HiAce or MB100 AND MB100 or Urvan Escapade?

[HENRY]

Thank you for all of your feedbacks. I decided to go for the MB100.

I'm looking for a CMC model with ending plate numbers 3,4,7,8,9 or 0, 1st owned, preferrably silver, but any color will do, except white, well maintained and direct seller.

Maybe you guys can refer some sellers.

[jade888]

huwag ng MB100, go for other vans(starex or jap vans na lang). Sobrang mahal ang maintenance and parts. At sasakyan lang iyan ng mga sobrang yaman na tsinay. My ate is a teacher at ica greenhills. Pag sinusundo namin siya, panay MB100 ang van ng mga ultra wealthy students nila. I guess these people can afford the very expensive maintenance cost and parts kaya iyang MB ay makikita mo lang lagi sa makati at greenhills (area ng mga wealthy chinese families). Stick with the starex na lang or the Hi-Ace...iyan ang van namin kasi and mas mura ang parts.

[OTEP]

Just scout the ads. CMC units are pretty easy to find. And by this time, anything that needs fixing would have been fixed by the previous owner. If not, the low resale value guarantees that you will not go anywhere near the price of a brand-new MB100 even if you have to fix lots of stuff.

CMC:
*CMC badge on radiator support bracket
*Small side mirrors
*Small MB emblem above the grill
*Non-rotating (but reclining) bench seats on row 2-3 with split folding bench on row 4
*Mercedes logo on steering wheel
*No inside tailgate release handle
*Manual dual a/c
*Bigger radiator
*Shorter axle gearing

Recalls:
*Reinforced door handles (inner mechanisms replaced with metal instead of plastic)
*Revised air intake system
*Revised a/c pipe routing

Improvements along the line:
*Heavier flywheel (quieter)
*Improved a/c system
*Shifter redesigned with more robust components

[mfo]

Go for MB100 Lakas A/C, Ganda pa ng Dating

[corbon44]

for the MB100...

how does the engine drive the front wheels, transverse shaft from the tranny then may differential? (curious lang)

[yebo]

I'm planning to buy a 2nd hand van. Ano mas maganda, HiAce or MB100? ok ba parts availability ng MB100? parts cost of the 2? 2.5/2.8/3.0 na HiAce, is there a big difference in power, like in going up Baguio di ba bitin pag 2.5 lang engine? Alternate choices to these 2, ano recommended nyo? Starex? needs to be diesel.

intended use nga pala is "van for rent" business. any comments will be appreciated. thanks!

[niky]

Both are okay vans, I guess, but the Hiace will definitely be easier to fix. The MB100 has a 2.9, so power isn't bad, but it's ass slow. I don't like the interior plastics, they're too easily damaged. The AC is good, though. The 2.5 Hiace feels weak in mountain climbing... but this only means slower ascents, not an inability to climb at all.

[niky]

The Starex is a nice choice, also, but a Hiace is an ideal rental vehicle. Only problem is non-Subic secondhands cost an arm and a leg. I should know, my cousin is selling one.

[yebo]

may natignan na nga kami na 2 units na subic hiace, 2.5 A/T (320k) and the 3.0 A/T(390k). ganda sana kaso nga nasa left side yung sliding door. ok lang sana sa akin na converted kasi balak ko naman na baguhin lahat ng steering parts, kaso lang hindi yata pwede palagyan ng door sa right side ehehehehe. kung pwede lang e di ok na ok sana 2 sliding doors di ba, kaso di daw pwede. saka yung subic versions na nakita ko e puro 7 seaters lang (2 captains+2 rotating captains+3 folding).

hanap ko talaga yung local version na 3.0L, 11/12 seater. try ko sa mga banks baka meron repossesed na units. ano ba usual price ng 2nd hand units?

[altec]

2.4L 2L hi ace is the choice among van rentals. Its more economical in terms of maintenance and fuel economy than the 3.0L engine in the grandia.

[LLeR 010]

I go for MB 100 or Starex

[corbon44]

Worth considering ang Nissan Urvan - 2.7 Diesel, 15-seater (meron din 18-seater, with the rear seats facing each other ala-FX style, worth considering if for shuttle service business).

Most are used for Airport duty, though some naghahatid din sa puerto galera (dami nyan dito sa laguna!).

