Can I Buy A Car For Rs. 3-6 Lakhs?

[S. Perera]

Hello guys,

What type/brand - models of used cars r available in Sri Lanka that fall within 3-6 lakhs?

[As my first car ]

(nissan xx sunny ?, xx)

I'm thinking of buying a car for this money and then go for a good one in a year and later. So what type of cars do you recommend where i want to sell that car for atleast the price i bought!

BR,

sam

[The Don]

Hello guys,

What type/brand - models of used cars r available in Sri Lanka that fall within 3-6 lakhs?

[As my first car ]

(nissan xx sunny ?, xx)

I'm thinking of buying a car for this money and then go for a good one in a year and later. So what type of cars do you recommend where i want to sell that car for atleast the price i bought!

BR,

sam

Quick look at the AL classifieds suggest the HB12 also known as the trad sunny is within your reach, I think it must be quite difficult to find a good example of an HB11 cos they were pre 1986

Also please look out for Mazda Familia's (BG3P and BG5P) and Ford Lazers, I used to own one and they are very good cars for the price you pay for them in my humble opinion.

We sold our BF3V station wagon (17-) for 200K in 2003 cos my father was in a big hurry to raise some funds, so the prices might still be hovering arround 400K though a person like milindu would have a much better understanding of the prices

I think you might be able to get a Familia of the later generation for something close to the top of your budget

The Don

[Hola]

Hello guys,

What type/brand - models of used cars r available in Sri Lanka that fall within 3-6 lakhs?

[As my first car ]

(nissan xx sunny ?, xx)

I'm thinking of buying a car for this money and then go for a good one in a year and later. So what type of cars do you recommend where i want to sell that car for atleast the price i bought!

BR,

sam

Hi Bro!

Few years back we bought a unreg Nissan Sunny Fb14 FE version for 6. But those were the good ol days Also since its your first car , it also matters what you are looking at. Whther it is fuel efficency or a rare user

How about these?

Trad Sunny?

A Maruti?

A Micro (dont know if the 1st version of the range is still available)

Might find a Civic GC model, but te condtion would not that good for that range

[gpmac]

I think you should go for a Maruti considering your budget, you should be able to get a fairly good Maruti within your budget

[Saturn]

Hello guys,

What type/brand - models of used cars r available in Sri Lanka that fall within 3-6 lakhs?

[As my first car ]

Sam

I would suggest:

1. Avoid car sales, check newspapers (one good way to get a head start is to buy the Silumina on saturday, you may be able to catch a deal before anyone else).

2. Regarding specific cars... you may be able to get a Ke72 wagon (quite a strong reliable car), a B11 (but they tend to have engine head problems) and definitely an early maruti 800. You may be able to get an 18- mazda, also early Buddy van's can be got for this price.

Edited May 13, 2007 by Saturn

[milindu]

Sam

I would suggest:

1. Avoid car sales, check newspapers (one good way to get a head start is to buy the Silumina on saturday, you may be able to catch a deal before anyone else).

2. Regarding specific cars... you may be able to get a Ke72 wagon (quite a strong reliable car), a B11 (but they tend to have engine head problems) and definitely an early maruti 800. You may be able to get an 18- mazda, also early Buddy van's can be got for this price.

I agree with Saturn

Look at the Corolla KE72 (Wagon) or a Maruti 800 with 300/301- or may be even G plates (If you don't mind a smaller car). Quite a few Marutis with low miles around.

[Dominic]

I agree with Saturn

Look at the Corolla KE72 (Wagon) or a Maruti 800 with 300/301- or may be even G plates (If you don't mind a smaller car). Quite a few Marutis with low miles around.

I saw an opel astra advertised somewhere recently (YOM 96)...it had very low mileage I think the owner wanted something like 6 Lakhs for it if im not mistaken.

Im sorry but I cant advise on maintainence and such for an opel but its likely to be more than a jap car.

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Milindu machan can you drop me a line (click my name to open my profile and get my email as im not sure I can post it)

need to run something by you. thanks

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Edited May 14, 2007 by Dominic

[milindu]

I saw an opel astra advertised somewhere recently (YOM 96)...it had very low mileage I think the owner wanted something like 6 Lakhs for it if im not mistaken.

Im sorry but I cant advise on maintainence and such for an opel but its likely to be more than a jap car.

------------------------------------------------------------

Milindu machan can you drop me a line (click my name to open my profile and get my email as im not sure I can post it)

need to run something by you. thanks

------------------------------------------

E-mail links don't work. Try me on: [email protected]

[S. Perera]

Hey everyone thanks a lot for your advice.

But if i buy a maruti/mazda, will i be able to sell it for the price i bought? (atleast very near to the price)

I've heard (rumors really), only nissan trad sunny .. type of cars have the market. Is it true?

[The Don]

Hey everyone thanks a lot for your advice.

But if i buy a maruti/mazda, will i be able to sell it for the price i bought? (atleast very near to the price)

I've heard (rumors really), only nissan trad sunny .. type of cars have the market. Is it true?

I think Mazda's hold good value now and surprisingly so does Maruti's

A quick note here though, the car market is affected a lot by the constant changes made by the government to the vehicle duty structure and it is a bit bloated at the moment due to 2 increases in import duty made in the last 2 years or so I hear, there is a small danger that if there is a drop in the import duties cars will go down in value which would include used cars and unfortunately nobody can control this element. Of course at the same time its more than like there would be another increase in the import duties in which case car prices will go up he he !

