2008 Honda Accord - this is a very good car at a very good price, but the catch? A gigantic 3.5L engine! That would mean up to RM4380 just for roadtax when you need to renew it. That is a real real big hefty sum and most likely the reason why the owner is changing car to the smaller cc engines with turbo that gives almost the same performance yet cheaper roadtax. However, if you do like this car I'd say why not?

2008 Ford Focus - when it comes to second hand cars i always see ford as a good value buy, they're very good cars however they depreciate like a rock, kinda sad for the first owners, however for 2nd owners it is a value buy steal. Looks wise I don't think it would look old compared to the many cars on the road now. spec wise it is quite good has rear air cond vents and leather seats. punchy 2.0L engine and good handling.

2007 Toyota Altis - slightly over your budget but a really good buy. i don't need to explain much about this i guess, toyota is famous for good reliability and affordable maintenance. this model is the top spec 1.8L engine version, at a slight premium over the Ford Focus I'd suggest this as a better buy since it won't depreciate as rapidly as the Fords.

2011 Mazda2 - might be smaller than your requirement of bigger than Vios but I'd just put it in this round up because its quite a a good buy based on the marque, design, and year made. It is also very low mileage. This car looks like a pre-reg car, perhaps thats why it looks very new and going for below market price.

2010 Nissan Latio - one of your target cars, although this one is above your budget it looks like a good buy because it is a 2010 model plus it is a high spec model, looking through the ads for below 60k you can hardly find such a good article.

2006 Suzuki Vitara - not too sure if you like SUV's or not but I'd just put it in this round up for choice. the goodies on this model is the full time 4x4, the newer models only get 2x4. It cannot change from 2x4 to 4x4 it is a permanent drive so that means it would consume more fuel being 4x4 all the time but 4x4 means better grip and safety. Suzuki's aren't that popular over here except for the Swift so you'd get abit of rarity effect driving this around but that would hurt your pockets too as rarity has a price, either parts availability is limited or expensive.

2006 Nissan X-trail - okay, so you want your SUV to be able to do 2x4 and 4x4, right? then give this car a chance since it can do both, however being a Nissan its bound to be ugly. I think its ugly and boxy, however beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Other than that you should expect it to be cheaper to maintain than the Vitara with better parts availability since it is made in Malaysia (Nissan Malaysia not cetak rompak version). Roadtax will be higher by rm500 being a 2.5L engine.

2008 Toyota Rush - so you like SUV's now but think it is going to be expensive to maintain, well how about a TOYOTA! Well there is nothing much special about this car, it is actually a reworked Avanza with 4x4 drivetrain. Yeap, that cheapo van the avanza so maintaining is cheap cheap too except certain bits specially for Rush

2008 Nissan Grand Livina - been looking around and the Livina to get this probably something like this, the top range model with 1.8L engine, comes with premium nappa leather, low mileage and is 2008 car. Good isn't it? I also couldn't believe it is being traded for at this price. Do call up the owner to see if this car has any issues like accident or blacklisted.

2007 Hyundai Sonata - now lets talk about d-segment cars, i really love this one it is a very very good car at a decent price. when it was new it was trading at more than 120k now it can be yours for 50k odd. Spec wise it is very high tech, it has keyless entry. leather seats, IPS, 2din player with reverse parking, etc. It looks really nice and wouldn't be looking old compared to other cars in the market because also its quite rare in our market. The bad part has nothing to do with the car itself. Two major issues, depreciation really hurts it, and maintenance probably isn't expensive but when you need to replace parts like bushing, absorbers, bearings, etc. its going to cost quite a bit....if they have parts.

2007 Nissan Cefiro - what is a better solution with more affordable maintenance? well how about a Cefiro? I'm not going to lie to you this car screams uncle and the styling probably was superb when it was new during the 90s but now 2013 its dated as polka dot dresses. Take looks out of the equation and you have a very good car which is cheap to maintain, spacious and looks that don't attract robbers.

2006 Toyota Camry - an alternative would be the equally uncle Camry. Probably if you compare the Cefiro to this the Cefiro is uglier. It is slightly more expensive but its better in smaller ways, don't expect night and day difference between the two.

