Living at the house in the Philippines ! Transport.
Living at the House - your own transport.
Its Saturday and I think its my turn to post, I Just returned back to London from my 3 week vacation in Philippines, in truth I could have spent another 3 weeks, and i still would not have managed to get everything done I intended to, such is the wealth of things that one can do in Philippines, i am miserable already.
Whilst I was there, I purchased a car for the house, my wife told me, the house is not complete unless it has a car ?? dont ask me why, she said, we live in a sub division, people will laugh at us, if you keep ordering a taxi, in truth having now lived in the house for 3 weeks, there is a little more to it than that !
As many of you know, there is a big difference between living out of a suitcase in a hotel when you visit, against living at a house, the hotel is often in the main strip of the city, taxi’s jeepneys trikes and pedicabs bustle past in large quantities, given that it is likely you will live on a sub division, and your house may be a mile from the road, this is not the same.
Sub Divisions for those that are not too familiar with this concept, (although i suspect U.S. readers are very familiar) are private housing estates inside a gated community, the community has entrance control and often guards are controlling who comes and goes, generally they will have a club house, swimming pool, amenities, in our case, we live close to the gate, but in reality, you would not want to walk from the house to the sub division main gate which is on a busy road, also the sight of a foreigner walking down to the main gate to hitch a ride on a trike or jeepney would probably turn some heads and make for an interesting chismis at any day of the week.
If you are living in a sub division, transport is something that has to be considered, I often see Filipinos who live on the sub division, waiting at the guard house, they are actually waiting for a jeepney service that goes in the direction they would want, sometimes they take a tricycle, rarely a pedicab, but I have seen it.
As Bob has often remarked he drives an SUV, from my experiences, there is no substitution for having your own vehicle, in some cases, you could be half a mile or even a mile from the main gate, you don’t want to be walking to the main gate, or for that matter, telephoning for a taxi, don’t get me wrong, taxis will come to your house, its just such a drag waiting for them to come, and everytime you want to pop down to the local mall, or to Jollibee or MCDo’s do you really want to wait for a taxi.
The great thing about having your own transport, is flexibility, lets say you need to pop to the hardware store, or get some groceries, there is nothing better than jumping in your SUV and shooting down to do these chores, because you will find you need it so many times, something will always have to be done, just like in your home city, you probably wouldnt consider using a taxi, and its almost likely you have your own car, in the Philippines, I would say, having your own car is just as important.
The Wonderful world of the Re-built SUV in Philippines
Did you know that many cars on the road in the Philippines are actually quite old, and its unlikely in other western countries that they would still be on the road, lets be honest, 3 years is about the maximum for most of us, and often our car is thrashed out with mileage, if you live in the States, in use your car quite frequently, think of how many miles you put on your clock when you go from state to state, in the UK, my last car which recently disintegrated the gearbox, had over 167,000 miles on it, poor thing, it did its job, now its in the breakers yard, I have another new car, in 2 years time, that also will be in the breakers yard, its a revolving cycle.
What suprises me in Phils is just how used cars seem to maintain some sort of value, and just how innovative the Filipinos are in taking a 7 year old car and turning it into a car that looks like it just stepped out of the showroom from new, that is my experience, I recently purchased a Kia Sportage SUV, 4 WD, what I did not expect is that the car is 7 years old, and from conversations with other expats in the city, that is young, what happens is this, cars from Korea, are bought and stripped, they are then put into a container and shipped to Cebu, on arrival they are re-assembled and then sold off, it tends to be cheaper in Cebu, but by the time they reach other areas, the price seems to have gone up somewhat, what amazes me is what they can do with them, the SUV I purchased, has been completely re-sprayed, has a reconditioned engine in, alloy wheels, skirts, bull bars, and for an extra P5000.00 has black tinted windows, and a aero dynamic break light at the rear, such is the Filipino obsesson with accessorizing their cars.
I paid around P225,000 for my SUV, whether the price is high, low, or just about right, it didnt really bother me, as when I look at the SUV, it looks almost new, going on from Bobs comments about labour, I could not beleive just how easy it is to get things added on, and just how easy it is to get small labour jobs done at low cost, i recently popped into the garage where I bought the car, and whilst having a new speedo fitted, (the one fitted was wrong), typical in the Philippines I heard, all of a sudden a boy came out, blackened the tyres, scrubbed the alloys, cleaned the car, from top to bottom, and I mean cleaned it !!, I asked the manager what is the charge for the valeting, and he said, no charge for you sir, but if you want to give the boy something he would really appreciate it, so to be honest I gave the boy a P100.00, sometimes this might be considered to be too much, but the smile on the boys face was incredible to see, next time I went in, (there is always something to go in for), he did the same again, this time I gave him P30.00 as change was short in my pocket, still a bright smiling boy, happy to be off service for my P30.00, the same valet service back home can be from P1000.00 to P2000.00 depending on who does it.
