a new car purchase

[tutsiwarrior]

hello...sorry to intrude on the petrolheads' forum but...I need help

I wanna buy a new pickup; Isuzu, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsu it don't make no difference to me if it's got a good warranty and I went today to check out the offering...

I get the distinct impression from the sales people that I've talked to that one orders the unit then waits for delivery and that no one should expect the dealer to have any 'in house' stock available to choose from...hey, a new crew cab with auto any color, not askin' for too much and I'm flexible...

I live in a rural area and in the west you can usually get the best deals from rural dealers...but the rural dealers in Thailand have no stock...

I can go to the nearest large towns to see what they have but my question is this: am I to expect that no dealer will have anything to sell either on display or in the 'back lot' and that I should just order with future delivery and be patient?...I expect this to be true but I'd like to hear from others who have quite simply walked into a dealer's showroom and have driven away with something suitable...

I hate shopping...don't you? just sit with a cold beer somewhere and let the ladies get on with it...but I gotta arrange to transfer funds from bank to bank and etc...

please...I don't mean to disrespect anyone's sensibilities but a large purchase like a new pickup requires some good tactical moves...

I've thought about moving from pickup to SUV if the availability is better but the wife wants a pickup...

please help...

[bobo42]

Yep, the "normal" way here is to order a specific model and options and wait for delivery. There is basically no haggling over the price, only the "extras", which are mostly trivial. Being from the US, this was all absolutely shocking and insane to me, but that's how it goes here.

When you order the car though, you have to put down a very minimal deposit (around 3000b in my experience). This means that there are a lot of people who order, and then don't finish the deal (maybe because another choice arrived sooner). So you may be able to find a dealer that has some ordered autos "in-stock". You might call around to dealers near you and have them alert you if they end up with an unclaimed car in their lot. You might get lucky and score a drive-away - just don't expect a "deal".

[tutsiwarrior]

right on bobo! you confirmed my fears and it looks like I'll haveta leave it to the wife to manage as I go back to work in a couple of weeks...

but I want the vehicle to be in my name and that looks to be untenable if I'm not around to purchase it...(if in my name it tells the rest of the family: 'don't mess with tutsi's ride')...

a good start...anyone else got something to relate?

Edited May 3, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[Langsuan Man]

If you have a Yellow Book in your name or obtain a residency certificate from your local Immigration Office you should be able to order the vehicle in your name and when it arrives the dealer should be able to register it in your name

Since you would know exactly how much it is going to cost after placing the order there is no reason your wife could not deliver the final payment when the vehicle arrives and deal with the Red plate until such time as the regular registration plate arrives

I only remember signing something at the dealer when I purchased a car and after I submitted the proof of residence there was nothing else that needed my personal attention and the TG handled everything else (since a years worth of insurance was included in the price I don't know if getting it insured separately would effect this scenario)

Edited May 4, 2014 by Langsuan Man

[khwaibah]

If you have a Yellow Book in your name or obtain a residency certificate from your local Immigration Office you should be able to order the vehicle in your name and when it arrives the dealer should be able to register it in your name

Since you would know exactly how much it is going to cost after placing the order there is no reason your wife could not deliver the final payment when the vehicle arrives and deal with the Red plate until such time as the regular registration plate arrives

I only remember signing something at the dealer when I purchased a car and after I submitted the proof of residence there was nothing else that needed my personal attention and the TG handled everything else (since a years worth of insurance was included in the price I don't know if getting it insured separately would effect this scenario)

Some LTD's in the smaller towns will not accept the farang yellow house book check first. Otherwise you will need a Certificate of Residency from your local immigration office (cost up to 500 baht). That same CR can be done at most local police stations (cost maybe 100 baht) BUT some LTD's only accept this letter from your IO,check again.

[Langsuan Man]

Some LTD's in the smaller towns will not accept the farang yellow house book check first. Otherwise you will need a Certificate of Residency from your local immigration office (cost up to 500 baht). That same CR can be done at most local police stations (cost maybe 100 baht) BUT some LTD's only accept this letter from your IO,check again.

