A Car to Love

[zuch]

Last few months my mind's been going through a roller coaster ride trying to decide on a car that I want to own and love. I started with the intention of owning a palio 1.6; then went on to look at the swift, the sx4, the fiesta and the fusion. I even booked the fiesta at one time but backed out on the news that an upgrade is coming next month.

And today I came across this thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...hatch-d-3.html (Got my Red Hot Hatch :D (Palio Stile 1.6 Sport)) which has revived my love for the palio :-D

So every night I sleep with a different car in my head

Here's a bit about me and what I want from a car

I want a driver's car
I drive mostly in the city (either hatchback/sedan would do. nothing too big or difficult to find parking space for)
I mostly drive alone (rear passenger space/comfort would be good but not the highest priority)
I drive 10-15 Kms a day so I WANT a petrol
I would like to take the car out on long drives once in three months(mostly to the hills)
I want to own the car for a longer period because I would like to enjoy the different stages of it's life cycle (so resale is not much of a concern)
Safety features are important (can be a show stopper since I want to keep the car for long and even though I'm a bachelor right now things might change soon and I could have a lady to look after and a bigger family at a later stage)
The car should be built to last
And most importantly my budget - 8 lacs max

I TDd several cars but here are the ones that I am considering (at the moment)

palio 1.6

+ves
Great to drive
Build quality
Looks (Can be subjective but the new palio's looks have grown on me)

-ves
NO safety features(abs/airbag) - big let down :(
Interiors (can live with them)

fusion (1.6 petrol)

+ves
Decent driving pleasure
ABS+EBD
Practical for city driving and some highway use
Looks

-ves
No airbags

fiesta (1.6 petrol)

+ves
Great to drive
Safety features - ABS+EBD/Driver airbag

-ves
Low ground clearance
Looks (Subjective again but I like the fusion's looks more than the fiesta)

Now it seems that the final deciding factors seem to be the safety features. If the palio came with ABS/airbags I'd buy it with eyes closed.

Among the ford cars I like the fusion more because of it's ground clearance and looks but it does not have airbags. Should I worry about that too much?

What do you guys say?
1. Should I go with my heart and buy a palio and not worry about the safety features and save the rest of the money for fuel
2. Should I take the middle route and buy the practical car which I love (fusion)
3. Should I go for a more conventional sedan which also has more safety features and it would probably have lesser problem with spares availability as compared to the other two (fiesta)

I'm really confused and sorry if this post is too long but...
"You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help."

[Torque123]

As you have already narrowed down your choices to 3 cars i would recommend as follows Fiesta - Palio - Fusion. Ground clearence in Fiesta is not an issue because i have never scraped the belly of my car till date. The over all performance is just great and it meets all your requirements.

I personally dont like SX4 however you can TD it once as it satisfies your needs (you are ok with interiors of Palio so i assume that the SX4 interiors too should be ok for you) and is within your budget. Liking a particular car is again subjective. Keep this post updated on which car you finally decide.

All the best!!!!

[zuch]

Originally Posted by Torque123

I personally dont like SX4 however you can TD it once as it satisfies your needs (you are ok with interiors of Palio so i assume that the SX4 interiors too should be ok for you) and is within your budget. Liking a particular car is again subjective. Keep this post updated on which car you finally decide.

All the best!!!!

I have TD'd the sx4 but I found too many small glitches that I could not ignore. The TD vehicle had a couple of plastic buttons broken, the EPS seemed a little unreliable and I thought it favored a certain direction, the horn was not working. Although these could be things specific to the test car but I want a car that is built to last and based on my observation and some threads on this site I am not considering it. Also primarily I didn't find it as pleasing to drive as the 3 cars I have listed. And I'm a short guy with 5" 6' and I found that the visibility in sx4 was very low, though I could get used to that but I'm not too positive about that car.

[hondadude]

Originally Posted by zuch

What do you guys say?
1. Should I go with my heart and buy a palio and not worry about the safety features and save the rest of the money for fuel
2. Should I take the middle route and buy the practical car which I love (fusion)
3. Should I go for a more conventional sedan which also has more safety features and it would probably have lesser problem with spares availability as compared to the other two (fiesta)

Considering your desire to buy a driver's car, I would recommend that you narrow your choices down to Palio and Fiesta. I have a question for you. Which one of the two did you enjoy more while driving and how big is the difference ?

I also recommend that you do another round of TD. With the initial euphoria gone, you might have an easier time deciding between the choices.

[ittiam]

Why not TD Palio MJD?

I wanted something very similar. Drivers car, fun to drive, good handling yeda yeda. I've booked MJD. Its a car you might love as well. In my opinion, Fiesta and Fusion would be sluggish compared to MJD. Also, Fusion might look dated very soon.

[vkochar]

Fiesta 1.6 is a great car. Go for the top end and you will be spoilt - Driver Airbag, Alloys, Leather, Music System.

[mobike008]

I think you should go with your heart, Palio 1.6 as its a drivers car and really nothing is wrong with it.

A.S.S is also improving as the number of palio owners is increasing quite a lot. And, as you rightly said, the saved money can go for the fuel and maintenance cost.

