Brothers and sisters,

Really need help on recommending which I should choose from these 3:
a) Kia FORTE (1.6L DOHC CVVT SX (A/T) - RM85,800
b) Ford FIESTA Sedan LX 1.6L Ti-VCT - RM81,388
c) Toyota VIOS 1.5E - RM81,500
(Price are all based on OTR rates)

Basically 2nd hand value is not an issue, but would also like to heard it from you guys..
I would like have one of these 3 cars to be my long-term car. Wanna to know the price worthy of each car in terms of:
i) Fuel-consumption
ii) After sales service
iii) Maintenance
iv) Performance
v) Life of it
vi) Any problem?

And anymore to add-on? I am sorry for this long post because this is my 1st time buying a car and do not know what should I know for the car.
I have actually looked at Honda City, but i think it is too expensive for me but I know it's Fuel consuming is really saving but in spec-wise these 3 cars win it.
By the way, I am living in KL and a person who travel much to Melaka with my little 30 years old Nissan Sunny.

Your recommendation and advise will much appreciated. Thank you brothers and sisters.

Here is what i think, and i will comment on stuff i am sure.
A) Kia Forte is a C-Segment car, biggest car among the 3. CKD quality. The highest FC among the 3. Resale value is about the same as a Fiesta.
B) Ford Fiesta is a B-Segment car, same as a VIOS. CBU quality. FC consumption, i am not too sure. DSG gearbox, i think FC should be very good. Resale value pretty much meh.
C) Toyota Vios is a B-Segment car, average of the two. CKD quality. Proven very good FC. My bro is driving one. So i can vouch for it. Good resale value.

Now the question is do you need a car with boot space? Would a larger car be better for you? Or you looking for resale value? Reliability for 3 cars, they are all good. Hardly read any bad comment among them.
If you need a bigger car with boot space, then it is forte.
If you need resale value and proven car, then it is Vios.
If you want a car with plenty of safety and latest tech, then it is Fiesta.

Personally, i would take Fiesta given the 3, but that is just me.

This post has been edited by Madgeiser: Jan 8 2012, 12:07 AM

Yes, I totally agree. But doesn't the Forte also have 6 airbags? I'd chose between the two, but I'm a bit skeptical of Korean cars (especially since that Spectre thread with the cracked dashboard).

The Fiesta shouldn't be too unreliable, there are many of them in Europe. Different weather though...

Bro, sorry for noob question. But what is C-segment car? What is the meaning of CKD and CBU? And DSG gearbox what is that?

And how about their maintenance price and after sales service quality?
I know they will be more expensive than those common car like Toyota and Honda, but is it really really expensive?

since u not realli good in automotive,better take city or vios,but i must say vios is a veli boring and overpriced crap...city is must better wif the same price

don't really und what do u mean by i am not realli good in automotive?
I just want to have a decent car with less hassle to be incurred.
And actually Kia FORTE and Ford FIESTA capture my view 1st before vios.
And i really like their design, just worry about the after sales service and the price for maintenance and spare parts.

Well, if you go for Kia or Ford you might go hunting for spare parts, which might be a bit difficult.

To give you an example from Renault (no clue how it is with Ford or Kia): I can easily get the spare part (with some waiting) from my SC. For example RM 490. In Singapore I was quoted S$135 at one spare parts dealer who has one, another quoted me S$100, but I'd have to wait around 2 months. Chop shop in Singapore (after some searching... such a cheap part they may not be bothered to even search, so they simply say they don't have) had the part for S$50. In Europe it costs like 30 Euro new including shipping, but customs might mean trouble (dunno). Waiting is another thing that might happen. If they don't have stocks here...

You also might only get original parts here, so it is quite expensive.

With a Toyota or Honda the hunt will probably be less troublesome.

However you get the nicer, better, more refined car. Toyota uses ancient technology, but being ancient means they have perfected it. It _should_ last, but the gearbox was already used by the Romans etc.

