Thinking to try a conti?
Here are a few options under rm20k
2000 Alfa Romeo 156 Salespeed - the only one in this budget with an automated manual gearbox, is reliable but gear changes aren't smooth like normal automatics but performs gear changes fast -- F1 technology. One might choose this car purely on it's Italian good looks, good gearbox and fantastic interior.

2005 Skoda Superb 1.8 Turbo - the only turbo in this budget range and also the youngest being a 2005 car, this is because Skoda's have a terrible resale value so good cars also devalue to nothingness. Size wise it is big and comfy like a BMW 5-series it uses the same 1800cc turbo and 6AT as the older VW Passat, it shares most parts with the Passat so you don't really need to worry about getting spare parts for this car eventhough Bermaz aren't selling anymore new cars but they maintain parts and service for this car plus you also can buy parts from VW Malaysia but these two options although can solve parts issue ain't going to be cheap. You might want to choose this if you like turbo's coz it is addictive

2004 MG ZT 2.5 V6 - this is a made in UK rare dinosaur, the company went bust but it was sold to some chinese company in China, they have continued to support this car although it might not be easy to source for in malaysia because of a smaller user base -- i know many owners club do bulk purchase via distributors in china then taobao it over to malausia. Tax wise it is a hit/miss so be aware of that. If you want a piece of British motoring history, character and rarity this is the one to choose.

2000 BMW E39 2.5 - probably the only instantly recognizable model and it's looks has aged pretty well. If you're looking for a solid conti which is instantly recognizable and have high prestige then this is one you should go for. All 4 cars would demand the extra effort and TLC to maintain them to be at peak performance, the extra effort is needed to source for good yet cheap spare parts as these cars can burn a whole in your pocket and cost more than the purchase price very very quickly.

2004 Audi A4 1.8 Turbo - more or less the same as the Skoda above but it is a smaller 3-series size.

Proton Iriz is a good car if you're looking for something with good specs and safety features. Proton's new range of cars (not based on Mitsubishi technology) have yet to fully prove themselves in the long run especially if Proton can keep spare parts price as low as during the Wira era. At the moment there aren't much Iriz on the road thus economics of scale isn't helping to push down the prices of parts. Although potentially much more expensive to maintain it would be much safer to be inside if an accident ever occurs. Plus when I say expensive it is relative to it's price range as Axis/Myvi all are near it's selling price but are cheaper to maintain while it is still cheaper than Japanese makes or equal to them -- it is not going to be expensive as maintaining a Conti B-segment.

Perodua Axia is a good car but it is more basic. Lacking the specs and safety featured touted by Iriz which shouldn't be a crying point because Axia is supposed to be A-segment car while Iriz B-segment, of course a higher segment car has better features. Axia should be considered if you just need very basic transport within the city and don't travel on highways much -- KL to Klang is fine, not KL to Melaka -- as such cars aren't built for sustained high speed cruising and highway speed accident.

2011 Nissan Latio - for used car you can consider this car, a sad thing about nissan cars is that they don't hold their value as well as toyota/honda cars in malaysia but that's a problem for first hand owners, if you're looking for a second hand car you should always see what nissan has. This car is pretty good, size wise it is C-segment, decent 1600cc engine and 4AT gearbox. Reliability, ease of getting spare parts and the price of the parts are positives for this car. Although the engine is big enough for comfortable highway cruising it is good enough for short trips to nearby states, but a longer trip to places like Penang and Kuantan might be tiring listening to that punny engine roar and droning sound. Probably the only major fault is that it is pretty ugly but usually hatchbacks with bodykits look pretty good.

Option 1 is going to cost a bomb in terms of roadtax, insurance, fuel cost and maintenance. Service for a BMW 3-series runs anywhere from RM500 to RM2500, S-Class is a few levels above 3-series in terms of not only prestige but also maintenance cost.

Option 2 is a decent choice as it is more common than the S-Class but it is still a richman's car so upkeep and maintenance is still on the high side. I found a 2011 Merc E200 for sale under your budget and it is unreg, in my book that's better than buying new because usually unreg cars are from grey imports and when they sell something at this price range the car looks and feel mint new, can't really say the same for used cars even high-end models like E-Class even at this price range, unless it was a company car being sold off.

Option 3 you can go for 2011 Merc SLK200 for around 100k then spend the rest of the budget for an older E-Class if you're insisting on getting an E-Class else this is what I would recommend.

