Questions re: Car Purchase in Thailand

[TotallyOz]

I am considering purchasing a car for use in Thailand.  I have talked to the BF and we are discussing options. I have not decided if I should put it in my name or his name.  What are the benefits of both?  I trust him and if I loose a car when we break up, that is OK. But, are there other benefits of having in my name or his?

 

If it is in my name will he be able to easily drive it without issues from police, checkpoints, etc.? Vice versa?

 

Do you need a certain type of visa to purchase on credit? How much money down do they normally ask for?  The boyfriend says about 2-300,000 thousand baht for an SUV.

 

Does GPS work in English very easily to get around Bangkok and the rest of the country?

 

Can you easily take a car from Thailand into neighboring countries?

 

Any assistance or advice would be appreciated.

[Gaybutton]

I've owned a car in Thailand for many years.  Insurance runs about 14,000 baht per year.  That's per year.  Incredibly inexpensive.  An SUV will probably be a few thousand baht more expensive. 

 

My recommendation is a standard car rather than an SUV unless you have a serious need for an SUV.  With an SUV you're going to have problems finding a place to park, driving down narrow sois, driving down sois where cars are double parked (which is most of them), etc.  For me, in Thailand the smaller the car, the better.  The last thing I would want in Thailand is a big car.

 

Make sure to get the first class insurance which fully covers you and any other licensed driver who drives the car - zero deductible and total coverage, no matter who is at fault.  That definitely comes in handy if there is an accident with an uninsured vehicle.  If you've had no claims during the year, the rate usually goes down.

 

The thing to consider is whose name the car is in.  If there is an accident, the person ultimately responsible is the person whose name the car is in.  Another thing to consider - if you would want to be assured the boy gets the car in case of your own death, if the car is in his name it is not even an issue.

 

As for credit, what is available is up to the car dealership and the finance company they work with.  If the car is going to be in a Thai person's name, the down payment is usually far less than they want if the car is going to be in a farang name.  Also, check to see if there are penalties for early payoff.  Your boyfriend might be close about the down payment.  My car is a Toyota Vios.  I was able to get the Thai down payment price 50,000 baht.  That was a while back.  My car is almost 10 years old now and still runs as perfectly as it did the day I bought it.  Once a car reaches 9 years old, Thailand requires annual inspection.  If you properly maintain the car passing inspection should be no problem.

 

I thought about selling the car and buying a new one, but then I thought "Why?"  I have a car fully paid off and running perfectly.  I'm going to stick with this car until it becomes a maintenance problem no matter how old it is.  I'm old too, but I for sure am not running perfectly anymore . . .

 

If you're not going to do all that much driving or traveling, you might want to consider a used car.  Many are in prime condition and the only reason they're being sold is because the owner couldn't keep up with the payments.  But don't buy a used car without first getting an independent mechanic to inspect it.

 

Most of the time at checkpoints I've been waved on, but sometimes the police will stop you.  It won't matter whether it's a Thai or farang driver and it won't matter whether you did anything wrong or not.  If the police officer has his hand out, you're going to part with money.  Just accept that as being part of it if you're going to drive in Thailand.  For me, it's never been more than 400 baht and it almost never happens in the city or major expressways and toll roads.  It's usually if I'm driving in the provinces and even then most of the time I'm just waved right through.  Not a big issue.  If a cop is going to fine me, meaning he wants to pocket the money, I say, "I don't have time to go to the police station.  Can I please give the money to you and you take care of it for me at the police station?"  That line has never failed me.  I just give him what he wants and goodbye.  As I said, no cop has ever asked me for more than 400 baht and I've been driving in Thailand since the mid 1990s.

 

Many cars come with built-in GPS now.  They are quite sophisticated.  You can easily switch between English and Thai displays and voice direction.  It works beautifully in Bangkok and everywhere else in Thailand.  Sometimes it wants to take you on a road you don't want, but all you have to do is drive right past it and the GPS immediately recalculates another route.

 

My car did not come with built-in GPS.  I use an excellent GPS that is a mobile phone app.  Sygic.  My phone is an Android phone.  I don't know if Sygic is available for other phones.  There is a free and paid version.  The free version works just fine, but I went with the paid version which has more bells and whistles.  For the US $30 for the paid version, it's a hell of a good deal and the updates are current.  It has never failed to get me where I want to go and get me back home again.  It has maps available, free, for all countries.  They recently even came out with a map for Laos.

 

If the car does not come with a GPS and if your phone is not compatible with Sygic, the best GPS brand is Garmin.

 

As for driving into other countries and returning to Thailand, I can't help you with that one.  I've never tried.  While Thailand's roads are usually in good shape, I'm not so sure about other countries.  From what I understand, Cambodian roads are terrible.

