I’ve been told many times that the stuff that is made in the Philippines is nothing but cheap junk. I usually agreed with that, but I did so without giving it too much thought. As I think it over, though, next time somebody tells me that, my response will certainly be…
Are you sure about that?
Today, I want to relay a little story about a recent experience. I took my car in to the shop for service. This happened back in May, or perhaps it was April, I don’t recall. I didn’t get around to writing about it until just now, though.
It all started one morning when my nephew went out to move our 2000 Mitsubishi Adventure. Our Adventure is the vehicle that I drive. It’s 10 years old, but it practically looks like new. We have taken good care of it, and it is just in very good condition still. My nephew does the driving for Feyma in our Nissan Pickup Truck, but he was going to move the Adventure that morning. When he went out, though, it would not start! This had never happened before, so when Feyma told me, I was quite surprised. The vehicle had been running fine, so I just didn’t expect that there would be a problem starting it.
Well, my nephew, later in the day, made arrangements for a mechanic to come to our house to check and diagnose the problem. I knew that it had been a long time since the Adventure had gotten tuned up, and I suspected that this was probably the problem, it just needed some maintenance. When the mechanic came and checked it out, he told us that the Fuel Pump was bad.
I got thinking about this, and I realized something. With the Adventure being 10 years old, and having about 150,000 Kilometers on it (that’s about 94,000 miles), I had never had to fix anything on the vehicle! Oh, it had been in the shop for maintenance, oil changes, lube jobs and the like, but I can think of not a single incident where something actually broke and required repair! There were a few minor things that needed adjustment during the warranty period, but never a real repair.
As I thought about this, I felt that it was a pretty good record of service that I had gotten from that vehicle. We purchased the Adventure brand new in May 2000, just a couple of weeks after we arrived in the Philippines. I have literally driven that vehicle to almost every far flung corner of Mindanao too, and it’s never let me down. Oh, I’ve had things like flat tires (because I ran over something sharp!) and the like. I’ve replaced windshield wipers. Those are all just maintenance issues, though.
The mechanic called one of his co-workers and they pulled our Adventure to the shop to replace the fuel pump. We had them do a couple of other things with it too (maintenance issues, not repairs!), and in two days I had the Adventure back, running just like new again!
Now, being fair, the vehicle was not manufactured in the Philippines, though. It was assembled in the Philippines. Most of the parts are manufactured in Thailand (a few in other places) and then shipped to the Philippines. The vehicle is completely assembled right here in the Philippines, though. I wonder how many American made cars go nearly 100,000 miles before they need their first repair? In fact, I told Feyma that this had been the best and most reliable car that I had owned in my entire life!
Oh, how much did the repair cost me? Well, for a brand new fuel pump (not re manufactured) and the labor, it was around P5,000, a little over $100. Not bad.
Oh, one other thing… I wonder if, in the States, the mechanic will come to your house to diagnose the problem? Ha ha… I expect that the answer is NO.
A week or so ago I brought my ’91 ford Explorer in to the shop across the street from my subdivision here in Palm Harbor, Florida. The serpentine belt going across the the various pulleys seemed to be making a noise near the power steering unit. Long story short – power steering pump replaced – traded the old noise for a new one – checked the fluid in the pump – looks like they just put back in the old fluid – cost $220. Yeah there are good ones and bad ones both here and there.I will be taking a trip to see my 99 year old mother for her 100th birthday in August in Wisconsin. I want the vehicle to be in decent shape for the trip.
In RP Daisy’s ’96 Nissan Sentra has a lot of km’s on it but uncle Toto and cousin Jason take care of maintenance for her on the car. Parts are expensive but their labor is minimal. We live in a sort of compound that is now like a small village composed of the descendants of her great-grandfather who once had 200 hectares of cane farm. It is much smaller now. Near the second to the last exit of the South Expressway in Calamba, Laguna. We live modestly and are very happy with the close association of relatives – no asking for free stuff or ‘loans’ , we do not ‘have’ much more than anyone else. Our 2 story house – not fancy – not yet got stucco to cover the concrete blocks – with not a square corner in the place – overlooks a beautiful expanse of farm fields belonging to the relatives. Cousin Romy has 4 very successful business ranging from fried chicken stands to a junk/scrap recycling venture. His hobby/vocation is fighting cocks. He has about 70 of them. They live in the typical triangular sheds on the fields just outside our bedroom window. We wake up at 3:30am because that is when they do!!
