What's the Best All-Around 2nd Hand Vehicle 450K Can Buy?

[confused shoes]

I'm in the same situation couple of weeks ago looking for a back-up car with the same budget as yours. I narrowed my choice between 2007 X-trail or a 2006 Everest. Reason? Cheaper than the other SUVs of the same age but I ended up buying a 2006 2.0L Grand Vitara. Reason? the Grand Vitara (for me) looks better than the other two.

[d_mac]

I'm in the same situation couple of weeks ago looking for a back-up car with the same budget as yours. I narrowed my choice between 2007 X-trail or a 2006 Everest. Reason? Cheaper than the other SUVs of the same age but I ended up buying a 2006 2.0L Grand Vitara. Reason? the Grand Vitara (for me) looks better than the other two.

ABSOLUTELY, the GV looks super-handsome YES, fellow GV owner!
Mine though is a GV V6 4x4 manual-tranny....

Super-galing choice mo sir! It's the compact SUV with an integrated built-in ladder-frame chassis that is tucked-in to the unibody (hindi outrigged), at self-adjusting timing-chain mga GV, maging mga current line-up ng Suzuki cars na binebenta ng Suzie Philippines ngayon, puros timing-chain driven ....Chief, hindi na bagay ngayon ang handle mo Confused Shoes dahil calculating o smart shoes na ang dating mo haha!

Yung nga lang, gasolina nga lang hehe, di sing-tipid ng diesel

[confused shoes]

ABSOLUTELY, the GV looks super-handsome YES, fellow GV owner!
Mine though is a GV V6 4x4 manual-tranny....

Super-galing choice mo sir! It's the compact SUV with an integrated built-in ladder-frame chassis that is tucked-in to the unibody (hindi outrigged), at self-adjusting timing-chain mga GV, maging mga current line-up ng Suzuki cars na binebenta ng Suzie Philippines ngayon, puros timing-chain driven ....Chief, hindi na bagay ngayon ang handle mo Confused Shoes dahil calculating o smart shoes na ang dating mo haha!

Yung nga lang, gasolina nga lang hehe, di sing-tipid ng diesel

Thank you boss. I hope you can advise some hints in the Suzuki thread on how to take care of this new guy. My last Suzuki car was 12 years ago. Supercarry. Medyo OT, hehe.

To TS,
My wife's first choice was the 2006 Everest (because of its size and price). When I suggested the Grand Vitara, she didn't think twice and she is very happy with the buy. Gustong gustong dalhin. Maganda ang tindig at hindi marami sa kalsada. With your budget, you can get a fresh 2006 GV. 4WD pa sya. Pwede pang off road ni sir.

Yun nga lang, gaya ng sabi ni boss d-mac, hindi kasing tipid ng diesel.

[GTi]

Three CUVs available here that are known to be truly off road capable are the Grand Vitara, Escape, and Forester. Yun nga lang, pare-parehong mga gas. 2.0L or above + A/T + 4x4 + Philippine driving conditions = not-so-great fuel consumption numbers.

I would not get a pickup if I were you. Especially if you are going for the old ones. My ninong used to have a 1996 Hilux 2.8L 4x4. He customized it to show car/heavy off road standards. The front is OK, similar to an SUV. The rear is very uncomfortable. There's the bone jarring ride, very limited legroom and almost 90 degree seatback. With 96hp for the 2.8 4x4 and 86hp for the 2.4 4x2, its not fast at all.

Then again there is the Starex GRX CRDi. Its got a higher power to weight ratio and more torque than the Fortuner 3.0D4D, availability of manual transmission, more flexible body on frame with rear LSD for more-than-light off roading.

[d_mac]

Thank you boss. I hope you can advise some hints in the Suzuki thread on how to take care of this new guy. My last Suzuki car was 12 years ago. Supercarry. Medyo OT, hehe.

To TS,
My wife's first choice was the 2006 Everest (because of its size and price). When I suggested the Grand Vitara, she didn't think twice and she is very happy with the buy. Gustong gustong dalhin. Maganda ang tindig at hindi marami sa kalsada. With your budget, you can get a fresh 2006 GV. 4WD pa sya. Pwede pang off road ni sir.

Yun nga lang, gaya ng sabi ni d-mac, hindi kasing tipid ng diesel.

Chief, i replied at the Suzuki forum re care and maintenance ni GV mo....

Cheers!

