Help me buy my first car within 5 lacs

[zaks]

Hi guys,
I am from Bangalore and hate to add one more vehicle to the already congested roads but after many years I have decided to have my own car.
I am looking at the following three-
Palio Stile sport
Chevrolet -UVA(LT)
Getz 1.3GLS

My requirements are -
1. 40km/day for commute to work in city traffic, occassional weekend long drives.
2. Reliabitlity, good handling and stability
3. Intend to keep it for long term, so not particular about resale value.
4. A good surge in the pedal will be nice to have.
Having said the above I will use my bike as often and I might not take the car out for work everyday since the traffic here is just hopeless and I don't tolerate jams.

The latest news is that Chevrolet is offering a 3yrs free service for all vehicles bought before 31st march which makes it tempting and their cost of ownership is a good argument too. But again I am confused when I consider the Palio 1.3MJD which is about to be released (will it any time soon?).
Swift is out of the way since I personally don't like its looks though it being a great car.
My budget is about 5Lakhs and with Palio I will certainly be saving a chunk of cash.
Let me know your thoughts on this?

Regards,
Zaks

[Eddy]

Why is the i10 not considered ?

[phamilyman]

Hmmm, why not the Indica DICOR? It is eminently sensible a choice. Cheap/quick/less worries if there are nicks et al. Did you take a TD? The DICOR owners report lesser niggles as well.

That being said, why not the Spark LT+airbags. At 3.84 ex showroom in dlehi, it saves a bundle of cash and is more practicable for blr.

All of that being said, consider the stile sport. Dated car/engine but a killer one at that. there is some talk on forums of Fiat MJD being launched soon like march 11, so just look around and wait.

[Xehaust]

The i10 is a very good choice for jammed roads.
If you are an enthusiast and like you mentioned, the bike is also there to aid FE, go for the Palio Sport.

[rider60]

test drive them all then decide,the future of all the cars you have chosen are uncertain/ not bright, so be warned.

you say you want a reliable car for long term usage, so forgetting the resale alone wont help, you will need to keep a track of the spare parts availability too right?


look at an option like i10 the new car with all the features, then the getz, then others like the palio stile. just my opinion now you decide based on the experiences of the test drives and other suggestions.

[esteem_lover]

For a good surge in the pedal, look no further than the Palio 1.6. Since you are not worried about resale, this fits your bill, IMO.

[zaks]

I left out the i10 and spark because they are not up to my liking; but Indica Dicor hmm... not able to shake off its taxi image.
I thought the GM offer for 3 years/100,000 kms free service was not an offer to be lightly dismissed, can any U-VA owners comment please?
I forgot to mention one point though, I trek quite frequently and would want to take the car out to some rugged/bad roads periodically, so it needs to hold well on those terrains.

cheers,
Zaks

[gemithomas]

Originally Posted by zaks

Hi guys,
I am from Bangalore and hate to add one more vehicle to the already congested roads but after many years I have decided to have my own car.
I am looking at the following three-
Palio Stile sport
Chevrolet -UVA(LT)
Getz 1.3GLS

My requirements are -
1. 40km/day for commute to work in city traffic, occassional weekend long drives.
2. Reliabitlity, good handling and stability
3. Intend to keep it for long term, so not particular about resale value.
4. A good surge in the pedal will be nice to have.
Having said the above I will use my bike as often and I might not take the car out for work everyday since the traffic here is just hopeless and I don't tolerate jams.

Regards,
Zaks

For a good surge in the pedal the best option at that price range is surely the Palio 1.6 Sport. But seeing your daily running of 40km. Are you ok with the F.E of around 9-11 in city and 13-16 on highways. If thats not a problem I guess you have a no brainer here. The 1.6 is the best performance hatch below the 5L mark.

The U-Va is a very composed car. THough you would miss the power surge of the FIAT 1.6 i/m sure you would enjoy the interior sedan like space. The boot though is slighly compromised to get all tha space for the passengers. I felt the gear position and slighly awkward. My hnd kept hitting the seat every time i changed gears. The seatbelts too were quite far behind me!!!. The engine is real smooth and the engine management system is awesome. You could climb an incline in third without touching the accelerator.

Not sure about the Getz But i dont think its F.E figures are that great. Would stick to the Palio 1.6 in this case.

So i think the question is whether you want better performance or better mileage. Do test drive the vehicles and decide.

PS. The 1.3 Palio might take a few months to get on the raods. I've heard they are bringing around 50 cars at launch and the rest would take a few months till the ranjangaon plant get fully functional for engines.

