Buying a used car. Top 3 things to look for?

[JamieP]

I'm considering taking the plunge and buying a used car sometime in the next few months, probably from a dealer that has a reasonable reputation - if such a thing exists as a used card dealer with a good repuation............

In terms of tyre-kicking what sort of things should I look for when giving a cursory inspection?

I'm thinking in terms of a Honda City or Toyota Vios. These would be best for availability of parts etc.

Also, I'd prefer a manual transmission so that steers me more towards the City?

[dutchisaan]

You ever had a car in your life??

[DavisH]

Only buy from 2012 onwards, especially if you live in Bkk. Many cars got flooded in the 2011 floods. They could have hidden damage that would be hard to find. Look for cars with a full service history. Many badly damaged cars are repaired here - they would often be scrapped in a foreign country. You wouldn't be able to tell if they have been repaired or not.

But if you really want a city or vios, get a new one. These car hold their value really well. A 10 year old jazz/city can still fetch 200K. Unless you are on a budget, it's really not worth buying second hand here. You can also get a new manual ecocar for about 400K or so.

[bamukloy]

As a basic referance to check the state of the motor, i usually check the cars breathing.

Once started, open the oil cap and check at what rate its pumping (breathing).

If its pumping heavily and very rapid, most likely the engine is tired and could be on its way out.

[IMHO]

If buying a Toyota or Honda, buy from their respective certified used cars dealerships:

http://www.toyotasure.com/Home/Home.aspx

http://www.honda.co.th/usedcar/

You're much less likely to find a lemon here, and if you do, it's at least backed by a warranty.

[NoBrainer]

Make sure you get the Blue book at the same time you pay for the car. No excuses period.

[12DrinkMore]

No outstanding debt.

[edhart]

find honest car dealer any where in the world would be hard ,but i did buy second hand toyota and it did turn out good ,get checked by main dealer first ,they will have service record ,even in thailand

[maderaroja]

If buying a Toyota or Honda, buy from their respective certified used cars dealerships:

http://www.toyotasure.com/Home/Home.aspx

http://www.honda.co.th/usedcar/

You're much less likely to find a lemon here, and if you do, it's at least backed by a warranty.

No English available at either of the two websites.

[steve73]

Mileage means nothing here...check it's got a FSH.

[HughJass]

buy private from a farang thats had it from new

full service history

has blue book in HIS OWN NAME

go over the body with a fine tooth comb including under the bonnet and in the boot and look for overspray of new paint especially on rubber trim and metal creases that havent been fixed in hidden places...take a torch with you

do doors panels line up...ie the gaps are consistent all the way down between the panels

check that condition of interior including seats and pedals,mats etc look like they correspond to the mileage

take your time as the car market is swamped with used cares and bargain hard

a lot of s/h cars in thai garages are crashed and repaired even at the main dealers like Toyota Sure

look for an expat returning home or upgrading his car on thaivisa classifieds,bahtsold or any other local farang website

Edited September 21, 2015 by HughJass

[IMHO]

If buying a Toyota or Honda, buy from their respective certified used cars dealerships:

http://www.toyotasure.com/Home/Home.aspx

http://www.honda.co.th/usedcar/

You're much less likely to find a lemon here, and if you do, it's at least backed by a warranty.

No English available at either of the two websites.

As is the case with all car websites........

When only 1 in 1000 of your customers cannot read/speak Thai, it's their problem, not the vendors

That said, many posters here say that Google Chrome translate is enough to get them by when car shopping..

Edited September 21, 2015 by IMHO

[Doc46]

Buying a small car,,,BUY NEW,,,It will pay in the long run.I did, now after 3 years still new and only pay for services at the dealership.

[stevenl]

buy private from a farang thats had it from new

full service history

has blue book in HIS OWN NAME

go over the body with a fine tooth comb including under the bonnet and in the boot and look for overspray of new paint especially on rubber trim and metal creases that havent been fixed in hidden places...take a torch with you

do doors panels line up...ie the gaps are consistent all the way down between the panels

check that condition of interior including seats and pedals,mats etc look like they correspond to the mileage

take your time as the car market is swamped with used cares and bargain hard

a lot of s/h cars in thai garages are crashed and repaired even at the main dealers like Toyota Sure

look for an expat returning home or upgrading his car on thaivisa classifieds,bahtsold or any other local farang website

Your last line makes sense with regards to returning home, but other than that I would say: don't buy from a foreigner but buy from a Thai. They will take much better care of their car and chances of it having been chipped are much lower.

