Best Compact or Sub-compact car for 275k to 300k

[Free & Accepted]

Hi Gurus,

I will be buying a second hand car this October, my budget is 275K to 300K.
Please advise for the best car at this price range, requirement is seen below:

1. Low Fuel Consumption
2. Automatic Trans
3. Low Maintenance Cost
4. Comfortablility of the ride
5. Power
6. after 5 years I will sell the car (resale value)

This is for city driving but occational out of town trips for two.

One offer is a Chevy Optra 2008 1.6L but maraming negative traits ang Optra such as malakas ang FC "daw" at sirain "daw" at mahal ang parts, isa pa sirs nakita ko sa Chevy Phil Website wala na ang Optra model dun, does this mean phase out na po ba to?
One other option is Ford Focus 2007 1.6L kaso wala po akong alam sa car na ito baka mas mataas pa ang FC nya sa optra at mas sirain po sir, also, is Aveo a good option sirs?

Really need HELP papatapos na po ang October wala pa rin akong nakukuha sirs.
Baka may mas maganda pang option na alam kayo sirs.
Any advice would be very much appreciated Car gurus.

Cheers,
Free & Accepted

[niky]

You can' get this:

1. Low Fuel Consumption
3. Low Maintenance Cost
5. Power

with this:

2. Automatic Trans

Most 1.3 to 1.6 liter automatics are, at best, decent on the highway and bad in traffic. At worst, they'll be terrible in traffic. Secondhand ATs in that price range carry with them the potential need to overhaul the transmission.

Also:

6. after 5 years I will sell the car (resale value)

If you buy a car for 300k, expect to only be able to sell it for 150k after five years. That's non- negotiable. Spend an extra 100k to restore it, and you might be able to sell it for 200k.

-

The Optra really has poor consumption. The Aveo, too, in automatic.

The Focus 1.6, I'd only get in manual. A 1.6 with the 4AT is not enough to carry around that heavy, heavy car.

Good picks if you really need an AT are the Toyota Corolla 1.6 (be extra careful with the condition of the engine oil and transmission) or a 1.5 liter Vios/Yaris. Civics are always a decent buy, also.

The Honda City/Jazz is the most economical car in your price range, but I wouldn't buy one with the CVT, not unless you know the owner and the condition of the car. If you're willing to go manual, you won't find a better deal than a 1.3 MT Jazz.

[Egan101]

Best bets would be a Civic ES (VTi-S) or an Altis. Maybe you can also look at a Lancer MX (Cedia) or a Nissan Grandeur Exalta or a Mazda3.

[Free & Accepted]

Hi Sirs Niky & Egan101,

Thank you for your recommendations, I will check on sulit or ayosdito for Altis or Civic 2006 or if you know somebody who has a car to sell for this price range please inform me.

Thank you sirs and more power

Cheers,
Free & accepted.

[basti08]

I'd get the N16 Sentra, the newest you could get. prolly a 2006 or 07 model. If you're lucky, maybe an 08 model. Entry ownershipo model should be the GSX. GS is a better variant though.

[beaumaniac]

:2thumbsup:

[Egan101]

The 2nd gen N16 (2004 onwards) comes in various models - 1.3L GX (MT and AT), 1.6L GSX (MT and AT), 1.6L GS (AT), and 1.8L 180GT. The chassis is similar to the first gen N16 (Grandeur series). Go for the top tier models as they have better features. I used to own a 2002 Grandeur Exalta GS and it offered a comfortable ride (more like a smaller Cefiro). Though not that quick but it's quite stable on the highway. The top tier models of the 1st gen N16s (specifically the GS models) had a lot more features (sunroof, better upholstery, powered seats, wood trims, wood&leather steering wheels, etc). The newer GS N16s have bigger wheels though, much better than the stock 14s on the older N16s. The 1st gen N16s (Grandeur Exalta or Superio) are sold cheap nowadays so if you can find a one in good shape with low mileage, I guess it's a good buy. Fuel consumption is about 8 km/L on city driving (for the GS AT models) and goes better on the highway. The main problem with the N16 is the front suspension, based on my experience. As it is a heavy for a compact, the front suspension (specially those small bushings in its front suspension arm) needs to be checked regularly (twice a year) if you're going to use it as a daily car in the metro. A nearby Cruven branch can easily sort out this matter.

[magilas_316]

The Honda City/Jazz is the most economical car in your price range, but I wouldn't buy one with the CVT, not unless you know the owner and the condition of the car. If you're willing to go manual, you won't find a better deal than a 1.3 MT Jazz.

agree ako kay sir niky dito. the car is reliable, matipid sa gas, has a flexible cargo space and most of all, is fun to drive.

[Free & Accepted]

Thank you for recommendations sirs, if I were to choose a vios 1.5G 2005 model against sentra 1.6 gs A/T, 2007 model which would be a beeter buy sirs?

