First time...

[niky]

Oh, forgot... Aveo, Accent:

Aveo, kinda expensive for a Chevy, but it's got ABS and airbags, which are very rare in this price range. Okay buy if you don't mind the badge. Should have excellent casa service and warranty.

Accent: too expensive. The Getz and Matrix are more reasonable. Interior space is at par with the City, except for headroom (which is only a little less), and it drives nicely. Kinda bare, though, and you're paying around 100k extra over the cost of a similar gas car just for the diesel engine.

Don't get me wrong, terrific engine, love the power, and it supposedly gets 28 km/l (38 km/l... bull hokey) in mixed driving (from real owners), but it's expensive!!!

[basti08]

i think its more spacious than the Jazz and offers conventional but still versatile seats (unlike the more innovative Jazz's ULTs)




i think it has theater style seating which unables passengers to have a good view of the road ahead. also, headrest for every passengers.

[CVT]

My vote goes to the Matrix, get the CRDi variant. Sits 5 comfortably, with space at the back for some groceries

Agree here. Go for the Matrix CRDi.


:starwars:

[sysop]

Here are sample pics of the E34 BMW 5-series






Nga pala, sa BMW, eto explaination sa models:

Example is the BMW 525i and the BMW 540d:

525i
525i: 5-Series
525i: 2.5l engine displacement
525i:gasoline

540d
540d: 5-Series
540d: 4.0l engine displacement
540d:diesel


More info on the BMW 5-series here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_Series

OT: magkano po ang price range ng ganitong bimmer? magastos po ba masyado sa maintenance? salamat po! sorry kung OT.. :D

[alwayz_yummy]

nga pala, sa matrix, putting a roof carrier or roof box, di sasagwa ang itsura, bagay din....unlike sa sedans/coupe, and small hatches(jazz,swift,getz)

[annegelly]

Ouch... 698k na ang Matrix... ouch!

Personally, five in the family, most subcompacts (Vios, Getz, Picanto, City, etc) will be kinda small if you're carrying baby stuff. Put a proper child seat in the middle of the back for your baby and the two passengers sitting beside it will be squashed up against the windows!

Bring your family when you go shopping, and, ridiculous as this may sound, bring your stroller-child seat (you can get a decent stroller-child seat combo for 7k) to see if it fits.

I usually carry four people + 1 baby + tons of baby items (crib, stroller, diapers, sterilizer, etc...), and we just fit exactly in my four door compact sedan (Lynx). I don't think I could do the same thing in a subcompact, unless it was a new Honda City (huge 500 liter trunk, you can carry two dead bodies in there... oops, did I just say that? ).

The Suzuki APV has lots of space, there's a cheap version (under 600k), and it's good looking. Only issue is fuel consumption in the Metro, between 7-8 km/l (10 km/l+ on highway), because it's a 1.6 liter gas engine carrying a tall body. Suffice to say, don't get an automatic. If it came in diesel, it'd be perfect. If the slightly high consumption doesn't bother you, this is a great family commuter... cute, practical and fun.

The Matrix is probably the best fit for you, brand new. It's still priced reasonably, and offers compact car space in a subcompact footprint. Tipid sa diesel, and your kids will love the panoramic windows.

The Getz is cute, but kinda tight for five... try it out, though, if you fit, go ahead and get it. I want one myself, but it's not a practical size for me.

I've heard no bad news from Picanto, Getz and Matrix owners so far... nor Vios or Altis owners. You could probably get a secondhand Altis within your budget that will do everything you need, and won't cost a lot in fuel or maintenance.

City/Jazz? Expensive. And before anyone comes in with the lemon complaint, let me just say: inspect the unit very carefully before buying it, to avoid trim issues. In terms of engine/transmission, though, these are the best gas-powered economy cars you can buy... and the Jazz is lots of fun.

You might want to wait and look at the Toyota Avanza. Seats seven, though the third row is kinda small. It's gasoline only, but Toyota will be releasing 1.3 liter versions (should get 9-10 km/l in the city). They'll have 1.3 units within your budget, but there might be a long waiting list when it comes out.

RE: BMW or bigger cars secondhand? Buy a big car, spend big money in maintenance (been there, done that). Okay if you're an enthusiast or a car-lover, but if you're using this as a family-mobile, practicality first.

true! kung pedeng me sariling wagon ang things pa lang ng baby.. pro as they get older konti na lang dadalin.. pro for me since mahilig ako mag out of town.. ok sken matrix but for someone who will shoulder the monthly of 12k with less than 25k salary.. mabigat..


628= cash out 202 monthly is 12000 ata... haayy!

[claRkEnt]

it seems na you made up your mind on MATRIX na... Go for it... again, before taking the unit... INSPECT, INSPECT and INSPECT!

