Best Options for 300k Automatic?

[fish_out_of_h20]

I'm fed up commuting. I've finally saved up 300k to buy a car. I'm clueless though so
please help. I'll try to provide as much info as possible, tell me if there are other
considerations I've not thought of. Again, I'm clueless I don't understand the acronyms so
you might need to explain simpler. Sorry be patient with me, you'll have a special place in
heaven =)

1. I'm a girl
2. I need an AT because I tried learning manual and I just can't. My intructor even quit on
(transferred) me. AT is non negotiable.
3. I would need to drive from pque to makati and maybe out of town occasionally.
4. I don't need a big ride nor a fast one either - just something reliable.
5. Gas bills are not a big problem, I won't need to drive far often.
6. If possible 5-6 yo max
7. Okay, I may be able to stretch to 350k...

Can you please give me my best options for a second hand car with this budget?

Yes, I'm considering brand new. I'm thinking:

Pros: I know nothing about cars, it's less likely to breakdown on me
Less maintenance hassle
It might be more worth it with my budget, I could still resell it
at better price but this is just asset worth for me since I plan to
use it for a looooong time.

Cons: I need to wait end this year or early next year. I want to be able to
dp 50% and have a 10k monthly.
It cost a lot more. For me, this would mean a chunk of my
savings and less vacations in the future.
I know nothing about cars - right now. I might just end up
scratching and bumping it a lot.

Patulong...

a> brand new or 2nd hand?
b> what are my options?

thanks in advance

[renzo_d10]

a.) brand new or second hand

- I would say, brand new. If you could wait. hehe. But if not, then a second hand car would just be perfect.

b.) options

brand new - suzuki celerio, hyundai i10, hyundai getz.

second hand - 2002 civics, altis and 2004 lancers

[Starex_Gold]

better buy second hand cars kasi po mahirap maghanap ng BNEW car for 300-350k. maybe umabot ang Chery QQ pero parang di naman ok yung car

and yung mga pwedeng maging options mo sa 2nd hand cars. 02-03 Civic, 03-05 Lancer, 04 Mazda 3, or my optra

pero medyo mahal ng konti ang maintenance ng Chevys eh. but it suites you ;)

[renzo_d10]

better buy second hand cars kasi po mahirap maghanap ng BNEW car for 300-350k. maybe umabot ang Chery QQ pero parang di naman ok yung car

and yung mga pwedeng maging options mo sa 2nd hand cars. 02-03 Civic, 03-05 Lancer, 04 Mazda 3, or my optra

pero medyo mahal ng konti ang maintenance ng Chevys eh. but it suites you ;)

SG,

TS might be the person you`re looking for......the one who will buy your precious optra

[KERSMcRae]

a) 2nd hand first, then get a brand new after you mastered driving

b) first, get the same car you used on your driving lessons
others, get a Honda Jazz or a Toyota Yaris (small cars than a regular sedan)

HTH

[granro01]

You are a girl and absolutely knows nothing about car repair and maintenance. It will definitely be a suicide in your case to purchase second hand cars. Bukod sa midol kailangan magtabi ka na rin ng dolpenal for headaches Dont think twice, go for brand new cars. If your budget cant afford it right now then pwede namang downpayment yang money mo ngayon.

Happy hunting.....

[testament11]

hello TS, seems na bago ka lang dito sa tsikot... then i welcome you here sa masayang automotive site sa buong internet! welcome to tsikot!

well mam, as for your queries, i'll answer it to the best that i can

A. brand new or 2nd hand?
syempre mas maganda ang brand new, but you have a tight budget of 350k max only. so go for 2nd hand. having a 2nd hand car, sa perspective ko ah, is an advantage. madami nagsasabi disadvantage gawa ng mga sirang parts. but through this, i was able to enhance my automotive troubleshooting at syempre na din, sa tulong ng tsikot. madami ka matutunan sa 2nd hand, trust me mam... i've been there and i can say i enjoy my ride more than what i expected

b. what cars suits your budget?
madami pong papasok sa budget ninyo. you prefer a/t po ba mam? you said po na sumuko ang instructor mo sa yo while learning to drive a manual car. naku mam, wala lang yun tiyaga sa yo. if i were your instructor, i'll do what i can para matuto ka. driving a manual is not easy, pero you will be a more versatile driver pagdating ng araw. so if you would po talaga, buy a manual pero you need someone na magtitiyagang magturo sa yo.

now, kung anong kotse ang babagay po sa inyo, eto po ang aking suggestions:
1. 1st generation toyota altis - pwede na ang 1.6g dito at pasok na yun sa 350k budget. kung hindi, yung 1.6e eh swak na

2. 2000-2005 honda civic - most civics na papasok sa 350k budget are the 2000-2003 models, better get the vti or vti-s variant

3. chevrolet optra - like my friend sg said, one good car. but maintenance is a bit costly. you may not consider this car

4. 2003-2005 mitsubishi lancer mx cvt - this is my choice. fuel consumption is good and it is in cvt (continous variable transmission), meaning you can drive in matic and manual mode without the clutch

5. late model nissan sentra - this is also a good car but i'm not quite familiar of nissan, pero i can recommend this

also mam, try to buy a copy of car finder every week. this is a big help for you so that you can have an idea on what cars can suit your budget. if ever you find one that you think will suit you, you can consult us here at tsikot anytime and we'll give you our opinion on your choice. again mam, welcome to tsikot and good luck on finding your 1st car

[mda]

I'd have to agree on brand new.

