They clearing stocks for the 408 2.0?
I think it is a good price, though the 408T is a much nicer car to have because of the performance.
But then again turbo while nice to drive would demand abit more TLC when it comes to maintenance.
So the plain vanilla 408 2.0 is a smart choice you still get everything good about the 408 except the turbo.
Interior space, comfortable seats, good NVH, and cheaper maintenance with NA engine.

Sorry sorry kinda lost track
With that kinda budget and used there should be room for something really fun
You can check how I did the budget calculation here.

2013 Honda Accord 2.0 VTIL - the middle spec Accord is within your reach, this spec is the most sought after as it has most of the accessories and goodies in the 2500cc variant but is cheaper and 2000cc engine with cheaper roadtax. However, you can't be too picky since colors are limited and queue is quite long. I do recommend buying in January since there isn't any discount for this car no point buying now and it depreciates so much within 2 months. New car not much issues you need to worry as maintenance is quite cheap, car is reliable and upgraded warranty is now 5 years for accord.

2009 Lexus IS250 - if you want abit more prestige but don't mind recon cars then you can consider the IS250, issues? well not much as cheap to maintain as most Toyota's unless you bring it into a Lexus 3S like the one at Mutiara Damansara.

2010 Merc C180 CGI - a bigger notch up the prestige ladder but not costing anything much more, among the group of prestige cars in this price range (new/recon) i think either a C180 or IS250 is the best value in terms of looks, space, performance, technology and maintenance cost.

You wanna know what I think about Korean cars?


Kia Rio - under the VW Golf -like exterior I don't really think much about their engine and gearbox performance, as that would be the saving grace because if it is fun to drive or super frugal that would offset people's mind away from higher maintenance cost, currently higher maintenance cost is due to lower numbers being sold so economics of scale isn't there yet so hopefully by the time the warranty is over they would have sold enough units so replacements parts are cheap, if not people usually will just trade-in the cars for something else.



You can go to Lifedrive.com to do the comparison, the four I chosen are close contenders for your money as their cost and specs are very close.

They haven't updated with the latest Polo Sedan information, I think ordinarily the Polo Sedan wouldn't be such a great buy but the drop in price and the amount of stuff that they pack into the car make it a very interesting proposition. Eventhough it is the cheapest car in the VW range it does feel very premium for the asking price.

The Fiesta is a very good contender but their biggest issue has always been the lack of 3S/SC, so unless you have one near your house do give this a skip although it is a fantastic buy.

Vios is spec the worst but price the highest, LOL, please choose it because TOYOTA!

City even with its flaws is a good price, consider the City and Polo Sedan are quite similar in terms of what they bring to the table. Big comfortable car for B-segment, paddle shifters, traction control, etc.

seriously dunno about those two.
when new they're too expensive for what they give to the consumers.
now they're old, i dunno lah. i dunno how easily and cheaply you can get parts for those cars.

That's normal, it doesn't get any worst thereafter.
You do the calculations new vs old.
New is with lower interest rate plus full warranty and of course you're first owner, vs old car with higher interest rates.

Then make your decision.

I think you should be able to afford it but then without deposit is it?
Without deposit then it is going to be a huge chunk of your salary.

most of the time sales people don't care about most of the technical details they just focus on the few unique selling points -- because it is unique they don't need to remember if comparing with other cars in the market.

i think i gave my thoughts on these cars in my previous post.

Ford Fiesta uses DCT (dual clutch transmission) similar technology to DSG (DSG is copyrighted by VW) something like VTEC for Honda and VVTI for Toyota.

personally IMHO for hot hatch you should also consider Jazz, they clearing stock for new 2014 model so do get the discounts while they're being handed out

2010 Merc C200K Avantgarde - usually when it comes to naturally aspirated cars I don't recommend going for the Japan Spec and to choose the UK spec instead if there is a choice because UK spec usually don't have high petrol RON requirements like Japan, however but since this is a turbo car there is no point pumping RON95 into it so Japan/UK spec isn't an issue. Of course for the price paid you can get yourself a new VW Passat with 5 years warranty and not a recon with just 1 year warranty. Different strokes for different folks I guess, IMHO although C200 you don't get a longer warranty period but maintenance and parts for Merc's are usually more abundant and cheaper than other conti's (sometimes in the region of Japanese cars as well), however that is usually true for the older Mercs -- newer ones aren't so bad but time will tell and usually if there are alot of cars in the market you'll betcha there will be more suppliers selling parts.

I do think the new BMW F30 3-series is a good car but then the purchase price and maintenance is abit too much for that level unless you can get a recon/pre-reg around 150-170k then I think its a good deal, however don't see many around that price level so the next best thing which also looks quite similar the is Honda Accord 2.5 -- feature pack and also looks quite similar to the F30 but alot cheaper, then again the Nissan Teana 2.5 also is quite a good buy though I suppose in terms of prestige at this price level the Teana falls short of the latest and greatest Accord which also has a longer warranty period, I'm not going to talk about the Camry since even if it is underpowered by a 1700cc engine they'd still sell in volume because of the cult of Toyota (similar to cult of Apple -- just buy, don't ask why).