DSG is the latest tech in gearboxes... basically it is a manual gearbox with 2 sets of gears and 2 clutches. Driving it is a bit different from driving a normal auto (at least the VW I drove will roll back when you are in D and not on the gas pedal), but the fuel consumption will be lower and the performance is better (6 gears vs. 4 so the engine can be kept in the optimal rpm range for what you want to do), the gear changes are faster and smoother. Go to YouTube and have a look how such a gearbox works.

CBU is completely imported from a foreign country. CKD means they deliver the parts for assembly in Malaysia, some parts might be made locally. Means lower taxes but the fear that someone in Malaysia screws up and the quality is lower.

AFAIK A segment means submini... very small cars. Viva, VW Fox (mh... bad example as it's not known here) etc. A small hatchback or the saloon based on it is in the B segment. Think Polo, Fiesta, Vios (based on Yaris (Europe)/Vitz (Japan)), Swift, ... C segment is something like a Golf, Forte, ... then D segment would be Passat, Camry, Citroen C5, BMW 3 series, those sort of car.

Looking at the sales figures of the Fiesta though it actually doesn't do that bad. Means SC will be experienced (my SC knows the Kangoo since there are quite a few of them on the road, and they all come to the same SC), parts might not be that big of a problem and perhaps non original parts might be imported one day. Resale value might change if the car becomes popular, and... well, it could.

Brother! Really thank you so much for your long post and i learnt a lot!
Is the Fiesta Sedan in the B-segment too?
I thought it's quite big and same size with other sedan car.
What if Fiesta became popular, will the price increase in this situation?
Don't know why but i think Fiesta Sedan have the potential to be popular in the market after the flood happened in Thailand that influence the Japan's car production.

In Malaysia... Fiesta need to sell more n most important is their service center need to be better prepare... A lot of complain on their service so far.

hmmm... bad services in terms of slow on getting spare parts? or bad bad service from them?

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Added on January 8, 2012, 1:45 amwhat about kia forte?

This post has been edited by bushyboy105: Jan 8 2012, 01:45 AM

I would say it is B segment, but who cares, really. What counts is if the car suits you in terms of space, quality, ride etc.

The price for a new car... could happen. I believe they have raised the price already. Resale price too. It all depends on how much people want the car... what price they are willing to pay. If it becomes popular, then yea, they want the thing, and thus are willing to pay more for it. Not popular, price will be low. But how it will be in 5, 10 years, who knows. It's like buying and selling stock...

You might want to read the respective threads of the cars that you consider. You'll be finding complaining Vios owners, complaining Fiesta owners, complaining Forte owners. Vios owners will probably have more options though, there are more SC and workshops that can deal with the car.

My main advice is to drive them all as much as you can and under realistic circumstances and to listen to the owners (not that they'd say their car is crap compared to the competition, that would mean they'd have to admit they have made a mistake. Not everyone would want to do that. And not everyone has had the opportunity to drive the competition). Also, every car will have it's strong and weak points. You'll have to know yourself what is more important to you.

easy choice, if u are ok with the fiesta's (sedan) backside, then of course go for fiesta. if u hated the arse, then go for forte. conti cars will be the next best thing in Malaysia because most of the new generation ppl will buy conti, a revolution is gong on at the moment. conti's status will eventually replace the japs. just DON'T take the vios, it's the most pathetic car u can get on the market now.

Owned a forte 1.6 ex for nearly 2 years already. Previously drove vios for 7 years. For 85k budget, new car in 2012:

Forte 1.6 SX - best bet for its price for space, comfort for 5 adults, specs and fc. biggest of the 3, the most comfort i guess. bumpy rear on uneven cornering because of the torsion beam. you get c-segment car in b-segment price! best for highway cruising and long trip: can get 550-650km per fulltank. not bad in urban drive: can get 450-550km per full tank.

Vios 1.5 E - very basic but sufficient spec, comfort for 4 only, floating and bumpy in high speed, best fc for urban/highway trip. for me overpriced. for 2-3 persons family use or office use.

