(My Early Retirement Car) Best 2nd Hand SUV for PHP 400K budget

[gilbert1614fnt]

Hi mga Ka Tsikot, i need help from you guys to decide on what best car to buy with the 400K budget i have. I am on my late 30s already and currently working as a corporate guy but planning to grab early retirement if ever the company offer it this year. I plan to pursue and focus on my small guitar business. My wife is pregnant to our 2nd and 3rd babies so in total we will be 5 in the family this year. My initial choice was a Montero but after knowing that my wife is carrying twins on her belly that i decided to lower my budget to allocate some on her pregnancy. I need help to decide what kind of SUV will fit to our needs. I listed the criteria below.

- Automatic
- Fuel Efficient (Expecting to travel a lot from Rizal to Pampanga and vice versa)
- Big Space since i will be carrying guitars for business and churchmates on Sundays
- Mura at Maraming Pyesa sa Market
- Will be serviceable by mechanics in the next 10 years (If i didnt make it sa aming business baka 1st and last na car na to hehehe)

Sana po matulungan nyo ako, i asked advice from my in laws and friends but the common answer to me is Innova and Sportivo. I want to know the opinions of other people din.

Maraming Salamat po and God Bless sa ating lahat na mga nagmamaneho.

[dr. d]

growing family?
aside from the five of you, you'll need space for the nanny and the baby equipment.
sure, you'll fit in a monty or innova, but it'll be like 555 (sardinas) inside. you'll fit, but it will probably be a bit tight.
toyota van. used or brand new. i used to besta, back when my two kids were under-three years of age.

[n_spinner06]

growing family?
aside from the five of you, you'll need space for the nanny and the baby equipment.
sure, you'll fit in a monty or innova, but it'll be like 555 (sardinas) inside. you'll fit, but it will probably be a bit tight.
toyota van. used or brand new. i used to besta, back when my two kids were under-three years of age.

I second this. I currently have 2 kids and by next month, my wife will be giving birth to the third. Kahit 2 kids lang at isang kasambahay, tight fit na sa 7 seater vehicle. What more with another kid and another kasambahay? Car seats pa lang ang bulky na. Will be purchasing a van myself.

Edit: toyota vans are very expensive though. 10yr olds with 100k kms nasa 1m territory pa. Sa 400k na budget, you might want to consider other brands.

[_Cathy_]

I think the Innova is a good suggestion. It's practical and I dont know anyone who complained about their Innova. We have a neighbor that replaced his old Innova with another Innova [emoji14]

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[travajante]

The RWD 2.8 Innova ticks all the boxes.

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[glenn_duke]

^^ 2.8 Innova? not with the 400k budget.

What you will get for 400k are the likes of 2nd hand 10yr old adventure and crosswind or starex grx.

For 150k (550k) more you will have more choices including >5 yr old innova E or a 2015s Grand Starex or a 2nd gen monterosports, or 1st gen fortuner.

[baludoy]

^^ 2.8 Innova? not with the 400k budget.

What you will get for 400k are the likes of 2nd hand 10yr old adventure and crosswind or starex grx.

For 150k (550k) more you will have more choices including >5 yr old innova E or a 2015s Grand Starex or a 2nd gen monterosports, or 1st gen fortuner.

What you will get for 400k are the likes of 2nd hand 10yr old adventure and crosswind or starex grx.

I think the crosswind suggestion is probably good.

I don't know much about the crosswind but it seems to be very sturdy. Its design also doesn't really age. I've seen several of them in mint condition in the village and they still look good.

Iyon nga Lang medyo masikip ata sa loob for a 7 seater kapag full load.



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[gilbert1614fnt]

Wow, in just few hours i got lots of replies already. I really appreciate your help po.

Sorry van is not an option since budget for now is really tight. I will put aside riding comfort as long as the 5 of us will fit inside the car, that would be fine for now.

Hope we can streamline the discussion to the best 7 seater in the market within my budget. Primary concerns po talaga will be fuel consumption and inexpensive parts available in the market. Does old model diesel Innova is practical to buy or there are other gasoline brands out there that can match the Innova? I'm seeing a lot of 2nd Gen Avanza, Escape, Ecosport, Rav4, CRV, Outlander, Tucson in marketplace, what are your thoughts on these cars po?

Thank you again for your responses.

[dr. d]

Wow, in just few hours i got lots of replies already. I really appreciate your help po.

Sorry van is not an option since budget for now is really tight. I will put aside riding comfort as long as the 5 of us will fit inside the car, that would be fine for now.