2010 Audi A4 - another eurobox turbo, IMHO unless you like the brand and styling not much to sway you over to this brand as you get the same spec and performance as a C200 CGI...but I've to admit if you're a young exec if you pull up to an event in an Audi vs a Merc.....people will look at you differently....which is all the point when buying cars at this level for prestige.

Unlike Proton and Toyota they don't do CKD with the mentality of, "hey! lets CKD this car in malaysia, we'll make it cheap!! my pakcik got glass factory, my brother-in-law got bumper factort, etc.....quality nevermind lah....gov protect us....rakyat no choice but to buy our cars....why so care? we make money first lah! my lembu want to stay in bangsar condo!!"

VW Polo Sedan 2014 spec is not really a facelift but CKD version, has some slight upgrades and additions. One thing which really surprised me is the addition of rear aircon vents, most C-segment cars don't have this yet this B-segment car has it.

In terms of spec you can't go much wrong with this car, decent 1600cc engine (similar type of technology to iVTEC), 6 speed gearbox with paddle shift (wet box not DSG, higher reliability replaces higher gear change speed), traction control (about the only other b-segment car with this is the Ford Fiesta and Honda City, not too sure about Pug 208), 5 stars safety rating, etc.

NVH? I'd say better than its peers, even a much more expensive Honda Civic suffers from wind noise.
Underpower? Depends on your driving style. Fuel consumption is tied to this.
Maintenance? Not too sure about this model usual for TSI engined model is 600-800 for minor, 1000-1600 for major.

Depends on who you hear from it can vary from wonderful to tragic.
The typical uneducated or dunno anything about cars will say it is horrible, "my friend ah! buy this car hor! everyday go workshop fix wan! then ahh...ford resale so telibel!! wan to sell oso cannot price no gud!!"

I've heard it a thousand over times from people like that, they're also the same folk that don't follow the owners manual when it comes to servicing, don't service at the service center, use the cheapest possible parts and consumables when go service. Those people should just stick to buying old tech Proton Saga's then go ABC workshop for the RM38 service promo when they feel like it once a year.

When it comes to good cars you need to make sure service is done according to the manual and follow the recommended parts from the service center or 3s. DCT require special gearbox oil, go ABC workshop put inside cap ayam gear oil sure lah die.

Fiesta like most conti's require servicing once every 10k, minor service prepare about rm500, major prepare at least rm1000. Depending on your driving usage 10k can be a few months or a year, but I don't recommend waiting a full year before going to service, most to most stretch it to 6 months before checking in.

2009 Hyundai Elantra - imho if I were to take a the plunge to buy and drive a Korean I'd rather go for a higher up model.

2006 Nissan Sentra - with this kinda budget there isn't alot of choose from so you need to search the websites and magazines for a good buy, usually anything from Nissan would be a good buy. Fundamentally, a Sentra is a good, low fc, cheap to maintain and reliable car. That is if you buy one in good condition, well 2006 is quite a long while ago, do check out the car and see if the condition is what you expected if you think it disappoints you in anyway then walk away.

Interesting thing about car loans is that even Maybank and Ambank follow whatever rates Public Bank does, so its a safe marker when you look at Public Bank first, you may get some additional deals depending on if they need to hit any quota or not. I'd suggest you also check out Ambank's offerings, Maybank is good but I find they need too long a period to process.

The price is pretty good since 70k for 2008 FD1 is under market value, should at least be 75k for 2008 FD1.

For maintenance plan and price look here.

2007 Honda Civic FN2R - if you like Honda's here is something to mull over but of course it is going to bust your budget but its a rare beast in our shores. Although a few HP below the Japan spec it is nonetheless an impressive beast on the road. Maintenance similar to FD2R. Though the expensive bit are part prices if you get into an accident at that concave rear glass and door isn't cheap even used.

2005 Honda EuroR CL7 - rare beast, you won't be able to find another one with autobox. This baby has no problems overtaking road hogging Camry, Accord and Teana 2500cc on highways.

Good luck in finding one if the one advertised is already sold.

I've written extensively about the Fiesta in the post just above, do read.

Specifically about the FC it uses the same dual clutch technology and 7 speed transmission setup similar to VW's DSG, however Ford gets their gearboxes from Getrag which has a good reputation as a manufacturer of quality gearboxes.

2009 Ford Focus - if you like Ford's then why not also consider the Focus? The big difference between the two is depreciation and numbers on the roads. There aren't alot of Focus on the roads and not much demand for them thus eventhough they're more expensive they depreciate like a rock, while Fiesta being cheaper is more in demand and more numbers on the roads (lack exclusivity) thus doesn't depreciate that much. Basically for a 2009 Focus/Fiesta they'll depreciate to values around 50-60k currently which is a good buy if you pick either as they depreciate enough to make a used car purchase seems more logical and they're not that old. Though, personally I'd pick the Focus as it is more powerful, bigger and also handles better.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 13 2013, 02:28 PM

I'm not too sure about that, though I think you can get some answers here.

The few newbies in the B-segment sedan class which are sub RM75k of course are:

Nissan Almera
Mitsubishi Attrage
Mitsubishi Mirage (hatch)
Kia Rio (hatch)
Chevy Sonic
Toyota Vios
Suzuki Swift

Safer choice would probably be Almera and Vios, especially Vios since it maintains the same drivetrain parts would be the same as the one old so prices would be cheaper and reliability maintained. What you paying extra now is for the newer design and materials.