Fiesta sedan - dun have experience. i guess the smallest of the 3. specs higher than vios tho, comparable to forte. but it s small, so comfort, space and long trip should effect. fc might be the best of 3. Also for 2-3 persons family use or office use.

my 2 cents

your is 4 speed or 6? whats ur comfortable speed on hway? tq.

Thank you so much Kadajawi!
May i know what car u are driving now?
And do you met any experiences about these Kia Forte & Ford Fiesta?

I drive a Citroen Xsara II 1.4(M) from 2002 and a Renault Kangoo I Ph 2 1.4(A) from 2005.

Been in a Toyota Aygo (pretty stiff and unrefined, loud, cheap materials, but reliable) and Yaris/Vitz (Vios hatchback). The Yaris felt cheap and a bit loud (IIRC definitely inferior to the Xsara, and I believe also to the Kangoo, though materials are better than in the Kangoo). The ride felt unrefined IIRC (been a while).

I have only traveled a few hundred km in some older Fiestas (I think one of them was the previous gen one). They felt like proper cars, in small. Other Fords as passenger... S-Max, old Mondeo (early 00s I believe), mid 00s Focus wagon and the older Fiesta. They were all decent cars IMHO.

I did drive a first gen Ford Ka (not really relevant but fun to drive except for the Myvi'ish manual gearbox. Imagine a small 4 seater go kart, but it felt decently made with not too bad materials... must have driven 130-140 and didn't felt scared) and the latest Ford Galaxy (7 seater van, something like an Exora). The Galaxy was very well made, looked really good and felt pretty good. I really liked the ride, not as stiff as a VW (Touran!), but also not wobbly at 180 km/h (the Touran is more planted at those speeds, but I only didn't go faster cause I didn't want to torture the engine). The engine was the smallest diesel, which was actually powerful enough. Manual gearbox was pretty good, totally unlike Myvi or Rusa. The Fiesta is much lighter and has more hp

I liked the DSG in the VW Cross Touran, totally unlike that rubbish 4 speed auto gearbox that Renault used in the Kangoo. Miles apart. While I expect the Toyota unit to be better I doubt that it can compete with a DSG, even though in the Fiesta it lacks the paddles.

I also spent some time in the latest Opel Corsa, which is probably the closest competitor to the Fiesta. It's a good car. My Kelisa driving cousin from Singapore drove it several hundred km one day, and she liked it (more than the Xsara ). I did a short test drive, it felt well made (interior is good, much better than Myvi and Saga), a bit stiff suspension but nothing too bad. However I really hated the driver seat, perhaps I should have spent more time adjusting it but the seating position was bad. Not sure how Corsa and Fiesta compare, but I guess both are a decent example for a small mid budget Euro hatch. In comparison a Polo is a bit more expensive over there, and perhaps a bit better. Here however... oh well.

My only experience with a Kia was with the cee'd Sporty Wagon and tyres with spikes, on snowy roads chasing after moose. (so different car in very different conditions). It felt quite a bit cheaper than a Golf, but well, it is a quite a bit cheaper car. It was in all aspects inferior, but still not too bad. You get what you pay for. I'd say better than the Xsara (however I enjoy the not too stiff ride of that one on uneven surfaces, sometimes contis feel just too uncomfortable... I'm looking to you, VW), but it's also a newer car.

As I, like many, haven't had real experience with the cars in question and your taste and preferences may be totally different from ours, please do drive them. In some threads though some report who have driven both Vios and Fiesta, and I believe they preferred the Fiesta.

This post has been edited by kadajawi: Jan 8 2012, 03:21 PM

mine 4 speed 'cbu'

i ve tried between 100-140 comfortably on highways.. Didnt dare to try higher yet lol

whats the rpm@110km/h? just helping my gf to look for a car..used or new in near future.

