Buying a Car for Noob

[iNoob]

I'm just started to take a driving lesson and of course after months i'm buying a car na din..

looking for a vios.. since first car sempre ung mura muna..

anything to consider kasi noob talaga me sa car..

[renzo_d10]

please add more info ...

a. ) MAXIMUM budget allotted for the vehicle
b. ) Daily route
c. ) Main use
d. ) Preferences ( M/T, A/T, 1.3L, good FC etc.etc. )

[ghosthunter]

I'm just started to take a driving lesson and of course after months i'm buying a car na din..

looking for a vios.. since first car sempre ung mura muna..

anything to consider kasi noob talaga me sa car..

Toyota Vios 1.3L is a good first car... although you might reconsider for the 1.5L if you want more power under the hood.

[iNoob]

please add more info ...

a. ) MAXIMUM budget allotted for the vehicle
b. ) Daily route
c. ) Main use
d. ) Preferences ( M/T, A/T, 1.3L, good FC etc.etc. )

a. 1M
b. mandaluyong, qc , pasig, rizal
c. paglalabas, mall, at hanap ng mga things.
d. A/T (pero ung driving lesson ko kasi M/T)

as a noob I don't have ideas on 1.3, 1.5, FC and etc...

by reading some thread here.. kapag 1.3 pang city driving lang ata and you may be underpowered...

still don't know why Vios might be underpowered...

[ghosthunter]

With a P1M budget, you could also include the following into the options

Honda Jazz 1.5L A/T (P842K)
Honda City 1.5L A/T (P816K)
Honda Civic 1.8L A/T (P898K to P958K depending on variant)
Toyota Vios 1.5L A/T (P810K to P845K depending on variant)
Toyota Yaris 1.5L A/T (P766K)
Toyota Corolla 1.6L A/T (P869K to P940K depending variant)
Mitsubishi Lancer EX GLX 2.0 M/T (P870K cash)
Mitsubishi Lancer EX GLS 2.0L CVT A/T (P925K cash)

So among the choices listed, your best options would be either the Civic or the Lancer EX. But note that these are also the two options with the biggest engines in the options listed so expect fuel consumption would be higher than the others listed.

If fuel consumption is a major consideration, you could go for the Honda Jazz which gives excellent value for money. It is spacious inside, nice looking exterior and cargo handling is one of the best in this class.

Although many would also consider the Toyota Corolla but there are current issues with the engine developing sludge which results in it self-destructing or at least requiring expensive repair. It also has issues with the interior which feels "weird" which I would attribute to having a taller and thicker padded front seats than what is available in Japan. So in my opinion, best to avoid this.

[dale323]

With a P1M budget, you could also include the following into the options

Honda Jazz 1.5L A/T (P842K)
Honda City 1.5L A/T (P816K)
Honda Civic 1.8L A/T (P898K to P958K depending on variant)
Toyota Vios 1.5L A/T (P810K to P845K depending on variant)
Toyota Yaris 1.5L A/T (P766K)
Toyota Corolla 1.6L A/T (P869K to P940K depending variant)
Mitsubishi Lancer EX GLX 2.0 M/T (P870K cash)
Mitsubishi Lancer EX GLS 2.0L CVT A/T (P925K cash)

So among the choices listed, your best options would be either the Civic or the Lancer EX. But note that these are also the two options with the biggest engines in the options listed so expect fuel consumption would be higher than the others listed.

If fuel consumption is a major consideration, you could go for the Honda Jazz which gives excellent value for money. It is spacious inside, nice looking exterior and cargo handling is one of the best in this class.

Although many would also consider the Toyota Corolla but there are current issues with the engine developing sludge which results in it self-destructing or at least requiring expensive repair. It also has issues with the interior which feels "weird" which I would attribute to having a taller and thicker padded front seats than what is available in Japan. So in my opinion, best to avoid this.

Pa-add lang sa list

1.6 Lancer GLX m/t- 685k
1.6 Lancer GLS a/t- 745k
1.3 Sentra GX m/t- 610 to 635k
1.3 Sentra GX a/t- 660-680k
1.6 Sentra M/T -760k
1.6 Sentra A/t - 845k
1.8 Livina m/t and a/t- 806-980

dami choices for 1M. But for me, look for a bang for a buck car. Di kailangang mahal ang kotse. kailangan din na praktikal and will suit your needs.

[ghosthunter]

Pa-add lang sa list

1.6 Lancer GLX m/t- 685k
1.6 Lancer GLS a/t- 745k
1.3 Sentra GX m/t- 610 to 635k
1.3 Sentra GX a/t- 660-680k
1.6 Sentra M/T -760k
1.6 Sentra A/t - 845k
1.8 Livina m/t and a/t- 806-980

dami choices for 1M. But for me, look for a bang for a buck car. Di kailangang mahal ang kotse. kailangan din na praktikal and will suit your needs.