Hope we can streamline the discussion to the best 7 seater in the market within my budget. Primary concerns po talaga will be fuel consumption and inexpensive parts available in the market. Does old model diesel Innova is practical to buy or there are other gasoline brands out there that can match the Innova? I'm seeing a lot of 2nd Gen Avanza, Escape, Ecosport, Rav4, CRV, Outlander, Tucson in marketplace, what are your thoughts on these cars po?

Thank you again for your responses.

in my opinion,
an old innova, even the 2005 ancient one, is fine, as long as it was treated reasonably well by the previous owner.
innovae are well built.
many folks feel the diesel variant is better than the gasoline variant. but it's up to you, sir.
good luck.

[Walter]

Strapped for cash? ... don't buy a car ... the most expensive car you can buy is the cheapest one ... frequent breakdowns will drain your funds ... very quickly ... allocate your extra funds to your business ...

and if you really must buy ... (which is not recommended given your financial status) ... avoid Ford and Korean used cars ... stick with Toyota ... get a Toyota Vios if you want easy to maintain with cheap parts ... that said, Toyota Innova is still the better buy but resale value of these are high ...

[Vodka]

Strapped for cash? ... don't buy a car ... the most expensive car you can buy is the cheapest one ... frequent breakdowns will drain your funds ... very quickly ... allocate your extra funds to your business ...

and if you really must buy ... (which is not recommended given your financial status) ... avoid Ford and Korean used cars ... stick with Toyota ... get a Toyota Vios if you want easy to maintain with cheap parts ... that said, Toyota Innova is still the better buy but resale value of these are high ...

agree w/ this. a lot of us here grew up riding at the back of a sedan. 3 kids at the back worked just fine back then your vehicle purchase should be a tiny percentage of your income or savings. focus on growing your income. when it does then nicer cars will be available to you

[oj88]

A late model 1st gen Innova 2.5L (2KD) Diesel could be within your budget. They're very reliable, fairly cheap to maintain, and will serve the purpose you have in mind.

I sold my 2015 Innova G 2.5 almost a year ago for 500k. It had 65k on the clock and nothing to fix. I'm sure you can still get one around or below that amount in 2025.

[gilbert1614fnt]

Strapped for cash? ... don't buy a car ... the most expensive car you can buy is the cheapest one ... frequent breakdowns will drain your funds ... very quickly ... allocate your extra funds to your business ...

and if you really must buy ... (which is not recommended given your financial status) ... avoid Ford and Korean used cars ... stick with Toyota ... get a Toyota Vios if you want easy to maintain with cheap parts ... that said, Toyota Innova is still the better buy but resale value of these are high ...

Hi sir sorry but it is a must for me now. My wife and I have been commuting ever since but then my 1st child came and it was too difficult. Same with you it was also my belief that i should have bigger income before getting a car but when you already have a child, reality kicks in. Thats why im trying to buy something within my budget and didnt consider getting brand new. I know middle class earner whose income is way lower than mine but able to survive with 2nd hand cars, no choice but to dive in the gamble too for our safety and convenience.

But I appreciate you suggesting to get a sedan instead. This would save me more cash but if there is a cheap Innova close to Vios price i'll get that of course.

Thank you sir!

[Verbl Kint]

Innovas are great cars. However, in the second-hand market, Innovas are waaay overpriced. The ones in your budget have usually been driven above 150k km already, or worse, have tampered odometers. Worst-case scenario would be refurbished rental cars or part-time UV express shuttle cars (aka colorum) which may look good on the outside but have unseen gremlins just waiting to come out.

In my experience, for cars like the Vios, Innova, and Hi-Ace, the only viable used units would be the ones where you personally know the owner and know the car was taken care of.



____________________



I also agree with an earlier post to look at Crosswinds as these will likely be within your budget (not overpriced), are reliable, and can fit your needs.

If you're buying a used sedan, I would suggest looking at a used Mitsubishi ASX. These will be under your budget, look great, and will likely be easy enough to maintain. It won't have as much space as an AUV but it will be a more premium vehicle and you will enjoy it more than the Crosswind.

[foifoi05]

Hi mga Ka Tsikot, i need help from you guys to decide on what best car to buy with the 400K budget i have. I am on my late 30s already and currently working as a corporate guy but planning to grab early retirement if ever the company offer it this year. I plan to pursue and focus on my small guitar business. My wife is pregnant to our 2nd and 3rd babies so in total we will be 5 in the family this year. My initial choice was a Montero but after knowing that my wife is carrying twins on her belly that i decided to lower my budget to allocate some on her pregnancy. I need help to decide what kind of SUV will fit to our needs. I listed the criteria below.

