[Help] Getting more confused ...

[mazdamazda]

I think we're probably down to Altis 1.6E, Mazda 1.6S, Mazda 1.6V and Ford Focus Trend 1.6. So if it's value for money, what would you guys choose?

For you, I'd pick the Ford Focus Trend.

It has a very comfortable ride like the Altis but still handles well like the Mazda3. It has a more lively interior color combination (compared to the dark & serious Mazda3 and the oh-so-boring Corolla). The Focus' A/T is also a lot better than the sluggish A/T of the Mazda3.

What's not to like about the Focus? For me it would be the exterior look though it is still a notch above the bare sheetmetal look of the Altis - but is still not as suave as the Mazda3. The Focus Sport Hatchback looks a lot better with those gorgeous tail lamps & flowing C-pillar.

[an0nim0us]

If you must buy now, I agree with M2 - the Focus Trend, It's interior is a notch above all other base model and even some higher model compact cars. Dual zone A/C, euro-style design, high belt line etc. . . It's suspension is supple enough for a relaxing daily grind. The 1.6L engine feels as if it has more power than its 1.8L sibling. And it's definitely faster than the 1.6L Mazda 3.

If you like the Altis because it's, umm, well, a TOYOTA, you might want to wait a little more time as the next gen's coming. And you dont want to get an 'OLD' new car.

The Civic's a tempting choice, but with all the quality issues of this car, I'll have to leave it up to the others = ).

[h12]

that's actually our concern, aside from the fact that I feel others offer more for the same price, the next gen altis is rumored to be coming out soon ... mmm ... choices choices.

like an0nim0us said, we "dont want to get an 'OLD' new car"

i just hope they will have those cash discounts by the time we make a decision and i think i need more "haggling" experience ... we can't seem to get "extras" from the sales people .... or do you get it when you actually buy? hehehe

[niky]

Ford always offers discounts... trademark nila yun.

Mazda, not so much, because they sell pretty well, regardless. But you never know.

Toyota? They won't offer you any discounts or incentives for the Corolla until the new one is just a month away. Medyo over-confident sila of selling, but that's because they don't really have to work hard to sell... people often just walk into a Toyota dealership and buy on the spot, regardless of how good or bad their sales talk is... :hysterical: ...mga ibang tao pa diyan sa pila ng Fortuner, ginatasan nga nila (buy these mags, tires, accessories, etcetera chuvachuva for an additional 100-200k at mauna ka na sa pila)... really despicable way for sales agents to behave... pero pinatulan pa rin ng mga tao, dahil "Toyota".

Unfortunately, 2008 pa yung bagong Corolla... earliest possible yun... baka 2009 pa, so, no discounts for a loooooong time.

[kmo]

pero what you get in the altis is a bulletproof car hehehee it really doesnt or rarely brakes down in my case never pa .... narumbado na paggamit nun a

[an0nim0us]

Unfortunately, 2008 pa yung bagong Corolla... earliest possible yun... baka 2009 pa, so, no discounts for a loooooong time.

^^^ Really?, grabe naman ang Toyota! Well it's good news for me kasi 'latest' model pa rin pala kotse ko until '08

The 10th gen was released late last year pa in China, which is supposedly 'spec'ed' closer to what Asean will get. I dont see why TMPI will hold the release that long, or would they?

Ford is generous in terms of freebies and discounts, try to talk to several dealerships. When I got the Lynx, they gave me a 30K discount plus lots of accessories. The same could be true for the Focus as it's not really as popular as the Altis nor the Civic, so expect better than industry-standard freebies.

[niky]

pero what you get in the altis is a bulletproof car hehehee it really doesnt or rarely brakes down in my case never pa .... narumbado na paggamit nun a

To be fair... that much is true. My cousin hasn't had much problems with his 01, aside from replacing the front shocks.

[afrasay]

madali sanang mag advice pero nun sinabi mong flooded areas...eh medyo dapat ata SUV. di lang sa intake tinitignan kung kaya ng isang sasakyan ang flood waters. you also have to consider the electronic part of it. minsan splashes of water lang pedeng itirik ang ride mo. for me, an automatic Suzuki Jimmy would suits you just fine.