[niky]

Eh. I don't like Subic vans!!! Aside from the ever-debated conversion safety issue, the left-side sliding door, and the wrong way headlights... the wrong way wipers (just noticed this recently on a converted Previa) are a new pet peeve.

Oh, back on topic... most 5-year old original LHD Hiaces are 600-760k.

[BlueBimmer]

HiAce nalang..

[OTEP]

Mag Hi-Ace commuter ka na lang kung for rent-a-van purposes.

We've never had a Hi-Ace but we have a '97 MB100. Hindi pa din namin mabenta today dahil wala kaming makitang worthy replacement. Features we liked about the local MB100:
*True front engine configuration (the engine is at the front of the vehicle and is used as an impact absorbing device during crashes).
*Since front engine, there is a walk through space between the front seats.
*2.9 OM662 engine. 105bhp (same as D4d na 2.5?). No computer, no electronics. Very easy to service. Even has an underbody skidplate to protect it ala SUV. Has ample torque. Very easy to chirp the front tires when launching. Lakas ng climbing power as long as you keep the revs up. Top speed: 140kph.
*Hard plastic interior. Very hard wearing and easy to clean. Unlike pressed vinyl and lawanit of the Toyota.
*Minimal bare metal in cabin. Flourescent interior lighting (with dim/bright mode) in addition to cargo lamp, map lamps and front dome lamp.
*Front wheel drive. No more tire spinning while backing up our steep driveway. Predictable understeer (hindi pumapalo ang pwet). No driveshaft means low floor design making it one of the roomiest cabins this side of a minibus.
*All seats have seatbelts. Half of the occupants get head restraints. All rows of seats (except last row) have reclining function.
*Split folding rear seats. For more flexible cargo/people hauling. Ample foot room under the seats. Ample enough to enable you to stow luggage under rows 2 and 3.
*Rear roof mounted a/c means no a/c arc above driver's head. All rows are provided with a/c vents.
*Huge brakes (requiring 16" wheels). Superb braking power for such a large vehicle.
*Single rear leaf spring provides better ride than those multiple leaf set ups but without giving up payload capacity. Front suspension is standard torsion bar set up.
*Parts are available either from Mercedes Benz or Korean car specialists.

Some cons:
*Some interior trim feels cheap. Makes chirpy chirpy sounds on some road surfaces.
*How lousy is Korean rubber? We've snapped belts, burst hoses, and blown tires. All were replaced by superior replacement parts. No problem since then.
*Noisy transmission. Improved transmission only installed in last of the series. It's just noisy but it does not mean it is malfunctioning.
*A/C cleaning requires dashboard removal ala REVO, VOLVO, and BMW.

Isip pa ko...

[yebo]

di ko rin naman gusto subic vehicles (except possibly the isuzu bighorn)

ano pa ba iba pwede? would you recommend instead of buying 1 hiace (* 600k) e buy 2 hyundai grace/h100 instead (* 240k each)? then spend the change on upholstery? sabi ng misis ko pag hyundai grace/h100 daw buy 1 then use the rest for down payment on a new starex crdi! tempting! isep-isep...

doc otep, magkano kaya 2nd hand mb100 nowadays?

[niky]

If you buy a Hyundai Grace, set aside 40k or so for an engine change. It'll come sooner or later. Seriously, though... you never know, there might not be any major problems with it if you get a good unit.

[OTEP]

Sa autolink (known for their jacked-up prices), prices ranged from Php 340k for a rebadged 1997 Ssangyong Istana import to Php 518k for a 2001 local (CMC model) with the upgraded transmission, 'Elegance' stripes and badging, and those tacky body colored wiper arms. The last models were also downgraded to plastic wheel covers instead of the alloy wheels of earlier MB100's.

IF we were selling ours today, the asking would be around Php 370k since there's practically nothing to fix and the vehicle has been cared for.

Local units usually fetch a price premium over imports though some imports esp. the top-line MB140D's hold their value pretty well.

[niwde11]

yebs, yung sa kaibigan ko nabenta nya ng 260 late 2004. wait 240 lang yata. dati me nagaalok sakin. gusto mo ba?

[vinj]

The MB100 is a good van but mas marami nang aayusing at this point in time over the Hiace.

Kung rent-a-van business i'd go with the H100 or a Nissan Urvan (kung kaya ng budget). The Hiace is also quite good but the acquisition price is still high for the 2000 and up models.