Swift, Attrage, Mirage, Sonic and Almera are all relatively new cars. Almera would probably be the better choice here as Tan Chong Nissan manufactures the car here locally so parts availability and pricing isn't an issue. Swift now comes with a new engine but the body looks relatively unchanged from the previous one, not too sure if the downgraded engine would be better since previous 1500cc was said to be quite a fuel guzzler because lack of power for its heavy body. Rio and Sonic are totally new models, I expect volume to be quite small unless they really throw price to fetch more user base if not then with small volume the part prices and availability will be relatively expensive as previous incarnations from this two brands. Attrage and Mirage case is quite unique both body styles using the same engine which is good for economics of scale but some people would think the punny little 1200cc engine isn't powerful enough -- well actually they are A-segment cars but bigger and with better safety so imagine if you will a Perodua Viva class car but with ANCAP 5 star rating so its relatively bigger. Probably if this format works it will be the replacement for Savvy/Saga?

I think I explained this pretty well in my previous post you can look back a few pages since it wasn't that long ago I explained it in detail. In a nutshell here they are in order of my personal opinion:

1. Honda Jazz 74k
2. Honda City 85k
3. VW Polo Sedan 85k / Ford Fiesta 85k
4. Honda Jazz Hybrid 89k

70k puts you out of range of close to decent MPV's like Exora, Livina, etc. especially if you want new.
So you only can afford Avanza and Alza.
Which IMHO a waste of time and money as you need to compromise alot.

Good luck!
Almera and Vios more or less the same but Almera is much cheaper and spacious.

Erm...wat u need the most from your car?

Unless you're driving to some ulu-ulu place alot then you don't really need the spare tire.

Hybrid cars are meant to be efficient and light as possible so of course lugging a spare tire with sport rim might be "value added" for some people but to me I just think it is wasted space and dead-weight, you need to use more fuel to offset additional weight. That is simple logic.

For cars that drive in the City mostly or even on highways what is the worst that can happen to the tire?
Completely burst and explode? Well, an insurance tow truck with replacement tire is just a call away.
Lesser damage like leaking from nail punctures can be repaired with the liquid resin in a can.

Personally, if I have any tire issue I'll just call the insurance guy to come we're paying for the service anyway so might as well make use of it. Calling him to come to repair a tire or tow the car won't hurt your NCB don't worry, you can do it multiple times a year. I rather call him to come and do it rather get dirty and do it myself with the flimsy and useless tools which are standard on most cars -- then if the wheel is on the driver side? I don't think its safe to be changing the tire on that side as you'll be effectively be squatting down on the left most lane of the road.

I just don't understand the Malaysian mentality becoming so typically kiasu, less one tire isn't a deal breaker.

There are bigger issues like long term maintenance cost, parts availability, reliability, performance and safety ratings. Usually the first two will most likely determine if the car is going to be low/high depreciation.

Vios? Good spec! Mostly importantly it can fly into mountains, drive faster than Ferrari's, more fuel efficient than hybrid, instant love from parents and in-laws, orang cacat parking = VIP Toyota parking, what else?

So what kinda budget you have in mind?
MPV? Sedan? Maintenance burden? Brand preference?

Anyway let me intro you something I bumped into...

2008 Merc C240 - this car is most likely a recon/clear stock car as this body type was discontinued for the new model in 2007, anyway back to this one its a good car for the price and since it is stated that loan is available it is younger than 2003 although for the price I don't think it would be worth it if its age is anything older than 2006 because next year is 2014 so if the car is made in 2003 it is effectively 11 years old when you bring it back home, not really a good deal IMHO eventhough its a Merc. You need to be aware of other money matters for this car, insurance by its selling price will cost you almost 2000 then roadtax is about 1000 too so renewing roadtax and insurance would be 3000 budget for the foreseeable future. Parts and maintenance is the biggest saving grace for this car because although its a big luxurious conti D-segment car its parts are as cheap as getting stuff for your Toyota Camry.

2010 Honda Edix - confirmed recon/import car as it is not sold here by Honda Malaysia. A funky style mini MPV. While unlike most other mini MPV like Avanza and Alza which have a 3rd row of seats only suitable for small children to make way for 7 seats the Edix with clever design makes room for 6 with only 2 rows of seating. So everyone is comfortable and the car isn't stretched too long until handling is all out. A really little town cruiser that can carry 6 if needed but then it can only fit 4 comfortably, so while most mini MPV are 4+3 this is a 4+2. Maintenance and parts aren't much of an issue since the engine is shared with the Civic, and bodypanels would be your only headache.

Nissan Serena S-Hybrid is about RM149k.
This size of MPV is very comfortable all 7 seats are suitable for full sized adults, anything smaller than this you need to compromise space on the 3rd row either head or leg room not enough.
Multi-aircon blowers, multi-zone-aircon, fuel efficient, comfortable ride, Hybrid mode saves fuel during idling.