Ha Ha!
Woah; getting way off topic; sorry for my rambling, Bob.
Back to the thread.
My/our most frustrating experiences with car repair have been with air-con repair:
Back here in the states there exists a device called a halogen detector which beeps when it senses a freon leak, costs about $200. Not even at the Nissan dealership do they have one of these devices. The road-side air-con repair places are even less well stocked for repair equipment, but they do the best they can.
Any comments on on air-con repairs?
Hi Jade – So far, I never had an experience where I felt auto parts here were expensive, or even hard to get. Of course, though, my vehicle was assembled in the Philippines, and everything is readily available.
Regarding the aircon, so far I have no experiences, as I never needed a repair job on the aircon yet.
Yes I agree with you on the price and availability of auto parts, but the prices of retail goods, I believe are held high by the elite group of families who control most of the businesses. Such as there are no ‘discount stores’ or normal competition as is found in places where the wealthy oligarch is not the only source. Hope I do not come off as being too radical in my view.
Another thought; the used/consignment stores here (in US) have prices about 1/3 of what I see for prices in similar stores in RP. I can only conclude in this case it is only supply and demand.
Hi Jade – I suspect that you may not be looking in the right places. Have you been to Ukay-Ukay? They are everywhere, and very cheap. A while back my wife and I bought some clothes for our young niece, about 6 years old. The outfits, as I recall, were P5 each! That’s about 10 cents US.
Whoa, more than car repairs now.
The typhoon is over Manila and Calamba.
The car is flooded – the house is flooded – Daisy just called me – water is up to above her knees – thank god it is a 2 story house – but she says there is leaking everywhere.
I will update when i know more
That’s one thing I love about living in Davao… we don’t have typhoons down here! Good luck to Daisy.
We had always had cautions bout Mindanao, but from your blogs , we have confidence now. we hope to see you there.
Good luck with your ‘move’.
Hi Jade – Probably the people who have cautioned you about coming to Mindanao are the people who have never been here.
I tried to update before and sent it but it did not appear – So here goes again:
Everyone is safe. Minimal damage. Need to air out the car and the lower floor and sala. Water got to about 2′ deep.
Hi Jade – Your previous comment did appear… I just replied to it. 😉
Update:
The typhoon has passed.
There is a lot of drying out of our furniture and the interior of the car to be accomplished, but no major damage. The water got up to above Daisy’s knees, she said. All are safe. The refrigerator was put up a foot or so on a pair of chairs. Thanks for your concern.
Now only if the house had been built above ground level on a raised foundation… foundation???… what foundation? Hah… Well, we’ll supervise better next time.
Hi Jade – I’m glad that everybody came out ok.
Bob;
This is a great little piece it answered a few questions I had about what kind of quality cars I can get and is their good service and repair shops. I was thinking of getting one of those little siver jeeps with no a/c. Wife put the brakes on that quickly. I was then thinking about bringing my 2007 f150 Crewcab, But after doing the research it would have cost me half of Fort Knox and my first born male child in shipping and taxes.
So I say thanks again for the post I will sell my truck and use that money to get a vehicle over there with A/C 🙂 . Thats why I read LIP you have down to earth articles about real life in the Philippines.
What’s the going price for an suv about the size you have?
Hi Michels – Glad you enjoyed the article and found it useful. When I bought my Adventure back in 2000 I paid only about $15k for it. They are more now, though, over P1M now, I believe.
Hi Bob- Strange but true most of the vehicles here seem to last much longer than they do in the west. Your Adventurer has only averaged just under 8,000 miles (12,750kms) per year which is well below average again in the west. Most Ex-pats and pinoy families look after their vehicles at least on the outside as if you look at the older models they still appear in very nice condition. If you were to live by the sea I wonder what effect the salt air might have on the body work or exposed parts however.
