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Car Purchase


radioman
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Time for some new wheels but this time it's going to be different!

 

I think since the first one in 98 I've bought about 10 different cars in Thailand, some used, some new. All have been financed to some degree and all straightforward enough. This time it's going to be a cash only deal so I'm a bit curious to know how this is likely to play out in the showroom before I enter.

 

Is it likely that I can expect discounting off the list price for cash which I've always found somewhat firm when financing? Better priced or free choices from the options list? Bigger smiles and higher wais from the service girls? Or are the wads of folding grey so commonplace that it won't attract a response?

 

Thoughts?

 

Cheers

M

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Well I think it does, and it doesn't. Given the duties and taxes applicable to imports manufacturers only need to drop their prices say 10% from the imported price to make importing one seem pointless. So far as actual manufacture in Thailand is concerned a lot of it is just CKD kit assembly.

 

It's certainly much more expensive than a lot of places but over a 5 year period of ownership factoring running costs and ultimate resale value the cost seems not quite as outrageous as the initial sticker price would suggest.

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My 10 bhts worth and this is not Thailand but Laos, however there may be similarities, in the way they operate.

 

I bought a Nssan Navara pick up, off the showroom floor in Vientiane.

 

1st, Farang have too much money.

2nd, no discount, pay full price for full acquisition of face, so as not to appear Kee Neow.

3rd, dealer and staff have granite face for these occasions.

 

On a more sensible note, I enquired amongst long term expats as to the reason for 1, 2 and 3 and I was told that in the local community, all the smoozing and boozing and currying of favour, the meals at restaurants and nights at the Karaoke are done in the social circles, the dealer and the salespersons have invested big time, in snaring the customer and herding him to the dealership in the first place. The actual transaction won't vary much from the sticker or first best price.

 

I still find this explanation unsatisfying.

 

However, in Laos, they'll pay up to $5k more for the Toyota version and go on a several month waiting list, as the Toyota is seen as more desirable that the Nissan/Mazda/Ford version which is available now.

 

They also have a different concept of big, and big is best. I view a car/ute/bike in terms of power when I think of big, the Laos go by physical size, a 2 litre ute with larger bodywork, beats a smaller, but 5 litre V8 anytime.

 

I hope this may help.

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You'll probably pay more with cash, since part of the dealers profit is based on financing! :neener:

 

I bought a new car about a year ago. I wanted to pay cash but they offered me $500 off if financed through their company. There was no penalty for paying off the loan early. So, I took the loan; paid it off the following month; and saved almost $500.

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The best selling makes in LOS are Honda and Toyota, or BMW and Benz if you have the money. That's something to consider when buying, because sooner or later you'll be wanting to sell it yourself. No matter how good another car may be, you'll have more trouble reselling it. Thais will snap up a Honda or Toyota, while it may take some time to sell a Subaru, Nissan, Ford, etc.

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Thanks for the input folks, all useful

 

I bought a new car about a year ago. I wanted to pay cash but they offered me $500 off if financed through their company. There was no penalty for paying off the loan early. So, I took the loan; paid it off the following month; and saved almost $500.

 

Noted. I plan to pursue the option that works best all round. $500 is worth it either in cash value or as an added option.

 

The best selling makes in LOS are Honda and Toyota, or BMW and Benz if you have the money. That's something to consider when buying, because sooner or later you'll be wanting to sell it yourself. No matter how good another car may be, you'll have more trouble reselling it. Thais will snap up a Honda or Toyota, while it may take some time to sell a Subaru, Nissan, Ford, etc.

 

I agree 100%. Once you step outside those prime makes it seems it's much harder to find real support. Jaguar has one place, same I think with Audi and Volvo. 3 makes that would be on my list in a more developed country.

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Got a good (private) offer on our 5 yo Toyota Prius that was getting a bit tired so we went to Toyota to look for a replacement. This time a truck since the road to our house has been (and will be again) in a bad shape.

There was a special discount (50.000 baht) for stock REVO's and we specified the salesman what we wanted. Basically a 2.8 auto, 4 door, 4wd. He promised to make a detailled calculation of the base price,

discount & freebies. He called my wife three days later and invited us to the showroom for a test-drive & negotiation. Went there, drove the car and he then told us that our specified model was NOT in stock

anymore and therefore couldn't give us the 50.000 baht discount. I left the showroom, the wife sawadeed here and there and followed me.

Two days later got a telephone call from someone up the ladder asking us to come back because they wanted to keep us as Toyota customers and wanted to re-negotiate.

The offer was 30.000 baht and I declined, then the offer was raised to 40.000 and I declined again. They couldn't go any higher. I said, ok, let's meet in between the promised 50.000 and your latest offer

of 40.000. They asked us to wait a while and came back with an ok. Got the usual freebies like film, bed liner, mats, discounted accessories and the commission someone gets if he/she brings a customer to Toyota.

All in all a nice deal and delivery is scheduled for next week.

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  • 5 weeks later...

The deal is done. Deposit paid and cashiers check in hand going to collect this morning :)

 

B80k off latest list price, which is already B50k less than it was about 3 months ago when they introduced the model. Had to go to a dealer slightly further than the nearest to get the exact spec with immediate availability otherwise a wait of anything from 10 days to 2 months :(

 

All the usual gizzits, film, extra mats, flowers, tea service, cuddly toy etc.

 

Another saving for a cash deal was that I could choose my own insurer, finance generally means going with a mandated insurer for the first year at a rip off price, figure that saved another B10-15k.

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