My experience in Buying a Used Car in the Philippines

I have have dreamed of having a car. Well, a house first rather than a car but definitely I want one. I do not know how to come up with the money just to buy one but I know the time will come that I can come up with the money.

Well, how time flies. My father passed away and I have to leave the comfort of the university to get a higher paying job. So after 7 months of job seeking I landed one job. Not that high paying but still much better than the pay that I received in the academe.

One of  the nice things that happened was the plan to send us abroad. This means that I will be earning extra money. I have to think of my dreams this time. Who wouldn't. So we went abroad for five months. I ate only food that we can buy at the Dollar Store. This is beside the Hagen Dazs ice cream that I buy since they are so expensive in the Philippines. It cost in the US only USD3 a far cry from the PhP450 here in RP. I bought also two laptops at BestBuy which I planned to sell once I arrive here. Both are Toshibas. They are very reliable machines

After 5 months and PhP300k richer, I think I can now afford a car. But what type or brand? Would it be a Toyota or a Honda? I first want to own a Nissan since they are a bit cheaper but there are so many people that do like Nissan only because of the cold aircon but nothing more. Kilometer per liter consumption of Nissan according to many is so much lower compared to other brands.

Toyota? Well, there are so many editions to choose from and what I liked is the 99 edition lovelife body. However, I have problems riding in this vehicle at the backseat. They have cramped spaces at the back. I cannot be comfortable in that car even with my 5 ft 8 in frame. So I would like to see how it feels to be in a Honda car.

Honda is a bit expensive here in the Philippines since they really catered the creme de la creme of the Philippine society. Again with a couple of hundred Gs in my purse, I have to choose wisely. There are so many websites now that offer selling used cars in RP. Everybody in RP will benefit if they visit sites like tsikot, adpost, and buyandsellph. I visit this sites just to be informed of these latest used cars that are for sale. I checked this sites together with buying all those Buy and Sell magazines and Carfinder.

My search came to an end when I saw in Adpost an ad for Honda Civic 1997 VTEC up for sale within my budget. I encashed what was left of my dollars and together with a friend rode a jeepney to Pasig City. We walked several meters after getting down from the Church of Pasig to get to the Used Car Store. I saw two Honda cars. One is an Automatic transmission and the other one uses Manual transmission. I liked the manual one but I do not know how to drive one. I learned to drive when I was abroad and they often use ATs there. So I settled for the blue AT. I went around the car thrice to look for defects. I checked the paint, sat at the front seat to get a feel in driving it, sat at the backseat to see how the seat reacts, went to the front passenger's seat and flip the visors. I popped the hood and checked the engine. The seller then turned the key. We listened for the engine roar itself to life. We tried the the window washer if it works. Everything is functioning properly. I liked the car. The bit of a problem is that the ending plate number is 2, which means I cannot drive this to the city every Mondays. Well, I thought, a car is a car. My palms are aching to handle the steering wheel.

I asked the seller if I can take the car already. He told me that it is best if we go for a spin for a test drive. I let him drive. We went to the nearest gas station, bought 15liters of gasoline and then returned to the shop. He asked me how I am going to pay it. I told him that I am going to pay cash if he would be the one to take care of the paperworks for me. He was shocked. Because I am wearing only a t-shirt, pair of shorts and pair of slippers at that time. I told him I have the money on hand right there. So we went inside the car and there he counted the money. After payment, he made photocopies of the car register and together with the receipt, I could take the car home. I just need to go back there at the shop to get the transfer of ownership after three working days.

I set off and went home to the province to surprise my mom. I arrived and they did not know that I have a car. It was the following morning that they were asking who owns the car in front of our house. I went outside the house and  then to the surprise of my mom I inserted the key on the door and opened it. I can see the smile on her face. She was beaming really proud. And I am really proud of myself of having made such strides in my life.

I took off that day and went to the city. I need the car to be checked by a mechanic. I do not know squat on cars. Searching the forums of tsikot, I came across the shop of Speedyfix. What was the problem with the shop is the address. It is not that easy to find the address on the forums. Accidentally, I found the shop by traversing the Shaw Blvd of Mandaluyong Sity. I went inside and asked the chief mechanic to take a look at the car even the undechassis. He took the car to the lifter and raised the car a few feet high. Using a light he examined all the rubber bushings underneath. He went to see the tie rods also. He checked everything from spark plugs, transmission fluid, radiator water supply and all other consumables. His inspection resulted in additional Php50k fees in replacements and consumables. Well, I already forecasted that I will spend as much for improvements on the car. As always, it is better to be safe than sorry.  Better to replace now while in the shop rather than on the streets.

After one whole day in Speedyfix, my car is new underneath. I went to a nearby carwash shop and made my car gleam. Finally, I can take my car anywhere worry free.