All Car Guru’s - Pls Help Me To Buy My First Car.

[Supra_Natural]

i think better deal is Buying Toyota AE110 car around (1.5 - 1.8 million). Its just not a car. It will be a valuable investment.

man, do you work at toyota or something?? or do you live in some weird parellel unierse where toyotas are the ONLY vehicles around?

id like to draw your attention to this thread, post number 32

http://forum.autolanka.com/index.php?s...amp;#entry51845

toyotas are not created by some supernatural power, they are CARS just like everything else, they last because they are built well, just like MOST OTHER JAPANESE CARS..... so will you please see some sense for heaven's sake???

just FYI i dont dislike them, i like toyota 4X4's especially a LOT, plus we have used two Ae110's in the recent past and we swapped the last one for....... A NISSAN. which we prefer honestly.....

perhaps you should attempt to drive other brands of cars as well? OR, you can refer yourself to toyota to help with their propaganda, as you seem to be one heck of a satisfied owner....

[Supra_Natural]

Hi all Thank for your help

please tell me which is the better deal

1) Buying toyota AE110 car around (1.5 - 1.8 million)

2) Buying a Susuki Swift unregistered

3) Buying a Honda City car from the first owner

Thank You

hi vista, well considering your list of requirements you probably would be best buying a swift

1. the Ae 110 is an old car now, launched in '97 so the basic design is 10 years old, while the swift is much more modern.....

also, despite the general impression of "unbreakability" Ae110's and the like are still old cars, as The Don said, the majority will have had their mileage readjusted, so who really knows what kind of repairs you will be in for?

2 .for the best peace of mind within your budget, id say the swift is a VERY good option, did you check the one in the AL Classifieds?

http://www.autolanka.com/ad.asp?ID=3205

the only thing that counts against it is probably space, and the design does hinder rear visibilty a little bit.... that said however it is very well built (on a TOTALLY different level to Maruti products), fun to drive and quite economical as well, especially if you get the manual...

3. all things considered, perhaps its best to forget the city (i assume you're talking about the old model? not the current, tall one?) again, the design is old and its not built all that solidly.....

as an alternative, you could perhaps consider an AT210 Carina or a CT 210 Corona Premio, you shoul be able to get your hands on one at the upper end of your budget..... but again, they ARE old now....

so anyway hope this helps, good luck and good hunting

S_N

Edited August 1, 2007 by Supra_Natural

[pissa]

you can also consider a n16.....a post 2000 or so model should fall within your budget. much newer than the toyota's being considered here. plus its more spacious than the swift....and IMHO they are much better looking than the corolla's (esp the 121..)

(i have a weird feeling that this might draw a lot of fire from the "dont go for nissan" group)...

Edited August 1, 2007 by pissa

[Supra_Natural]

you can also consider a n16.....a post 2000 or so model should fall within your budget. much newer than the toyota's being considered here. plus its more spacious than the swift....and IMHO they are much better looking than the corolla's (esp the 121..)

(i have a weird feeling that this might draw a lot of fire from the "dont go for nissan" group)...

thats also an option, though the N16 tends to be rather thirstier than the other cars mentioned....

btw machan theres no "group" as such, just one lost soul who cant see beyond the Toyota badge on his bonnet...

[Parak]

man, do you work at toyota or something?? or do you live in some weird parellel unierse where toyotas are the ONLY vehicles around?

id like to draw your attention to this thread, post number 32

http://forum.autolanka.com/index.php?s...amp;#entry51845

toyotas are not created by some supernatural power, they are CARS just like everything else, they last because they are built well, just like MOST OTHER JAPANESE CARS..... so will you please see some sense for heaven's sake???

just FYI i dont dislike them, i like toyota 4X4's especially a LOT, plus we have used two Ae110's in the recent past and we swapped the last one for....... A NISSAN. which we prefer honestly.....

perhaps you should attempt to drive other brands of cars as well? OR, you can refer yourself to toyota to help with their propaganda, as you seem to be one heck of a satisfied owner....