Edited September 21, 2015 by stevenl

[IMHO]

... look for overspray of new paint especially on rubber trim and metal creases that havent been fixed in hidden places...

Generally speaking, Thai body repairers aren't that lazy - the best way to detect a resprayed panel is to look for variances in orange peel.. It's not that hard to cover tracks in all other areas and ways - but it takes a magician with the spray gun to match the factory dimples...

Edited September 21, 2015 by IMHO

[gandalf12]

If you are going to buy a Honda go to the Honda outlet and find out about a second hand vehicle from them. They do give a ful check to every car they take back. I have exchanged a few Honda's with their outlets when I have been buying a new one from them.

[jerome2]

Expect a 50.000bts repair bill

[bazza40]

1/ Get a check done on the engine compression for each cylinder, if it's below spec walk away.

2/ Look underneath the floor mats and boot and feel for any dampness. If it's there, walk away.

3/ Check oil and coolant - coolant after running for 30 seconds, oil after running after a few minutes. If either are cloudy, walk away.

A secondhand Vios is probably the best bet, because most mechanics in Thailand know how to work on them. And the 1.5 litre engine is robust.

Try for a low mileage one where the mileage matches the service books.

[TheFishman1]

Most of what was said to look for is correct I have personnel bought thousands of used cars . I would use a elcometer to check paint and bondo second look at the frame from underneath for frame damage check the rubber on the pedals to see if they are worn and the car is straight test drive the car and take to a shop for a full inspection just my two cents

[ggt]

Considered buying a used vehicle from a fellow farang and countryman...He gave me the details and the price...did my due diligence and found many inconsistencies... not least of which the car was many years older than advertised, was no longer being made and parts would be hard to come by...

Just be very careful...do not believe anything you are told...double check all figures on the purchase agreement...

Edited September 21, 2015 by ggt

[kbelyeu]

I would suggest you be very cautious at the moment due to the recent floods in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin.

Kurt

[Steiner]

Only buy from 2012 onwards, especially if you live in Bkk. Many cars got flooded in the 2011 floods. They could have hidden damage that would be hard to find. Look for cars with a full service history. Many badly damaged cars are repaired here - they would often be scrapped in a foreign country. You wouldn't be able to tell if they have been repaired or not.

But if you really want a city or vios, get a new one. These car hold their value really well. A 10 year old jazz/city can still fetch 200K. Unless you are on a budget, it's really not worth buying second hand here. You can also get a new manual ecocar for about 400K or so.

what good would that do? Many cars here are driven on red plates for years and then registered.

Also many of the 2011 cars, flood or not, wouldn't have arrived in showrooms until a year or even 18 months later.

Seriously, what percentage of cars were immersed in water here? I imagine it was a very small amount.

Paranoia.

[Gary A]

I was looking for a late model pickup and quickly found that there are both Thai and farang liars. I trust the tent dealers even less. I bit the bullet and ordered a new one exactly the color and what I wanted. I will forget the price premium long before the headaches I would maybe have from someone else's lemon. A late model vehicle without a dealer service book is common. Low kilometer late model vehicles should still be under warranty. Even if the service records are with the vehicle, it still could have been seriously wrecked. Many body shops are true artists repairing major damage and leaving no hints.

[misterphil]

I once went to look at a second hand Honda Jazz some years ago. It was on a car lot in Chiang Mai. The guy selling the cars was sitting on a small stool near the passenger door. Ive been a Mechanic for nearly 30 years so I know what to look for in used cars. I was suspicious of him sitting near the door and he kept saying to me to have a seat next to him. I told him I'm not here to sit down I'm here to check the car cause I might want to buy it. I proceeded to look around the car and when I tried to open the passenger door he tried to stop me. This is a red flag for sure. I opened the door and looked where the hinges are and I could see that the wing wasn't attached properly. I went to the drivers side door and noticed that there are some rivets holding the wing on. I opened the bonnet and could see overspray on the inside of the passenger side.

I said no thank you and walked away.

Buy new, they're cheap enough here.

[DDbkh]

Gary - if you are buying for cash ask the dealer if he has the AsiaCare warranty, if you want a bank loan get the Krungsri loan which includes a warranty.

Both AsiaCare and Krungsri are underwritten by QBE - the world's largest auto warranty insurer.

[minikev]

If you buy a car that has spent it's life in BKK whatever mileage it has on the clock x by 3. As most of it's miles were spent stood still in the traffic with brakes used x 3 and foot on the clutch, unless auto in which case the torque converter was trying to push the gearbox while stood still. The engine was running while it was stood which creates much more wear than when it's cruising as no airflow through the radiator.

Buy a 2 yr old low mileage car from the privates in the sticks or from an expat going home. Make sure the numbers match the blue book chassis and engine, all tax up to date and the registration matches the ID card of the seller and their address, ask them for "shoot own" transfer docs and make sure they sign the originals. If from a foreigner you need a proof of residensy (current) they last 30 days and a copy of their visa and passport.

Honda's are good!

[misterphil]

Only buy from 2012 onwards, especially if you live in Bkk. Many cars got flooded in the 2011 floods. They could have hidden damage that would be hard to find. Look for cars with a full service history. Many badly damaged cars are repaired here - they would often be scrapped in a foreign country. You wouldn't be able to tell if they have been repaired or not.

But if you really want a city or vios, get a new one. These car hold their value really well. A 10 year old jazz/city can still fetch 200K. Unless you are on a budget, it's really not worth buying second hand here. You can also get a new manual ecocar for about 400K or so.

what good would that do? Many cars here are driven on red plates for years and then registered.

Also many of the 2011 cars, flood or not, wouldn't have arrived in showrooms until a year or even 18 months later.

Seriously, what percentage of cars were immersed in water here? I imagine it was a very small amount.

Paranoia.

Your wrong.

It was a lot more than a small amount. Honda Thailand lost 10,000s of cars. Most were crushed and recycled.

We were looking at a new car in 2012 and Honda only had very bad colours for sale, or you could buy a Japanese import for an extra 100,000baht.

Edited September 21, 2015 by misterphil

[minikev]

Most of what was said to look for is correct I have personnel bought thousands of used cars . I would use a elcometer to check paint and bondo second look at the frame from underneath for frame damage check the rubber on the pedals to see if they are worn and the car is straight test drive the car and take to a shop for a full inspection just my two cents

You would use an elcometer to check paint and bondo?

1. what is that? I've been painting cars for nigh on 40 yrs and never heard of one.

2.where would the OP find one?

3.Why would he buy one to inspect one car?

4. Paint and filler can be checked with eyes, hands, and or a magnet.

Maybe as you have bought thousands of cars the elcometer (whatever it is) was worth the investment but as you would take to a shop for full inspection perhaps just asking them would be easier.

Sorry but I just don't see this as good advise.

PS

I of course googled and it is a digital version of a Tinsley magnetic gauge that used a spring measuring paint thickness. IE a measuring magnet.

[rakman]

1. Under the hood:

Engine off, check inside oil cap - any light tan 'foam' or bubbles, go to your next car choice.

Pull the dip stick. Oil may be pale yellow to dark brown. The darker the oil, the longer the car has run between changes. Does it smell strongly of gasoline, pass.

If that passes, open radiator cap, coolant full and color greenish or red but mostly transparent ok; check cap. Any goo, go to your next car choice.

Look at the battery connections. Clean or dirty. Probably going to need a battery depending on age. Just an indicator of maintenance.

Open air cleaner. Any oil inside, go to your next car choice.

2. Fire up the engine, listen to the engine for smooth idle, and any noise from the transmission. Depress the clutch and listen to the difference in transmission noise, cycle the clutch a few times. Check the brake pedal feel. Spongy pedal is not good. Solid firm pedal is good.

3. Check the A/C. not working, go to your next car choice.

4. check tires. even wear ok, you'll probably need to buy new ones. Uneven wear, particularly on one edge, you might consider another car choice.

5. Road test. Sound of the mechanicals, engine temp, odd knocks from the engine, body rattles.

6. Visual check of the body panels, fit and finish of paint and even fit on body, hood, doors and trunk.

As mentioned, have the compression checked, preferably cold and hot.

Once you buy the car of your dreams, change all the fluids and filters, especially the brake fluid.

Enjoy the ride.

If you think this is a lot, there is a bunch more.

[DrTuner]

Just buy an old beater as is the local custom. Get it fixed at a local shop. Saves you the 50-200k/year depreciation. Get a model every Somchai knows how to fix.