Red plates issue

[scottyp1980]

We just bought a new car start of June and paid cash. I went to work the next day so have not been there. We didn't get any plates on the car and I thought the girlfriend would sort it out when I'm at work. Anyway when my girlfriend called the Toyota garage the lady who was dealing with us told her she had to pay 3,900 baht to get these plates.

Has anyone else heard this?

Shouldn't you get red plates for free when you purchase the car??

Anyway I told her just to wait as I was away offshore and thought white plates would be here within month.

The lady at Toyota has said plates not ready until end August due to long holiday!!!

That's nearly 3 months!

Any one else heard this before?

And any advice what to do?

My girlfriend has called main Toyota in bkk just waiting a reply from them.

[giddyup]

Didn't pay for red plates when I bought my pickup, didn't pay for white ones either. The red plates should be on the car before you drive it away.

Edited July 11, 2016 by giddyup

[scottyp1980]

I have never paid for red or white plates on my bikes before either.

Thought it's a bit strange.

Wait too see what main Toyota say!!

[Upnotover]

I have bought 2 cars and both times (Isuzu and Honda) I paid a deposit for the red plates which was refunded in full when the white plates showed up. Sounds like that is what is going on here.

[giddyup]

I have never paid for red or white plates on my bikes before either.

Thought it's a bit strange.

Wait too see what main Toyota say!!

I just asked the missus, apparently we gave a 2,000 baht deposit that was refunded immediately we exchanged the red plates for the white ones. It was nearly 2 years ago, my memory only goes back to this morning.

[scottyp1980]

Ok. My girlfriend has not mentioned it's a deposit as such.

I'll ask her about this.

Thanks for your info.

[JAS21]

Ok. My girlfriend has not mentioned it's a deposit as such.

I'll ask her about this.

Thanks for your info.

Yes it's a deposit which you have to pay ... everyone does.

Make sure when you get the red plates that you all get 'the book' and know how to use it. Fill it in in pencil and then easy to alter.

[giddyup]

Ok. My girlfriend has not mentioned it's a deposit as such.

I'll ask her about this.

Thanks for your info.

Yes it's a deposit which you have to pay ... everyone does.

Make sure when you get the red plates that you all get 'the book' and know how to use it. Fill it in in pencil and then easy to alter.

Are you talking about the log book you are supposed to fill in? I don't think I ever used it, but I was only driving around locally and not much at night.

[scottyp1980]

Ok. My girlfriend has not mentioned it's a deposit as such.

I'll ask her about this.

Thanks for your info.

Yes it's a deposit which you have to pay ... everyone does.

Make sure when you get the red plates that you all get 'the book' and know how to use it. Fill it in in pencil and then easy to alter.

Oh ok. Is motorbikes different then?

As I can't remember having to pay for red plates for any of my bikes!

And I thought as paying cash up front for car you'd at least get red plates when you pick the car up thrown in.

But ok if that's what it is, that's what it is.

But nearly 3 months for white plates, not seem a bit long?

[giddyup]

Ok. My girlfriend has not mentioned it's a deposit as such.

I'll ask her about this.

Thanks for your info.

Yes it's a deposit which you have to pay ... everyone does.

Make sure when you get the red plates that you all get 'the book' and know how to use it. Fill it in in pencil and then easy to alter.

Oh ok. Is motorbikes different then?

As I can't remember having to pay for red plates for any of my bikes!

And I thought as paying cash up front for car you'd at least get red plates when you pick the car up thrown in.

But ok if that's what it is, that's what it is.

But nearly 3 months for white plates, not seem a bit long?

Three months is about the maximum, I think I got mine after two months. Pretty sure everyone pays, you can plenty of other goodies thrown in for free, like insurance, window tint, mats etc.

Edited July 11, 2016 by giddyup

[OccamsRazor]

I also paid a deposit for the red plates which was returned after receiving the white ones. It is required by law now that the dealer has to supply you with white plates within 30 days of delivery of vehicle. There is a financial penalty to the dealer if he doesn't fulfill this. However, have heard that some car owners has been given the fine instead.

[JAS21]

Ok. My girlfriend has not mentioned it's a deposit as such.

I'll ask her about this.

Thanks for your info.

