Need to choose between- Ikon1.4/Swift Vdi/ Punto MJD

[Born 2 Be Wild]

Hi Everyone,

I am looking to buy a new diesel car as Driving My ikon 1.8 is not so much fun now Its a NA Diesel engine and i want to sell it off because now is the time when i would be looking at huge Bills And FORD A.s.s Is best avoided Hence am seling it off.

The Choice is between
1.Ikon 1.4
2.Swift Vdi
3.Punto emotion MJD

Budget- Is fixed at an absolute 5.5 lakhs for everything including Accessories, Since am buying the car through CSD the prices quoted are
Ikon- 5.10 OTR
Swift Vdi- 4.80 OTR
Punto- Have to get an exact quote but it would be approx 5.10 OTR

First of all It definately has to be diesel as My monthly running is between 3000-4000 Kms.

My requirements are

1. Resale after 4 years as i plan to keep the car for that period and sell an upgrade to an SUV so maximum resale is what i am lookin for.

2. Good A.S.S I definately do not want to compromise on this as i want total peace of mind and Incompetence is something i dont value much.

3. Niggle free ownership for 4 years.

4. The car will be drivin mostly in the city with one trip to dehradoon Every month

5. Cabin space- is Not a priority as Its just me an mom mostly in the car so the rear seats are unoccupied 90% of the times.

6. I want something thats Fun to drive and brings a smile to your face when You Floor that pedal Once a day.

Swift - I am more inclined towards the Swift even though i dont like the looks as much as For me What matters most is A.S.S and resale after 4 years plus I am looking at outright perfomance as i am now fed up of Driving the Ikon 1.8 and need a car that pushes you straight back into the seat once You floor the accelarator

Punto- Absolutely Stunning to say the least loved the interiors as well but my biggest apprehensions are regarding A.S.S at Tata workshops Those Dudes cant solve isssues on their cars so what do i expect for Fiat cars.
I would request punto owners especially from NCR to give me their experiences from A.S.S In NCR and their Opinion.

Also Whould i get a decent resale for the Punto After 4 years?

Ikon- last on my list as The resale is pathetic and The Ford Workshops In NCR Are like Wolves Waiting for the sheep to enter i have had horible experiences with theese guys so i dont want to add to an already big set of problems but still this option is open .


So guys Plese let me Know what you think as i almost Finlalize the Swift but each time a punto goes By i go Damm! what a stunner.

[MutantX]

Dude, since your top point is re-sale value I would suggest you go in for Swift VDi. But guys, can you highlight if we expect a new DDiS engine tweaked to BSIV norms? If yes, you can wait and book the car in 5-6 months time since there is already a waiting period of 3-4 months for the VDis.

There might be huge discounts on the Swifts (VDi/VXi) to clear the stock just before BSIV is implelmented.

Punto is a great car, but we cannot say it would have the same re-sale value as the Swift VDi. Remember that a 4 year old palio would fetch just 50% of its original value. That is a depreciation of more than 10% per year. If you are die hard fiat fan, then go for it! dont think twice.

[MCR]

I think we buy the car with the intention to drive it and not necessarly with an intention to sell. Resale value is of course required but doesnot mean that it will be the prime deciding factor. The advantages of Punto MJD over Swift Vdi are:
1. Better legroom for rear seat passengers.
2. Good Luggage space.
3. Better on features.
4. Excellent ride and handling.
5. Tilt adjustable steering.
6. Very less waiting time.

I would suggest the Punto.
Also there would be no huge discounts to clear stocks of Swift diesel since BS4 version of the engine is already available in Ritz and the huge waiting period. Also the Petrol version may come with the 1.2L doing duty in the Ritz.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

1. Resale after 4 years - Swift VDi > Ford ikon 1.4 > FIAT punto. (I'm not so sure about the ikon. However, the general indian mentalilty of paying more for a sedan should keep it well ahead of FIAT in terms of resale value.)

2. Good A.S.S- Swift VDi > Ford ikon 1.4 > FIAT punto. (Since you are very particular about A.S.S, better have a look through the various Punto ownership reports before buying one. The A.S.S is clearly its weakest link.)

3. Niggle free ownership for 4 years. (I guess this also relates to A.S.S and availability of spares. Else, all the cars are well proven. Swift tends to develop rattles over time though!)

4. The car will be drivin mostly in the city with one trip to dehradoon Every month- So, boot space is not that big a necessity, right?