Mini MPV: Toyota Avanza = Perodua Alza
Compact MPV: Toyota Wish/Innova = Honda Stream = Nissan Livina = Proton Exora
Proper MPV: Toyota Estima = Honda Odyssey = Nissan Serena
Large MPV: Toyota Alphard/Vellfire = Honda Elysion = Nissan Elgrand

This is a big MPV with very buffered ride so you don't feel much of the road, cabin NVH is good, so its a very good long distance traveler since with reduce road noise and road imperfections giving a bumpy ride you'll feel very comfortable driving it far and won't feel tired easily....you might also be doing faster than you should without noticing.

Some say the Exora handles better and gives better road feedback, well there are pros and cons to this. This an MPV you're going to be ferrying your family in it and want it to be comfortable you don't want "feedback" from things like road noise, vibration on steering (direct feeling), and a harder suspension.....all those would be great on their sportier products like a Proton Satria Neo for racy feel but an MPV is different comfort and quiet is key....so anything less and your mind starts to wander am I getting cheated?

Well not really, its true the Exora won't be as great as the Serena because they're of difference class....it would be like silly of me to compare Honda Civic and Honda Accord then say the Civic is better because it handles better....well....it should because of the class demands are different.

I think the Almera is a good buy.
Although you may also want to have a look at Nissan X-Gear.
It is the shorter version of the Livina, with only room for 5 in a crossover body.
Priced about RM85k its a real C-segment car in B-segment price, so you get space of a crossover car and a decent 1600cc engine as oppose to the others which are offering 1500cc at best -- currently the 2013 pre-facelift models are being stock cleared so there are discounts I've been quoted 3-4k.

I think it fits your requirement of space, good FC, family use, balik kampung also good.
Plus rear hatch door is also good when you need to bring big stuff like trolley for babies and stuff.
Lugging it onto sedan boot very high and probably your massage center bills will increase

IMHO anything from mini mpv range will of course be struggling.
1300cc on flat road also no pickup, go up hill? Probably can but not full load and grinding up slowly.
You push it too perform at high RPM all the way up is sure going to overheat the engine.

Compact MPV wouldn't have an issue because they're just slightly bigger than Mini MPV but are built with better quality parts like better suspension setup and of course minimum is 1600cc engine (Livina/Exora) mostly will be 1800cc or 2000cc engine which are more than enough to navigate up Genting. Anything above Compact MPV level wouldn't have performance issues performance issues are usually for 3rd world market cars like Alza/Avanza need big body but small engine.

So if you increase your budget to about 80-95k then I'd suggest you either get a new Nissan Livina, or recon Honda Stream/Toyota Wish. Although recon cars only give you one year warranty the cars are usually export quality cars so they're very robust and reliable if they don't breakdown in the first few months then they won't unless poorly maintained. Proton Exora I wouldn't recommend unless you're quite desperate for cheap but that would be the non-turbo manual which IMHO similar like the 1600cc Livina would be underpowered under certain cirsumstances while the CFE (turbo) version is a good car Proton SC usually aren't up to par for maintenance for your 3 years would be a hit/miss......and from my experience Proton warranty is a joke.

The underpinnings for both models come from VW's PQ35 platform.
They also mirror each other quite well in different incarnations;

Audi TT = VW Scirocco
S-line = GT-spec
Quattro = R-spec

That's just in general of course there are differences which make them both unique.
While the TT will naturally have a smaller boot, feels more luxurious and higher prestige.
You can see the difference in cabin below:



So which one better?
I really can't answer that I guess depends on what you want, performance and maintenance wise they're pretty much equal. IMHO TT owners usually be stereotyped as mid-life-crisis-old-man or kept women, while Rocco is more universal.

2009 VW Rocco vs 2008 Audi TT - about the same price yet Audi will be more expensive.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 17 2013, 08:12 AM

unless you're really getting a fantastic offer which is more than 5k discount.
i don't think its worth the depreciation.

Was thinking about your case, then I thought maybe I should just recommend you a few budget price but decent sized MPV's plus they're quite rare so with a new number plate you can of course fool the fools

2006 Nissan Liberty - manufactured in 2003, registered in 2006, most likely a recon car as Nissan never officially sold this model here in Malaysia. This is the forerunner of the Nissan Livina, however unlike the Livina which is meant to be for cheaper Asian markets the Liberty was made for Japan domestic market and also in Europe and USA, was known as Nissan Prairie/Stanza in some markets. So because its for upper tier markets it gets accessories and specs suitable for those markets like 5 star safety ratings, double aircon blowers, etc. The engine is taken from a favorite and popular engine of the time which is the SR20DE which is also found on Nissan Bluebird, Altima, X-trail and Serena of that generation. Maintenance wise it shares similar engine and gearbox as the X-Trail so it shouldn't be any more expensive to keep than an X-Trail. Though because of its rarity you might come into issues when an accident happens and you need to replace things like doors, bumpers, etc. Although you should be able to get the parts but pricing might be on the pricey side since they don't always keep stock. Whil

2004 Toyota Ipsum/Picnic - another value buy MPV, although it looks like the Toyota Innova from certain perspective it is much much better. Ipsum is made from the Toyota Avensis platform (Avensis is a high-end luxury saloon for US/Japan markets). The one in this advert uses the 2.4 L 2AZ-FE engine which is the same one as on the Camry, as the case with the car above, normal maintenance and service is going to be relatively cheap and the car is going to be reliable with that proven engine. The only worrisome part is body panels and uncommon parts.

