Costs of running a car in the Philippines ?

[Terpe]

Thanks to Jake and Fred for the insurance advice.

Now I'd like to ask about the 'key' cost of owning and running a car.

What are the legally required costs ?
In UK we have vehicle tax, insurance, MOT and servicing as well as legal requirements on tyres, lights etc

How about Philippines ?

I'd also like to understand whether a diesel or petrol is best for Philippines.

Where's the best place to buy a secondhand vehicle?

How about from the e-bay equivalent ?

Thanks for any info, help hints and tips etc.

I don't have anything in mind just preparing for the inevitable time

[stevewool]

All I can add to this is the price of the fuel out there, it's cheap.

Try to get a diesel, it's better on the engine and you get more miles per gallon too.

[fred]

What are the legally required costs ?
In UK we have vehicle tax, insurance, MOT and servicing as well as legal requirements on tyres, lights etc

How about Philippines ?

Believe it or not Peter I am unable to give you a comprehensive answer because Doing the car Reg is a chore that I leave to others.
I believe that that the whole process cost between 3/4 k a year?? Something like that.
That amount includes a years registration and one years 3rd party insurance which is mandatory.
Your vehicle will need a smoke emissions test during the process and I have never heard of a vehicle here to fail it.. The last time they tested our older vehicle they were unaware that my tail pipe was not attached to the rear muffler !!(Broken) Obviously I passed.
No MOT here or any checks on vehicle required.


I'd also like to understand whether a diesel or petrol is best for Philippines.

I have both a diesel SUV (1996) Mitsubishi Adventure and a 5 month old (petrol) Suzuki APV..
I dont know very much about cars,but what I do know is that its far better to choose a Japanese brand over here like Mitsubishi,Toyota,Suzuki,Izuzu..This is because of availability of spare parts,either original or generic.. Korean motors here like Kia or Hyundai,I wouldn't touch.
My bro in law bought a brand new Hyundai Starex about 5 years ago.. He has lots of problems with body rust and has had to have local machine shops improvise and make parts for him as they just aint available!
The APV we purchased this year is about the best value new 10 seater that I have seen on the market and below 600K brand new.. http://autosearchmanila.com/auto-search/uploads/public/models/73/2014%5Csuzuki-apv-interior03.jpg
http://www.gari.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/apv-van1.jpg
Its definitely not as economical as I thought it would be (1.6)
compared to the Adventure Deisel (2.5) but I have absolutely no regrets buying it..Great little vehicle!
If you do choose to buy new,then you will have no worries about registration for 3 years..
Also,obviously,no worries about mechanical failure because of warranties etc.


Where's the best place to buy a secondhand vehicle?

How about from the e-bay equivalent ?

There are 2 or 3 good places online like OLX,Ayos dito,www.autotrade.com.ph,etc (http://www.autotrade.com.ph,etc) but like in the UK,you really need to employ a good mechanic for the day to check them out thoroughly if you can find a vehicle in your area.

We used to use motor scooters here for a few years but we sold them as we heard about more and more expats either getting killed,or getting seriously injured,etc etc etc..

4 wheels only now for us!

[Terpe]

Thank you Fred for your reply. It's really very much appreciated.
I'll take serious note of all your hints.

Our regular handy-man tried to sell me his motorbike for P8k as he needed money for his son's college. Anyway I turned the offer down as I thought it wouldn't be good.

Yesterday, I saw him driving around with his son the back......well you could have knocked me down with a feather. It was really quite nice and sounded great. Looked to be much bigger than the bikes you regulary see buzzing around. Massive rear tyre.

I sent him a text this morning asking if he still wants to sell. He said he already managed to get hold of the tuition fees for now but he'll contact me again in a couple of weeks.

My wife's not happy about me driving around a motorbike, but when she saw the bike she also had a slight change of mind.

