buying a car - what do they need to give me

[ryanhull]

Hi All,

 

I live in Isaan, I am going to Bangkok on Monday to purchase a car cash. I have read I cannot put the car in my name with just a none o visa, and I would need a work visa, so I am going to put the car in my wife's name that's fine.

 

I wanted to ask a few questions.

 

As I will not be doing the transfer in Bangkok and doing the transfer here in isaan, what do I need to make sure I get from the seller in order for my wife to transfer when I get back?

As far as I can read from old posts I would need them to provide the following:

1. Blue Book (check its in date and has the same code as it on the car)

2. Car Transfer Document Signed (left open for the new buyer - my wife)

3. Signed Copy of the sellers ID (In date)

Optional but a good idea

4. A signed receipt confirming the sale

 

Are those 3 things above enough for me to drive away confidently knowing my wife can then transfer to her name, she is a bit clueless to be honest and I didnt want to have any issues transferring it to her/us.

 

Little side question, is it correct a falang needs a work visa to transfer a car?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

 

[kingofthemountain]

Hi

if the law has not changed recently, it's not necessary to have a work visa if you want to

buy a car in your name, Any long term visa or a 1 year extension of stay is ok.

 

No offense and i don't know exactly how you are doing at the moment with your wife

but usualy if you pay something with your money, it's always better to put it in your name. particularly in thailand where nothing is never really sure. 

In a country where most of the houses are in the wife name, it=f something turn 

wrong at least you can move to an other place when you want with your car.

 

Also do not forget to go to the technical control center together you and the seller BEFORE you give the money and before the papers are done, they verify if all it's ok (Numbers, lights, tyres etc) and it's a security for you.

 

Talking about security you are going to a date with an unknow guy and you have a lot of cash with you so it's better to meet in a public place and if possible with a Thai man with you (A brother of your wife or someone like that) you never know before how the things can go wrong, better be wise than sorry.

[ryanhull]

2 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

Hi

if the law has not changed recently, it's not necessary to have a work visa if you want to

buy a car in your name, Any long term visa or an extension of stay is ok.

I don't know exactly how you are doing at the moment with your wife

but usually if you pay something with your money, it's always better to put it in your name

particularly in Thailand where nothing is never really sure. 

Also do not forget to go to the technical control center together you and the seller BEFORE you give the money and before the papers are done, they verify if all it's ok (Numbers, lights, tyres etc) and it's a security for you.

Talking about security you are going to a date with some unknowns guys with a lot of cash with you

it's better to meet in a public place and if possible with a Thai man with you (A brother of your wife or

someone like that) you never know before how the things can go wrong, better be wise than sorry.

Thanks for the reply, regarding the work permit, google states:

 

'You can legally own a car in Thailand as a foreigner but you need to have a Non-Immigrant Visa and a Work Permit or Proof of Address Document (the later can be obtained from immigration Officials but you would need to be renting a house or apartment)'

Am I reading that wrong, maybe just proof of address is OK?

 

Regarding transferring to my wife, I do fully get what your hinting at heh, but no worries on that we have owned stuff together in the past and I have also transferred her much larger amounts of cash for her then to give me (was cheaper that way) but to be blunt I 100% trust her in that regard but I appreciate the warning/hint.

Thing is, I wouldn't be able to transfer it in BKK right as I am registered as living in Maha Sarakham?

But that aside, lets say I wanted to do the buy it open to transfer to my wife back here, am I correct on the 3 pointers I need to get from the seller? 

Also, you mention technical control center, do you know where this is and how much this costs? I am pretty nifty with cars (or at-least I think I am), stuff like lights, tires, oil, idling temp I can test myself, is an interesting idea if it isn't too much bother though,

Really appreciate your reply but I want to head off Monday morning so wont have time to get proof of address etc now (its the weekend) and really its probably just easier to put it in my wife's name, I have had like I say full trust in her in that regard, really more interested in if im correct in what I need to ensure I have before I drive off back home,

 

Thanks again


 

 

 

[amykat]

You absolutely do not need a work permit to buy a car in your own name.  I bought my first car with nothing, a tourist visa.  I always bought new cars from dealers though so I didn’t have to bother much with paperwork.  

 

I believe though, that there is an extra level of difficulty to bring a car to another province??  You might want to double check that before you do it

[amykat]

Proof of Address ...do you have yellow book???