[zuch]

Originally Posted by hondadue

Considering your desire to buy a driver's car, I would recommend that you narrow your choices down to Palio and Fiesta. I have a question for you. Which one of the two did you enjoy more while driving and how big is the difference ?

I also recommend that you do another round of TD. With the initial euphoria gone, you might have an easier time deciding between the choices.

I have been driving a 2001 accent for the past 2 years which I bought second hand(Had to sell it recently because it was getting difficult to maintain). On driving the fiesta I feel just at home. The ride, handling and seating etc is very similar to my previous car but it's a new car and there is more power and it's slightly more refined.

The palio feels like something else. It's got a sporty feel to it. And it's not something that I'm used to. So the inclination to try something different made me favour the palio after the TD.

But your idea of taking another TD is good I will do just that.

The only reason I had fusion in the picture is because it is smartly designed. I love mountain biking and I sometimes carry my bicycle in my car when on a road trip. The fusion will let me keep my bicycle by folding the rear seat. For the other two cars I will have to dismantle it and then keep it but I'm used to doing that...

Originally Posted by ittiam

Why not TD Palio MJD?

I wanted something very similar. Drivers car, fun to drive, good handling yeda yeda. I've booked MJD. Its a car you might love as well. In my opinion, Fiesta and Fusion would be sluggish compared to MJD. Also, Fusion might look dated very soon.

Sluggish??? I think you are comparing the diesel versions of the fiesta and fusion. I am looking for a petrol. At a running of 10-15 Kms a day and occasional long drives it won't make sense for me to buy diesel.

Originally Posted by vkochar

Fiesta 1.6 is a great car. Go for the top end and you will be spoilt - Driver Airbag, Alloys, Leather, Music System.

Yes I am considering the top end fiesta and I had even booked it but I got to know a new version is coming in June. I guess I will wait till it comes out before I finalize my decision. The wait is painful

[gods-envy]

Are u in a hurry to pick up a car now or are you ok to wait?
I mean there are quite a lot of cars waiting to be released...so maybe you can wait a little.. (from the Fiat Stable - Grande Punto, Linea)
Dont go for the Fiesta as there are news that the design might be revamped
So, in my opinion its either the Palio or the Fusion.

I am not a big fan of SRV, but still have you TD-ed it?

[zuch]

Originally Posted by gods-envy

Are u in a hurry to pick up a car now or are you ok to wait?
I mean there are quite a lot of cars waiting to be released...so maybe you can wait a little.. (from the Fiat Stable - Grande Punto, Linea)
Dont go for the Fiesta as there are news that the design might be revamped
So, in my opinion its either the Palio or the Fusion.

I am not a big fan of SRV, but still have you TD-ed it?

I've sold my existing car so I am without a car for the moment. So I do need a car soon but I am planning to wait till the fiesta upgrade next month. I don't know if I can wait for the GP, Linea etc since it is not even confirmed by when they will be launched.

I hadn't considered the SRV. Maybe I should TD it as well.

[ravikn]

Go for Palio 1.6 if you do not want boot space or for Fusion+ as you said you like mountain biking a lot. Fusion is a real practical car and will meet your needs(huge boot space) at least for next 3-5 years. The only concern wrt to Fusion+ would be its depreciation and re-sale value. but if you plan to keep the car for 5 years, just go for it and will serve you better

[GTO]

I'll tell you what you should do; buy a used Palio 1.6. They go cheap, and I much prefer the older 1.6's to the newer. The Palio 1.6 fetches anywhere between 1.5 - 2.5 lakhs in the second hand bazaar. Think about it.....you are paying 30 - 50% for a car which still has about 80% of its useful life ahead.

Soup it up a bit, high revv her and have a blast. When you get married, buy a new sedan. Your wife will do the talking then.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'll tell you what you should do; buy a used Palio 1.6. They go cheap, and I much prefer the older 1.6's to the newer. The Palio 1.6 fetches anywhere between 1.5 - 2.5 lakhs in the second hand bazaar. Think about it.....you are paying 30 - 50% for a car which still has about 80% of its useful life ahead.

Soup it up a bit, high revv her and have a blast. When you get married, buy a new sedan. Your wife will do the talking then.

I too find the S10 Model of the Palio 1.6 a lot better looking than the current Stiles.
BTW, are you sure the Fiesta is coming with a new version as soon as June? If so, it may be worth waiting.

[danlalan]

Originally Posted by zuch

I hadn't considered the SRV. Maybe I should TD it as well.

SRV looks hot. But performance is not really upto the mark.

Wait for the NEW FORD Fiesta. iam sure it'll be worth the wait. Fusion is a bit expensive to maintain.

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'll tell you what you should do; buy a used Palio 1.6. They go cheap, and I much prefer the older 1.6's to the newer. The Palio 1.6 fetches anywhere between 1.5 - 2.5 lakhs in the second hand bazaar. Think about it.....you are paying 30 - 50% for a car which still has about 80% of its useful life ahead.

Soup it up a bit, high revv her and have a blast. When you get married, buy a new sedan. Your wife will do the talking then.

Sooper Suggestion GTO!! Reminds me of what I had done... had bought an M800, my wife had a Zen, got married, sold both, moved on to a Safari!