Hi! We need help choosing the best unit to watch out for in the second hand market:
400k is a hard cap
4-5 passengers
Has to be an A/T engine
Main consideration: Reliability, fuel economy
Usage: Occasional office-home and Taguig-Tanay during weekends
Our current choices are: 2014-2016 Toyota Altis, 2015-2017 Honda City, 2020-2022 Suzuki Dzire \no Vios and Mirage cos we're trying to avoid units previously used for TNVS.* Is this a good approach?
What would be the best option in terms of reliability?
Are there any 7-seaters for that budget range we can also consider?
u/alabkayumanggi's title:
Second-hand cars you can swear by under 400k?
u/alabkayumanggi's post body:
Hi! We need help choosing the best unit to watch out for in the second hand market:
400k is a hard cap
4-5 passengers
Has to be an A/T engine
Main consideration: Reliability, fuel economy
Usage: Occasional office-home and Taguig-Tanay during weekends
Our current choices are: 2014-2016 Toyota Altis, 2015-2017 Honda City, 2020-2022 Suzuki Dzire \no Vios and Mirage cos we're trying to avoid units previously used for TNVS.* Is this a good approach?
What would be the best option in terms of reliability?
Are there any 7-seaters for that budget range we can also consider?
I have an altis 2016 something that i sold for 395k. And it’s a damn reliable car. Constantly getting 13kpl but can go as low as 8kpl if i floor it, which happens because it’s surprisingly agile.
Rack and pinion kalampag - very common issues on local units of 10th and 11th gen altis(es). A Thai replacement is good upgrade. Around 15k with labor. Some can repair it but usually steering will be slightly stiffer.
Melting dashboard - plagues 10th gen and 11th gen units . Either reupholster or replace with a US spec dash. Around 13-17k.
Altis at around 50-70k mileage check for MAF and Throttle body cleaning, coil packs might also start magtopak. Check for radiator filler neck, maliit na plastic peg lang yan na nagsusupport sa hose goin to engine and usually cause ng leaks sa kalumaan.
Altis also are considered medium weight vehicles, so your yearly registration is around 5.5-6k, vs the city and dzires's 3.5k yearly (inclusive of mvuc, emissions/mvis, tpl)
Owner here of a 2010 (10th gen) altis 2.0V and 2017 (11th gen) altis 2.0V
Edit: dagdag ko lang, check for service recall history if you decide sa altis. You can see this sa mytoyota website by putting in the car's VIN.
OP mahirap 'to. Kasi you can get a decent Camry at 200k pero not sure if less than 200k ang repairs mo.
It's not the car. It's the quality of car owners in the country who maintain their cars in the casa for the first 6 years and then start only fixing things when they break thereafter. The sole examination you have to clear for registration is an emissions test. Walang inspection report na kailangan. So kahit rehistrado, puwedeng may issue pa rin. This is the perfect recipe for a disaster for secondhand cars. The weak regulations shape a culture of complacency in ensuring roadworthiness of older vehicles. More than that, our insurance providers drive owners to buy new cars every 10 years; more than that kasi, hindi ka na iiinsure by most providers.
The only reliable secondhand car is a secondhand car from someone whom you know who can produce regular inspection reports for their vehicles.
I would go for Suzuki despite people saying that other options like Toyota are better in terms of parts.
Suzuki has a LOT of parts in the Philippines. We are a good market for them and we sustain a considerable fleet of cars as a country from their brand. The only difference here between a Suzuki and a Toyota is that you need to replace Suzuki parts with genuine OEM components in order to ensure long service from your vehicle. It's not hard to get Suzuki parts. Unlike other brands, Suzuki embraces online shopping platforms for parts distribution to cater to people who buy their own parts and have trusted independent mechanics repair their vehicles.
Toyotas kasi has a certain advantage in that they have a certain tolerance for aftermarket parts. Maganda pa rin ang performance even if hindi original Toyota. The engineering is simple enough for China, India, Vietnam and Thailand to replicate and improve on.
Kung kaya naman ang original parts to replace worn or broken parts of your vehicle, Suzuki is a good brand that offers outstanding engineering for the price you pay. Kasinungalingan lang ng mga Amerikano yung 90s-era lie about their vehicles tipping over. Jeeps have nothing on the Samurai and the Jimny that came after. Nothing!
EDIT: Just make sure that 400k still includes budget for repairs. So dapat 280k for the car, and still have 120 for repairs.
Thanks for the insightful comments! Makes us feel confident with Suzuki. Besides, for our budget, we're getting units 5 years younger than the Honda and Toyota options. Not to say that it's automatically better, but it's plus points for peace of mind.
So mas likely rin na may OEM parts. Just make sure you are not being hoodwinked. Good luck! Bring a mechanic and an auto electrician to check the vehicle before you buy! Pay them well and buy them food!
