Help required with my first car purchase

SeanZ · August 28, 2018

Hi Guys,

Really need your help with picking the best Car for my budget of 2.8M or less. I am planning to go through with a lease so I’m looking for the following:

1) A registered (used) vehicle

2) Hybrid or non hybrid: doesn’t matter (Must be highly economical if it’s a non hybrid)

3) Good market - Easy to sell for a good price even in 5 years or more

4) YOM doesn’t matter as long as it satisfies points 2 and 3

5) Recommended leasing company

Would greatly appreciate your opinions on this as I’m really in need of some solid advice on buying my first vehicle.

Thanking you in advance

matroska · August 29, 2018

14 hours ago, SeanZ said:

Hi Guys,

Really need your help with picking the best Car for my budget of 2.8M or less. I am planning to go through with a lease so I’m looking for the following:

1) A registered (used) vehicle

2) Hybrid or non hybrid: doesn’t matter (Must be highly economical if it’s a non hybrid)

3) Good market - Easy to sell for a good price even in 5 years or more

4) YOM doesn’t matter as long as it satisfies points 2 and 3

5) Recommended leasing company

Would greatly appreciate your opinions on this as I’m really in need of some solid advice on buying my first vehicle.

Thanking you in advance

Your (3) requirement is hard to fulfil - no one can predict how the market will be in 5 years time. Even the so-called "market" cars like the aging toyotas are not so marketable these days. Check the number of cars that are left unsold in clasifieds each day price getting reduced.

Hybrid : If you must you can get a decent insight for this budget - get a battery report done by St****d Motors before you buy . Fuel cons is around 12-13 KMPL in city again depends on how you drive

Mild Hybrid : Wagon R 2014/2015 Slightly used. With hundreds and thousands of them on the roads i think it will be hard to re-sell in the future to be honest. Supposed to be good on fuel.

Kei:

Assorted Kei's of various shapes and sizes if you're ok with having a pokemon on 4-wheels as your daily driver.

Non Hybrid Hatches [in reality expect fuel figures of 10-12 kmpl in city]

2010 Honda Fit GE6 : Excellent car with tons of space inside for its size. Joy to drive.

2009+ Mazda Demio : A bit small but again a fun car to drive.

2009+ Suzuki Swift (Locally known as Beetle Swift) : Cramped rear, zero-space boot but a very peppy car. Slightly Thirsty for fuel.

2008+ Toyota Vitz : A local favorite. OK car. Not my cup of tea but many like it.

Sedans (~10 KMPL City)

Mazda 3/Axela : 2004+ ...you can source a 2007 if you try hard.

Lancer CS : good option as you can get a much newer one. 2008ish

Nissan Tiida 2008+

Haven't quoted any Euro's cos I know jacks##t about them. But others will chip in.

Keep your options open and look for a few specimens. Decide what really strikes you with a 'wow' and go for it. Don't buy dilapidated scrap-heaps thinking of resale value. You will regret it later.

dhanuFB15 · August 29, 2018

18 hours ago, SeanZ said:

Hi Guys,

Really need your help with picking the best Car for my budget of 2.8M or less. I am planning to go through with a lease so I’m looking for the following:

1) A registered (used) vehicle

2) Hybrid or non hybrid: doesn’t matter (Must be highly economical if it’s a non hybrid)

3) Good market - Easy to sell for a good price even in 5 years or more

4) YOM doesn’t matter as long as it satisfies points 2 and 3

5) Recommended leasing company

Would greatly appreciate your opinions on this as I’m really in need of some solid advice on buying my first vehicle.

Thanking you in advance

First thing is , we cant predict future of car market. if are a frequently runner no problem on hybrid. Otherwise stop going to hybrid because u have to cover hybrid market depreciation or battery replacement cost from fuel. (In srilanka hybrid or non hybrid market not depreciate because of funny tax system up to now)

If u select hybrid best option is wagon R .

if u select non hybrid go for vitz. These day vitz are moving fast quickly.

Jason_Bourne · August 30, 2018

Seems you are too concerned about fuel economy and resale value of the car. So you should make up your mind to forget about performance, handling and comfort/options.

Don't buy a second-hand hybrid if you are concerned with resale value. (Even the owners who bought brand new Toyota hybrids are struggling to sell them at their expected high resale values. They depreciate way more than non-hybrids even if it is a Toyota)
Don't buy a Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan as they always get horrible gas-mileage for a comparable Toyota. (Not to mention don't even look at Euro cars lol )

The only car brand that fulfills fuel economy and resale value in SL market is TOYOTA.

So if you have around 3 mill, buy a 2005/6/7/8/9 Toyota Vios/Yaris/Belta. Any of those will get good gas mileage and will hold value even in 5 years.

But if you are really lucky you could be able to find a well maintained 2003/4 Allion 240 around 3 mill. But I prefer a Vios/Yaris/Belta as they are newer. (It's very hard to find a well maintained Allion 240 these days. Believe me I've tried)

P:S :- Please don't buy a WagonR as your first car as it will ruin the cars for you!

Edited August 30, 2018 by Jason_Bourne