Yes it's a deposit which you have to pay ... everyone does.

Make sure when you get the red plates that you all get 'the book' and know how to use it. Fill it in in pencil and then easy to alter.

Are you talking about the log book you are supposed to fill in? I don't think I ever used it, but I was only driving around locally and not much at night.

Yes ... we live near BK. Driving back from Nan we forgot to update the entry to the present day ... we passed through two roadblocks with no problem ...third roadblock asked to see the book. 200thb fine with recript. He was very nice about it though ....

Actually quite annoying because I was determined not to get caught. At home ... every time I used the car wrote Home - Bangkok -Nonthaburi -Home in pencil and just changed the date. The fact that two road blocks never 'twigged' that we had forgot to do the book was ..............

Yes ... out of your province filling in the book is a must unless ...............

Edited July 11, 2016 by JAS21

[JAS21]

I also paid a deposit for the red plates which was returned after receiving the white ones. It is required by law now that the dealer has to supply you with white plates within 30 days of delivery of vehicle. There is a financial penalty to the dealer if he doesn't fulfill this. However, have heard that some car owners has been given the fine instead.

We registered the car ourselves (car came Nov '15)... had 'reserved' a 'lucky number' plate at the LTO ... got the paperwork from the dealer and when the plate was available went and got it. It took about three weeks of 'pestering' the seller before we got the paperwork ... think that we were close to two months on the reds though.

[KhunBENQ]

I have bought 2 cars and both times (Isuzu and Honda) I paid a deposit for the red plates which was refunded in full when the white plates showed up. Sounds like that is what is going on here.

Same to me. It was a deposit.

[JAS21]

Just a thought ... look at the invoice for the car ... normally everything is itemised and the 'red plate' fee will be shown. It was on the last two cars that I bought but the previous car, when they delivered it, the seller said that she forgot to include that so I paid that on delivery and had the money returned when the white plates came.

I'm very surprised that they gave you the car without red plates already on ...... strange

[scottyp1980]

Just a thought ... look at the invoice for the car ... normally everything is itemised and the 'red plate' fee will be shown. It was on the last two cars that I bought but the previous car, when they delivered it, the seller said that she forgot to include that so I paid that on delivery and had the money returned when the white plates came.

I'm very surprised that they gave you the car without red plates already on ...... strange

That's a good point, I will ask my girlfriend to look when she wakes up. But I am pretty sure red plates was not on the invoice when she was reading it out to me. Free stuff like insurance, mats, window tint few other things just like some one else mentioned for sure was on it.

And yeah main Toyota in bkk said yesterday that they are surprised that we was allowed to drive the car out of the garage without any plates and to be honest I never paid much attention to it at the time as I knew I was going to work I'd let the girlfriend deal with it.

[scottyp1980]

Thanks for everyone's help so far and it seems like you do have to pay for the red plates after hearing your thoughts on here.

But I still think it's a bit weird they let us drive the car home with no plates and it was actually me who got my girlfriend to ask the garage about the plates and not them telling us!

Thanks

[colinneil]

2 weeks ago we bought an Isuzu pickup, no red plates.

I said what about the red plates, i was told you want red plates you pay 3000 baht which you get back when the white ones are fitted.

[scottyp1980]

Thanks again for everyone info.

Just to let you know Toyota called my girlfriend this morning and the white plates, book and tax disc will be ready tomorrow.... Amazing what a phone call to main office did!!

[NanLaew]

Thanks for everyone's help so far and it seems like you do have to pay for the red plates after hearing your thoughts on here.

But I still think it's a bit weird they let us drive the car home with no plates and it was actually me who got my girlfriend to ask the garage about the plates and not them telling us!

Thanks

About 6 years ago when there was a major issue with the paint falling off the official white plates, there was a huge backlog due to replacement plates as well as new registrations. I drove my new truck for about 2 months with no plates (locally) and then got the red-arse from a traffic cop in Bangkok so managed to get a set of red plates from the dealer. They were in short supply too since the dealerships have to buy these from the LTO and typically they don't want a bunch of money tied up in red plates that can't be used if sales are slow. The bad paint job and the Thaksin governments first car incentive almost broke the number plate system... if they ever had one.