There is no propaganda, That's wat the public perception about the Toyota badge in Sri Lanka. When some middle class person get a permit they always try to get a Toyota if it is not affordable they go for other brands such as Nissan. I sort of behaviour is very common in the other countries too (some people blame Toytoas are over priced). There are some cult models ( Nissan Skyline, Subaru WRX, Toyota Supra) tend to hold the second hand value in other countries. But there purpose of cult cars is just for fun driving, dragging and street racing etc but what avarage person expect in SLanka. That's why there is a big demand for even a old model corolla in SLanka. When U compare the prices of same size cars with same options Toyota tends to be the highest but still still sells better than the other models (excluding prestigious brands). That's what the perception of the public thats what there is a after market demand for Toyotas in lot of countries.

[Supra_Natural]

There is no propaganda, That's wat the public perception about the Toyota badge in Sri Lanka. When some middle class person get a permit they always try to get a Toyota if it is not affordable they go for other brands such as Nissan. I sort of behaviour is very common in the other countries too (some people blame Toytoas are over priced). There are some cult models ( Nissan Skyline, Subaru WRX, Toyota Supra) tend to hold the second hand value in other countries. But there purpose of cult cars is just for fun driving, dragging and street racing etc but what avarage person expect in SLanka. That's why there is a big demand for even a old model corolla in SLanka. When U compare the prices of same size cars with same options Toyota tends to be the highest but still still sells better than the other models (excluding prestigious brands). That's what the perception of the public thats what there is a after market demand for Toyotas in lot of countries.

mate, theres PERCEPTION, and then there is FACT, friend nilantha seems to have confused the two, which is why i sort of lost my bottle there. if you read his previous posts, ALL of them in fact, the term "narrow minded" just might occur to you.

as i said previously, perception be damned, toyotas are unexceptional cars... they are decently built, very reliable, economical and cheap to run..... that said however, they are also completely soulless, not really an enjoyable drive, and they are simply EVERYWHERE

toyotas are all too often the safe and sensible option when buying cars, most people buy them because EVERYBODY buys them.....I dont disagree with that, its just that, as people who claim to love cars, all of us here SHOULD at least offer some realistic (and more interesting) alternatives OR discuss things weighing pros and cons. Friend Nilantha has lamentably failed to do either.

and incidentally, i am NOT a toyota hater...... I love toyota 4x4's (have two in the family), one of my all-time favourite cars is the mark 4 Supra, I love the AE86 Sprinter trueno and Corolla Levin, and very much like the AE100 Ceres/Marino and the AT210/212 Carina GT

Edited August 1, 2007 by Supra_Natural

[Parak]

mate, theres PERCEPTION, and then there is FACT, friend nilantha seems to have confused the two, which is why i sort of lost my bottle there. if you read his previous posts, ALL of them in fact, the term "narrow minded" just might occur to you.

as i said previously, perception be damned, toyotas are unexceptional cars... they are decently built, very reliable, economical and cheap to run..... that said however, they are also completely soulless, not really an enjoyable drive, and they are simply EVERYWHERE

toyotas are all too often the safe and sensible option when buying cars, most people buy them because EVERYBODY buys them.....I dont disagree with that, its just that, as people who claim to love cars, all of us here SHOULD at least offer some realistic (and more interesting) alternatives OR discuss things weighing pros and cons. Friend Nilantha has lamentably failed to do either.

and incidentally, i am NOT a toyota hater...... I love toyota 4x4's (have two in the family), one of my all-time favourite cars is the mark 4 Supra, I love the AE86 Sprinter trueno and Corolla Levin, and very much like the AE100 Ceres/Marino and the AT210/212 Carina GT

I agree, But the forum intiator asking for the help or advice to choose his first car. Soooo better all these gurus should advise him to go for the best option. R there many makes and models availble to fit his affordability? I belive there are few only. Sooooo better just focus on that. Take it easy

[vista2007]

Hi All

Again I thankfully appreciate all your replies. This may help many others like me.

One guy mention about Nissan N16 ,

How is the fuel efficiency and resale market of that car?

