Ford Classic Titanium or Renault Duster 85 RxE

[sushantr5]

I currently own Tata Vista QJD. I am thinking of upgrading as my car has crossed 80000 Kms in 3.5 years and has been wonderful experience with it. I am really happy with it. I want to buy car around price tag of Rs.8.5 L on road. I would like spend as little as possible.

My requirements
0) It should be diesel
1) Spacious
2) Good to Drive
3) Boot Space
4) Mileage around 20 KMPL.
5) Super Low maintenance on servicing and parts if needed change
6) I am not keen on gizmos and features like electric mirrors, auto ac or one touch down power windows. Only basic features like All power windows and AC would suffice for me.
7) ABS and Air bags can be skipped.


Based on my likings, I have shortlisted two by carefully considering all things and all cars,

1) Ford Classic TDCi Titanium: VFM, getting 50k discount, Now with most parts shared with Figo so cheap maintenance, Image, Good resale value, Good image compared to Manza and Dezire.

2) Renault Duster 85 PS RxE Diesel: SUV, Image. I do not know about Maintenance cost. Owners please comment.

What would be your pick?

[SafeDrive]

I would opt for the Duster. The Classic is an aging vehicle and will be redendunt soon with newer models coming in. That could severly impact the resale value. The Duster on the other hand is a new intro to India and should hold a good resale for a longer time. The only draw back is that we do not have teh details on the maintenance costs in India. But it sure will give you the "snob value" :-)

[gautamkhadse]

You must consider the Ertiga , VDI ... absolute VFM . 9 lakhs on road , just 50 thousand more that your budget but absolute VFM . And the fun and mileage of the famous FIAT engine .

[sushantr5]

Originally Posted by gautamkhadse

You must consider the Ertiga , VDI ... absolute VFM . 9 lakhs on road , just 50 thousand more that your budget but absolute VFM . And the fun and mileage of the famous FIAT engine .

I will definitely go and test drive this. I too think this will be VFM, Good resale, Easy to maintain and peace of mind.

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by sushantr5

My requirements...What would be your pick

0) It should be diesel

Both the cars have it.

1) Spacious

Obviously Duster wins hands down on this aspect. You must consider if you really need the space of a duster and your regular car park space as well.

2) Good to Drive

I own a Ford and I can say it has got the best steering in its class. Can't comment about the duster.

3) Boot Space

Here it is duster again.

4) Mileage around 20 KMPL.

Both cars will give you 20KMPL only in Highway driving conditions. Expect the average to be around 15 to 18KMPL for the Ford.

5) Super Low maintenance on servicing and parts if needed change

Ford service costs are quite reasonable. However if you are planning to have the car for 5+ years, Renault would be a better option as it is known for its long term reliability.

7) ABS and Air bags can be skipped.

As an informed buyer, you shouldn't be making this statement even if your reasons against it are strong enough.

The ball is in your court now.

BTW since you have a budget of 8.5 Lacs, its better to go in for the Duster (by stretching a bit) which is relatively a fresh product in the market.

[gautamkhadse]

Originally Posted by sushantr5

I will definitely go and test drive this. I too thing this will be VFM, Good resale, Easy to maintain and peace of mind.

I too have booked the ZDI because I found it more reasonable compared to the others in the same price band . Plus the occasional extra passengers will not be a problem anymore . I dont find it technologically advanced compared to any other in the same price band . But the resale value associated with the brand is nice so in a year when I get bored I'll sell it off at a good price .

[sushantr5]

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

0) It should be diesel

Both the cars have it.

...
BTW since you have a budget of 8.5 Lacs, its better to go in for the Duster which is relatively a fresh product in the market.

I have also driven figo extensively and it has built up my confidence in Ford. Super Lovely steering, Brakes, Gear shift, Handling, Drivability, Best diesel Engine, Music system. And cheap maintenance cost as well even when I compare with my Vista. That's why I came towards Fiesta as I love the design and Ford DNA. If I end up buying hatchback again then it will be Ford Figo.

Duster is little unknown but snob value and ground clearance will be great addition.

Originally Posted by gautamkhadse

I too have booked the ZDI because I found it more reasonable compared to the others in the same price band . Plus the occasional extra passengers will not be a problem anymore . I dont find it technologically advanced compared to any other in the same price band . But the resale value associated with the brand is nice so in a year when I get bored I'll sell it off at a good price .

