Too many cars to choose....

[zan]

I am spoilt with choices. Help me.

The story goes like this. I applied for a personal loan amounting 50K. After settling my hutang, I will still have about 40K as balance.

Then my mind started to wonder of getting a second car. A car that is good, cheap and nice to drive. There are many such examples in Malaysia and they may have suffered from high depreciation due to lack of trust from local consumers, and lack of continuous marketing and service/parts. Otherwise, most of them are good cars outside Malaysia especially in Europe.

The rest like BMW and Mercedez are cheap because they are simply too old reaching to 20 years of age.

At first, I was really excited to buy a Galant E33 either turbocharged or not. But after I bought yesterday’s The Star, none was on sale. Later I was caught by surpise to find that car prices nowadays are very, very low indeed. Is it because of NAP and AFTA??

If it is because of AFTA, then let’s welcome ourselves to the real open market like in UK where cars like Proton Waja retain only 33% its value in the 3rd year. Which will translate into something like a new 60K waja will only sells at 18K after 3 years. Interesting haa?

Let me show some other examples

Perdana V6 2002 = 42K
Waja 1.6 2000 = 28K
Wira 1.8 DOHC 1996 = 23K
Corolla SEG AE101 92 = 20K
Proton Gen2 1.6 04 = 38K (dropped 30% in 2 years)
Honda Civic S5A @ ES 2002 = 68K (dropped 40% in 4 years)
Hyundai Sonata EF 2.0 2003 = 60K (dropped 50% in 3 years)

In the end I got stuck with many choices. I hope to get opinions from zth forumers regarding advantages and weaknesses of the following cars, including personal experience. And I do appreciate all comments TQ (“,)

• Alfa 146 1.8 16V DOHC Twin spark year 2000 = 23K
• Alfa 155 2.0 16V DOHC twin spark = 28K
• BMW E30 318i yr 85 = 12K
• BMW E30 325i 2 door sunroof yr = 16K
• BMW E34 520i year 1990 = 18K
• Citroen ZX 1.9 yr 92 = 5K
• Citroen Xantia 1.9 turboD = 17K
• Honda Prelude 2.0 16V DOHC 150ps 4WS yr 1988-90 = 15K
• Mazda 929 2.2 carb AT RWD = 10K
• Mitsubishi Galant E33 = 20-25K
• Mercedez Benz 190E RWD yr 88 = 20K
• Proton Perdana SEi AT yr 95 = 25K
• Proton Juara 1.1E AT yr 02 = 16K
• Volvo 940GL Turbo yr 94 = 16K
• Toyota Estima Supercharger TCR10 yr 90 = 38K
• Toyota Corolla AE92 coverted to supercharger with 4 disc brakes = 15K

I am not that much worried about maintenance as I will buy those cars cheap and still have about 15K in balance unlike the Estima which I know is very reliable though maintenance repair cost is damn high.

 

[zan]

wahh..still no response kah? topic too heavy i think.

make it simple laa..help me choose one from the following cars

Alfa 146 1.8 16V DOHC Twin spark year 2000 = 23K

Alfa 155 2.0 16V DOHC twin spark = 28K

BMW E30 318i yr 85 = 12K

BMW E30 325i 2 door sunroof yr = 16K

BMW E34 520i year 1990 = 18K

Citroen ZX 1.9 yr 92 = 5K

Citroen Xantia 1.9 turboD = 17K

Honda Prelude 2.0 16V DOHC 150ps 4WS yr 1988-90 = 15K

Mazda 929 2.2 carb AT RWD = 10K

Mitsubishi Galant E33 = 20-25K

Mercedez Benz 190E RWD yr 88 = 20K

Proton Perdana SEi AT yr 95 = 25K

Proton Juara 1.1E AT yr 02 = 16K

Volvo 940GL Turbo yr 94 = 16K

Toyota Estima Supercharger TCR10 yr 90 = 38K

Toyota Corolla AE92 coverted to supercharger with 4 disc brakes = 15K

 

[acbc]

I will stay away from Korean or Conti cars due to high maintainance (it's like maintaining a 2nd GF or wife).

The Mitsubishi Galant E33A Super Saloon is a wise choice but try to look for the DOHC NA model - more power / easier to maintain. However, avoid those with sunroof or converted 4WD.

Another to look for is the Nissan AD Resort Y10. I'm driving one for work... carbie model and a plus point, super cheap maintainance. Just change engine oil, ATF and brake fluid. Nothing more. No shitty wiring probs or sensor going haywire. Consumption is way better than my turbo-charged E33A at RM 80 = 500km town drive. Plus, plenty of parts for it.