2003 Ford Escape - if you don't really need 7 seats then this can be an alternative, 5 seltbelts = room for 5 people, but you still get the hatch rear door/boot to open a large space to put your luggage or baby stuff like trolleys/playpen along with you for long journeys. Unfortunate for first owners as these cars depreciate alot but good news for bargain hunters like yourself as this car is quite worth it. Unlike the previous 2 above this one is sold officially in Malaysia so it is fully supported by Ford, no worries on maintenance and parts availability.

So there you go, 3 cars at half your budget which would last you quite sometime.

Ask for the car number plate then check JPJ/PDRM/Bandaraya for any saman/accident.
However, for accident case not reported cannot see.
But then if it is a bad enough accident people normally report because it is quite expensive to fix so need insurance money have to make police report.

Jazz - in either 1500cc Petrol or Hybrid guise the Jazz is a flexible, reliable and cheerful all rounder -- do enjoy the big discounts now because they're going to phase out this model soon for the 2014 model soon.
Fiesta - looks good and spec well, one of the hot models on the market -- would depreciate but not as rapidly
208 - looks good and spec well, prepare for it to depreciate like a rock in water.
Myvi - if you ask me its too expensive for what it is, instead of better safety features they just keep adding bling bling accessories like bodykit, navigators, etc.

So which is your top picks now?
Exora is a good choice as long as you know what you're getting into because as Proton owners even if the quality of manufacturing has improved the quality of the sales and service staff hasn't changed much since its inception, thus you need to be abit more pro-active in terms of maintenance and not just rely on the 3S/SC. Plus things like skipping maintenance done at Proton would void warranty

If you can spend somewhere in the region of 80k then you can also consider recon Wish/Stream which are in abundance.

2011 Nissan Sylphy - with that budget you can also look into this car (don't bother with Sentra or Latio -- when wife is involve it is best to go for your 'A Game' than stinge here and there. Sylphy until Sentra is a modern C-segment with alot of cubby space and airy interior, and unlike Latio is a lower slung and sleek C-segment car. The ESP isn't electronic stability program (like VSA/VSC traction control software) but is electric power steering, with that your steering is lighter and easier to drive -- especially for the ladies. There would be people saying that such steering lack feedback but you're not racing so all that doesn't matter plus "feedback" usually means heavier steering with more vibration. Don't be too let down by the lack of traction control as the Mitsubishi Lancer and Proton Inspira doesn't have them either. IMHO I think Sylphy is more reliable, fuel saving and cheaper to maintain then the Mitsubishi offering.

2009 Toyota Altis 1.8 G-spec - the Vios might be king of the B-segment but at least the Altis is under appreciated so that is good news for bargain hunters like us. I don't need to preach to you the benefits of a Toyota, the good thing is the price is almost half of when new. Don't worry it is not a lemon, most Altis of this era aren't doing well because the Civic FD is so so popular.

2008 Skoda Octavia Combi - was looking around for something less than 5 years, can't really find any except this combi, though the good part is this is the facelifted version with FSI engine. It uses a 6 speed wet box similar to the one found on the Polo Sedan, it was used in older VW's and Audi's before they switched to CVT and DSG respectively. Solid engine and gearbox, value for money however I'm not too sure how you'd take to the combi bodystyle, plus this bodystyle is harder to get replacement bodypanels for than the sedan. You might want to skip this one.

2007 Skoda Octavia 1.8T - this is the firebreathing 1800cc turbocharged Skoda, as you can see this is the pre-facelift version as after they facelifted the Octavia they stopped producing 1.8T's and only came in 1600cc or 2000cc FSI. The engine is quite well behaved when you're taking your time but an open road with a heavy foot will plant you into your seat. Most of the 1.8T's you'll find will be 2007 (either made/registered). As the car above maintenance and parts cost vary depending on your source, I do know of some Skoda club members that swear by original parts. I do have friends importing original/oem parts from China which are cheaper even after including delivery fees.

2007 Saab 9-3 - there is another monsterous 2800cc V6 but this 2000cc LPT (light pressure turbo) is more than enough for most people, the 2000cc engine is already very capable then you pair it with LPT which essentially takes care of all your low-end pickup needs then the engineers tuned the engine itself for top-end power and speed, you have a very nice package which gives power on both sides of the spectrum. Figures of 29 kW (175 PS; 173 hp) @ 5500 rpm and 265 N·m (195 lb·ft) @ 2500–4000 rpm shows just how capable this car is. I know many are concerned about parts availability since the brand seemed doom when it went into bankruptcy, however don't fret as NEVS bought all the assets and are planning to relaunch the brand -- although from what I understand they own everything except the Saab logo of the Griffin. Even if NEVS didn't buy Saab there would be still enough stockpile of new/oem/chopped parts for the foreseeable future. Availability in Malaysia is decent but you need to do some foot work. Both Saab and Skoda are pretty rare here so parts aren't easy to source even on chop shops so going online to websites like Alibaba and sourcing from China is usually more fruitful.