[praktikal]

Payo ko?

ano man mapili mo, make sure lang na masaya ka at avoid mo ung kung kelan nabili mo na paminsan-minsan sumasagi sa isip mo na, "sayang, gusto ko talaga porma nun"... masarap mag drive na you really feel great bout ur ride.

[tagalnasaabroad]

hi ma'm h12..kung ako ikaw subukan mo rin pumasok sa mga casa ng hyundai o kia..pag sedan meron silang matrix o accent..ok mga diesel engine ngayon iyang CRDI tinatawag..but then i dont want add up to your confusion..hehe..
kung san ka masaya go for it..!

[tagalnasaabroad]

hi ma'm h12..kung ako ikaw subukan mo rin pumasok sa mga casa ng hyundai o kia..pag sedan meron silang matrix o accent..ok mga diesel engine ngayon iyang CRDI tinatawag..pag suv naman granting you got extra dough from procedds of your crv mag-sorento ka o d kaya tucson..but then again i dont want to add up to your confusion..hehe..
kung san ka masaya go for it..!

[h12]

hello!


thanks for the inputs we decided to take it slow ... wag magmadali. at first I wanted to buy by 1Q of this year. pero hirap pala kaya within the year na lang. hehehe. kawawa mga dealerships na naghohope makadecide na kami. nahiya naman ako

we saw a newspaper article yesterday that the new corolla will be released in the next few months? although, yun nga, sure na walang discounts dahil bago.

an0nim0us: did you ask for the freebies when you have decided to buy it or while you were still shopping around?

afrasay: I actually like the "porma" of the jimny kaya lang di daw masyado comfortable for the backseat passengers? so baka di sumakay parents ko ... hehehe. saka i think wala masyado safety features? May ABS and airbags ba?

praktikal and tagalnasaabroad: thanks! that's good advice. kaya nga slow down muna kami. pagisipan ko daw talaga kung ano gusto ko. And I will try to visit other casas

BTW, if you guys can spare some more time for my questions ...
is curb weight important? napansin kasi namin "mataas" yung ford and mazda compared to toyota and honda (i think japanese cars are lighter than american cars?). what are the pros and cons of having a "heavier"/"lighter" car?

thanks again

[OTEP]

Heavier curb weights will translate to slower acceleration and a penalty in fuel economy. But not really that much. Most of the heavier cars in the segment are the ones that feel the most solid when you slam the doors or pass over road impefections.

Generally speaking, lighter is better.

Me, I always try to avoid 'popular' models. Sa sobrang dami nila sa daan at sa sobrang uso, once the replacement model comes out, 'luma' ka na agad. Yung mga Accent at Rio kahit lumabas na ang kapalit, hindi pa din halatang luma kasi konti lang ang nasa daan. No one even remembers what the first gen Rio looked like. Kaya kapag may nakikita sa daan, minsan sinasabi ng kasama ko, 'bago ba yun?'. hehehe.

[niky]

True, heavier curb weights usually translate to worse consumption, but it's not as big a factor as the efficiency of the engine itself... siguro, at most, 0.5 km/l yung pinakamalaking effect. The Mazda3 is heavier than the Corolla because it has a stiffer, more modern body, which translates to a better ride, better crash rigidity and better handling. The Focus is even heavier because of the additional sound insulation. You'd understand the difference if you rode in all of these cars for a trip down the South Super Highway... but I don't think they'd let you road test that far...

Pero, like I've said, you're not going to be sorely disappointed with any of the cars, anyway.

*H12: hey, don't feel bad. The sales agents might feel bad about not getting your sale, but just tell them you need a little more time due to economic reasons... they'll understand. Besides, there are lots of other fish in the sea.

Ngayon daw dadating ang new Corolla? Haven't heard word... all reports point to next year... pero it'll be a good thing for Toyota, medyo sobrang outdated na ang Corolla compared to the competition.

[an0nim0us]

H12 - an0nim0us: did you ask for the freebies when you have decided to buy it or while you were still shopping around?

I did not ask, I demended for freebies heh-he. Pwede yan sa Ford dati, dont know nowadays. Sa Toyota, may fleet discount din sila, 30K yung na-avail ko.