Accesorizing the Car Philippines Style
What amazes me is how easy it is to accessorize cars in the Philippines whith the latest parts, for example the car I have is actually 7 years old, but if you want it to look younger, the answer is simple, the dealer will change the look to make it look like a 2005 or 2007 model if you want, they simply take new parts, and change them, like the grill on the front, the bumper assembly, wheels, rear spare wheel cover, spoiler with brake lights, wheel arches, in fact the dealer told me, “Sir, if you want another one when you come again, just give us 30 days notice, we will build a car to your own specification ” he then proceeded to show me his workshop, of all the enhancements that could be applied, and not expensive as well, my mouth was watering with what I saw.
So living at the house definately brings many benefits that living in the hotel does not give, but having a good used car outside is a must that I learned very clearly this time around, and the funny thing is, my car back here in UK is worth 6 times my lovely Kia Sportage in the Philippines, and guess what, I am missing it already !
Look forward to hearing any othe comments where similar has happened.
Flexibility is one thing when you have access to a vehicle, however, the Spouse and I chose NOT
to own a vehicle. We have been fortunate to live in the centre of the city where we have access
to the public transit system….why pay into the high costs of petrol, car insurance, maintanence,
car loans?? whenever we need a vehicle, we just rent one…
Hi Pete,
The price of your SUV sounds excellant especially as I have been quoted much more just to rent a car in Manila, it may be a better idea for me to buy one for the time that I’m there. I’m from the UK too and the main dealers that I have to use charge me £110 per hour… and there is no cleaning at all !!!
Hi Pete - Great story! I enjoyed reading about your purchase! Everything you said pretty much mirrors the things that I already know here. It sounds like you got a fair deal - except the time you paid P100 for the car wash boy! Hey - you way overpaid him! The amount you gave him on the second go around was much more reasonable!
Hmmm… we live close to the main gate of my subdiv and we walk to the road to catch a jeepney. I think we only get cabs maybe 10% of the time. I don’t want the hassle of owning a car, petrol, maintenance and driving on the roads here where it’s a free-for-all demolition derby.
Hi Bob, yes I have to agree with you, the P100 for the car wash, blacking of the wheels roof rack etc, was a bit over the top, that I will concede, I was a bit of a sucker for that one, never mind, he was happy with it, grinning from ear to ear, as you said, P30 is more like it, and i wised up the second time.
Hi Louis, I am suprised you walk to the gate entrance and take a jeepney, I am a little confused by your comments about the hassle of owning a car, Diesel, maintenance, actually based on my costs here in London, I find the Philippines a breath of fresh air ! maintenance costs are neglible, I don’t call P450.00 for a service big money, considering the services on my car here in UK can go anywhere from P10,000 to P20,000 and the rest, a colleague of mine had a recent service bil of P75,000 ? plus here we have MOT testing, legislation about tire depth, legislation on just about everything you can think of, road tax, hefty insurance costs, are you being serious with your comments ? or maybe is that you cannot find a vehicle to accomodate you ?
Driving in the Philippines for me is an absolute joy, yes its like a demolition derby, thats why I love it so much, cos I fit right in ! at least as Bob says, there are only 2 rules
1. If anything comes towards you, move to the right, (jeepneys seem to be exempt from this)
2. If a large truck comes towards you, get out of the way.
Everything else take as you find, at least you know where you stand, its simply a matter of, a me first driving society, like Bob I have no problems driving in the Phils, in fact, i am jealous of my driver, as sometimes I tell him to get in the passenger seat, i want to drive, hehehehe, he is quite happy to sit and come along for the ride.
Gerry, thanks for that, the wonderful about this, is that you are driven by experiences, my experience maybe different to others, but having a car is a must for me, I cannot see myself in a jeepney, and anyway I am too big to sit in them, and I dont think I should try a tricycle the experience would not flatter me I am sure.
Hi Pete - I’m like you, I love driving in the Philippines! I could not go back to the States again, because I’d be in jail for my driving there!
You mentioned the cost of insurance. How much does it cost to insure a vehicle there? What does the insurance pay for? On all my visits to the Philippines I used taxis and hated it. While on my last visit to Davao a family member lent me her truck to drive. I was concerned at first due to how people drive, however after a few miles I fit right in. Having that truck made my last week in Davao so much more enjoyable. I went places I would never have gone, I turned down roads and got totally lost and loved every minute of it. Prior to driving there I am sure I would have lined up on the side of being a taxi rider but no more. Having ones own vehicle there is the only way for me. Good article-thanks, Ron
“I gave the boy a P100.00, sometimes this might be considered to be too much, but the smile on the boys face was incredible to see, next time I went in, (there is always something to go in for), he did the same again, this time I gave him P30.00 as change was short in my pocket, still a bright smiling boy, happy to be off service for my P30.00…”
Pete,
I’m happy for the boy and am really touched by your generosity. P100.00 might seem too much by Philippine standards, but by human standards, what is too much?
