Do most Expats have cars?

[davewe]

I am currently in the process of making the same choice as the OP. It's a tough choice with lots of variables: where you live, what lifestyle you will have, do you have a family, etc. 

The difference is, where I live in the US, I have no choice - I have to own a car - and a decent one. Once I grew up enough to have a family and own a business it was fiscally disastrous not to get to the office because my old beater wouldn't start. So I started buying new (and generally boring) cars with warrantees. 

But where I will be living in PI trikes are everywhere and I don't mind them (I'm not a big guy). Nor do I mind the bus if I want to get further. That being said I am pretty sure we will own a car. But I will still take public transportation - sometimes. 

So, unlike my current life, where I have a 45 mile highway commute - I will be retired and won't have to have the car every day. 

For me it's all about what creates the least stress and having options will be best for us.

[robert k]

I used public transport for a few months and it was ok for me, personally most times. I don't recommend a steady diet of it though and the reasons are pollution. In the open conveyances you are breathing all the exhaust, soot, dust and anything else the traffic throws up. I noticed that many of the people riding in the same jeepney/easyride/trike with me had nasty coughs. I myself who am not prone to Bronchitis had two episodes in the few months I took public transportation and none after I had my own vehicle. A vehicle with a cabin air filter may not be a bad idea.

The vehicle can be a lifesaver literally and figuratively. If someone is injured, many Philippine ambulances are just shells, meat wagons, that you have to wait for when minutes matter. Traffic doesn't really respect the ambulances as they will in western countries. If you say you will just live where there are real ambulances, there are not many places you can go. Manila may have real ambulances but you could die of old age before one got to you. The auto can be a lifesaver figuratively, with it's aircon, being able to charge up phones or with a car charger, laptops. You can't really run away from a flood but if you think one is likely you can leave before and with your own transport, carry more than you could on public transport.

If you are not handy with tools, buy new or really good, low milage vehicles. Towtrucks, organized roadside service and lowboy trailers with winches are lacking. I spent about 40 hours over a months time making my jeep reliable, and it was, drove it places I didn't want to take my Toyota Tamaraw. You can double the cost of a cheap vehicle even at Filipino wages to make a clunker reliable and maybe it won't be even then. I recommend that if you get a 60k php car, drive it every day and don't let a clunk, squeel or rattle go unchecked. Expect to put at least another 30k php in to it in the first few months. Fleet vehicles may be a good buy. An ex taxi may be beat up but at least there are parts available and at least at the start of it's life someone wanted it to last. My Tamaraw was a fleet vehicle, used school bus. I had to have the door hinges re-welded or the doors would have fell off but it ran like a top and drove really well. 

[Dr. Shiva]

Car or not depends on the location where to live and to personal needs. In a middle sized town where tricycles are the main term for transport, it seems not necessary to own a car when living inside of the main area of the town. In small towns or being living quite outside of main traffic routes it seems better to own a car. Ex: On Siquijor it is better to own a car or a motorbike because the public transport is only rare available even on the main street. Only in Siquijor Town, Larena and the main street between these two towns are reliable public transport available.

In bigger cities does it depend on the living (and working) location. Cebu and Davao have better jeepney networks than Manila. In Manila there is quite often to change the jeepney trice or even more times for one travel. This even on short travels. Own vehicle looks more reliable even while getting stuck in the traffic jam.

Anyway it is still good to check if any public transport available in the area where to live even if owning any personal transport. This in the case if there is someting broken on own vehicle.

For myself it's depend on the choosen destination in the future. If it will be Davao, Valencia or Ormoc probably not. If it will be Siquijor I think yes.

Edited December 23, 2016 by Dr. Shiva

[hk blues]

It's not really a question anyone can answer other than to say "it depends'!

I'm in Iloilo and living maybe 30+ minutes Jeepney ride (one ride only) from the city and perhaps 30- minutes from SM (two rides) - we shop weekly so 250php taxi fare is ok . My son (4 y.o.) goes to school in our sub-division and neither my wife nor I work. For those of you familiar with Iloilo, there really isn't that much to see or do anyway.

