Car for new driver

[Zhandros]

Here is the thing. The wifey wants to learn how to drive and is planning to enroll in a driving school this month or the next.

Now she is planning in getting a car for her daily drive and is setting aside around P50,000++ to get one. Now i'm wondering if its worth it at that price, or should we splurge a bit and get one at the P100,000 mark.

The autos i found at the P60k range are those of the late '80s era or koreans from the early n'90s. The ones at the P100k range are the AE101s and some really good condition AE92s. Hence my dilemma.

My biggest concerns are reliability and the auto having a working a/c and power steering.

[tidus1203]

Remember new driver sya, reliability is the most important mahirap na masiraan sa gitna ng daan...

[oliver1013]

At the given price range, I think year model,resale value,brand,make and mileage is already irrelevant. As Tidus said, reliability is of the utmost importance. Kung pwede sa kakilala ka kumuha or talagang bring a mechanic to your prospect unit. If you ask me, mas maganda matuto sa manual instead of matic.

[Zhandros]

Yeah, which is why i posted it here sa tsikot so i can get additional insights before we actually get a car.

I checked out one earlier, '87 or '88 model nissan california, offered for P60k. Runs well enough, cold a/c, the engine idles quietly and konti kalampag on smooth roads, some underneath the dash on rough terrain. What bothers me is that it has plates that start with "C", so pampanga/subic area. Where do i text the plate number to make sure that it isnt a hot vehicle with the TMG and such other?

[desert fox]

Yeah, which is why i posted it here sa tsikot so i can get additional insights before we actually get a car.

I checked out one earlier, '87 or '88 model nissan california, offered for P60k. Runs well enough, cold a/c, the engine idles quietly and konti kalampag on smooth roads, some underneath the dash on rough terrain. What bothers me is that it has plates that start with "C", so pampanga/subic area. Where do i text the plate number to make sure that it isnt a hot vehicle with the TMG and such other?

Tama lang yan, second hand muna pero reliable naman,paakyat kapag traffic at paatras o pagpark ng vertical lang naman mahirap....kapag ok na si misis, Go na sa brand new....hehehe...

iba talaga ang Nissan pagdating sa AC....

Maybe LTO can help you if the car is hot or not?

[Zhandros]

Tama lang yan, second hand muna pero reliable naman,paakyat kapag traffic at paatras o pagpark ng vertical lang naman mahirap....kapag ok na si misis, Go na sa brand new....hehehe...

iba talaga ang Nissan pagdating sa AC....

Maybe LTO can help you if the car is hot or not?

Uhm, mebbe i didnt make myself a bit clear, or mebbe you have a different idea. But Hot Vehicle with TMG = Carnapped / Wanted Car.

[[archie]]

for me the LTO text is not that reliable. just go to TMG in pasig to verify. they would not verify without the unit it self but you can ask them politely and give 100 tip to verify.

BTT: 100k? small body corolla is pretty much reliable or maybe go for series 3 sentra. IMO 50k is too small of a budget. parang sayang lang.

[jut703]

I suggest you step up the budget a bit. Buying a 50k 80's car is merely like buying something to last you a year or so. Buying a 100k AE92/AE101 would be a better proposition in the sense that it's more reliable and much easier to maintain.

[ParticleX]

sentra b13

[GTi]

I'd suggest you raise it a bit more. Around 100k at least. Reliability and performance do come at a price. As much as possible, stay away from carbureted cars. EFI's are generally more reliable and fuel efficient. I'd suggest the AE101 Corolla GLi, "itlog" Lancer GLXi, B13 Sentra ECCS (If you can find a B14 that suits your budget, even better) or perhaps the Hyundai Elantra GLS. Stay away from matics as well. A/T cars from your budget range give horrible fuel consumption figures, often mechanically unreliable, and rob a lot of power from an otherwise quick engine.

[projector]

Here is the thing. The wifey wants to learn how to drive and is planning to enroll in a driving school this month or the next.

Now she is planning in getting a car for her daily drive and is setting aside around P50,000++ to get one. Now i'm wondering if its worth it at that price, or should we splurge a bit and get one at the P100,000 mark.

The autos i found at the P60k range are those of the late '80s era or koreans from the early n'90s. The ones at the P100k range are the AE101s and some really good condition AE92s. Hence my dilemma.

My biggest concerns are reliability and the auto having a working a/c and power steering.

if ever kukuha kyo ng ganyang kotse dapat may resident mekaniko na kyo para ok

[jhnkvn]

There's no denying Toyota in terms of reliability. If modern day Toyotas of the 90s, that's telling a lot.

Just don't get white, alam na natin kung ano yun dati pagganun

[renzo_d10]

I agree with the Sentra b13 or the AE92 corolla. Trusted cars.

Get the one whose condition is the best para sure na hindi ititirik wifey mo. Mahirap na matirikan sa daan, lalo na kung 1st time driver ka pa lang.

[Zhandros]

Yeah, i guess we just have to save up some more for the AE92/101s or the Sentra B13.

Thanks for the inputs guys

Oh and me and the wifey went out the other day to look for cars at her price range, funny thing, comment nya puro panget. nyahahaha. I guess it goes to show, "you get what you pay for."

[tidus1203]

Yeah at P100K there are not a lot of options... All you will get are early 90's car or kung Korean late 90's...

[niky]

Yep... you really do get what you pay for.

The California is a nice car. Comfortable, lots of space, good looks. Problem is, it's so old, it's hard to find one in decent condition, and parts aren't as common as parts for the B13 and B14 Sentras.

At 100k, I'd be looking really hard at B13 Sentras (advertised as ECCS or LEC/LEC PS)... Corollas in that price range are really beat to hell.. you can get somewhat nicer Sentras for the same amount.

[GTi]

Nissan California? Isn't that the hatch version of the B12 Sentra? If I remember right, these were notoriously unreliable due to the poor quality of materials used. When I was small, our car was a 1989 Nissan Sentra 1.6SGX. It was nice, with the power windows, locks and steering, cool A/C, fuel injected engine, and many other features quite new for its age. But when it is involved in an accident, makikita mong yuping yupi talaga ang bakal. When we sold it by 2000, the exterior was still very new, but it was getting poor fuel mileage, and having numerous repairs. That was back when it was still 11 years old. As for the B13 Sentra LEC-PS, I wouldn't consider this as the engine is slow and thirsty. The 1.6 liter ECCS variant would be nice, though it is quite cramped inside. I noticed you guys here don't seem to be recommending the Lancer "itlog". Is it that bad compared to the Sentra and Corolla? I have an uncle who has his GLXi since 1994. He lives in Baguio and goes to and from Manila frequently. The car is not well maintained, but it is still running very well till today. Part of its work is carrying vegetables (he has an organic farm) and it runs the inclines of Baguio without breaking a sweat. Its body is already rusty and the paint is faded since its always exposed to the elements. When you look at it, you wouldn't believe that it is still very much capable of running stably at speeds in excess of 160km/h in the SCTEX. It proves that the engine and chassis of Mitsubishi is really good.

[niky]

Never actually had any problems with our California... and from experience with secondhand units, Californias are much better than the sedans. Yes, I've had the displeasure of driving one or two 20 year old B12s...

The metal on all new cars is rather thin compared to older 60's and 70's cars. That's par for the course.

[dr. d]

if budget is really a limitation..
at 50K, nothing can beat the reliability of a classic air cooled beetle. of course, it has its quirks. but hey! you won't have to worry about radiator water and carnappers. and trouble-shooting is easy. the only problem is, its design is a love-it-or-hate-it thing. and many people hate it. but if your objective is learning to drive...

[dr. d]

sorry. double post..