[alwayz_yummy]

what if just get a good-prestine condition na vitara, rav4 or cr-v gen.1? or our local budget wagons: suzuki esteem, astra wagon, spacewagon, zafira... now sure yan wala pang 500K yan, ung matitira, alotment for repairs and PMS if ever...

basta best-prestine condition, sama mo si mister/ fren nyung mekaniko...

pag bago, 12K mo. + di pa sayo sasakyan....

nga pala hanap ka din ng "rush sale" cars..ung mga owners na nagmimigrate ng biglaan or from the rich boys na palit-palit lang.. uy may nagbebenta noon ng mazda hatch, baka kaya ng budget:mazda3 hatch for 650K nalang daw! contakin mo nalang din why...

[finchy18]

My vote is..





tadan..



matrix na..


Idol ko sya kasi mas spacious pa kaysa auto.

[niky]

true! kung pedeng me sariling wagon ang things pa lang ng baby.. pro as they get older konti na lang dadalin.. pro for me since mahilig ako mag out of town.. ok sken matrix but for someone who will shoulder the monthly of 12k with less than 25k salary.. mabigat..


628= cash out 202 monthly is 12000 ata... haayy!

Ouch... ako nga, di ko ma-afford ng buo yung sa tsikot namin kung walang company benefits.. (and stupid me, kahit di masakit ang monthlies, binabayaran ko ang maintenance ng dalawa pang tsikot!... ahahay!)

Wala bang help ng kaunti kay mister? (Oh, honnneeeeey... )

If your monthly budget is that limited, siguro kunin mo nalang ang Getz, kahit gas version. Don't know if they have the 7 - 9k a month schemes. (When I first inquired about the Picanto, mga ganito yung mga best deals...)

If you're not carrying baby stuff anymore, it should be okay.

And talagang swak sa budget mo ang mga subcompact, mahirap din i-budget ang maintenance sa mga bigger vehicles.

[starbutt]

subcompact? be careful with honda. lots of lemon. jazz maybe okay.

check on toyota innova. its cost is way out of your budget maybe, but it is a nice car to seriously consider.

try having a showroom tour along shaw boulevard on a weekend with your family (merong ford, chevy, honda, toyota, hyundai, daihatsu, susuki duon showrooms) and compare each vehicle you consider with you sitting inside each of them. then set a date for test driving.

when you buy na, check every detail of the car (kahit yong edges sa inner part ng pinto). do not accept any slight defect and do not consider any explanation (as there should be no explanation; paglemon-lemon talaga).

good luck!

[finchy18]

if di mo gusto ang matrix.. my 2nd opinion is buying an INNOVA.. ganda inside and out..

[OTEP]

I'm happy puttering around the Picanto. But it isn't exactly the weapon of choice as a family vehicle. I'm single and I usually travel with one or two other persons of my age. The Picanto is ok for that.

When I'm travelling with a child or one of the older members of the family (seniors), I just bring something else. Not that the Picanto is bad, there are just other more well suited vehicles for the role.

The Suzuki APV/Hyundai Matrix/[upcoming]Toyota Avanza might be more suitable.

[mojojojo]

We have a Getz. The inside of the car is as spacious as any of the 1.6l sedans (altis, sentra, etc) less the bigger luggage compartment.

If you have a baby (<2 y.o.), then the luggage compartment of the Getz might not be big enough for all his/her stuffs. But if you dont mind, you'll find a way to squeeze those stuffs in

Hyundai cars are not bad. It's just a perception here that Korean cars are no good but this does not hold true for all naman. I had my reservations also before I bought the Getz but was surprised about its performance when we got it. You can choose the 1.4l gas engine and it would give you around 10+kms/li; not bad na heh

But if you can afford the Matrix, so much the better; a bigger version of the Getz! My peice of advise: if you are buying a car you would keep for 5 years or more, dont buy a car just because of resale value and perceptions; get the facts straight and buy the one you feel is best for your requirements and more often than not, you wont regret it .

[russpogi]

...My peice of advise: if you are buying a car you would keep for 5 years or more, dont buy a car just because of resale value and perceptions; get the facts straight and buy the one you feel is best for your requirements and more often than not, you wont regret it .

Very well said!

[annegelly]

salamat sa mga inputs,, later dadalhin ung matrix.. will try to look at it... hubby likes the vios naman ako getz... hehe


good news: FIL told us na we pay off the car's loan first saka na lang un pambayad sa idow2n nia. at least i can afford na a 13k ammortization!


MATRIX O VIOS?

[OTEP]

For me, Matrix - no contest.

One of the most versatile vehicles I have tried. It's like the swiss-army knife of small cars.

The styling and brand may take some getting used to but it is one helluva nice car.

Here's sHoCkAbSoRbErBabe's Hyundai Lavita (a gray-market gasoline Hyundai Matrix):

[annegelly]

wow pretty car and pretty girl...


and dumagdag sa gulo... APV o matrix?

[mazdamazda]

APV na yan!

though if you want a really cheap subcompact sedan... I suggest that you look at the Kia Rio. it has more space than the Picanto and it ain't that bad looking (just get rid of those fugly steel rims with tire covers).

[OTEP]

Kung hindi naman nagkakalayo ang presyo, APV na ko. hehehe. The third row is even more comfortable than an Innova's.