Why didn't dare to try higher? The way the car feels? Scared of summon? Only poor roads in your area? In a modern car of that size 140 shouldn't feel dangerous or unstable. Xsara does 160-170 with ease... it's a bit loud, and the engine really struggles, but other than that... no worries. Touran 190 easily, Ford Galaxy too. Golf+ as well. Even a Skoda Fabia felt quite safe at 200+ on the Autobahn... ok, I wasn't driving, and the road conditions didn't make it feel that safe (snow, slippery, ...), but the car itself was fine.

maybe the upcoming Elantra or exora bold?

May consider Suzuki sx4? Drives just like Suzuki swift, smooth ride, direct import from japan

Hm?

I have heard good things about the SX4... but does a SUV really make sense for you?

SX4 is already above RM90k..

Autobahn? Snow? err sir are u from europe posting on lyn or how? some more kia cee'd is not sold here..

nvm..i ll get to the point..wat i meant 100-140 is cruising speed, even at corners, uphill or downhill..tried up to 170 downhill few times and still stable no vibration, floating feeling..only the tyre roar is louder..

yes if malaysia got the road and road users mentality like in germany, i would love to drive on my forte 200kmh on A5 Frankfurt - Mannheim!
but it s a dream, back to reality in msia

at 110kmh, rpm slightly below 3k..i d say 2.9k..mine is 4 speed, pre - fl..

any feedback with the 6-speed 1 for FORTE?
both forte and fiesta have 6-speed. the more gear the lesser the FC? or the higher the speed only?

I'm half European, currently living in Malaysia. It's a shame that they do not bring the cee'd here, it's a decent and affordable Golf competitor.

I see, then my worries are nullified, the Forte can handle high speeds, it's just the driver.

The toll highways I have driven around JB are in good condition, only thing is it's a bit narrow (on the Autobahn you could probably squeeze in 2 cars per lane, plus an emergency lane for cars that have broken down. On the other hand they might not be very even (potholes are all fixed and they do warn/limit the speed if the road isn't in good condition), and there often is enough traffic to make you slow down).

Do consider that the Forte will only as a 2.0 have (almost) all the safety features that the Fiesta sedan has.

What gearbox does the Forte have? They only mention 6 speed auto, so... will that be a regular auto gearbox? Then FC won't be as good, the gearbox in general should be inferior to that of the Fiesta.

Anyway, 6 speed has the advantage that the engine can stay in the revs that make the most sense at the moment. Let's say for optimum performance the 1.4 in the Xsara has to be kept between 4000 and 5500 rpm, while for optimum FC the revs should be as low as possible. Would I have a 3 speed auto, the gearbox can't do that most of the time. Performance will suffer and the engine has to revs higher than necessary (i.e. the engine would deliver enough power at lower revs). 4 speed is a bit better, 5 and 6 of course better yet. CVT with an infinite number of gears, when properly set up, is even better (but people don't like it because it sounds and feels weird).

Car is categorized into segment, it goes from A to D. It is a way to categorized size of car.
A-Segment is where all the supermini comes in, cars like Mini cooper, MyVi, Suzuki Alto and etc which are small.
B-Segment is where all your entry level sedan are, these are typically cars like City, Vios, Mazda 2 and etc.
C-Segment is cars like Altis, Civic, Mazda 3, Forte and etc.
D-Segment is cars like Camry, Accord and etc.

CKD means Completely Knocked Down car. Meaning the cars is assembled locally and uses a certain percentage of parts sourced locally. This is to lower down the car taxes, so the manufacturer can sell them more competitively.
CBU means Completely Built Up car. Meaning the whole car is imported from oversea. It is not locally assembled.

DSG, generally means a dual clutch auto transmission gearbox. Normal gearbox is single clutch. I am not sure if it is Volkswagen first comes out with it, but i remember seeing Volkwagen cars has it first. Splendid thing.

Try google about it somemore. Plenty of resources online.

Addendum : I think the newest Fiesta comes in 7 airbag, last one is for the knee. Not sure if Fiesta sedan has it, but the hot hatch has it.