Actually I didn't include the older model Lancer and Sentra because they are old (very old in the case for the Sentra). I assume the TS will be keeping the car (whatever he chooses) for a very long time and it would be great not to have an "obsolete" model as a brand new car if he has the option.

As for the Nissan Grand Livina, I find it underpowered for the capacity it is supposed to have. The 1.8L is great for the Nissan Livina but it's not sold locally. Also the 3rd row seats is kinda useless unless you would either have small kids or legless adults sitting there since the floor is almost level with the seat itself.

[Chikselog]

a. 1M
b. mandaluyong, qc , pasig, rizal
c. paglalabas, mall, at hanap ng mga things.
d. A/T (pero ung driving lesson ko kasi M/T)

as a noob I don't have ideas on 1.3, 1.5, FC and etc...

by reading some thread here.. kapag 1.3 pang city driving lang ata and you may be underpowered...

still don't know why Vios might be underpowered...

It might be underpowered lalo na yung 1.3 kapag marami kang sakay + load. Pero kapag mostly ikaw lang, tapos city driving, tamang tama lang. Ang tipid pa. The lowest you could get IMO is 9km/L. Average city driving is around 11-13 km/L.

[scharnhorst]

if you're a complete newbie...

I'd suggest getting a secondhand car among the models that ghosthunter listed.

you could commit all your mistakes and booboos there without feeling *too* bad.

then when you've got enough wheel time, get the brand new car.

however, if you really want a brand new car, I'll suggest getting one of the subcompacts:

vios, city, mazda2 or their hatch counterparts: yaris, jazz, mz2 hb.

all of them are nippy little rides that are easy to drive and park (especially with the backup sensors), and have better fuel efficiencies than their compact cousins.

while you're at it, you might want to consider the upcoming ford fiesta with the six-speed powershift automatic

[TechieN00b]

Opinion ko lang sir, lahat naman tayo galing sa pagigin Newbie. Pero if it were me :

1. Brand new, hindi 2nd hand (mukhang may pera ka din naman e). Ang insurance mo yung casa ang palit. I'm sure within your first 2 years may encounter ka na scratches sa bumpers mo (minimal). Worst case sa pinto. hassle magpagawa ng 2nd hand. pag brand new, palit lang ng palit, wala pang parts participation within the first 3 years of the car.

2. If you agree sa item 1 ko, sir, bantayan mo maigi ang kotse every casa maintenance. Hence I suggest toyota. May screen sila sa service bay, kita mo lahat ng ginagawa. Why? Dun ka matututo. Remember, we should also learn maintenance, di lang driving. Also, don't hesitate to tell your casa if there are slight 'changes' in the feel of the b.new car when driving. marami tayong matututtunan dun. 80% of the time, mas tama ang owner pag sinabing "may problema" at di makita ng casa .

3. For Newbie, I presume ang gusto mo na car sporty (yabang effect most likely sa mga bagong driver, ako din ganon, hehe). Tama ba ako sir? pero don't forget, FC is very important. FC is 50% CAR SPECS AND 50% DRIVING HABIT.


All premises considered sa itaas, ang proposal ko sayo sir is:

-- Manual ang bilhin mo na brand new na maganda ang FC. Ang proposal ko Vios (wala na bang 1.5 na M/T?) or Altis G na M/T. Para sa second car mo na A/T, alam mo talaga paano mag paddle shift (di ka lang poser, hehehe).

-- Kung gusto mo Honda (ako first car ko Civic na LXI, 2001), M/T pa rin na Civic S, kaso di mo makikita anong ginagawa sa kotse pag maintenance. Tanungin mo na lang anong ginawa and try to 'imagine' how it was done by visually inspecting every maintenance recors. Ang maganda dyan, every 10K ang maintenance (vs. 5K sa Toyota).

-- wala akong experience sa ibang kotse e so etong 2 lang ang ma-suggest ko sau.

Goodluck sir and happy driving! please stay corteous on the road. Believe me, Philippine roads can change your attitude. please stay calm and humble po kahit na 10 years ka nang marunong mag-drive.

[scharnhorst]

Opinion ko lang sir, lahat naman tayo galing sa pagigin Newbie. Pero if it were me :

1. Brand new, hindi 2nd hand (mukhang may pera ka din naman e). Ang insurance mo yung casa ang palit. I'm sure within your first 2 years may encounter ka na scratches sa bumpers mo (minimal). Worst case sa pinto. hassle magpagawa ng 2nd hand. pag brand new, palit lang ng palit, wala pang parts participation within the first 3 years of the car.