As you can probably guess from the above, I don't have a car. Absolutely, it would be more convenient to have one but, they are not free and when I do the cost/benefit analysis (my wife isn't into status symbols so that's not in the equation) the numbers don't stack up. Admittedly, I'm just a tad over 50 so I can get around quite easily and that's a consideration as well.

I lived in Hong Kong for 10 years and had no car so I suppose I got used to it and just continued the status quo here. I should also add we have an eco bike that we use for quick trips around the sub-division.

So, for me it's a no but can 100% see why others would disagree.

[snowridr]

We bought a used car, we almost never go outside our subdivision during the week - but now if we want to go on a trip or up to Alabang or Makati we don't have to ask friends if we can get a ride from them. We also avoid the worst of the pollution on the roads (esp the SLEX and National Hwy) and hopefully get around a bit faster than the jeepneys.  Of course, it is more expensive than the trikes or jeepneys over time - but you have to figure out the value of your time.  

[mogo51]

On 8/21/2016 at 0:33 AM, davewe said:

I am currently in the process of making the same choice as the OP. It's a tough choice with lots of variables: where you live, what lifestyle you will have, do you have a family, etc. 

The difference is, where I live in the US, I have no choice - I have to own a car - and a decent one. Once I grew up enough to have a family and own a business it was fiscally disastrous not to get to the office because my old beater wouldn't start. So I started buying new (and generally boring) cars with warrantees. 

But where I will be living in PI trikes are everywhere and I don't mind them (I'm not a big guy). Nor do I mind the bus if I want to get further. That being said I am pretty sure we will own a car. But I will still take public transportation - sometimes. 

So, unlike my current life, where I have a 45 mile highway commute - I will be retired and won't have to have the car every day. 

For me it's all about what creates the least stress and having options will be best for us.

Just to add my thoughts on this Dave, I have had a car here in Thailand for 3 years, a late model, small car and it travelled 8k in 2.5 years.

I sold it a couple of weeks ago in readiness for our move to Philippines, it only lasted a week.  Thought it would take longer, now I am 'de-car'd' and doing shopping etc is a pain on the bike.  Just have to make adjustments, but very inconvenient.  I also want to see more of Philippines (Luzon) so have decided I will buy one when I get there. But will shop around and get a good late model small car, not new.  Can't seem to justify the cost of new with small use.

 

[robert k]

My jeep or my truck either one were practically unalloyed joys when driving away from the city and often joys when driving into the city to shop or carry 8 persons. My truck had a new paint job and it seems it was a motorcycle magnet but was a godsend when I needed to bring home a washer or the bed. Then too, I can't believe I would have escaped uninjured if I were hit by 5 motorcycles. Nobody wanted to hit the jeep, the paint was not pretty and it was all sharp edges and so none did hit it. There is certainly a lesson there.

[mogo51]

8 minutes ago, robert k said:

My jeep or my truck either one were practically unalloyed joys when driving away from the city and often joys when driving into the city to shop or carry 8 persons. My truck had a new paint job and it seems it was a motorcycle magnet but was a godsend when I needed to bring home a washer or the bed. Then too, I can't believe I would have escaped uninjured if I were hit by 5 motorcycles. Nobody wanted to hit the jeep, the paint was not pretty and it was all sharp edges and so none did hit it. There is certainly a lesson there.

Sounds like a plan

[Howard]

I have a motorcycle here in metro Manila. Cars tend to just sit in traffic! But it is dangerous to ride here, sometimes bordering on anything goes Anarchy! I've had a lot of close calls because no one pays attention, and right of way is usually decided by which vehicle is bigger. The wife wants a car, and I'm starting to lean towards losing the bike.

[Mark Berkowitz]

1 hour ago, Howard said:

right of way is usually decided by which vehicle is bigger. The wife wants a car, and I'm starting to lean towards losing the bike.

Bigger is always better in Filipino traffic.