Buying New Car

[Donnievino]

Buying a new car in Chiang Mai. Do you need to aggressively bargin on price similar to the US. If so, what would be a reasonable percentage discount. Is there much of a difference between Thai and Farange price? Do you get reasonable trade in allowances.

[beachproperty]

Maybe Chiang Mai auto dealers are different than everywhere else in THailand. ....don't know...But in Bangkok and Eastern seaboard its as though all the dealers got together and fixed the prices! When dealing with them NO discounts ...BUT ask for the free stuff....Insurance (1 ...sometimes to 3 years), tinted windows, backup sensor, etc.

As for a reasonable price on trade in.....good luck!

[CharlieH]

Agree with above post, you may get free stuff but never heard of a "discount" as such.

Trade in prices are usually terrible at main dealers and better to try to sell to smaller outlets, because thats all they do, just pass it straight on to a smaller dealer.

[55Jay]

^+1.

Although my mate just bought a new MUX in BKK. Got a pretty good price for his MU7 trade in, and 50,000 off as a return customer to the same dealership.

When I bought my new car last year, the price was the price, only negotiated about addons.

[Tywais]

Moved to the motoring forum.

[55Jay]

^+1.

Although my mate just bought a new MUX in BKK. Got a pretty good price for his MU7 trade in, and 50,000 off as a return customer to the same dealership.

When I bought my new car last year, the price was the price, only negotiated about addons.

Add: Anyone know if the new car landscape has improved any?

I bought last year during the new car tax deal, and there was a long waiting list due to the flood production gap - or so it was said. We got "lucky" and found a new model we wanted down in BKK that was available within a week, so we jumped at it.

This was the first new car I ever bought in my life, always preferred cars a few years old but in good shape. If I could of waited until this year, would of seriously looked at a 2013 model if there are indeed a lot being handed back for non-payment of loans.

[kjhbigv]

The prices are generally fixed. Your negotiation is on the extras eg. tinted windows, car mats, reason deflectors, chrome body bits etc.

Unless you are lucky to buy when the manufacturer has a cashback promotion like Ford had a few months ago.

I would guess you get a better price selling your old car privately.

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Edited May 7, 2014 by kjhbigv

[john2211]

I saw the comment about buying a 2013 car because of hand-back for non-payment of loans.

Does anyone have any experience at all?

I guess as usual with second hand car it is buyer-beware

[oxo1947]

I have brought 2 new cars in the time I have lived in Udon Thani---both Times it was well worth going down to BKK to buy.

No discount as such, but as mentioned many freebies there that I wouldn't get here, Insurance / window Tint/ car cover etc etc......

But here is such a glut of near new cars at the moment in the Auctions that I would not go for a new car at this time..... some at last weeks auctions here a matter of months old and more then 200K baht off.

I will PM you the address of one of the larger auction houses --that is run by the bank & has all their repossessions in their Auctions.

Edited May 8, 2014 by oxo1947

[Pinot]

Cars at auctions are repos. If someone had their car repossessed, they weren't spending anything on maintenance. Thais often don't spend on maintenance anyway. Be careful when buying used vehicles in LOS.

[rotary]

My experience with discounts on new cars in Thailand since 1988 has been that seldom if ever you get any discount. You might get a number rounded off as in 903,000 becomes 900,000 but from my experience there is no dealing like in the USA. It is possible to get, as other posters have stated, radios, chrome bumpers, window tint, insurance, etc. I bought a Ford Everest several years ago, made my best deal with a few extras, then I wanted a few extras I was going to pay for but as soon as I started asking the salesman just kept saying no problem I add for free. Ha Ha. i got about B20K more freebies without much effort but it cost 1.2M so they wanted that sale.

[gchurch259]

The problem here is the VAT, because of that when I bought my Wife a Honda Civic 2.0 it was the same price as two in the USA. The car was made in Thailand. They rob their own citizens to pay for the Govenment Corruption and those pretty white uniforms with enough medals to have fought in WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam and the Salvation Army.

Too much, Jerry

[dawsonuk]

I spoke to a Rental Company Owner (in Pattaya) and was told in Bangkok there is the start of a price war between Nissan and Toyota. I then saw signs just south of Pattaya on the Sukhumvit with the discounts applicable to new Nissans. I remember the March was 30,000 Baht. Seemingly the New Vios and Yaris were 40,000 & 60,000 Baht respectively. Unfortunately I do not know what dealer is involved, however the Nissan prices were on open display.