A friend of my wife has a Suzuki multi-cab for sale.
Double cab nice respray 600cc engine.
I joked about me being a jeepney driver part time......didn't go down well.
Not my type of vehicle really

Thanks again for your help

[fred]

Another vehicle I`m interested in buying is a 250cc 3 wheel motorbike with a trailer that comes built in a number of configurations..The best one has two 3 seaters with a roof and cover for driver..
The bike also has reverse gear! They cost about 100k. Very economical and look safe.
I notice a few foreigners driving them around as well as Filipino`s with just the box trailer delivering I`d say 25 bottles of purified water.
Very economical to run I`d say.
Think again about that Motorbike if I were you Peter..I cant stress that enough..
A mate from Alaska was the last to have an accident..A dog ran into his path and he and his wife went over the handle bars. He lived but his hospital bill was 500K. It was his second accident.
Our other friend,indicated left and turned as the bike behind him overtook him.. Both drivers were killed.
You just cant prepare for how stupid they drive here or how badly educated pedestrians are and if its not them its Dogs,cats,chickens,goats or cows!

[Terpe]

Another vehicle I`m interested in buying is a 250cc 3 wheel motorbike with a trailer that comes built in a number of configurations..The best one has two 3 seaters with a roof and cover for driver..
The bike also has reverse gear! They cost about 100k. Very economical and look safe.
I notice a few foreigners driving them around as well as Filipino`s with just the box trailer delivering I`d say 25 bottles of purified water.
Very economical to run I`d say.
Think again about that Motorbike if I were you Peter..I cant stress that enough..
A mate from Alaska was the last to have an accident..A dog ran into his path and he and his wife went over the handle bars. He lived but his hospital bill was 500K. It was his second accident.
Our other friend,indicated left and turned as the bike behind him overtook him.. Both drivers were killed.
You just cant prepare for how stupid they drive here or how badly educated pedestrians are and if its not them its Dogs,cats,chickens,goats or cows!

Some very valid points there Fred.
My head knows you're correct but my heart wants the bike.

In tend to follow my head when it comes to safety in the Philippines.
Sadly :wink:

I've noticed a good number of foreigners riding quad bikes around Davao City.
Some of them are monsters too.

Not seen any of those trikes you mentioned though.........yet.

[fred]

Not seen any of those trikes you mentioned though.........yet.

Here`s a pic of the basic bike and trailer.. The only way I can think to describe the model with seats and cover is a Thai Tuk TUK.

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v6/1012296663/150cc_new_design_tuk_tuk_cargo_tricycle.jpg
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/60174474806_1/China_tricycle_factory_direct_sell_150cc_NASIS.jpg_220x220.jpg

http://gzdengfeng.en.alibaba.com/product/1012296663-210110587/150cc_new_design_tuk_tuk_cargo_tricycle_KAVAKI_MOTOR_made_in_China_truck_cargo_tricycle.html

[stevewool]

I did see these tricycles around and they did look big and strong too,

[imagine]

For converting your driving licence, (your UK licence will still be intact un interfered with and still usable in UK) you will have to take a medical which is simple and eye test reading the wall chart of letters, a few questions on your health and - apart from the fees - I think that's about it.

Do please remember that a motor is like property. If you buy second-hand privately, you must do affidavits through an attorney. The seller must have consent from any relatives, or you will hit the same ownership problems as you do with house land property.

The documents are passed on to you, including the insurance docs with the seller's name. I was advised that here in Phil, you just use that unchanged until renewal and renewal of the yearly renewal of road tests. That's a smoke test. I didn't even have to get one, though I had to pay for it just the same, lol. You also get a sticker to display on your windscreen. The costs you will pay for your licence, medical and test will be at a foreigner price. I can't remember the costs now, but it wasn't so bad in comparison to what we pay in UK

[imagine]

Here`s a pic of the basic bike and trailer.. The only way I can think to describe the model with seats and cover is a Thai Tuk TUK.

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v6/1012296663/150cc_new_design_tuk_tuk_cargo_tricycle.jpg
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/60174474806_1/China_tricycle_factory_direct_sell_150cc_NASIS.jpg_220x220.jpg

http://gzdengfeng.en.alibaba.com/product/1012296663-210110587/150cc_new_design_tuk_tuk_cargo_tricycle_KAVAKI_MOTOR_made_in_China_truck_cargo_tricycle.html

I've seen these - wouldn't mind one myself with seats in it. Reminds me of the custom trikes you would see in the UK. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Terpe]

For converting your driving licence (your uk licence will still be intact uninterfered with and still usable in uk) you will have to take a medical which is simple and eye test reading the wall chart of letters, a few questions on your health and - apart from the fees - I think that's about it.