[ryanhull]

3 minutes ago, amykat said:

You absolutely do not need a work permit to buy a car in your own name.  I bought my first car with nothing, a tourist visa.  I always bought new cars from dealers though so I didn’t have to bother much with paperwork.  

 

I believe though, that there is an extra level of difficulty to bring a car to another province??  You might want to double check that before you do it

Do you mean when I bring it back to Maha Sarakham they may say they can only transfer it to my wife IF she does it in Bangkok?

[ryanhull]

Just now, amykat said:

Proof of Address ...do you have yellow book???

No I only rent a condo, do have a contract though, thanks again

[ryanhull]

p.s sorry for all the questions, how much does it cost to transfer a car? thnx

[amykat]

I mean, people like to buy cars within the same province where they live because of some kind of paperwork hassle.  I don’t know exactly how difficult it really is or not, but at times I wanted to go to Bangkok too, for more choices, and I was often told about that.  People made it sound like it was impossible.  But they might have been bull<deleted>ting me to some extent?

[amykat]

Well you can get proof of address document from immigration with your rent contract.

[kingofthemountain]

16 minutes ago, ryanhull said:

Thanks for the reply, regarding the work permit, google states:

 

'You can legally own a car in Thailand as a foreigner but you need to have a Non-Immigrant Visa and a Work Permit or Proof of Address Document (the later can be obtained from immigration Officials but you would need to be renting a house or apartment)'

Am I reading that wrong, maybe just proof of address is OK?

 

Regarding transferring to my wife, I do fully get what your hinting at heh, but no worries on that we have owned stuff together in the past and I have also transferred her much larger amounts of cash for her then to give me (was cheaper that way) but to be blunt I 100% trust her in that regard but I appreciate the warning/hint.

Thing is, I wouldn't be able to transfer it in BKK right as I am registered as living in Maha Sarakham?

But that aside, lets say I wanted to do the buy it open to transfer to my wife back here, am I correct on the 3 pointers I need to get from the seller? 

Also, you mention technical control center, do you know where this is and how much this costs? I am pretty nifty with cars (or at-least I think I am), stuff like lights, tires, oil, idling temp I can test myself, is an interesting idea if it isn't too much bother though,

Really appreciate your reply but I want to head off Monday morning so wont have time to get proof of address etc now (its the weekend) and really its probably just easier to put it in my wife's name, I have had like I say full trust in her in that regard, really more interested in if im correct in what I need to ensure I have before I drive off back home,

 

Thanks again


 

 

 

You are welcome

but i advise you to change the day

monday is holiday day (Anniversary of the death of the king the 13, a sunday, then the monday 14 is holiday) and you are going to be unable to do any administrative stuff this day.

And the certificate of residence is not an option for you, so you need to have one

before to go to Bangkok.

I am very surprised the seller do not have prevent you about that

because you absolutely can not change the owner name this special day.

It's for me a red warning, you need to take more time and more informations

about the seller before to move ahead to Bankok in a rush with a lot of money in

your pocket

[ryanhull]

4 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

You are welcome

but i advise you to change the day

monday is holiday day (Anniversary of the death of the king the 13, a sunday, then the monday 14 is holiday) and you are going to be unable to do any administrative stuff this day.

And the certificate of residence is not an option for you, so you need to have one

before to go to Bangkok.

I appreciate what you are saying on that, but providing the seller gives me the following:

1. Blue Book (check its in date and has the same code as it on the car)

2. Car Transfer Document Signed (left open for the new buyer - my wife)

3. Signed Copy of the sellers ID (In date)

I am then good to drive it back no worries right? in the knowledge I can transfer it to my wife later in the week here in Maha Sarakham? Thanks

[kingofthemountain]

14 minutes ago, ryanhull said:

I appreciate what you are saying on that, but providing the seller gives me the following:

1. Blue Book (check its in date and has the same code as it on the car)

2. Car Transfer Document Signed (left open for the new buyer - my wife)

3. Signed Copy of the sellers ID (In date)

I am then good to drive it back no worries right? in the knowledge I can transfer it to my wife later in the week here in Maha Sarakham? Thanks

The problem of not going to the transport office in Bangkok before to move to your province

is if the car has a problem (Fines not paid, vehicle pledged or whatever) you are screwed

because it'll be too late to discover what is wrong.

The seller is thai or farang?