5. Cabin space- is Not a priority as Its just me an mom mostly in the car so the rear seats are unoccupied 90% of the times. All the cars offer very good comfort in the front seats, but i feel swift and punto are ahead in this parameter. Swift rear seats are cramped though!

6. I want something thats Fun to drive and brings a smile to your face when You Floor that pedal Once a day- Swift VDi > Punto MJD > Ikon. Although the punto and swift share the same engine, power to weight, and the state of tune makes the swift more fun.

Go with the swift, and enjoy the rush when the turbo kicks in.

[greenhorn]

just curious why the vista quadrajet is not on the list

[finneyp]

Here is my take:

1. Resale after 4 years: Swift > Punto > Ikon
(Punto is a new model, will command more Resale value than Ikon)

2. Good A.S.S: Swift > Punto > Ikon
(In NCR, Fiat service is definitly better than Ford)

3. Niggle free ownership for 4 years: Not sure, check the Ownership reports on this forum.

4. The car will be drivin mostly in the city with one trip to dehradoon Every month : Punto > Ikon > Swift

5. Cabin space- Ikon > Punto > Swift

6. Fun to drive:
If you like the sudden turbo push, Swift it is. If your prefer the linear power delivery, go for Punto.

[ms001]

The choice should not be that though i think.

Resale/turbo kick -> swift it is
Looks/Ride/Handling/build -> Punto wins hands down
Sedan - >Ikon

dont worry about A.S.S. FIAT has improved by leaps since the launch of linea and punto.Maruti is already proven.

[nandans2005]

hey wild,

you are asking for too much, there is nothng called a perfect car with all that you are expecting.

i think its the SWIFT for you.

[NutsNBolts]

Punto MJD is going to cost you between 5.3 and 5.5 ex CSD. So if your budget is strictly 5.5, MJD is out. 1.4 Fire E+ is between 4.95 and 5.07 ex-CSD, so plan accordingly. If your only worry is A.S.S, it is a dead ghost. Swift is a good car, but is already showing its age. You might get a good resale as of today, but 4-5 years down the line, will that be possible? Nobody can say that with surety for any car.

So, follow your heart, take your mom's advice, as she is the one who is gonna be accompanying you mostly, and then take a decision. Technically speaking, Punto is offering more features that are state of the art as of today.

[somebodystopme]

Read my points below in your quoted post

Originally Posted by Born 2 Be Wild

My requirements are

1. Resale after 4 years as i plan to keep the car for that period and sell an upgrade to an SUV so maximum resale is what i am looking for.
After four years no one can tell with a surety what will fetch you better resale, I dare to forcast that by then Punto will definately give a good resale, seeing the number its selling also because of the tried and tested engine it has. Seeing the current trend its SWIFT.


2. Good A.S.S I definately do not want to compromise on this as i want total peace of mind and Incompetence is something i dont value much.
I personally never liked Maruti ***, Hyundai is much better, TATA's *** seem fine IMHO if those dudes werent able to repair their own car. It wont sell in such numbers.



3. Niggle free ownership for 4 years.
Punto>Swift>Ikon


4. The car will be drivin mostly in the city with one trip to dehradoon Every month
Punto amazing comfort.


5. Cabin space- is Not a priority as Its just me an mom mostly in the car so the rear seats are unoccupied 90% of the times.
Punto, Swift both go for you here. Though Punto has better space then swift.



6. I want something that's Fun to drive and brings a smile to your face when You Floor that pedal Once a day.
Punto will not dissapoint you if you floor the pedal once a day for sure, Swift will have better pickup but Ride Quality is a dissapointment.

If you stop worrying about resale much its Punto for you for sure. Moreover it will ring strings of your heart more than any other car, to an extent that you may want to keep her for a little more years.

[Born 2 Be Wild]

Originally Posted by MutantX

If yes, you can wait and book the car in 5-6 months time since there is already a waiting period of 3-4 months for the VDis.

Punto is a great car, but we cannot say it would have the same re-sale value as the Swift VDi. Remember that a 4 year old palio would fetch just 50% of its original value. That is a depreciation of more than 10% per year. If you are die hard fiat fan, then go for it! dont think twice.

I have been told by the agent that I can Expect delivery of Swift within 30 days. I dont think the Punto will comand better resale than the swift coz its a Fiat, My friend is going abroad and the best offer he got for his year old Palio multijet was 2.75

Originally Posted by MCR

I think we buy the car with the intention to drive it and not necessarly with an intention to sell. Resale value is of course required but doesnot mean that it will be the prime deciding factor. The advantages of Punto MJD over Swift Vdi are:
1. Better legroom for rear seat passengers.
2. Good Luggage space.
3. Better on features.
4. Excellent ride and handling.
5. Tilt adjustable steering.
6. Very less waiting time.