[ikaela]

*d_mac: Thanks for the vote of confidence for the Crosswind. My parents have one themselves and use it as as their war car. Yun nga lang, I want something even just a tiny bit more luxurious naman for my first car. But kung wala talaga, Crosswind talaga bagsak ko.

I've been shopping for pickups too and they're expensive ha! I also might not be able to fully utilize all that space. We're good with something that has a large enough cargo area.

*confused shoes: Thank you for sharing your own experience. I was looking at the X-Trail at first too but I've ready many testimonies here on Tsikot that it's a gas guzzler. Was there ever a Vitara with a diesel engine?

*GTi: I've come across a few new model pickups. If we ever do end up getting a pickup, I'll definitely stick to the new ones.

Okay, off to do more shopping tonight...

[GTi]

*d_mac: Thanks for the vote of confidence for the Crosswind. My parents have one themselves and use it as as their war car. Yun nga lang, I want something even just a tiny bit more luxurious naman for my first car. But kung wala talaga, Crosswind talaga bagsak ko.

I've been shopping for pickups too and they're expensive ha! I also might not be able to fully utilize all that space. We're good with something that has a large enough cargo area.

*confused shoes: Thank you for sharing your own experience. I was looking at the X-Trail at first too but I've ready many testimonies here on Tsikot that it's a gas guzzler. Was there ever a Vitara with a diesel engine?

*GTi: I've come across a few new model pickups. If we ever do end up getting a pickup, I'll definitely stick to the new ones.

Okay, off to do more shopping tonight...

The diesel Grand Vitara was not made available here.

The 2.5L X-Trail is a guzzler, the 2.0L 4x2 is more bearable though.

Pickups are workhorse vehicles. I'd probably get one if no one sits at the back on a regular basis, and I'm hauling a lot of huge stuff. And if you do get one, you'd still have to invest on a good bed cover or canopy if you don't want your stuff exposed to the elements or stolen.

[confused shoes]

*TS, it would have been better kung meron tayong mabibiling diesel na Grand Vitara. Boss d-mac can tell more about the diesel GV which is available kung saan sya naroroon.

We considered also the X-trail because we can get a younger unit with the limited budget. Since hindi namang araw-araw tatakbo, medyo ok na rin sa amin yung medyo malakas sa gas which I think hindi maglalayo sa Grand Vitara based sa mga nabasa ko sa mga forums. The pick-up would be a nice option too pero mahal pa rin ang medyo bata-batang unit. I found a 2004 D-max with an odo of about 280K Km (close to d-mac D-max odo) advertised at sulit.com and the seller is still asking for more than Php600K! Ewan lang kung ano ang meron sa kanyang pick-up.

My wife drives a D-max though and she prefer driving it over a sedan. Reason? Mataas daw at malaki ang side mirror. Kita nya lahat ang traffic at most angles. Magaling daw makipagsiksikan kahit isang batalyon na tricycle. Ang ayaw ko dyan sa D-max, nauuntog ang aking ulo sa kisame pag ako'y nasa likod lalo na pag si misis ang nasa manibela. Siguro nananadya, hehe. Sa tipid at overall maintenance cost. Matipid talaga. We spent less maintenance cost than our just given up Altis. Siguro casa differences na rin.

[d_mac]

*TS, it would have been better kung meron tayong mabibiling diesel na Grand Vitara. d_mac can tell more about the diesel GV which is available kung saan sya naroroon.

We considered also the X-trail because we can get a younger unit with the limited budget. Since hindi namang araw-araw tatakbo, medyo ok na rin sa amin yung medyo malakas sa gas which I think hindi maglalayo sa Grand Vitara based sa mga nabasa ko sa mga forums. The pick-up would be a nice option too pero mahal pa rin ang medyo bata-batang unit. I found a 2004 D-max with an odo of about 280K Km (close to d_mac D-max odo) advertised at sulit.com and the seller is still asking for more than Php600K! Ewan lang kung ano ang meron sa kanyang pick-up.

My wife drives a D-max though and she prefer driving it over a sedan. Reason? Mataas daw at malaki ang side mirror. Kita nya lahat ang traffic at most angles. Magaling daw makipagsiksikan kahit isang batalyon na tricycle.

