Which Used Ride for 350-400K Budget?

[New Ride]

I've seen some threads with good advice. I hope someone could help me pick the best second hand car for my 350-400k budget. The car will be used in manila with once a month trip to Batangas. I'm single so space is not an issue. Fuel efficiency, Maintenance costs are the biggest factors for me. Currently, I'm favoring the 2002 Grandeur but I'm hearing some negative stuff about the nissan brand, they say nissan's gave service nightmares... Hope you could enlighten me.

[karlbo]

welcome to tsikot new ride

thats a lot budget ei...

im a nissan exalta grandeur owner and havent got enough problems thou... i just used it bulacan-makati-office-makati-bulacan and some out of town trips. Ok naman yung performance and also the looks. Executive look.

service nightmares?. it depends siguro kung san ka papaservice. i maintained my service in casa for major repairs but most likely sa caltex ako nakatambay for change oils, wash, etc...

for this budget id rather purchase a 2nd hand Hondacivic 2002 model like the ES. May nakita ko dati swak sa 400K, semi setup and well maintained. hanap ka lang.. malaki naman budget mo eh..

[New Ride]

Thanks for the lead Mugen! I would have to consult you later for some grandeur stuff if it wins!

[seonadancing]

BMW E36 - don't be afraid of maintenance cost, basta in good condition yun makukuha mo.

[seonadancing]

Sorry double post.

[Syuryuken]

Honda Civis SIR panalo sa porma

[niky]

If you enjoy driving, you can find in your budget:

Honda Civic SiR: 350-500k - very quick on the highway. Decent interior, but not the best you can find at this price. Fuel consumption in the city, as long as it hasn't been modified, should be around 9 km/l.

Ford Lynx RS: 400k-600k - quick, but also nice and grunty at low rpms in traffic. Nice interior, sunroof, CD-changer, leather steering wheel (original Nardi leather). Nice body kit. Terrific handling. Maintenance costs a bit more than 1.6 liter cars, but hook up with a good aftermarket supplier like Fordland, and it isn't painful. Consumption in the city is at around 8 km/l... better if you drive carefully (8.5 - 9)... but the RS hates traffic. To Batangas, maybe 10 (fast) - 14 (slow, tested this) km/l.

Maintenance so far, isn't a big issue. Most of the guys who are having problems are the guys doing turbo installations or driving like maniacs. The rest of us are okay.

If comfort is more your thing:

Ford Lynx Ghia: Handles pretty well, rides firmly, but body motion is well controlled (in other words, it won't bounce). Lots of toys, like the Grandeur, with the bonus of a sunroof. Has window shades, CD changer, foglights, nice leather and power adjust and fold mirrors (at least the latest one does). Has ABS and SRS, too. Resale value is low because it's a Ford, but that means you can get a much newer one than with other cars.

If you like this car, get the newest one in your budget (older ones had some sensor problems... not hard to fix, but sometimes inconvenient) and get a manual. Automatic versions have poor fuel consumption, somehwere between 7-8 km/l in the city, I believe. Manual versions are about average. But if you like to drive, it's worth it.

Nissan Exalta Grandeur: While it's true that my opinion of Yulon electronics is negative, this is a very comfortable car. A bit tight compared to newer cars, but okay. Front seats are very good. Only comes in AT, so might be a bit sluggish, and fuel consumption in the city won't be any better than the two posted above. As long as you go to the right casa, or go straight to an outside supplier, most maintenance is relatively painless. Make sure everything works when road-testing it, and make sure that there are no funny noises underneath. The soft suspension can lead to worn bushings if the car was driven in the province.

Toyota Corolla Altis: Too bad the 1.8 won't fit your budget, but the 1.6 isn't a bad car. Even in automatic form, the Altis engine is relatively fuel efficient (unlike some others). It's reasonably comfortable, easy to drive, and painless to own. Kind of common, and there aren't many toys, but if you're not a boy-racer like most of us here, it's an okay car.

Honda Civic VTi-S: Not sure about the interior kit, but it's got a great engine. Some people complain that it's a bit soft compared to the older Civic, but if you've never owned one, it won't be a big problem.

Lancer MX: Nice kit, comfortable ride, CVT. Gives you good acceleration (for an automatic), easy use, and decent fuel economy. Dealer support is choppy (Mitsu's money problems means it has some personnel problems at the casa... you really have to search to find a good dealer) but if you're going outside for repairs, it's all okay.

-----

As with everything, take your time, don't rush a purchase, and test-drive the vehicle, if possible. Don't settle for a quickie around the block. Get out into traffic (hey, offer the owner some McDo... good excuse) and see if there are any running problems when it's hot.

And most of all, make sure that you actually really really really like the car before buying it. Don't buy something you don't like just because it's a "good brand" or a "decent price". Buy something that's a good price and a good car. Good luck!

[orly_andico]

if you have 400k lying around why not use it as a 50% down on a new car? you can get something like an automatic FD Civic or a manual Focus for ~8.5k/month with 50% down. At least no maintenance issues for the next five years (on the Ford, three years on the Honda).

[rayban7g]

If you consider mid-size too, eto:

-8G Galant SS (shark) <= lotsa parts!
-'99-01 Accord VTi/VTi-L (2.0 & 2.3L)

...1.6L & above: Altis, ES Civic, Lancer MX! :D

[karlbo]

Thanks for the lead Mugen! I would have to consult you later for some grandeur stuff if it wins!

sure we'll even have a big discounts on service parts on casa in broadway motors inc. thanks to ild for the referral