Openion on buying a used car

[Kali]

Hi Guys,

I am planning to buy a used car, for a value below 1.8 million. I'd like to go for a Japanese made vehicle (hatchback model). There are several interesting models like Nissan-March, Suzuki-Alto, etc. 

This is my first time, buying a 4 wheeler & I'm not much aware about technical details.

I need ur opinion on which would be a better car model considering the maintenance cost, fuel efficiency and spare parts availability in Sri Lankan market.

Your advises would be a great help for me to go for a better option.Plz share ur comments. Thank you in advance.

Edited April 27, 2018 by iRage

[iRage]

Hi Kali

Well....I believe you have gone through the thread on the process of buying a used car. Apart from that the two cars you have mentioned have been discussed quite extensively, so you should read up on those too. Although, please keep in mind that the March and Alto fall in to two different market segments.

Apart from that....only you can decide whether you should be buying a used car or not. Having said that; considering your budget your only option is to buy a used car. Also, if this is your first time owning a car, a solid and mechanically simple and not too costly to fix used car would be a good starting point. 

[matroska]

to add to @iRage s comprehensive reply -  If i may ask do you look for a hatch for a particular reason like limited parking space  or due the misconception that hatches are small hence fuel efficient. (since you've mentioned fuel efficiency as a major deciding factor ) ? If so the March is ready to give you a little surprise  

In that budget range another good option would be a Mazda Familia/323 if you're ok with a sedan. This budget range was discussed  a lot of late please spend some time reading them and gather pro's and cons , go to see a few vehicles and test drive if possible that will help you get a good idea on what exactly is your type of car. Good luck. 

[The Stig]

To add to matroskas comment, I had a manual 1000cc march and a 1.5 auto bj5p familia. I can without a doubt confirm that the familia is far superior to the march in every single aspect including fuel economy.

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[Kali]

On 4/26/2018 at 11:15 PM, Kali said:

Hi Guys,

I am planning to buy a used car, for a value below 1.8 million. I'd like to go for a Japanese made vehicle (hatchback model). There are several interesting models like Nissan-March, Suzuki-Alto, etc. 

This is my first time, buying a 4 wheeler & I'm not much aware about technical details.

I need ur opinion on which would be a better car model considering the maintenance cost, fuel efficiency and spare parts availability in Sri Lankan market.

Your advises would be a great help for me to go for a better option.Plz share ur comments. Thank you in advance.

 

On 4/27/2018 at 8:31 AM, iRage said:

Hi Kali

Well....I believe you have gone through the thread on the process of buying a used car. Apart from that the two cars you have mentioned have been discussed quite extensively, so you should read up on those too. Although, please keep in mind that the March and Alto fall in to two different market segments.

Apart from that....only you can decide whether you should be buying a used car or not. Having said that; considering your budget your only option is to buy a used car. Also, if this is your first time owning a car, a solid and mechanically simple and not too costly to fix used car would be a good starting point. 

 

On 4/27/2018 at 10:42 AM, matroska said:

to add to @iRage s comprehensive reply -  If i may ask do you look for a hatch for a particular reason like limited parking space  or due the misconception that hatches are small hence fuel efficient. (since you've mentioned fuel efficiency as a major deciding factor ) ? If so the March is ready to give you a little surprise  

In that budget range another good option would be a Mazda Familia/323 if you're ok with a sedan. This budget range was discussed  a lot of late please spend some time reading them and gather pro's and cons , go to see a few vehicles and test drive if possible that will help you get a good idea on what exactly is your type of car. Good luck. 

 

On 4/27/2018 at 5:01 PM, The Stig said:

To add to matroskas comment, I had a manual 1000cc march and a 1.5 auto bj5p familia. I can without a doubt confirm that the familia is far superior to the march in every single aspect including fuel economy.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://AutoLanka.com mobile app powered by Tapatalk
 

Thank you very much for your thoughts. I went through some of previous posts & observed 'Nissan March' will not be an viable option for my requirement.

As @matroskamentioned I can't go for a sedan type due to limited parking space. So I have to stick to the hatchback type.

Also I don't plan to keep the vehicle for too long. It's only for a year or two.

So I believe my most probable option is a 'Suzuki Alto -Japan' 2002/2003.

Plz give me some pros & cons of 'Suzuki Alto -Japan' like fuel efficiency, engine problems, spares availability, etc.

[Autoz]

For the pros, it is cheap and easy to drive. I think I've read that it's fuel efficient too