Buying a used car here in 2019? Part 2, best sub $15k options
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:58 pm
So, work is slow
If you haven't seen Part 1 (general-chatter/buying-used-car-here-20 ... 29553.html), check it out to get the general idea of car buying here. But if you're too lazy to click over, just realize you're going to spend at least $15,000 for a "decent" car, meaning decent for Cambodia, and if you don't know any better, it's going to be a 2004-2008 Prius because of it's small 1.5 liter engine (which means lower tax). You'll notice after a while, that anything in this price range at a typical major dealership (50-100+ cars on their lot) is going to be at a minimum, 2004 and older, but Priuses can be had up to 2008 in top trim level with all the options for a hair over $16,000 if you score a good deal.
Anything with a bigger motor is going to incur MUCH MUCH higher taxes compared to years before (even 2.4 liter Toyotas are getting hit with $15k tax rates now), so buying something like a 99 Lexus RX300 can end up setting you back over $20,000, and an 04 RX350 upwards of $40k! Even the 1.8 liter Priuses are not selling a penny below $20k for the worst one, and top notch touring models are racking up sale prices of $25k.
So...what do you do if you want a car and don't want to risk owning the space aged engineered (for Cambodia) Prius, but don't want to either spend 20 grand on a 20 year old Lexus or inherit some other person's total nightmare from years of being bodged up? Read on.
Here are the best options I found (including the two cars I bought) while shopping here, and I just wanted to share. It should come as no surprise that all models listed below (except one) are Toyotas. If the car isn't listed, it's because I was specifically recommended against buying it. This means I don't list the Honda Fit, the Chevy Spark, Hyundai i10 or Accent, or any VW/Peugeot/Citroen (even though I saw all of these cars for sale) because one of the dealer's (who is a family friend) advised me not to touch these models because of how hard they are to sell.
Option #1 2004-06 Scion Xa $11,000 - $13,500 (depending on year and condition obviously).
With it's 1.5 liter engine being related to the 2004-2008 Prius (without the hybrid part obviously), the Xa not only falls in the lower tax bracket with the Prius, but parts commonality and locally available genuine Toyota fluids and parts makes this car very easy to take care of and economical to own at the same time, although it's probably 20-30% more thirsty than the Prius, but still frugal for Cambodia.
If you travel long distances however, it's very short gearing may not be to your liking, but as a low speed (sub 80 kmh) commuter or city car, very few cars are as easy to drive as the Xa.
Like all cars here though, premium fuel is required as regular does not meet the minimum octane requirement for it.
Option #2 Toyota Vios (1.3 or 1.5), $9,000 - $12,000
The Vios is a popular car in Thailand, but of course with Thai cars being right hand drive, importing them is a non starter. However the Vios is not only limited to right hand drive, so vehicles from other countries with left hand drive (saw a 1 Russian Vios just imported) might make their way here too, and I saw a handful while car shopping recently.
The 1.3 (1NR) engine is a bit of an oddity for here although oil filters, fluids and spark plugs can be found, but should you blow your motor up you might have to get a replacement shipped over from Thailand if it fits (I haven't looked much into it). But the 1.5 liter motor is the same (mostly) as the Scion, and similar to the Prius 1.5 so more "complex" parts should be able to be had, so even though you get hit I believe with a slightly higher tax bracket, I'd say it's worth it to spring for the 1.5 if you can. If not though, it's not like people are sad to have 1.3 Toyotas. They are some of the best engines out there for long term reliability and good fuel economy.
I am not very familiar with these cars as they are not sold in the U.S. and I've only driven, or rather sat in and took for a spin just one car, but for what it's worth, many of the drivetrains parts share the same numbers as more common Toyotas like the Yaris for example.
Speaking of which...
Option #3 2006-11 Toyota Yaris (hatch or sedan), $11,000 - $15,000+
Like the Scion Xa, the Yaris often shares the same 1.5 liter engine (at least in from the U.S.) so parts commonality is good and no surprises to speak of when it comes to servicing, in fact the Yaris is probably one of the most easy to service cars around, even for a DIY mechanic. Even things like coolant exhanges don't require stooping underneath the car to give you an idea.
There's not much else to say about the Yaris in either form, it's what you'd expect from a small Toyota, easy to drive, frugal on fuel, reliable, and especially in Cambodia, easy to sell and holds it resale value.
Option #4 2004-2007 Kia Morning, $5,500 - $7,500
Saying this frankly, I despise these cars. They're on a different level of shoddy build quality and comfort. So why would I even bother posting them up as a recommendation? Price.
There really is only one car that is available to purchase in original condition straight from Korea that is less than $10k even (except the car I bought), and that's the Morning. But being honest, these cars are known for sudden engine failures because of the crankshaft and/or dampers being improperly manufactured, and this affected Mornings all the way up to 2008 I've heard (or the Picanto, as it's called in the UK).
