Honda City 1.3S MT or Lancer GLX MT?

**kristian 13** · April 8th, 2008 03:35 PM

my cousin have this city tango red pearl,, she bought it last january 2008. and the performance is ok. about sa lancer parang konti lang yung ganto sa kalye? and mitsu is also the least reliable car for me

Go for city na because i think marami ang satisfied sa car na to. cause very easy to drive, ganda ng interior, very fuel efficient also. but the last decision is yours,, kung gusto mo rin bakit hindi mo test drive yung 2 car?? HTH

**1D4LV** · April 8th, 2008 03:55 PM

on your question bro on suspension repairs. let me put it in a more detailed way.
probably on the 3rd year (i did changed my shocks on my 3rd year) which is still within the warranty period you may need to change your shocks already. i don't think these parts come free with the warranty for they are on the wear and tear side. at 2.8k/shock, that's around 11,200.00. you may also need to change your joints and bushings which can cost around 5,000.00 - 7,000.00.

this can last you for around 3-4 years (again) so that your car will be on the 7th year already before you can replace them again.

of course, wala pa dyan yung cost of alignment (which i do), every year too, and the cost of the timing belt/water pump/tensioner replacement during the 75k-80k kms mark (sana under warranty pa yung isa iyo that time...), the regular A/C cleaning every year, and of course, the regular tune-up change oil activities every three months.

if you are getting a lancer, eto lang advise ko. don't touch the suspension system. keep it stock. if you are changing rims, make it as close to stock. i made a mistake of always altering my suspension before that is why i had doubled my suspension maintenance costs during the third year. nawala pa yung warranty ko.

afaik, yun lang naman ang pinakamalaking gastos eh.... to summarize:

Shock absorber - between the 3rd or fourth year of ownership
Suspension bushings - between the 3rd or fourth year of ownership
Ball joints/CV joints - between the 3rd or fourth year of ownership
Timing Belt, Tensioner Bearings, Water Pump - depends on your mileage.
Regular AC maintenance - annually
(my case, the aux fan conked out during the 7th year of ownership, costs 6,500)
Regular Oil Change/Tune-Up - every 3 months
Tire change - 4th year.

Dyan mo na lang i-factor.
Good luck on your purchase bro.

**1D4LV** · April 8th, 2008 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by ronw123w124

Since lumabas na yung bagong Lancer, meron pa kayang matira na old body GLX M/T come August?

meron pa yan siguro bro. they usually have those things in stock that will last around three months more. and besides, lancers are not corollas which sell like hotcakes.... hehehehe.

**1D4LV** · April 8th, 2008 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Larry_Bird

My cousin had a box type Lancer until around 2002. Binenta niya lang nung medyo malaki na kids nila. What about your experience on the suspension? Thanks!

hmmm, honestly speaking, i had more suspension problems with my current pizza than with my box, my singkit and my itlog. tingin ko weak link the pizzas talaga ang suspension eh.

my box and my singkit were all used for four years and i never had any suspension repairs then. yung itlog ko, nagpalit lang ako ng shocks once and bushings once.

**Larry_Bird** · April 9th, 2008 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by 1D4LV

on your question bro on suspension repairs. let me put it in a more detailed way.
...
to summarize:

Shock absorber - between the 3rd or fourth year of ownership
Suspension bushings - between the 3rd or fourth year of ownership
Ball joints/CV joints - between the 3rd or fourth year of ownership
Timing Belt, Tensioner Bearings, Water Pump - depends on your mileage.
Regular AC maintenance - annually
(my case, the aux fan conked out during the 7th year of ownership, costs 6,500)
Regular Oil Change/Tune-Up - every 3 months
Tire change - 4th year.

Dyan mo na lang i-factor.
Good luck on your purchase bro.

1D4LV, thanks for sharing!

At least that gives me a rough idea, and coming from an actual Lancer owner too. The suspension is definitely worth thinking about... But overall, assuming I get the same performance as you did (and I do not intend to change the stock suspension), it doesn't sound too bad at all. You've been extremely helpful.

kristian 13, will try to test drive both when I get home. That is definitely a good idea ;) Or kahit ma-inspect man lang sa showroom. (Hindi yata lahat ng time eh may availabe test unit...

)

To sum it up:
I am slightly more drawn to the looks and size of the Lancer, but need to evaluate if I'm willing to spend extra on suspension maintenance. I'm assuming the worst-case here, basing from some Tsikot members' feedback. I'm not discounting the possiblity that the Lancer's suspension will perform just as well as the City's, for just as long.

On the other hand, I am also excited about possibly owning a Honda City 1.3S. So far, all feedback has been positive about this car. It sounds more practical for it's fuel economy, and just as roomy as the Lancer.

I'll make my final decision based on my test drive/inspection at the showroons, and how good the offers will be from the dealers. Can't say I've fully made up my mind based this thread alone, but I will definitely make a more informed decision thanks to all of you. Cheers!

**mazdamazda** · April 11th, 2008 02:14 PM

Hmmm... test drive both vehicles... both has its pros & cons.

I'm also drawn towards the Lancer... more metal for your money... the GT version (with the 4G63 engine) looks really nice... but the base model GLX is a bit bland.

If you can get discounts for the Lancer that would be great and would tip the balance in its favor.

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**winferrer** · April 11th, 2008 02:37 PM

the mitsu is more expensive right?
if you got the money. go for the mitsu.

itsura-wise and size, the mitsu is better.

**niky** · April 12th, 2008 12:18 AM

As for City suspension... I haven't heard many horror stories, but the bushings in front are a known wear area, and it's not uncommon for there to be some "kalampag" after a while. Not difficult or expensive to fix, but it's there.

The only major wear area on the City is the CVT. And then, only if you drive it like an idiot. If you avoid hard driving and hard launches, it should last a long time.

**Type 100** · April 12th, 2008 09:40 AM

Test-drive both.

Personally, I wouldn't want to plunk down money on constant suspension repair. Sure, everything down there is a wear item, but wouldn't you be glad to know that some cars wear better than others?

**Larry_Bird** · April 12th, 2008 12:30 PM

mazdamazda, my budget puts the GT out of reach. Besides, I haven't noticed the difference exterior-wise, fog lamps lang ba? Obviously, I'm not a car enthusiast

winferrer, the 2 cars are almost the same price. Niky, thanks for the inputs. City sounds like a solid car for long-term ownership.

Type 100, very well put. Hard to argue with that one