2010 Perodua Viva 660 Manual - you might want to keep a cheap spare car as your runabuot when your darling is having her mood swings my friends whom play with cheap and rare conti's normally have alot of cars but they're relatively cheap sub RM40, one of the newer members bought a 20k++ Skoda Octy + 10k++ P2 Kancil as he can quickly get the Kancil up to speed than the conti which he thinks would take a few weeks of TLC before it can roar. He traded in an older Vios for his conti dream.

2008 Citroen C2 VTR - this is a rare beast, probably only a handful of these in Malaysia and the owner of one of them decided to sell. I'm not going to sugar coat it as this is a very rare car and probably only good for weekend fun. Maintenance would highly depend on where you bring it to, and I very much doubt if you bring back to any Citroen 3S they would have the expertise straight from the get go on how to take care of this baby, parts wise will be a bigger headache than Skoda and Saab as this is a limited run so you'd probably only can get parts in Europe and RHD are probably also very rare. Only for the brave!

2009 Ford Focus Ghia - you don't need to compromise so much and buy an old car when you're looking out for Ford, sad thing about this car is that it depreciates like a rock. I still wonder why people don't love it more, its got alot of good points like reliable and powerful VCT engine, Getrag gearbox, rear aircond blowers, etc. You'll also find that unlike the two other conti's I've shows you, this one has better parts support. No need to hunt for parts overseas you can get them all locally at a decent price, although not as widely available and cheap as Japanese parts but still a world of difference from Skoda and Saab. Although this isn't a turbo so its not going to push you into your seat when you floor it but its more than capable of winning a few traffic light shootouts.

2009 Nissan Sentra - I'm not much of a Korean car fan so I'll skip the Koreans and focus on Jap's and Conti's, above you've seen the few Conti's I think would fit your requirements although I think for the budget and year I can't find some really nice ones but as you can see I broke the rules a few times just to give you a glimpse of what is out there. Anyway, back to the car of this advert, one of the things I do like about Nissan cars is unlike Toyota and Honda they're cheap to maintain plus parts are cheap but they're also quite cheap to buy -- take this one for example a 2009 Sentra being offered a C-segment car at this price! I think it is a good buy. I've seen some 2009 Toyota Vios and the cheapest J-spec manual is still a few thousand ringgit more expensive than this Sentra, inflated.

2008 Nissan Sylphy - this would be my top pick for you as it has everything but won't really burn your budget. It is about 10k more than your original budget but being a Japanese car which isn't that old you don't need to worry about restorations and repairs. Being a 5 years old car it is more likely good condition cars like this car traded in more newer models. So what you get in this car? A spacious moden C-segment saloon (Sentra is good but its a 15 years old design) plus it comes in white and is a current model so buying this your heart won't ache thinking you bought an old junk.

If you like it buy it but from what you describe it isn't very impressive.
2 years old car he wants to sell plus the price isn't really cheap for a used car, you're probably losing out on the interest rate there. There are Myvi's with lesser spec you can buy new with new car interest rates, why not choose those?

1. Audio System 4CH amp? What kinda Cap Ayam brand is that? Never hear before. Beware of overheating or it messing up your electric wiring because it seems to me that it doesn't have enough channels to support 4 speakers and an active sub.

2. Front and back speaker sounds like just replace the 2-way/3-way originals with branded ones, would have been better to just get a component set.

3. How many inch is the subwoofer? IMHO American Sound nothing special.

4. They could be ULTRALEGGERA or Works Emotion CR-Kai.....replica's are only replica's cheap stuff. A set of 15" replica rims and decent tires can be had for RM1500-2000, some people get bored and change after 2 years the whole set.

5. It would be Llumar or Vcool when the car goes for JPJ inspection they going it tear it off no matter what, so don't get too attached to it. Make sure the warranty got cover such things and give you a free replacement else it isn't worth anything.

6. Ultra Racing bars unless you really have the horsepower and bend corners alot you ain't going to get much benefit from it, IMHO dead weight.

2012 Perodua Myvi SE 1.5 - as you can see you can get cars younger at the same price, so you ask me if it is worth buying your friend's car? I think not so.

2008 Nissan Latio 1.6 - you can get a much bigger and comfortable C-segment Japanese car like this for the same price. This one is a sedan too, more room for luggage when go outstation. Maintenance about equal to the Myvi. Comfort on highway much better than Myvi anytime.

Proton SC isn't going to do that as manufacturers don't encourage and endorse such modifications, as if anything goes wrong they are liable so normally they just reject.

You can get it done outside, although knowing how Malaysian workshops do their jobs they will most likely encourage you to buy an entire complete working condition CFE engine+gearbox/half cut then install that into your car than finding out what are the missing components and installing those into your car to make your normal engine a CFE engine.

Its expensive and a waste. They will tell you buying the engine will cost you an arm and leg, then tell you that your old engine isn't worth scrap but it is so heavy you just don't bother to take it home with you, then they will take your engine and refurbish abit and then sell it on .... or just chop it for parts.

From what I hear Honda didn't take into account the popularity of 5 years warranty for car owners, it is one of the reasons why previously cold brands like VW and Mazda is enjoying a renaissance recently. They're trying to fight back but I think they cannot adjust to make their current cars have 5 years warranty or free maintenance. The 5 years free labour gimmick hasn't been seen at Honda since the days they launched the G1 Jazz.

Not too sure but unless you getting huge discounts I think you should starve off buying a car until January 2014.