2. If you agree sa item 1 ko, sir, bantayan mo maigi ang kotse every casa maintenance. Hence I suggest toyota. May screen sila sa service bay, kita mo lahat ng ginagawa. Why? Dun ka matututo. Remember, we should also learn maintenance, di lang driving. Also, don't hesitate to tell your casa if there are slight 'changes' in the feel of the b.new car when driving. marami tayong matututtunan dun. 80% of the time, mas tama ang owner pag sinabing "may problema" at di makita ng casa .

I beg to disagree.

Casa service competency varies between dealer to dealer, not brand to brand. We've had nasty experiences even with the vaunted Toyota and Honda dealerships.

Wala kang matututunan sa kasa, precisely because palit lang sila nang palit ng parts. They don't repair - they just replace. A small squeak? replace lahat. Most of the time they're charge you for unnecessary stuff (like flushing oil every oil change). And more often than not, MAHAL ang piyesa sa casa.

Though your experience might be different if "kabarkada" mo yung service advisor at yung mga mekaniko.

My first car is a second hand, and it taught me alot regarding maintenance. That's why I can take casa mechanics' "diagnosis" with a grain of salt. (there are more competent people here in the tsikot that can pinpoint what's wrong without even looking at the car).

If you want to learn - don't watch through a looking glass. be out there, watch what they're doing up close and personal. Get dirty if you have to.

Regarding the owner detecting the change in the feel? hmmm... 80% of the time the casa mechanic will say na "ganyan lang talaga yan". Look up the experiences of those who got Lemons in tsikot. Casas gave them hell.

Reputable service centers like Speedyfix, Central Diesel, Cruven, etc. are generally better and more importantly, more honest and upfront than casas.

There are shops that carry genuine parts also sell these components at a far cheaper price than casas.

Insurance claims. The warranty doesn't cover many important areas, (such as suspension - wear and tear daw kasi), and there are alot of things that you can do to void that warranty.

[speed unlimited]

Wala naman problema sa budget payo ko lang kunin mo iyong talagang gusto mong sasakyan .

[scharnhorst]

to the TS:

if you have the money, and you can take the three year lock in period...

The casa will be "hassle-free" (i.e. just leave the car there). But it will cost you. Not only in money, but with time too.

but if you want to tinker and learn? look elsewhere.

BTW: Honda isn't the only one who offers 10k PMS services anymore. Ford and Mazda does it for their petrols too.

[renzo_d10]

Well with the TS' budget of 1M. I wouldn't really suggest a SEDAN such as the Altis, Civics and the like because he/she is just new in driving hence might find difficulties in parking especially in tight places. ;)

*TS, if you want A/T ... get the Honda Jazz. Small yet spacious inside, though the hefty price makes you think twice I believe it's worth it for a " newbie " like you.

As for brand new vehicles, misc. fees are needed ... in example of this would be PMS, insurance etc. etc.

You might however, take a second look at the Toyota Yaris and MZ2 hatch/sedan(small) which isn't a bad idea ... at all.

Your choice, goodluck.

[TechieN00b]

*Scharnhost:

A sorry, baka di ko lang nalinaw ang post ko. Anyway, opinion ko lang naman yan, akin lang.

Take 2 (to clarify my statements):

1. Karamihan sa mga ma-eencounter na sira ng newbie e gasgas at bangga... sa experience ko (again, akin lang, bata pa ako, baka mas marami kayong experience) mas ok magpalit sa casa, walang hassle. Lalo na sa body.

2. I was talking insurance not warraynty . Pag ang kotse mo is 2001 model (for example), you pay a participation fee of 2500 (depende sa insurance mo) + 40% of the cost of the brand new part that will replace the "old one" claimed under the insurance. In effect, you're better off sa casa. I;m sure you have strategies to circumvent this, pero hassle pa rin. Casa pa rin as b.new. walang hassle.

3. YES, I FULLY AGREE, MAS MATUTUTO KA SA MAINTENANCE PAG 2nd HAND. PERO my premise is, "matuto with the least hassle". May pera naman ata si TS, so casa pa rin ;-). Di ko naman sinabi na casa lang ang magaling, pero kasi nong newbie ako, wala akong kakilalang mekaniko, mahirap sumugal di ba? Sa casa, pa-kape ka pa.

4. Kaya ko lang naman ni-suggest ang Toyota kasi may looking glass ang casa nila. I did not intend to say "mas matututo ka sa looking glass kesa kung ikaw ang nagbaklas." At wala rin naman akong sinabi ron.

ALL IN ALL, I agree in your 2nd post, AGAIN, mukha namang kaya ng budget, dun ka na sa b.new para less hassle di ba? At dahil b.new ang bibilhin mo, dun ka na sa may matututunan ka pa --> magaling magpaliwanag ang service advisor (hindi suplado), may looking glass, at comfortable ang service.