But the beauty, or ugly part (depends who is the beholder) of the Morning is that being a common import and from Korea, complete engines are very cheap (I've heard on the order of $500 - 800) as are transmissions, so it's not necessarily that these cars are good cars, but because of the ease of finding a used engine and the ease of having it dropped in over a day makes this car still a financially sensible vehicle to buy, solely because of it's price and it's popularity with younger people at the moment.
I wouldn't want one, but our niece did pick up a decent looking 06' for $6,000 that was a new import, and then proceed to have the car cleaned up and serviced.
Option #5 2001-2003 Toyota Rav4, $13,000 - $17,000
For sub $15k options, there is really only one SUV you can opt for, a 2.0 liter 2001-2003 Rav4, but these will only be front wheel drive, very high mileage and not to mention, 20 years old soon. If you want a 4wd Rav4 or one in better condition however, you're already up to $17,000+, possibly $18k+ for an 04+ model.
These are still reliable vehicles in their own right, but keep in mind that they're usually heavily used, old, and also prone to ECU failures as well, so they're not exactly on my high list of choices, but knowing Cambodia, an SUV option is always welcome because of ground clearance for obvious reasons.
Option #6 2002-2004 Toyota Tacoma, $13,500 - $18,000
Again, this is stretching the definition of sub $15k because you're only going to get the smallest (2.4 liter) engine, extended cab (not nearly as popular as a 4 door) and no 4wd. If you want a V6, 4 doors, 4wd, or anything that's not in terrible shape, you're going to pay nearly $20k, but I wanted to put this in there just so people had an idea that a Pre Runner (2wd but high ground clearance) Tacoma is possible to buy in "just imported" condition, which still means high mileage and probably a light wreck, but given the bulletproof nature of these trucks, they're still plenty useful even after living hard lives.
Another great option however, is a low ground clearance extended cab 2 door Tacoma if you don't have people to carry around (in the cab), which is why the bed is there right?
2.4 liter "short" Tacomas can often be had in good condition for right around $10-12k and are great little workhorses in their own right, just not if you live in rough road areas with lots of mud or flooding.
That's going to be it for Part 2, Part 3 coming in a little bit will talk about another interesting option (the one I personally chose) which I think has some tremendous cost benefits and you'll see why. It's not a common option yet in the Kingdom, but it's worthwhile enough in my opinion to warrant talking about, so I'll post up soon on Part 3.
Until then,
A10
If you haven't seen Part 1 (general-chatter/buying-used-car-here-20 ... 29553.html), check it out to get the general idea of car buying here. But if you're too lazy to click over, just realize you're going to spend at least $15,000 for a "decent" car, meaning decent for Cambodia, and if you don't know any better, it's going to be a 2004-2008 Prius because of it's small 1.5 liter engine (which means lower tax). You'll notice after a while, that anything in this price range at a typical major dealership (50-100+ cars on their lot) is going to be at a minimum, 2004 and older, but Priuses can be had up to 2008 in top trim level with all the options for a hair over $16,000 if you score a good deal.
Anything with a bigger motor is going to incur MUCH MUCH higher taxes compared to years before (even 2.4 liter Toyotas are getting hit with $15k tax rates now), so buying something like a 99 Lexus RX300 can end up setting you back over $20,000, and an 04 RX350 upwards of $40k! Even the 1.8 liter Priuses are not selling a penny below $20k for the worst one, and top notch touring models are racking up sale prices of $25k.
So...what do you do if you want a car and don't want to risk owning the space aged engineered (for Cambodia) Prius, but don't want to either spend 20 grand on a 20 year old Lexus or inherit some other person's total nightmare from years of being bodged up? Read on.
Here are the best options I found (including the two cars I bought) while shopping here, and I just wanted to share. It should come as no surprise that all models listed below (except one) are Toyotas. If the car isn't listed, it's because I was specifically recommended against buying it. This means I don't list the Honda Fit, the Chevy Spark, Hyundai i10 or Accent, or any VW/Peugeot/Citroen (even though I saw all of these cars for sale) because one of the dealer's (who is a family friend) advised me not to touch these models because of how hard they are to sell.
Option #1 2004-06 Scion Xa $11,000 - $13,500 (depending on year and condition obviously).
With it's 1.5 liter engine being related to the 2004-2008 Prius (without the hybrid part obviously), the Xa not only falls in the lower tax bracket with the Prius, but parts commonality and locally available genuine Toyota fluids and parts makes this car very easy to take care of and economical to own at the same time, although it's probably 20-30% more thirsty than the Prius, but still frugal for Cambodia.
If you travel long distances however, it's very short gearing may not be to your liking, but as a low speed (sub 80 kmh) commuter or city car, very few cars are as easy to drive as the Xa.
