Car selection approach

[RadioKnight]

Hi all! I would just like to both share and get your inputs on a car buying approach I find useful. Pwede sha sa lahat, kailangan lang tweak.

Basically you start with defining the factors or categories that play a role in the decision. As much as possible, you'd want the categories NOT to intersect, and be about the same level (in terms of how general or specific each category is).

Then you put a weight to each category (1-5), 5 being very heavy/important. This is not ranking, pwede multiple categories get the same weight.

Then you score (1-5 also) each car per category (i.e., you score all cars for 1 category before going to the next category.) then you multiply the weights to the score and total per car.

Typically, you do this once you have short listed your options, normally after filtering options based on budget.

I generally use the following categories with the following weights:

Performance (3.5) -- speed, feel/handling, braking, fun factor, etc (total driving experience)
Comfort (2.5) -- ride comfort (seats, suspension, etc), climate control, etc
Cost of ownership (2) -- gas milage, cost of maintenance, resale, etc
Practicality (1)-- # seats, luggage space, flexibility, etc
Girlability (5)-- how it appeals to girls (hehe); I've found that a car's appeal to girls can be very different from a car's appeal to guys

These are the major factors I personally consider, but I'd imagine there would be some other factors that others would consider to be relevant. For example, I feel safety should be there but I personally generally don't include it - basta may seatbelt! Hehe

Kayo -- what are the weights you would give each of the categories above? Depende sa personality, age, circumstances, etc naman to so no right or wrong!

[foresterx]

performance = 5
comfort = 3
cost of ownership = 2
practicality = 1
girlability = 0

hindi sa pag yayabang but i never needed my car to impress a girl.

[orderbayad]

performance = 5( I put five because it's the highest, 10 sana ilalagay ko =)) )
comfort = 3.5
cost of ownership = 2.5
practicality = 2
girlability = 3

[zap.FREEDOM]

PERFORMANCE = 5
COMFORT = 2
COST OF OWNERSHIP = 2
PRACTICALITY = 1
GIRLABILITY = 0

it doesn't matter to me how my car appeal to the girls...kahit walang aesthetics mods basta JUST PURE PERFORMANCE. ika nga, kahit di kagandahan ang itsura basta demonyo kung umariba..






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ang PANGIT guamgwapo kapag PANALO ang auto

[Ry_Tower]

Good day!

performance = 5
comfort = 3.5
cost of ownership = 3.5
practicality = 4
girlability = 1

[voltscastillo]

above all else, i desire space and comfort sa kotse.

which is why i always buy the largest, most comfy car i can with my money, since i do lots of long distance driving. in fact, if i had the money today, i would probably buy a ford expedition or an accord or camry.

sadly, i almost always have only enough for new compacts or 2nd hand executive class cars.

a girl who looks at your car before she looks at you, well, won't be much of a girl at all in my opinion. that said, lately i've found that today's girls go for luxury and excess and men who can provide them with such. culture natin yan, if it was not, then pinoy ladies like jinky pacquio's twin and her relationship with singson probably would not exist (singson doesn't exactly exude charm, wit, excitement and carefree youthfulness, don't you think? but he does exude power, influence and money, no?).

[ghosthunter]

I prefer a good mix of performance, space and comfort. Having good looks is a bonus too.

How to buy a car?... First look at your budget. That would dictate how far up or down the car choices you can choose from. After that, it gets easier to narrow down what you DO NOT WANT. Then from the remaining cars, choose which one speaks to you the best.

[GTi]

performance = 4
comfort = 3.5
cost of ownership = 3.5
practicality = 5
girlability = 1

An ideal car for me doesn't need to be blazingly fast. Being "moderately fast" is enough for me, especially since we live in the Philippines. Comfort is not that important for me as long as the driver's seat is supportive and won't give me back pains for hours of long distance/heavy traffic driving. Cost of ownership is not that high up my list as long as it isn't prohibitively expensive. As long as the car itself makes me happy, cost of ownership can be overlooked. Practicality is most important. For me, a car has to be able to maximize its potential in every aspect, a gasoline powered SUV with a fairly large cargo area without a 3rd row seat simply would not do. "Girlability"? Naah~ as long as the car's design inside and out appeals to me, that is enough.

[oliver1013]

Girlability?

[fullmetal]

for me, i'll follow my heart first. mahirap ng mapatingin sa ibang kotse at maiisip na "sana yun ang tsikot ko"

eto pala ratings ko, pero sinama ko yung reliability

reliability = 5
performance = 3
comfort = 4
cost of ownership = 2
practicality = 3
girlability = 0

[RadioKnight]

*fullmetal "..I'll follow my heart first..."

--- great insight sir! I agree some cars just "speak to you"... I guess for some, pewde palitan ang "girlability" category ng "emotional appeal"... Kasama na overall appeal ng looks, Heritage of brand, etc.. (think Jeremy clarkson and his general preference for jaguars).

*voltscastillo "..a girl who looks at your car before she looks at you, well, won't be much of a girl at all in my opinion. that said, lately i've found that today's girls go for luxury and excess and men who can provide them with such."

--- can't argue with this sir. While of course hindi lahat (with due respect to our female members), you don't need to look far to see examples. I just passed by a club in makati kanina, luxury and excess was in full force. I guess some guys use cars and money like some girls use make up and short skirts.

Very interesting lahat ng responses!

[jhnkvn]

Umiiba din driving approach natin eh. If we're young, we like cars that drive fast! (Lancers) Once you start piling those beer bellies, gusto mo na ng cars that cushion you from the shortcomings of our DPWH (Camry) while at the same time hoping the Bureau of Customs won't catch you for evading taxes.

Performance (4) - enough to outpace Jeeps... wild taxis... and the occasional Kia Pride with headers, noisy mufflers, and big-ass spoilers.. hehe..
Comfort (3) - enough not to go swear expletives on a giant pothole
Cost of ownership (2) - basta hindi siya parang Land Rover okay na!
Practicality (4) - I'm one of those persons who'll buy a Panamera over a 911.
Girlability? Look-ability (4) - I like my cars to be pleasing aesthetically. Gusto ko yun "pride" that comes in rolling with a gleaming car rather than a car that hasn't been washed for months.