Buying a new car . . . or not !

[thaiguzzi]

19 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

There are pros and cons with both buying new or second hand.  Buying second hand may save you $$$ initially but that can all change if you don't know the maintenance history of the vehicle.  The bargain may end up being a can of worms.

 

New vehicles tend to depreciate the most.... not so bad in Thailand I must admit (When compared to NZ).

 

As goes the saying.... Buyer beware.

 

In relation to doing your own oil changes, yes one has to be wary of the small print with new vehicles and warranties.  Its not a difficult task but if companies can get out of 'paying out' albeit on a technicality then they will.  And as vehicles become more and more technical then perhaps our 'preventative maintenance' isn't as good as it once was. 

Indeed.

Buy S/H, but newish ie not more than a year old, and hence low mileage, where it would be improbable to alter the reading.

Our 3.0 litre Toyota Vigo 4 door Prerunner was purchased nearly 10 years ago S/H, from a dealer, zero problems.

It was 9 months old with 11k kms on the clock. Basically a repo.

The price was 570k, when a new one at that time was 770k. That's 200k cheaper on a 9 month old truck. Big savings. Only thing is you don't always get the ideal colour option you'd want. Big deal. i'll take the 200k savings thank you very much.

[BsBs]

21 hours ago, Sparkles said:

Why buy new ? Plenty of low mileage vehicles around,mostly repossessions,save yourself a bundle

 

 

Because he is not so poor to buy a second hand car and he is smart enough to know how stupid it is to buy second hand in a 3rd world country.

 

 

[bazza73]

It depends on who you buy a secondhand car from. Most falangs are conscientious with servicing. I wouldn't buy a repo because it's usually only Thais who get repossessed, and it's a gamble what servicing the vehicle has had.

 

It also helps to have an honest mechanic who knows what he is doing. Some of the dealerships view falangs as a source of extra income on servicing.

 

[transam]

You don't know about accident repairs on a second hand ride. If you have the cash buy new...

[elgordo38]

18 hours ago, ukrules said:

It doesn't make one bit of difference to Toyota who they're selling the car to, they don't care.

This trigger a face saving maneuver. Face saving before profit. 

[elgordo38]

Always ask yourself am I buying something that if I had to leave Thailand on 24 hrs. notice am I willing to leave it behind? This applies to any big ticket item here. 

[Don Mega]

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

Always ask yourself am I buying something that if I had to leave Thailand on 24 hrs. notice am I willing to leave it behind? This applies to any big ticket item here. 

Why would anyone only have 24hrs notice they need to leave ?

[BKResort]

In Thailand when somebody introduces another to a company to buy something automatically get a commission. On a  expensive car can be a good money.....up to 3% of the value if if negotiated in advance

May be your friend ask for that commission to the dealership and its wants now to added to the price. It not double price on any good if you negotiate alone or you know in advance the right price. Just go to different dealers and ask prices for the EXACTLY same car and make a decision. No mark-up in new cars in Thailand. Probably will be the same price in every one, if is the same model, same color, same everything....and if they offer some "discount" be aware that may be possible that a new model is coming soon and they may have some inventory of the old model to sell fast. 

[transam]

1 minute ago, BKResort said:

In Thailand when somebody introduces another to a company to buy something automatically get a commission. On a  expensive car can be a good money.....up to 3% of the value if if negotiated in advance

May be your friend ask for that commission to the dealership and its wants now to added to the price. It not double price on any good if you negotiate alone or you know in advance the right price. Just go to different dealers and ask prices for the EXACTLY same car and make a decision. No mark-up in new cars in Thailand. Probably will be the same price in every one, if is the same model, same color, same everything....and if they offer some "discount" be aware that may be possible that a new model is coming soon and they may have some inventory of the old model to sell fast. 

The ride in question is the new model..

[elgordo38]

4 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

Why would anyone only have 24hrs notice they need to leave ?

With a little imagination I think you can figure it out for yourself providing you have been here that long and your post count shows that you have. Have your coffee and have another go. 