[1D4LV]

Thank you for recommendations sirs, if I were to choose a vios 1.5G 2005 model against sentra 1.6 gs A/T, 2007 model which would be a beeter buy sirs?

the Vios...

[basti08]

Thank you for recommendations sirs, if I were to choose a vios 1.5G 2005 model against sentra 1.6 gs A/T, 2007 model which would be a beeter buy sirs?

Get the better maintained unit. I'd lean towards the Sentra. Since, it has better accomodations. 4 wheel disc, a temperature gauge and an analog cluster (vs digital for Vios), center console box (06-07 Vios only), dual airbags (gen1 Vios no airbag/gen1.5 driver airbag only), autoclimate control (vs manual AC for Vios), bigger trunk. wider and bigger tires (195/60R15 vs 185/55R15 for Vios), plusher upholstery and newer year model.

[Egan101]

I go along with basti08. An Altis 1.6G or Civic VTi-S or Lancer Cedia GLS will be a better comparison for the Sentra GS.

[beaumaniac]

:2thumbsup:

[Free & Accepted]

Sir Egan101 - that is true an Altis or Civic would be a better comparison but I guess I can't get a 2007 model against sentra for that matter, the only comparison I could get for 2007 model is a Ford Focus 1.6, with the same price range, which would be much better of the 2?

[Egan101]

*Free&Accepted - I guess the Sentra N16 is a better option compared to the Mk2 Focus. There are more N16s on the road compared to the Mk2 Focus so parts will be easier to acquire.

[niky]

The parts per se are not that hard to get... but the N16 parts will be much cheaper.

And the N16 is a lighter car, which will probably mean good things in terms of fuel economy.

[ajkotse]

cold cash ba yan or iloloan mo pa?

kung cold cash, why not use it as DP? for a decent/better 2nd hand car?

tama yung isa nagcomment, you can get fuel efficient,low cost, power at comfortability

pero with AT trans tapos ganyan lang budget mo, I doubt meron or mahihirapan ka maghanap... bka nga i-overhaul pa ang makina nyan kung AT

sa price range mo.. why not get vios 05-06? you'll get everything you need... bka mkakuha ka p ng decent AT transmission.. sobrang mura ng maintenance at ang resale value panalo din since it's toyota :D

magMT ka nlng, madali lang naman magdrive ng manual hehe... sanayan lang :D mas cheaper pa ang MT cars at mas tipid sa gas :D you'll get everything.. you can get 2008 models kung MT kukunin mo mas kampante ka pa na since bago siya, mas konti ang sakit ng ulo compare sa lower year models :D

[Free & Accepted]

Cold cash po to sir ajkotse, nabawasan budget cause maraming gastos eh, pero I need AT kasi taga Cainta ako kaya mas comfortable ang AT sa traffic, isa pa sir that amount I see vios G 2005 model na sir pero ang tanong ko kung mas maganda po ba ang Vios G 2005 or Nissan Sentra GS 2007 same price lang sila eh.

[ajkotse]

Cold cash po to sir ajkotse, nabawasan budget cause maraming gastos eh, pero I need AT kasi taga Cainta ako kaya mas comfortable ang AT sa traffic, isa pa sir that amount I see vios G 2005 model na sir pero ang tanong ko kung mas maganda po ba ang Vios G 2005 or Nissan Sentra GS 2007 same price lang sila eh.

low maintenance, fuel efficient, power at comfortability... I'll go with Vios G! to be honest we still own Toyota XE 1997, nkaka10km/L parin... 15yrs old car na yun ha! I have a Hyundai Getz 2010, mas malambot parin ang clutch at mas mas masarap parin idrive ung Toyota XE kesa sa Hyundai Getz ko :P

hands down ako sa toyota... :D plan na ni daddy palitan yung car pagnabawasan mga gastusin nya to an SUV pero Toyota parin ang kukunin nya if ever. Toyota fanatic kasi dad ko (swak na swak sa personality nya since KURIPOT siya hehehe) matipid at low maintenance, kahit sinong mekaniko alam kumpunihin ang toyota, dami pa parts... kahit sang gas station,talyer mo dalhin :D

Sorry kung masyado ako bias sa Toyota...

-Hyundai Owner

[Egan101]

Cold cash po to sir ajkotse, nabawasan budget cause maraming gastos eh, pero I need AT kasi taga Cainta ako kaya mas comfortable ang AT sa traffic, isa pa sir that amount I see vios G 2005 model na sir pero ang tanong ko kung mas maganda po ba ang Vios G 2005 or Nissan Sentra GS 2007 same price lang sila eh.

Just check the cars properly and test-drive them. Choose the one which you are comfortable riding on, plus consider its condition as you will be responsible for its maintenance once you buy it. The Sentra GS has more features and is more spacious. It's like given a choice between a Vios and an Altis, I'd definitely choose the Altis. Basti08 already stated above a good summary of the comparison between the two models.