One told me that a Diesel car (pre owned) is not suit as one’s first car. Is that true?

Thank You.

[The Don]

Hi All

Again I thankfully appreciate all your replies. This may help many others like me.

One guy mention about Nissan N16 ,

How is the fuel efficiency and resale market of that car?

One told me that a Diesel car (pre owned) is not suit as one’s first car. Is that true?

Thank You.

Speaking from personnel experience here, as I also had to go through your routine a couple of years back, finding pre owned diesel cars in mint condition is a seriously difficult task, and a lot of them tend to be very high mileage. With the price of diesel rising, driving a diesel car is not as economically attractive as it used to be. If you find a good example then good for you, but approach the matter with extreme caution. The models to go for would probably be the CE100 cars (around 1.5 million is where the Diesels start) CT210 and not forgetting the Corolla wagon. Remember a good diesel engine can take 200K miles without too much trouble, so how the car has been maintained is probably more important than the mileage on the clock which is very likely to be false if showing a low figure.

The N16 is a very popular car, but is known to be a bit on the thirsty side, and since you mentioned that fuel efficiency is one of your top priorities it wasn't mentioned much.

I as before is in agreement with Supra that you probably should at least consider and test drive the new Swift as it looks like a very good option, if you do not mind having a compact hatch back.

There is very little to choose between Japanese cars in my opinion and nearly all of them are very well built, and known for their reliability and this includes all japanese brands. And to be honest in the last 10 year my family has owned 2 cars, a Mazda Familia and now a Mitsubishi Mirage, and I can honestly say both cars have never let us down. I have always come home in the car I left home with. I mean obviously from time to time I've had to do repairs and maintenance, but thats just a part of owning any car.

The Don

[Supra_Natural]

I agree, But the forum intiator asking for the help or advice to choose his first car. Soooo better all these gurus should advise him to go for the best option. R there many makes and models availble to fit his affordability? I belive there are few only. Sooooo better just focus on that. Take it easy

thank you...

[GTAm]

Hi all Thank for your help

please tell me which is the better deal

1) Buying toyota AE110 car around (1.5 - 1.8 million)

2) Buying a Susuki Swift unregistered

3) Buying a Honda City car from the first owner

Thank You

Hey Vista its such a shame you have narrowed down to just these 3. You need to open up new vistas ? 1.8m is a decent figure.

IMHO don't go on a fear trip and think only about fuel economy and resale value. There is a danger that this will lead you to be blind to condition and the pleasure you will be able to derrive from owning your very first car.

All the above are totally crap to drive. They are merely transportation appliances. And while you won't go far wrong with any of them provided they in good condition you'll never get any driving pleasure and your first car experience will be completely boring.

It's like choosing a vanilla ice cream when there are 75 flavours on the menu. There are a lot of myths out there.

If you're wondering why I wrote all this is cause you came here and took trouble to post this question. If you wanted the least risky route, you would have already plumped for a white Corolla. So I believe you're a bit more curious than that .

[Nilantha]

man, do you work at toyota or something?? or do you live in some weird parellel unierse where toyotas are the ONLY vehicles around?

id like to draw your attention to this thread, post number 32

http://forum.autolanka.com/index.php?s...amp;#entry51845

toyotas are not created by some supernatural power, they are CARS just like everything else, they last because they are built well, just like MOST OTHER JAPANESE CARS..... so will you please see some sense for heaven's sake???

just FYI i dont dislike them, i like toyota 4X4's especially a LOT, plus we have used two Ae110's in the recent past and we swapped the last one for....... A NISSAN. which we prefer honestly.....

perhaps you should attempt to drive other brands of cars as well? OR, you can refer yourself to toyota to help with their propaganda, as you seem to be one heck of a satisfied owner....

Brother,

I am not working 4 Toyota. Also I am not talking about all Toyota vehicles. I am just talking about Toyota car models that imported to sri lanka so far. You can see in generally comparing with other brand cars, the Toyota cars are very suit to sri lanka road conditions, its is fuel economical, comfortable, reliable as well as it has very good secondhand value in sri lanka. I am not hate to other brand cars. I am talking reality.

