Bangkok Used Car & Supercar Show 2010

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Bangkok Used Car & Supercar Show 2010 
The Nation: 12 Jul 2010
Big jump in sales of used cars in first half
By Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn
The Nation
Published on July 12, 2010

Sales of used cars in Thailand jumped 40 per cent year on year in the first six months of 2010 despite the Kingdom's political unrest and economic difficulties.

Jaturont Komolmis, senior vice president of Grand Prix International, a local publisher of auto magazines, and chairman of the organising committee of the Bangkok Used Car & Supercar Show, said demand for used cars was expected to increase by a further 5 per cent in the second half of this year barring any more political unrest.

"We have seen the sales of used vehicles improve gradually from the fourth quarter of last year to the first six months of this year despite the violence earlier this year in Bangkok and some provinces," said Jaturont.

"In times of uncertainty, Thai consumers are more cautious in their spending, especially on high-value products such as cars. Used cars offer an alternative, particularly in times of economic and political difficulty," he said.

Jaturont said the development of communications technology, especially the Internet, had benefited the used-car market as individual consumers are now able to search for information about vehicles and their specifications faster and more easily, and ultimately to make decisions on purchases more quickly.

"To build trust, many used-car dealers have developed sales techniques focusing on branding, quality check-ups and after-sales service. These activities have raised buyers' confidence in used cars," he added.

Jaturont said the used-car market would continue to grow as used cars have changed hands quicker than new vehicles.

"We found that new-car owners keep them for an average of four or five years before trading them in. Used cars change hands every one and a half to two years. Based on this, demand for used cars can be four to five times higher than for new cars," he said.

Grand Prix International has announced the Bangkok Used Car & Supercar Show will take place at the Challenger 3, Impact Muangthong Thani from July 21-25 this year.
The auto extravaganza features more than 10,000 pre-owned cars from 21 auto-makers and second-hand car dealers throughout Thailand.

Participants in the fair will offer individual consumers a chance to obtain loans through finance firms or leasing companies, some of which are subject to approval within two hours. The five-day fair expects to generate more than Bt 2 billion in sales, Jaturont said.

The trade show targets sales of 6,000 cars by offering discounts and "rewards" worth nearly Bt 2 million, he alleged. Among the scheduled exhibitors are Toyota Sure, Chevy OK, Benz NK, BMW Premium Selection, MINI Next, Yontrakit Corporation, Benz Amorn, 1966, Yo Ratchada, and independent car importers, including F1, DSG, BRG Group, AG Cars, J Auto, Eton, and Niche Car.