2006 Volvo S60 - whats an affordable d-segment conti which is worth to buy and isn't too old? well you could always consider the S60. Car is good, it has turbo, it has leather seats, it is powerful and it is a sporty executive car without looking too typically uncle. If you travel alot you'd like this car for its high speed cruising capability. Now the bad part. Even if you can find a trusty specialist mechanic for this car parts ain't going to be cheap because afterall we're talking about a > 200k car here and a conti somemore. Normal maintenance isn't an issue the issue will come when major parts need replacements like bearings, bushes, etc.


when you talking about honda city you're talking about the 5 generation pre-facelift which is on sale now is it?
thats a pretty good car overall, pity the engine doesn't give much low end grunt for pickup.
other than that it is pretty good, highway stability and speed isn't too shabby either.

forte wise i don't know, never been a fan of koreans yet alot of positive reviews on this car by friends.
plus it is spec pretty well, so should be a good buy for high technology lovers.

1. The only one I found which is 2010 is this. but it is used.

2010 Toyota Harrier - this is unregistered and only slightly over your budget, i think it is better than buying used since it is an expensive car and also a luxury car. you deserve at least an unregistered car for that amount of money.

2. unregistered can be either recond/new. recond is used car in the country of origin, the dealer buys it brings it into malaysia and sells as unregister - these cars will have some mileage on them. some dealers don't even recond they just wash the car and carpets and sell. don't even bother with new carpets and recondition the leather, etc. unregister new is a totally new car imported here new to be sold. both unregistered recond/new when you buy you can get new car interest rates which is alot cheaper than used car rates.

3. if unregister new there would be no mileage.

4. For that amount of money its best to go to big dealer/importers like Naza that provide warranty. Although there are many rumours that Naza would buy-in low spec and install bodykit and stuff locally and sell it as high spec, well that depends there are certain things they cannot install locally like sunroof.

can't really go wrong with the mirage then.
it uses smart technology to save fuel no need to be a hybrid, similar like mazda skyactiv.
no hybrid technology means no headache

i think saga/myvi are decent choices.
new car, quite boring but won't depreciate alot so buying it 50k now, maybe in 5 years time can sell around 20-30k can still buy a better car
if the mazda still available faster go grab

oic. like i said earlier the honda city 5g pre-facelift is a good buy. just that i feel its quite underpowered but when it comes to everything else its pretty good.
big boot, spacious interior, player with USB+ipod support, light steering, etc.
the biggest change of this model from the one which is facelifted is VSA (vehicle stability control) other than that it is mostly cosmetics.

i think for more details you should go into the forum of that particular make to get more information.
vitara is one of the iconic cars for suzuki so they won't abandon this car, parts will sure come however availability might be an issue.
usually the SC won't stock up every part except normal maintenance items so anything else they will need to order from the central repository which could take a few working days.
if that part isn't available then will have to be flown in from overseas which could take weeks as any company would collect multiple orders and bring in the items one shot to save cost.

korean car mah

you're looking for a reliable mpv?

alza - 3rd row really small and can't fit adults comfortably unless just for short trips like going to lunch from office, kinda underpowered.
avanza - space wise decent however the interior shouts cheap and basic, underpowered.
livina - more car like stance might be abit difficult for old folks to get in and out, power is decent, 3rd row isn't really useful for anything longer short trips for adults or kids.

yes, because pre-reg by car companies come with full warranty and new car interest rates, just as a new car.
no, it is a business cover-up. e.g. Mazda Japan tells the distributor they need to sell 5000 cars a year but by end of the year they only sold 4990 so they register a few cars under the company so they can hit their target and give big discounts to sell it later on.

you won't be able to get bank loan with just 1 month payslip.
i suggest you use 3 month payslip from your previous company.
old wira manual is okay with FC but automatic is a fuel guzzler.
perhaps anything like a kelisa/kenari within your budget would be cheap for maintenance and fc.

2004 Hyundai Matrix - one of the few cars other than iswara, wira, spectra and kancil in this price range. depends if you like korean cars or not.

thats really low.
i'm guessing you'd have to settle with a kancil if you don't want a car which is too old.
you want something older?

Yeah, the E90 is a better overall package.
Performance wise the B8 is a turbo charged fun car while the E90 320i just has a basic 2.0l without much fancy stuff.
Of course basic equals cheaper maintenance.
You think you can fit a CGI into your budget?