The Proton Juara is ok provided u can source brand new parts for it because most chop shops don't bring it's cousin, Townbox in. The Juara was my 1st choice b4 the AD Resort since at RM 18k and year 2002 model, car is darn new. XOIC number plate some more. But, question is parts and maintainance.

For 2nd car, anything below 1600cc will enjoy cheaper roadtax. I'm paying RM 394 for my VR4 and a mere RM 125 for the AD Resort. Tires are stock 13" running on Wire steel rims. Cheap as hell. :)

 

[zombie]

BMW E30 325i 2 door sunroof yr = 16K looks tempting...

 

[gohkokeng]

zombie
maintenance cost also will tempting u lol

 

[zombie]

Actually, I do think that the high maintenance thing is over-rated. You wanna eat chilli, you must handle the pain. :D

 

[roshan1984]

hmm...i can tell u one thing for sure bro. if u want power...go for the 155twin spark. trust me...u will feel power like u never felt b4. i own a 155,164 and 168(v6). the power is imaculate. 0-100 in 6-7 sec. not bad man. but one thing for sure...parts will kill u ler..

if u wanna go for comfort and luxury. the volvo 940 is a good car. trust me. i am having 7 of those wagons and two of those saloons. the comfort is just superb. the problem with the saloon is they not come with the solid absobers like the wagons...so cant exeed the weight simply cause will hit the arc of the body. unless u change to the wagon absobers. consumption is not bad actually for the turbo if u cruise well. and the price u got over there is seriously cheap. trust me.

well for prestige and name for sure u can take the E34. put angle eyes which is bout RM1.2k. rear crystal lamps. solid 2k black metalic with tint and huge rims will just atrract people. cause datz wat i did for mine. well i think urz will b the 4 speed triptronic. remember..there is no damand for the manual of this model. the triptronic has higher demand. so u gotta always think of after sales. but the best is goin for the 24valve 525i. that engine gives the best ratio. the 2.0 24valve ok also lar..but not max power. u gotta check all this ok? the prices u r gettin is not bad. can consider.

sorry cause i am not a japanese car player..me oni continental..so cant help with the others. anythin means care to reply me. good luck man!!!

 

[alien]

~how many cars u own man..

 

[roshan1984]

cars

~how many cars u own man..

hahaha..u wont believe if i told u...;) ask BV 5015...he will know..am just a car collector ler. me and dad's hobby during our free time. repair,restore,overhaul and sell the cars. just a hobby ler...but strictly continental ler..;) cheerz

 

[zan]

thanx for all replies...wah! so many opinions pun susah jugak.

any how, i decided to put aside the 2 Toyotas, Perdana, Alfa 146, Mazda 929, the Citroens and the Honda Prelude. this would make my life easier.

any other opinion??

 

[acbc]

Auto gearbox for BMW costs RM 4-5k used.
Auto geabox for Japanese cars cost less than RM 1k used.

Conti = nice to drive, have bragging rights, comfortable. If it breaks down, cry! My E32 is one fine example. Already spend close to RM 15k and still has probs. Can't drive around peacefully without those pesky gremlins lurking around. Or it could be me... I don't have any luck with BMWs. Even a well-maintain one broke down while I was driving it. Imagine this... a 1 week old E46 broke down in the middle of the road due to a faulty water temp sensor! Or a 15 year old E32 stalled half-way going up to Genting... scary!

For me, only Japanese cars because they are reliable and maintainance is dirt cheap (for most brands anyway).

 

[Ingolstadt]

Auto gearbox for BMW costs RM 4-5k used.
Auto geabox for Japanese cars cost less than RM 1k used.

Conti = nice to drive, have bragging rights, comfortable. If it breaks down, cry! My E32 is one fine example. Already spend close to RM 15k and still has probs. Can't drive around peacefully without those pesky gremlins lurking around. Or it could be me... I don't have any luck with BMWs. Even a well-maintain one broke down while I was driving it. Imagine this... a 1 week old E46 broke down in the middle of the road due to a faulty water temp sensor! Or a 15 year old E32 stalled half-way going up to Genting... scary!

For me, only Japanese cars because they are reliable and maintainance is dirt cheap (for most brands anyway).

I wouldn't say Jap rides have cheap maintenance. Its because Jap cars only started to turn well specced and "high tech" recently, most cars int he RM50k-RM7-k region of 2nd Jap cars were still low tech stuffs, get those find bred ones (CF-4, RX-7, Evo, Altezza, Supra) and you'll know what maintenance mean.

Hey thread starter, can you make up your mind what sort of car you wanted? Estima in the list while Juara and Alfa 146 as welll? what you trying to do with them? mow your yard?

IMO if you want a good drive, agile and well built car, get the E30. syiok. something more comfy but in the RM30k range, Audi A4 96.