Thread: Which car?

^ Be interested in what price they end up offering?
Financially seems the best route is to buy Toyota Altis, which would be my last choice. We recently sold a 5 year old Vios for 340k, which - as it is a cheaper & older car than Ricks Focus shows how much less Ford sell for.

^ Where are the Ford second hand cars sold? this may be a far better option than buying a new car I dont even like!

Originally Posted by Airportwo

^ Where are the Ford second hand cars sold? this may be a far better option than buying a new car I dont even like!

It appears that Ford second hand cars are sold through Ford. When I took the car in for valuation, the salesman made a call and came straight back with an answer. The price was given for an unseen car, which makes me think that it must be sold directly through a Ford agent. A private buyer would surely want to see the car?
I just checked their web site and nothing there, but I am going to the main dealer tomorrow, so I will ask the question then if you like.
I am in a rut now and it looks like I will have to go with Ford in the future because I don't think that Toyota etc will give me a better price than the Ford main dealer. wrong brand etc.
Just to say that I have been very happy with the Focus, but I just need a bigger car.

Cheers, Rick

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

which makes me think that it must be sold directly through a Ford agent

I doubt it. It'll be a network of traders that he called (you see these massive car lots, many are linked together/same owner; they have thousands of cars, and work closely with the dealer network).

Toyota or Honda are the way to go if you care about retained value. End of. They are boring cars, however.

The Altis is the best all round option available at this time when you factor in value for your money and retained value and servicing costs. Other cars are nicer, will cost more to service, are more likely to fuk-up and will be worth far less when and if you sell them.

The Ford Focus example is very clear; a Honda Civic or Toyota Altis for the same price would have retained 150k m ore (that's quite a percentage over 3 years or so), and would also be far far easier to sell on the private market as a low mileage clean car...

You have all the info you need mate... No excuses!

The Focus will be replaced by a new model quite soon, so that will not help you retained value either; this actually has surprisingly little effect on Hondas and Toyotas (look at the prices for very old Civics for example, generations old, but keep a great retained value...); not so with Fords.

Fucking nightmare today! I went in and did the business at 400K. OK that's all I am going to get.
Got a call from the salesman's boss within 2 Min's of leaving. She asked me the details of the car and said that she could get me 100K more. This is his boss for Christ's sake. I though that all parties were aware of this as they all work for Ford, so I said OK get me 500K.
10 Min's later the salesman called me, very angry and asked why I was trying to get a new deal. I replied 'your boss called me and offered me more' and I of course accepted the offer of an extra 100K. This was the boss who originally refused to move on more than 400K.
I then got a call from the salesman who said he had 4 traders that want to look at the car. I was in a restaurant near the beach for fucks sake. 'Is it OK if we come there to view the car' he asked? I said 'OK come here'.
They arrived at different times in different cars and looked I detail at my car. They then headed off to make mobile phone calls to whoever. All came back with 400K, amazing hey!
I told the salesman that he was a snake and he said he should discuss things with his boss tomorrow and call me back with a higher price.
I just feel like I am being ripped off, but I did not lose my temper and I calmly told him not to bother me any more.
So how much is my car worth???
Cheers, Rick

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

So how much is my car worth???

500k by the looks of it.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

So how much is my car worth???

500k by the looks of it.

I guess so Marmite. Fucking pantomime!

Cheers, Rick

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

So how much is my car worth???

500k by the looks of it.

Probably more, if you can find a buyer, they are obviously sure they will make money IF they give you 500k.
Pretty much what you expect from Thai business's, unfortunatley! you'd hope a large Multi-national would have some standards, though that is expecting far too much!

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

So how much is my car worth???

500k by the looks of it.

Probably more, if you can find a buyer, they are obviously sure they will make money IF they give you 500k.
Pretty much what you expect from Thai business's, unfortunatley! you'd hope a large Multi-national would have some standards, though that is expecting far too much!

Airportwo, I have been living in Thailand for around 11 years now and I thought that I had seen it all. My mistake.
I am still shaking my head over what happened today and really do not know what to do for the best. I want to buy the new car, but don't want all the crap that goes with it. As I mentioned today was surreal and the 4 supposed dealers arriving on the scene took the biscuit. Do they really believe that we are so stupid as to fall for the ridiculous games that they play.
This is a multi national company that we are talking about, not Somchia's garage. I wonder if Ford know's what's going on?

Cheers, Rick

Rick, I have been here over 20 years now, it seems the longer I stay the more disappointed and disillusioned I become with Thai’s, most have 0 ethics, want easy money and will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want, at least they smile a lot
I'm sure the upper management in Ford have no idea this is happening, there are a lot of expats working at the plant in various positions, as I said earlier I have a expat tenant working there in a house I own. But to get this to there attention would take a lot of time and effort, not worth persuing? Then there could be repercussions from salesmen etc.
I would be inclined to do nothing for a few days and just see what tranpires.