Thanks khwaibah one of the main reasons posters here always justify jumping through all the hoops to obtain a Yellow Book is so that you can register a vehicle without needing a Certificate of Residency

Good to know that the Yellow Book is not necessarily a one-size-fits all solution which may not be worth the trouble if difficult to get

Edited May 4, 2014 by Langsuan Man

[Thailaw]

Yep, the "normal" way here is to order a specific model and options and wait for delivery. There is basically no haggling over the price, only the "extras", which are mostly trivial. Being from the US, this was all absolutely shocking and insane to me, but that's how it goes here.

When you order the car though, you have to put down a very minimal deposit (around 3000b in my experience). This means that there are a lot of people who order, and then don't finish the deal (maybe because another choice arrived sooner). So you may be able to find a dealer that has some ordered autos "in-stock". You might call around to dealers near you and have them alert you if they end up with an unclaimed car in their lot. You might get lucky and score a drive-away - just don't expect a "deal".

Wrong on all counts! There are dealers with lots of trucks (and cars) in stock. The most popular cars and trucks, especially if it is a newly released model like the new Honda City, will not be in stock because demand exceeds the supply flow. Some dealers have Toyota Vigos in stock and are available immediately, but if you want a specific color (or perhaps an unusual combination of features) it could take the dealer 2 or 3 weeks to get it. Some trucks, like the Ford Wild Track, have long waiting times, but that is likely due to limited supply rather than popularity, but it could be some of both. We bought a pearl white 4 door Triton earlier this month, and it was available as soon as we wanted it -- hours, not days.

And the price of trucks is very negotiable, and all makes are including free insurance in their "standard" offer. When you hit the price discount limit, then they start throwing in the no charge "extras". And the "extras" are things that most owners want/need -- insurance, bed liner and window tining, I would want these and would have paid extra if they were not offered at no extra charge. The smallest discount seems to be offered by Mazda, only B20,000, at least at the several dealers we checked. Toyota was routinely offering B30,000 and we found one giving a B40,000 discount off the list price. Nissan was advertising B50,000 discounts, as was Mitsubishi, but negotiation could increase the discount easily to B60,000 or more. Mitsu was offering B100,000 discount on petrol models, but we wanted diesel. They all throw in the free bed liner, tinted windows, side window visors, and insurance. You may also be able to get the back-up camera or back-up sensor free of charge. The pearl white is normally a B7,000 extra, but they threw that in at no charge. It is, in my view, a "buyers' market" at the present time -- there are plenty of cars and trucks available and dealers are anxious to make sales. If you are willing/able to shop around, you can get a good deal on a truck and have it in your driveway just about as soon as you want it. As between Mazda, Toyota and Mitsu, the best deals and the most truck for the money was offered by Mitsu, and we are happy with the truck we got and the price that we paid.

[tutsiwarrior]

wonderful, wonderful the TV community does it again! thanks so much for all the useful info...so that if we took delivery later and it was ordered in my name then I would be the owner on the registration...I got the original of previous residence certification from the embassy from last December (the immigration dude forgot to take it off me when I did my extension renewal) and I'm hopin' that will suffice for any dealer requirement...

'buyer's market'? sounds good...now if the dealers were open for business on Sundays and holidays then there would be tutsi at the wheel today with Steppenwolf on the box...

(the little niece looks worried: 'uncle tuts, yer not gonna be drinkin' beer when you drive that thing are you?'...'but darlin' I'm from California where you gotta get a cold six pack and roar up the coast HWY 1 wid de blues screamin from de speakers!' just kiddin' folks, I won't be doin' much drivin' anyway, that's what I got the step daughter for, I made havin' her get a driving license a condition for the purchase...)

thanks again for all the wonderful advice...

and another question, in Thailand are you expected to take your vehicle back to the dealer that you bought it from for the routine (warranty) maintenance?

thanks

Edited May 4, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[bkkjames]

nope, you can take your car to any dealer for warranty - well with my nissan that's the case.

