Buying a car..PROBLEMS!

[DennisF]

Hope someone can help.

I am buying a car off an expat who has returned to Spain, however the green book has gone

awol and she never made copies!

In addition the car has not had tax for 3 years, I suspect a cost saving excercise!

My question is what is the procedure to get the car into my name and what are the costs?

Thanks in anticipation.

[watcharacters]

Isn't the ownership book blue?

I know when I couldn't find mine after relocating,  the insurance lady made a major issue about it.

I  found it eventually but I recall she said I'd need to make a police report in order to get a new book.

 

 

[DennisF]

Yes I heard about the police report but I cant do it because Im not the owner!

 

Im pretty sue my last car was a green book..I could be wrong!

[BritManToo]

Buy a car with less problems.

[DennisF]

Thatll boost your post count, so helpful..not

 

[johng]

Green book for motorcycles...if the owner doesnt have the cars blue book then simply do not buy the car....it could still be on finance,or used as collateral for a loan or loanshark....could even be a stolen vehicle....no blue/green book ...no sale.

[DennisF]

1 minute ago, johng said:

Green book for motorcycles...if the owner doesnt have the cars blue book then simply do not buy the car....it could still be on finance,or used as collateral for a loan or loanshark....could even be a stolen vehicle....no blue/green book ...no sale.

Appreciate those thoughts. The owner is known to me for many years and it certainly is free of finance, not stolen or used as collateral.

 

Shes just dumb, frankly and it suits me to get her out of this jam as well as by the car.

[Crossy]

Note - I've not done this, but a sensible approach would be:-

 

Power of Attorney from the owner, attested by the Thai embassy in Spain, translated in to Thai and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand.

 

Take that, and the car, to the local Land Transport Office, you will likely need a Thai speaker who knows what the situation is.

 

You may need a police report, I'm not sure if the PoA will allow you to make a report of the lost book (it can't hurt to try).

 

You will need to pay the back tax (you can't tax the car without the book which is probably why it's not been taxed).

 

Good luck.

 

To be honest, it would have to be a really good deal to encourage me to go through the rigmarole. Plenty of other cars on the market with the paperwork in place.

 

 

[johng]

The Department of Land Transportation may also want to see a copy of the owners passport especially the page which shows exit from Thailand.

[baansgr]

And they also require a letter of residence from the seller, so basically you are up a creek with no paddles on that one

[impulse]

I tried to give my old car to a friend who I left it with when I repatriated.  She couldn't get the ownership changed because "my visa is no longer current".

 

BritManToo had the best advice.  Give it up and find another car to buy.

 

[johng]

And they also require a letter of residence from the seller, so basically you are up a creek with no paddles on that one

Thats why you need a copy of their "leave from Thailand" stamp in the passport...to get round that very problem.

[DennisF]

A lot of good advice people, thank you so much.

 

POA seems a good way to go to start and whilst there seems to be many hurdles and issues, it could be quite rewarding to get it

done and post the results!

[otherstuff1957]

It's been a few years since I sold my old motorcycle, but I recall that both buyer and seller had to get some documents witnessed by the police (we were both foreigners).

[DennisF]

11 minutes ago, otherstuff1957 said:

It's been a few years since I sold my old motorcycle, but I recall that both buyer and seller had to get some documents witnessed by the police (we were both foreigners).

That was possibly proof of residency.

[geoffbezoz]

1 hour ago, DennisF said:

Yes I heard about the police report but I cant do it because Im not the owner!

 

Im pretty sue my last car was a green book..I could be wrong!

Our motorbikes have green books, and our cars are blue

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, DennisF said:

Appreciate those thoughts. The owner is known to me for many years and it certainly is free of finance, not stolen or used as collateral.

 

Shes just dumb, frankly and it suits me to get her out of this jam as well as by the car.

I think not.

Book disappeared is almost always signs of a loan taken out against the car.

Don't hand over any money until you have the book in your hand, no matter how well you know the lady or the expat.

[watcharacters]

1 hour ago, johng said:

The Department of Land Transportation may also want to see a copy of the owners passport especially the page which shows exit from Thailand.

 

I think that goes without saying.    Passport with current stamp please.  

 

I wouldn't be surprised if I read someday a passport copy will be needed to use the toilet here.   And make that two copies and a notarized  photo while we're at it.