Vista2007, I am sorry 4 the talking out of the topic.

Edited August 2, 2007 by Nilantha

[srajendr]

Hey Vista its such a shame you have narrowed down to just these 3. You need to open up new vistas ? 1.8m is a decent figure.

IMHO don't go on a fear trip and think only about fuel economy and resale value. There is a danger that this will lead you to be blind to condition and the pleasure you will be able to derrive from owning your very first car.

All the above are totally crap to drive. They are merely transportation appliances. And while you won't go far wrong with any of them provided they in good condition you'll never get any driving pleasure and your first car experience will be completely boring.

It's like choosing a vanilla ice cream when there are 75 flavours on the menu. There are a lot of myths out there.

If you're wondering why I wrote all this is cause you came here and took trouble to post this question. If you wanted the least risky route, you would have already plumped for a white Corolla. So I believe you're a bit more curious than that .

From driving about the same daily distance Vista intends on driving (~50Kms one-way), I'd say fuel economy is pretty darn important. When you're looking at shelling out close to Rs.4,000 every week on petrol, everything else starts blending into the background. However, do agree that the condition of the car should be good regardless.

It would be great to get a car that drives great with the same fuel economy/reliability though - maybe some suggestions on what he can check out will help.

[vista2007]

Why people not talking much about cars like Mazda Familia, 323, Mitsubishi Lancer? But they are common up to certain extent on roads

What about Toyota Vios ? I know that they are above my budget.

Thank You.

[The Don]

Why people not talking much about cars like Mazda Familia, 323, Mitsubishi Lancer? But they are common up to certain extent on roads

What about Toyota Vios ? I know that they are above my budget.

Thank You.

Actually you can get a fairly new lancer for your budget, but thanks to the low quality of petrol in SL the Mitsubishi GDI system does not work very well in SL nor does it deliver the promised fuel economy (and the same is true in europe by the way, too much sulfur in Petrol) and thus people go for carb equipped Lancers, which I assume are fairly good cars, but in the age of electronic fuel injection, neither as efficient nor technologically advanced as their electronic cousins. (If you read up on GDI you would note Mitsubishi is the world leader in that technology, and it has a lot of benefits but alas they didn't discount for impurities in petrol outside Japan, other manufacturers are now coming up with similar technology which tries to tackle this problem)

As for the Mazda Familia, highly recommended, except the new Mazda 3 is I feel is over your budget sadly, and the cars you would have to go for would be the older BJ5P versions but possibly 2001/2002 model should be within your reach. There though has been complains by members of these forums on the fuel economy of these cars, so best check with somebody who actually owns one before buying one.

The re con vios's are over you budget, but I do not know how much the second hand cars go at, there was another thread on this car,

The Don

[Axela]

Actually you can get a fairly new lancer for your budget, but thanks to the low quality of petrol in SL the Mitsubishi GDI system does not work very well in SL nor does it deliver the promised fuel economy (and the same is true in europe by the way, too much sulfur in Petrol) and thus people go for carb equipped Lancers, which I assume are fairly good cars, but in the age of electronic fuel injection, neither as efficient nor technologically advanced as their electronic cousins. (If you read up on GDI you would note Mitsubishi is the world leader in that technology, and it has a lot of benefits but alas they didn't discount for impurities in petrol outside Japan, other manufacturers are now coming up with similar technology which tries to tackle this problem)

As for the Mazda Familia, highly recommended, except the new Mazda 3 is I feel is over your budget sadly, and the cars you would have to go for would be the older BJ5P versions but possibly 2001/2002 model should be within your reach. There though has been complains by members of these forums on the fuel economy of these cars, so best check with somebody who actually owns one before buying one.

The re con vios's are over you budget, but I do not know how much the second hand cars go at, there was another thread on this car,

The Don

Don I am glad you came up with Mazda.I see lot of Sri Lankans are so conservative and make decisions based on what other person has done.