[2lz2p]

I have purchased three new vehicles since I moved here in 2002 - all have been financed and in the bf's name.  After paying off the Honda City, we sold it and bought a new Honda Civic. In both cases the down payment required was about 40%.  After it was paid off, the bf finally took lessons and got his license - knowing that two of trying to share the same vehicle would not be a good idea, we bought a new double cab Mitsubishi pickup.  The down payment on that vehicle was 25%. All three loans were with the same bank - Tisco (they were a finance company when we bought the first vehicle, then became a bank).  Putting it in the bf's name made the financing easier as most banks want you to have a work permit before loaning money -- However, I think it was Ford that had their own financing and would loan to a foreigner.  I primarily drive the pick up and the bf the car.  While I agree with GB about the car being easier on narrow sois and for parking, I find I do like being higher up in the pick up giving better visibility - likewise, the side mirrors are much larger and give me a better view of other vehicles.

 

 

GB commented:

Make sure to get the first class insurance which fully covers you and any other licensed driver who drives the car - zero deductible and total coverage, no matter who is at fault.  That definitely comes in handy if there is an accident with an uninsured vehicle.  If you've had no claims during the year, the rate usually goes down.

 

  I totally agree, but for me one of the main things was it having 200k bail bond included - if you have an accident and someone is killed or very seriously injured, the police, if they consider you at fault, can charge you with negligence. In such cases the bail for foreigners is usually 200k and for Thais 100k.  My Civic is now 8 years old and the premium is around 15k per year - the pickup started at 20k, but since no claims, it has gone down each year with my latest premium being around 17k for 4th year.

 

GB commented:

Many cars come with built-in GPS now.  They are quite sophisticated.  You can easily switch between English and Thai displays and voice direction.

I recall reading somewhere that having the built-in GPS can turn out to be expensive as the dealers charge a hefty fee to update the maps.  I used to have a Garmin GPS and the map updates were 7k.  However, Garmin offered an introductory price of about $30 for a Thai App for the iPhone with no additional cost for map updates. Since my maps were out of date on my Garmin GPS, I opted for the App - works just like the Garmin unit. I have found it to be very good.

 

 

 

[Up2u]

I have purchased two new Toyota's from the dealer over the last six years. First financed with 25% down with bf as co-signer, title in my name. Second currently making payments, my name, bf co-signer. Both cars are in my Thai will and given to bf upon my death. Have also made payments(indirectly) for two used cars which were in bf's name.

Recommend buying new if you can afford it. Get Class 1 insurance so your car is covered for damage or loss with 200k bail bond. Insurance will not let you drive in another country. I have a Garmin purchased at SE-ED books, free lifetime map upgrades.

[firecat69]

That is the real value of this Board. Great information for something many of us had not thought about but might do especially if lucky enough to have a good BF.

 

Not sure I'll let you drive Michael but I'll trust the BF.

[TotallyOz]

Firecat, I agree.  Information like this is invaluable to me.  The members always come through with great information.  I remember my first trip to Thailand and I found GayButton's board and it gave me great info about how much money to pay and some things to do.  That was many years ago and still today he is willing to help and give advice.  Like others on this board, the information that is shared is truly amazing.  Good advice from all! 

[steveboy]

I also appreciate the advice GayButton gave here.

Not only for Thailand but for use elsewhere.

Here in the US I have a BF who drives one of my cars

and I have some similar issues.

[Gaybutton]

Another thing - if your boyfriend is driving and there is an accident, the police are going to check for drugs in his system and check to see if he has been drinking.  If either of those are the case, the insurance company isn't going to pay anything.  Even if the police rule the other driver was at fault and that driver has insurance, if your boyfriend was drunk or tests positive for drugs. they're not going to pay either.

[Up2u]

As a side note, the BAC(blood alcohol content) for Thailand is .05. If bf or you get in an accident or get pulled over at a check point (like at Songkran) your insurance policy will not cover you if over the limit. Driver beware.

[Gaybutton]

your insurance policy will not cover you if over the limit.

 

It also won't cover any resulting medical expenses for anyone, vehicle and property damage, funeral expenses if anyone dies, compensation to victim families, bail money, or anything else.

 

In other words, if something happens and the driver was drunk or on drugs, now you're completely on your own.  If someone other than yourself is going to be driving, you better be damned sure you can absolutely trust him when he's out and about on his own.  With my car nobody drives it but me.  The few times I ever made an exception, if somebody else was driving, that was not going to happen unless I was in the car too.

 

Miller:  "You don't trust anyone, do you?"

Stavros:  "That is why I have lived so long."

-  David Niven (Miller), Anthony Quinn (Stavros), 'The Guns of Navarone'

[Up2u]

Every year, the car owner must pay road tax and mandatory liability insurance. You receive a sticker from the Transportation Office to place on the inside of your windshield as proof of payment. The government mandatory insurance, about 640 baht, has few victim benefits and as GB mentioned you are responsible for all shortfalls and lawsuits. Consequently, most of us buy supplementary insurance for our protection and I pay the the government mandatory insurance when I renew my policy through my insurance agent.