75k budget won't get you a City but can get you a Jazz or Vios. If that is the only choice I'd take the Jazz.

50k car with 10dp = RM699/month which I think is manageable and not too burden for you.

2013 Mitsubishi Attrage - i've my concern about the power output of this car for its body, it has the bodysize similar to B-segment cars but with just a 1200cc engine so that's either great engineering work or they just slotted an underpowered engine because its cheaper to produce....i dunno...i've yet to test drive this car to really find out for myself. Though as a package I think its a good buy if you must go for Japanese brand with your budget.

2013 Mitsubishi Mirage - uses the same engine as the Attrage, I suppose its easier and cheaper to build a common engine than have another but then performance might be an issue on the Attrage....but on the Mirage (since it has been around abit longer) is a good car light steering but decent feedback, decent road holding and spritely performance from the 1200cc engine. Talked with some owners of this car their feedback is the car is decent enough for the asking price, nothing much to complain. Long term maintenance and resale value is still unknown but looks positive.

If you're okay with Proton I think that kinda budget can get a really good spec Persona

you're welcomed.

well depends on a few factors.
some people more suitable for used car than others.

Look around I'm sure someone would sell their 2008 FSI soon enough.
I've seen 2007 FSI on sale past few months.
Though Skoda seems like a dying breed here even with all the vibe VW is making.

Proton ah?
Proton Fanbois <----- this way!

Seriously, you've gotta see the specs for yourself and decide.
There are a lot of difference specs with shitty accessories making you think its worth more but its not.

Only two really matter.

1. Preve IAFM + CVT (NA)
2. Preve CFE + CVT (Turbo)

Any CFE spec should be fine.

below average.
the average for new car is 2.5%
do check out RHB i think i hear 2.40% now.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 22 2013, 02:28 AM

2011 Mazda 6 - you can probably look for this 2000cc one they're priced around there even if it is only 2 years old (how unfortunate for the new car buyer) the 2500cc versions you need to fork out anywhere between 15k-25k more. Worthwhile since the new car price is significant, however I do hear some nightmare cases for this car so do remember to test drive and be fully confident in the car before signing anything.

2006 Toyota Mark X - I'd recommend this although it is older being a 2006 model but you can buy it as new because it is imported and unregistered. You get the famous Toyota reliability and prestige of an imported car without heavy maintenance bills. It is also a very powerful car, highway speeds of 160kmh @ 2500rpm

Haih!

This is why I really hoped Honda bring in the Brio and Brio Amaze to Malaysia to show them how to do A-segment cars.



2013 Brio Amaze Sedan V-spec THB521k @ RM52k
2013 Brio Hatch Limited Edition Spec THB533k @ RM53k
* Lowest spec with automatic transmission is RM45k

Though because of our automotive policies don't expect that kinda price so then it doesn't make sense for Honda to bring it here so because it would be priced to closely to the City and Jazz.

What Australia thinks of the Bio?

Key sub-B segment competitors include the Suzuki Alto from $11,790, Holden Barina Spark from $12,490 and Volkswagen’s new Up, which kicks off from $13,990 for the three-door against rival five-door configurations, but introduces new levels of standard safety technology such as low-speed emergency braking for a class-leading five-star ANCAP crash-test rating.

Launched in early 2011, the Brio is 3610mm long, 1680mm wide and 1485mm tall, sits on a 2345mm wheelbase, and is built in India and Thailand, with Indonesia joining in from next year.

If the Brio does come to Australia, it will likely arrive from Thailand, where most local Hondas are sourced, or Indonesia.

It is okay....Malaysia's Melaka plant is a mothball making stuff only for local consumption, not a global player coz we already have Proton

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 22 2013, 02:30 AM

If you have until 80k ++

You can consider...
Honda City 85k ++
Honda Jazz 74k ++
Nissan Almera 71k ++

Tech and accessories wise would be either one of the Honda's.

Mazda's are one of the colder cars on the market, there is no doubt about it.
The typical Malaysian usually buy Toyota and Honda because of the brand image, reliability, resale value, and abundance of 3S/SC unfortunately for some of the brands being "re-launched" in Malaysia like Mazda the amount of 3S/SC is one of the things that keeps customers away especially those with the mentality "drive so far for service, think i very free ah?".

Mazda 6 is an excellent car in terms of design and performance, however ownership issues such as parts cost and maintenance fees also ease of maintenance like finding 3S/SC nearby might be difficult.

2010 Honda Accord 2.4 - why not consider one of the more establish players in D-segment like an Accord, I know its very common and boring but of course the plus side is ease of maintenance, cheaper parts, reliability and better resale value. This particular car has mostly taken the brunt of the depreciation so from here on its going to depreciate at a slower rate.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 22 2013, 02:33 AM