Yup chief, would have been better if the diesel Grand Vitara 1.9 DDiS 4x4 (130 hp, 300 Nm torque at 2000 rpm) is in Philippines. Comes with a Renault-designed engine (Viva Le France made hehe ). I only got to experience the diesel-version when i was assigned in Spain and France in 2008 to 2010, it was a 3-door GV, and i like it. If only that is issued in Philippines instead of the 2.4-litre gasoline, it would have been a better sales figure for the GV ;) .... Amongst it many awards since Suzie came out with the Vitara first time in the late 80's, is that it was also the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Best Compact SUV in several Aussie 4x4 off-road magazines ....Off-road is its natural habitat, aside from it as an exceptionally well-mannered ride as a city car.

ayaw ko dyan sa D-max, nauuntog ang aking ulo sa kisame pag ako'y nasa likod lalo na pag si misis ang nasa manibela. Siguro nananadya, hehe. Sa tipid at overall maintenance cost. Matipid talaga. We spent less maintenance cost than our just given up Altis. Siguro casa differences na rin.

Haha! Hindi ka bibiruin ng mga leaf springs ng D-max at ng Hilux chief.... Perfect excuse yan sa mga wifey master-and-commander lalo kapag may atraso asawa nila and they're the ones driving

Cheers!

[d_mac]

*d_mac: Thanks for the vote of confidence for the Crosswind. My parents have one themselves and use it as as their war car. Yun nga lang, I want something even just a tiny bit more luxurious naman for my first car. But kung wala talaga, Crosswind talaga bagsak ko.

I've been shopping for pickups too and they're expensive ha! I also might not be able to fully utilize all that space. We're good with something that has a large enough cargo area.

Yes po ma'am, huwag na po Crosswind hehe, sakaling you give weight more on diesel-fed cars.... Mabuti pa po a reasonably-priced used or 2nd-hand and mint-condition Innova 2.5 D-4D ang kunin po ninyo, or like what i said po, yung dating Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi po noong di pa po ito R-eVGT model, mga model 2005 po yata yung mga iyon.

My wife drives po yung Innova manual transmission, YES - in Metro Manila. She also drives po the manual-tranny D-max, as a point of reference po para sa inyo between an AUV and a pickup. She doesn't have trouble with pickups, well she started driving naman po kasi at the age of 14 years old pa eh haha!

In terms of tipid naman po, mas matipid pa po ng kaunti ang D-max 3.0 Ddi-iTEQ kaysa Innova 2.5 D-4D, as far as what we've experienced on both vehicles....

If it's not much of a trouble, pakibasa nalang po itong latest fuel mileage we got on the D-max compared to wifey's Innova when i was on my short fieldbreak po sa Pinas just recently, and the ensuing discussions at page 17 of the thread:

Just recently during my vacation, my brother-in-law (by my younger sister) drove the D-max 3.0 Ddi-iTEQ to take his family, together with the nanny, to Nasugbo, Batangas via the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay road, thereafter to the steep hills of Tagaytay Highlands, and on the way back to Metro Manila via the small/ constricted and almost just a single-lane Tagaytay-Calamba, Laguna road.

Drove wifey's Innova 2.5 D-4D with my family, on the other hand. Both my sister's family and us were occasionally speeding at 80-120 km per hour to-and-from the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay road almost overtaking every vehicle on the road (name them - trucks, buses, a Tucson, Hi-Ace, Monterosport, Starex, Adventure, Innova, D-max, Hilux, etc etc) and on our way back to Manila from Calamba, Laguna after our Tagaytay Highlands.

The D-max clocked in a total of 270.3 km. Total litres of fuel consumed after refilling from the fully-filled tank reckoned at the end of our excursion-outing was 19.65 litres of Shell V-Power Nitro diesel. Average fuel mileage for the D-max is 13.76 km per litre or 7.27 litres per 100 km in a combined city-driving, a bit of SLEX stretch, a lot of provincial hilly roads and some steep hilly roads, while the Innova 2.5 D-4D that i was driving consumed more fuel - visually, the D-max consumed less than 1/4 of its fuel tank, while the Innova 2.5 D-4D, almost 1/2 of its fuel tank (55-litre full tank) was consumed. Refilling was done the morning after, by the way folks, and i didn't fill up the Innova anymore as i wanted to save some cash and not keen on finding out its consumption apart from the fuel-gauge meter hehe ;)

The 2004 engine model Isuzu 3.0 4JJ1-TC engine is really a frugal-sipper even in steep hillclimbs and in occasional upak ng silinyador - satisfied owner here, and my brother-in-law is thinking of buying my D-max haha!

