The WHEEL deal

On an average man’s life there are two purchases that require a great degree of level headedness, research, head scratching, sweat and all other manner of these clichéd emotions. These are buying a house, and choosing your means of transport. Yes! choosing a girlfriend didn’t make it to the top 2. What I think is that the house is the easier one, reason being that this is largely about location (easily visible) and condition (predominantly easily visible! Lelz) plus of course the price. Not so for Cars, which can have a multitude of skeletons lurking in their cupboards. Believe me Ive tried!Lels. There are two types of car shopping nonetheless. If you can afford it buy Brand New! Here you are pampered with a wide variety of models, glossy brochures, and unbelievably friendly salespeople. Plus whatever you buy you will most likely have a factory of warranties! What fun! As with the multitude of new car models on our market, the used car market is also extensive. But most of us are in a fenced budget and the option for second-hand model or used cars comes in. I have categorized four main ways to buy your steed.

First is from adverts in newspapers or specialist magazines (brand new). Second, you can go to the used car dealers which we have an array along paseo road and maguikay talamban.hahaha. Third is online which basically directs you to classy motor pools or the stalls I’ve mentioned earlier. And fourth, through auction in which the car is sold privately agreed by two parties and no tax included.

And since buying a brand new only recommends surface understanding of the specs and kin taste on what’s good looking, I am certain that discussing more on the second option is reader friendly.

When buying a used car, it is crucial to make sure that it is in sound mechanical condition. Simply saying if you don’t know much about cars, take someone who does. the following are basic tips when hovering for cars:

• Always ask for service records to ensure that the car has been maintained properly.

• Check the vehicle thoroughly for rust. The most obvious places are the door sills, window and headlamp surrounds, and under the carpet, booth inside and the boot.

• Use those keen eyes and check for signs that the car may have been in an accident. Some parts might be dented or there are odd welding seams.

• If a car has been poorly maintained, the evidence can usually be quickly spotted. Look under the bonnet and check for frayed wiring, a oily engine bay, cracked hoses, and corroded battery terminals.

• Remove the radiator cap and start the engine from cold. If bubbles surface from the water, it could indicate a defective cylinder head gasket.

• Check the windscreen for cracks and chips. U should know that a windscreen can be very expensive to replace.

• Stand behind the vehicle and ask the sales person to start the engine. Blue/grey smoke might indicate worn valve guides. If there is a lot of smoke, the engine may need an overhaul and is very costly.

• Inspect the tyres carefully. Unevenly worn tyres can indicate defective shock absorbers or suspension damage. None of which is cheap to repair.

• Lastly always test drive the vehicle with the radio switched off. Check the working of the indicators, wipers, fan, gearbox, pedals etc. Also make sure the car accelerates smoothly, and that there are no misfires.

To note, in the end the decision is always the buyers and don't let the mouth of the sales person distract you. Take time and make no haste. Not deciding on the first day doesn't make you stupid or cant afford, it means you're careful and sure. Nonetheless, bringing your own mechanic would really help us. And you should always bear in mind that fuel consumption may not be your greatest annual expense - it could be maintenance if you chose the wrong car. I hope these tips would not only help those planning to buy a new car but also to those who already has but lacks care for their babies. The above can also be used as gauges if your car is still working right.

the swift SWIFT~

ME and my dad have been on a car hunting spree recently. HE comes home for vacation every other month and on those weeks i should say we atleast spent 30% of the time on car hunting. After heading to the suzuki showroom atleast two times already and one inquiry in ayala during the car show few weeks ago we finally mustered up to a decision for a test drive a day before he left for Africa. well that was actually after we test drive on the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz. Smug.

During the test drive around the city, the car exhibited exceptionally zippy handling. I havent tested the Mini but it sure was close to go-kart handling! Although it does exhibited more stable handling especially in curves compared to the Yaris and Jazz. The car has hardly a bad engine, it was fairly revvy and nice, but to be frank the power wasn't there at all maybe because its a 1.5 we had driven, im not sure with the 1.6 Sport version though. However the pricing of the sport version is just a little bit higher from the standard so if u want more power u should go for the sport. Fuel efficiency is not that good compared to the Yaris or the Jazz, a liter of high octane gasoline (95 or higher, the most expensive type of gasoline) could only run you upto 10km or less in city driving.For aesthetics the car itself doesnt look small up close - namely because it is tall but the interior is tiny. The boot especially is really tiny - much smaller than the Honda Jazz and the Yaris. I would place the boot to be the same size as the Mini-Cooper - which means really small. Suzuki provides a 2 level rear boot shelf though. Dont expect too much in terms of interior build quality - nearly everything is nasty hard plastic. The steering wheel, although ugly, feels pretty good plus its audio switches are just a thumb away while steering. For safety it offers dual airbags that could save its odd factors.

Nonethelss, I quite like the Swift the same way i like the Yaris and not quite with the JAzz. For a B-segment vehicle it's a good buy already... Unfortunately, because of the space it provides, it is great only as a service car for students or young professionals who dont have to mind for compulsory extra baggages. Best color for the car is pearl white where intricate little details and curves should be visible that makes the car more attractive.