I actually don’t know how to begin writing this because I know some people will comment that I’m being too boastful and whatnot. But the idea behind this blog is to help others understand how to arrive at the best decision when buying their own vehicles.
I was able to buy my first car as soon as I got promoted to manager in Starbucks. I think that was 2005. It was a white Isuzu Crosswind that I loaned for my Tatay. We all helped (me, my ate, and Tatay) pay for the monthly amortization. After five years and successfully finishing the loan. It’s time to buy my own—yung akin talaga. Back then, I really wanted a pickup, but unfortunately, hindi talaga kaya financially. So, I opted for the Honda City. I don’t even have a photo of my Honda when it arrived shiny and new.

I think I browsed online konti lang and wala masyadong research. But it was the best decision. The car never failed me, not once. It was a constant companion to work, meetings, and a few out-of-town outings. That was 15 years ago. “Pula” as we fondly call her, needs to retire, and we need to get a new vehicle.
The decision this time was arduous. With Lay on the helm, I knew it would take a lot of work. The first car he mentioned liking was the Geely Cool Ray.

When he sees it on the road, pag nakakasabay nya, naiimpress sya sa form and aesthetics. So, we went to the dealership to look at the vehicle. It was awe-inspiring, I must say. The interior was luxurious, and the sunroof was pretty. But upon mentioning it to my sister, she said that a sunroof wouldn’t be a great addition in a tropical country like ours, so we reconsidered. Lay was also reading a lot of reviews and watching tons of blogs about it, and concluding that the reliability of the brand is still questionable at this time. And now, trending news about Geely’s poor service has surfaced online. I’m so relieved that we were not mesmerized by the looks alone.
Lay’s second choice was the MG GT.

We went to the dealership and were also impressed with the sports car look of the sedan. Again, reliability is another factor we have to consider, knowing that the brand has only been operating for less than two decades. Also, while getting gas at Petron in Commonwealth, we saw an MG GS stalled and waiting for a tow truck. Seeing that made us reconsider our decision again.
So pass on the Geely and MG. Our next choice now is the Ford Territory.

I noticed this car on the road and was quite impressed with the form. We like it cause it’s bigger than a sedan but smaller than an AUV. We already have an AUV, which was Lay’s first car loan, a Montero Sport, so we won’t need a big car in case we go on an out-of-town trip.
The thing with Ford Territory is it consumes so much fuel. When we compute the gas expense, it will rake higher than what Honda usually consumes. So, we had to find a fuel-efficient vehicle. Here enters the Honda BRV, which is very fuel-efficient.

But when we saw it in person. and rode it in the dealership. We looked like dwarves inside because it had a small body. With Zaki standing at 6 foot 1, sitting inside the BRV wasn’t so comfortable. The space wasn’t enough for us. Another option was the Honda HRV, which was a bit bigger.

But then again, the cost was way higher and above our budget. Also, if in case we will opt for it, they don’t have units available, and we will be on a long list of waiting potential owners.
We discussed our options with my brother-in-law, who suggested we consider a pickup. That same day, we went to Toyota to check the Hi-Lux.

It was pretty impressive, but based on reviews, the ride quality is not as smooth as other pickups. Our next choice was the Nissan Navarra. It was also a great pickup. But the thing with the Navarra VE is that the model is quite old already, and we were thinking that any time, they will release a new model.

Next, we went to Mitsubishi to check the Strada. It’s also a great pickup with a pretty reliable history. And since we already have the Montero, we know this car won’t fail us. But the front of the Strada is identical to the Montero, so it’s like we just got the same car.

Also, Mitsubishi was giving such a huge discount, even amounting to as much as P80,000. This made us think more than twice. Why would they offer such a huge discount? We thought it could probably be because they would release a new model soon. But they don’t want to divulge anything about it.
Amidst all this dealership-hopping, I didn’t know Lay was secretly going to Ford. One day, I saw him watching video reviews of the Ford Ranger XLT. It became a nighttime routine where he would check out vlogs from reputable auto experts. Until one day, he told me that this was it. We finally arrived at the decision to get the Ford Ranger XLT. He wanted the Aluminum Metallic, but I’m not too fond of it and felt it was a too familiar color, and our Montero is already silver. I initially wanted the black, but he said it’s not too safe on the road, with the statistics on road mishaps involving black vehicles being higher than other colors. So, we opted for the Blue Lightning variant. Thus, the name Kidlat.

Big thanks to the Auto experts on You Tube who helped us immensely. These channels were a constant on our TV every night for the past months:

1. AutoDeal.com.ph
2. ZigWheels Philippines
3. AutoIndustriya.com
4. AutoPH
5. Jaywalkur
6. Carmudi Philipppines
7. Ride With Levi
8. Joann Tusing – It’s in Joann’s vlog we saw the name of Jucer Paco who’s an agent at Ford Manila Bay.

If you plan on getting a new vehicle, do not decide hastily. It’s ok to take some time and consider all your options. After all, this is a huge investment. Now time to tighten our belts and hustle more para sa ekonomiya. 😉