Best Posts in Thread: Auto costs

It's very long, maybe over a beer sometime when we're both in the Philippines. Let me start with some of the highlights.
Buying land recommended by relatives with just pictures.
Buying untitled land with deed of sale.
Buying land not on a road.
Using a lawyer who used some local as an assistant.
Having to pay the taxes at the end even thought the seller had agreed to do that.
Having to track down 7 children to get the sale document signed when he passed away.
Having to do a subdivision plan for the property.
Took 5 years to get title.
Second purchase was a 90% finished house.
Used a local lawyer and things went ok, but still fixing up things on the house.

 

I have a friend who was in an accident, motorcycle hit the back of her truck. By the time she got to the police station to report it they already knew and were blaming her.
1. Most people here are related so an outsider (foreigner or simply not from the same LGU not) is at fault.

2. She has a truck thus the mentality is she has the money

2nd Event
Friend driving hit a motorcycle when it went from stopped in the middle of the road to talk to someone to pulling out in front of him. Local started yelling untill the he realized it was all on dashcam. Local picked up his bike and left.

3rd account.
Trike driver hit my car in Robinson's mall. My wife got out (better her than me) and security told driver to leave. When my wife spoke to security officer the responce was he probably doesnt have the money to fixnit anyways.

Regarding insurance:
Yes, it is available. We get iurs thru the dealership.
Yes, there is full coverage with uninsured motorist
As well as liability

 

I am not a very skilled bike driver but can handle a bike.

Nevertheless, for me it's not a pleasure at all to move around by bike, or by car. I do not enjoy it and try to avoid as much as I can.

Due to annoying parking situation in Duma city I am using my bike for short trips to the city, mostly boulevard, or for shopping of small items.

My car is used for weekly shopping, transport of materials, and very occasionally for trips to Cebu or along the coast line.

Traffic most of the time is terrible. You have to put into consideration each idiotic and unexpected move of other drivers at any given moment. You have to expect critical situations coming from left, right, below and abkve from you. Especially from tricycle drivers. Not to mention dogs, vehicles driving without light, Ceres liners, vans, trucks and whatsoever who just don't care.

Especially driving during night is an incalculable adventure. Very dangerous.

You need to be in full concentration all the time and after let's say 2 hours of driving I am entirely exhausted.

Only once, few years ago on Bantayan Island, I did enjoy to discover the island by bike. Good roads, very little traffic. Was good fun.

For me driving is something I unfortunately have to do to get my things done. But I definitely not driving around just for fun or to enjoy my car or bike.

 

I own a Nissan Navarra 4 x 4 and I am more than happy with it.

Most important, I feel pretty safe. It's not about top speed or horsepower. It all about safety.

Just my opinion.

 

That is by far the most terrible trip I can imagine.

Did it twice to pick someone from the airport. There was no other choice. It took me more than 7 hours. Absolutely annoying.

Never again.
Next time I'll expect visitors for Christmas they should come a few days earlier, spend one night in Cebu and take a plane next day. Or going by boat to Duma. Takes a lot of time as well but much more convenient.

 

No, I was being serious, so let me explain my situation. I've been married to a Filipina for 22 years, but have spent all of it in the US. Typically we would visit the Philippines about every two years for a 2 week vacation, since Covid hit it's going on 4 years. First time in the Philippines was probably about 24 years ago. In all my visits, I've rented a car once for a day in Dumaguete and a motorcycle twice for a day, once in Dumaguete and once in Boracay. Of all my visits, I've been to Dumaguete about 5 times. It's probably been 12-15 years since I rented anything, so Boracay and Dumaguete have grown significantly. I usually get a tricycle or cab depending on what's available. All this to say, while I've got a long history on this forum, I really don't have a lot living there experience, just vacationing there experience. Much of my so called experience comes from this forum and getting involved in buying a house. Lot's of war stories to tell there.....no need to tell me I probably should have waited. lol

 

Driving here a car or motorbike is indeed very challenging. About insurance etc. Ever asked yourself why a 100 meters before any PNP checkpoint motorbike drivers are waiting until the checkpoint will move on? Any way many citizens as a driver of a car or motorbike, if they have an insurance it will be only TPL. More newer cars or motorbikes may have all comprehensive insurance. TPL here in the PH only covers the medical cost and up to 100.000 peso. all material cost has to be settled between the parties involved an as already said, no money available. So finally the foreigner is the one to bear it. Sue him/her and go to court is a waste of money and even should you win the case after.....many2x years, money still not available. So the advice, already given, avoid any kind of accident in traffic.

 

As a foreigner you have a disadvantage, not to say no or only minor chances, in any kind of conflicts. Especially when it comes to traffic accidents.

Insurance ?
Coverage of uninsured motorists ?
Settlement between themselves ?

I am still looking for the lmfao smiley. Would give you 20 of it if I could. Hence you are a member here since 2014 I am wondering whether you just wanted to make a joke ? Can't believe this was a serious post. Sorry, if I am wrong.

There is only one insurance:
defense driving, be very very carefully all the time, forget all, and I mean all, traffic rules you know from your home country, give way instead of insisting of your right, try to avoid any accident.

It's more fun in the Philippines.
But certainly there are better places for having conflicts as a foreigner.

 

For years I used to ride a Honda CB 750 (the "sevenfifty" model) back in the Netherlands, and rode it as far as to Southern Spain (around 2,000 km) at one point; a grueling experience, not because of traffic but because of the effect of the sustained position on the bike, the strain on arms and legs etc., I was in pretty bad shape upon arrival lol.
I have driven a (light) bike here also, but I wouldn't dream of riding one even just to Cebu City. The hazards of riding a bike here mentioned by other posters make sure that any travel by night is a no go here, and travel by day needs to be short. The only enjoyable rides I did here was doing touristy stuff on Siquijor, which is rather quiet traffic wise, and the circular road along the coast is in decent shape with a few exceptions (the roads across the island are a different story).

 

Looks like not being aware there's a Mitsubishi dealer/garage and also Ford on North highway going to Sibulan.
Agree with your review about the Navarra, owned a 4x4 one for 7 years and never let me down, so as reliable as can be.