[speedzak]

If you plan to keep the car for long, then the Palio 1.6 is not a viable option. As spare parts are already a rare commodity now.
But, keeping your demands in mind, I think you have to let go of some to gain some. The sudden surge you mention is very much present in the then 'HOT hatch' 1.6 Palio! You don't have to go look for it elsewhere.

Again, your demands would've been well met by the Swift VDI but you don't want it. You can wait for couple a days and see if the 1.3 Palio MJD is launched (again, Palio is not an easily maintainable car, nor Fiat offers any good service. So, it ain't that buy it forget it kind!). You can test the Indigo CS, Indica Dicor etc.... as these cars are extreme VFM. Getz CRDI would've been nice but you may have to pay upfront and wait for months to get one (This car will take your budget a bit to the next level too).

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by zaks

Hi guys,

My requirements are -
1. 40km/day for commute to work in city traffic, occassional weekend long drives.

Having said the above I will use my bike as often and I might not take the car out for work everyday since the traffic here is just hopeless and I don't tolerate jams.

Palio Sport 1.6

2. Reliabitlity, good handling and stability

Palio Sport 1.6

3. Intend to keep it for long term, so not particular about resale value.

Palio Sport 1.6

4. A good surge in the pedal will be nice to have.

Palio Sport 1.6

My budget is about 5Lakhs and with Palio I will certainly be saving a chunk of cash.

Palio Sport 1.6

Let me know your thoughts on this?

Regards,
Zaks

Look no further.

Cheers,
Rajan

[ram_hyundai]

Palio 1.6 would be the option for you.Otherwise go for the uva.I dint feel any spirited performance in the uva.Its just another car for every day use.If you dont mind that factor then uva might be a better option with the kind of warranty and the space.
ram

[narayan]

Originally Posted by zaks

Hi guys,
I am from Bangalore and hate to add one more vehicle to the already congested roads but after many years I have decided to have my own car.
I am looking at the following three-
Palio Stile sport
Chevrolet -UVA(LT)
Getz 1.3GLS

My requirements are -
1. 40km/day for commute to work in city traffic, occassional weekend long drives.
2. Reliabitlity, good handling and stability
3. Intend to keep it for long term, so not particular about resale value.
4. A good surge in the pedal will be nice to have.
Having said the above I will use my bike as often and I might not take the car out for work everyday since the traffic here is just hopeless and I don't tolerate jams.

The latest news is that Chevrolet is offering a 3yrs free service for all vehicles bought before 31st march which makes it tempting and their cost of ownership is a good argument too. But again I am confused when I consider the Palio 1.3MJD which is about to be released (will it any time soon?).
Swift is out of the way since I personally don't like its looks though it being a great car.
My budget is about 5Lakhs and with Palio I will certainly be saving a chunk of cash.
Let me know your thoughts on this?

Regards,
Zaks

i am tempted to assume the "good surge " factor is last on ur priority...
i think u should go for the UVA..
its a good car with
- space - very useful if u have a family
- enuf power for the city - mind u all though u dont get the surge, its not a slouch either
-low on maintenance post GM's attractive package

i dont think a diesel makes sense for ur running..
i think the LS version comes within ur budget on road..

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by zaks

I don't tolerate jams.

The basic requirement to own a car in Bangalore is to tolerate traffic jams. . Every time you start your drive, you have to tell yourself that no matter what, you are not going to get impatient!

Originally Posted by zaks

My requirements are -
1. 40km/day for commute to work in city traffic, occassional weekend long drives.
2. Reliabitlity, good handling and stability
3. Intend to keep it for long term, so not particular about resale value.
4. A good surge in the pedal will be nice to have.

Although your requirements scream for the Swift DDiS, I would suggest you a Getz 1.3. I don't have much idea about the U-VA.
Why don't you consider the Santro or Santro A/T? Or a WagonR?

[PAVAN KADAM]

My views.

Palio Stile-Will get phased out soon to give way for the modern generation fiats to come. Bad choice pls stay away from it. though its a great car.

Chevrolet UVA-God save GM , Indian market has seen so many GM cars come and go, Spark is great from GM but for others...? Buy it at your own risk.

Getz 1.3 GLS- Hyundai planning to get the i20 to replace Getz..(This is what i've read and heard) Its a decent performer but you might lose money in after sale.

I would only suggest you to go in for the best sellers as on date. you can consider any of these after your Test Drive.

1) Chevy Spark- Great Performance
2) Indica V2 Dicor-Great Value for Money.
3) Indigo CS-Great Value for Money
4) I10- Ok but for bad styling

Or Wait for the Grande Punto- the ultimate hatchback to hit Indian roads very soon.

Take time and let me know what you've decided finally.

Best of Luck.

[snaronikar]

My choice would be Getz 1.3. It is reliable, spacious and A** is also good. It has got that "Surge factor" too.