You know the case, those dealers will always try to wrangle more money from you. As if their price isn't inflated enough.
If you have the confidence and time buy from a direct owner, get the paper work done yourself.

2009 Proton Saga BLM - i think you already know everything about this car.

2009 Proton Persona - i think the persona is a better buy than the saga blm with better safety features.

Ideal would depends on alot of criteria but let me give you some options to think about.

2003 Skoda Octavia - in terms of safety and value for money this is the car to buy, a good C-segment car made with German technology built in Czech. Some people might say its a poor man's Audi/Volkswagen, poor man or not this car is actually much better than a similarly spec Altis/Civic/Sentra. On the flip side you need to take care of this car, conti's demand owners to be more proactive with maintenance and the first step is to find a good Skoda specialist to fix it - not just any cherry tree workshop.

2005 Nissan Cefiro - as long as it is not the 3.0 cefiro you don't have to worry about huge roadtax bills, comfort and size wise it is a d-segment car, you're getting alot of car for not alot of money. Maintenance is of course alot easier and surely cheaper than a conti.

i10 - looks great but everything else kinda doesn't add up, I'd avoid this.

Alto - I think its just too costly to consider, I don't feel that paying so much for a car that has nothing outstanding is a wise choice. Suzuki maintenance isn't generally costly, but major parts like bearings and belts do rack up the bill.

Picanto - Really ugly and underpowered.

Viva - Can't ask for alot in terms of safety for this car, its a very basic car.

Myvi - The highest trim of the Viva is very close to the basic automatic Myvi, depends on your wants and needs, however Myvi seems to be a good choice for good second hand value and cheap maintenance.

Mirage - If you can afford this car, buy it.

The three you've chosen are considered "cold" cars in our market.
IMHO the S-Max gives everything in terms of technology, power, fuel saving engine, space and looks.
Already 200k budget why not consider Estima/Alphard?

You're looking for the first generation of Toyota Harrier or the second generation?
The 1G is notorious for gearbox problems.
Whats your budget like?

i guess s-max then

only have one family member with audi b8 the rest are merc users, hardly ever bmw users.
so i guess i am abit biased
though go to any spare part shop for conti specializing in mercs the parts will be cheaper than audi/bmw.

Your budget and requirement of new means not much to choose from.
It is either a high spec Proton Saga BLM or low spec Proton Persona.
If you can up your budget abit more I'd suggest you take the Proton Preve.

You're considering those 2012 clear stock units?
Why not give Almera a thought?

when test driving the preve i was offered a manual thus didn't have a chance to try it out,
never had much experience with proton's CVT though tried the 1G CVT on Honda Civic and the 2G CVT on Honda Jazz and City.
1G wasn't really fluid but the 2G is a very fantastically done gives the car so much response like driving a supercharger.
i would have assumed that the proton CVT would be similar to honda CVT.
not too sure why it jerks and creates engine lag, by its design being a belt driven system instead of cogs it should deliver power in a linear way, and being belt driven it has an infinite amount of ratio's thus it should theoretically be able to match engine speed and keep you in the sweet spot always.

forte uses a conventional wet box 6 speed gearbox.
heard many good things about it, though i'd still have my reservations on korean cars but with many on the road, high desirability with sales still picking up.....don't think it will depreciate like a rock and without parts support like some other korean models.

clear stock units of course lesser price because they wanna sell all their 2013 stocks before they get too old.
customers won't wanna buy new cars if they're not fresh, i mean nobody walks in to the showroom expecting to buy a 2009 model, right?
clear stock or new, up to you whichever as long as new is fine.
almera imho is a value buy since it is quite spacious and fuel economy, of course built quality is good but materials used is quite similar to vios/myvi only.

You'd be amaze what a proper german D-segment can do compared to your CRZ
Consider recon BMW 3series E90

this isn't part of their usual service but they would help you if you're serious on joining their community.
look around your local workshops to see if there are any BMW specialist then chit chat with the guys there to see if they would help you out.
usually used car salesman are very uptight about sending their cars to specialist for full check-up, they will charge you a fee and petrol to go there, then you gotta settle with the specialist.
not really cheap already used a few hundred just for checkup, but few hundred for this checkup will save you from buying a lemon.
usually used car salesman will say their car is in good condition no need to check and say puspakom will check before doing loan.
depends on you, if you don't trust them and puspakom you're smart because puspakom checks many cars a day and unless its something obvious they won't put it down in their report because usually also salesman will pay puspakom some settlement to get things done without a fuss.