Cheers!

But better po ma'am, do NOT get a pickup, mas mainam mag-AUV (Toyota Innova 2.5 D-4D) or CUV (Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi), or compact SUV running in maintenance-free self-adjusting stainless steel timing-chain, just in case you consider, like the Philippine-issued Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 VVT in 4x2 auto transmission. Tingin ko po (just my opinion, since i don't own the 2.4-litre version), hindi po ganito kalakas uminom ng gasolina ang Grand Vitara 4x2 natin sa Pinas, dahil hindi po ito all-time 4WD version tulad ng Grand Vitara na gamit ko po sa Australia.

Goodluck po sa mga choices ninyo ma'am.

GOD bless po and i trust that everything is well always with you and your family....

[d_mac]

Xin chao Dienmay! Khoe khong em?

We don't understand any Vietnamese by the way em oi!

[GTi]

An uncle and aunt of mine has a 2012 Isuzu D-Max IPV (4JA1-L engine) as a business vehicle. I have driven it a couple of times. Fuel efficiency is excellent. Handling is actually pretty good compared to our Revo which exhibits very high amount of body roll in just about any corner. Performance is similar to the Revo, with better low end but inferior high end. The ride is very jittery especially at the back. EDSA was a bouncy nightmare! I was running 70-90km/h- quite the norm in EDSA when traffic condition is light- the rear passengers said it felt much faster than it actually is and they were bouncing all over the place.

Oh, and did I mention that the factory recommended tire pressure for the stock 205/70/R15 tires was 65psi?

[d_mac]

An uncle and aunt of mine has a 2012 Isuzu D-Max IPV (4JA1-L engine) as a business vehicle. I have driven it a couple of times. Fuel efficiency is excellent. Handling is actually pretty good compared to our Revo which exhibits very high amount of body roll in just about any corner. Performance is similar to the Revo, with better low end but inferior high end. The ride is very jittery especially at the back. EDSA was a bouncy nightmare! I was running 70-90km/h- quite the norm in EDSA when traffic condition is light- the rear passengers said it felt much faster than it actually is and they were bouncing all over the place.

Oh, and did I mention that the factory recommended tire pressure for the stock 205/70/R15 tires was 65psi?

37 psi lang max ko sa rear tyres ng D-max 3.0-litre chief GTi, 29 psi lang sa harap.... Pero, matagtag talaga mga leaf springs, walay kakupas-kupas dodong nako haha!

Pero mas less naman tagtag ng the D-max 3.0 TD Intercooler (previous 4JH1-TC) compared sa 4JJ1-TC 3.0 Ddi-iTEQ.

As far as the D-max 2.5 4JA1-L naman, yup matibay kung matibay ang makina just like our Crosswind, BUT naman naman, jurassic 1997 base powerplant na yan na hanggang ngayon ayaw pa rin palitan ni Isuzu ahahay.... Kupad pa't maingay hehe

Cheers!

[GTi]

37 psi lang max ko sa rear tyres ng D-max 3.0-litre chief GTi, 29 psi lang sa harap.... Pero, matagtag talaga mga leaf springs, walay kakupas-kupas dodong nako haha!

Pero mas less naman tagtag ng the D-max 3.0 TD Intercooler (previous 4JH1-TC) compared sa 4JJ1-TC 3.0 Ddi-iTEQ.

As far as the D-max 2.5 4JA1-L naman, yup matibay kung matibay ang makina just like our Crosswind, BUT naman naman, jurassic 1997 base powerplant na yan na hanggang ngayon ayaw pa rin palitan ni Isuzu ahahay.... Kupad pa't maingay hehe

Cheers!

Natuwa ako nung nakita ko yung 65psi. Pero considering na pang 15 passengers yun...

In the application with the D-max IPV, di naman siya sobrang ingay IMHO, just a bit more than the noisier ones of today's CRDi engines. Makupad nga lang talaga. Hanggang mga 80 ayos naman, pero beyond that ang bagal na umakyat...

1997? Mabago-bago pa yan! Yung unang Ddi na 4JX1 nga eh introduced in 1998. Consider the compatriots of the 4JA1,Toyota's 2L and Mitsubishi's 4D56, both of which are from the 80s. The 2L's honorably retired, but the 4D56 goes on and on and on...

[topgearboy]

ride, comfort, & maintenance.....for me the best na kunin mo is ung Pajero FM. pasok pa sa budget mo!