[Don Mega]

Just now, elgordo38 said:

With a little imagination I think you can figure it out for yourself providing you have been here that long and your post count shows that you have. Have your coffee and have another go. 

Murdered someone and need to get the heck out ?

[transam]

Just now, elgordo38 said:

With a little imagination I think you can figure it out for yourself providing you have been here that long and your post count shows that you have. Have your coffee and have another go. 

Would like to know who gets 24 hours to bugger off...?

[elgordo38]

Just now, Don Mega said:

Murdered someone and need to get the heck out ?

Good for starters and then there is an angry ex g/f possibly connected with big friends possibly a run in with immigration your only a guest here. Now let your imagination run wild!!

[elgordo38]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Would like to know who gets 24 hours to bugger off...?

Could it perchance be 24 minutes??

[Don Mega]

Just now, elgordo38 said:

Good for starters and then there is an angry ex g/f possibly connected with big friends possibly a run in with immigration your only a guest here. Now let your imagination run wild!!

Yeah I cannot forsee any scenario eventuating for me to need to get outta dodge within 24 hours.

 

You must live life closer to the edge than me.

[Ace of Pop]

Thaksins Friends


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[Don Mega]

Just now, Ace of Pop said:

Thaksins Friends


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And ?

[Ace of Pop]

Chalerms Son


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[Don Mega]

1 minute ago, Ace of Pop said:

Chalerms Son


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Just spit out what your trying to say instead of cryptic dribbling.

[SiamBeast]

You are the one with the cash, so you are the one making the decision. Look at him very carefully, and tell him "If that's how you treat customers, I will leave. I want that price". If he doesn't budge, you know where the door is.

 

It might be just an <deleted>-ish salesrep, because I bought 3 new vehicles so far in Thailand (1 alone and 2 accompanied by wifey) and and always got a good price - and make it clear right at the start that it was for me.

[khunPer]

I bought an almost 800,000 baht Toyota 3-years ago, and together with my Thai GF negotiated a good discount on the price, some extra equipment, and remake of seats to leather; registered in my name – I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien, I'm a Danish-man in Thailand – perhaps it has something to do with I'm having a "legal" Yellow House Book; or just with the local car-dealer's policy..? 
 

Edited March 7, 2017 by khunPer

[55Jay]

31 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Good for starters and then there is an angry ex g/f possibly connected with big friends possibly a run in with immigration your only a guest here. Now let your imagination run wild!!

Let his imagination run wild and make real world decisions based on it?   

 

Sage advice from a former fool, or just too many Stephen Leather books? 

 

"And there I was, in a lower Sukhumvit bar, seemed like a good idea at the time so I bought her a drink.  Her name was Lek, a lovely lass, but one I would come to wish I had never laid eyes on......"

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, 55Jay said:

Let his imagination run wild and make real world decisions based on it?   

I think my statement was never buy something that your not prepared to leave behind if you have to leave the country on 24 hrs. notice. Health reasons, immigration etc. What were you referring to??

[55Jay]

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

I think my statement was never buy something that your not prepared to leave behind if you have to leave the country on 24 hrs. notice. Health reasons, immigration etc. What were you referring to??

Have you ever purchased a car here?

[elgordo38]

Just now, 55Jay said:

Have you ever purchased a car here?

No it is something I afraid to use at my advanced age here in the land of driver madness and if I had one and had to leave in a hurry well you figure out the rest. 

[captnhoy]

Having just sold a car with only 18,000 km on it for 55% of the new purchase price I would never buy a new vehicle. Period. I saved 120,000 baht over the price new when I bought it as a 1 year old with 3,000 on the clock. It took me 45 days to sell that car and many people tried to buy it for next to nothing. The used car market, IMO, is way down from what it used to be. Also if you are patient you can buy from a foreigner as I did and not from the locals with sketchy to zero maintenance. I had a chance at a 1 owner, foreign owned, 4 yo Toyota truck much like described by the OP for 350,000 baht but had just purchased my car. Be willing to search and be willing to travel and you can save huge money.