In your case having spent other than regular service costs only 5,000 pesos in 10 years you must have set a record and I would write to the manufacturer and tell them how pleased you have been since purchasing the vehicle. They may either give you a replacement vehicle free of charge as good advertising or up the price of their new range because their even better than they thought they were.
Anyway Bob, many many more miles of safe and happy motoring.
Regards.
Jim.
Hi Jim – You know.. I put about 90% of that mileage on the vehicle in the first 5 years or so. These days, it seems I rarely drive. I think I’m gonna refrain from notifying the manufacturer of my happiness (hopefully they won’t read this). I feel it pretty unlikely that the will give me a new vehicle for free, and I fear that the raising of the price is more likely! 😉
Take care, Jim!
I think the reason vehicles tend to hold up a bit better here is…..traffic. How much wear can your vehicle get when you are going only 80km an hour on a so called EXPRESSWAY. Then when you get off the expressway at least here in the metro area it goes down to a snails pace.
Hi Tony – Ha ha.. I don’t live in Manila, or anywhere near an “expressway”. I live in Mindanao. We have rough roads here, lots of potholes. I’ve taken that vehicle on lots of dirt roads, and even in places that I would not even call a road. I’ve also driven it a lot faster than 80Kph as well. I can remember plenty of trips where I was doing 120 to 130 Kph between Davao and CdO.
Bob, American cars are made much better than when you were living here. For most cars in the U.S. 100,000 miles is not a big deal. I have a 2000 Chevy Blazer with 212,000 miles on it and going strong. I will admit though that there have been many repairs to items like the alternator, etc… However there is not way in the world that a mechanic here would do what you experienced. Well thats not true. There are mobile mechanics that drive around with the shop in a van or some other vehicle. I have never used them but I am sure the cost is at a premium for the service. The price you paid would pretty much cover the cost of towing here where I live. I would trust a Filipino mechanic any time for anything. Keep that car, its a baby. Ron
Hi Ron – I agree, my vehicle is a keeper, and I intend to do so! I am also so happy that the mechanics here are flexible and will do things like come to your house to help you out!
I can cetainly relate to your vehicle getting fixed Bob.I took my car in for repair today for a new cam seal, crank seal and complete gaskets excluding the head gasket,total cost 59oo pesos,try to get all that in the states for that price. I always snicker when i pay 75 php for a tire repair. maynard
Hi Maynard – Nice to hear from you here on LiP! Yeah, the cost of getting things repaired here, albeit a tire, a car, or any other item, is very inexpensive. Also, it seems like the workmen can fix anything here!
I have a piece of detroit steel with 154000 supercharged miles on it that has, knock on wood been repair free so far, maintence is key !
Hi Tommy – Without a doubt maintenance is very important! I guess my point was that while many will tell you that anything made here is junk, I feel that is not always the case.
Good to hear from you!
Bob,
Although I have never bought a car in the Philippines, I have bought several overseas cars. I had spent several years in South Korea and the Deawoo Prince I bought upon arriving lasted all six years and many, many miles. Now living in Kuwait I bought a Kia Sportage and have not had a problem with it since I bought it 3 years ago. I am looking forward to the day I will be able to purchase a vehilce there in the Philippines and see how one last there.
Just a little note.. The family is packed and ready to move. They are coming “HOME” in a few days! I will be there one day, not sure yet when. I really enjoy your site and find a lot of useful information from it. Keep up the good work!
Hope your other problems find a way to work themselves out.
Hi Steve – Thanks for sharing your experiences! I’m glad to hear that it sounds like you’ve had positive experiences with your cars over the years!
Thanks for your nice comments about the site, it makes me happy to know that you enjoy it and find it useful!
Bob,
As a guy who grew up with a genuine love for the automobile, my first trip from the airport to our hotel in Manila was golden! Jeepneys, Jeepys, and other “homemade” vehicles surrounded our taxi! Some of my wife’s cousins in the Davao area had a jeepney building business & I spent much time looking over their designs & photos of the many units they had built. Stein Undheim (Dayang Beach) had a little car that closely resembled the volkswagen “Thing”, which we rode around in a lot. The only issue I ever had with all of these vehicles was… you guessed it, leg room!
