Hi.
In response to your ‘Can farangs buy cars in Thailand plea.’

Yes they can, cash or on credit. It can be registered in their own name too.

Requirements:

Non Immigration Visa
Passport + copies
Proof of residence (Tabian Bahn or letter from Embassy or local immigration office)
Work Permit + copies (if working)
Cash obviously

If you want to buy the car on credit, the showrooms usually have someone dedicated to dealing with finance packages.

Good website: http://www.expatmotors.co.th

Hope this helps.

Great site I found it on Google, keep up the great job.

I want to join the annoucement list.

This article kind of tilts one to buying new rather than a 2 year old vehicle for the same price. Interested in what year this transaction took place

Thanks very much to Geordie for leaving his comment, the only thing I’d add is that finance rates on used cars here is usually much more expensive when compared with the dealer rates on new cars as the dealer rates are are regulated here.

After spending many months researching new and used cars in Thailand I can honestly say it’s certainly “not easy” and trying to discuss models and specs with Thai dealers is difficult to say the least!

However, I’d actually forgotten about the website http://www.expatmotors.co.th so finding it again on your blog here was very useful to say the least.

I’ve contacted Tim at expat motors and it’s obvious he knows his cars and the Thai market extremely well (as everything he told me in 15 minutes verified what it had taken me weeks of time consumimg, tiring and fruststrating research to discover), so I’m hoping we can do some business very soon!

regards Rod

Thanks for a great write-up Alan.  Heading to Thailand in the near future  for an extended stay an hope to buy a car.
Cheers

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the great info and valuable suggestions on this topic,

I’ll be coming very soon on my 1st. year retirement visa to stay alone (no wife/special girlfriend) in the North and certainly need to purchase a pickup (studied and preferably a brand new Toyota Hilux/vigo cos of the 100km/3yrs. warranty guarantee and concerns of being “rip-off or short-change” from second-hand dealers and problematic engines since we are foreigners/farangs) to move around.

Appreciate any other advice I should be know, ask (like for freebies etc.) or wary of?

Thanks alot,

Hi Alan,

Thank you and others for the sound advice, I’ll do just that for my coming Hilux new toy as I have actually test-drive it on my friend’s new Hilux 4×4 2.5G and it’s awesome even though I don’t fancy cars much cos I’m more “attached” to big touring-bikes and had made numerous solo-trips to North Thailand.

Anyway about the retirement visa as you problably know is different from marriage visa where the few main criteria/requirement is, of course having a legal Thai wife (a marriage certificate and a bank letter of reference plus latest bank statement needed to show at least 400,000 baht or more, equivalent in your home country bank) beside other relevant documents before submitting it to your home country’s Thai Consulate/Embassy.

(Please note: check with your home country’s Thai Consulate the exact requirement as different country’s Thai Consulates requirement varies.) 
 
Required documents are:
 
   1.         A passport valid for no less than one year and half.
                   2.         Three completed and signed copies of Visa Application Form (with 6 recent passport-sized-photographs)
   3.         Three completed Additional Application Forms for Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A”.
   4.         Summary of applicant’s personal data.
   5.         A copy of bank statement showing a deposit at the amount equal to no less than 800,000 Baht, or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly salary of no less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income of no less than 800,000 Baht a year.
   6.         In the case of the bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank (an original copy is to be shown as well).
   7.         Verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record issued from the country of his/her nationality or residence (the verification shall be valid for no more than 3 months).
    8.        A medical certificate issued from the country where the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535) (the certificate shall be valid for no more than 3 months).
   
Where the retirement O-A visa’s few main criteria is, the applicant’s age must be at least 50 and above (DO NOT need a Thai spouse- too complicated, penniless and ugly when relationship can gone very wrong as I have experienced through), with 800,000 baht or more to prove you can support oneself while in Thailand on this visa stay and not engaged in any form of work or business ”AS SAID” prohibited.

And once you got your O-A visa and travelled over here in Thailand, you need to wire/transfer the said sum over/into a Thai bank of your own preference, at least 4 months before your 1 year visa expires to get your Thai bank to issue a new reference letter/bank statement to get qualified to apply for another (2nd.year) extension and repeat over the subsequent 3rd.year. 

If not, just too bad to start the whole application over again.

*Please note you can still use your 800K baht whenever as you want and just need to replenish it back before the last 4 months/visa expires.   

Hope this info would helps and please don’t hestitate to ask if there’s any doubt or question. I would be glad to furnish whatever I knows.

Terence,

Hi Alan

Thanks for posting this very useful information. We are also looking to buy the Vigo Hi-Lux for our upcountry home. I am taking your list of accessories along to the dealers to see if we can get the same sort of deal as you have.

Since you’ve had your car for a while now, are you as happy with your purchase as when you first bought it? Ever had any problems with it?

How was the servicing upcountry, professional?

Best regards
Tim