[thailand49]

It is pretty much the same everywhere, forget about what you do in the U.S. just no comparison. The price is pretty much fixed as noted when you pay cash 100%, they will throw in a bunch of stuff basically accessories and insurance for a 1 or 3.. that is about it! The way gas has been going up think about Diesel that price is fixed too. so every litre you are going to save 10 baht that should add up in time.

[cherrylee2512]

i got 2 cars from toyota at the same time and they gave a discount 40000 per car but usually prices are fixed we got lots of frree extras too but only because i knew the sales rep very well

[Spaniel]

If you don't mind the hassles then you are usually better off selling your used car rather then trading it in on a new one. We just ordered a new Honda CRV and sold our 2007 Honda CRV for

B555,000 to a private party via talarod.com. The dealer offered B510,000 on a trade in. No price discount on the new CRV but did get lots of freebies including insurance. This is in Bangkok.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Spaniel

[Greg Nixon]

I have often bought a demonstrator or the managers car, all about 1 year old. Significant savings without the inflated " new" price. A one year old used car can also be a good deal . Read "Lemonade" or other publications on used cars to find good make and models.

Around the year 2000 I was interested in buying A twenty year old Jag. Looked great beautiful. I drove it and it did not perform as well as a 72 mustang I once owned. I read "Lemonade" a publication by Ralph Nader. Under Jaguar the first statement said, " Besides its dizzying depreciation rate Jaguar has only average performance….." Needless to say I did not read any further and crossed Jaguar off my cars I wish i owned list.

However around 2004 I met an old friend who was driving a brand new Jaguar and loved it. I then read in a car magazine that they were well rated ( that particular model) and had the same frame and power train as the Ford Lincoln of that year.

So things change. Another thing I found out was that Jeeps have very different ratings based on the year and Model. Some Jeeps are real dogs and others are highly rated.

The bottom line is do your research. Reputable dealers will not mind if you take the car to an independent mechanic or bring a mechanic with you. 1000 Baht ( $33.00) will be well spent.

[rawhod]

From time to time the dealers have special offers. The end of last year we ordered a new Toyota Vigo at the Chiang Mai mini motor show at BigC from Toyota Lanna. They were offering a discount of 30,000 baht, free No 1 insurance, free tints, free liner, free front bars, free mats, free roll bar.

I must say that salesman was extremely helpful, even got me an owners manual in English.

Currently car sales are down in Thailand so there must be some offers out there for you...obviously we're not looking any more!

[ableguy]

I live in hua hin, wanted to trade my old truck for a new one, checked all local dealers inc all in Bangkok , all the selling prices were the same except for hua hin who based the price on the color of the new truck ( Isuzu )

Max I was offered for my old truck was 250,000 . Went to Chaiyaphum and a independent used car dealership paid 400,000 in cash . So shop around, and good luck.

[barryofthailand]

Depends how bad they want to sell a car. In the tourist areas Pattaya, Chiang Mai you probably will not get a discount, but in BKK and other areas you can probably get up to 80,000 Baht discount and free accessories. The last car I bought was in Korat and I got a discount of 50,000 Baht and all accessories free.

[Anon999]

Maybe Chiang Mai auto dealers are different than everywhere else in THailand. ....don't know...But in Bangkok and Eastern seaboard its as though all the dealers got together and fixed the prices! When dealing with them NO discounts ...BUT ask for the free stuff....Insurance (1 ...sometimes to 3 years), tinted windows, backup sensor, etc.

As for a reasonable price on trade in.....good luck!

Bought a Mitsu in Bangkok at the end of last month and got 75,000 baht discount plus all the extras, inc. 1st and 3rd party insurance, anti-corrosion treatment, repeaters on the door mirrors, carpets and rubber mats and red plates.The car was delivered to the nearest dealer in Isaan by transporter with 20 kms on the odo. Paid 1,500 baht including fitting, for a rear camera at Poon??? Market.

[dawsonuk]

Latest Nissan Discounts as advertised

[keemapoot]

Latest Nissan Discounts as advertised

Nissan seems to be very aggressive with their promotions in this environment, yet the one new model of Nissan that I see most of on the streets is the new Juke (crossover/Mini SUV), which does not offer any promotions AFAIK.

[dawsonuk]

Juke was available before only as an import for over 1m, now under 900k. Toyota discounts are even better if you can find an honest dealer.

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[keemapoot]

Juke was available before only as an import for over 1m, now under 900k. Toyota discounts are even better if you can find an honest dealer.

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yeah, I strongly suspect some of the reason for the strong demand for the Juke was pent-up demand when the price was high and because of the high price was seen as a higher prestige car that can not be obtained at a more reasonable price.