Option 3A
2011 Merc SLK200 @85k
2012 Merc C180 @85k

both are mercs but instead of an E-Class it is a C-Class, reason is the SLK is the rarer and more expensive to buy parts of for the two so at least if anything happens to the SLK you still have the C180 to drive around as it is a reliable car which is much more pocket friendly for this range of cars.

Option 3B
UNREG 2008 Scirocco 2.0 @ 95k - no 1.4TSI engine or 7speed DSG problems, this is the reliable 2.0 engine and 6speed DSG that's also inside the Golf GTI. Seeing that this car is quite popular on the roads it would be much cheaper to maintain and get parts for, of course you look a little bit on the prestige side but you get a more reliable sports car plus being unreg you can register a new number plate and get bank loan interest rates as a new car.

2007 Porsche Cayenne Magnum @ 87k - the upkeep and maintenance for this car would be near or exceeding the S-Class, however in terms of prestige and performance it is quite an overkill. One of the biggest reason you see many Cayenne up for sale and on the cheap (lacking high resale value) is because Porsche service centers with qualified Porsche mechanics are limited, certain parts may have to be flown in from Germany (which are usually expensive), and that yearly thing is a killer (insurance around rm3000 and roadtax around rm4000) is a great filter for the kind of people that can afford such cars -- someone that can afford to pay rm7000 when roadtax/insurance needs to be renewed.

which car only 2 door?

yeah, that's the risk of having a cool car.
for under 8k cash and looking for good proton's.
my best guess are the Proton Wira SE and Satria SE.
they're both considered the last model update before retirement thus should be the best.

2004 Proton Wira 1.5SE Manual - i've had wira's before and i can tell you the only good automatic in the range was on either the 1600cc/1800cc models which is a 4AT, that gearbox and engine combination was good for a fast and responsive car, but they stopped production before 2000 so such cars are older. They continued production from 1300cc/1500cc engine models but these were paired with a 3AT which although robust and reliable didn't have enough gear ratio's for a smoother drive and better fuel economy. Thus driving one of those like a slug would only give you good fuel economy else you're looking at 300++ kms per tank of fuel usually which is alot considering newer small cc cars like Mazda2 can do double that (of course also at double the price). This is where this advert comes in as I was searching online for one of the latest models of wira before they discontinued it and the Wira Special Edition is probably the best of them with a nice and sporty interior black and red interior with sport styled seats and the updated steering wheel. Although from the looks of it the outside could need a new coat of paint which could run anywhere between RM800 to RM2500 the rest looks okay as the interior looks nice and clearn (not too weathered) but the 1500cc engine and manual gearbox on these cars are usually very robust unless really abused by the owner so don't worry about that. I notice this car might have been through an accident the rear passenger door behind the driver is of a different color -- u have to check out the car for yourself and see if it is okay or not, pour water over it to see any leaking.

If you smell a scam better just avoid.
That's the thing about mudah you've gotta use it smartly to find genuine owners that wanna sell.
Other websites that require payment for listing usually means they are listed by used car dealers which might be crooks or not but usually used car dealers sell at a higher price than direct user.

I found two Toyota Prade 3.0 near your budget and location.
here and here.

I'm not so familiar with Landy Disco, does it have seating capacity for 7 people? If not you might want to consider 2003 BMW X5 which is going to cost just as much to maintain.

Currently eyeing at the same audi adds, may i know what is ur opinion on the E46? Tempted by its look 😆😆😆

Went through the thread, so far:

Choices so far : MYVI 1.5 SE (new) - but someone ask me wait till july/sept for new perodua, Latio 2nd hand.

Underdogs car such as sylphy, latio, iriz was recommended quite a lot of time.

1. Brand : Local, Japanese, Kimchi?
2. Budget : 40-60k
3. New/Used/Unreg : Used, Pre-Owned, Demo
4. Specs : Not particular
5. Transmission : Auto (sucks la, gotta trade in my neo for girl issue)
6. NA or FI : anything
7. Type : 4 seater.
8. Remarks : reliable, not much hassle in terms of maintaining car. Above 2012.

any other choices?

Thank you zenix for the recommendations, I think I have more than enough info for the Toyota Prado, I'll check the ones in Kuching. According to this Land Rover Discovery it should be a 7 seater.

I have also considered the Ford Everest, BMW X5 (5 seater only tho) and the Volvo XC90 (but can't find any in Borneo), what do you think of the above selection. Seems like there're lots of choices but I can't find much info on the reliability of these cars in a local context.