This post has been edited by Madgeiser: Jan 8 2012, 10:52 PM

Oh, very cool. The sedan was the first to have 7 airbags, while the hatches all had only 2. Now the expensive hatch also have it? Very nice, can finally also recommend the hatch for those who prefer the looks of it (and who doesn't).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEZFvC-AvEg&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoK3wLihs7w

I think i have my answer based on online information..
But i will still go for a test drive for Forte & Fiesta.
wanted to ask... how long will a person to pay installment for the car? I think i am going for the 7 years 1.

1st time buy car.. go for reliable second hand first.. after 2 years you wont be wrong choosing watever new cars that really suits you and gives you less hassle.. the only reason buying new car for the first time is just to tell ppl you're doing well and are able to afford it.. just my 2 cents..

I am already driving a 30 yes old Nissan sunny till today. I am in a family and we have already bought a few cars some new some 2nd hand. And now I think it's time to change a new car.
Really disappointed with the space of Nissan sentry, it looks big outside but small like hell inside.

So going for the Vios? Test drive that one too.

DSG is a term registered by VW, same as the term GTI...

other dual clutches uses terms like Power Shift (Ford), etc...

DSG will shift gears faster?
So this also means keep the car more quietly?

Not more quietly (that's the noise insulation they use...), but well, faster. Very fast. It's what Nissan uses in the GT-R. I thought the gearshifts were very smooth in the Touran, except when using the paddles for downshifting, then there was a slight jerk (going to quite high revs though).

Also since a DSG is basically a manual gearbox using real clutches it behaves a bit like a manual one. Low FC compared to the regular torque converter auto gearboxes, but also rolling back when standing on a hill while in drive (at least the Touran does that, however I think there is a feature where you have to press the brakes a bit harder while standing still, then the car will engage the brakes until you press the accelerator. Not sure how Ford solved it.

NICE!~~

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Added on January 10, 2012, 4:08 pmvios is actually smaller than the Ford Fiesta eh?
And actually i thought that vios is actually quite big enough for 5.
If fiesta is bigger than it, i think the size is actually quite ok. but i havent have physical look on the Fiesta SEDAN yet.
will go see it next week.


This post has been edited by bushyboy105: Jan 10 2012, 04:08 PM

Interior for both sport and sedan is exactly the same.. it only the boot size difference.. come my showroom have a look

I still think Ford is foolish for not adding 2 paddles (how expensive can that be?!).

@Jim.tan: Is it true that the sport also has 7 airbags now?

hmmm? what paddles do you mean?

To change gears manually. F1 style

wat lao.. I read DSG in a ford... geng...

ok heres my view.

i test drove ford fiesta hatchback top spec.
first impression was that interior was very plasticky.
when u knock on the interior door panels it feel very cheap and flimsy.
dashboard also feels plasticky.
the power was good. but the engine noise was way too loud especially at 3k rpm.
i tried to sit in the backseat, and it was very2 small. the boot is also not big.

i also test drove the kia forte 1.6sx.
immedietely when u enter the cabin it feels solid and premium.
plastics like door panels and dashboard feels solid (did the knocking test hehe).
the drive was great. very smooth. and cabin was very quiet. engine could not be heard. and the stock sound system blew me away. boot is big as well and back seat passengers hav a lot of space. overall car feels solid and well build.

in short, from my view, the kia forte offers more value for money than the fiesta. both cars cost 80+k. for me, for that much money, the fiesta did not feel worth it.

FYI i was also in a dilemma last week on choosing between these 2 cars. i kept an open mind when i went to see these cars. and now im convinced that the kia forte 1.6sx is a better buy.

hope this helps, cheers!!