Any flaws in manufacturing or construction in The RP seems to have more to do with a lack of standards, than innate abilities. Here, in Vancouver, I work alongside & am close friends with several Filipino steelworkers, all of whom put out excellent work on a consistent basis. Mind you, so does everyone else I work with, as those who can’t perform are not kept on in ship building/repair. I am convinced that when I return and supervise the continued construction of our home on Samal, that the finished product will be top quality, not because “joe foreigner” is there to supervise, but because adhering to standards is important, though not always practiced. Ask the Filipino construction crew to lay rebar in a set manner & mix cement to a specific consistency, impress upon the foreman the importance of levelling & squaring off, then get my big butt out of their way; that’s my plan. I’ve observed my brothers-in-law enough when they built our terrace & property wall in Obrero to know that they weren’t properly trained to do the job. When we hired an old guy – his fee was P$100 + a bottle of Tanduay/day – he did the most beautiful work I have seen, anywhere, & put the family workers to shame. I believe that, like anywhere else in the world, there are great, very experienced tradespeople & professionals in the RP and, unfortunately, some who need the work but really don’t have a clue. Regulations, standards, qualifications are what is needed so that you know that the mechanic, welder, engineer, carpenter you hire/contract has the knowledge & skill base and must meet some gov. dept.’s/board’s requirements . That’s the problem. It would be great if we could develop a database of recommended contractors for each area of the Philippines, so the future is not so hit & miss.
Hi Mike – When it comes to something like a Mitsubishi car, Toyota or whatever, I don’t think that any problems arise regarding any lack of standards, as these are International brands that have been engineered and simultaneously manufactured in many countries.
I agree, Bob. The parent companies which you have mentioned have strong quality control requirements.
Hi Bob, Good story, good recommendation for a vehicle for use over there, and also a good recommendation for your mechanic. Now all I have to do is have the courage to drive over there! 🙂
Hi John – Actually, this was my first time to use this particular mechanic. My previous mechanic went out of business, and somebody recommended this guy, so I gave him a try. I’m glad I did, because he did a good job.
Hi Bob
You have made us realise we are spoilt here in our village, we actually have a garage which will send a mechanic to the house. The boss is unusual for todays standards, he looks after his customers well.
Hope all goes well for you.
Marjorie
Hi Marjorie – Wow! I believe that is quite unusual to have a mechanic like that in the UK! Better take good care of him!
Bob your point about the low cost of personal service is well made and not given enough recognition by many visitors IMHO. The high quality of the car does not really surprise though; auto manufacture has really improved out of sight in my lifetime. Back in Australia I still have a little 2002 model Mazda that has done more than 100,000 km on nothing more than regular services and a new battery. My previous one finally rusted out at 250,000 and virtually everything except the cooling system was still original.
If only they made computers that lasted like that …
Hi Ken – Not only in cars, but almost every area of our lives things have improved greatly in our lifetimes. Don’t worry, improvement will come to computers too! 😉
Don’t want to nit-pick but your picture is a Mitsubishi Montero Sport not a Mitsubishi Adventure. You might want to move up to the Montero when you shop a new vehicle as it is a 5 star vehicle.
Hi John – I’m not nit-picking either… but if you take a closer look, I never said that the pic was an Adventure! Ha ha….
We have a Honda CRV and are very happy with it. wish Japanese manufacturers of consumer durable “white goods” (fridge, washer, dryer, aircon, and so on) would try the same strategy: quality. See have found very low quality, easily broken, rusted, etc. What about your tires? We have only 72k kilometers and are on our third set of tires and these will have to be replaced soon. Only driving on concreted roads, too.
Hi ProfDon – You are right that tires here seem to last only a shorter time. I’ve had the same experience. Batteries too!
