Seriously need help for 1st car purchase

**Shadeslayer** · May 21st, 2014 08:25 PM

Hi, all!

I am very new in this forum. I have been searching high and low for a solid community to help me make my choice for my first car (looking for a sedan). I have tried going to Topgear.ph for help and emailed them. 2 months, and no reply.

So, I am really looking forward to any help you guys can offer me.

To be honest, I am an amateur in choosing vehicles. Like most amateurs, I always go for what looks best (interior and exterior). I have visited the most popular dealers and have listed the sedans I am looking to buy... I just need the professional/experienced opinions of you forumers out there to help me finalize my choice, particularly in the quality of the ride, reliability, after sales service, and fuel economy.

I have been working myself really hard for 2 years and managed to save 1M for my car fund. So far, I found that most brand new compact and sub-compact sedans are priced between 600-900k.

Here is the list of the cars I am considering (in order of choice)

1st - Toyota Corolla Altis 2014 (looks really good in and out, spaceous, affordable - but a Philippine Taxi Brand)
2nd - Honda City 2014 (haven't seen the actual unit yet, but good reviews, expensive brand)
3rd - Kia Rio (sentimental reasons, lol)
4th - Mitsubishi Lancer (affordable, reliable brand, Japanese car)
5th - Hyundai Elantra (looks really good, but korean)

Please please... Help me make my choice. Any other car suggestion would be gladly accepted and I will take all your replies and opinions in serious note.

Thanks in advance!!!

**crosswind** · May 21st, 2014 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Shadeslayer

Hi, all!

I am very new in this forum. I have been searching high and low for a solid community to help me make my choice for my first car (looking for a sedan). I have tried going to Topgear.ph for help and emailed them. 2 months, and no reply.

So, I am really looking forward to any help you guys can offer me.

To be honest, I am an amateur in choosing vehicles. Like most amateurs, I always go for what looks best (interior and exterior). I have visited the most popular dealers and have listed the sedans I am looking to buy... I just need the professional/experienced opinions of you forumers out there to help me finalize my choice, particularly in the quality of the ride, reliability, after sales service, and fuel economy.

I have been working myself really hard for 2 years and managed to save 1M for my car fund. So far, I found that most brand new compact and sub-compact sedans are priced between 600-900k.

Here is the list of the cars I am considering (in order of choice)

Hi sir welcome to tsikot

1st - Toyota Corolla Altis 2014 (looks really good in and out, spaceous, affordable - but a Philippine Taxi Brand)
2nd - Honda City 2014 (haven't seen the actual unit yet, but good reviews, expensive brand)
3rd - Kia Rio (sentimental reasons, lol)
4th - Mitsubishi Lancer (affordable, reliable brand, Japanese car)
5th - Hyundai Elantra (looks really good, but korean)

Please please... Help me make my choice. Any other car suggestion would be gladly accepted and I will take all your replies and opinions in serious note.

Thanks in advance!!!

Welcome to tsikot
I could recommend the Honda city rear passenger legroom is bigger that its rival and some compact vehicle
You accord like feautures in the vx - vx+ trims like reverse camera and and a touchscreen priced at 970k have better features than the altis and fuel efficient

**leodawesome** · May 21st, 2014 08:56 PM

Apologies, but I might give you another headache by adding the new Mazda 3 in the mix. Personally I would choose between this and the Altis.

Since you are an amateur car buyer, the only thing that I can tell to 'sell' the Mazda 3 to you is that it has Yojin3, which makes your car maintenance free on the duration of the car's warranty. (3 years, and this includes even the basic change oils, air filters, etc)

**Shadeslayer** · May 21st, 2014 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by leodawesome

Apologies, but I might give you another headache by adding the new Mazda 3 in the mix. Personally I would choose between this and the Altis.

Since you are an amateur car buyer, the only thing that I can tell to 'sell' the Mazda 3 to you is that it has Yojin3, which makes your car maintenance free on the duration of the car's warranty. (3 years, and this includes even the basic change oils, air filters, etc)

Oh, wow. No, not a headache at all! Haha. Thanks for adding that in the mix. I think I considered Mazda 3 but scrapped it off because it was over my budget. It's over 1M, right?

Add on: I am only looking for Manual Transmission. Haha. I checked the mazda 3 variants, all of them seem to be AT.

**leodawesome** · May 21st, 2014 09:44 PM

I think the Mazda 3 variant that is over 1M is the 2.0L variant. The 1.5L variant costs 945k. Too bad it doesn't have M/T trims.

quality of the ride, reliability, after sales service, and fuel economy.

Well, the Altis is my bet when it comes to your criterias above. You won't go wrong if you choose the altis. And also, please scrap the taxi thing. Remember, in other countries, the cabs are even premium midsize to luxury sedans.

**admiralpye** · May 21st, 2014 09:53 PM

From the cars I test-drove recently, I agree that the new Honda City is the best bang for your buck, and the sales service in the Global City branch was great. I'm not sure if the after-sales service is as good, though. But since it is Honda, it won't cost an arm and a leg for maintenance. I'm not sure if the new City comes in MT though. The new Hyundai Accent (diesel MT) would also fit all your criteria, and they have a 5-year warranty. Except that I don't have feedback about their after-sales service.

**Shadeslayer** · May 22nd, 2014 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by leodawesome

I think the Mazda 3 variant that is over 1M is the 2.0L variant. The 1.5L variant costs 945k. Too bad it doesn't have M/T trims.

quality of the ride, reliability, after sales service, and fuel economy.

Well, the Altis is my bet when it comes to your criterias above. You won't go wrong if you choose the altis. And also, please scrap the taxi thing. Remember, in other countries, the cabs are even premium midsize to luxury sedans.

Ah, yeah. In singapore, all cabs are Hyundai and a bit of toyota. Thanks, this comment helps a lot.

I really like the Altis. haha. I have yet to see and try the new City. The Mazda will not be an option. I really prefer MT

**Shadeslayer** · May 22nd, 2014 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by admiralpye

From the cars I test-drove recently, I agree that the new Honda City is the best bang for your buck, and the sales service in the Global City branch was great. I'm not sure if the after-sales service is as good, though. But since it is Honda, it won't cost an arm and a leg for maintenance. I'm not sure if the new City comes in MT though. The new Hyundai Accent (diesel MT) would also fit all your criteria, and they have a 5-year warranty. Except that I don't have feedback about their after-sales service.

Yeah, I read its really great. I cant wait to see it in person come August. It's really between this and the Altis for me, I think. haha

**leodawesome** · May 22nd, 2014 05:57 PM

Side by side, Altis definitely has that more upscale look than the new city. Technically they are on different categories (City is a sub-compact, while the Altis is a compact sedan, which makes it bigger than the city). But the new city has a revamped interior space that matches, or even bigger than some compact sedans in the market.

I think you just need to see and feel them both in person and do a test drive to come to a conclusion.

Also, sedan lang ba talaga gusto mo? With a 1M budget and preference of M/T, haven't you considered getting a pickup? Sorry pampagulo lang.