okay lets say you're going to buy cash.
your budget is 30k.
so here is a car that is about 20-25k with leftover for repairs.

2005 ford lynx rs - when you pay cash for something and set aside a war chest to repair it, it better be a car that is worth it, right? I think this car is quite worth it. Back in the day this is a sought after hot sedan, probably the fastest in its class and automatic too. It was around this time when manufacturers started to officially sell hot versions of their boring gray boxes. One of it's key rivals was the Civic ES which originally came with the 1.7 horror of an engine then got a nice 2.0 engine (which is very similar to the one in the Civic FD), after this names like Wald, Brabus, AMG, etc. became more common place in our market. Even by today's standards it is a handsome looking car and usually hot versions and sports cars age quite well so perhaps it might even gain value in the future (who knows?). Anyway, like most Ford's it has good handling and decent power output only problem is it is an auto 4 speeder, nobody ever said it was fuel economical....well probably they enjoy driving it fast so didn't worry much about fuel economy. Parts availability and prices could be on the pricey side as Ford parts are usually more expensive than your usual Honda/Toyota parts plus the age/rarity of this model it could be abit too expensive to upkeep if it is a high mileage daily workhorse......but for office workers that just commute to work and back then have some fun on the weekends it should be fine.

2006 skoda octavia 1.8 turbo - skoda's are amazingly cheap this model would be similar to an A4/Jetta of the same year but it is so so cheap to buy, a high recommendation from me. While the car above is more on the sporty performance look, this one has a luxury look with good performance. Because of its rarity and conti look usually when going to hotel or office lobby's you'll be offered to park at the lobby as it has that prestigious look about it.....but rarity is a problem when getting parts? Well, most engine parts you can get the common one from either audi or vw spare part shops....if you need skoda specific stuff like door handles, bumpers, headlamps, etc. you can always pop over to singapore to buy and install then drive it back here without incurring tax and delivery charges but if you really want cheap then get the oem parts from china. Yes, it is abit of work to get parts for this car but normal stuff like fuel filters, air filters, etc. are quite common in the market so normal maintenance is quite inexpensive.

so for cars like the two above they require abit more commitment from you for them to be in 100% fit, but they're cars where you'll be happy to own for a long time.

NEXT this is the other option assuming you got 1000-5000 for repairs but want to lower commitment so taking a 5 year loan for a 30k car.

2007 ford focus 1.8 sedan - this is a good car but the problems are parts are expensive so since this car is now 7 years old i expect many current first hand owners would be trading them in for something newer than replacing worn out parts, the worn out parts and decay really depends on how the owner kept the car, if it is mostly superficial stuff like paint work, accessories and rubbers being dented, missing or perish that is quite cheap to fix or ignore as they aren't important. As long as the engine, aircon and gearbox is fine (and no major accidents) then it is a good buy. Seeing that it is an old car already by the time you finish the loan it is going to be even more worthless so best to look for something which you can keep a long time to make it worth it. I think this car a good option, c-segment sedan with a good feature/spec/accessories level (even got rear seats aircond like some expensive d-segment cars). If you're living in the the city this would be a good choice as you can get parts easily but if you're in more backwater towns better not as parts availability is unknown and prices could be high. Though, if you're good with ebay you can import alot of cheap OEM stuff from UK/China where this car is popular.

then this is the last option assuming you got almost no money for repairs but want a cheap car that is low maintenance and would be quite lasting.

2005 mit lancer - nothing special about this car, just something inexpensive to buy and maintain. Shares some common parts with proton but generally mitsu parts aren't expensive.

2007 nissan sentra 1.8 - most people say the 1.6 is underpowered and not frugal enough, so i recommend the 1.8 which is better on both accounts but this 1.8 isn't on the same level as a Civic FD 1.8 that would still smoke you on the highway and return better fuel mileage because it is a newer engine with better technology......so why am i recommending this? well it is the best you can probably get for your budget if you're thinking of just buying not repairing until something breaks down. Old tech engine and gearbox is very hardy so they'll last but of course i fully recommend doing a service (even if out of schedule) after you buy the car just to keep the oils and filters fresh.

2006 honda city 1.5 i-dsi - usually the i-dsi models are cheaper but if you can get the vtec one for the same price it is a bargain, well what is the difference between them? Well, nothing much. Power output more or less the same. Frugality or less the same. Parts and maintenance more or less the same. Just that the accessories are better on the vtec model and of course the interior color, while the i-dsi is usually boring brown the vtec is always black/grey with a more sportier accent to it.

If you're thinking about the Toyota alternative...well....the Vios isn't at this price range for anything as young as 2006, so the youngest is 2005.....so depends on what you want, for me I'd go for the better fuel consumption and younger City but then there are always Toyota fans.

a 35k vios or honda iVTEC on the market would probably aged 9 or 10 years... not a bad choice either

For korean car i don't recommend any except the forte 2.0.

heavy body, underpowered engine, fuel drinker and not really reliable for all korean cars produced before 2010. the new 2.0 theta engine from kia/hyundai still yet to be proven. the 1.6 for kia and elentra fails miserable, feels good for 1st year, the rest is still not yet history. the power is just not there (i know i will receive bash after this comment), if you really want to buy korean car. test drive 1st, buy it only you have driven 1. as for the moment now. i would say 2nd hand jap car still the best buy

      nice

if i remember correctly the first batches in 2004 did have engine failure issue but was resolved but 2005 batches had 'engine check' light problem which have people fear that the engine failure issue wasn't fixed, it was mostly faulty electronics than engine failure.

okay completed! 
information might never be spot on because of where they are made.
there might be the same model made elsewhere and sold in US/UK -- countries where information on cars is easily available.

the SEA models are mainly produced in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
as you know getting simple information on website or salesman like "what is the difference between Toyota Vios J, E, G, TRD" you'll probably only get 50% of the answer 

so when buying the car make sure to check the service manual if there are any additional receipts for repair/replacements, sometimes owners only bring the car to service at 3s/authorize service center, then replacements/repairs at outside workshop......to track this is kind of difficult if the owner doesn't tell you.....but if at 3s/authorized service center u can request them to check the computer on works done.

tekplyrX


You'll definately get more fun out of the E46 than anything else that's on your mind. I don't see any point in the other two cars.
Grand Vitara and Mazda 6 has zero snob factor compared to the E46, all 3 cars would be in the relatively same ballpark in terms of maintenance fees.
The Grand Vitara is a fuel guzzler and handles like the Titanic, it was meant to be AWD but they removed that to save cost of building and supposedly better fuel economy, well, it doesn't. The only good points for it is it has aged well (still looks pretty good today) and is cheap to buy in the used car market and it is usually equipped well from the factory.
No matter how good the Mazda 6 is, honestly, it isn't an E46 -- nuff said

But it is now end of 2015 so getting a loan for a 2004 car isn't going to be easy unless it is a cash buy/swap.

2000 BMW E39 523i - here is a poison 
2005 Volvo S40 - might be easier to get loan for this since 2005 car

7 speed is the problematic ones.

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

-seem like e46 is a bit costly to maintain.
I honestly dont think its that exp to maintain. If you do feel that it is exp, then i dont think you should be considering the audi either...

-the price is unbelievably cheap, so cheap till wonder if this car is busted.
also that a4 has no value whatsoever, and is not exactly a popular car... I dont see any harm at taking a loo if you are really interested.... frankly speaking taking a look is also experience....

**i know for a fact that e46's can go for lower than 20, shops are not willing to even offer 20 for a decent 2nd hand unit**

That kind of specific information you better talk to people at www.bmwclubmalaysia.com

You're getting one of these?