Hi Bob, We own a used Mitsubishi Montero/Pahero that is a year older than your vehicle. It has been a real workhorse and fun vehicle for us too. It’s true, we have found that finding a good mechanic locally, and maintaining the body, can help preserve our ride hopefully for many more good years too come. Too bad we’ll have to get rid of the wang wang and fog lights though…lol
Tsk tsk tsk… queenie… you are one of those arrogant people with a wang wang? I would have never guessed it! 😯
Oh Bob! We never used it but it’s fun to have… it came that way.. I’ll really miss the groovy fog lights though… lol
Hi queenie – when I heard P-Noy talk about this wang wang issue, and I heard him mention fog lights, I could not understand why. I mean, most parts of the Philippines don’t get foggy, but I know some places that do. For example, when we go to Bukidnon, up on the mountains it is often quite foggy, sometimes you can only see a few feet in front of your vehicle. I would think that fog lights would be appropriate in that environment. I wonder why they would be banned?
I don’t really know either Bob. When we head home after spending the day in Cebu City, the the further you get into the province, the street lighting starts to get very limited. Sometimes when the heat of the day meets the cool of the evening there is some fog, but mostly it’s just to help for extra visability. We kept the wang wang because we thought that in an emergency, it it might cut through some of the traffic if we had to bring someone to a hospital. Blessedly we haven’t ever had to use it. The fog lights though, make the vehicle look more stylish along with tinted windows… We also have a Betty Boop wheel cover and fuzzy dice along with the rosary on the mirror..
Hi queenie – to be honest, I think that P-Noy could have worked on some more pressing problems than the wang wang issue… but that’s just me! 😉
I didn’t really understand the emphasis either, although there is probably a lot of overuse and arrogance of drivers in Manila. I’m more concerned that P-Noy was going to do without a wang wang. I’m afraid that it might put him and his entourage in trouble. I really hope that they reconsider that decision.
Hi Bob;
My 1996 Honda Civic runs as good as any car I’ve owned so far. I also have home service repair. My car was also assembled here in the Philippines. My computer was repaired at my house last week, as well. The service and prices here are fantastic. BTW: I only caught the edge of the typhoon yesterday with no damage, just a lot of debris in the yard and roof.
Hi Paul – Seems that your experience with cars and mine are the same, or close to it! I’m glad to hear that you’ve also had a good experience with your car.
Glad that you weathered the storm up north!
No power here yesterday from 1 am until 10 pm, except for two hours late afternoon.
Hi Ken – You are just catching up with our power situation for the first 6 months of 2010! Ha ha… thankfully, though, we’ve gone nearly a month without a brownout now! Hopefully this typhoon season will be a safe one, better than last year.
Hi Bob,
I think just about any quality of something can be manufactured just about anywhere in the world today. The primary factor being what is the manufactured item designed to sell for in the marketplace, especially mass market items where competition is to the max.
Motor vehicles do seem more reliable these days. So many of what used to be ” routine service parts ” such as caps, rotors, points, and more recently even the sometimes troublesome Hi Voltage spark plug wires do not even exist in most of the cars made today. Cooling systems not as prone to things like corrosion as they used to be. The latest vehicle I have now does not even have a conventional air filter requiring periodic replacement ! A slight drawback though, now with all the Sensors for this, that and just about everything, occasionally a sensor can go bad giving a false indication of a problem.
Another drawback at least with cars manufactured for sale and use in the USA, I think they are designed to discourage the owner or hobbiest from servicing their own vehicles due primarily to polution control and for that matter on-board computer control as well.
I had to laugh when the dealer mentioned to me something about a ” Tune Up ” for my 2007 Ford. I commented ” What’s left on these engines to ” Tune Up ” LOL ! One by one, Independent auto service shops have been dissapearing here for years for many reasons and dealer service is much more prevalent than it once was.
ON my visits there, I was quite impressed with the amount of repair shops for all kinds of things and the availability of small parts and components primarily for electrical and electronic items. It appears that the economic climate there in The Philippines may prompt the value of repairing something before buying new and replacing. Due to the higher cost of labor and doing business here, so many of the repair shops that were once here no longer exist. Although it may not be a ” tourist attraction ” to most visitors, I certainly enjoyed seeing so many repair and parts shops.