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Rick, I have been here over 20 years now, it seems the longer I stay the more disappointed and disillusioned I become with Thai’s, most have 0 ethics, want easy money and will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want, at least they smile a lot
I'm sure the upper management in Ford have no idea this is happening, there are a lot of expats working at the plant in various positions, as I said earlier I have a expat tenant working there in a house I own. But to get this to there attention would take a lot of time and effort, not worth persuing? Then there could be repercussions from salesmen etc.
I would be inclined to do nothing for a few days and just see what tranpires.

I agree on all counts airport and I certainly won't push things any more than is necessary. If need be I will keep my present car and run it into the ground, but what really gets to me is this should be a fairly straight forward procedure and of course it was not. I bought the car in Bangkok and it was a very pleasant experience, unlike the experience that I am having now.
The only saving grace is that they spent the whole day with me today in one way or another, so they must be very quiet. Maybe desperate for a deal.

Cheers, Rick

^ Which dealer are you using? will note for future reference!

Originally Posted by Airportwo

^ Which dealer are you using? will note for future reference!

Ford main dealer Sukhumvit Road Pattaya. Thanks for your input to this thread, it's good to be able to air one's thoughts. My wife (Thai) is livid about what went on today, so I am getting it from all sides. She obviously wants the new car, but is really pissed off with the treatment we got today.
She already told every man and his dog that we were getting a new one, so you can imagine the loss of face.
Life is a lot easier in the West,but not so much fun I don't know if I can last 20 years, as you have done.

Cheers, Rick

^ I live close to the dealers, never seen any sign of life there when passing, sure they are desperate! Jai yen, let them come to you....
Tell your wife to tell "everybody" that you are getting an "exclusive" model, which will be the only one of its type in Thailand, so takes longer!

Originally Posted by Airportwo

^ I live close to the dealers, never seen any sign of life there when passing, sure they are desperate! Jai yen, let them come to you....
Tell your wife to tell "everybody" that you are getting an "exclusive" model, which will be the only one of its type in Thailand, so takes longer!

I live only 5 mins away on the 'darkside'. We will see what tomorrow brings, maybe the exclusive model
have a good one.
Cheers, Rick

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

The price was given for an unseen car, which makes me think that it must be sold directly through a Ford agent.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

I doubt it. It'll be a network of traders that he called

Originally Posted by rickpattaya

I then got a call from the salesman who said he had 4 traders that want to look at the car.

This was always gonna be the case, not sure why you are surprised. The problem is that Ford's are much more difficult to sell privately than a Toyota or Honda; OP let this be another lesson for you. Rick, good luck, I hope everything sorts itself out (the manager likely has a friend of a friend interested privately, and is trying to work out if he can make his 30k, his mate 30k, then sell it to the private owner...).

Mr Lick's post, #62, makes a lot of sense.

I don't know if some of you guys are American where I presume the service is much better, but in the UK, Spain, etc, you'd get the same treatment as here in Thailand; it's standard scamming service from the car trade worldwide (maybe excluding a few places such as the USA, Japan?; I like the US, your service levels are usually excellent; don't expect the same levels anywhere else though).

^ I'm British Bettyboo, the difference between here and the UK in trading in a car is completley different, in the UK it is quite easy to find out the value of a second hand car, here it is set by a "cartel"!
It is accepted that in the UK you will get the best price for your car by trading it in against a new car, that is not the situation here in Thailand, here if you are willing to put the time and effort in you will get a better price by selling car privatley, when we sold the Vios recently, even though we were buying a new truck Toyota were offering less than any other independant dealer.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Mr Lick's post, #62, makes a lot of sense.

I don't know if some of you guys are American where I presume the service is much better, but in the UK, Spain, etc, you'd get the same treatment as here in Thailand; it's standard scamming service from the car trade worldwide (maybe excluding a few places such as the USA, Japan?; I like the US, your service levels are usually excellent; don't expect the same levels anywhere else though).

I am British 'BettyBoo'. Agree service in the US is very good and to be admired. I have bought a number of cars in the UK, usually from main dealers and the service has been good. I have never experienced the head of the main dealer sales team bidding against a junior, with the aim of out bidding and buying the car! Very strange indeed.
I got a call from the junior guy today and he offered me an extra 10K. No sooner had I put the phone down his boss rang and offered me and extra 20K. I am hoping that the keep fighting until I get to around 450K, which I will be happy with.

Amazing Thailand.

Cheers, Rick

^ Maybe best to tell them what you want Rick, 475,000 baht with free insurance and tax on the new vehicle with a few extra freebies thrown in.

Probably wont take long for them to agree. Bartering is all part of the game

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

^ Maybe best to tell them what you want Rick, 475,000 baht with free insurance and tax on the new vehicle with a few extra freebies thrown in.

Probably wont take long for them to agree. Bartering is all part of the game

Already been down that road mate, started at 500K they offered 400K and would not budge.

Going back on Friday to finalise things, so I will have to wait and see.

Cheers, Rick