In dillema of What car...here is my TD experiences

[sameer551]

Hi! Friends,
Its been almost 8 months and I'm just like addicted to this team-bhp forum. ALso contribute sometimes. At present I own Maruti 800 MPFI model and am very much satisfied with it. But we need one more car in the family for myself.
My Budget is maximum 4.5 lack but can stretch to 5 lack if car is good.
So the search started last year in August. Since then, I've taken Test Drive of almost every car which falls in my budget and beyond also. But, what annoyed me is that I still find maruti 800 super fast than many of these cars even big Sedans for zip-zap city driving. This is just my personal opinion after having taste of many cars.

Here's my experience with some of the Cars i've TD.
Logan 1.4 Well simply fails to take a pick at flyovers with AC on, which are too many in delhi
Logan 1.6 just ok as per the ride and pick up. Does not feel as if it was 1.6 when i ride back on my Maruti 800 after that.

Chevvy UVA: Again fails to give punch with AC on. A bit on heavy side while initial pickup with AC.

Swift Diesel: Just great car for zipping in and around city. The fact that stops me buying it is that the Rear mirror is very small and while reversing it gives some problem. May be one need to get used to it. Secondly, the cabin somehow felt suffocated to me, may be because of small windows. But its great car as the sales shows as well.

Swift Petrol: Great pickup best in class and even above. But did not like it because of the reasons mentioned above.

Chevvy Spark: Soundless engine. One cant listen the car noise even at 2500 plus RPM. I even cranked twice to start the car thinking that it has not started. But did not like it for ride and comfort reason.

Tata Indica DLG: Great car but too much noise and engine is not refined as Swift Diesel but at the price they offer its worth. Again does not match my criteria.

I dont want to settle for another small car i.e. Alto. and not interested in ZenEstilo/WagonR/Santro.

i10 i find it a bit over priced and also the space between Gear Box Bay and driver seat is too narrow to sit comfortably for the driver.

Fiat Palio, well the day i drove 1.6 I feel in love. What a car man but fuel economy stops me for putting hands over it.
Palio 1.1 was good but lacked pickup. My maruti 800 can beat it everytime in city drag race. But if i crashed maruti 800 with palio may be I will have to look around for the scattered parts of my M800.


So guys please tell me if concluding wrong on the basis of my TestDrive experiences. Still not being able to find out the right car....

[drpullockaran]

I have a 4and1/2 GTX and the efficiency is nothing to sneer at if you drive it sedately which I confess is difficult to do. I get about 9.8 to 10.4 on 1 liter of LPG gas and so you should get above 10km/liter at the very minimum in moderate traffic conditions on a petrol diet. On the highway 14 is the norm everyone on this forum gets. All this with the AC on all the time. Jack rabbit starts is the only driving style that compromises fuel efficiency. Do remember that the engine as such is one of the most fuel efficient being Euro 3 and the only thing that brings down kilometerage is the weight it lugs around.

Also take a test drive of the new Palio MJD. The only fly in the oinment is that the Palio is serviced by good for nothing guys at the TATA service centers who treat the Palio 1.6 engines as if it were a TATA engine and expect us to be satisfied with below par mechanical efficiency when we complain of rare noises that are liable to crop up in anything mechanical over a period of time.
Bye and wear your seat belts.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

I disagree with you on i10 pricing. I do not know about the gearshift (I think that is what you meant). That is a very minor issue compared to the problems you perceive with all other cars, no?

[kailashnj]

Try the Palio Multijet and Swift Diesel. These are the best car your money can buy

[sameer551]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

I disagree with you on i10 pricing. I do not know about the gearshift (I think that is what you meant). That is a very minor issue compared to the problems you perceive with all other cars, no?

No not gear shift. What I exactly mean is legroom space for driver. The gear is kind of attached to the dashboard rather on the floor and has some rounded plastic surrounding. This leaves very less space for driver to relax the left leg while not on clutch. The knee touches the dashboard of gear everytime. Just my personal experience. Some might find it pretty comfy. But i felt that areas was cramped a bit.