On my laast visit I enjoyed a walk through tour of what appeared to me as the Automotive ” Lab ” at MSU-IIT, Iligan. I am certain there are a lot of well qualified automotive service people graduating from schools such as this.
Hi Bob – Indeed, the art of repairs for cars and many other items is still alive and well in the Philippines. The mechanics and technicians here can seemingly fix almost anything too. Sometimes, it is a wonder to see what they have fixed!
What is a wang wang? I’ve read through all of the comments and although I may have missed it I’m still confused. Yes the new regulations have hit us too. Daisy had a siren for her horn, boy did that work well. I loved it, although, cautiously. Crazy Daisy the terror of the expressway; pedal to the metal and the horn/siren at close reach! We have a regular horn now.. ha ha.
Life in the Philippines has become a little more standardized.
Hi Jade – Wang wang is a siren.
Kinda thought so but was not sure… there are only so many options… the words sort of describe it… ha ha. Thanks.
Only so many options? I would guess that there are probably a couple of hundred Ukay Ukay places in Davao City alone! They are everywhere.
I only hope that the standardization does not go too far, that would take all of the fun out of the Phlippine experience!
I always liked the the jeepney hood horses.
There is a small carver/outlet that makes dog sculptures, nearly full size, that have a flat back which serves as a little table, on the road from Baguio to Bontoc. We bought one. Daisy named him Brutus. As a joke I put it on our car and took a picture. I’d like to send you the picture. Everyone in the neighborhood enjoyed my representation of our ‘jeepney’ car.
Nevertheless, I wish Mr. Aquino the best of success in his presidency, even though the spark of outrageous Philippine life may become restrained. It will never die!
A good mechanic in any country is certainly a great asset!
Maybe if you use him again and you get good results again, maybe post his contact info for others to use him for their vehicular needs?
I will check into that… right now I don’t recall the guy’s name, though! I am sure Feyma has the info though.
I am saving up for my move to Bacolod Philippines. My wife, and 3 kids are relocating there sometime in the next 5 years. Transportation is one area we have dicussed quite a bit.
I initially wanted to import an SUV, but now i think a mitsubishi Pajero or Adventure is the way to go.
thanks for all the good information. i visited the philippines several times with my call center business in makati in 2004 and 2006 and i loved the people and lifestyle.
i dream every night of waking up in my new life… dropping out of the rat race.
If you have any one interested in setting up BPO or call centers, check out our website. we have a bunch of customers abroad using it. in fact one of the main reasons for moving there is to promote my project and enjoy more time with the family. have less stress and actually see my kids.
anyways god bless
Hi Michael – importing a vehicle is tough to do and also very costly – there is a 100% duty tax on it, so best to buy here.
Good luck with your move!
yeah, i heard of the tax, plus the headache, my uncle recently moved to Bacolod they brought a van with them (since he is disabled) and it was costly. I love the cars in the PH, i am looking forward to buying locally.
When you talk about the vehicle not being manufactured in the Philippines and about the US cars lasting 100,000 miles. Not sure if you know this or even care, but alot of the Jap cars are now assembled in the US. Just like here the parts are shipped to the states and us workers assembled the vehicles. Now about lasting 100K, I would not trust a US car manufacture to make a car that will go 100k without a repair for the most part. But I did have a 2002 Dodge Intrupid that had 80k on it and never once had to take it in for repair, mind you I was just like you and made sure the vehicle had normal check-ups. I think that with any vehicle it will last as long as you take care of it.
Hi Bill – Absolutely, many foreign cars are now made in the USA…. and many US cars are made in places like Canada and Mexico! The world economy is really changing things up.
Hi Bob,
I hope this forum thread is close enough to my question…
Daisy is still cleaning up from last weeks typhoon. Our car got flooded about two feet deep and luckily not any higher, it is drying out now and after a few cans of Lysol the smell is diminishing.