- Automatic
- Fuel Efficient (Expecting to travel a lot from Rizal to Pampanga and vice versa)
- Big Space since i will be carrying guitars for business and churchmates on Sundays
- Mura at Maraming Pyesa sa Market
- Will be serviceable by mechanics in the next 10 years (If i didnt make it sa aming business baka 1st and last na car na to hehehe)

Sana po matulungan nyo ako, i asked advice from my in laws and friends but the common answer to me is Innova and Sportivo. I want to know the opinions of other people din.

Maraming Salamat po and God Bless sa ating lahat na mga nagmamaneho.

if you could stretch your budget a little more, yung Grand Starex. maganda space niyan for the family and cargo mode daig pa pickup truck, plus it's shorter than a pickup din, sakto mga gitara sa likod.

You just have to join clubs para makatulong sa maintenance and parts.

[dr. d]

You just have to join clubs para makatulong sa maintenance and parts.

somehow, that's not a very encouraging concept...
heh heh.

[foifoi05]

somehow, that's not a very encouraging concept...
heh heh.

hehe, sa Tsikot Starex owner's thread!!!!

[Motortrend]

if you could stretch your budget a little more, yung Grand Starex. maganda space niyan for the family and cargo mode daig pa pickup truck, plus it's shorter than a pickup din, sakto mga gitara sa likod.

You just have to join clubs para makatulong sa maintenance and parts.

Joining online clubs is a good idea. You can get tips on where to source parts and have the vehicle maintained. Not unlike Tsikot. But these will be vehicle specific.

[papi smith]

Here's my take.. try to check if your guitar business can absorb transport cost, like lalamove etc. If yes, then you can fit your budget to a younger and reliable brand of sedan.

My first 2 cars were 20 year old Toyota sedans, they were reliable. I was assigned a civic EG for field sales work, this unit is indestructible. I owned 2 more civics, the ES I sold at 10 yo and 86k kms and the FB is still with me at 11 yo and 87k kms. These are tough cars. I tried to sell my FB last December and priced it near the lowest offer of 370k, offers were mostly 330k from Buy & Sellers with some at 350k.

My point is if you buy something like a Civic FB from a 1st owner, then you have a vehicle which is comfortably wide for 4 people and ok din for 5, then may tira ka pa sa 400k mo for repairs if needed.

Btw, kinargahan ko rin ng spandrel ang FB ko when I had our house repaired and a lot of other things. The back seats are easy to baklas and kabit. Maybe if sedan na folding back seats kaya pa a few guitars.

[dodge lofa]

Hi mga Ka Tsikot, i need help from you guys to decide on what best car to buy with the 400K budget i have. I am on my late 30s already and currently working as a corporate guy but planning to grab early retirement if ever the company offer it this year. I plan to pursue and focus on my small guitar business. My wife is pregnant to our 2nd and 3rd babies so in total we will be 5 in the family this year. My initial choice was a Montero but after knowing that my wife is carrying twins on her belly that i decided to lower my budget to allocate some on her pregnancy. I need help to decide what kind of SUV will fit to our needs. I listed the criteria below.

- Automatic
- Fuel Efficient (Expecting to travel a lot from Rizal to Pampanga and vice versa)
- Big Space since i will be carrying guitars for business and churchmates on Sundays
- Mura at Maraming Pyesa sa Market
- Will be serviceable by mechanics in the next 10 years (If i didnt make it sa aming business baka 1st and last na car na to hehehe)

Sana po matulungan nyo ako, i asked advice from my in laws and friends but the common answer to me is Innova and Sportivo. I want to know the opinions of other people din.

Maraming Salamat po and God Bless sa ating lahat na mga nagmamaneho.

I understand your situation, and it’s great that you’re carefully considering all factors before making a decision. With your PHP 400K budget and specific needs, you might want to include Hyundai SUVs in your list of options, like the Hyundai Tucson or Santa Fe. These models are known for their spacious interiors, fuel efficiency, and reliability—great for a growing family and a small business like yours.

What’s more, Hyundai vehicles are relatively easy to maintain, and you can find a reliable Hyundai workshop near me or even in areas like Rizal or Pampanga to handle servicing and repairs. Hyundai parts are becoming more available in the market, making it a practical choice for long-term use.

If you’re open to exploring second-hand units, you might find well-maintained Hyundai SUVs within your budget. Just make sure to check service records and, if possible, have it inspected at a trusted Hyundai workshop near you for peace of mind.

Good luck with your search, and congratulations on the twins and your exciting plans for the future! God bless!