occur, an unauthorised dealer will probably fix this too for free, but what would happen if the engine must be repaired or replaced ?

An other way to ensure you have contacted an authorised dealer / mechanic is to buy any small spare part there an regard the invoice.

An invoice ot an authorised Honda dealer should look like that in the attachment.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Bagsida

[BSJ]

Never buy anywhere else than a dealer of the brand, you are absolutely right!!!

Did it once, and when rea lproblems emerged ,more than an oil change oir changing a brake pad, i had 6 months of trouble, listening to lies,not getting anything fixed and in the end no warranty at all.

I posted a story at the mototrbike forum about this Yamaha bike.

Oh yeah the company i bought from was PS LEASING in Buriram city.

For those living there, Stay away from this shop

If some small warranty complaints occur, an unauthorised dealer will probably fix this too for free, but what would happen if the engine must be repaired or replaced ?

An other way to ensure you have contacted an authorised dealer / mechanic is to buy any small spare part there an regard the invoice.

An invoice ot an authorised Honda dealer should look like that in the attachment.

I have bought many parts from Mityon Honda in Pattaya and never received a receipt that looks like that!

[yankee99]

i hope that companies bike work is better then their paperwork. I thought all legit invoice were suppose to have a Vat # printed on them at least if the business does over 1.8 mbaht

[Bagsida]

Never buy anywhere else than a dealer of the brand, you are absolutely right!!!

Did it once, and when rea lproblems emerged ,more than an oil change oir changing a brake pad, i had 6 months of trouble, listening to lies,not getting anything fixed and in the end no warranty at all.

I posted a story at the mototrbike forum about this Yamaha bike.

Oh yeah the company i bought from was PS LEASING in Buriram city.

For those living there, Stay away from this shop

If some small warranty complaints occur, an unauthorised dealer will probably fix this too for free, but what would happen if the engine must be repaired or replaced ?

An other way to ensure you have contacted an authorised dealer / mechanic is to buy any small spare part there an regard the invoice.

An invoice ot an authorised Honda dealer should look like that in the attachment.

I have bought many parts from Mityon Honda in Pattaya and never received a receipt that looks like that!

"Welcome to MITYON PATTAYA , the best-known and largest multi-branded motorcycle dealer in Pattaya, Sattahip, Sriracha and Rayong. We are authorized dealer of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki. At Mityon, we provide you not only a great range of new and used motorcycles but also after-sales service to make sure you can enjoy riding.

Also, at Mityon, you could find great varieties of motorcycle products such as genuine parts, official accessories, apparels, helmets, bike care products and best selling imported items. To find what you are looking for, please visit us at a shop near you."

Seems to be a very large dealer with multi-authorisation. Do you have one of their dealer ID´s.

That doesn´t mean that they haven´t but anyone know one of these ID´s

Here http://www.aphonda.co.th/honda2012/aphonda-dealer.asp is the official Honda dealer register (form Ap Honda). Unfortunatelly in Thai only. May be someone can find Mityon Pattaya there and in this way could check this tool for verifying official dealer ships.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Bagsida

[Bagsida]

i hope that companies bike work is better then their paperwork. I thought all legit invoice were suppose to have a Vat # printed on them at least if the business does over 1.8 mbaht

Their work is o.k. and it´s that company in my example had to replace the spare parts again and did that without any discussions.

[yankee99]

[Bagsida]

Update :

MITYON PATTAYA at least is definitly an authorised Honda dealer.

Surprising that on your invoice not even a Yamaha logo can be found

Name and address is from Mityon.

Someone can exclude the possibility that several firms operating in the same sale rooms ?

Anyway they need a new printer ......

The company named "United Commercial Phuket" from where my friend has bought these spare parts and received the invoice with Honda logo but without VAT is listed on the AP-Honda homepage.

May be in Thailand are tax regulations like in Germany which are saying that an invoice with a value under € 150.- don´t has to show VAT separatly.

[Bagsida]

Yesterday I opened a court case at the Civil Court Phuket (mediation center) in this matter.

The settlement date will take place in 2 weeks.

[Bagsida]

Update :

In the meanwhile I have made an out-of-court settlement with that motorbike dealer at the provincial court mediation center :

1. The dealer has to apply for a new "green" book with registration in my name only.

2. The dealer has to write a letter with an explanation of why a new book was issued.

3. The dealer has to pay the buyer a compensation payment in the amount of THB 5,000.

That was a fair agreement signed by both sides.

Next time I´ll buy a new motorbike or car I´ll check the authorisation of the dealer before I buy.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Bagsida

[indothai]

Well, I wish I came across this post before buying my scooter. The lady that sold the bike to me did say something like I have to bring the bike to only that shop to have it services/repaired or fixed. That did raise a red flag, but this being my first bike purchase in Thailand I didn't think too much about it.

My questions,
If something is wrong with my bike and needs fixing, will Honda cover it under warranty?

I'm waiting for my Blue Green book, will I be the 2nd owner? They said I will be getting the book in 2 or 3 weeks.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Edited January 28, 2014 by indothai

[Bagsida]

Well, I wish I came across this post before buying my scooter. The lady that sold the bike to me did say something like I have to bring the bike to only that shop to have it services/repaired or fixed. That did raise a red flag, but this being my first bike purchase in Thailand I didn't think too much about it.

My questions,

If something is wrong with my bike and needs fixing, will Honda cover it under warranty?

I'm waiting for my Blue Green book, will I be the 2nd owner? They said I will be getting the book in 2 or 3 weeks.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

1. It seems not to be an authorised Honda dealer. For be sure ask the reseller about his Honda dealer code (DLR Code), in case you get a number call AP-Honda 0-2725-4000 and ask. This code you can find aswell in the service book, but don´t trust that, better call too.
2. Contact the reseller and inform him that in any case you don´t accept a pre-registration on someone else or a company. You accept only your name in the book as the first owner and no book with a remark that there is a history / book before.
3. Register the motorbike for warranty by phone at AP-Honda 0-2725-4000 or ask the dealer for that warranty code (WCxx-xxxxxxx). Online registration is not possible without Thai-ID card. The hotline can tell you to which dealer the factory delivered the bike.
4. Never bring that bike for service / repair to a dealer without Honda authorisation, because if you do, you loose your warranty.Also buy the oil there - don´t bring your own oil !!! AP-Honda told me that I don´t have to worry about the factory warranty coverage as long as all service are made by an authorised Honda dealer / mechanic.

Did the reseller inform you about that

"The lady that sold the bike to me did say something like I have to bring the bike to only that shop to have it services/repaired or fixed"

before you have paiyed or after ?

If you don´t agree with the answer they will give you, don´t accept the book and leave it in the shop.

You should clarify that all immediatelly !!!

Edited January 28, 2014 by Bagsida