2008 Toyota Vios E - alot of people say this is a value buy but think about it, the person bought this car new just 10-15k more than what you buying it for 5 years later, might as well buy new? Of course if you like it then its a decent buy considering the circumstances of our economy.

2009 Proton Exora - perhaps you might need to ferry 7 people around from time to time, in-laws and extended family maybe? this is a decent choice if you can forgive the badge image. Yes, its a Proton I am recommending I haven't gone nuts. Exora is a decent enough car, although I consider it underpowered because I'm used to cars with high torque so for the everyday person it should be a good enough car to ferry 7 people with decent enough power.

2008 Ford Ranger - there are a few things that put people off buying a pick-up, one is the cramp interior, construction worker image and dirty diesel. Diesel is actually good, its abit cheaper than petrol and gives you better range. Cramp interior can't be helped but you have a big bed behind to carry lotsa cargo. Construction worker image isn't too bad, you'd be less of a target for road bullies, road rage and also snatch theft. So all in all, decent buy, yea? 2009 Mit Triton is of course more gentleman looking.

2008 Nissan Latio - this is the 1800cc version, much better performance and in a smaller package its will move you around quite quickly indeed. Impul used to stand for in-house specially tuned machines but now its more likely just a bodykit, rim and some extra trims. Don't expect extra horsepower or anything fancy. However, that being said the package this car offers is enough for everyone although it looks to be a Vios/City rival it is actually a C segment car similar to Altis/Civic. Don't like Latio, maybe want 2008 Nissan Sentra

Seriously, if there are still any Honda Jazz Hybrid CBU's yet go grab it!

Looking for new or used?
If you like power in a small package look for the previous generation of Honda Jazz or City that uses the L-series engine.
Lotsa torque !!

Jetta - i dunno if they still letting go at this price since it is already 2013,

Its a decent car actually, just that my opinion is that its quite old. Now is 2013 next year is 2014, so that means it will be 10 years old, even things that are long lasting like suspension springs are only rated to last 10 years. Not too sure about the kept condition of these cars after so long you may need to replace alot of the perishable rubber stuff which isn't cheap when you have to replace the whole lot of them.

2007 Proton Waja - if parts availability and price is a concern then I'd recommend a car like this since its a dime a dozen. Any workshop can fix it, parts are always available and prices are relatively cheap - price depends on the supplier buying from distributor is always cheaper than buying at Proton SC. Its a 2007 car so it relatively young so don't have to worry too much and even if parts fail there are new, used and recon parts everywhere. If you don't like the boxy look you can always opt for the 2006 Proton Gen2 which is from the same platform.

2006 Naza Citra - if you don't like local cars you can opt for a Korean design but made in Malaysia car in the form of the Citra. It is also very common so parts availability isn't an issue. These cars even stock from Naza are pretty well equipped and value for money, they always have DVD player, Leather seats, Sunroof, Airbags, etc. A real value buy if you can accept Korean cars.

2007 Nissan Serena - if you really must have a Japanese brand at least then why not consider something like this? The Nissan Serena is a very good buy. It uses the famous SR20 engine which is quiet, frugal and powerful. It can certainly move the bulk of this MPV even with full load without issues. A much more comfortable 7 seater than the Citra. It was one of the first to provide swivel captain chairs for the rear passengers. Can move 7 people is comfort unlike smaller MPV's like Alza, Livina, Citra which is quite cramped for the last row not so long distance.

2005 Ford Lynx RS - of course this is the one to get, this is the hot RS model. It has the 2000cc VICS engine with a 4AT gearbox. This was head to head against Civic 7gen 2.0 RS during its heydey, the Civic had the 2000cc K20A engine with 5AT gearbox. When both cars were tested against each other they were more or less equal on performance, the extra gear on the Civic was only useful as an overdrive during long distance high-speed cruising. If you do have the budget this is a nice fun car to have.