3-series of that age would be easier to maintain but if the car was properly maintained by the owner in the first place because if not it could easily get very costly replacing many parts. Another thing is don't expect so much from the 1800cc engine

2010 BMW 116 - since you're sad about losing your Neo i'm guessing you're one that likes fast cars but need to upgrade to something more mature. Something like this would be deemed the ultimate solution as you've got a nice conti which gives you a good outlook for the in-laws and co-workers, yet still has decent performance for your own needs. But let's be honest with ourselves, a BMW is a BMW it ticks all the boxes of most people's requirements but maintenance is usually the issue. This particular model uses a 1600cc (non-turbo) which is just about enough for it's size, for sure when on full load of 5 passengers with a trunk load of luggage it is going to be sluggish (all cars will) but when it is just you and your wife, it will give you that spirited drive you need. 1600cc engine is cheaper to maintain, I could be wrong but iinm it is the same 1600cc engine used by Mini Coopers (non-turbo) as well thus a wider parts base and lower cc means overall a cheaper car to maintain than a 3-series. People often ask why 1-series resale value so bad, well it is the kiasu mentality when it comes to BMW to most people BMW starts with 3-series which is true for new/used hardly you see punters looking for 1-series usually 3-series -- so that's why it is so cheap.

2012 Honda City 1.5E - when you go buying this model of honda city and wondering which is top spec and which is basic spec look at the paddle shifters, there is no way they able to retro-fit the paddle shifters and make it work for the basic spec model it is not as simple as plug and play the steering wheel. This car would have the merits of what you need in a car which isn't too old, good spec, reliable and cheap to maintain. Many owners have complaint of it being not as fuel efficient as the previous model, previous model uses CVT people complain it easily breaks not put reliable gearbox they complain not fuel efficient -- topkek?

2013 Honda Jazz Hybrid 1.4 - according to the advertisement this car still has warranty and was one of the few honda's that have 5 years warranty and 5 years free service when it was sold. Unlike similar model of Jazz without Hybrid this one is made in Japan with international spec, so it has 6 airbags, childseat connectors, reliable and fuel saving CVT gearbox (instead of normal gearbox), etc. I would say it is better than the City above, plus it is a Hybrid so it gives you better fuel economy as well as having more safety features and other accessories not found in locally made model -- plus the materials use are also better, don't believe me? Go test drive this car and feel the interior cabin then go test drive and feel the interior cabin of a locally/thai assembled Jazz.

I'm not much of a Landy person so I can't really give you much info from my own experience. I'm not too sure about servicing in this car in east malaysia do they have authorized service centers or just cherry tree workshops, but Landy's are designed to be robust and older ones like the one you showed are pretty common so I guess getting parts won't be an issue. I do know Brunei has a pretty good Land Rover distributor and service center.

If you got any Bruneian contacts maybe you can get a used 7 seater SUV from there, your budget of MYR45k = BND15k should be enough especially for older models as cars there depreciate like a rock.

just my 2 cents and i may be wrong but that doesn't look like a 2005 model e46, more like 2001-2002 pre-facelifted version.

Thanks for the fast reply. Yeah 1 series is like my dream car (but manual version), maintenance for BMW is legendary, sure kena fuk deep2 by gf cos "continental car". my next job in mid may would be selling tong gas, so this is kinda nice. Mileage a bit high, need to have major service at 100k?

City very logical, kinda like vios. drove this city before, felt a bit high and unstable, need to change wider rims/tires? Jazz oso nice and jimat minyak (my neo telan minyak, 300km for full tank)

Should I wait for Perodua's new car coming out? or just screw it and buy now...very sad in some ways

honda coupe

Any BMW sold in Malaysia from 2000 onwards (so far i've seen) are all automatics.
Our local mentality is that manual is usually for cheaper models, automatics = high class.
So don't dream about a manual BMW, unless you get a really old one.
Refer to here for information on the service schedule.

The FC for City is already pretty crappy so adding wider rims/tires going to make that even worst. Proton cars aren't known for FC and if your mileage per tank is about 300km only then you drive it pretty hard. Thus, a sporty family car would be something like a BMW 1-series for you.

Vios/City will be too mundane.

Perodua new model? The D63D sedan? You complain City crappy you wanna consider cars in Perodua stable?