[55Jay]

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

No it is something I afraid to use at my advanced age here in the land of driver madness and if I had one and had to leave in a hurry well you figure out the rest. 

Generally speaking, the advice is worthwhile, but you went a bit too far with the "let your imagination run wild".  That's not a good way to live one's life or make decisions. 

[Don Mega]

25 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

I think my statement was never buy something that your not prepared to leave behind if you have to leave the country on 24 hrs. notice. Health reasons, immigration etc. What were you referring to??

I have pretty good health insurance so the only health reason would be death and as for immigration, even if my work permit was revoked (going with it my permission to stay extension) I still have 7 days to get my affairs in order and leave or bounce outta the country and grab a tourist visa.

[oxo1947]

On 6/3/2560 at 10:00 AM, Grumpy Old Man said:

For the last few months I've been thinking of getting a new vehicle;

Of course they are offering a big discount--Its your choice of course GOM---but isn't this  the worse possible time ever to buy a new vehicle ? Sure it will be registered as a 2017 car in your book--but it was manufactured in 2016, any changes when they swap to the genuine 2017---will not be there.

 

Do you know how to read a VIN 17 digit number G.O.M. ? it has been compulsory for vehicles to have them since 1981. My daughter has talked me (browbeaten me) into getting her a new scooter---but I know the 2017 Honda scooters are not released to late March early April....so on that she has to wait. The VIN number will tell you where it is made--when it is made -etc etc .For Toyota they place it on a stick on label on the inside of the passenger door...but of course they then stamp it on the chaise/ the floor of the cab/the engine  & 2 other places.

 

Toyota

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is your vehicle’s legal identifier, and is applied to your car at the moment it enters production.

Each VIN number is unique, and is usually a 17 character code made up of letters and numbers, and reveals important details about your vehicle.

As well as containing information on the time and place of your car’s creation, it also contains information about the car’s specification and design.

First introduced in 1954, VIN numbers are an important component in determining the history and identity of a vehicle – particularly when combined with the car’s DVLA license plate and V5 or V5C documents.

While license plates can be changed, or personalised, the car’s VIN number remains unchanged, and is best thought of as the primary identification number for your Toyota.

In most modern Toyota cars, including the Aygo and British built Auris and Avensis you’ll find the VIN number referenced on a tamper proof sticker located just inside the shut line of the front left hand (passenger side) door.

Earlier models may have a metal plate, instead of a sticker.

The VIN number is repeated on the vehicles chassis, and is stamped into the metal floor of the car, under the right hand front seat.

It’s usually visible through a small flap, deliberately cut into the vehicle’s carpet.

Of course, there are some important exceptions to the rule…

These include the four-door Hilux pick-up – in which the tamper proof sticker is to be found mounted just inside the left rear door, and the five-door Aygo – in which it is also mounted just inside the left rear door.

Decoding your VIN number is simple.

Although there are exceptions to the rule, the first three digits usually refer to the country of manufacture, the vehicle maker and the vehicle type.

For example, if you check the first letter of the code, you’ll see J references Japan, S references England, while V identifies France. Turkey gets an N, while Thailand and South Africa (where some of our Hilux vehicles are produced) get an M or an A.

The second letter is usually T, which describes Toyota, the third describes which group of cars (or sometimes which chassis type) the vehicle sits on.

The next six numbers reference the car’s bodystyle and engine and gearbox, while the remaining eight are combination unique to the car, listing the year the car was made, the factory it was produced in and where it came in the production process.

 

 

 

 

[elgordo38]

16 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

Generally speaking, the advice is worthwhile, but you went a bit too far with the "let your imagination run wild".  That's not a good way to live one's life or make decisions. 

Imagination is a good thing. Where would we be without it. I use other guidelines as well. The term imagination run wild was subject for this topic only not running ones life.