New Driver - Recommended Car?

**Severus|** · April 7th, 2003 05:27 PM

:D 2nd hand na diesel at malaki! Intimidating na ang dating mo, wala pang pinipili na panahon.

**April_Ryan** · April 7th, 2003 10:04 PM

hi all,

just wanted to share my visit to 4 car dealers today, in my continuing search for my first car.

Ford-Balintawak

The sales people were attentive and helpful, they had displays of all the cars they were selling (except, i think for the 1.3 GSi), and they let us fiddle around with it. No test drive yet, though.

Went in thinking of buying the 1.3 GSi, but after comparing the monthly amortization due after 30% downpayment, left with dreams of owning the Lynx Ghia M/T (cloth seats with moonroof, the works, including in-dash cd changer, for about P745,000).

Nissan-Balintawak

the salespersons were again ok, although they didn't have displays of some of their models. liked the looks of the Exalta, but the equivalent of the "Lynx Ghia M/T with the works" which we saw earlier cost about P8+++++. Loved the Nissan Frontier (4x2), and it costs about P775,000. However, we were advised that with the advent of the proposed new taxing scheme (which, btw, i know nothing about) prices of the Frontier were expected to go up by P40T by April 16 and again later. Going up to P775,000 is already a reach for me, so i guess it's bye-bye to the Frontier.

Honda-Balintawak

no aircon, only one salesperson. weren't interested in selling, only accepting reservations because of new taxing scheme which will allegedly take effect on June. Salesperson did say, however, that they will be launching by June (and will start displaying by April 25) a new Honda, in the 1.3 and 1.5 class, allegedly parang Altis daw ang looks. They expect their cars to be cheaper daw, with the new tax scheme except in the 2.0 class and above. Price of Civic equivalent to the "Lynx Ghia M/T with the works" was at P835,000. Whoa! Maybe i'll check out the new line of cars first.

GM Autoworld - Quezon Avenue

Checked out the JIMNY. In terms of looks, tops on my list (they had blue one on display). Leg room at the back definitely an issue. I'm 5'6" or so and I don't think I can sit at the back for a long drive without cramps or something. Good thing i'll be driving it (if ever, hahaha!). Not much space also for baggage (out of town trips, baby stuff like crib etc). A/T version costs only P655,000, the M/T special costs P629,000. I even scheduled a test drive, which I didn't do for any of the others.

Are there any safety considerations for the JIMNY? Because if it's just the bumpy ride, I think I can deal with that because I was prepared to buy a pick-up anyway. No test drives on it, no reviews anywhere so I don't know what to expect. I also don't know much about cars so I don't even know what to look for, what to be suspicious of, what to test.

Well, I hope my experience helps all others who are interested in getting any of the cars I tested. Keep posting!

**vinj** · April 9th, 2003 02:32 AM

If you plan to get a sedan (i.e. 1.3L), i heard that the prices of sedans will become lower with the new value-based tax scheme should it be implemented...

**tercons** · April 9th, 2003 03:47 PM

mag brand new ka na lng f u plan to use it for long term na. pero pag gusto mo pormahan pa, u can buy second hand tpos kaw na bahala.

_______________
ACME Autoworks

**newbee** · April 9th, 2003 05:09 PM

vinj, when will this be implemented?

**DeltaBravo** · April 9th, 2003 05:56 PM

Hi April_Ryan,

Palagay ko type mo ang JIMNY...... then go for it. Mahirap kumuha ng sasakyan na napipiltan ka lang. Dapat yung type mo talaga para walang sisihan pagdating sa huli. I think may JIMNY Special Edition and it is 4x4 na *P629K manual transmission.

ilovemyesteemwagon

**mbt** · April 9th, 2003 09:19 PM

April_Ryan,

ok naman yung jimny, although big issue talaga yung interior space (which may be big enough of an issue to steer you away from this truck). crash safety will probably be very poor, given the light weight and the ladder-frame construction. baka issue din yung rollover and crosswind stability (then again, maybe not)...

the lynx ghia is a good car and a great value, especially when compared to the altis and civic.

**April_Ryan** · April 10th, 2003 01:02 AM

hi all,

I will definitely wait for the new tax scheme, and I hope it will result in lower prices for sedans. I've seen a few newspaper reports stating projecting an increase in the total market share of sedans, vis-a-vis AUVs for example, due to more competitive pricing.

thus far, i'm partial to the lynx and the jimny. per my research, the 2002 lynx seems to be rated high. conversations with friends (who own cars) tend to reveal a not-so-good impression of the lynx (that it has a bad engine, that it will be phased out etc). i'm hoping that this was the aftermath of the earlier models of the lynx and is no longer true for the current models? re the jimny, many thanks to mbt for listing down the jimny's probable faults.

i'll try to check out the altis and the new lancer within the next few weeks.

i've done a bit of math and i realized that i need to increase my downpayment to about the 40-50% range so that my monthly amortizations won't be too high. which means if i want to get a brand new car, it will happen either end of the this year or early next year. my EQ is going to be tested. hahaha!

oh well, kung mukhang di ako mabubuhay with the monthly amortizations, will just buy a second hand car muna.

ang hirap!

**kimpOy** · April 10th, 2003 10:02 AM

good luck april ryan and happy trails

mk · April 13th, 2003 09:00 PM

try mo honda city type z vtec... mura na,easy to maintain pa...best of all, at's a honda.:mrgreen:try mo honda city type z vtec... mura na,easy to maintain pa...best of all, at's a honda.:mrgreen: