in general, if someone who's new to cars would ask me for my opinion about getting a second hand car, i would always tell them to try and get something that is "relatively" modelo. by this i mean yung mga tipong mid to late 90's vehicles up, preferably from big name japanese car makers.
why?
- apart from the very basic models, most manufacturers had already switched to EFI, which is far more reliable than a similar carbureted engine. most already have power steering or if not, rack and pinion na. you no longer have to be a body builder to wrestle the car around.
- parts are easier to come by (especially helpful if you need to replace body parts that are already in need of replacement)
- they are still relatively simple to work on, and can still be serviced by a local mechanic
- they do not look that aged and are more comfortable to ride in
- they are safer than real old school cars in the event of a collision since they were already designed to take impacts away from passengers. wag kayo maniwala na dahil mas matigas kaha ng old school e mas ligtas ka. in most cases, you're more likely to get hurt in one.
also, a relatively sound budget of 100k will get you a readily driveable mid 90's car (corolla, lancer etc) with much less pagawain and headaches than an old school car. someone new to having a car will be far better off with a car that he can ride in reliably daily, than a car that requires frequent maintenance.
...unless you're a die hard old school fan, willing to get your hands dirty, willing to have days that your car simply runs awful and requires more than frequent maintenance, or simply want the feeling of being able to drive a fully mechanical car that. if you can help it, get a more modern car or save up for one then you'll be off driving and enjoying in no time.