[sameer551]

Originally Posted by kailashnj

Try the Palio Multijet and Swift Diesel. These are the best car your money can buy

Yes I tried Swift Diesel and did not like it for the reasons i mentioned in the post. Fiat Palio MJD is not available for TD here at dealers. Whatever came were sold out. So waiting for my turn to catch up with Palio MJD

[shuvd]

Sameer551, please don't decide on anything until you TD the diesel Palio.
As for the claustrophobic Swifts, a light shade of interior trim will surely liven up the environment IMO. And you can always opt for reversing aids.
You haven't included the Hyundai Getz in your list.

[sameer551]

Originally Posted by shuvd

Sameer551, please don't decide on anything until you TD the diesel Palio.
As for the claustrophobic Swifts, a light shade of interior trim will surely liven up the environment IMO. And you can always opt for reversing aids.
You haven't included the Hyundai Getz in your list.

Yes waiting for TD on Fiat Palio MJD.
Well I would hate to install reversing aid and that too for a hatchback!!
Getz Prime I did not have its TD but people say it has got best Gearshift in market and also heard it being underpowered for same price swift is there.

[Steeroid]

What is your budget? If budget is flexible enough, look no further than the Getz CRDi - you can have the cake, eat it and leave the crumbs for others to pick, too.

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

What is your budget? If budget is flexible enough, look no further than the Getz CRDi - you can have the cake, eat it and leave the crumbs for others to pick, too.

Originally Posted by sameer551

My Budget is maximum 4.5 lack but can stretch to 5 lack if car is good.....

Originally Posted by sameer551

Tata Indica DLG: Great car but too much noise and engine is not refined as Swift Diesel but at the price they offer its worth. Again does not match my criteria.....

If you can consider Indica, i am sure Palio MJD would be a good option. Its very much in your budget.

[ram_hyundai]

Palio 1.3 mjd ,swift vdi,and getz crdi would be the trio you should look for.palio 1.3 would be a first on T_BHP.how about it?
ram

[vikram18]

Hi there. This is my suggestion. List out your priorities in your new car (what you absolutely want, what you can live with and what you absolutely cannot tolerate) and then see what is the best match in your budget.
A lot of the complaints that you have mentioned are pure common sense. A really fast, well built car, with oodles of space and great A.S.S. is not going to be either cheap or all that fuel-efficient!
You have to make some compromises; which ones you're prepared to make are entirely up to you. NO car is perfect in everybody's eyes. Some like speed, some like looks, some like a comfortable soft suspension, some demand fuel efficiency. If there were truly a car that had ALL of this and that too under 5 lakhs, ALL of us would have that parked in our garage!

[le_doctor]

well i think the best deal you could get with your budget is really the getz crdi.......heard its the engine of the diesel verna.....think thats 104 bhp power. swift diesel is one of the most refined in its segment......wait for the palio diesel if you could though. personally a very big fan of the fiat diesels.

the indica diesel turbo is good but not at all refined. mileage is also decent but then from what i hear you have to be lucky with the indica.....i have a one and a half year old indica run 40000 km with 0 prob and there are people who will be hurling abuses from day 1.

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by vikram18

You have to make some compromises; which ones you're prepared to make are entirely up to you. NO car is perfect in everybody's eyes. Some like speed, some like looks, some like a comfortable soft suspension, some demand fuel efficiency. If there were truly a car that had ALL of this and that too under 5 lakhs, ALL of us would have that parked in our garage!

You will have to make compromises. List your priorities, review them and try to choose the car. You will be able to make a decision.

When I was looking for a hatchback, I wanted the engine and handling of Swift with the space, comfort and build quality of Getz. I was totally confused. I was able to make a decision after reviewing my priorities many times. I chose Getz and I am happy with the decision.

For zip zap driving my choice would be Getz CRDI, Swift Deisel and Palio MJD in the given order. You have not mentioned your average daily running. I am assuming that it justifies a diesel.

All the Best!!

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

a) There are complaints about accent CRDI at 70K kms or so. Does this apply to the getz crdi? This is just loud thinking.

b) I think space in swift is lesser than a wagonR. I may be biased, since I own a wagonR. I did not like the looks when I saw the vehicle from outside, and I had ride in one couple of months back. I did not like the interiors too.