Again if the seller insist for doing the transaction on monday

knowing the transport office is close this day, it's for me an alert signal

 

[ryanhull]

3 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

The problem of not going to the transport office in Bangkok before to move to your province

is if the car has a problem (Fines not paid, vehicle pledged or whatever) you are screwed

because it'll be too late to discover what is wrong.

The seller is thai or farang?

Again if the seller insist for doing the transaction on monday

knowing the transport office is close this day, it's for me an alert signal

Thing is, the seller is saying its first come first serve but someone is coming to view it on Tuesday morning, he isnt pushy and is Thai, he seems quite legit and owns a travel agency... I completely get what youre saying, he isnt pushing me to buy on Monday but I am wanting to buy it before someone else snaps it up on Tuesday you see IF they do but its a good price and a nice clean car you see, I would assume though he wouldnt have the book if it still had any finance still onit? thanks

[kingofthemountain]

1 minute ago, ryanhull said:

Thing is, the seller is saying its first come first serve but someone is coming to view it on Tuesday morning, he isnt pushy and is Thai, he seems quite legit and owns a travel agency... I completely get what youre saying, he isnt pushing me to buy on Monday but I am wanting to buy it before someone else snaps it up on Tuesday you see IF they do but its a good price and a nice clean car you see, I would assume though he wouldnt have the book if it still had any finance still onit? thanks

well If it's too good to be true it's probably not true

A very nice car at a very good price in Bangkok, no need to

wait for a farang to come from Nakhonnowhere to buy it, a lot of people in Bangkok

are already on the bargain.

So if the seller can not wait untill tuesday (Let him know it's because you need to go to the

transport office in Bangkok and all is close monday, and if he has a travel agency i am sure he is already well aware of this and he should have already warning you about it) and you go together at the transport office to clear all the papers, well it's probably a scam in a way or another so no regrets.

[ryanhull]

4 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

well If it's too good to be true it's probably not true

A very nice car at a very good price in Bangkok, no need to

wait for a farang to come from Nakhonnowhere to buy it, a lot of people in Bangkok

are already on the bargain.

So if the seller can not wait untill tuesday (Let him know it's because you need to go to the

transport office in Bangkok and all is close monday, and if he has a travel agency i am sure he is already well aware of this and he should have already warning you about it) and you go together at the transport office to clear all the papers, well it's probably a scam in a way or another so no regrets.

I get what you mean, its not an amazing deal just good given the low milage and ford history (to good to be true type deal), just a model of car I have been after and 70,000km on the clock (others for the same price are usually 120,000+km) plus wierdly I really like the color of this one (gun metal gray, leather interior), I have checked his travel agency out on fb and it has good reviews etc and he is in all the pictures (looks like a nice chap to be fair)

He is fine waiting but at the same time he is first come first serve type guy, so if someone comes before me its gone you see, thats why I wanted to snap it up, I believe him to be genuine, and he isnt pressuring me in anyway just being honest I guess with someone coming to view it, I guess I could always slip 1-2 thousand bhat in his account as a holding deposit until I arrive with all the correct paper work, I must admit though.... years back we sold a car, and you get that many messages and most of them dont show etc it does become first come first serve so I can see why he is holding that stance, when we sold ours we must have had 50 people say they was coming or wanted it, the first guy to see it did buy it but I wouldn't have held it for anyone just over facebook as you just dont know whos real and who isnt, but I am following you entirely on what your saying, thanks

[kingofthemountain]

8 minutes ago, ryanhull said:

I get what you mean, its not an amazing deal just good given the low milage and ford history (to good to be true type deal), just a model of car I have been after and 70,000km on the clock (others for the same price are usually 120,000+km) plus wierdly I really like the color of this one (gun metal gray, leather interior), I have checked his travel agency out on fb and it has good reviews etc and he is in all the pictures (looks like a nice chap to be fair)

He is fine waiting but at the same time he is first come first serve type guy, so if someone comes before me its gone you see, thats why I wanted to snap it up, I believe him to be genuine, and he isnt pressuring me in anyway just being honest I guess with someone coming to view it, I guess I could always slip 1-2 thousand bhat in his account as a holding deposit until I arrive with all the correct paper work, I must admit though.... years back we sold a car, and you get that many messages and most of them dont show etc it does become first come first serve so I can see why he is holding that stance, when we sold ours we must have had 50 people say they was coming or wanted it, the first guy to see it did buy it but I wouldn't have held it for anyone just over facebook as you just dont know whos real and who isnt, but I am following you entirely on what your saying, thanks

You are welcome

i understand it could be a good deal who knows?

If you like the risks try it, if you prefer be secure give you more time

i am sure you can have a car in the same range, included in your area, in the next months

depends also if you are in a hurry for have a car or not

And for the technical control center they have the crenelated wheel blue and yellow

on the panel, it's the same where you get your annual sticker for your motorbike if you have one. 200 or 300 bahts for a simple control before the sale

[JAS21]

 There is quite an availability of good cheap cars here in Thailand.

 

 You would be very strongly advised not to handover any money until the change of ownership has been completed at the land transport office .............

 

 If you lose this one there will always be another same same as girlfriend LOL

[opalred]

take care as there is a lot of scammers on the for sale websites

don't give 1 bth till transfer paper signed cheers allan

[Vacuum]

5 hours ago, ryanhull said:

Signed Copy of the sellers ID

You should also compare the sellers name to the name in the blue book. If no match, no deal.

[transam]

Why do folk with a visa put a ride in their ladies name ......?  ????

[cornishcarlos]

Just now, transam said:

Why do folk with a visa put a ride in their ladies name ......?  ????

 

Makes the divorce so much easier....

[johng]

I don't think its been mentioned yet  but  you should  get a receipt of sale , a  " power of attorney" form and  

"request to transfer" form + the blue book all signed by the present owner..then you can take the car back to your home province and register it there..its been suggested that a Thai person could register the vehicle in their own name without having to change the vehicles registered province if you goto the DLT where the vehicle is currently registered

Not much good though if say the vehicle has Chaingmai plates but you live in  Yala and buy the vehicle in BKK !!!!

 

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, transam said:

Why do folk with a visa put a ride in their ladies name ......?  ????

If married, it doesn't really matter. You have to split 50/50 anyway in a divorce.

 

If it's just a gf, it would be stupid.

[cornishcarlos]

20 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

If married, it doesn't really matter. You have to split 50/50 anyway in a divorce.

 

If it's just a gf, it would be stupid.

 

If you're married, can you still put it in your gf name ??

[Vacuum]

6 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

If you're married, can you still put it in your gf name ??

Of course. How do you think all the mia nois got their vehicles and houses?

[richard_smith237]

Just to be clear, A foreigner can  own a car on any visa or visa exempt entry. 

The key document is the Affirmation of Address (from am embassy, or Proof of address document from Immigration if a 90day report has been carried out recently). 

 

I've owned cars on Visa Exempt Entries, on Non-Imm Extensions (based on Work Permit), ME Tourist Visa's and more recently the Thai Elite Visa. 

 

Proof of Address is not required for the Garage / Dealership, its required by the DLT to have the car registered in your name. 

 

IF paying outright, you will get to keep the Blue Book yourself, if paying on Finance, the Finance company will hold the blue book, you'll get a copy of it. 

 

 

When purchasing second hand there is always a 'grey area of trust' between handing over the Money and getting the Car Transferred. 

 

IF in any Doubt - have a Cashers check ready. The Seller can call the bank and check the validity of the Cashers check (with the serial number). Then transfer the Car at the DLT together and hand over the check at the same time. 

Alternatively an Online Transfer can be carried out at the time of Transfer when at the DLT via Mobile (Phone) banking. 

 

 

 

[transam]

29 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

If married, it doesn't really matter. You have to split 50/50 anyway in a divorce.

 

If it's just a gf, it would be stupid.

Yes but whilst stuff is being sorted she drives it, you baht bus it..

 

She can sell it at any time without you knowing, she can borrow money on it without you knowing........????.......I do have a handful of stories.....????

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, transam said:

Why do folk with a visa put a ride in their ladies name ......?  ????

When 'un-married' I've always had my Cars in my name, no issues. 

When 'married' we were a 'two car family', my car was in my name, my Wife's car in her name. 

No we are a 'one car family', our Car is in my Wife's name. My Motorcycle is in my name.

Our house (Mortgage) is also in my Wife's name. 

 

I don't expect any issues whatsoever - this is not the kind of relationship which is going to turn sour (famous last words I know, and the divorcees and 'woman' haters and those who've been burnt will be sure to come along and tell me everyone gets shafted etc... well, not everyone, not if the relationship is rock solid).

[kingofthemountain]

For the OP please be nice and let us know here how the things have worked for you in the next weeks

with an up date message on the forum. It could be helpfull for some members in the future.

Thank you in advance.