Reasons:

1) If you're in it for hassle-free ownership - the moment magloko car mo, back to the dealer for repair free via warranty. You never know what's wrong with a 2nd hand car if you don't know where to look (different cars, iba-iba ang sakit)

2) Wala kang suking repairman/mechanic = you're likely to be conned by overcharging shops and repairpersons like rapide (see the long feedback/hate thread on them here).

3) We've owned a 1998 honda civic A/T for 11 years, and we haven't experienced any glaring breakdowns that weren't of our own doing. With that said, it's going back to the hassle-free ownership and taking proper care of the car. If it weren't for faulty wiring jobs back when the car was new, we wouldn't even think of disposing of the car now.

As already mentioned by some of the above, you could use the 300k for downpayment. You can check with the banks for lower financing rates naman.

As to what car I'd recommend, it would boil down to how much total you're willing to spend (down payment + aggregate monthly fees)

[JackFlash]

By now you must be getting dizzy reading all the tips. If you don't like the small, cramped brand new cars that fall w/in your budget, then go for used.

To help you shop, here's a link from Buy & Sell Philippines: http://carfinderphilippines.net/buy-...ing-used-cars/

I found the tips very useful when I bought a used car some time back. In addition to what's in the article, I also suggest...

1. Magnets. Yup, ref magnets. Stick them on the car's body, especially toward the corners, along the seams where bumps are most likely to happen. If the magnets don't stick, there's a good chance extensive body work has been done. Makapal ang masilya in the areas where the magnet can't come into contact w/ metal. Walk away when this happens.
2. When you find the car you like, you can text a certain no. (which escapes me now) to find out if there are no registered liens against the vehicle and that the vehicle is not stolen.
3. Be prepared to still spend some money for additional fixes. Even if you brought along a mechanic in your used car quest, remember that he ain't psychic. Some defects may still have escaped his eye during the pre-buy inspection stage.

That's it. Happy hunting and enjoy the drive.

[fish_out_of_h20]

Wow! People here are amazingly helpful! Thanks, thanks a lot...
Yes, yes I'm keeping each point in mind. I'm compiling all the points I've read in a document for review. This is all new to me... The 350k might be used as dp if I buy a new car, btw.

renzo_d10, i'll see how patient I could be and wait for bnew. I
have a feeling this is like the "marshmallow test". I'll check out
your recoms...

starex_gold, yup definitely not a 350k bnew car no Cherys. Why would
Chevys suit me? Is it bump and dummy proof? =)

KERSMcRae, thanks for the advice. I've thought of having a 2nd hand
practice car first too. Just that am planning to use the car I'm
getting now for a long time. Kaya lang as my friend said "ibabanga
ko lang naman daw sya" she's knows me well...

granro01, yup my worst fear is that a 2nd hand car will stall and stop
in the middle of traffic! noon, and cars honking yikes!

testament11, you're very encouraging but unlike you I might not
be able to improve on my auto trouble shooting skills. I tried having
my bro teach me mt on top of my paid instructor, he was shouting so
we stopped having those. I'll take your tip and buy the car finder. I'm
also trying to familiarize myself with the make/model/year = value.

mda, yes the ideal situation would be a hassle free bnew. as you said
I have to make some computations on how much I could afford.
I'm just anxious about committing to the monthly payments.

Jackflash, the tips are very smart they're going on my compilation =)

I've been doing a lot of research one with excel sheets of car brands and prices. I've noticed that one of the cheapest AT is a Sentra GX 1.3... This will suit my budget if I wait by dec I think. I'll be reading more about it...

When I think about it, the cash diff between bnew and 2nd hand might just be too big. I have a female friend who drives a 2nd hand and she seems fine aside from timing belts and noises. Hmmm... her car's a good size and it still looks good naman.

Guys, I have so much to think about your replies will help me sort them out. :grouphugg: I plan to keep looking at second hand listings and talk to the SA for the best deal on the sentra. Process ko muna infos...

[ghosthunter]

I've been doing a lot of research one with excel sheets of car brands and prices. I've noticed that one of the cheapest AT is a Sentra GX 1.3... This will suit my budget if I wait by dec I think. I'll be reading more about it...

If you are interested about Sentra GX 1.3L, here are some previous discussion threads you might want to read:

http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52389

http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51318


Other cars that might be of your interest and budget:

Kia Picanto
Hyundai Getz
2000 Toyota Corolla Altis (lovelife body, looks like this)
2003/2004 Toyota Vios (hard to find at 350K but possible)

I am not recommending the previous model Honda City/Jazz with the CVT tranny because of potential problems directly with the CVT A/T tranny.