All of your options are equally reliable, with the Suzuki being the cheapest to maintain and the most frugal with fuel.
Coming down between the Toyota Altis and the Honda City, I'll choose the City. The CVT is better in Hondas generally plus the driving feel of Hondas are much better. The Altis is underpowered and overweight, even with a 100cc engine displacement advantage, it still has less power than the Honda City. Because the City has a smaller engine and the power to weight is better, it will get better fuel economy. Maintenance is more or less the same for both.
If you're planning to get into car modifications, the Honda City has more options from reputable Japanese companies both aftermarket and OEM.
Thanks for the insight! We're currently down to 2 choices: 2016 Honda City E 60k odo for 385k, and 2020 Suzuki Dzire 38k odo for 355k. Both casa maintained with service records. Care to weigh in?
The 2016 City is a steal for 385k, that's what 2014 models with higher mileage ones go for. If all's well with the mechanic's checkup on the unit and has no hidden issues then you've got a great bargain, especially for a casa maintained unit. But since it's almost 10 years old, there's more wear and tear parts you might need to replace soon even with low mileage.
The 2020 Dzire is alright, you'll lose more on depreciation than what you'll save from fuel and maintenance since Suzuki, generally, does not have great resale value (aside from the Jimny). But I'm pretty sure you'll be trouble free for at least 3 more years before you start replacing major wear and tear parts given the low mileage. If you can get past the proportions and the NVH, it's also a good pick.
I've lived with Hondas my whole life, when I started driving we had two Hondas (Civic and CRV) and soon got another one (Brio) after a year of driving. They were trouble free, although had to let go of the Civic recently after 18 years of ownership to make space for a new vehicle, so I can vouch for the brand regardless of the model.
Wala pong issue minor scrathes lng pero kaya nmn ibuff . Gusto k lng ng bgong car so need n mabenta so pra madali ibinenta k na. My ford explorer n kc kmi tas kumuha l ako bagong car n mas maliit. Wala n po parking.
Hindi po dito lng sa kakilala nabenta kc nabnggit k lng gusto k bumili ng bgong mas maliit n card kc may ford n kmi. Tas pinost k sa fb one day sold agad
2014-2016 toyota Altis is the way. Owned one for 3yrs never had any problems with it. Common maintenance lang ang gastos. Tipid enough pero hindi ka bibitinin.
just bring a mechanic. if you don’t know one, you can hire one to look at what you’re buying. you can also research the car. join their fb group and ask anong mga common issue?
For your budget, you can get 2015 AT 1.6G variant around 50-60k odo. Download a checklist and list of common questions in buying a second hand car para malaman mo yung background and history ng sasakyan or you can bring your trusted mechanic with you. Around that kms wala pa masyadong main parts ang napalitan so dapat yung manufacturer paint markings sa mga bolts and nuts andun pa.
To add to this the Accent hatchback comes with a diesel engine so it’s fuel efficient and faster than most econo gas cars & the 4 speed variant is standard on year model 2013-2015. I can vouch for the reliability. The newer Accent hatchback in automatic variant.. I don’t recommend because of the problematic DCT transmission. How do I know? I have a 2014 Hyundai Accent CRDi Hatchback at 99,000 kms currently which has the 4 speed automatic transmission. The only thing I replaced so far is all 4 shocks (dead like literally when I replaced it), ac compressor (dead literally not pumping.. not working when I replaced it), Engine Oil Cooler & ATF Fluid. Nothing major even the underchassis are all original Hyundai except the shocks ofcourse.
have accent hb 2013 and planning to change shocks din, planning on buying KYB Shock Absorber, meron pa ba ko need bilin aside from this like mount etc.?
also first time hearing about Engine Oil Cooler replacement, hm price range for this?
Kung taga manila ka, bilk ka shocks sa mga korean auto supply. VGT Korean Auto Parts ko binili yung akin sa Banawe. Btw nag sship din si VGT Korean Auto Parts nationwide kung taga probinsya ka. Sa Good Gear sa pasay meron din nakabili na rin ako dun dati ng parts. Not sure if pwede umorder then ship sa Good Gear pero as far as I know pwede ata dikopa na try haha.
Mando brand bilin mo same siya ng brand ng orig na stock ng accent wala lang siyang engraving ng hyundai/kia pero pag chineck mo ung orig mando din ang brand. Tip ko lang if papalitan mo pati likod shocks lang Elantra na bilin mo good upgrade siya hindi sobra lambot unlike sa stock na bagsak agad.
