Car auctions

[Robert williams]

Are there any car auction sites in this province? In particular I am looking for re- possed carr sites - if such exist.

[Dannie Boy]

Maybe the banks have such a facility - they must be the major repressor of cars?


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[Nereus]

Even if there is, it is all rigged like everything else. For many years the Thai Customs Dept. have held auctions in Bangkok for cars seized for being imported /smuggled into Thailand, also motorbikes and sometimes boats.

The dealers have it all pre-arranged with brown envelopes, and even if somebody from outside were to chase a car with high bids, it will just get passed in. They also put "reserve" prices on cars, so it is not a true auction. There is also a "registration fee" that filters out who is allowed to bid!

Not sure about the banks, but I am sure that it will not be done openly!

[HHTel]

I believe repossessed cars are often claimed by the manufacturer for sale in their 'used car' dept. Certainly with Toyota, reclaimed cars are re-sold on 'Toyota Sure'. My daughter has just bought an 18 month old car (reclaimed) from Toyota Sure. I believe Honda and Mitsubishi have similar companies in their control.

[REEM]

I sometimes used to go with a Thai friend to the auctions at the Customs Department in Khlong Toei in Bangkok. He is a collector of classic Jags and Mercs.

As Nereus posted, the auctions are rigged and outsiders stand little chance of picking up a bargain. Prior to the auction there is viewing, but the cars are locked and cannot be driven or even started. The warehouse there contained dozens of amazing cars, Italian supercars, Rolls and Bentleys, German limos and Aston Martins as well as run of the mill Japanese sedans. Confiscated from dealers and shady importers who I suppose failed to pay officials to turn a blind eye.

There was a kind of party atmosphere there, with wealthy celeb types and their women vying for attention as they attempted to outbid each other for porsches and ferraris. A bit sickening to watch really, but the cars were great.

My friend bought an Jag XJ12 there, complete with UK registration plates, but when he took possession of it he found it needed a new auto box. He slowly restored it and used it for a couple of years before selling it on.

[Nereus]

My friend bought an Jag XJ12 there, complete with UK registration plates, but when he took possession of it he found it needed a new auto box. He slowly restored it and used it for a couple of years before selling it on.

That's very interesting! How long ago was that? I ask because I know an English bloke that lives in Pattaya that imported such a car. He was a bit of a shady dealer, so I would beleive it if his car ended up at a Customs Dept. auction!

[REEM]

2017 or 2018. It was metallic red.

Anyone can attend these Customs Dept.auctions, and if they still hold them they will be announced on the Customs Dept.website. I attended 3 or 4 times and it was always an interesting experience to watch the characters there.

There were the ultra wealthy Thai males, devoid of subtelty with Rolexes and gold chains glinting in the sunlight, there were the sleazy dealer types, moustaches and big signet rings were their identifying features, whispering furtively among themselves and with the custom officials hiding away in the shade, envelopes and winks in abundance, and of course there were the regular collector types, on the lookout for the jags, mgbs and old beemer saloons that were of little interest to the ferrari and lamborghini hunters.

The catwalk ready women accompanying the rich guys were a world apart from what we mere mortals are used to. Haughty and sneering, eyeing each other constantly to compare notes they knew their value to the men they were with and goaded them on in the bidding.

All in all an eye opening vignette into another side of Thai society and a must for people watching addicts such as myself

[pharvey]

They also put "reserve" prices on cars, so it is not a true auction.

Pretty much every auction (cars, antiques etc.) I've ever attended - UK, US, France and even Aus on one occasion will have a multitude if not the majority of items having a "reserve" (or bottom price if you wish), so I'm a bit lost at that comment - I need to go to the auctions you do obviously!

I'll certainly agree auctions are never what they seem to be ("rigged" is taking this a little far), but you need to understand the "rules" before you attend - bid 1,000 Baht/GBP/USD and it will cost you a damn sight more.. Buyer's Premium, Seller's Tax, Auction Fees and Tax on top of that.

"Police Auctions" are a joke in whatever country - top pickings have gone long before auction and minimum/bottom prices set high. As with everything, do your research, set your max bid and don't go above it (remembering all the various "taxes" that will be added).

Buying a car at auction is a no no for me, let alone in Thailand.

[Nereus]

Pretty much every auction (cars, antiques etc.) I've ever attended - UK, US, France and even Aus on one occasion will have a multitude if not the majority of items having a "reserve" (or bottom price if you wish), so I'm a bit lost at that comment - I need to go to the auctions you do obviously!

Yes, I have done it myself, and for a bloody lot more at stake than an old car!!!

But this is an auction on behalf of the people of Thailand, not somebody wanting to sell his own car. What they are doing is NOT an auction, it is ensuring that whoever presented the biggest brown envelope is being looked after!

[STEVE G]

They also put "reserve" prices on cars, so it is not a true auction.

Pretty much every auction (cars, antiques etc.) I've ever attended - UK, US, France and even Aus on one occasion will have a multitude if not the majority of items having a "reserve" (or bottom price if you wish), so I'm a bit lost at that comment - I need to go to the auctions you do obviously!

Yes, my brother recently retired after forty odd years with British Car Auctions/ADT.
For many years he was an accredited auctioneer and often used to sell several hundred cars a week.The vast majority of them were sold with a reserve and almost all the ones that weren't were clunkers that people just wanted rid of.

[Nereus]

Geez, I give up! It has nothing whatsoever to do with what "my brother" did, or how many auctions you may have been to!

What is being conducted here with these "auctions", is a DISPOSAL sale. Forfeited, or confiscated property, is being sold by a government to try and recoup unpaid taxes and charges. The government does not own the property, and it is only because of TIT that "reserve" prices are listed.
Tell me what happens to cars, or whatever, if they do not reach the "reserve" price? Are they then given back to the people that forfeited them! Yeah, right!

This thread was started by the OP as a genuine question. What I have posted here is what happens in Thailand!

[Dannie Boy]

Calm down Nereus, people are just saying what they’ve experienced elsewhere - it might not be directly in relation to the Ops opening question but it’s related information that some people might find interesting. If every question was moderated so that it was only 100% linked to a question, the forum would quickly become very dull indeed!!

[STEVE G]

Geez, I give up! It has nothing whatsoever to do with what "my brother" did, or how many auctions you may have been to!

What is being conducted here with these "auctions", is a DISPOSAL sale. Forfeited, or confiscated property, is being sold by a government to try and recoup unpaid taxes and charges. The government does not own the property, and it is only because of TIT that "reserve" prices are listed.
Tell me what happens to cars, or whatever, if they do not reach the "reserve" price? Are they then given back to the people that forfeited them! Yeah, right!

This thread was started by the OP as a genuine question. What I have posted here is what happens in Thailand!

Yes, I've no problem with that, I'm sure it's what happens at government auctions.
I was commenting more on the general business of commercial vehicle auctions.

[STEVE G]

It seems that such things certainly exist in Bangkok:

The 5 Places For The Best Car Auctions In Bangkok

https://www.cleverthai.com/best-car-auctions-bangkok/