[fish_out_of_h20]

ghosthunter, thanks for the links. I've been reading on it too! When and if
I get serious with the Sentra I'll post my questions there also =)
I'll look into your other recoms

[mda]

ghosthunter, thanks for the links. I've been reading on it too! When and if
I get serious with the Sentra I'll post my questions there also =)
I'll look into your other recoms

The sentra isn't bad.

What other cars are you considering/are in your price range at this point?

[fish_out_of_h20]

mda, i've been reading about the sentra threads a lot! the only disadvantage is that it can't go fast. (no prob with me...) Now, I'm trying to find out if I can take it to baguio or drive it on batangas dirt roads. (yes, vacations are very impt to me ) Or will the car's performance limit me.
Another option for bnew is Getz. Yep, I'm cheap =) If I can, I'll try to work out to DP as much as I could afford and have very very low monthly. Something I don't even have to think or bother about. But this is not a near option. Haven't researched on others yet so I'm just basing
on price now.

I've also bookmarked and circled ads on second hand Altis. As said by people here, it's a dependable car and the service centers abound. I think I would even prefer this option than a bnew Getz.
I also saw a deal on Nissan Exalta Grandeur. I don't know much about the car model so I have to research on it.

Any more thoughts?

[mda]

mda, i've been reading about the sentra threads a lot! the only disadvantage is that it can't go fast. (no prob with me...) Now, I'm trying to find out if I can take it to baguio or drive it on batangas dirt roads. (yes, vacations are very impt to me ) Or will the car's performance limit me.
Another option for bnew is Getz. Yep, I'm cheap =) If I can, I'll try to work out to DP as much as I could afford and have very very low monthly. Something I don't even have to think or bother about. But this is not a near option. Haven't researched on others yet so I'm just basing
on price now.

I've also bookmarked and circled ads on second hand Altis. As said by people here, it's a dependable car and the service centers abound. I think I would even prefer this option than a bnew Getz.
I also saw a deal on Nissan Exalta Grandeur. I don't know much about the car model so I have to research on it.

Any more thoughts?

All great options. The Altis (especially the 2002 up) is one of the more dependable cars. Just make sure it wasn't abused by the previous owner (maintenance/accident records would help).

I'm pretty sure the Sentra 1.3 will go all the way to baguio. Dirt roads also won't be a problem because I don't think you can go 60kph in an unpaved, rough road anyway.

The getz is also a good car. Smaller engine but also lighter, if a bit more cramped than the sentra.

Test drive before you buy!

The older exalta, not sure.

[ghosthunter]

mda, i've been reading about the sentra threads a lot! the only disadvantage is that it can't go fast. (no prob with me...) Now, I'm trying to find out if I can take it to baguio or drive it on batangas dirt roads. (yes, vacations are very impt to me ) Or will the car's performance limit me.

The roads in Batangas wouldn't be a problem if they are hard packed dirt roads. If they are soft or muddy, well, you might need a SUV with it's higher clearance for that type of surface.

[ghosthunter]

Another option for bnew is Getz. Yep, I'm cheap =) If I can, I'll try to work out to DP as much as I could afford and have very very low monthly. Something I don't even have to think or bother about. But this is not a near option. Haven't researched on others yet so I'm just basing
on price now.

Getz is a good car but it's small. Seats four in comfort. Not much space in the cargo/trunk area. Fuel consumption is average or even a bit higher than expected for such a small engine/car.

I've also bookmarked and circled ads on second hand Altis. As said by people here, it's a dependable car and the service centers abound.

The older model Corollas are actually more dependable. The 2002 and newer Corolla Altis has a problem with its engine developing "sludge" if either you used the wrong oil or missed an oil change schedule. This can later develop into more serious problems.

I also saw a deal on Nissan Exalta Grandeur. I don't know much about the car model so I have to research on it.

Some technical info:
http://www.motioncars.com/carchart/h...tra_exalta.htm

Car review: (done back in 2001)
http://www.motioncars.com/drives/08...._02/index.html

[renzo_d10]

The roads in Batangas wouldn't be a problem if they are hard packed dirt roads. If they are soft or muddy, well, you might need a SUV with it's higher clearance for that type of surface.

Well if that is the case, a suzuki vitara maybe?

[ghosthunter]

Well if that is the case, a suzuki vitara maybe?

I was thinking 1st gen CRV since I dont think traction would be a problem as compared to ground clearance.

But in the end it still depends on the road surface itself.

[fish_out_of_h20]

mda: o nga, I need to be super critical if I buy a 2nd hand. About the dirt
roads for Sentra, I was worried about the tag-tag if the car can take
it. At this point of my driving skill (v. minimal) not so much speedy

ghosthunter: Okay, scratch Getz =) hmmm.. thanks for the altis warning.
That maybe the reason I see so many of that model on the ads.
But it's such a waste there are really a lot of them posted to find
out their not okay afterall. I've read the link about the Exalta the
article says its fine and had lots of accs, the table had a lot of info I
didn't understand except for the 3 stars - yey!

renzo_d10: no SUVs for me now I think. Isn't is harder to maintain?
Not much rough riding for me, just the roads to anilao and san juan
are not yet fully cemented.