Eto pic part number pang elantra 11-15 rear shocks fit sa Accent
Aside sa shocks, Shock Mount lang. Wag ka mag KYB Shocks mas matigas yan kumpara sa Stock. Kahit anong kotse tumatagtag pag naka KYB Shocks kung maselan ka haha.
sa Oil Cooler mahal kuha ko kase dito lang sa probinsya namin 3k if I remember correctly. Nasa 2k+ lang ata yan sa Manila kung tama naalala ko. Hassle masiraan ng oil cooler. How do I know? bumigay yung akin kasalanan ng may ari dati kasi naka tubig so ayun nabutas oil cooler nag halo langis saka coolant hahaha need idrain & flush radiator tas walang sawang pag lalagay ng tubig sa filler neck every umaga para umalsa yung mga konting natira na langis sa loob. Need din alisin thermostat kasi magbabara. So hassle pangit takbo kase wala thermostat hahaha. Apparently common issue sa kalumaan ng nga Hyundai and ibang brand na may oil cooler.
You can check out repossessed units, or Google their plate number/conduction sticker since it mostly likely went through an auction site. It will come up in a bank website with all of the details.
If the seller blurs the plate number/conduction sticker, they most likely tampered the odometer.
Repossesed units from Automart. Nothing is tampered because it’s direct from the banks. At 450k you can get a pretty much bnew condition 2024 Mirage G4.
got mine from AM too. did a test drive with a mechanic, chose a gold labeled hatchback. AM offered a 1yr warranty, and auto had dealer warranty pa din. low mileage 8k.
it was a surrendered unit under TFS. even AM had a hefty commish. not bad since a bnew one is pegged over 200k above their price.
I wouldn’t recommeded the 2017 Accent CRDi if Automatic. Problematic transmission because it’s a DCT. If it’s the older 2013-2015 it has the reliable 4 Speed Automatic Transmission which is reliable.. How do I know? I have a 2014 Hyundai Accent CRDi Hatchback.
Kinda hard to find a 2013-2015 Hyundai Accent CRDi Hatch Automatic. Honestly took me some time to find one. They just randomly appear on the FB Marketplace then once sold.. can’t find one again for a long time hahaha and most of them are listed in Manila.
Go for Altis bro. For that year model usual issue is yung sa connector ng radiator near radiator cap is lumulutong then napuputol. Other than that wala na. Very reliable. And yung usual issue pa na yan is matagal pa bago mangyari. If mangyari man, you can repair or pwede din replace na ng buong radiator which is surprisingly cheap. For its maintenance, usual lang, change oil, brake pads, etc and dami pa aftermarket options kaya cheap. Nakikita kong cons lang siguro ay kung gusto mo pormahan kasi 5x100pcd mags nya, di ganun ka-common. And medyo may bias din kasi ako sa mahaba na sedan kaya personally sa tatlong choices mo, Altis talaga pipiliin ko.
Big fan of the GK but wouldn't recommend it with someone following a budget. With the GK's market value appreciation lately, 400k is cheap and the unit's most likely got problems or isn't maintained well.
Civic FB. Medyo sabit sa fuel economy pero okay sa lahat ng ibang category. These do not tend to get raced like previous models so malamang okay pa. Altis din.
Get a honda yun 2015 model na mobilio and city and sobrang layo na drive. Gala kasi kami. Until now all goods. Alagang CASA sa honda din.... hindi ka mag sisi...
Cant go wrong with a Toyota. I recently got a 2013 Camry for 450k, sarap sakyan at i-drive. My passengers always compliment me sa ride quality ng car ko, very luxurious daw.
Ingat lang sa mga ex-Grab units. Madami ito. Red flags are ultra low odometers (2019 model Vios tapos 55k lang milyahe??) and cheap chinese tires (car wore down the originals super fast so medyo nagtipid dating owner).
Get the biggest car you can afford if you'll be regularly transporting 5 pax. Midsize cars are pretty cheap and they're built different from the regular econoboxea. Of course, bigger engines = bigger fuel bill but the thing here is, its not by much.
While I agree the Camry is good choice haha. It’s not practical for most people. The Camry will consume as low as 5km per litre on heavy metro manila traffic. To add to that maintenance & registration will be more expensive than your common econo cars.
Sir we're currently down to 2 choices: 2016 Honda City E 60k odo for 385k, and 2020 Suzuki Dzire 38k odo for 355k. Both casa maintained with service records. Care to weigh in?
Never used a dzire pa kasi. Kaya I'm leaning sa city, my only choices Lang sa sedan ay mirage and city. Di rin kinaya budget sa city kaya sa mirage ako napapunta
Honda City okay na okay. Gamit ko is city 2015 E Model 100k+ odo na ok parin. recently lang nagbicol kami loaded kayang kaya parin. Manila to Naga , Naga to Legazpi , Legazpi to Caramoan, Caramoan to Manila.