 

When you first buy your car from a dealer, the first year's car insurance premium is often included as part of the deal. The policy is Class I which protects both you and the finance company. Should you later change insurance companies you must provide proof of insurance to your finance company. The "bluebook" is issued at the time of sale and has the legal owner's name (i.e., bf/your's or the finance company's). If you pay cash, you will receive the bluebook. If you buy secondhand and/or from a private party be sure there is a match between the name on the bluebook and the seller's Thai ID/farang's passport(that is the seller actually owns the car). When my bf sold his car he got a transfer form from the Transportation Office, cash was exchanged and the new owner took the form and bluebook to the Transportation Office. The process was quite simple and the entire system is not unlike our home countries.

Should you buy a motorbike the entire process described is similar; the owner holds a greenbook instead of a bluebook.

[ChristianPFC]

I would guess dealing with police checkpoints is much faster and cheaper when a Thai is driving.

 

I used google maps extensively (traveling with a Farang friend who was driving his car, I did navigation), and it worked fine and is free. I don't see need to buy a separate navigation system, but ask someone who can actually compare google maps with a navigation system. Or even better, start with google maps. Only downside is you need mobile data connection, whereas a navigation system doesn't (it just receives GPS satellites and has maps stored).

 

I read somewhere there is a lot of paperwork to take a mocy across the border.

[Gaybutton]

ask someone who can actually compare google maps with a navigation system.

 

I can.  Google maps is fine for initial route planning, but it can't compare to a GPS.  For example, when I go to Bangkok, Google maps can easily plan a route from my home to where I'm trying to go. 

 

What Google maps cannot do, but my GPS can, is instantly guide me to an alternate route if there is some reason why I can't take the Google maps route all the way.  That happens frequently when I go to Bangkok.  My exit into Bangkok is Rama IV.  Often, the police have it blocked off.  Without my GPS I'd probably still be trying to figure out an alternate route. 

 

Sometimes I'm on my way somewhere, and on the spur of the moment decide to go somewhere else or visit some attraction.  My GPS handles that easily.  My GPS gives me continual voice callouts such as "In 300 meters turn left on Rt. 2245."  "Railroad crossing ahead in 200 meters."  "In 300 meters you will reach your destination, on the right." 

 

It also gives me warnings such as if I'm exceeding the speed limit, a huge truck is approaching from the rear - closely, I'm approaching a hidden, dangerous sharp turn.  It gives me a continual ETA to my destination.  It can show my choice of the road map with local terrain or simply the road map.  It can show my choice of 2D or 3D buildings. 

 

When I'm approaching an exit that can be confusing, it guides me to the correct way to go.  It can give me a heads-up display at night.  It can show me all the hotels, gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, shops, hospitals, auto repair shops, where to park my car - you name it - in my immediate vicinity - with telephone numbers.  All kinds of additional features too. 

 

I do use Google maps sometimes to initially plan a route, but compared to a GPS it doesn't even come close. 

 

The Sygic GPS I recommended for mobile phones works beautifully.  For the US $30 it cost me for the paid version, I would not want to be without it.  Christian, painful as I know it is for you not to do things the cheapest way possible, there are times when it's actually a good idea to open your wallet and spend some money on something.

[vinapu]

 

 Christian, painful as I know it is for you not to do things the cheapest way possible, there are times when it's actually a good idea to open your wallet and spend some money on something.

..... or just wonder how those superhumans, our fathers,  found the way from A to B without  all this high tech help

[Gaybutton]

..... or just wonder how those superhumans, our fathers,  found the way from A to B without  all this high tech help

 

I'm sure you can find the way without high tech help.  It might take much longer, you'll eventually get there.  But since we do have high tech help available, I intend to use it.

 

What I used to do in an unfamiliar city, such as Bangkok, was if I had no idea how to get where I was trying to go, but I was driving, I would hire a motorbike taxi and follow him.  He would always make sure he didn't lose me.  If he did, he would also lose getting paid.

 

As for high tech, when calculators were first gaining popularity, I had a math teacher who told us, "You can all use your calculators as much as you wish - as soon as you can prove to me you don't need one."

[witty]

For those using Windows phones, the Here Maps & Here Drive apps are very helpful in finding your way once you download the map of a country and plan your routes, even when you're offline..

I've had several lost moments in the provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia, and even in some developed parts of Thailand when Google maps didn't respond at all.

[t0oL1]

Speaking of GPS, specifically Garmin- wearable GRS smartwatch

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-01297-00-v%C3%ADvoactive-Black/dp/B00RE1UL52?ie=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Damn smart ads- knew I was reading about GPS before I went to amazon site.

[TotallyOz]

I think we have narrowed down our choices.  I talked to the boyfriend and he prefers a truck.  I like the Toyota Fortuner.

 

http://www.siamnewcar.com/modeldetail.php?mid=18&carid=49

 

He says there are tons of Toyota dealerships and services centers and that it is easy to get serviced.   It sounds logical to me.  But, it may just be because he likes Toyota.  He also likes Ford and they have a similar vehicle for about the same price.

[Up2u]

In Thailand, you can't go wrong with a Toyota or a Honda. A Fortuner will cost considerably more than a truck but will pay dividends when you sell. Fords offer more bells and whistles but when it comes to service, reliability, parts, resale, etc. the edge goes to Toyota.