Cars
 

A new car, what options do we have besides, large, medium or small, petrol or diesel?

Most of the new cars today are bigger, faster and more money to buy yet are more reliable than our older ones were.

Our roads today are congested and the surfaces here in the Philippines do nothing for the low profile tires were forced to accept on our new vehicles that prefer drivers in Europe and the US where the surfaces are smooth.

My son in London has just bought a new Jaguar SUV, probably he doesn’t get out of second gear and must suffer “road rage” in the endless traffic queues. I told him to put a lawn mower engine in his car and no one would know the difference!

Why do the car makers produce vehicles that are not suited to today’s roads and why make them complex and expensive to maintain.

In my younger days I did my own servicing because of cheapness and ease but these days, not so easy and almost as if the manufacturer has deigned it for only maintenance in a specialized workshop. Lift up the bonnet on a new car and see the complex arrangement of subsystems when all we need is a handful items for the car to run.

The ford dealer here wanted 12,000 phps for a new battery for my Eoc sport. A new one from a local shop was 6000 an a set of “jump leads” to “piggyback” that battery change over to maintain the cars 12 volt supply for electronic gismos.

I watched a TV prog the other night where they revitalized a1973 mk 3 Cortina to a wonderful end product and I watched with envy how they stripped the engine down to renew the parts, very straight forward and quite easy.

Yes I’m after a new car, middle range, comfortable and not looking like just one of the line we see these days. Remember the old models and how their shapes pleased us, why has all that gone?

Re: Cars
 

Put a load of designs through a wind tunnel and they all come out looking the same jelly mould. It's all about emissions and economy.

Re: Cars
 

Great if we lived in wind tunnels and travelled at speeds that smooth edges would improve petrol consumption but we don't. Look at the boxy people carriers sold by the Car manufacturers today, where does the wind tunnel affect their efficiency? We've been "had" by these manufacturers in their advertisements for saving money. In the old days when we drove cars such as Ford escorts and Vauxhall victors we enjoyed their performances on the road didn't we? My friend had a Sunbeam rapier and we had over 100 mph out of that down hill! My Ford Anglia would travel to speeds over 80 and was a pleasure to drive and maintain.
We are presently driving high performance vehicles along congested roads...crazy but what choice do we have? Spending all that money on looks and penned in performance. I asked my mate with the latest Audi why he had chosen that model and he couldn't give me a reasonable answer.......I said would you go shopping in your best suit?

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At least when I jump into my 2015 mini I know within reason I'm going to get home again, my 1980 mini I was never sure.

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Sold my car 4 years ago because of the lack of driving skills of others. No regrets. Tricycles around the local area and Grab further afield. Good for the pocket. If I need to go afar just rent a self drive.
Probably only works in NCR, Cebu, Mandaue and also Davao City.

Re: Cars
 

Been in the Philippines for 7 years now and never felt the need for a car....or even a motorcycle. Plenty of tricycles or pedicabs about if I felt the need. To go further afield I have UV express on my doorstep and Ceres buses at my previous location.

I have acquired a driving licence about 3 years ago without problem just in case. But never yet needed to hire a car. I have driven in the Philippines which holds no fear after my apprenticeship in Naples for 3 years where the art of defensive and race track mentality is quickly drummed into you. I can never see me purchasing a car at about twice the price of that in the UK and then have it subjected to shoddy servicing....even at main dealers. Nah....I enjoy my walks too much....

Re: Cars
 

You wouldn't and road conditions here are certainly not suitable!

The bourgeoning middle class here love all the extras they are getting. But back in the UK in the 70s I knew a University Professor, a real UK one, who ran an old van, no car.

In many and an increasing number of parts of the country what you need mostly is a vehicle with a good AC and maybe A/T to combat the cramp, especially as you get older.

Ridiculous to me cars have Alexa, just another internet connected device with little apparent need for that connectivity.
Don't start me on driverless cars! But trucks, well... maybe.

Basically for me the rot started with electric windows.

I run a family Nissan in its 29th year. Nearly 350k kms. I get some criticism from certain quarters but its overall economy to run is good. I found a mechanic in the provinces who did wonders with the engine a few years ago.

You may not want to look back that far but maybe a 10-20 year old Japanese vehicle you know or one with a service record or even a warranty? Rust not such a great problem here, gas cheap and you can get cheap spares. Servicing cheap at small shops. But can you find that here? What I've seen are all sold "as seen". They're generally passed down in the family.