Ganito na lang: *TS: i-test drive mo (wag mo lang ibangga ha), kausapin mo mga service advisor, etc. feel mo yung service at yung car.

BTW: 2nd hand din ang 1st car ko. In the end, naisip ko lang na sana nag brand new ako. mas malaki pa ginastos ko kakarepair kesa pag no-hassle pay monthly dues e. Pero tama, marami akong natutunan kakapagawa, hehehe.

[scharnhorst]

3. YES, I FULLY AGREE, MAS MATUTUTO KA SA MAINTENANCE PAG 2nd HAND. PERO my premise is, "matuto with the least hassle". May pera naman ata si TS, so casa pa rin ;-). Di ko naman sinabi na casa lang ang magaling, pero kasi nong newbie ako, wala akong kakilalang mekaniko, mahirap sumugal di ba? Sa casa, pa-kape ka pa.

4. Kaya ko lang naman ni-suggest ang Toyota kasi may looking glass ang casa nila. I did not intend to say "mas matututo ka sa looking glass kesa kung ikaw ang nagbaklas." At wala rin naman akong sinabi ron.

BTW: 2nd hand din ang 1st car ko. In the end, naisip ko lang na sana nag brand new ako. mas malaki pa ginastos ko kakarepair kesa pag no-hassle pay monthly dues e. Pero tama, marami akong natutunan kakapagawa, hehehe.

*3: That's why he can ask here in tsikot for reputable mechanics, reputable shops. or in the very least, reputable dealerships. Your point of "matututo with the least hassle" depends largely on the competency of the dealership - if the car gets stuck there for days, or weeks, or worse, kung parati namang backjob sa bulok na casa, that's not really hassle free, right?

it's hassle-free in the sense that you personally won't be responsible for maintaining the car - hindi ka na maghahanap kung saan kukuha ng part, pwede mo pang iwanan yung auto mo.

My brother in law was kind enough to introduce me to his trusted mechanic, he helped a lot during the time that the ranger was acting up. As well as a shop where I could get parts.

*4: Looking glass? Hmmm. Mazda Q. Ave lets me watch things being done to our mz2 up close and personal (they have looking glasses). Again, what's the worth of looking glass if the job is less than satisfactory anyway? Btw, not all Toyota casas have these "looking glasses"

Nothing beats brand new - usually allows for a less hassling ownership before stuff begin to break down. It's generally for those who can afford or those who don't want to take responsibility for maintenance.

*TechieN00b: you yourself said it. "marami akong natutunan kakapagawa", but for me, even if our ranger does give me headaches at times - I'm still thankful that it was my first ride. haha. first love never dies

It seems that we've very different experiences, good thing you've had a good toyota casa - others aren't that lucky.

*iNoob: in a practical standpoint, the mazda2 hatch and the yaris have less useable space than the jazz. The jazz also has the better interior among the three.

*renzo: haha. yeah, it's not a bad idea.

[iNoob]

thanks guys..
tsikot is a big help talaga..

that's what i'm thinking if i will go for bnew or 2nd hand..
as i read here, bnew will give you ease of mind while 2nd hand hahaha dagdag sa sakit ng ulo..

still a noob and i'm getting hang of it..

ang gusto ko talaga is Lancer EX and ung color white, kasi sa looks talaga astigin e.. pero this will be my very first car and i'm not yet good on driving so expect some scratches..

really thanks guys, i will be reading my thread the whole day..

[iNoob]

3. For Newbie, I presume ang gusto mo na car sporty (yabang effect most likely sa mga bagong driver, ako din ganon, hehe). Tama ba ako sir? pero don't forget, FC is very important. FC is 50% CAR SPECS AND 50% DRIVING HABIT.

a bit right.. hhehehe lancer EX kasi parang sports car ...

regarding sa Bnew and 2nd hand..

both of them my advantages talaga and disadvantages.. one of them is the price and 2nd hand goes here totally... maintenance naman and warranty is for bnew... parang mas okay kasi sa akin ung may peace of mind ka hahaha...

[iNoob]

i saw Mazda2 sa Eastwood Mall pag baba ng unit ko and naliitan talaga ako.. the thing is nakita ko ung prospect car ko na Lancer EX pero color black siya ahhaha di pala maganda pagblack and mas okay pa ung white..

mejo ot:

oo nga pala after i finish my course sa smart driving i will still continue my driving lesson sa iba naman.. baka sa father ng wife ko rent na lang kami ng car..

1 hour of driving lesson is very short..

[ghosthunter]

ang gusto ko talaga is Lancer EX and ung color white, kasi sa looks talaga astigin e.. pero this will be my very first car and i'm not yet good on driving so expect some scratches..

The Lancer EX is a great car for the price. I recently purchased one and I love the car.

What is not to love about it? Great looks, spacious interior, good engine power, handles well and all for a relatively affordable price under P1M.