Adventures of a Diva Princess: Cars

Buying a pre-owned car rather than a brand-new one is a smart option when you want to save money. Selling your vehicle while it’s still in great running condition is a good way to recoup your investment or raise money to buy a new ride.

But did you know that there is a good time to buy or sell a used car?

“We at OLX want to make sure that buyers’ needs are met by providing them with the best deals to get their money’s worth. Likewise, we also want to address sellers’ needs by being a platform that helps them sell to thousands of interested buyers,” says OLX Head of Cars Manuel Roman. “To further help OLXers, we’ve compiled a list of useful tips to guide them when they want to sell or buy a pre-loved car.”

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying and selling used cars:

When selling:

Age matters.

It’s best to sell cars four to five years after using them. Vehicles, on average, lose 50 percent of their value in 5.10 years, according to an OLX Data Hub story. Mechanical issues and normal wear and tear are also more likely to occur after five years, especially if the car is used daily.

Mind the time of the year.

A car’s depreciation value is computed based on the model year and mileage. When you wait for the New Year to sell your car, that car would age another year. Do note that the physical condition of the car also affects the used car’s value.

Know when the new model will come out in the market.

Aside from age, having a new model of the same nameplate launched in the market affects the price of used cars. Buyers would most likely haggle for a lower price since the car being sold is considered an ‘old model.’ Follow international and local automotive websites to be in the loop about the latest car releases in the global and Philippine markets. Usually, new vehicles released in our neighboring Southeast Asian countries will make their way to our shores after a few months.

Identify your needs.

A lifestyle change is also a good indicator that it’s time to sell your current ride. For one, when you are starting a family, you might need a larger vehicle with more safety features.

Parts availability and maintenance become problematic. Beyond the four- or five-year mark, car maintenance is more costly and hunting for available parts becomes more difficult. This is especially true for owners who use only one car daily.

When buying:

Know a bank’s car bonanza season.

It’s a good idea to check with banks that go on car bonanza season, during which they sell their repossessed vehicles, those cars whose previous owners failed to pay the monthly amortization. A repossessed car purchase can save you around 20 percent to 40 percent off a brand-new car’s price.

Watch out for the last quarter deals.

If you want to score great deals on used cars, you can opt to wait until the November or December – considered as the ‘bonus season’ or ‘Christmas gift season’ – to make their purchase. During this time, dealers prefer not to increase their prices because of the volume of business they expect would come their way. The last quarter of the year is also considered as a logical time to look for discounts in popular models because automaker and dealer sales incentives converge in this season.

Befriend your secondhand car dealer.

Build relationships with your neighborhood secondhand dealer. That way, you’ll get first dibs when the dealer puts the car model you like on ‘fastbreak.’ Vehicles on ‘fastbreak’ do not stay in the dealer’s garage for long and are usually sold immediately, without having a very high markup.

Learn more about the nameplate and when its all-new model will be released.

It is advisable to shop in the secondhand car market when a full model change for a car that you are eyeing is about to be introduced because the price for ‘older models’ is expected to drop.

Be on the lookout.

Frequently visit www.olx.ph to have a chance to score great deals. Every month, about 45,000 car listings are posted on the platform.

OLX Philippines is part of the OLX Group, the world’s leading classifieds platform in growth markets. Having 17 brands worldwide, OLX Group is available in more than 40 countries, where its market-leading trading platforms are being used by more than 330 million people monthly.

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For the Millennials, owning a car doesn’t seem to be in their priority. Most of them are tech-savvy and gadgets are their way of life, not cars. Even car manufacturers are at a lost on how they can make this much-maligned generation buy car in a way that won’t curtail their freedom-loving nature.

Well, that was a few years back. Recently, there’s been a surge of car-buying for those people termed as the Older Millennials. And this is the moment car manufacturers has been waiting for. A bigger market ripe for the picking.