Like all cars here though, premium fuel is required as regular does not meet the minimum octane requirement for it.
Option #2 Toyota Vios (1.3 or 1.5), $9,000 - $12,000
The Vios is a popular car in Thailand, but of course with Thai cars being right hand drive, importing them is a non starter. However the Vios is not only limited to right hand drive, so vehicles from other countries with left hand drive (saw a 1 Russian Vios just imported) might make their way here too, and I saw a handful while car shopping recently.
The 1.3 (1NR) engine is a bit of an oddity for here although oil filters, fluids and spark plugs can be found, but should you blow your motor up you might have to get a replacement shipped over from Thailand if it fits (I haven't looked much into it). But the 1.5 liter motor is the same (mostly) as the Scion, and similar to the Prius 1.5 so more "complex" parts should be able to be had, so even though you get hit I believe with a slightly higher tax bracket, I'd say it's worth it to spring for the 1.5 if you can. If not though, it's not like people are sad to have 1.3 Toyotas. They are some of the best engines out there for long term reliability and good fuel economy.
I am not very familiar with these cars as they are not sold in the U.S. and I've only driven, or rather sat in and took for a spin just one car, but for what it's worth, many of the drivetrains parts share the same numbers as more common Toyotas like the Yaris for example.
Speaking of which...
Option #3 2006-11 Toyota Yaris (hatch or sedan), $11,000 - $15,000+
Like the Scion Xa, the Yaris often shares the same 1.5 liter engine (at least in from the U.S.) so parts commonality is good and no surprises to speak of when it comes to servicing, in fact the Yaris is probably one of the most easy to service cars around, even for a DIY mechanic. Even things like coolant exhanges don't require stooping underneath the car to give you an idea.
There's not much else to say about the Yaris in either form, it's what you'd expect from a small Toyota, easy to drive, frugal on fuel, reliable, and especially in Cambodia, easy to sell and holds it resale value.
Option #4 2004-2007 Kia Morning, $5,500 - $7,500
Saying this frankly, I despise these cars. They're on a different level of shoddy build quality and comfort. So why would I even bother posting them up as a recommendation? Price.
There really is only one car that is available to purchase in original condition straight from Korea that is less than $10k even (except the car I bought), and that's the Morning. But being honest, these cars are known for sudden engine failures because of the crankshaft and/or dampers being improperly manufactured, and this affected Mornings all the way up to 2008 I've heard (or the Picanto, as it's called in the UK).
But the beauty, or ugly part (depends who is the beholder) of the Morning is that being a common import and from Korea, complete engines are very cheap (I've heard on the order of $500 - 800) as are transmissions, so it's not necessarily that these cars are good cars, but because of the ease of finding a used engine and the ease of having it dropped in over a day makes this car still a financially sensible vehicle to buy, solely because of it's price and it's popularity with younger people at the moment.
I wouldn't want one, but our niece did pick up a decent looking 06' for $6,000 that was a new import, and then proceed to have the car cleaned up and serviced.
Option #5 2001-2003 Toyota Rav4, $13,000 - $17,000
For sub $15k options, there is really only one SUV you can opt for, a 2.0 liter 2001-2003 Rav4, but these will only be front wheel drive, very high mileage and not to mention, 20 years old soon. If you want a 4wd Rav4 or one in better condition however, you're already up to $17,000+, possibly $18k+ for an 04+ model.
These are still reliable vehicles in their own right, but keep in mind that they're usually heavily used, old, and also prone to ECU failures as well, so they're not exactly on my high list of choices, but knowing Cambodia, an SUV option is always welcome because of ground clearance for obvious reasons.
Option #6 2002-2004 Toyota Tacoma, $13,500 - $18,000
Again, this is stretching the definition of sub $15k because you're only going to get the smallest (2.4 liter) engine, extended cab (not nearly as popular as a 4 door) and no 4wd. If you want a V6, 4 doors, 4wd, or anything that's not in terrible shape, you're going to pay nearly $20k, but I wanted to put this in there just so people had an idea that a Pre Runner (2wd but high ground clearance) Tacoma is possible to buy in "just imported" condition, which still means high mileage and probably a light wreck, but given the bulletproof nature of these trucks, they're still plenty useful even after living hard lives.
Another great option however, is a low ground clearance extended cab 2 door Tacoma if you don't have people to carry around (in the cab), which is why the bed is there right?
2.4 liter "short" Tacomas can often be had in good condition for right around $10-12k and are great little workhorses in their own right, just not if you live in rough road areas with lots of mud or flooding. That's going to be it for Part 2, Part 3 coming in a little bit will talk about another interesting option (the one I personally chose) which I think has some tremendous cost benefits and you'll see why. It's not a common option yet in the Kingdom, but it's worthwhile enough in my opinion to warrant talking about, so I'll post up soon on Part 3.
Until then,
A10