2007 Proton Wira - i think you shouldn't pressure yourself too much and have a soft landing. Although it isn't the best car for this price range but I think it is a value buy because there are still alot of Wira's on the road so parts are plenty and cheap, the 3AT gearbox for the automatic isn't great but provides decent mileage if you don't speed around, safety wise it isn't the best but at least its much safer than a Kancil or motorbike, space wise it isn't bad decent boot size and passenger area. Like I said it isn't the best but you could do alot worst. RM14k with RM2k downpayment for 5 years @ 3.5% = RM250 per month. Very soft landing and this car isn't very old being 2007 so by the time it is 10 years old you only have 1 more year to pay for the car by that time you can trade-in this car for something better as your career would have stabilized.

2009 Honda Civic Hybrid - just a suggestion since it isn't that much more expensive than your budget allows and maybe you can even get it below your budget after some negotiating. The good part is that this car is rarely used with low mileage, leather seats, hybrid and made in Japan, and has a very new number plate so you won't feel like you bought a second hand car more like a good recon or showroom car. The only cons if you ask me is that this is a hybrid with a 1300cc engine with CVT combo, depend on how you look at it. 1300cc with CVT means good fuel consumption and less loss of power. Bad is people always say CVT no good but really depends on maintenance, take care of it and it will serve you well for very long. Same goes with the battery. Lets say worst case scenario the battery kaput after 3-4 years time, you can still drive it as a normal 1300cc car, lets say the CVT also kaput then just dig out the hybrid drive, 1300cc engine and CVT gearbox and dump in a nice K20A type-r engine inside....nice right? coz it will fit....no money i'm sure R18 engines would be cheap also in a few years time for engine transplant. Remember this is made in Japan quality car not the made in Melaka stuff.

both cars depreciate like a rock so don't expect good resale value, but if you really love the design and specs. use it for 9 years by then all cars would depreciate to about the same level. if you change cars every 5-7 years then go with Toyota/Honda.

2008 Renault Kangoo - i'm thinking of all the cars within this price range this is a car worthy to break your budget abit. It is RM18k so depending on your loan interest, years of serving the loan and downpayment you can get it below your RM200 target. I'm suggesting this mainly because it is large enough to accommodate your size and its a conti so you're assured it is a safe and strong car, when you're young and inexperience in driving there is a higher chance of getting into accidents with a safer car your parents need not worry so much. Among the conti's this one isn't as fussy and is quite easy to maintain, its quite common on the road and also many use it as a fleet again.

2007 Proton Wira - this would be the last batch of Wira's around 2007 so if you like it then grab one but then IMHO its a really old car by design, it has been around since the early 1990's so safety isn't up to date. However the plus point is that spare parts and maintenance is very cheap.

How much you planning to spend?

2008 Honda Civic FD2 - looks like below your budget, the bodykit isn't quite expensive, best get one in totally original form then remove it and put the aftermarket bodykits. This is because the original is made from ABS material while aftermarket depends on the price paid, the cheapest is fiberglass then PU then PP.

2009 Honda Civic Hybrid - have you ever thought much about getting a hybrid or you're just thinking of FD2 for the power?

Mirage, i10, Swift and Alto are all pretty much similar - cars with no secondhand value. I think the Alto is made in Japan so thats why its the most pricey for a Viva sized car. Swift is now made in Malaysia and considered quite cheap but the luck of the draw when getting the car, some people get flawless cars they do not need much headache-ing but some really get lemons and have to constantly go claim warranty or pay for repairs until selling it - however it is a good value buy car. Mirage should be the best of the lot since it is the newest, do check what are the safety standards it has because thats important.

2008 Nissan Latio 1.6 - if you don't mind not having a new car then Latio is a good buy, its spacious for its price you get a C segment car, since it is still a current selling model by Nissan you won't feel that you bought an old car when you get it, especially if you get one in good condition. Plus service and maintenance you don't need to worry much about Nissan they usually have a long service life for their cars.

2008 Nissan Latio 1.8 - of course if you have abit more budget then go for this, it has the newer gearbox and also 1800cc engine.

I guess you've not much choice for new.
I'd suggest the Vios, I know its a boring and common car.
But here lies the good thing about it, its very common so parts are available everywhere and Toyota's service network is large enough you don't need to travel very far for a 3S.
Cheap to buy cheap to maintain, nothing special but good enough as your workhorse for the next 7 years.