If you really go through some foreign automobile magazine you will see that most japanese cars are more or less equallly priced.For example Toyota Yaris is considered a low priced car comparatively.

Only because of the Absurd taxes and misguided attitudes we see people going for junk Toyotas spending millions more.Car sales people take maximum advantage from that and artficially hike their prices.

I also baught my first Car 2 years back(Before that I was using company cars) and it is a Mazda BJ5P 2002 model.

I recommend that car to any body.It is doing 12 km/l and I know for sure that is more than what Suzuki Swift does which has a 1300CC engine.Whatever said and done you cannot expect more fuel efficiency from a 1500cc car.

Comfort and looks also I am satisfied with but are highly subjective.

But I don't want you to go and buy a Mazda car.It was good for me 2 years back and today If I was buying I would have gone for some thing else.

So,Don't go for what other people say.Buy what you are happy with.

After all it is like getting maried to a girl.People might bring you proposals.But you only have to live with her

[Nilantha]

After all it is like getting maried to a girl.People might bring you proposals.But you only have to live with her

Agreed and correct.

[GTAm]

From driving about the same daily distance Vista intends on driving (~50Kms one-way), I'd say fuel economy is pretty darn important. When you're looking at shelling out close to Rs.4,000 every week on petrol, everything else starts blending into the background. However, do agree that the condition of the car should be good regardless.

It would be great to get a car that drives great with the same fuel economy/reliability though - maybe some suggestions on what he can check out will help.

Well yes especially now, fuel economy is very important. I would always reduce the capital investment keeping it as low as possible by buying car that has already depreciated a lot. i. e a low mileage used car that is good to drive. But I know not everyone is that adventurous.

So here I would recomend for Vista a used brand new import new shape Suzuki Swift if he can't stretch to 2.1m (brand new Indian built). Not likely to be the most available car but some hunting around could find you one.

It looks good, highly rated, is good to drive and very modern. Second I would go for a Mazda 323 hatch which also looks good and is quite a decent ride. Fuel economy is 9-10km/l for an auto I know as I used one.

[axelrose]

Another factor against toyota is drivability most of the old corollas feels like vans. If you are driving 50 KM a day a subaru or a honda will make you less tired.

The resale value and the parts availability should considered if you are a car sales man.

A subaru will easilly do 8-9 KMPL and for your budget you can get a much newer car as there is no mass market appeal.

[vista2007]

Well yes especially now, fuel economy is very important. I would always reduce the capital investment keeping it as low as possible by buying car that has already depreciated a lot. i. e a low mileage used car that is good to drive. But I know not everyone is that adventurous.

So here I would recomend for Vista a used brand new import new shape Suzuki Swift if he can't stretch to 2.1m (brand new Indian built). Not likely to be the most available car but some hunting around could find you one.

It looks good, highly rated, is good to drive and very modern. Second I would go for a Mazda 323 hatch which also looks good and is quite a decent ride. Fuel economy is 9-10km/l for an auto I know as I used one.

I think this is a good point to consider. Thank You.

[vista2007]

. I have come to know that there are unregistered Swift cars (Used) imported from Japan available around (1.6 -1.8). Also cars purchased from the local agent as brand new go around the same price from the first owner to the second.

If one look for a Swift which is the better deal ?

(P.S. I'm still not decided. Hope I can buy a good car with the help of you all guyes.)

Edited August 3, 2007 by vista2007

[vista2007]

. I have come to know that there are unregistered Swift cars (Used) imported from Japan available around (1.6 -1.8). Also cars purchased from the local agent as brand new go around the same price from the first owner to the second.

If one look for a Swift which is the better deal ?

(P.S. I'm still not decided. Hope I can buy a good car with the help of you all guyes.)

[Nilantha]

.

Edited August 3, 2007 by Nilantha

[Nilantha]

My opinion is its better if you can go to corolla from first owner.

[GTAm]

. I have come to know that there are unregistered Swift cars (Used) imported from Japan available around (1.6 -1.8).

I believe this is the old shape Swift? That's not that great IMO. The new one is a huge improvement.