First-car scheme brings spate of offers
There is no better time for first-time buyers to purchase passenger cars or pickup trucks than the present day, thanks to the government's First Car Buyer scheme.
Apart from the scheme, auto-makers are already offering special incentives to boost sales such as insurance, three-year/100,000km warranty and additional accessories.
Apart from discounts of up to Bt100,000 for 1.5-litre passenger cars that are compatible with E20 gasohol, brands like Mazda are also giving away additional options in order to make their products more attractive.
The post-facelift Mazda2, priced from Bt545,000 to Bt695,000, now comes with dual front SRS airbags, ABS brakes, powered windows, foldable powered side-view mirrors and allow wheels for every trim level. Meanwhile, the top version comes with a DVD player with 7-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and SD card inputs, and full aerodynamic kit.
Buyers of the Honda Brio eco-car will get rebates of Bt63,000 to Bt73,000. First-time buyers of the City and Jazz will be entitled to rebates of Bt100,000 across the range.
A Honda spokesman said that the company currently does not offer any special promotions, although dealers usually offer special incentives for buyers such as additional equipment and insurance.
Rebates for the Toyota Vios and Yaris are also Bt100,000 across the range, but next month the company plans to launch a new sales promotion that will make its products more competitive.
"We are unable to disclose the details right now, but in October Toyota will launch a new sales campaign that will make our products even more competitive," a Toyota spokesman confirmed.
Rebates for the 1.4-litre Chevrolet Aveo are also Bt100,000 across the range. Monthly promotions include special upgrades and insurance that vary from dealer to dealer.
Rebates for the 1.2-litre Nissan March, also an eco-car, range from Bt53,000 to Bt79,000, with no special promotions, while rebate for the Ford Fiesta 1.4 is Bt100,000 for the three trim levels.
The Fiesta 1.6, however, does not qualify for the programme, as its engine displacement is above 1.5 litres. The American company is presently lobbying the Thai government to raise the engine displacement requirement to 1.6 litres so that first-time car buyers for this model would also enjoy Bt100,000 rebates.
Pickup truck buyers are also entitled for rebates, starting at Bt10,000 for the Mitsubishi Triton 2.5, and going up to Bt20,000 for the Chevrolet Colorado 3.0, Isuzu D-MAX 3.0 and Toyota Hilux Vigo 3.0. Other models include the Mitsubishi Triton, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50, Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Navara and Tata Xenon.
As for double cab pickup trucks, which are levied with 12-per-cent excise duty compared to 3 per cent for single and extra cab models, rebates start at Bt56,000 for the Ford Ranger Double Cab 2.5-litre and go as high as Bt99,000 for the Toyota Hilux Vigo Double Cab 3.0.
Other manufacturers offering double cab pickups with rebates within this range include models like the Isuzu D-MAX, Mitsubishi Triton, Mazda BT-50, Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Navara.
Exact rebates for each specific model can be looked up at www.excise.go.th, the Excise Department's website.
Mazda, Ford at odds over figures
Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co Ltd has pointed out that fuel economy and CO2 figures of the Mazda2 provided by Ford (Thailand) Co Ltd in its press release on Monday are inaccurate.
Ford is asking the Thai government to include the Ford Fiesta 1.6 in the First Car Buyer scheme, which presently allows passenger cars with engine displacement of up to 1.5 litres for rebates.
Ford stated that the Mazda2's fuel economy is 6.8km/l while the CO2 emission is 162g/km.
"Those are figures obtained from Mazda2 cars sold in Australia, which are heavier than the model offered in Thailand due to a higher number of accessories," a Mazda spokesman said. "Actually the fuel economy and CO2 emission for Thai-specific Mazda2 cars are 6.72km/l and 155.77g/km respectively."
He also said that Ford had quoted prices of the low-trim Fiesta 1.6 Trend (Bt644,000) against those of the high-trim Mazda2 MAXX (Bt695,000) instead of comparing corresponding trim levels.
"This has made the Mazda2 appear less fuel economical, with higher pollution and price [as much as Bt50,000] than it actually is," he said.
