New Driver - Recommended Car?

[April_Ryan]

Hi!

I think I will finally be able to buy (my first) car within the year, maybe by June or so.

1. Considering that I just learned to drive, would it be advisable for me to

(a) buy a brand new car?
I keep thinking I will be bumping into fences or posts (hopefully not people or other people's cars), thereby causing scratches or dents in the car. Sayang ba if I use a new car as practice for my driving skills (or lack thereof)? )

(b) buy a 2nd hand car?

2. I will be using the car mostly for Metro Manila driving (home to office) and maybe occasional out of town trips, should I get

(a) a car?

(b) a pick-up?

I always thought that if I ever purchased a car, I'd buy either the Honda hatchback or a pick-up, like the Ranger or the Frontier.

3. I've seen the type of cars recommended if one has P500T (in another thread), as well as the thread on recommended entry level cars. In both threads, a good number of people suggested buying 2nd hand mid-level cars, instead of brand new entry level cars.

(a) If I had only about P300T cash (up front, max), I'm guessing that I will only be able to afford 2nd hand entry level cars. Any recommendations? Don't worry, I'll be sure to check out the tips in the forum on buying 2nd hand cars.

(b) Should I try to get a bank loan to buy a 2nd hand mid-level car instead?

Thanks in advance for any input. In making recommendations, please consider that I'm a newbie as far as driving is concerned, and that I know next to nothing about cars or engines or maintenance. Meron bang "user-friendly" cars?

[phillipogi]

1. Better buy a second hand car first
2. Buy a car first, its harder to drive a pick up since its longer and bigger
3. I recommend buying a Toyota Corolla XL, second hand, very easy to maintain than a Honda. If not, buy a smaller one, lets say, Kia Pride CD-5? Very cheap parts, but be very careful in buying the car, choose the best you can find.

[Hero]

yep i think you should "practice" on a bump car..meaning a car that you wouldnt love so much kasi...malaki ang chances mo masayad (knock on wood) ehehehe

in my experience...driving a small car made me more susceptible to bangga (my first car was a lancer singkit..nakatatlo ata akong aksidente puro ako may kasalanan!)...than driving a pickup..i have been driving a pickup..since 94 never had an accident (from eagle to f150 lariat balik eagle!)...y?...yes it might me longer or bigger pero mas maganda ang view dahil mas mataas ka and more aware of your kapaligiran whereas sa small car limited view and walang respect sa yo ibang kotse sa daan.. trust me based on experience..kaya gusto ng mga tao ang suv!..buy a nissan pickup mura na lang and its tough talaga..palit ka lang ng shocks..tigas eh! gud luck!:lol:

[1D4LV]

tips:

a) test drive a car na comfortable ka and within budget.
b) since kabago bago mo pa lang mag drive, i would also suggest that you get an automatic tranny car. para ma practice mo lang yung mga diskarte sa daan without worrying about shifting.

[mbt]

April_Ryan,

i suggest you get a sedan. you may find a pick-up uncomfortable for daily city use.

a '96 or '97 Accord costs <400K, this is a particularly easy car to drive. a '99 or '00 Civic VTi (or equivalent from other brands) costs around this much too. as for maintenance, just read the owner's manual. it covers all the basics, including checking oil, tire pressures, changing flat tires, checking fluid levels...

nasa iyo na yun if you'd rather get a good car outright or get a beater car initially. pero i think you'd be better off getting a good car na, it'd force you to drive more carefully and you get more value for your money (kesa sa bebenta ka pa ng car, lugi ka)

[KCboy]

i have a 96 galant vr v6 for 330k, matic pa. check out the classifieds by kcboy....

[sauman]

How about a Honda City. Ayos na ayos ito sa city driving at madaling iparada.

[mk]

ito ang mga sugestions ko na car: honda city, ford lynx. very small, easy to maintain, easy to drive, and affordable price, bago pa!:mrgreen:

[Macky]

I would recommend the opposite of what the others are saying...... I would recommend a newer car..... since bagong driver ka lang mas malaki ang risk mo of getting into an accident and newer cars are known to be safer than a 5 year old or older car. The traffic conditions there in the Philippines might not be as fast as in the US but nobody can tell when an accident may happen so IMO, it is better to be caught in an accident in a safer car :roll: Kung limited ang budget, go do your homework and research on safety-related car sites of older cars and always remember that bigger-is-better or bigger-is-safer is only a myth :wink: Euro cars (specifically MB and Volvos) are known for their safety. For Jap brands, go for Toyota and Honda. You could never ne wrong with them 8) BTW, trucks are more susceptible to rollovers so you might try avoiding them :mrgreen: Cars would be your best bet for better handling, better mileage, safer (since family cars are known to carry families, thus are generally made to be safer) and better overall ride.

[vinj]

I would suggest a slightly-used second hand 1.6L car. It'll be easy on the budget to maintain and repair, comfy to drive, compact for the city parking spaces but still safe and powerful enough to take on the occasional long trip... What comes to my mind is the '98-'99 Corolla 1.6 Gli actually. It goes for around P310K-350K for a good second hand unit.

Since you're just getting your feet wet at car ownership, you have to take into note also your average cost for maintainance and what to do (i.e 5,000km service/change-oil, tune-up, etc). You can learn a lot on the car maintainance by checking out the owners manual, aside from that, you can always ask the tsikot peeps for their two cents worth.

When buying a second hand, try to get one from a first owner and steer clear of "buy and sell" peeps as much as possible. Be wary of odometer tampering and the like...

My .002