Do please remember that a motor is like property. If you buy second-hand privately, you must do affidavits through an attorney. The seller must have consent from any relatives, or you will hit the same ownership problems as you do with house land property.

The documents are passed on to you, including the insurance docs with the seller's name. I was advised that here in Phil, you just use that unchanged until renewal and renewal of the yearly renewal of road tests. That's a smoke test. I didn't even have to get one, though I had to pay for it just the same. lol. You also get a sticker to display on your windscreen. The costs you will pay for your licence, medical and test will be at a foreigner price. I can't remember the costs now, but it wasn't so bad in comparison to what we pay in UK.

Thanks Stewart.

That buying and selling procedure all sounds a bit complicated to me.
So can you tell me who does what, when and how if a private sale of a secondhand vehicle is involved ?

:Cuckoo:

[imagine]

Ideally you and the seller need to visit an attorney, preferably your attorney not the seller's.

I bought first, I paid the seller and he wrote out a receipt saying he was the legal owner etc.

But when I went to the NTO Office they checked the documents and said I must see an attorney for an affidavit.
I went to our attorney and was advised by him that the seller should also come to his office and swear the affidavit. This was done, then back to the NTO.

Again we had problems. Apparently there was a lost document which the seller had a few years earlier. Required another document to replace this, stating that the document had been lost.

Now the NTO did some checks because of this, and it turned out that records showed an earlier owner was still the legal owner, and that's why he had declared the document lost. He'd had no problem with NTO for renewals. Only now that he had sold the motor it became a problem.

NTO advised us, giving us the name of the original owner and stating that we should ask him to do a Bill of Sale and affidavit as if he had sold to us, and not the real seller.

Now we spent days trying to find this guy. Anyway, we ended up going to our seller who then contacted the previous owner for us. We were lucky he was found and agreed to doing a Bill of Sale to me with an affidavit.

It was a nightmare! I don't think I would buy privately again, because of this.

I was lucky to have my brother-in-law with me to converse with the NTO.

I think to be legally safe, try to get the seller to the attorney before paying. Though it's still no guarantee, he may point out anything that is wrong with the documents. Remember the first time round we went to an attorny for a sworn affidavit by me and the seller did not prove his ownership.

[raynaputi]

We used to have that three-wheeled vehicle above when I was a kid (that was in the 80's and we called it 3wheels :biggrin:). My grandad owned one when they used to deliver "suso" (or snail) in Laguna (I sometimes go with them and seat at the front with my uncle). We also used it while traveling around Laguna. Tatay and my uncle would put a long plank of wood to seat on at the back. I think Tatay had it for a very long time and only got rid of it when he stopped the business. Ours looked more like this..

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00JBgawdtIkNrj/3-Wheel-Electric-Bike-Electric-Bicycle-Electric-Tricycle-HJ-TRI1-.jpg

[Dedworth]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsXoMS9-xxg

[Terpe]

Thank you Stewart for the info :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[imagine]

Here`s a pic of the basic bike and trailer.. The only way I can think to describe the model with seats and cover is a Thai Tuk TUK.

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v6/1012296663/150cc_new_design_tuk_tuk_cargo_tricycle.jpg
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/60174474806_1/China_tricycle_factory_direct_sell_150cc_NASIS.jpg_220x220.jpg

http://gzdengfeng.en.alibaba.com/product/1012296663-210110587/150cc_new_design_tuk_tuk_cargo_tricycle_KAVAKI_MOTOR_made_in_China_truck_cargo_tricycle.html

its only 150 cc, is that powerfull enough for pulling weight:Erm:

[imagine]

Thank you Stewart for that information :xxgrinning--00xx3:

You're welcome Peter :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[fred]

its only 150 cc, is that powerfull enough for pulling weight:Erm:

One of the local expats here bored his out to a 250cc..
Yeah sorry,they are 150cc..

We see them fully loaded delivering water with no problems.

[Terpe]

By chance I saw a place today selling those 3- wheeled trailer trikes.

They had 3 outside their shop on show.
Brand name was Racal

Couldn't take a closer look or photo as I spotted them out of the back of a jeep I was riding.

Just 5 mins up the road by jeep from me. :icon_lol: