Cost Of Paperwork And Registration When Buying A Used Car?

[bubba]

I am negotiating with a second-hand car dealer on a car that I am interested in, and they have come back with their offer that includes their covering the cost of all paperwork and government title and registration charges. They claim that this is worth about 5000 baht, but I have no idea.

Does anyone know what this really costs? Is 5000 baht an accurate estimate?

[samran]

Depends on the car, and our sponsor Expat Motors will probably tell you.

I did it myself, and seem to recall it costing not much more than 2000 baht for all fees and government charges. But the extra 3000 baht may be worth it as you will have to go to the local Dept of Roads transport to have the car examined, road-worthied (haha), and have the papers transferred into your name.

I speak Thai and it still took half a day of piss-farting around, and the local office that I needed to go to eneded up being on the way to Hua Hin!!

[bubba]

Depends on the car, and our sponsor Expat Motors will probably tell you.

I did it myself, and seem to recall it costing not much more than 2000 baht for all fees and government charges. But the extra 3000 baht may be worth it as you will have to go to the local Dept of Roads transport to have the car examined, road-worthied (haha), and have the papers transferred into your name.

I speak Thai and it still took half a day of piss-farting around, and the local office that I needed to go to eneded up being on the way to Hua Hin!!

Samran - many thanks for your advice. I am looking at a 2006 Chevy Optra, which prices out at about 580K baht. I'm guessing that the title, transfer, and rego fees must depend on the value of the car then.

[samran]

I think the fees depend on the engine size. Thats what I recall at least.

I should have added, if you find the right office to go to (the transfer must be handled in the district of the previous owner as that is where the records are kept), the process, while burecratic, isn't too bad, it just takes time.

Eg. Line up in Queue 1, go to engine and brake inspection. Get bit of paper from them, wait for certification docs to be done.

Go back to the central desk, they give you another bit of paper and you go to another queue where the transfer actually takes place. Depending on the time of day and the amount of people there, it can take time.

Not much messing about if you have the right papers, but if you let the dealer handle that, then that is their problem.

[terdsak_12]

Roughly yes!

[bubba]

Roughly yes!

Again, many thanks to you both. So this is a 1.8 litre engine and they are claiming that the transfer, rego, and title fees will add up to 5000 baht, and this is the sum that the claim as part of the "deal" as we have discussed the final price.

Not counting the hours spent dealing with red tape, I wonder what the actual fees would amount to? About 5000 baht as the dealer is claiming?

[teej]

transfer fees are .5% of the value of the car (determined either by your contract, or by the price assessed by the DMV)

say the DMV assigns 500K value to your car, your transfer fee is 2500baht. Government insurance (Tor Lor Bor) is around 800baht I think), that is if the car doesn't already have it, but it's renewed once a year, so there is probably some still left on an 06 car.

other fees are minimal, I can't think of any but say 200 baht for something or some tax i missed. That's 2500+800+200= 3500baht. that's if you need the Tor Lor Bor. Without it, it's under 3K baht.

Either way, the difference is going to be a tank of petrol at best. My advice, if you like the car, take it and don't sweat the 2k (or even the 5k).

[bubba]

Thanks guys for your helpful replies. This is what a decent forum is all about.

[Pilchard]

Anyone have up to date info on the transfer fees of second hand cars ?

Thanks