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WE
recently received reports about huge trailers that
litter the streets of Aduana in Manila.
Oh, boy!
Were we surprised when we visited the street one Sunday.
Only a
single lane was left for other vehicles to use—the
trailers were parked three deep. What was dangerous was
that no streetlights were switched on along the
supposedly busy street, which is also known as newspaper
row in Aduana.
The
freight companies that own the trailers should have
their own container yard, but they are instead using the
street as their private parking area.
So, what
are the authorities doing about it?
It is
amazing that the traffic division of the Manila Police
Department is just a stone’s throw away from the area,
but nobody seems to be doing his job.
Manila
Mayor Alfredo Lim should look into this matter before
anything bad happens. Those huge trailers are really
very dangerous to the commuting public and motorists
that traverse the area. Better act now before it’s too
late….
****
THE
financial meltdown in the United States is not only
affecting banks but also car sales in that country.
Around
500 to 600 US car dealers are expected to close shop
this year as the worst sales downturn has been recorded
in 15 years.
Tighter
credit standards, expensive gas prices, job losses and
declining housing values are curtailing people’s
spending and have kept them away from car show rooms.
Because
of the higher credit standards that raised the cost of
dealers’ credit, which they use to keep their inventory
in show rooms, many have decided to close shop rather
than continue losing money. We have learned that “car
dealers get vehicles for their lots through a practice
called floor-plan financing, wherein the funds needed to
pay for inventory are supplied by a lender. The longer
the vehicle goes unsold and the higher the interest
charged, the more it costs the dealer.”
There
are estimates that the staggering 16.1 million units of
vehicles sold in the US last year won’t be repeated as
analysts predict that only around 14 million are
expected to be gobbled up in the market before the year
ends. The banner year for the US market was in 2006 when
a total of 16.5 million units were sold.
Here in
the Philippines, many say that the world financial
crisis would definitely have a positive effect on the
secondhand car market. Instead of buying new cars,
people who still have money to spend are turning to
secondhand cars instead of new ones.
Buying a
secondhand car is almost 30 percent to 40 percent
cheaper, although you no longer enjoy the sense of
security of having the manufacturers’ three- to
five-year warranties on parts and labor.
But the
onslaught of many after-market products has given
secondhand-car buyers the enjoyment of upgrading their
cars and even giving them a new look and performance.
These
secondhand car buyers are mostly kids of rich families
who are starting to enjoy their newfound freedom from
their supposedly strict parents. Instead of giving them
brand-new cars, rich parents are often seen canvassing
for a secondhand vehicle.
Those
who have purchased secondhand cars are often seen
rushing to Banawe Street in Quezon City to “dress” them
up for a fresher look.
But with
the way local car manufacturers and distributors are
launching their new cars in their show rooms one after
the other, it seems the local market is not that badly
affected with what is going on in the US right now.
****
AFTER
more than a year of longing to drive a Hyundai, Paeng
Batuigas (yes, he’s the son of the famous police
reporter Ruther Batuigas) of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc.
(Hari) called one day and offered me a test drive.
The
Hyundai Veracruz, a huge SUV that can be compared with
the very best that major car manufacturers in the world
have to offer, was wonderful to drive.
The
Veracruz sold here is a 3.0-liter V6 GLS CRDi four-wheel
driver. It can comfortably seat seven people (in a 2-3-2
configuration) and you can slide the two third-row seats
down to the floor for more space in the cargo section.
It has
all the power you need either in city or highway driving
as the E-VGTS high-pressure common-rail direct-injection
engine roars as your foot presses on the throttle. The
18-inch tires provide grip on the road or during
off-road driving and make the vehicle’s ride smooth and
comfortable. This is because of the MacPherson Strut
suspension in front with coil springs, reversed L-shaped
lower arms, stabilizer bar and gas-type S absorbers and
a multilink with independent coil springs and gas-type
shock absorbers in the rear.
The
Veracruz has more features than its predecessor, the
Santa Fe, such as the projector-type Xenon High
Intensity Discharge lamps with washer that really
illuminate the horizon during night driving.
Despite
its huge size, I find the Veracruz more comfortable to
drive compared with some of the huge SUVs these days.
The family was thrilled one night when we cruised the
highway at 150 kph and the whole vehicle felt like it
was getting off the ground and flying.
The tag
price of P2.9 million is fair enough considering all the
amenities onboard, its car-like performance and brute
force when you need it most. |