[tutsiwarrior]

^jeezuz, james...wid a truck lookin' as mean as that I'll bet you can set yer own terms anywhere ye go...

with my ride when I'm away at work the women will probably decorate it with flowers...with a 'BABY ON BOARD' bumper sticker and etc...

Edited May 4, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[bkkjames]

Lol tuts, wait till i get my 50cal loaded in the back.

Sent from my LG-P970

[tutsiwarrior]

yeah...I noticed that the turret was missing from the roof...meself I'd settle for a gun rack and a loaded pump action easy to hand...but the little niece nixxed that one: 'you stop that, you fool! guns and alcohol don't mix!'...

(and then tutsi falls to the floor and writhes: 'my darling yer uncle tuts is a sick old man...I couldn't lift a shotgun much less fire one...')

Edited May 4, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[apiwan]

Out of all the pick ups I found the Nissan naval a the best to drive.

If you can afford go for the 4 wheel one.

6 speed manual or 5 auto.

120/140 KPH you don't feel it.

You normally get dealers in the shopping centres selling. And some dealers do open Sundays

Hope this helps

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tutsiwarrior]

thanks, apiwan...

I did notice that there was a Toyota 4x4 crew cab displayed at the big tescos in changwat supan about 6-7 years ago and the wife sidled up and purred: 'I'd like that one...'

and I bridled and declared: 'pickups are booshwah! and there ain't nothin' wrong with the tutsimobile (a Nissan 12 seater bought at auction from the BMTA) and I refuse to compromise on this issue!'

and, so here we are a few years later but, granted, the steering on the old Nissan has packed up and is unsafe...

I gotta do the right thing...I ain't got no choice as a responsible 'head of household'...(there are a bunch of females laughing derisively in the background and then someone shouts: 'and what 'household' would that be, tutsi?...haw, haw, haw!')...

Edited May 4, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[puuchai299]

I'm almost sure the residence certificate needs to be very recent,days not months,best to check that out...

[tutsiwarrior]

^ yeah, puuchai I hear ye and if there's a problem I'll deal with it as it arises...it may mean a trip to immigration at Ayudtthaya but anything is allowable in defense of the purchase of a new pickup...the wife is afraid of the cops and won't go near their shop..

jeezuz, I got residence documentation comin' outta my ears but none of it may be good enough: 'hey! I gots a million dollars over here and I wanna buy that hunk of metal over there!'...'not without the necessary residence documentation, Mr....tutsiwarrior?'

with lots of knashing of teeth and handfuls of sparse hair ripped from the aged diabetic and hypertensive scalp and then: 'auntie, I think uncle tuts may be malade...' with the little niece gettin' all froggy on me to boot...

it only ends in the grave...oh! de pain ob lebben...

Edited May 4, 2014 by tutsiwarrior

[tutsiwarrior]

hey! we found one! a white highlander 2.5 litre crew cab with auto...(a 3.0 litre probably woulda been more suitable as it is a heavy vehicle, but, hey, mostly just for local travel, country roads, etc...)

I had left it up to the stepdaughter and her 'local resources' and sho' 'nuff she went up the road and found one at a dealer up there...

and so it came down to the business...they wanted to charge me for the insurance and I said: 'whaaa? you're nuts! every falang knows that one year's first class insurance is free! just talk to the folks on the thaivisa motoring forum!' and they finally relented...905k baht including tax and registration, including a 10k discount... the dealer was a busy shop doin' brisk trade and I reckoned that that was all I could get...

then there was the business of residence certification but had 2 (count 'em) originals from the US embassy from last year and with a bit of flustering about they accepted them for their purposes...

the stepdaughter's eyes were shining 'cause she knew that for all intents and purposes that was gonna be her ride...

now to transfer the cash and get a bank draft when the bank opens for business...

I got home and took off my clothes and poured meself a vodka...thank goodness for small mercies...

and thanks to everyone that helped from TV...without your valuable info I wouldn't have had a clue...