 

Honestly,  DennisF, unless you're a glutton for punishment or just looking for something to occupy your  time,  I'd just drop it off  in front of your local police department and eventually they'll figure out what to do with it.

 

Just be sure to wipe off your fingerprints.   ????

 

[KittenKong]

47 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I think not.

Book disappeared is almost always signs of a loan taken out against the car.

Don't hand over any money until you have the book in your hand, no matter how well you know the lady or the expat.

Here it would not surprise me at all if some third party had stolen the blue book with a view to taking out a loan on the car.

[NanLaew]

37 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Here it would not surprise me at all if some third party had stolen the blue book with a view to taking out a loan on the car.

Totally agree with that. Power of Attorney documents are easily procured since most lawyers won't do full due diligence before putting their signature on one. The Transport Offices are similarly unencumbered with the legal requirement to verify official looking bits of paper.

 

It's already probably in hock to the hubcaps and it's only because Thai finance companies haven't embraced the concept of a repo man with all the legal protections that they have in the real world that it's still sitting in someone's driveway.

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, DennisF said:

Yes I heard about the police report but I cant do it because I'm not the owner!

It's lot of hassle but if you are committed to wanting the car, start by going your nearest DLT office and get papers needed for the owner to sign and send them to her.

Also ask what else what is needed from her as said copy passport and exit stamped page etc.

Also a statement letter from her saying what happened to the blue car book for handed to the police.

 

My wife is doing much the same with a Wave motorbike whose owner is in OZ thankfully we will have the green book in our possession but it's still a pain in the butt.

 

[ferguston]

If the vehicle has not been taxed for 3 years you will have to apply for a new registration number as well as a blue book.

I'm not 100% sure but you will have to do the application in the province where the vehicle was last registered. 

That will entail an inspection, checking the chassis and engine numbers, etc.

[johng]

15 minutes ago, ferguston said:

you will have to apply for a new registration number as well as a blue book. 

I think  that is not correct...there was a report here not too long ago of  5 years not tax...no problem just pay the back tax and a small fine....but T.I.T  anything is possible !!

[yodsak]

13 minutes ago, johng said:

I think  that is not correct...there was a report here not too long ago of  5 years not tax...no problem just pay the back tax and a small fine....but T.I.T  anything is possible !!

i had 2 bikes not been taxed for over 3 yrs. had to start again, get residence certs' copies of everything, got new books/plates. 

mot station did everything, theppasit soi 4 pattaya,  wasn't expensive.

[OneEyedPie]

6 hours ago, Crossy said:

Note - I've not done this, but a sensible approach would be:-

 

Power of Attorney from the owner, attested by the Thai embassy in Spain, translated in to Thai and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand.

 

Take that, and the car, to the local Land Transport Office, you will likely need a Thai speaker who knows what the situation is.

 

You may need a police report, I'm not sure if the PoA will allow you to make a report of the lost book (it can't hurt to try).

 

You will need to pay the back tax (you can't tax the car without the book which is probably why it's not been taxed).

 

6 hours ago, johng said:

The Department of Land Transportation may also want to see a copy of the owners passport especially the page which shows exit from Thailand.

 

6 hours ago, baansgr said:

And they also require a letter of residence from the seller, so basically you are up a creek with no paddles on that one

All good advice but just when you think you've got all your ducks in a row then your friendly local land transport officer will surely throw you a curveball.  TiT.

[johng]

2 hours ago, yodsak said:

i had 2 bikes not been taxed for over 3 yrs. had to start again, get residence certs' copies of everything, got new books/plates. 

mot station did everything, theppasit soi 4 pattaya,  wasn't expensive.

Ok thanks for the report  maybe its another one of those  different provinces have different rules

anomalies ?

[PJPom]

Unless it’s a Mercedes I would walk away, what happens if it has been used as collateral for a loan and a bunch of the lenders collectors appear ?.

[DennisF]

51 minutes ago, PJPom said:

Unless it’s a Mercedes I would walk away, what happens if it has been used as collateral for a loan and a bunch of the lenders collectors appear ?.

Erm it is!!  Why does that make a difference? Can I drive away faster?? 5555

 

[sherwood]

No Blue Book, walk away mate.

[Kenchamp]

I once bought a second hand scooter with green book and what i thought was a full transfer set. It turned out that there was just one paper missing and believe me, the hassle and expense over two years i had trying to get that book in my name. And you don't even have a book, let alone all the necessary signed papers? Run a mile from that car?..