10/07/2026
Why I'm Keeping My 15 year old Toyota
Let’s talk about that new car itch. 🚗💨
Lately, my feed has been absolutely flooded with those shiny, brand-new full electric Chinese EVs. Big touchscreens, ambient lighting that looks like a spaceship, and prices that make you do a double take. Honestly for a second, they look tempting. 🤔
But then I walk out to my driveway, look at my 2012 Toyota Fortuner diesel (or if you’ve seen my garage, you know my trusty 2011 Corolla Altis gas sedan), and I just smile.
My Toyota is 15 years old. It doesn’t have an iPad built into the dashboard. It doesn't update its software overnight. But you know what it does do? It starts. Every single time.
I’ve owned this car for over a decade. Through massive downpours, terrible city traffic, long road trips with the family packed to the brim, and years of daily abuse. Aside from regular oil changes, replacing the tires, and a new battery every few years, it has never given me a headache. The mechanical reliability is basically bulletproof, and I never worried about finding a service center Toyota just has every corner of the street in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, I’m watching my friends who jumped early into these "New brands" already starting to sweat. Sure, the tech is cool for the first year or two. But what happens at year 3, 4, or 5? Service centers won't be able to hold a mass number of repairs since everyone is switching with these new brands, and how many of these new brands have enough qualified mechanics with all these high tech issues? Another case after your vehicle warranty you won't even find competitive mechanics outside casa. Suddenly you’re planning to get a new car again cos you don't know where to bring your car.
So good luck hunting down a replacement part or finding a mechanic outside of their specific dealership who even knows how to look at it.
With my Toyota? If I need a part, I can find it anywhere. Literally anywhere. From original parts to affordable 3rd party replacements, every single shop in the country knows how to service an old Toyota Suv or sedan. I even have a lot of outside mechanics friends who can give me reliable maintenance cos in this country any mechanic around the corner can fix a Toyota vehicle Old or Brand New.
A brand new high tech vehicle such as these new brands coming in the country feels like buying a high end smartphone on wheels. It’s amazing right out of the box, but it has a built-in expiration date. They're built for a 2-to-5-year cycle before the tech feels ancient or you go out and sell to buy a new car but the value? You know that already, maybe after 5yrs my Toyota still has more value than your 3yr old high tech car.
My Toyota wasn't built to be a tech gadget. It was built to last a lifetime. And honestly, knowing I can pass this car down to my children or drive it for another 10 years without a single worry? That’s a luxury no amount of ambient lighting can buy.
To anyone else still happily driving their old school, bulletproof Toyotas we made the right choice. 🤝
