How to Buy a Car in the Philippines?

If you have the money, you can buy a car anytime you want in the Philippines. But, if you are not sure how to do it or how to make the right purchase, you better back off and have some careful research. Buying a car is not for amateurs or impulsive people, especially if you are in a budget. Millionaires might even read this article to make the most of their money.

While you can read great articles on buying a car online, a specific guide for the Philippine setting has more specific details and useful tips for you if you are buying in this country.

Based on personal experience, research, and friends brainstorming, we came up with these steps on how to buy a car in the Philippines:

1. Shop online or go window-shopping first. There are many cars parked in the streets today waiting for buyers. You do not need to panic buy or be impulsive with this because this is a big thing and you do not want to have regrets later on. This is not like your mobile phone, which you can throw away if you do not find it fitting for your style.

2. Make a comparison list. After having your target car, compare it to your number 2 favorite or even number 3 favorite. You need to brainstorm. At this stage, you will choose based on style, features, size, and price.

3. Weigh-in price and your target car. Is the car worth buying? Can you sleep well after buying the car? Filipinos tend to spend what they do not have, so you should take extra care with this because we don't want you to spend all your money just for a car.

4. Consultation time. Go to a trusted mechanic and let him accompany if you in the test-driving. Be sure it is your close friend because he will tell you all the sides of the story. Salespersons are good at selling but sometimes they mislead people, so you should be beside a trusted person while choosing the car that you want to buy.

5. If you have the final-three list and tomorrow is the day to pay, take extra time to ask people who have those cars. Listen to their stories, the pros, and cons.

6. Who really wants a car? If it is for you, are you really with it? If it is for you wife, is that really her choice? There is something more valuable than money at stake here, so you should make the right choice.

7. Pay it by cash or installment. Whatever ways you want to pay make it sure that the papers are appropriately and legally set. If you bought the second hand car, you should have good terms with the first owner and you should properly understand everything too about the new ownership and payment of the car.

8. Registration. It takes extra time but be sure you are there and it is your signature. Be sure that you are a licensed driver too before actually buying a car (if you will drive it).

9. Renewal of papers. This can wait but you should be prompt on schedules and keep in mind to renew papers all the time. You can put the schedules under your hood if you want.

10. Celebration. You must celebrate. You own a new car. Not even half of the Filipino families own a car so you should be proud of it.

11. Maintenance. You might ask why we include it here; in fact, your car is new or just bought. You do not like to buy a car without knowing what to do about it if something goes wrong. So, even before you leave the car dealer or the owner of the car, ask where to have the best maintenance for your car or ask another trusted person.

Have a nice ride!