My own take on d 3 cars u listed
Fiesta Hatch
+ Really fun to drive (gearbox, steering sharpness n chassis control)
+ Compact (if this matters to u)
+ most modern design (subjective though materials is decent)
+ sedan has a more practical boot but design is less ugh-hmm.
- its a bit smallish n claustrophobic inside (dark interior n narrow windows)
- questionable after sales service n resale if it bothers u (but wit d amount of Fiesta-s flying out d showroom, it might improve)

Forte 1.6SX
+ drives most surefooted of all (think a bit heavy n stable feel)
+ value to buy for gadgets got
+ sharp design (though d increasing amount of Fortes might wear tis down)
+ feels better put together with best meterials of d 3
- harshest ride due to low profile n bigger rubber
- rear is a bit tight n feels claustrophobic
- after sales n resale like Ford, but also might change coz quite a lot of Fortes on d road

Vios
+ Feels airiest of d 3 (probably due to glass area n lighter tones)
+ 1.5 engine feels light on its feet
+ should return d best fc of d 3 here
+ its a Toyota so relase value is definately there
- too damn plain vanila looking (subjective)
- cheapest n tackiest interior materials
- engine sound too harsh esp at highway drives
- s'how feel shortchanged from d 4-speed transmission (every1s moving to >=5-speed, CVT, DSG etc) although theres nothing wrong wit it

But most important of all is for u to test drive all of them n ask urself. No point getting wat ppl recommend but not happy deep inside.

korek or not?

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Added on January 11, 2012, 9:19 amthen no wonder FC higher la

jap car very plastiky, but due to lighter weight, so,FC better

This post has been edited by turbocharged: Jan 11 2012, 09:19 AM

Get the forte. Vios is no more than a Myvi with boot. Fiesta also not bad.

FLAME bait

bang for the buck, get FORTE !!!

Anyone can try. Drive them back to back. U'll understand...
*coarse & audible engine
*similar pickup & 4 speed AT
*only slight different in headroom & suspension firm/softness. and yes, the boot.

so you see, myvi is number 1 in local car sales, and vios is number 1 in non-local car sales

how bout inspira?

woi..

u dun flood every where la...

hahaha sharing is caring mar bro

Actually on a serious note why not the Inspira 1.8 auto given that you might get a discount now.

What is the best price for the Inspira 1.8 auto?

Even the 2.0 at RM84k would be a very good buy now.

seriously, we all hated proton thats for sure but dont hate this model as its as good as the real thing.
its worth the money ,more features and bigger than most fav cars by many people

they better dun buy this fake car, because when i go highway, i expect ppl to move aside, not cucuk me back

Haha. U got a point there.
Most Malaysian still consider resale & badge. Including hidden T.

it's more to resale than badge... what to do... malaysian cars prices expensive mar

true , money is a concern. imagine you make rm2000 and ppl ask you to pay rm600-800 for a new car monthly.

house rent ? maintenance ? food ? parkingr?

1st car for freshie of cos we concern about resale lo.

most importantly how many service centers and where is the location?
Kia i think not much SC while the most SC is Toyota and the parts availability even if it is warranty claims

My first car was a Hyundai Getz, got it in year 2005. Still driving it today. Resale value is pretty much phooey, but it is a good car. Pretty good looking one too!

Resale is only of concern if you want to sell the car soon. Why not get something proper in the first place then? I guess a new Forte or Fiesta will still seem modern and high tech compared to a in 5 years new Vios.

well... proper cars do break down with age and by track record, contis were made to last...
cars now have shorter life cycles... not because they are not reliable... automotive industry is a volume game... similar to electronics...

another thing is Malaysian cars are too expensive... unless you are loaded, upgrading will be tough unless your car is able to hold its value...
we're not talking about profit but less loss over a period of time... bad investments are still investments

Not so sure on the breaking down thing. My Renault 19 lasted me for 12 years, I sold it off because it was not viable anymore and a small thing was broken. And that wasn't a car with a great reputation. Citroen Xsara is 9 years now, and shows little signs of aging. And it, too, is a French car. I think 10-15 years is somewhat reasonable, and after that the resale value of any car will be quite poor.

OP please consider proton inspirar oso, its a very very gud car n cheap too

hmm... looks like i should have go for a high resale value car for a freshie like me?
after all, i know that car is a liability.