One vehicle of choice perfect for the Millennials is the sports utility vehicle or SUV. Its growing popularity in the past few years makes it the vehicle most people aspire for. No longer the rugged machine built only for terrain or rough road condition, the SUV has come a long way and with its versatility, it has uses and purpose for diverse set of people.

https://www.cars.com/research/gmc-acadia-2017/

What are the three simple things Millennials should consider when buying an SUV:

https://www.cars.com/research/mazda-cx_5-2017/

Reliability

Look for an SUV that have high rating in the reliability judgement based from what SUV users attest to. Reliability should be your priority once you decide to purchase one. You should ask yourself whether this is the car that best suits your lifestyle. Since millennials are known to be adventurous and independent, a reliable SUV is a great way to explore their capabilities in all areas in life.

Affordability

With their disposable income, millennials can choose an SUV that is better suited to them. It can be the larger SUV or the smaller ones that are cheaper to buy and environment-friendly since its fuel-efficient. SUV’s are both appealing to men and women and can make them look good and feel as if you own the road when driving.

Specifics

Since SUV is known for its versatility, it is an ideal car for multi-tasker millennials. It is multipurpose, very safe and one can feel secure with its spacious interior. The car seat is large with enough leg room. Its elevated seating is also ideal. As you drive, you have a better view when on the road. It is extremely easy to drive too.

It will be a bonus if auto manufacturers can make the SUV a tech-enabled car or one that can be an extension of their phones. Several of the cars now have entertainment system or voice-activated setup and it would be awesome if the SUV have this too.

Millennials wanting to own a car maybe a sign of maturity and its time that this Peter Pan generation of consumers buy and own one. Driving or owning a car need not be a definition of themselves but it’s should be something that can make them fully engage more with their world.

photos: cars.com

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So who's going to be the first ever Filipino Race Car Driver?

This is the main buzz last May 29 when Nissan Philippines, Inc. holds a Media Cup at the Valkyrie BGC. It's an opportunity for media members to try out the virtual tracks and see if they too, can become a motoring sensation.

But it is the Filipino GT players who will have this opportunity as Nissan Philippines revs up its search for the first Filipino race car driver who'll take it to the podium finish at Silverstone as the first Nissan GT Academy Philippines draws closer to its National Finals this July.

"Ever since we launched the program last May 25, we at Nissan are overwhelmed to see Filipino GT players rose to our call, and answered the challenge of making good time on the virtual tracks on their quest to become real race car driver." Antonio Zara, NPI President and Managing Director, said: "This can be seen in the number of players who've signed up in all our Live Events, with nearly 20,000 trials made in the 13 Live Events we've held to date." he later added.

For now, there has been 20 excellent players who have led the charge in the leaderboards. But they shouldn't rest on their laurels as Nissan Philippines holds succeeding Live Events scheduled in June along with provincial run for potential talents in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Filipino Race Car driver Marlon Stockinger, who has raced for Status Grand Prix, will be the mentor and guest-judge of the finalist. Mr. Zara was hopeful that following Stockinger footsteps, "a Filipino will emerge as the next International Motorsports Sensation."

The Nissan GT Academy Philippines will be holding the National Finals for the top 20 finalists from the Live Events in July. The top finalists are expected to hurdle a series of challenges that will tax their driving skills, mental and physical agility as well as tactical ability, in order to qualify for the Race Camp Week in Silverstone, UK this August.

Currently, the top 5, which may be subject to change after the June Live Events, are: Terence P. Lallave, Cameron Jordan Padillo, Jan Millard lacuna, Paolo Vittorio Alcance and Rafael Miru Lesaguis.

For more details on the Nissan GT Academy and the June schedule of Live Events, visit their Facebook page at https:www.facebook.com/NissanPhilippinesInc or their official website. www.nissan.ph

Thanks to the invite of Mars Callo and the adspin.com.ph,we had a blast that night as we sample Valkyrie's party experience, their food buffet and my most favorite part of the night - trying out the Nissan GT Virtual tracks.