Thats true Even i want to buy a car with the intention to drive and thats where the heart says PUNTO,Like i mentioned earliar just love the looks! but When the question of resale comes into picture head says Boss wrong decission!

Also Am not concerned about Rear legroom its unused 90% of the time, Luggage space is also not that huge a factor Just one Bag for the dehradun trip. Ride and Handling is where the Punto Wins hands down!
Tilt Adjustable steering is also where the punto scores.
Regarding waiting, getting the swift in 30 days an no waiting for the punto.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

just curious why the vista quadrajet is not on the list

Sir jee this was the Most VFM option but what to do Mom is the typical Indian Think tank She says she is not spending Money to buy a Taxi
eventhough i have tried in vain to explain to her thats its the new Indica with the same engine and spacious interiors but alas No Go on The Vista!

Originally Posted by NutsNBolts

Punto MJD is going to cost you between 5.3 and 5.5 ex CSD. So if your budget is strictly 5.5, MJD is out. 1.4 Fire E+ is between 4.95 and 5.07 ex-CSD, so plan accordingly. If your only worry is A.S.S, it is a dead ghost.

Punto is offering more features that are state of the art as of today.

Sir Just got the quotes from the agent the Punto Active Mjd is 4.4 Ex and the emotion Pack Is 5.5 Ex Wil get the Quote for Emotion tommorow.

The punto is definately better in terms of Features and thats why i am in a dillema.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Go with the swift, and enjoy the rush when the turbo kicks in.

I just came back after driving a Vdi on the Greater Noida Expressway courtesy a Friend. Just one word PATAKHA!

Will be TDing the Punto in a couple of days. and take a final deccission within a week.

Once again Thank you everyone for your Inputs.

[Ravveendrra]

Seems the choice is narrowed down between Punto and Swift. I would for the moment leave the A.S.S and resale value in 4 years aside, as the first is a matter of debate and the latter is mere speculation - (look at what happens to resale values of discontinued models and then imagine the Swift being discontinued)

The choice between the two cars would and should depend on driving styles and preferences.

If one likes a car with great initial pick-up from standstill - Swift is the winner.

If one likes a car with great handling and ride, a surefootedness which enables higher speeds on highways - Punto is the winner.

If one likes soft seats - Swift it is,

If one likes firm seats - it has to be Punto,

Both cars come with their share of problems - Swifts are known to rattle, Punto owners report plastic bits and trim falling off. A.S.S. for both cars have owners praising as well as cursing.

I would suggest you TD both cars over really long stretches including bumpy bits and then decide.

Cheers,

[shantyrocks]

dude..i feel the swift will tick all the right areas.

I own a swift and it always brings a smile on your face when you floor the pedal but remember that its a pain to drive in city where the punto will score.

Even the Ikon is a hoot to drive.
The 1.4 tdci engine feels more responsive than in the fiesta and is only a second slower than the swift from 0-100kmph.Its easy to drive in city too.

But definitely the Punto scores heavily as far as looks are concerned.The swift are just too many on road now.

But i feel that its gonna be swift all the way for you.All the best

[vkochar]

Resale is going to be a problem in 4 years as Swift is already a 5 year old model ( the diesel is about 3 years ) and expect a new model ( full change ) next year.

The Ikon 1.4 is a damn good sedan and VFM BUT it is only a facelift and the model is actually 10 years old !!

The Punto is brand new and quite a stunner. BUT FIAT is improving it's image in India and with the Bravo Launch next year it will have 3 good selling models in India.

MY ADVISE - go for the Punto.

[kartho]

Out of the cars you've mentioned obviously Swift has the best resale value like any other Maruti product. While overall, swift is a peppy car and loves to be pushed, the vdi especially is very torquey, but you need to find out if swift vdi has ABS & Airbags - great power without safety could be dangerous !

Ikon is a very old model - so, would not recommend

Punto - if you like the interiors and you are ok with it, then Punto should be your choice. As far as resale is concerned, in the next 2 - 3 years our market is going to get flooded with all types of cars, you really cannot predict the resale value after 4 years, still, the resale loss may not be very different from other cars - even if you have a 10 - 15% additional resale loss on a Fiat, i am sure the driving pleasure and safety features will well be worth the loss !

All the best.