I have bought and successfully registered 2 used cars in the last 5 years.
Make sure any vehicle you buy has an LTO printed "OR" (original receipt) not a zerox, in the sellers name, not the person they bought it from or 3 people ago. Check the OR for any mortgages, this will block the transfer until resolved, this should be resolved by the seller before any money changes hands. Make sure the number stamped on the vheicle frame and engine match the OR. Make sure the color matches the OR. Make sure the license plates match the registration Walk away from any vehicle where the paperwork is not 100%, this is a very common thing here to stick the buyer with nightmare paperwork that takes forever (if ever) to resolve.
Check for a current registration, this can be resolved by the seller and is not a deal breaker.
Before any cash changes hands take all the paperwork to the LTO main office and have them inspect the paperwork, ask them for a list of requirements to transfer ownership. Test drive the vehicle up to Valencia and check for overheating. If you don't know much about cars you should have it inspected by a mechanic. Agree on a price with the seller.
The next step is getting a Deed of Sale from an attorney, they charge for this, sometimes too much. Pay with a manager's check from your bank, don't pay with cash. Make sure you have copies of 2 of your IDs and 2 IDs of the seller, make a lot of copies.
To transfer the with the LTO, you will need smog test, get 10 stencils of the frame and engine numbers, this will save time later. You will need to go to the Dumaguete Police crime lab for inspection which you pay P40 at Landbank and inspection at PNP highway patrol. You need insurance. If you want full coverage insurance go to Commonwealth near the port. The LTO will process the rest of the transfer. It could take several visits or several days to get it all done. I take small bites at it and not try to do it all in one or two days. I do not trust fixers or smog shops to do this, they will mess it up and getting it straightened out is a lot more work than doing it yourself the first time.

 

hey, just a suggestion. you might try ernie at the smoke test place, first one north of city mall on the north highway. maybe a block or two. he has always been very helpful and has managed to get my paperwork cleared on a number of issues re vehicles. at the least he will probably be able to answer your questions about this. i get my annual paperwork done there and he walks it though for me saving me the time and aggravation.

the place i have seen the most relatively new but used cars posted for sale by foreigners is the bulletin board at why not. if you do buy used you are likely to need a mechanic. after six years here i have found a great mechanic. his name is toto and he operates his business on the national highway right across from the entrance to the airport. he has a sign, "Toto" , on the highway. he is a toyota trained mechanic and very good at dx problems. the negros oriental police use him. just fyi

 

I have bought and sold around 20 used vehicles here in the last 16 years. Being lazy, I make sure all the paperwork is OK as described in an earlier post here. I usually do the deeds of sale myself, if selling, or from the seller if buying, obviously. One point that wasn''t mentioned - the seller must supply you with at least two xerox copies of his/her ID with three specimen signatures on each. From that point on I hand it over to my agent ( who is the lady who does the legwork for Ernie mentioned above. I still have to take the vehicle to the crime lab and Highway Patrol Group but she does the standing in line at Landbank and the hours of waiting around at the LTO. In 15 + years I have never had a problem and have saved countless hours of dealing with bureaucracy at a minimal cost.

 

When I was looking for a used car in Dumaguete a couple of months ago I visited all the main dealerships too see what they had available. Only Hyundai and Kia had second hand cars for sale but they were older cars. I was told by Toyota, Ford and Nissan that they do not sell second hand cars. I ended up buying a 2018 Hyundai Accent that still has another 3.5 years manufacturer’s warranty on it from Facebook market place. The guy I bought it from sells a lot of cars to foreigners. He does all the transfer paperwork at the LTO for you. I can pm his number to you if you want.

 

Yes. But there appear to be some models that clearly are hard to kill whatever the maintenance record looks like. Pajeros from the 90s for example, especially the Diesel models. Many choices for less than 300k, and in case of emergency any mechanic knows and can repair them and it's easy to get spare parts because they're so common. It helps of course if you are able and willing to read up on the models you are interested in, to find out about weak spots and typical problems, things to look out for.

Same goes for motorcycles, except they're much simpler machines - an XR200 that has been driving the last 20 years is probably not going to break down the day after you bought it due to lack of maintenance.

I drove my '94 Pajero around the Philippines on and off road more than 40000km, this thing is so simple and robust, it's amazing. I admit I sometimes miss the simple pleasure of proper aircon instead of "ice cold or hot". But for this country its the perfect car.

Toto is a great guy, often way too cheap (never thought I'd say that about a car mechanic before), knows his stuff.

 

With the over a dozen comments, nobody has mentioned the MOST important part of buying a used car...WHEN WAS THE OIL LAST CHANGED ??? As said before, the right paperwork is absolutely necessary, but regular maintenance is crucial. People I know wonder why the truck broke down at 30,ooo KM.. good grief people. I don't care how clean it is, show me the records. I also generally judge a worker by the condition of his tools...

 

Absent maintenance records, I would not trust any previous owner to have serviced the car or bike responsibly.

 

this is probably going to sound stupid, but. i agree completely with you that a new car is much easier. but it sort of like traveling abroad and then spending your whole time in a five star resort. of course everything is going to be perfect. but where is the adventure in that?

buying used cars here has let me contribute to the livelihood of four different mechanics and their familys. one of whom, and the most recent (toto) is on the way to becoming a true friend. i have met new and used parts people, several different tire people. i know where to get an alignment. it all helps me be part of the culture here.

i really don't want to be part of the nameless faceless culture that drives around in sealed cocoons isolated from the people around them. and i still think with all that it costs less to buy used which is a major issue for me. so what if it doesn't start sometimes?? i'm retired!!

 

I know, it's a matter what kind of budget you have to spend on a car, but, honestly, reading all the requirements and process to get a 2nd hand well registered on your own name, buying a brand new car sounds much more easier to me and that is what I did so far and trade it in or sell it after x years with an acceptable depreciation.

 

Also get 3 or 4 copies of the Deed of Sale with the attorney's embossed stamp on it.
Check the signatures of the ID with the signature on the Deed of Sale and any other paperwork.