Thanks for injecting thought of Ertiga.. now this is one of the contender.

[YashD]

Well, the first thing I would say you should select the segment and according to the above comments seems like you are more keen towards MUV. Below is my thought about both!

Design: Its subjective, if you want a bullish looking car then Duster is the pick but no non-sense plain yet elegant design Ertiga.
Performance: Duster
Features: Ertiga for me, Duster is a bit pricey compared to Ertiga
Space: Overall Ertiga but 5 Seats then Duster
Comfort: I had a short drive in both and found that Ertiga is slightly more comfortable than Duster.
Price: Ertiga
Interior Design: Ertiga looks more upmarket thanks to the beige so again Ertiga
Overall: Ertiga, Duster only if you buy the 110 PS variant.

[condor]

@Sushant, how much time do you have ? If you want one soon, then the Duster is very likely out of contention due to it's booking back-log and delivery periods.

[sushantr5]

I am planning to purchase the car in 2-3 months. Basically my Vista will pay emi for my next car. I need to worry about only downpayment. If all goes well then my Vista will start earning for me within few weeks . I am not parting away with Vista but will be enrolled for cab service in Mumbai in friends company. Which will fetch 14-16k per month for me. All details are being finalized.

Looking at Renault speed of expansion and enthusiasm I feel they are here to stay. My friend who has his fleet services in Bangalore and Mumbai recommended me Classic because he is getting additional discount of Rs.50k over other discounts.

I will not mind buying a car in December when huge discounts are offered. What I could see in future, my new car will also eventually go to cab service to pay my next upgrade's emi.

[phamilyman]

Took a Duster TD the other day. The only issues with Duster as I see it:
- RxE is too basic. No fog lamps even!
- The gearbox is below average
- It is a joy to drive in city. The reversing was a pain for a swift owner like me but nothing you can't get used to. The IRVM is small but does an adequate job.
- It goes slower than it sounds. Think Pulsar vs Karizma But on the whole, its a competent vehicle for the city / highways.
- Body roll was far better than I expected - no sales agents swinging in and out of the IRVM

[condor]

Originally Posted by sushantr5

I am not parting away with Vista but will be enrolled for cab service in Mumbai in friends company. Which will fetch 14-16k per month for me. All details are being finalized.

I hope things go smoothly for you. There are threads /discussions here about such arrangements - where we saw it was not really a good thing to do. Please do double check the terms & conditions - check with a lawyer too.

In a worst case scenario, the person running the service may delay payments. If you withdraw, then you jeopardize both past dues & future earnings. If this happens, then either a good friendship is lost, or if it was not a very dependable relationship, then you dont have much influence on things anyway.

All the best !

[pganapathy]

I have a couple of questions for you.

1) How important is ground clearance in your day to day driving. If you drive on bad potholed roads once in six months for example, and your daily drive is on good roads, then low GC will be sufficient.

2) How much space do you really need. We would all like the space of an Innova for the odd occasions that we use it, but do we really need it on a daily basis.

3) In the event of anything happening, god forbid, to the earning of the Indica as a cab, will you be able to meet the EMI or will it cause problems.

4) Will you be travelling to various parts of the country in your car, and hence will having a good and wide spread dealer or A.S.S network be an issue.

I will make a suggestion here. Assuming Honda have their diesel engine out in time for your purchase, and if GC is not an issue, seriously consider the Honda Jazz.

[vasanthn21]

You mentioned that you short-listed these two cars after careful consideration. But, since I do not know about the other cars considered, I take the liberty of suggesting another car.

Why not the Sunny?
There is a diesel option.
It is spacious.
It shold cost lesser than duster.
Has the same engine as duster but will give better mileage.
Duster scores only if you need a SUV.

[GTO]

Quoted my own post from another thread which might be of relevance here:

Originally Posted by GTO

Advantage SEDAN:

• Lets get one thing straight : A sedan is infinitely more pleasurable to drive. Whether its a straight expressway, especially on a typically Indian highway and even more so on a fast ghat section. The sheer handling & dynamics of a sedan are simply unmatched by SUVs. Take a Linea T-Jet out cornering, then attempt the same in a Scorpio or even a 20 lakh Fortuner and you'll know what I'm talking about. Thanks to their massive body roll, an SUV is hardly a vehicle you'd equate with the fun-to-drive factor. Most 100+ BHP sedans, due to lower center of gravity & higher power-to-weight ratios, remain an absolute blast to drive.