Looking around not older than 2007 there isn't much choice when it comes to Toyota's. Its all Avanza, Vios you've gotta look for something older.
Around 2006 there are some Honda City's available but not that much.

2008 Proton Waja - if you're looking at the Waja then forget all other models and just focus on the latest top range version which is the one with Campro CPS. The same engine in the new Persona and Neo. New engine in old body means overall spare parts is cheaper because the model has been around for a long time yet you get the benefit of the newer powerful engine.

First timer I'd suggest going for the Viva if your only two choices are the above.
Viva will be your frugal partner when you pump petrol and when you go fix it and also during maintenance visits.
As I think the Suria being a Korean/China design (can't remember) isn't really that good, you don't see many on the road so that means its going to be a killer bill when you go to fix it. Same goes for the Chery Alado which is a bigger sedan car made in China, if you need a bigger car I'd suggest looking around for Wira/Saga. Don't get too old try finding 2009 first if not worst worst 2007.

Expect it to be around the region of a Jetta.
So yeah you're buying a car equivalent price to be Kancil but don't expect Kancil like maintenance.
It is a C-segment car with european spec (5 stars ncap) so expect it to be as expensive as maintaining an Altis/Civic.

New:
Best choice (if still available) is Honda Jazz Hybrid CBU around RM99K.
Second would be Honda City Facelift, this one has good looks and put on some bodykits it will give some style. Good safety features and its a heavy car so don't expect great pickup and super frugal on petrol like lighter cars such as Vios/Mirage. It is the only one in its class to have VSA, thats a big plus point in safety.

Secondhand:
2012 Honda Accord - i think they're mistaken on the year of make, I think it should be around 2008/2009 its a good price if thats the year of make, do call to check it out. For that price its a real steal, becareful its a lemon being hawked off cheaply though, you can't tell until you see the car for yourself and test drive it.

2009 BMW 318 - another car which I think they mistakenly put the wrong year of make, judging from the model it should be a 2002/2003 model, interested in BMW? Usually by the time the cars reach this kinda price its nearly 10 years old. There is the usual good and bad, good is that conti's are relatively high quality machines so if kept well you shouldn't have headaches using it for 20 years, bad is if the car is a non-runner and have been laying around for sometime and uncared for, such cars need TLC when you buy it and would cost a bomb.

2011 Proton Inspira 1.8 Manual - a cheap and fun car, although accessories wise its abit below a true blue Lancer from Mitsubishi, being a manual its a very powerful beast. There is quite some modding potential but as it is you don't need to do much to have fun with this car, however do look around I'm sure this car being so common there would be better deals around.

2008 Proton Waja - if you're looking at the Waja then forget all other models and just focus on the latest top range version which is the one with Campro CPS. The same engine in the new Persona and Neo. New engine in old body means overall spare parts is cheaper because the model has been around for a long time yet you get the benefit of the newer powerful engine.

best to join the forums and find out more from the real owners themselves

2010 Proton Iswara - maybe you should consider the cheapest Iswara that isn't too old for your usage?

Thats a good deal.
Overall car is 3 years warranty.
The IMA system is 3 years warranty.
Battery is 5 years warranty.
I have know a few people like you buying a second hand Hybrid within warranty period then get a replacement battery before the warranty ends, this would require abit of help from the SC unless the battery really kong.

Besides the engine capacity there is no big difference between a 1600cc and 1800cc Latio.
Both the hatchback and sedan have both engine choices.
Usually the 1800cc has some better accessories like chrome door handles, etc. Usually useless stuff nothing extraordinary.

2011 isn't that long ago and RM63K isn't that far from a new car, why bother? New is only RM70k ++
I think the dealer is taking you for a ride, I don't think people would sell such a new car unless it has problems or been through an accidents.
But of course the dealer wouldn't say such things and keep trying to convince you its almost new yet cheaper.

2010 Mazda 2 - something like this is more worth it as Mazda's are priced higher near RM80k when new so after 2 years it dropped RM20k to be at its current price. Relatively new but not relatively cheap because it will depreciate further, unless you're into Mazda cars or its design I suggest to give it a skip.

