Buying a car and need some help!

[lowerpro]

Hi folks
Looking to buy a car, for some reason the secound hand cars are a ridiculous price even 2 or 3 years old, even older!! Starting to think the only way to go about it is to buy a new one, has any one got any useful advice on this, would appreciate it ?...

[K2]

If your Thai is any good - or have a Thai friend then check out

www.taladrod.com

This site gives realistic prices for all makes/models of secondhand cars - noting that cars here hold their value more than in UK for example. Often a new car is better option but you may get lucky if you get a Thai friend to help shop around for you.

[Masterwoodsman]

Buy a new car and have it registered in a TG's name, thats what most here seem to do...

[easyrider_au]

With the amount of car enquiries on here lately......I'm tempted to ...








NAH FORGET IT

[lowerpro]

Ok ,actually my girlfriend is from Finland and now has one in the oven .... thats why I want a car for her rather than riding round on a ped , I did use the search function first but did'nt find anything useful . Have some Thia friends but,,,@#! none of use @#$ ,my girlfriend is (perky) if you have seen her on the forums and im from the UK I know the prices seem to hold here just can't make my mind up ?

[lowerpro]

Originally Posted by K2

If your Thai is any good - or have a Thai friend then check out

www.taladrod.com

This site gives realistic prices for all makes/models of secondhand cars - noting that cars here hold their value more than in UK for example. Often a new car is better option but you may get lucky if you get a Thai friend to help shop around for you.

Have checked it out and looks good but were are they based my Thai is not that good ?

[bangladiver]

thaicar website have english

there are exchange and mart type magazines which have tables for new / used prices aswell as adverts for individual cars (enough english) look for big book with a car and a japanese bikini clad girl on the cover (same every week)

new interest rates are around 3per cent but hoops to jump through to get the finance - differ from dealer (thai or even phuket guarantor etc)

if buying new suggest go for toyota, honda or mitsubishi - highest volume here so parts service etc good

'farang' cars bmw etc are ridiculous because of the tax and by buying are only saying you can pay the tax (up to you)

ford have a dealership here but i hear parts are slow to get and expensive

chevrolet have good prices but less volume and relative newcomer

depreciation very slow to what i'm used to slow

if going secondhand may come accross volvos or bmws with toyota engines

i actually bought a heap of junk for 100k to tide me over and actually quite liberating after having ridiculous cars in the uk and runs very well and economical

for insurance (proper insurance because it will be your fault!!!!) think i paid 14000baht for the year - arranged through little garage by shrimp farm near patong temple

they don't go off book value over the phone - send assessor to have a look at the car

also if not already got get yourself a thai licence - on the main road between the labour office and immigration office in phuket town (where you will also have to go to register it in your own name (unless buy new)

[dawsey]

These couple of threads may be useful to you.

http://www.phuket-info.com/forums/ex...formation.html

http://www.phuket-info.com/forums/ex...cing-cars.html

[perky]

Thanks Bangladiver and Dawsey for the information - I vaguely remembered the 2-tier pricing thread but couldn't seem to find it in the search. Lowerpro is off now for a few days so thanks on his behalf.

From what I've been reading, if we go the "new car" way then it might be worth having a looksee in the shops before the end of the year, if we go second hand then maybe even a trip to Bangkok might be worthwhile? That's harder to do with both of us kinda busy but I guess we'll think about it.

[easyrider_au]

If you go for a new car, wait until next mth. at least.
They'll be even cheaper come Feb.
The cars are 1 year older then.
Most dealerships should have "run out" sales............At least they do here in Oz.

[LivinLOS]

Yeah many people would wait for after the new year for next years plate (tho the actual VIN plate defines the cars year) and new models are due out also for the jazz etc.

Depreciation works differently here, cars hold value more from new and the very low end (say 150k and under hold up forever).. However shifting a second hand motor is not easy for some reason.. Especially if its not what Thais look for (eg Euro motors etc).

[bangladiver]

depreciation different tahts for sure- the could have got at least 3 of the same cars in the uk for my 100k (and probably in better condition)

as with anything judge the market here rather than how it was at home

[richie22]

Have you had a look in the Gazette
http://www.phuketgazette.net/classifieds/show.asp

[Nicke]

You should buy a new car, the second hand cars available is way too expensive and you make a better deal by buying a new car. That way you are also eligable to financing at 3% interest rate. E.g. pay 50% cash and pay the rest in 36 months.

I would also stick to Toyota, Honda etc.

If you have work permit you can buy in your own name, which I did myself.

[lowerpro]

Thanks for all the advice folks, have a work permit so will prob wait for new car and get something that a Thai would buy so I have a chance of getting rid of it later ...