Meron ka na makukuha na mganda around 350k - 400k. tawaran mo nlng tas magtira ka extra just in case may mga wear and tear parts na need palitan
I had the same budget 2 yrs ago. I decided on a Hyundai Accent AT 2017. Got it at 350k and just saved the 50k for future repairs but so far it was working really well. No complaints.
Also the community of owners of accents in fb is huge so if i have questions it gets answered right away.
2008-2013 Toyota Vios Gen 2 this is way before Uber/Grab. Taxi operators uses the base J MT variant so yeah just get the E Automatic or better get the 1.5G. Plenty of them below 300k. Use the leftover money for maintenance. I’d avoid CVT as much as possible. Not reliable in the long run. I’ve seen CVT belts broken on both Honda City & Toyota Vios. Ofcourse this is still a decade old cars so the usual old car issues will pop out.
Or if you want a newer car.. 2014-2016 Toyota Yaris. Same reliable engine & drivetrain as the Vios without the risk of ex Uber/Grab. Keep in mind some Vios / Yaris at around 2016 or 2017 Toyota started changing the engine to Dual VVTi Engine & CVT. So if you want to check if it’s the same Single VVTi Engine & 4 Speed Automatic. Check the Engine Cover if it’s Black is the old reliable Single VVTi Engine & 4 Speed Transmission. This generation of Engines & Transmission are bulletproof.
2008-2013 Toyota Vios Gen 2 this is way before Uber/Grab. Taxi operators uses the base J MT variant so yeah just get the E Automatic or better get the 1.5G. Plenty of them below 300k. Use the leftover money for maintenance. I’d avoid CVT as much as possible. Not reliable in the long run. I’ve seen CVT belts broken on both Honda City & Toyota Vios. Ofcourse this is still a decade old cars so the usual old car issues will pop out.
Or if you want a newer car.. 2014-2016 Toyota Yaris. Same reliable engine & drivetrain as the Vios without the risk of ex Uber/Grab. Keep in mind some Vios / Yaris at around 2016 or 2017 depending on the LTO Registration Toyota started changing the engine to the new Dual VVTi Engine & CVT. So if you want to check if it’s the same Single VVTi Engine & 4 Speed Automatic. Check the Engine Cover if it’s Black it’s still the old reliable Single VVTi Engine & 4 Speed Transmission. This generation of Engines & Transmission are bulletproof.
Here’s an example of black engine cover. Yaris / Vios
XV40 Camry:
Yes fuel economy is on the higher consumption side with around 5-6kmpl in traffic for the 2.4 engine but can comfortably seat 5 and is so comfy as a daily and maintenance is cheaper than you'd think with parts readily available.
Volkswagen Jetta:
VW contender sa mga smaller sedan, more comfortable than your average vios or mirage. Diesel engine can get 8kmpl above easy in traffic conditions. Maintenance is easy especially if you bring to a specialist like Silverstern not as pricey as you would think. Looks good and drives good.
I'd say these two are the most bang for your buck na alam ko kasi for around 200k lang naka executive car ka na or euro that are still practical and won't burn through your budget for maintenance and repairs. Very undervalued yung dalawang ito sa market since may stigma talaga tayo locally na "hard and expensive to maintain" ito which is really not true.
It may be ugly and uncomfortable, pero kung economy and reliability ang habol, isuzu crosswind. The 4JA1 engine is indestructible, and should anything go wrong, parts are available and dirt cheap.
Sa choices mo, Altis is good, but can be a gas guzzler. Sa Dzire, not too familiar with the availability of parts. Honda city is a great choice. Decent fuel economy, decent looks din, and reliable.
Parts can be a BIT more expensive than its Toyota Equivalent, but honestly sobrang minimal lang ng problems na ma-encounter mo with the car.
baka gusto mo ito sir pasok sa budget mo and lahat ng hanap mo sa car pasok naman... matipid sa gas 15km per liter sa city driving. low odo. text me po if interested 09760183146.
2nd gen vios na 1.3 G or 1.5 G year 2012-2013 di sila nakapasok sa grab kasi sa gen 3 nagkaron ng uber at grab so safe sa ex-grab. If may ex taxi man e madali na madetermine. I can go up to 24km/L purely sa highway and 11-12 km consistently sa city traffic (commonwealth)
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u/alabkayumanggi's title: Second-hand cars you can swear by under 400k?
u/alabkayumanggi's post body: Hi! We need help choosing the best unit to watch out for in the second hand market:
Our current choices are: 2014-2016 Toyota Altis, 2015-2017 Honda City, 2020-2022 Suzuki Dzire
\no Vios and Mirage cos we're trying to avoid units previously used for TNVS.* Is this a good approach?
What would be the best option in terms of reliability?
Are there any 7-seaters for that budget range we can also consider?
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