U might opt for used car also.... lots of option and minimal lost on value depreciation (depends on yr of manufacture and model/ brand also la)

Um... i thougth bang for the buck will be Inspira hands down?

go for those u can afford, alot of youngsters get trap in very high debts/loans as just to be cool or 'in'
no point get good Rv car which the initial price already so high and later kena tarik by banks etc.
too many young bankrupts now

If you got time go to Sawarak Kuching,
Over there have lots of old car age over 20 years still drove like fun.

Nissan sunny.
Daihatsu charade over 25 years
Toyota corolla KE70, DX

All works fine.

a successful fresh grad with first job in a big company must not be seen in a local car. at least a vios J or swift.

otherwise your neighbour, frens, uni mates and relatives will think you have not made it.

those inherited a local car from family, must change to an import soonest possible. then you can proceed to tell the whole world via facebook that you have made it

Ha ha, if wanna buy 80k car can go for inspira.

Why we want support original lancer...

Even not money then buy 3rd party LV bag and carry for fun, why we need support original, such as DVD & Blurlay. Ha ha just for example here

Yeah! Totally agree... Your friend will laugh 9 u just like my friend. Die2 oso dont buy potong. Koreon car is even better then potong.

yes, an imported plastic bag is better than bonia made in serdang ( yes, the bonia shoes are made in serdang msia boleh)

Those cars are deathtraps though.

Go for high resale value if you plan on changing the car in the next 5 years or so. If you want to keep it 10 years, then don't bother, get the best car you can find.

maybe a newbie like me should really go for a high resale value car 1st?

A good read:

http://cbt.com.my/120112/tuv-toyota-prius-...scores-well-too

A few Korean makes in the bottom half of the survey. But good to see Toyota in the Top 10 list for all age groups. Key word is durability.

Current runing in higher resales value

Camry/accord
Vios/myvi/kelisa
Grand livina/wish

This post has been edited by kimsim: Jan 16 2012, 08:44 AM

Vios/myvi/kelisa----- number 1 in resale value due to reliability and low maintenance.

wish---recon car usually has good resale value, see also caldina. u drive a few years you can pretty much sell at the original price you bought from.

That's why good cars must be in good introduce to them...

Like @OPAL no ppl bother it car again.

When you evaluate a car keep the following criteria in mind:

1) Price & affordability
2) Specs & safety features
3) Engine and transmission
4) Fuel consumption
5) Exterior & interior design
6) Build quality
7) After sales service standards
8) Maintenance costs
9) Warranty
10) Resale value

You will never find a car with all 10 criteria. The idea is to choose a car with the most criteria present. But to assume that ure gonna keep a car for more than 7 yrs may not be easy especially nowadays when cars arent really built to last no matter the brand.

A good read:

http://cbt.com.my/120112/tuv-toyota-prius-...scores-well-too

Quite a few Korean makes in the bottom half of the survey. But good to see Toyota in the Top 10 list for all age groups

Another very important criteria is your other commitments. Family, parents, property, debs, etc? What is your profession and your income levels? These need to be considered as well. Most ppl think that they can afford a car but personally, if your monthly loan repayments are more than 30% of your take home salary, then you might need to re-evaluate.


This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Jan 16 2012, 10:07 AM

when the buying stops the killing will too

Car owners are given 2 changes? Never heard of that... but you have to remember that Germans before going there will sometimes check and fix stuff, when they think they can't pass the test. Those issues of course the TÜV won't notice. The TÜV mostly tests for issues related to the safety of the car. Anything that's dangerous they'll complain about. Some light on the car not working, they won't let you pass. Problems with the brakes, no chance. Tyres run down, not enough air pressure etc. they'll complain or not let you pass. The exhaust gas are tested in the AU, a car that stinks more than it used to will give you trouble (but I think it's not included in the TÜV report).

What they won't notice is for example engine breakdown. Of course when the engine is broken you won't be driving to the test.