• Performance : Again, thanks to their lighter weight and superior aerodynamics, a sedan's acceleration will leave an SUV for dead. A Honda City will do the 0 - 100 in 10 seconds, a Vento diesel in 11 seconds. The average time for SUVs in the same price bracket is 15 seconds (similar to 5 lakh rupee hatchbacks BTW). A sedan's braking ability is also superior to same-price SUVs.

• Fuel efficiency : A sedan will be inherently more fuel efficient. If we are to compare the FE figures of C segment diesel sedans to the 10 lakh rupee diesel SUVs, the average sedan is about 30 - 40% more fuel efficient. In case of petrol to petrol comparisons, the difference can be as much as 75% in favour of sedans.

• Ride comfort : The Safari's ride quality is an exception. Most other SUVs - from the Scorpio to the Endeavour to the Fortuner - suffer from bumpy ride quality. You can forget about the composed ride (city & highway) that most C & C+ sedans have to offer.

• Depth of engineering : For the same money that you'd pay for an SUV, you can buy a sedan that's a lot more technologically advanced. Compare the VW Vento to a Tata Safari, a Skoda Laura to an Endeavour or a VW Passat to a Toyota Fortuner.

• Cheaper : SUVs cost more to build and are thus, more expensive to buy as well.

• Easier to maneuver : A sedan's smaller dimensions make it easier to drive within the city, be it traffic or squeezing into that tight parking spot. The controls (steering, gearshift, pedals) generally require lesser effort as well.

• Parking : If you don't have a wide & tall parking spot, you can forget about SUVs.

• Petrol : Not everyone likes diesels. A few of us remain diehard fans of high-revving petrols. Thanks to the poor fuel efficiency of petrol SUVs, they remain a dying breed in India.

• A wider palette : Whether you want to spend 10 lakh rupees or 20, you'll have a far wider choice of sedans than SUVs in your budget.

Advantage SUV:

• Space : SUVs, thanks to their greater proportions, generally have spacious interiors as well. Plus, the third row of seats can have you carrying more than 5 passengers (impossible with any sedan).

• Ability to handle rough roads better : If your driving entails completely destroyed roads, the underpinnings of an SUV along with its higher ground clearance will make it the more suitable class of vehicle.

• 4x4 available as an option. A 4x4 SUV will drive through farms, muck, slush and rocks. Your lifestyle, work or daily driving pattern may include either of these conditions and thus, necessitate an SUV.

• High perched driving position : Undoubtedly gives you a superior view of the road ahead. In addition, you can look over the car in front of you, allowing you to take a more informed decision (e.g. when overtaking).

• Muscle : Needless to say, errant auto rickshaws & taxi drivers don't mess with a butch SUV as much as they do with a shiny sedan.

• Can seriously haul : SUVs have larger cargo capacities. Folding down or removing their rear seats gives enough capacity to move home. Dream on, sedans.

• Image : Who doesn't want to look cool? A macho SUV can give your social standing a massive boost.

Which is safer?

Well, the debates wide open on this factor. A sedan's superior handling & braking capabilities will help you avoid that accident in the first place. Plus, SUVs are prone to roll over too. On the other hand, you can't argue with sheer size & metal. In a head on collision between a Captiva & a Cruze, or a Safari and an Indigo, I do feel occupants of the former will suffer less injury.

The best of both worlds:

Crossovers are based on sedans, yet styled as SUVs. Cars like the Yeti / CRV / Outlander are nearly as much fun to drive as their sedan siblings and bring some SUV advantages too. However, in many areas, they are neither "here" nor "there". For instance, these crossovers lack the sheer ruggedness & offroad ability of SUVs. Neither can they seat anymore than 5 passengers (just as sedans). Plus, due to their weight, they aren't as quick or efficient as sedans. It doesn't help that they cost more than their sedan siblings either. Most people buy the premium crossovers for image rather than anything else.

SUMMARY

In a nutshell, buy an SUV only if you need the three rows of seats, rough road package or AWD. But for all things else, there is no substitute for the driving pleasure that a powerful sedan or hatchback can give you.