Help with choice of Santa Fe or Strada

[v2g]

Hello!
I hope fellow tsikoteers in here can chime in and help me decide on what vehicle i should get.

I currently have a Nissan Urvan assigned to deliver daily suppplies for my biz around Metro Manila malls.
I am expanding my biz to the north (as far as Angeles Pampanga) and have decided to do the provincial delivery myself. In doing so, i have to acquire another vehicle solely for that purpose.

I'm choosing between Hyundai 2010 Santa fe 4x2 ReVGT A/T and a Mitsu 2010 Strada 3.2 (4m41) GLS 4x4 A/T (both 2nd hand units)

why the above choices?
#1. I can get a really good deal sa SF and the Mitsu is being offered by a friend. Both units in the Php800k mark and mas affordable than brand new

#2. I will be the one driving & delivering supplies + 1passenger. I need some comfort din naman. Both vehicles offer a more comfortable ride than the usual L300 Cab or van.

#3. Both vehicles are fast enough, I'm not a speed freak, ok na sakin 100-130kph sa highways but, as they say, better to have it than to need and not have it, both vehicles can attain more than 160kph easily

#4. Based on comments here in the forum both have equal ups and downs on reliability

#5. why not a L300? or any other vehicle? I deliver only small supply items and konti delivery destinations, enough room na in the back seat of SF or Strada. I also want it to be discreet - in a way na it's not a delivery van they see, + read #1 & #2

#6. I don't know if it's just me or what, but i haven't used any brand new vehicles for my businesses before, all of them were 2nd hand and surplus units. I find them easier to maintain than brand new ones, IMHO.

Now, ano po sa tingin nyo would be the ideal vehicle (SF or Strada), if i'm looking for:
-best in FC (city & highway) -will be using it 3-4 times a week

-madaling i-maintain, cost of spare parts, availability of parts whether OEM or aftermarket

-i do not plan to have it regularly serviced sa casa, so general/basic knowledge of the vehicle among outside autoshops /service stations is a plus

-less tendency to break apart for the next 5-6 years. I know there are many factors involved but let us say they were taken good care by their previous owners, treated like a baby, equal mileage and etc.

-ride comfort in paved asphalt is same for both vehicles, siguro? but how about worn-out asphalt roads? uneven roads? which one is better? I'm not looking for comparo of mono vs ladder, simply comments on real life experience when passing through this kind of roads. My usual route is QC to Bulacan to Pampanga, mostly nlex & local hi-ways (80-85%), i pass by wornout to uneven roads (15-20%)

-Please feel free to add your comments & suggestions
TIA! Greatly appreciate the help

[1D4LV]

i would go for the strada because of your delivery requirements.

[dct]

sa 2nd hand dealer ba yung santa fe? santa fe sana ako kasi puro highway ang daan. pero i think mas panatag ang loob ko sa strada na friend ang may-ari

[v2g]

sa 2nd hand dealer ba yung santa fe? santa fe sana ako kasi puro highway ang daan. pero i think mas panatag ang loob ko sa strada na friend ang may-ari

Yes sir 2nd hand dealer yung sta fe. thanks po.

[yebo]

Yung sta fe baka zrp-351 plate nun flooded yun, ex ko haha! Sa totoo lang wala ako tiwala sa 2nd hand dealer lalo na pag maganda yung kotse na pinagbibili. The better the car the more suspect it becomes. Who would part with a 2010 sta fe? - it was either flooded or the owner was very rich he changes his suv every 3 years.

Kung sa friend mo yung strada e sa strada na ako. Sabi mo kasya sa back seat yung goods pero i would rather you have the extra cargo space of the box in case you venture out to other business and it wil no longer fit in the sta fe.

[dct]

^ tapos "really good deal" pa yung sta fe. so baka nga nabaha. we don't know

[v2g]

Yung sta fe baka zrp-351 plate nun flooded yun, ex ko haha! Sa totoo lang wala ako tiwala sa 2nd hand dealer lalo na pag maganda yung kotse na pinagbibili. The better the car the more suspect it becomes. Who would part with a 2010 sta fe? - it was either flooded or the owner was very rich he changes his suv every 3 years.

Kung sa friend mo yung strada e sa strada na ako. Sabi mo kasya sa back seat yung goods pero i would rather you have the extra cargo space of the box in case you venture out to other business and it wil no longer fit in the sta fe.

Hahaha, I like your motto sir, "The better the car the more suspect it becomes". Yes, actually i was wondering with that too. I was able to inspect the unit- 35k/kms palang naitakbo, mukang legit naman, personalized plates 3letter 2number type, interior very well kept, looks like mayaman nga previous owner, no signs of flooding but i'm no expert. I have a schedule to test drive the unit on Monday. We'll see Yes, a friend po but not so close of a friend na i know all his habits. He is leaving for work sa Qatar and decided to sell the Strada. I don't know the actual condition of the unit, makita ko pa lang this coming week.

^ tapos "really good deal" pa yung sta fe. so baka nga nabaha. we don't know

According to some comments i received, Php890k neg for a 2010 very fresh + low mileage is a good deal na raw, (totoo ba yon, sir?) tapos no hassle sa financing papers kase they are affiliated po with my financial creditor din.

[dct]

^ what i mean sir, pwedeng flooded kaya mura deal. pero baka lang naman

goodluck sa test drive sir. bring an expert mechanic

[v2g]

^ what i mean sir, pwedeng flooded kaya mura deal. pero baka lang naman

goodluck sa test drive sir. bring an expert mechanic

Ah yes sir, i hope so too ok sana sya. thanks sa tips sir.

[GTi]

We have both, although of different variants ('11 SF R e-VGT 4x4, '13 Strada 2.5GLS Sport-V A/T) so I'd be able to answer you objectively.

Firstly, you have to be absolutely 101% sure of the car's condition. Check EVERYTHING before making a purchase.

Being modern commonrail units, routine maintenance cost for both are pretty much similar. The Santa Fe has the obvious edge in the fuel efficiency department (2.2 vs 3.2, 4x2 vs 4x4, 6AT vs 4AT), the performance department (197ps/436Nm vs 163ps/343Nm), as well as the comfort department. The Strada isn't very far behind in terms of ride comfort though. It is, by far, the most comfortable pickup I've ever ridden, though it can still get slightly bouncy at the back when going over bumps without slowing. It also has the edge in the durability department. It is, after all, designed for work and abuse and so, is perfectly capable of taking a beating on a regular basis. This is not saying that the Santa Fe is a wimp though. It is still capable of tackling light to moderate offroading if you wish so given the high ground clearance and torquey engine, but that is definitely not what it was built for.

What do you deliver? With the Strada, you'd have to shell out extra to invest on a bed cover or canopy (both of which aren't cheap!), if it isn't so equipped. The bedliner's hard and smooth surface makes things slide and bounce around and the bed is on the small side, so if you haul long objects which need to be kept inside, the SUV is the way to go.

I find the Santa Fe's interior quality (midsize sedan standard) vastly superior to the Strada's (hard toy plastic!). Steering is quite light, though also rather lifeless. The Strada's is very heavy in comparison. Both seem to lack grab handles despite the high ride height, making ingress/egress somewhat of a chore. Some minor pet peeves with the Strada include the handbrake placement on the right (far) side of the center console and the rather small cup holders.

Both are good cars and will do excellently with your route of mostly highway driving and some bad roads. It depends on your priorities and preferences. Personally, with my preferences and daily route (pure city driving), I'd take the Santa Fe over the Strada any time.