Like the Alza is basically a stretched Myvi for the extra row of seats.
the D63D is basically a Myvi with a sedan boot.
the only good thing about it is that it is new.

don't dream taxes for coupes in malaysia is crazy.
honda won't bring in any 2 door version to malaysia.
the crz was rare because being a hybrid it skirted alot of taxes.

Hey bro, no problem, thanks for the advice. I've done some research on Bruneian cars and it requires temporary passes to get them into Malaysia, it's also kinda illegal with the recent crackdowns.

I've taken some time to test drive a 1997 Landcruiser Prado diesel 2.8l in my hometown Ipoh. It looks good but the drive feels kinda sluggish. Any info on the 1999 TZ model with turbo? I've heard that the engine is kinda complex and it's an automatic tranny, not really my preference. The 3rd row of these vehicles is not bad though, I can sit comfortably even though I am 6 feet tall.

I'm also considering the Volvo XC 90 and the Ford Everest, what is your take on these vehicles?

I'm not suggesting the illegal way which is why you need the contacts on the Brunei side.
I know it is as simple as going to Brunei, buying the car cash, all documents surrendered to you.
Then drive this car to the border, either Limbang/Miri.
Pay the tax on the Malaysian side which is Tax % * car value based on cash sale invoice.
Both together would be cheaper than cars in Malaysia (many used car dealers in East Malaysia do this).
The problem is everything is deal using cash.
But I'm not sure how the registration on the Malaysian side works, which is why Bruneian contacts are important.
This is for 100% legal cars not like singapore logocars or clone cars.
Because I have colleagues working in Brunei that buy cars there then move it back to malaysia legally, but SOP's change all the time so you need someone that knows how its done.
info

The TZ model with a turbo-diesel uses 1KZ-TE engine. I've done a little research here and it seems this engine and gearbox is quite reliable with very few problems if maintained properly, of course the usual problems of wear/tear due to age and need to change parts is common for any car, overall it is a good thing.

However, TX model which also turbo-diesel uses 1KD-FTV (D-4D) engine is the newer range of turbo-diesel using common rail but I think for our market the 1KD-FTV (D-4D) only came about when they launch the new Hilux, Fortuner and Innova but iinm our market only as the 2500cc (2KD-FTV). I did hear that initially there were some kinks in the D-4D but by now it is a reliable and stable engine choice for Toyota fans. Further reading here.

Also remember when it comes to turbo diesel or diesel injectors like spark plugs are consumables, they are required to be changed. The frequency of the change depends on the diesel quality, for Malaysian dirty diesel the price to pay for that crazy high above 700km per tank mileage is of course injector kaputing earlier than manufacturer spec. Factor in injector cost + cheap diesel + high mileage per tank it still feels more worth than petrol turbo's.

I do know those two are quite expensive to maintain, never really bothered much with them.

2003 Kia Sorento - if i am not mistaken this car is also a 7 seater, i have a gut feel it is cheaper to maintain than the Volvo/Ford. Further reading here.

Hey man, thanks for the advice, I don't have any contacts in Brunei so it's okay, we can buy locally la. Will look into the Sorento if I can find one or one comes my way. For now, I'm seriously considering the Prado. One thing tho, a lot of people have warned me from buying the mid/late 90s and early 2000s Mitsubishi Pajeros. There's a thing about them that attracted me ever since I was young but I was told they are a pain in the azz to maintain as they tend to have leakages here and there (mechanics told me that). What's your take on that? Price wise they seemed to be generally cheaper than Prados in terms of sales price so I could easily get one well below my budget. This will be my first car purchase and it's for our company, I'd really hope I don't mess up and thus I'm really looking for advice, thanks man.

I'm planning to buy the new Jazz.
But in dilemma to buy a new one which my budget is E Spec Jazz OR
Buy a used V Spec Jazz with good mileage and condition,
(and cheaper than new E Spec too!)

Can someone help me choose/what to look in a used car?

1. Brand : Any brand
2. Budget : <55k
3. New/Used/Unreg : Doesn't matter
4. Specs : doesn't matter
5. Transmission : manual
6. NA or FI : doesn't matter
7. Type : 4 seater (preferably sedan)
8. Remarks : Reliable, cheap to maintain, easy to find spare parts

the SLK200 seems not mfg. year 2011, should be register 2011 but made before 2008 based on the steering as seems nt FL model with the price 85k also. Js too delicious, seems nt legit.