There is another big source for such info, the ADAC. It's the biggest German motoring club, it's the one most will call when their car breaks down on the road. Search for their numbers too (however some manufacturers give a mobility warranty for a few years, so if the car breaks down call them instead of the ADAC. I wonder why... Mostly it's the premium brands gaming the results while making customers happy.)

The TÜV tends to be a bit strict I admit... last year I didn't pass the first time because the gearbox was leaking slightly. It was fixed... I passed... and it still is leaking. The rear bumper was also standing away a bit from the body panels, they didn't like that either. Nothing that would harm the operation of the car at all, but yeah, it's dangerous.

One of the reasons why the Dacia is at the bottom is that owners don't give a s.... It's a dirt cheap car, how much are you going to invest in keeping it in good condition? Same with the Kangoo (well, also it does have a few issues), it's often used as a panel van, and how good do you treat a panel van?

If you want to have a look at the ADAC results from 2010: http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/unfall-scha...annenstatistik/
Those are the numbers from ADAC. Kleinstwagen = A segment. Kleinwagen = B segment. Untere Mittelklasse = C segment. Mittelklasse = D segment. Obere Mittelklasse = Anything above that. They lump in MPVs and SUVs that are falling in these size categories, so a Kangoo e.g. would be C segment. The rest should be easy to understand... the years say from which year the car is. I think they list everything they get called for, even when you have forgotten the keys inside the car and they have to break in for you or when the battery is dead.
And this is the latest list http://www.kfzticker.de/wissen/adac-pannenstatistik-2011/ Easier to understand, but they don't list each year.

Btw.: In another thread there are a few who are trying to sell their Vios for around 35k... and they want to do it as fast as possible since the car is falling apart! One is hardly driving his car anymore because any km could mean it stops working. On the other hand my 25k Kangoo works beautifully, although it is supposed to be rubbish.

Btw.2: According to the TÜV Porsche hardly ever have any problem. No matter how old. (Not sure if this is due to the build quality or due to owners taking great care of their cars. I guess it is both.) So if you want a super reliable car... buy Porsche.

Btw.3: The Fiat Panda, which performed really horrible according to the TÜV (at least the first batch of the relaunch) now is pretty much the most reliable A segment car according to the ADAC. And the Japanese are falling back, usually they are somewhere in the center now, while the Germans have improved.

Maintenance plays a big role. That guy travelled about 280,000km in 8.5 yrs. Dont forget he only polished his car once. That would tell u a great deal bout the owner and his maintenance regime. Im not surprised the car is falling apart.

The 35K he was offered was the official price given by Toyota for cars of that model and year which is a very good price considering the condition.

Only polishing his car once doesn't mean that he doesn't care about it mechanically. You can still service it on time, every time, in the SC. Fix any problem as soon as it arises. etc. But yeah, 280k is a lot.

Ah I see, so they don't even look at the car. That explains it.

kadajawi, do you polish your car frequently?
and do we need any big maintenance after few years?

I don't even bother washing it (maybe once or twice a year... . And the rest depends on car, luck and driving style. I don't drive a new car, but my 6-7 year old Kangoo has had few issues so far (95k km). Only the catalytic converter was broken... replacing it makes you wanna cry, but thank god everything is possible here ).

This post has been edited by kadajawi: Jan 19 2012, 08:32 PM

haih.. am still hearing bad after sales service from ford and nazakia.
any users of these two could actually clarify this?
am hearing more bad comments especially from ford.

so difficult to choose, take vios lah,

there, close this thread please, it is a repeat of the never ending saga of the RM80k range.

when will you make your final decision? do let me know what's your final decision.. cause im having the same dilemma as you..
either vios 1.5e, ford fiesta hatchback or suzuki swift...

u dont need boot space? then no need to consider vios.

vios anytime..super lightweight body about the same like myvi but with 1.5l vvti engine and also boot space..

i just want clarification from Kia users la~ =.=
some say good some say bad and i wanna know which area they go for kia services.
btw i live in kl more to setapak and batu caves side.

3 recommended kia sc :-
a. kinrara
b. chan show lin
c. selayang