Buying new Vs Buying second hand in Thailand

This article begins with the usual disclaimer that laws in Thailand can change on a day to day basis and like every thing else here, depends where you go, who you see and what day of the week. The information provided is based on a consensus of personal experience.

In buying a new car, you may be able to barter the payment of insurance, plates and registration. The car vendor will get your tag registration for the first year, but you will need to renew it. You might get red temporary plates for a new car for a month, until your permanent white ones arrive. The meaning of this varies. Some say that you can drive only during the daytime. Others say you can't be on the road during rush hour traffic hours. White plate cars can drive at all times. Talk to your car reseller for the latest laws and options.

When you buy a used car, the vehicle must be manually inspected by a government officer, who checks the engine and chassis serial numbers against those on the existing registration and on file (vs. forgery). If they match, then the transfer is routine. If the seller has failed to pay their taxes over the years, then someone must pay those. There are some reports of stolen cars being sold to unwitting foreigners and Thais alike for cash, whereby the car is discovered as stolen and is confiscated by officials. Therefore, it is advised that you actually pay for the car at the same time you go with the seller to transfer ownership. If you buy the car from an official used car dealership, then the official receipt from the custom-printed standard car dealership invoice books might be acceptable to you (as it has been for me).

There are large magazines which list pages upon pages of used cars for sale, as well as used car dealerships, but it's all in the Thai language. If you don't have a Thai interpreter then you're may run into problems.

People in Thailand don't take care of their cars as well as people in western countries on average. Therefore, if you wish to buy a used car, then you may want to bring along a fairly good car expert and check out the car(s) thoroughly.

The good news is that car repairs, including major car work, are much cheaper in Thailand than in western countries due to the much lower labor costs. On the other hand, getting quality parts is a challenge, including at many official car dealerships. Before you agree to have the work done, you should get a good referral from someone you trust in your region.

If you have updated information or anything you would like to add to this article, please contact Cars4Thais.com and thanks for helping us provide the best information available on the web!