Re: Cars
 

On our island you are restricted in the choice of car by the available car dealers, if you buy a Jag, BMW or Merc when it comes time for a service or repair it has to be sent to Manila for the work/parts, nearest car dealer for any make of car is over 25km away. I have a Suzuki Multicab at the moment and when that has finally fallen to pieces I am not sure I will bother with another one or if I do it will be something like an owner jeep that can be maintained/repaired anywhere.

Re: Cars
 

Electric windows, remember when they first appeared and a friend was walking passed my car but I couldn't find the button to work the windows fast enough and he'd gone when I finally found it.
The new range of cars from the Japanese manufacturer have become plastic multi build construction and its disappointing. Our first car here back in 2006 was a Honda CRV and we had it for 5 years. I was building houses then and loaded it up with bags of cement wrapped in big bags and other building stuff carefully carried with the seats down. I'd take my Circ saw and cut up 4 by 8 marine plys into 4 strips and just fit them from the dash board to the end of the tailgate. Despite all this it was in good condition when it was sold. The inside of that car was nice and comfortable, but these days you find the hard plastic everywhere unless you pay another half mil for leather. I met a guy who had hired a CRV in the US and it was on its third time round the clock...wow and on an aluminum engine.
I would buy an old Landrover discovery if they were more reliable because that car was a pleasure to own and drive. I enjoy being high in the drivers seat and able to see the end of the bonnet. Sadly the medium range Japanese cars don't have height adjustment, only the rake and forward back. I'm not tall at 5ft 6ins but I find myself looking through the steering wheel when the seat is at maximum height. My Eco sport will adjust higher as will the Hyundai's. Once looking at the Mitsubishi pickup and finding myself too low, the salesman's advice was to add a cushion.
Looking at the new Honda HRV and quite impressed, it has a switch to set the handbrake on for locking the wheels and is useful for those long queues with automatic cars to save leg tiring holding the pedal down. What happens if it stops functioning, can't simply follow the cable to the rear wheels. All these electric gismos don't work for me. A lady who has the same car as mine couldn't start her car because the electronic little box was not working and her key wouldn't work either. Told to tow her car to the nearest Ford agent.
Taken a fancy for he Hyundai Venue which is a micro suv and the price is closer to my budget, enjoyed the test drive and my first time to drive an Automatic car. End of the manual gearbox for me ...... sitting in queues for hours on end is no joke with a manual and days of a fast drive passing cars is over. The Venue is at least a break away from the boring range of shapes on todays vehicles.
In 2006 we could start the Manila trip at 6.30 and have an almost empty road but now its 4.30 an even then there is traffic about!
My Ford Eco sport is the MK2 with a three cylinder engine that has lots of torque but how does it work? I cannot get an answer from the Ford people here in San Pablo.

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Before arriving here I'd seen the Owner jeeps and couldn't wait to get one until I experienced the the heat and exhaust fumes from local vehicles.
I worry about breaking down and having no rescue agencies unlike the UK where you always have help with the RAC/AA.
We lived on a subdivision half way up the road from Lemery to Tagaytay and the winter weather up the hill was very chilly in the winter. To avoid the condensation we only had the aircon and you'd freeze until you drove down to the lowlands. No heater on the CRV!
MY ford eco sport has hot air and its was pleasant to turn up the heat on an early morning start here.

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It won't be started for a number of years but they're planning a link road from the Tagaytay - Nasugbu road to Alfonso and the new across Cavite expressway.

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Lovely road to Nasugbu. We enjoyed living down the road from Tagaytay just cool enough to grow some vegetables but as time grew Tagaytay was swamped with developers and you can't move at the weekends. The local market is very much improved and the food sellers are upstairs in the new building. Famous for Boulalow?

Re: Cars
 

I though I'd never need a car here until we bought the Ranger, now I wouldn't be without one.

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I'd never buy an SUV here because I see them in car parks with the engine running and the a/c on, maybe the family is playing with videos in the cool whilst other do the shopping. So the mileage on an SUV is most likely higher than what the speedo says plus of course the wear on the engine.
We discovered the parking underneath the stock exchange in Manila by the green triangle in Makati quite by accident an used it on occasions for trips but its a bit expensive until you offer "Senior Citizens card".
The underground car park has notices banning the practice of engines running....but no is bothered and the fumes are thick.

Re: Cars
 

I think you can safely assume that any used vehicle here has been clocked.