is it safe to buy premium car in philippines? (foreigner)

**niky** · June 7th, 2010 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by renzo_d10

The expedition isn't " premium " -, well for me.

The only concern is, the very low mileage in fuel efficiency it can give. Can go low as 3~4km/l.

If I were you, I wouldn't buy Expeditions, Safaris, Sequioas etc. especially if i`ll be just staying here for a while.

Get a Santa Fe, CRV, Montero, Fortuner. All of them are common, and much cheaper.

Old Expeditions may have crap-tastic plastics and so-so interiors, but they have the biggest luxury you can find in a vehicle... space. And they ride much more smoothly than smaller SUVs.

An alternative is an E150. They sell for incredibly cheap, have huge interiors and swiveling pilots chairs in the second row, and ride like waterbeds. Great if you're hiring a local driver for the duration... not so great if you have to drive this gigantic land yacht yourself.

A self-driven car that's comfortable and available for cheap secondhand would likely be a Camry or an Accord.

These are good choices if you don't care about gas prices and aren't going to hold onto them for very long.

2nd gen CRVs are stiff as hell, older Monteros are so-so (good luck finding a new one secondhand for a good price) and the Fortuner rides like a truck. Good luck finding a Santa Fe... they're pretty comfy, but not very common secondhand... I'd put it on top of my list.

**niky** · June 7th, 2010 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by renzo_d10

The expedition isn't " premium " -, well for me.

The only concern is, the very low mileage in fuel efficiency it can give. Can go low as 3~4km/l.

If I were you, I wouldn't buy Expeditions, Safaris, Sequioas etc. especially if i`ll be just staying here for a while.

Get a Santa Fe, CRV, Montero, Fortuner. All of them are common, and much cheaper.

Old Expeditions may have crap-tastic plastics and so-so interiors, but they have the biggest luxury you can find in a vehicle... space. And they ride much more smoothly than smaller SUVs.

An alternative is an E150. They sell for incredibly cheap, have huge interiors and swiveling pilots chairs in the second row, and ride like waterbeds. Great if you're hiring a local driver for the duration... not so great if you have to drive this gigantic land yacht yourself.

A self-driven car that's comfortable and available for cheap secondhand would likely be a Camry or an Accord.

These are good choices if you don't care about gas prices and aren't going to hold onto them for very long.

2nd gen CRVs are stiff as hell, older Monteros are so-so (good luck finding a new one secondhand for a good price) and the Fortuner rides like a truck. Good luck finding a Santa Fe... they're pretty comfy, but not very common secondhand... I'd put it on top of my list.

**ghosthunter** · June 7th, 2010 05:12 PM

How does a Subaru Legacy appeal to you?

**CARLOver17** · June 7th, 2010 05:36 PM

American cars lose value faster than the Japanese ones. But when buying a new one, you'll be better off with Expedition, Tahoe, Explorer or Suburban.

Don't buy the midsize pick-up-based SUVs like Fortuner and Montero Sport because they don't ride as well as the ones sold in the US such as the 4runner.

You can also go for trusty compact SUVs though they might be too small and cheap for you.

I recommend SUV, though not premium, more than premium sedans or sports cars.

**niky** · June 7th, 2010 06:16 PM

That's why it's great to buy one secondhand... a secondhand Expedition sells for peanuts.

Besides... if you're only going to be staying in the country for a short period of time... why waste money buying brand new? You're going to take a tremendous hit in terms of depreciation and resale value. Just get something secondhand that's serviceable... take care of it... and you have the chance of selling it after you use it at near the same value as you bought it.

Leasing/renting also works, but the bills can pile up quick.

**ZEPER** · June 8th, 2010 11:42 AM

I work with a lot of expats and their cars range from Jaguars to Sentras.

IT really depends on what you like, and need as long as you can afford it. Also, by and large, Metro Manila is safe.

So if you can afford it... go for the car you want!

**contracontra** · June 8th, 2010 12:26 PM

I think the best option for you is to lease. So that when you leave the country, you wont be having problems selling your vehicle.

Thats my opinion.

**SiViTeC** · June 8th, 2010 02:15 PM

As for your question if it's safe to buy premium cars in the Philippines, the answer would be yes. I've been driving in and out of Metro Manila for years with a BMW, a Chrysler and a "2-door convertible sports car" as my daily commute with no issues. There's no need to be afraid buying and using it on the road.

What I notice is that other vehicles tend to stay away from these cars because they don't want to damage and pay for the repairs that might incur.

My suggestion would be for you to buy the car that you desire.

**daimengrui** · June 11th, 2010 02:37 AM

Get a Murano. It's premium enough while giving you all the joys of an SUV and more. Also the looks is sleek. No other premium SUV is as ***y as this. Most competitors in its class is either boxy or screams octogenarian.

**chua_riwap** · June 11th, 2010 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by SiViTeC

What I notice is that other vehicles tend to stay away from these cars because they don't want to damage and pay for the repairs that might incur.

My suggestion would be for you to buy the car that you desire.

Also....traffic enforcers tend to "avoid" or "stay away" from these premium cars/big SUVs. I do always observe that those premium vehicles who commit traffic violations go scot free, compared to Japanese cars who would be automatically flagged down by these traffic enforcers whenever they commit the slightes traffic violation on the road.