Can clarify? Thanks.

i can't.
i just pull the advert off mudah for visual and pricing reference only.
u gotta call them to verify bro.

yeah mitsubishi's from that era did have such a reputation.
not only pajero but other models as well even the lancer.
there were stories that owners would make it a point to wash the car and clean the engine bay before potential customers come to view the car.
but it isn't really a bad engine design, replacing gaskets will of course fix the problem.
perhaps the gasket design isn't as robust as others but replacing the gaskets earlier than spec isn't really going to burn a huge hole.

however, before you make the purchase do check with the mechanic in detail as the gasket issue was my own experience with lancers not pajero's and the mechanic that fixed mine generally said this was the cause for most mitsubishi's.

generally you can't really mess up if you choose a toyota.
however, prado/pajero are two big suv's that are still quite well supported in terms of parts so i don't really see a big problem.



2015 Honda Jazz 1.3 Hybrid - if you're considering the previous model of Jazz the only one I'd buy is the Hybrid version because it is the only model with a long warranty (I forget not sure it is 5/7 years but is longer than the usual 3 years for most other models) so even the used cars still have warranty, so imagine this you get to buy the car cheaper because of depreciation but don't have to worry about gremlins because the warranty got you covered. Unlike the normal Jazz the Hybrid (and also the newer models) uses a CVT gearbox. Personally, Honda CVT's have been good to me as they've never failed yet.

Pros: better fuel economy, engine wear (because CVT has an "infinite" gear ratio due to it's design thus the gear ratio will always match the engine speed or reduce engine speed to achieve the real speed you want on the tires which means its overdrive anytime), better performance (because gearbox and engine works in harmony you're always at peak torque vs desired speed). Driving up Genting especially with good tires and shocks my old Jazz blast past even BMW's.

Cons: Maintenance cost (as regular gearboxes are a closed system that doesn't require fluid flush regularly this isn't the case for CVT thus that extra cost for workmanship and CVT gear oil every 50,000km (my own yard stick, check your manual for your particular model), droning sound especially at higher revs, can be no fun to drive if you like changing gears (this is usual talk of car guru's coz they're manual car guys so they always like to change gear which i don't understand a CVT is so smooth when it changes gear unlike normal automatics so jerky, dunno why they complain)

2011 Toyota Vios - I'm sure you've been told to just forget everything and just buy a Vios from most people you've spoken with, well when it comes to reliability, cheap to maintain and easy to find spare parts usually any Toyota car is the number 1 pick. There are some drawbacks, the Vios is like Madonna the body and engine is old but each "new model" that comes out from Toyota just a mega facelift. It has almost the same chassis, gearbox and engine since the first generation. Which is why parts are easy to find and cheap, not much innovation -- same like Wira and Myvi. While it's rivals boast better engine (Mazda2's skyactive 700km per tank wonder) or bigger space (Nissan's stretched Almera with more rear leg room). Choosing Vios isn't a bad choice economically but if you're a car person it just kills your soul, even with a manual.

2008 Nissan Latio - if you don't mind for something older but cheaper you have this as an option. At about half your budget you get a car which is bigger than Vios coz it is a C-segment (like Inspira/Civic/Altis). It also ticks your requirements for reliable, cheap to maintain and easy to find spare parts -- plus usually manuals are much more reliable and robust than automatic gearboxes so less worry about any gearbox issues.

2015 Proton Inspira 1.8 - if you ignore the badge you'll find out this is actually a very good car, Proton didn't put much effort when rebadging this car, many parts were still sourced from overseas. Eventhough Proton has given up and discontinued selling this model you don't have to worry about a closed system where you can only buy parts from Proton -- not true. Inspira can tap into the parts for Lancer all over the world. This particular ad seems like showing big discounts for stock clearance of 2015 models which is all the better since the car is new. if you ask me for your budget this would be a good option as it has what people want -- Japanese technology, good looks, good performance, new car and C-segment -- so the car can grow with you if you're having a family soon.

how to avoid parts changed or theft car during process buying an used car?

This post has been edited by looprevil: Apr 12 2016, 01:57 PM

1. Brand : Mazda 3 2.0 or Honda Accord 2.0 (Which one will you recommend?)
2. Budget : 60-70k
3. New/Used/Unreg : Used
4. Specs : Any
5. Transmission : Auto
6. NA or FI : NA
7. Type : Sedan
8. Remarks : Weekend car.