car hire or buy

jaxw17 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 01:02 PM

If we wanted to hire a car for a longer term say 8 weeks is this possible and what sort of cost should we be looking at in low season (May / June )
would this be the best option or would it be better to buy a car and then sell it?
i think tat i have talked Dave around to spending about 2-3 months in Thailand and i would like to travel round by car. i think that you can get to some great places doing this.
what is the situation with visas and could we get one that lasted for 90 days?

FTSE · #2 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 06:39 PM

Hi Jax

Buying and selling secondhand cars does not seem to be common place in Thailand, and personally I think it would be more trouble than its worth. Hope all is going well, and a "new you" photo on facebook would be good.
x

markadmin · #3 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 06:23 AM

1) You buy it in Had / Hat Yai (flat terrain so the cars there have not has so much scope for abuse - Thai drivers do not know how to drive well generally so areas with hills and many bendy roads are a bad place to buy a car) where second hand car prices are low.
2) Sell it on in Phuket where prices are high when you leave.
THE PROBLEM is cars are registered to a region, so a car bought in Had Yai will almost certainly have that region's plates, which devalues the car's real value in say Phuket. BUT, if you start the process off early enough, you can then register the car in and get plates for another area and the value is not affected there.

I would not buy a car in Phuket because prices are really high (second hand cars sell for almost new car prices - crazy). I would not buy a car in Bangkok because of the stop start nature of the city and the way Thai drivers wait at lights (clutch down, foot brake on).

It is worth doing and I think you might even turn a small profit if you do it right

jaxw17 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 07:34 AM

thanks for the comments
Lee I will put one on he shortly it will take me a couple of weeks to get my make up on LOL

CathyP · #5 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 05:18 AM

Jackie, we are hiring again for 8 weeks, prices depend on the sort of car you hire, just make sure it has FULL comprehensive insurance. Best thing we ever did last trip was to hire a car for a month.

This trip we are going for 3 months as well, we get our Tourist visa here before we leave (2 mth visa) then we extend it for another 30 days at any Thai Immigration office (dont have to leave the country) Cost 1900baht each, just need a photo and fill out their forms etc)
Cathy

jaxw17 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 06:55 PM

hi cathy can you give me any idea about prices I know that we have had one for a couple of days before but wondered what sort of price you can get down to if you take it for say 8 weeks.

Alison · #7 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 08:40 PM

Has Dave agreed to 8 weeks????

jaxw17 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 12:53 PM

Dave does not know what's good for him.....let's just say the plan is being put in to action....whatch this space.

Alison · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 04:12 PM

That's what I thought!

#10 (**permalink**) 12-03-2007, 01:59 PM

Remember me, Jane. I will find my log in details soon, but for now I am a guest. Do you know anything about Ko Chang.

How is it all going. We are looking for somewhere to replace Phuket on our next trip. Ko Chang sounds nice, but I want a little bit of shopping !