[Elvis_Pil]

I'm not sure but you maybe able to pull off for about 6, an early 90's corrolla II/Tercel hatch or a Mazda Familia hatch or a 1989 Starlet.

[GTAm]

I saw an opel astra advertised somewhere recently (YOM 96)...it had very low mileage I think the owner wanted something like 6 Lakhs for it if im not mistaken.

Im sorry but I cant advise on maintainence and such for an opel but its likely to be more than a jap car.

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Opel Astra as his 1st car !! No way he'll end up going bankrupt. The spares are expensive and not freely available. Not reliable cars too.

At these price levels it will be very hard to find a car that's not been abused. So look for a long term owner who is trying to dispose. Japanese would be easiest way to go but again most popular cars would have done mileage to go to Pluto and back. I'd like to think Mazda/Laser but most would have been thrashed on the track at some point in their life and cars like Corollas and Sunnys would have changed hands more than the oldest prostitute in the world ! If you find say a 3rd owner car in good shape your lucky. If it's a one owner you'll probably set a record!

Another reliable and low maintenence car is the Fiat Uno. Spares are cheap and always available. And the car is very economical. The best model is the UNO 45 with the FIRE engine.

[Saturn]

Hey everyone thanks a lot for your advice.

But if i buy a maruti/mazda, will i be able to sell it for the price i bought? (atleast very near to the price)

I've heard (rumors really), only nissan trad sunny .. type of cars have the market. Is it true?

Here are some more possibilities:

Starlet Ep71

Corolla AE86

Whatever you buy, make it Japanese, and with reasonably good mechanical condition.

Here's an idea: if you have around 3 - 6 k, you can get a lease to cover up to 1mn and buy a fairly decent car if you search carefully.

In my last hunt i spotted 2 really good cars: an Auto diesel turbo corolla 2 and a 99' mitsubishi lancer, both for a million, and both in pretty decent condition.

whatever car you buy keep around 150k aside to 'fix it up' so if your total budget is 600k, means you can buy a car max 450k (you will need the rest of the money to make it roadworthy).

Good luck and please do let us know what you get?

[Hola]

Hey everyone thanks a lot for your advice.

But if i buy a maruti/mazda, will i be able to sell it for the price i bought? (atleast very near to the price)

I've heard (rumors really), only nissan trad sunny .. type of cars have the market. Is it true?

Machang, there is a model called Mazda MR 90(the model is called Mazda Mister I guess) which goes for around 5-6laks with AC & PS. I think that car was a malaysian assembled car. There is one in AL classifieds too

[Kim]

(1) if possible try to gather up to around 1mil. have a decent buy at once.

- this will be less problems,economical,and would be a decent ride,and a value for money, always u can re-sell without a big deal. (AE 100 fits in)

-finding a car for around 6 means, that there would be lots of things to be done to make it roadworthy as saturn said.

(2) if its strictly 6 and nothing more than it you can find. try to settle with a toyota AE 91/90 models, which would be 17-,18- numbers, but here no cars will be with a EFI so watch out for the fuel economy.

*best thing is the 1st option*

[The Don]

ha ha GTAM, I managed to find a first owner car for myself in 2004 a 1993 model, so there are still a few ones out there

On a related note I notise a new add on the autolanka classifieds advertising a 1991 model Lancer for 825K !!!!! is this a true reflection of the market value of this car ???

Not that I am planning to sell mine (absolutely no intention of doing so) but if a 1991 model Lancer GLX is being advertised for 825K, how much is a 1993 Model Mirage ASTI Z coupe worth with automatic climate control and the works? just out of curiosity

I actually thought that Lancer also known as the ASP model might be within Sams budget,

The Don

[Kim]

ha ha GTAM, I managed to find a first owner car for myself in 2004 a 1993 model, so there are still a few ones out there

On a related note I notise a new add on the autolanka classifieds advertising a 1991 model Lancer for 825K !!!!! is this a true reflection of the market value of this car ???

Not that I am planning to sell mine (absolutely no intention of doing so) but if a 1991 model Lancer GLX is being advertised for 825K, how much is a 1993 Model Mirage ASTI Z coupe worth with automatic climate control and the works? just out of curiosity

I actually thought that Lancer also known as the ASP model might be within Sams budget,

The Don

yes, actually the lancer must be in sams budget as far per my knowledge as well.. as someone noted earlier ppl are coming up with their OWN values for vehicles.. how stupid! and in a situation the given permit is not going to make a big deal with the prices or the car market! hell is not that far...

i heard yesterday chintana telling that he did not give money for tigers to buy planes, so he insists 'what can i do'? gud gud... as if we gave money to them... p##s!! all are same.

Edited May 15, 2007 by Kim

[MrCat]

whatever car you buy keep around 150k aside to 'fix it up' so if your total budget is 600k, means you can buy a car max 450k (you will need the rest of the money to make it roadworthy).

I totaly agree with this 100%.. This is really a gud advise to anyone who is hoping to buy a used car.. i mean ppl dont always buy a vehicle having a healthy bank account isnt it..? Most of the time its tight budgets so what ever the make or model small breakdowns and repairs are always expectable with a used vehicle so its always wise to keep some spare money..

As foe me, I also bought my car hoping to do some serious work done on it, but still cudnt even get da AC fixed properly.. car maintenance is not easy on the pocket at all..

Edited May 15, 2007 by MrCat