For a few days now, I've been pondering on the idea of getting a secondhand car. Main reasons for buying are:
1) So I can leave my other car (Ranger) in the province, fly back to Manila and have something to use
2) So that my siblings who are about to enter college will have something to use.
My top 3 needs are the ff:
1. Not a headache to maintain - expensive parts are okay as long as I don't have to replace them often
2. Fun to drive (preferably fast) - basically something that can hold its own in Tanay, and preferably can do 0-100 kph in about 10 seconds
3. Looks respectable - something that wouldn't look to shabby even when parked beside brand new cars
Budget is in the range of 200-250k.
With that, here are my top 2 contenders:
1. '98-'02 Honda Accord VTI/VTI-L MT (170-280k)
Pros:
+ Fast (148 or 157 hp and VTEC powahhh and rare Honda torque) with solid suspension
+ Looks timeless and elegant - to me, the 6th-gen Accord looks more luxurious than most compacts/sub-compacts today
+ Solid build quality - haven't heard any major complaints with this model of the Accord
+ Complete features - ABS, airbags, leather seats, spacious interior
+ Relatively cheap - cheaper than EK and ES Civics, even cheaper than some Type-Z Cities
Cons:
- Thirsty (expecting 5.5-7 km/L even with the manual)
- Midsize parts (suspension, transmission and other major components) could be expensive
2. '03-'05 Ford Lynx RS (200-300k)
Pros:
+ Fast and torquey, with good suspension and brakes
+ Can do 8-9 km/L, as good as 90's 1.6 econoboxes
+ Ages well - to me it looks sporty but not ricey, and it's subtle enough not to be an eyesore even after a decade
+ Complete features - ABS, airbags, projector headlamps and a moonroof
+ Relatively new
+ It's a Lynx - which means replacement parts are priced like a compact (as long as parts are shared with the GSi and Ghia)
Cons:
- It's a Lynx - which makes me question its durability compared to a Honda/Toyota (remember, in the 90s, build quality between brands varied greatly, and this car was designed in the 90s)
- Slightly more expensive than the Accord
Other cars that I've been considering:
1. AE101 Corolla 1.6 GLi - cheap to run, relatively fuel efficient, 4A-FE is fast enough, but this is such an old car and is only a few thousands cheaper than a newer, faster, more luxurious Accord
2. B14 Exalta STA/SLA - relatively new, very cheap, but only comes mostly in automatic, and friends who owned this car all had electrical problems
3. Mazda 3 2.0R - really handsome, much newer than everything else in the list, great to drive, but of course, a hundred grand more expensive.
I'd like to hear what you guys think, and am very open to suggestions. Thanks! :)
1) So I can leave my other car (Ranger) in the province, fly back to Manila and have something to use
2) So that my siblings who are about to enter college will have something to use.
My top 3 needs are the ff:
1. Not a headache to maintain - expensive parts are okay as long as I don't have to replace them often
2. Fun to drive (preferably fast) - basically something that can hold its own in Tanay, and preferably can do 0-100 kph in about 10 seconds
3. Looks respectable - something that wouldn't look to shabby even when parked beside brand new cars
Budget is in the range of 200-250k.
With that, here are my top 2 contenders:
1. '98-'02 Honda Accord VTI/VTI-L MT (170-280k)
Pros:
+ Fast (148 or 157 hp and VTEC powahhh and rare Honda torque) with solid suspension
+ Looks timeless and elegant - to me, the 6th-gen Accord looks more luxurious than most compacts/sub-compacts today
+ Solid build quality - haven't heard any major complaints with this model of the Accord
+ Complete features - ABS, airbags, leather seats, spacious interior
+ Relatively cheap - cheaper than EK and ES Civics, even cheaper than some Type-Z Cities
Cons:
- Thirsty (expecting 5.5-7 km/L even with the manual)
- Midsize parts (suspension, transmission and other major components) could be expensive
2. '03-'05 Ford Lynx RS (200-300k)
Pros:
+ Fast and torquey, with good suspension and brakes
+ Can do 8-9 km/L, as good as 90's 1.6 econoboxes
+ Ages well - to me it looks sporty but not ricey, and it's subtle enough not to be an eyesore even after a decade
+ Complete features - ABS, airbags, projector headlamps and a moonroof
+ Relatively new
+ It's a Lynx - which means replacement parts are priced like a compact (as long as parts are shared with the GSi and Ghia)
Cons:
- It's a Lynx - which makes me question its durability compared to a Honda/Toyota (remember, in the 90s, build quality between brands varied greatly, and this car was designed in the 90s)
- Slightly more expensive than the Accord
Other cars that I've been considering:
1. AE101 Corolla 1.6 GLi - cheap to run, relatively fuel efficient, 4A-FE is fast enough, but this is such an old car and is only a few thousands cheaper than a newer, faster, more luxurious Accord
2. B14 Exalta STA/SLA - relatively new, very cheap, but only comes mostly in automatic, and friends who owned this car all had electrical problems
3. Mazda 3 2.0R - really handsome, much newer than everything else in the list, great to drive, but of course, a hundred grand more expensive.
I'd like to hear what you guys think, and am very open to suggestions. Thanks! :)