A car for the next six years

varotone · March 29, 2022

Greetings gentlemen! This is going to be a long rant, venting and some advice on what to do for the next six years. My apologies in advance for lamenting about the state of affairs in our country and spreading the negativity.

I did't really need a car regularly as a daily driver for this long. My commute was under kilometer for the past five years. I used to walk, ride the motorcycle or take a three wheeler or take the trusty old car lately when it rained. My Lancer restoration project had to be sidelined because of studies and some other unexpected expenses. The car is back on the road and I drive it often. (The paint job is sub-par, didn't do the upholstery and cushions. But mechanics are in order except for the suspension overhaul that I've been putting off. That's why I didn't update the topic on the restoration. Let's leave it here and get back to it later) I am happy with the simple mechanics and the creature comforts (or the lack of thereof) of the trusty old Lancer Wagon. I went for my first interview, first job, and plenty of long distance trips in this. At one time during the height of the COVID pandemic I had to drive daily for 100 Km up and down the southern expressway daily for short term employment for two months. The Lancer proved to be extremely useful when out house was being renovated.

Now due to change in work and higher studies i'm in a dilemma. I will be stationed more than 150km far from home. Traveling daily would not make sense. So I will have to find accomodation somewhere close to work. But I still need to come home for weekends for studies. Now I realy good car as a daily driver to drive long distances reliability and comfortably.

My priorities are reliability, fuel efficiency,small in size (Should share the garage space with the Lancer) safety, decent driver comfort (Does't fatigue easily) and most importantly affordability. It is a bonus if I can get a relatively new, naturally aspirated, all wheel drive with manual transmission. My best bets were hatchbacks. Here are some options that I looked at

1. Kia picanto 2016/2016 - price range from 5-6 million

2. Fabia 2020 - price 8.5 million unregistered- Just came across on the quick site. Haven't even seen the car in real life

3. Demio 2008 - price 4.5-5 million

3. Polo 2018 - price range 9.9 million

4. Ford festiva 2016 - price range 9 million

5. Ion 20/30 -not available

6. Yaris GR - Just joking!

7. Viva elite - 3-4 million

8. Alto 2018 - 4.5-6 million

My budget is 3.5 million cash plus a lease of 80,000LKR per month. I just can't make up my mind on what to do. I'm afraid to go for old cars that I don't particularly love.

Due to my commitments, I will have to stay in the county for the next 6ish years. The current car prices will only become crazier in the future. So, I'm planning on using the car that I buy till I sort my stuff and bail out before $h!t hits the fan in Sri Lanka.

I have been thinking about completing the restoration of the Lancer, doing up the upholstery, seats and re-paint the car. But I need a car for daily driving these days and don't have much time to spend on the restoration. I'm also contemplating on finding a really good workshop to get the full resto done under one roof while I use a rental car for some time till the Lancer Wagon is restored to the former glorious days like it rolled off the production line. Pipe dreams! I may end up shelling out some serious money on it but would it be ultimately cheaper to take that path because I will have a decent, albeit old reliable car for the next six years?

Honestly, there is a lot going through my head these days and I can't figure out what to do. I may need therapy!

matroska · March 30, 2022

15 hours ago, varotone said:

I may need therapy!

We all do my friend - we all do.

Six years is a long time and we really cannot see how things will go. Now as an advocate of lesser popular/non "market" cars It pains me to say this but right now people are struggling to source parts for many cars. I don't know for how long. Part of IMF's recommendations is to reopen imports - but I do not know when that will happen. Also there is a global supply chain issue brewing. Basically this is a bad time to be alive - and specially a bad time to be in your 20's or 30's. (which I assume you are) So i'd stick to a barely-functional, low cost common car. I know it feels depressing to spend six years with something you don't actually love but then again these are really bad times. Plus what I know is given some time you can actually start loving even a basic car - it just happens.

I haven't been in sync with the Perodua world since 2015 but I would assume it would be the easiest car to survive this storm with. It's not on par with the other options you mentioned - a very basic functional car but as it is now that might be the way to go. Going for a euro will be a very brave call.

P.S : I don't think car prices will come down either. Despite all the fuel shortages people are still paying crazy amounts and buying cars.

Edited March 30, 2022 by matroska

GK_007 · March 30, 2022

Second what Mats suggested, I used a Perodua Kelisa from 2011-2015. 2007 Manufactured, Manual. KF plates. Used to travel up and down from Kandy to Gampaha every weekend. Amazing car, didn't give me any issues, that 1L 3 pot is rev friendly and has some good low end torque. I could easily overtake anything in Kadugannawa with that little thing. I guess it ticks all your boxes too. @matroskawould you believe I bought that for 11.5 lacks back in the day with just 11,000 kms on the clock. God I really miss that car. 😔

matroska · March 31, 2022

15 hours ago, GK_007 said:

I used a Perodua Kelisa from 2011-2015. 2007 Manufactured

I 'inherited' a Kelisa from my better half. Apart from the great memories, it was a surprisingly spirted car - it was a 2005 auto with KB plates bought in 2012 when she started working and we used it till 2015. The thing about that car is it is simple and uncomplicated and l learnt a lot from that car - and did the simple maintenance stuff, small cosmetic repairs etc later on. Used to carpool with a friend who had a viva elite (those things cost 15 b/new back then) it was a similar experience. Both cars gave me a very positive impression on Peroduas in general.