Everyone else in the Atienza compound have their own problems related to the flooding and can’t provide their usual help. Daisy’s battery is dead as well as cousin Jason’s, her usual mechanic. After an attempted recharge the battery is declared dead. I know that the problem is easily solved, as I have said before I have my own marine electrical contracting business. I presume there is a small current drain from the battery due to everything being wet from the flooding. Nevertheless she has been advised to and is now getting a new battery as well as a small battery charger, 10 amp. size.
Is the price of a new mid price car battery really P5000. to 6500. peso?
The prices for car batteries in the US have gone up considerably, and the prices from NAPA are about $70.
Hi Jade – I have purchased new car batteries several times during my stay in the Philippines. That sounds perhaps a bit high, but not by much. As I recall, batteries were usually around P4,000 or so. Perhaps supply is short due to the typhoon?
Hi Bob,
Thank you for your fast response!
Yes, the price difference appears to be nearly double.
Certainly not the ‘kano’ upgrade, hopefully not the ‘helpless girl’ surcharge.
I’m happy she took my advice and bought the small battery charger and she promised not to lend it out for more than a day or so. Then we will still have it in our possession when we need it! Ha ha!
Now to find a mechanic with an electrical aptitude, these small current leakages can be tricky to find. In case we don’t, that’s what the battery charger is for.
Truly, Bob, Thank you for your reply, it’s like you live next door.
JADE, – John And Daisy Edward
Bob,
Not want extend this exchange too long into ad nauseum…
But I checked the equivalent price with what Walmart offers and their price quote is $77.
So much for “Always Low Prices”. NAPA’s price averaging $70. beats out Walmart by more than $7. and NAPA is not known for low prices.
Thought that with your retail experience you would get a kick out of this finding.
Regards,
Jade
Hi Jade – Ha ha… you can never be sure that your price is the lowest, unless you give it away! If you do that, other stores might start paying people to take it! 😆
Bob,
Debating whether or not to reply… but I can’t hold it in!
O.K. – here goes…
Daisy and I are starting a new business.
I’m gonna fill up a dozen or so BALIKBAYAN BOXES with the bargain NAPA batteries and send ’em over. I’ll even cut you on the deal if you want to advertise them on your LiP store!
Alright, I’ll cease and desist now.
Thoroughly tongue in cheek,
Regards,
Jade
Good luck with that, Jade. Personally, I don’t think there is much money to be made there… but I’ve been wrong before! 🙂
Happy to help, Jade.
Hi Bob,
Enjoy Philippines. Thank you for appreciating the people around you.
Wishing you good health and happiness.
Regards,
Edwin
Thank you edwin!
Bob,
I regularly check in to your blog and I had the same thing happen to my Adventure last Sunday.
I reside in Cebu and called Mitsubishi who msent up a service mechanic [quite efficient] who concluded the fuel pump was bust so I needed to get it towed to their service centre [Peso 2,500.00]. unlike you my Adventure whilst 10 years old only has 64,000km on the clock and is serviced regardless of useage roughly every 6 months.
Expecting the cost of the fuel pump to be around Peso5,000.00, I was a little surprised when they quoted peso15,710.00 for a new pump whilst stating they do not have any in stock and I will have to wait until they can obtain athe pump from Manila.
Either the cost of parts has increased considerably or I am getting totally shafted. I would not have expected that much difference between Davao and Cebu.
cheers – Michael
Hi Micheal – Wow! It does sound like you are getting shafted on that! I suspect that the problem is because of 3 words… “I called Mitsubishi”. If you use the dealer for service here, their prices are a multiple of what you will pay at a good independent shop. You might want to get a quote from an independent shop before proceeding with the repair. Good luck to you !
Thanks Bob,
I looked at that route but essentially the independent shops could only offer “copy” parts also I would have had to go and collect one of their experts. I also didn’t want the pump to expire again within the vehicle’s forseeable lifetime. Given its age [touch wood] nothing else has gone wrong to date, so I’m just going to have to suck and see.
I suppose I’m a bit of a coward and whilst I don’t mind doing minor repairs/servicing at indepents, the horror stories I have heard about them lead me to the dealer for more complicated stuff.
cheers