Buying My First Car. Help!

**DocDan** · February 16th, 2017 11:53 PM

Hi everyone! I'm planning to buy my first car probably within the next three months or so. I did a little research and shortlisted the cars which caught my attention.

1. Chevrolet Cruze (comfortable ride)
2. Ford Focus (great design, handling, and mileage)
3. Ford Ecosport (inexpensive and stylish)
4. Honda Civic (excellent handling!)
5. Honda Jazz (fuel efficient!)
6. Peugeot 2008 (probably my favorite - stylish, extremely fuel efficient! However, the possible inavailability of car parts make me step back a little)
7. Subaru Impreza (impressive performance and technology)
8. Toyota Corolla (another favorite - great value for money. I'm not so sure about fuel efficiency though. I think it's quite a drinker?); Finally,
9. Volkswagen Jetta (great design, nice handling, and also extremely fuel efficient. Same thoughts with Peugeot - not sure with repair services.

Quite a long list, right? If I narrow it further, then my top picks would be:
1. Ford Focus
2. Peugot 2008
3. Toyota Corolla
4. Volkswagen Jetta

Will be using the car for daily commute and occasional out of town roadtrips. Any thoughts which car would be perfect? I prefer fuel efficiency, safety, and a sturdy build more than style and performance (I guess I'm more of a practical guy than a car enthusiast... hehe...). I hope you guys can help me out. Thanks!

**StockEngine** · February 17th, 2017 01:35 AM

When you say "nice handling" .. nasubukan mo na?

**jut703** · February 17th, 2017 01:57 AM

The Focus doesn't have good mileage. Expect 6-7 km/L in city driving. Its 1.5 turbo engine has to carry almost 1400 kg which is why it's not very efficient in the city. Surprisingly, for a heavy car, it's very cramped inside with very little legroom for rear passengers.

Parts availability is also a pain. My officemate's Focus spends more time in the dealership than on the road these days. 95,000 km and everything from the engine support, transmission module, and suspension has been replaced.

That said, it's no doubt a looker and it does drive really well especially with the new engine that has much more grunt.

If you're more of a practical guy, get the Altis. It's definitely more efficient than the Focus. I average 8 km/L in moderate to heavy traffic, and around 15-16 km/L for highway driving.

Sturdy build? Definitely. I subject my Altis to the same poor provincial roads that my friend takes his Focus to. But I haven't had to replace anything with my car. At 49T km, it still runs like new even if I drive it hard frequently.

Safety is also a strong suit of the facelifted Altis as it now has 7 airbags and traction control standard across all variants.

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**DocDan** · February 17th, 2017 02:37 AM

Originally Posted by StockEngine

When you say "nice handling" .. nasubukan mo na?

'di ko pa din na tetest drive. 'ung mga nakaparentheses base palang sa mga reviews.

**DocDan** · February 17th, 2017 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by jut703

The Focus doesn't have good mileage. Expect 6-7 km/L in city driving. Its 1.5 turbo engine has to carry almost 1400 kg which is why it's not very efficient in the city. Surprisingly, for a heavy car, it's very cramped inside with very little legroom for rear passengers.

Parts availability is also a pain. My officemate's Focus spends more time in the dealership than on the road these days. 95,000 km and everything from the engine support, transmission module, and suspension has been replaced.

That said, it's no doubt a looker and it does drive really well especially with the new engine that has much more grunt.

If you're more of a practical guy, get the Altis. It's definitely more efficient than the Focus. I average 8 km/L in moderate to heavy traffic, and around 15-16 km/L for highway driving.

Sturdy build? Definitely. I subject my Altis to the same poor provincial roads that my friend takes his Focus to. But I haven't had to replace anything with my car. At 49T km, it still runs like new even if I drive it hard frequently.

Safety is also a strong suit of the facelifted Altis as it now has 7 airbags and traction control standard across all variants.

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Thanks! I'm seriously considering of getting a Corolla. It's seems very reliable! By the way sir, what engine does your corolla have? Do you think getting the 2.0L V automatic is a good deal?

**StockEngine** · February 17th, 2017 03:12 AM

Focus and corolla and mazda3 will have new generation models in 2018/19

Civic is my choice from your long list. http://www.autoindustriya.com/car-re...vic-1-8-e.html

**GTi** · February 17th, 2017 07:49 AM

How much is the budget? Do you prefer sedans over cars with higher ground clearance?

Agree with the Altis. Aside from good fuel efficiency, reliability and performance, you also get the benefit of good resale value. Excellent point A to point B vehicle while still looking good.

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**travajante** · February 17th, 2017 08:14 AM

Hi Doc, you might wanna check out the Mazda lineup. 935pages of ownership feedback here:

2014 Mazda 3

**ice15** · February 17th, 2017 11:20 AM

How long do you plan to keep the car?
And do you have an alternate car?

I have friends who have Fords and Chevrolets common issue they have (years later) is that a part will break down and service center needs xx weeks (or even months) to get the parts.

I can imagine the same problem with Volkswagen and Peugot years later... They just don't have the numbers to stock necessary parts...

Toyota and Honda are safe choices...

But if you have an alternate car... And you're willing to loose money on the resale market... (Loosing money when it's time to sell the car is one thing... Finding a buyer is another!)

My vote goes to the Focus.

**jut703** · February 17th, 2017 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by DocDan

Thanks! I'm seriously considering of getting a Corolla. It's seems very reliable! By the way sir, what engine does your corolla have? Do you think getting the 2.0L V automatic is a good deal?

No. I don't see the point of the 2.0 Corolla since the 1.6V already fits your needs and is 250k cheaper.

Do you need the 2.0? Not unless you drive fast all the time. In fact, I find the 1.6 sufficient enough since it has enough low-end torque for the everyday drive. It also does 200 kph if you push it hard enough.

The other features of the 2.0 are just fancy toys (leather seats, body kits, 17" rims) that you don't really need.

If you're gonna spend 1.3M anyway, why not just get a crossover instead.

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