2010 Ford Fiesta - another "cold" car which doesn't have good resale value but its a great car, it has bluetooth connectivity to your phone. its the only car in this category to have a DSG gearbox (same one in all Volkswagen cars) so its silky smooth, powerful and also frugal. don't really need to do much when buying such cars the player even connects to USB and iphone/ipod. among fords this is the model to buy since there is alot on the road so spare parts will be in numbers and being so makes it cheaper. maintenance should be abit more expensive than a vios but not by that much.

2011 Nissan Sentra - this is one car worth to buy, when new it was closer to RM100k, now it is closer to RM50k, from this price onwards the depreciation won't drop like a rock in water and slowly move to RM40k within the next 3-4 years judging by the price seen in Sentra's since introduction. Nissan's are worth to buy because they're what Proton should be, relatively cheap to buy, cheap to maintain and quality is good.

used car interest rate floats around 3.5 - 4.5 market norm.
3.0 is very cheap.
5.0 is very expensive.

3 years old car 50-75 kms is normal
5 years old car 100k kms is normal
7 years old car 100-150 kms is normal to high

can look around mudah, motortrader and oto to see how much a similar spec car is selling, usually don't expect much from your aftermarket accessories, people prefer stock.

1. doesn't really matter, can get better price for it.
2. OEM or aftermarket?
3. doesn't really matter, when go puspakom check it will be removed.
4. what is that?
5. people expect this for free.
6. doesn't it come standard with the car?
7. no value once installed.

1. plus point.
2. not many would know how to appreciate.
3. plus point.

So okay Vios J is out the window. I'm really surprised people actually think it is a good buy. When you do a loan for used car there is a higher interest rate than when buying new so it doesn't make sense to buy such a used car.

Used 2001 car = RM63k * 3.5% interest rate * 7 years - RM3000 downpayment = RM899.29
New 2013 car = RM70k * 2.5% interest rate * 7 years - RM3000 downpayment = RM937.20

Difference is RM37.91 only you still want old car? The purchase price is a factor but the interest rate is a big factor too, don't forget it.

Mazda is beautiful is powerful but weakness is expensive to maintain compared to its rivals like Toyota, Nissan, Honda. Its in the same category like Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Isuzu since they don't have a production plant in Malaysia so import only its going to be expensive.

You like Fiesta why not look it up further? Click here. Generally 2010 cars will be floating around RM60k region which is quite okay as in 3 years it dropped RM30k from its original price.

If you think Sentra is too old and uncle I can understand since you want a car for yourself you don't want the same thing your dad drives as you won't feel its yours, feel its old and also feel you never upgrade yourself. Then think about Latio the modern C-segment variant. You sure you're interested to get a manual?

you're correct about not rushing.
a good deal only comes once in a blue moon, a car you like, price you can afford, etc.

2011 Ford Fiesta LX - LX means instead of the usual 1600cc engine this one only gets the 1400cc engine, power loss isn't really alot plus how fast can you go in Penang anyway with all the traffic, unless you travel around between main island and alor setar alot this is the less desirable model which is why its priced alot cheaper than other Fiesta's.

2009 Chevvy Optra Estate - saw this and thought it is unique maybe you might be wondering if it is a good buy. well depends if you really need an estate its a cheap buy but only if you really need to because being such a rare car parts availability and price will always be at a premium.

2011 Pug 207 - i'd suggest not to take conti's as your first car as its not going to be an easy route as you need to be abit more aware of the cars needs like maintenance, parts wear, parts price, etc. because it can get really expensive if you don't know what you're doing then just put the car at a workshop and expect him to settle everything. you need a specialist for conti's.

2008 Nissan Sylphy - there is a little good news for buyers of this car the newer ones come with a CVT gearbox, the older ones is a normal 4 speed gearbox, depending on your thinking. I think CVT is great for fuel savings but would be abit more fussy when it comes to servicing requiring specialize CVT oil, while the older normal 4AT gearbox is old and stable technology - shouldn't breakdown unless really not taken care additionally the gear oil they use is common thus cheaper. Of course most buyers will want the newer CVT version which pushes the price for that up and pushing the price of the older one down, which is a great thing for bargain hunters.

just to give you an idea of the market segment

a segment = viva, alto, kancil, kelisa, kenari
b segment = vios, city, swift, myvi, saga, persona, polo, alza, almera
c segment = altis, civic, latio, sentra, sylphy, preve, waja, jetta, golf
d segment = camry, accord, teana, passat