starex 2004 grx non crdi good buy?

**dansport** · March 29th, 2008 12:23 PM

good day po,
im new here,just need your opinion,is the 2004 grx non crdi a good buy?im planning sana to get one for my family,its my first time to buy a family van.and 1st time to buy a korean made so im a bit curious,is the 650th price tag on the van a reasonable price considering the odo reading of 39th?pls help me out!

**CVT** · March 29th, 2008 01:11 PM

Bro.,- I almost exactly have that model, I surmise (ours is A/T). Bought ours line Oct2004.

So far, so good with me. Mileage for our ride is 35T Km and that one should be around my level of usage which is sparingly used as I have a couple more vehicles. I bought the van for P1050K, (if I remember correctly, the M/T variant costs something like P70K less), so he owner "loses" something like P350K, assuming that's an M/T variant over a span of 3.5years,- so P100K per year approx.

I've already replaced the fuel neck(under warranty) because of rust, and the windshield washer reservoir (paid for it) and also the stock tyres (paid for it too) because of factory camber issue...

Anyway, check the condition of the van first with your trusted mechanic. Also, if the van has a roof for its garage or it is parked in the streets,- it makes a lot of difference, at least for me.

Good luck!

5707:tumbleweed:

**dansport** · March 29th, 2008 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by CVT

Bro.,- I almost exactly have that model, I surmise (ours is A/T). Bought ours line Oct2004.

So far, so good with me. Mileage for our ride is 35T Km and that one should be around my level of usage which is sparingly used as I have a couple more vehicles. I bought the van for P1050K, (if I remember correctly, the M/T variant costs something like P70K less), so he owner "loses" something like P350K, assuming that's an M/T variant over a span of 3.5years,- so P100K per year approx.

I've already replaced the fuel neck(under warranty) because of rust, and the windshield washer reservoir (paid for it) and also the stock tyres (paid for it too) because of factory camber issue...

Anyway, check the condition of the van first with your trusted mechanic. Also, if the van has a roof for its garage or it is parked in the streets,- it makes a lot of difference, at least for me.

Good luck!

5707:tumbleweed:

brod thanks a million 4 ur early reply!kailangan ko kc ng 2nd opinion b4 releasing my hard earned money,I guess the unit looks pretty much ok,actually pasado na sa kin,but my primary concern is the price,i've been surfing the web for a week looking for a ride and so far this is the cheapest!mahal na kc sa mga 2nd hand car dealers...

**CVT** · March 29th, 2008 01:47 PM

For me bro., and with the performance of this van,- I think it is a good price. It may be worthwhile for you to checkout if he has a good number of vehicles which could be the reason for the relatively low mileage, else, think again....

Also, ask the owner why he is selling the van. Maybe he is one of those who would like to dispose off their vehicle every 3-5 years to rid themselves of the headache associated with maintenance of old vehicles. In my opinion though, matagal iyon sa van na ito.

Or, he is voraciously salivating to get a Grand Starex (I am not....hehehe)... Investigate so that you have something to say to yourself, - "it makes sense"....

5707:tumbleweed:

**dansport** · March 29th, 2008 01:54 PM

and what about the odo reading,can it be tampered even if it's digital?

**CVT** · March 29th, 2008 02:03 PM

It is man-made bro.,- so, you need to convince yourself... That is why it is best for you to go to their place, observe and ask innocently probing questions, but do not overdo it as some owners may feel offended....(how many vehicles they have?, where is their office or place of work?, who uses the van regularly etc,...)

5707:tumbleweed:

**dansport** · March 29th, 2008 02:30 PM

salamat uli brod!I'll do that,I'll keep you updated on the development and kung nakuha ko na!!!!!thank you

**GSTM9** · March 29th, 2008 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by CVT

For me bro., and with the performance of this van,- I think it is a good price. It may be worthwhile for you to checkout if he has a good number of vehicles which could be the reason for the relatively low mileage, else, think again....

Also, ask the owner why he is selling the van. Maybe he is one of those who would like to dispose off their vehicle every 3-5 years to rid themselves of the headache associated with maintenance of old vehicles. In my opinion though, matagal iyon sa van na ito.

Or, he is voraciously salivating to get a Grand Starex (I am not....hehehe)... Investigate so that you have something to say to yourself, - "it makes sense"....

5707:tumbleweed:

Likewise, I think 650K is a reasonable price. One thing though, how long have you been looking for a Starex? If less than a week, keep on looking in the non-traditional places. I would recommend going to the HARI dealers and asking around if there are 3rd Gen owners who are upgrading to a Grand Starex....usually, money is not an issue for these folks...so they won't really make such a fuss about letting go of their ride without squeezing every peso it's worth.

Also, as CVT mentioned, ask the seller how many vehicles he has and for what purpose did he use the Starex for...is it the primary vehicle? or is it for bringing kids to school? or is it for number coding? Generally the lower the mileage will be a good indicator, and a good starting point for negotiating a price.

My recommendation is to look for a 2005/2006 CRDi Starex, whether manual or automatic. You'll recover the P100K or so price difference in the efficiency of the engine and the lower fuel consumption in just a matter of years.