re: 150k budget

**pincol** · September 25th, 2008 08:29 AM

hi guys! im looking for a van or auv for my family. i have a 1997 lancer and an eagle pick up but i find it kinda difficult if we travel with kids and househelp for i dont have space for babies stuff.

medyo masikip din sa trunk ng lancer and at the same time hirap pag kinarga sa likod ng pick up kung umuulan. and besides me eagle ride is kinda bumpy that is why i prefer to get a liteace or vanette. 150k lang kasi budget ko.

what can you say sa both models that i mentioned? engine, maintenance etc?

thanks guys.

**1D4LV** · September 25th, 2008 09:14 AM

vanette na, its bigger. just watch out for the overheating issues.

**niky** · September 25th, 2008 02:01 PM

I'd rather not go for the Vanette... and not just due to the overheating... (easy to cure with an extra radiator fan)... it's got no get-up-and-go power... even with a 2 liter engine it struggles to climb steep grades (going up a parking lot ramp is very interesting... ) and the lack of power is in sharp contrast to its thirst for fuel... why Nissan put that piece of crap carburated 2 liter engine inside the Vanette instead of the more powerful and reliable SR20DE, only God knows... and it's not like the SR20 wasn't available... it was offered in the concurrent Altima and in the Serena that replaced the Vanette.

If you can put up with the thirst for fuel and the lack of power, the Vanette's swivelling captains chairs, dual AC (very cold dual AC) and drinks cooler make it a very good "gimik" mobile... but for carrying a lot of people around, you might want to also scout around for a good condition c240 Isuzu Hilander... the Hilander is a tinny old thing, and the life-span of Isuzu plastics is shorter than PGMA's temper, but the engine and chassis are relatively robust (though it's hard to get it to pass emissions).

**niky** · September 25th, 2008 02:02 PM

I'd rather not go for the Vanette... and not just due to the overheating... (easy to cure with an extra radiator fan)... it's got no get-up-and-go power... even with a 2 liter engine it struggles to climb steep grades (going up a parking lot ramp is very interesting... ) and the lack of power is in sharp contrast to its thirst for fuel... why Nissan put that piece of crap carburated 2 liter engine inside the Vanette instead of the more powerful and reliable SR20DE, only God knows... and it's not like the SR20 wasn't available... it was offered in the concurrent Altima and in the Serena that replaced the Vanette.

If you can put up with the thirst for fuel and the lack of power, the Vanette's swivelling captains chairs, dual AC (very cold dual AC) and drinks cooler make it a very good "gimik" mobile... but for carrying a lot of people around, you might want to also scout around for a good condition c240 Isuzu Hilander... the Hilander is a tinny old thing, and the life-span of Isuzu plastics is shorter than PGMA's temper, but the engine and chassis are relatively robust (though it's hard to get it to pass emissions).

**pincol** · September 25th, 2008 03:04 PM

mga sir thanks for your prompt replies.

ive noticed both of you sir, niky n 1D4LV, never mentioned nor recommended the liteace. what is the problem with the liteace?

my cousin in mindanao has a vanette and i also noticed that my cousin has to turn off the AC when going thru uphill. medyo hirap sya mag uphill. one trouble that my cousing told me about the vanette (aside from the overheating) is naghahalo daw oil n water. but the problem is on the oil seal or mga "rubber gasket" sa engine, im not sure if this is true.

sir niky, are you referring to the c240 engine of isuzu hilander? what year/model of hilander that has a c240 engine? kaya lang medyo mataas pa rin price ng 2nd hand na hilander with my 150k budget.

more comments pls....thank you very much!

**1D4LV** · September 25th, 2008 03:10 PM

^^liteace, imho, is really underpowered, that is why i really don't recommend it.
at 150k, i really don't know if you can get a Hyundai Grace at that.

**pincol** · September 25th, 2008 04:16 PM

thanks sir 1D4LV for the info.

**niky** · September 26th, 2008 10:25 AM

I think you might be able to get 98 Hilanders for your budget... they won't be in great condition, and diesel parts are a little expensive, but fuel economy is great and the engine is relatively durable.

The L300 is also a possibility, but body integrity is terrible. We call the L300 the "gas oven", because when the rear fender rusts away, the exhaust goes straight into the cabin and suffocates you (had a cousin almost pass out from this). And if your budget is 150k, the L300s you can get for that price are really, really old. If you can get one in great condition and with little rust, they're relatively dependable, but worries like that and the inherent danger of the ancient cab-forward design prevent me from recommending it.

**pincol** · September 26th, 2008 11:38 AM

thank you sir niky. actually what i like in the vanette n liteace are their size. kinda compact van which i lady can easily drive. my sife kasi doesnt want to drive any vehicle other than a sedan. she finds it hard to drive my pick up or other bigger vehicle that is why i prefer vanette n liteace.

i dont like l300 either. my friend has one before. they got it brand new but it deteriorated quite fast esp its body.

i also find l300 quite big for my needs. and besides it doesnt look cool to drive a van the size of an l300 alone, with no other passengers.

im from bacolod city anyway, and ill try to look for a 98 hilander that fits my 150k budget. 2nd hand vehicles here are priced a little bit higher compared to prices in manila. though i really love the hilander.

again thank you to sir niky and sir 1d4lv for sharing your thoughts.

**niky** · September 26th, 2008 02:52 PM

If you like the Vanette, it's liveable, but you have to be prepared to accept the quirks and the extra expenses of making it more heat-proof... oh, and the extra gas you'll need to buy versus other comparable vehicles in your budget range.

Truth be told, unless you're getting a small car, at 150k pesos in budget, you'll still need to set aside at least 20-30k pesos in contingency money for any repairs or upgrades you'll need to make, but shop wisely, get a car that's in great condition (whatever make or model it is) and your buying can be painless. Good luck!