A few faults I can pick-up from the advert:
1. Don't be fooled that isn't a real TRD although exterior wise the previous owner try to do some make-up.
2. No mention of the original spec, so i'm guessing it is a J-spec (lowest spec with automatic) because if it was anything else they would surely be confident enough to write it down. J-spec = rear drum brakes. It says auto but in the picture it looks like a manual gear.
3. I dunno about the rest of the bodykit but the front bumper isn't original TRD, looks like a replica front bumper with the additional air-inlet, the fit and finish is poor -- look at the gap between the bonnet and fenders and the bumper. Original bumpers are made from ABS material, the best non-factory bumpers are made from PP, most lousy is Fibre (easy to break, quality poor, etc) then got PU (stronger than Fibre but fit & finish issues as it warps abit from the mold if not made properly), then the best out of the cheap stuff is FRP (but of course it doesn't come close to the quality, durability and finish of either ABS/PP (FRP is fibre reinforced polymer -- something like Fibre+PU). So because it is not factory spec it ain't going to last if you even get in minor accident and definitely won't help to save your life in bigger ones because its not the same spec as original so there goes the star ratings)
4. The lower part of the bumper got scratched already its either parking accident or the suspension too soft/hard, although it is mentioned the absorber is changed but the springs aren't mentioned so i assume it is stock. If people are serious about upgrading their ride & handling both shocks and springs must be replace and tuned together...if not it is just shitty.
5. So outside looks ganas like sports car....inside? I dunno about you but feels like a Kancil/Alza.....*puke* so basic and boring.

So anyway 12k DP with 600/monthy would be about 55k lets see what we can buy??

2009 Honda City E-spec - this is about the lowest you can possibly find for this car, eventhough it is the lesser spec of the two variants it has a few things going for it. Firstly, you get a much more spacious cabin and luggage space. Secondly, its ANCAP 5 star rated car (Vios not sold in Australia so it is untested so we don't know how bad/good it is). Thirdly, being Honda it is just as reliable and cheap to maintain as a Vios but the Vios is of course going to be cheaper because from 2003-2013 model they all use the same parts.

2009 Nissan Latio - this one is the sexier hatchback with the impul bodykit, as you can see original bodykit fit and finish is very good the gaps aren't noticeable in pictures. Although many would say just go for the 1800cc version but that's a different case because the hatch only comes with 1600cc while the sedan has a choice of 1600/1800cc engines -- don't worry about the power issue there is more than enough from that 1600cc lump. It has an even more spacious interior than the City because it is one step up being a C-segment car, though luggage space compromised abit because it is a hatch. Maintenance for this car? Very cheap coz it uses low tech engine/gearbox.

Either one of the above would last you a good 15 years eventhough they're used (if they don't come with problems already, assuming no issues when buying) as the City and Latio are built with quite a high quality standard. I wanted to intro you a Ford Focus around this price range too and it is an even better car, though I think you might want to keep things simple and cheap so best go for either one of the above.

Vios is a decent choice but don't get fooled into something its not as alot of sellers claim this spec that spec but actually is kosong

Firstly, you won't be able to get loan for anything older than 2003 car.

I wanted to recommend you my favorite Skoda/Saab but recently i've notice unless you go for original parts from the distributor or source your own chopped parts or oem from china, it is very hard to get parts for these brands nowadays.

Skoda Octavia would be a good choice if you want it to act like an Audi A4 but is of course much cheaper and younger (around 2005-2008), you can treat it like an A4 with new parts and refurb it abit for that quality feel. That route would be good if you want a cheap car to start but don't mind using original parts (which can be quite expensive) but it is younger so you can actually do a short loan to spread your commitment.

Volvo S40/S80 are great cars. S40 more compact and sporty while S80 bigger and more stately. However, they're both turbo cars and I somehow feel that generation of Volvo's are abit lost. They shared quite abit of parts with Ford so they don't feel as premium because certain models use the same signal stalks/aircon as a Ford Focus. The turbo isn't much to shout about but maintenance can be a bummer, it is more expensive than the Peugeot because the parts are mostly imported -- though you can source for oem parts from china/taiwan which cost less.

Peugeot 407 is a hit/miss. I don't really recommend this one as it is too old and now since the parts are all cornered by Naza you can't get cheap ones anymore.

Merc is a good choice. Bullet proof engine, though gearbox, and abundant parts around at cheap price. All the merc's of that generation were great the 190E, 230E, C200, etc.

I think for the sake of reliability, resale value and headache free maintenance its best to go with the Myvi, eventhough its sort of abit expensive for what it offers. Though, if you aren't in a hurry then wait until January comes around I think there will be one or two more new car launches and also some special discount to entice buyers to buy a new car for CNY.

I do think the Mitsubishi Attrage/Mirage or Nissan Almera would be good choices too but they seem abit out of your budget, unless you're willing to pay more on the monthly or more in the deposit.

koreans and locals are much the same, their technology is derived from japanese.
so lets say reliability is about equal when they come out from the factory.
however, myvi being a staple here for a long time there are many perodua 3s/sc you can go to for service and all cherry tree workshops can handle this car, plus abundance of parts at different quality level (original, oem, fake, etc) -- which cannot be said for Hyundai cars.

overall, i10 is a decent car though you'll experience a few hiccups here and there.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 25 2013, 12:52 PM

I think when you compare with cars like Cerato 2013, Sonata 2013 and Optima 2013....yes they're very much superior to local cars, but at this range they're more or less equal. Since manufacturers don't pay much attention and R&D for compact cars in this price range -- cheap and relatively safe is the name of the game.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 25 2013, 12:50 PM

actually many do.
depending on how your SA does the deal.

This post has been edited by zenix: Nov 25 2013, 12:50 PM