I think there is never a price tag for a smile on a child’s face, nor for the moment of awe and hope and wonder that that boy might have experienced because of your kindness. Probably, just probably, you have changed him “forever” w/o your knowing it. He might even look back at this moment as a turning point in his life, when “a stranger not from my country was so kind to me…”
Sorry, I might sound like I’m preaching but I’m not… But sometimes I can’t help it when I hear of things like these and I just have to speak from my heart.
We, in or from the West, have too much and we seem to measure everything in the currency that we carry, whether $$ or Euros or whatever. I feel there is an unseen “currency” that is always “exchanged”, the effects of which might be longer lasting though not immediately visible to us.
For instance, when I don’t put a price tag on an action, or if I don’t worry about what it’s costing me vs. what it is giving the recipient (esp. if they are the less fortunate amongst us), then wonderful things start to happen… to me… in many ways, whether it be on the monetary plane or in other areas of my life. I can relate many stories but I won’t, it’s not appropriate for this forum.
One thing which illustrates my lifestyle consistent with my beliefs is that I never balance my checkbook… Never ever… I’ve never bounced a check either. I don’t keep track of my checkbook balance… period.
Thank you for an opportunity to share on a topic I hold dear — graciously sharing our resources while we’re on earth. We’re all temporary stewards of everything it has, money included; or so I feel… Thank you…
Talking about cars and especially used cars is agood place to point out something “different” about the Philippines to mnay Westerners. It’s actaully a fact about japan that has atremendous effect on the Philippines, Thailand, etc.
The goal of the Japanese governement is to have zero unemployment. They come close. one way that they force “jobs for everyone” is annula auto inspections. When a car is 6 years old in Japan, it comes off the road. It _will_ fail inspection on its sixth year, no matter how good a vehicle it still is. Costs of repairs ordered on the year 6 inspection will add up to more thna the cost of a new car or trucjk. So the slavage yeard of japan are full of 6 year old cars in very decent conditon, taken off the road before their tie.
Many of these cars get shoved into containers and shipped to the Philippines. They can be a great bargain. Except for one tin catch. Japan drives on the left side of the road. The Philippines (mostly) we drive on the right. Unlike the US where you cna have a right-hand drive car if you choose to, it is illegal to have aright-hand drive car in the Philippines. Ergo, a great niche business near the larger ports … “Juan de la Cruz’ Handy-Dandy Conversion Shop”.
Some of these cars get converted ok. Some, especially ones that are made only for Japan and don’t have a left-hand drive version, are true horror stories. They do things like move the wheel and the pedals but not the mirrors … and my pet peeve when driving at night … they don’t change the ehadlights (you did know that headlights dip (high-beam/low-beam) left or right depending on country, right? “Juan” doesn’t seem to).
Bototm line? If you are not “auto savvy” or don’t have a trusted mechanic to check a vehicle out, be very careful… low price may not be a good bargain.
Hi Pete and Dave Starr - I am with Dave on those Right Hand Drive conversions. Many of those have problems, and as a class I avoid them.
I have also been told that the of the used cars, the better quality ones get shipped to other Asian countries first–malaysia/china/viet–with the lower priority being Philippines. I would never buy these second hands–the maintenance costs would probably end up being more than the purchase price. I would also rather buy second hand cars from a Filipino than an expat, as Filipinos appear to care for their vehicles much better. I have a Chinese-filipino friend who is in automotive business, and he says never ever buy from an expat.
Ron,
(side note: remember that gigantus billboard that fell over last year on EDSA and killed a few people? The company paid each 30,000p and funeral costs! If the billboard happened to crash upon a vehicle, I am sure if would have had to pay hundreds of thousands more. I just don’t understand this.)
You can get comprehensive insurance here. The maximum coverage for a vehicle 500,000p in value is about 15,000p per year. Any value higher than that would be roughly pro-rated.
The coverage includes payout up to the value of the vehicle for damage/loss/stolen. You pay about $60 deductible.
The coverage also includes up to 50,000p for each person you injure/kill from any accident. And up to 50,000p for each person injured/killed who was in your own vehicle. Hmm, insurance pays hundreds of thousands for vehicle physical damage, but only 50,000p max for human loss? I guess life is cheap?
I dont have personal experience with personal injury/death, but I heard that Filipinos don’t pay/expect beyond 50,000p. BUt for a foreigner, again, they pay more, probably due to the guilt they feel? Or perhaps other reasons.
So what this means is that you should drive safe (never drive drunk) and be legal (have all your papers in order and obey traffic laws). If you keep these rules, and you were not the one causing the accident due to reckless or whatever reasons, you should be fine.
I have been driving for many many years in Philippines, and I would never trade the freedom the car gives me.
it drives me crazy to take a jeepney or trike and when i am in a taxi i wish i was driving. when i move there i will have a couple vehicles for sure. i am originally from nyc philippines is same deal, i have also driven a car in italy now there crazy when they drive (italians) especialy in naples.