Re: New Fortuner / Pajero versus Used '08 Montero. Which would you pick? I am sorry for the no-report for such a long time. it got so embarrasing, I was too ashamed to come back here. but since there is interest, I owe you guys an explanation.
the short of it is this:
The vehicle will primarily be used day to day by my dad and on expeditions by me. and my dad was delaying the purchase because he wanted to pay cash and his money was tied up so things kinda came to a halt while we waited for his money to free up.
Once that happened, he decided that he likes the pajero, that it has adequate power for him but he can't get over why mitsubishi should be unloading dated engine technology at full prices. Its not that he needs or wants or wants more, he doesn't see why he should buy old.
So we argued about that and came to an impasse. and it looked like the impasse would break if we found a good used montero. So I looked at some more. And they were all junk. Used hard, obviously fake KM readings on the odos, brokers hawking them with lies about having service records, and no opportunity to talk to the owners.
Then I found a 2008 with 62,000km and dealt directly with the owner. This was the second best montero I have seen so far (the best was the 54k km 2007) but I wasn't happy with its ride quality over rough surfaces and I was also a bit let down by the much bulkier and sluggish feel of the 2008 after the 2007. Add to that the fact that the 2007 I had loved, the seller was talking about a deal possible around 18 lacs, while this 2008's owner wouldn't budge from 23.
I just didn't feel right about it given the price, the KM, my reservation about the ride quality. so I let it go.
Then I got a line on a 2008 manual with 30k km, asking 25lacs. I went to see it and it turned out to be a 74k km car with an auto and with a big dent.
While all this was going on, my dad asked me to look at some S class 350s as well. So I was doing that was well. Most were junk but I found one S350 that was just superb. but that fell through for the most Indian of reasons. The guy selling it was a young broker. His tau ji had given him space in his own showroom to do the same business, selling used luxury and import cars. By the time I brought my dad from chandigarh to see the car, the tau ji had kicked his nephew out and wouldn't tell me his contact info because he wanted me to buy the crappy S500 he had. I had stupidly neglected to take the young guy's mobile number. The card he'd given had the showroom's numbers and the mobile on it was the tau's number.
Then I was in chandigarh when I got a line on an S350L with 22,000km. Seller assured that the km was genuine and had full service records from a big mercedes dealer in delhi. So my dad and I drove to delhi to see the car and it turned out to be junk. The interior had heavy wear and tear, engine was noisy, the ride was poor. There was no way that car had 22,000km. The dash display said it needed new brake pads. how can a car need need new pads at 22000km anyway? the plastic switchgear had such heavy wear that not only were symbols obliterated but the black surface had worn off some of them exposing the light plastic underneath. the doors shut with a junky clang. The car probably had 200,000km on it. Certainly no less than 100,000 under any circumstance.
This was a fatal day. My dad was so disgusted and so angry at the shamelessness and dishonesty that his mood just went off totally. He became disgusted and depressed because he is a man of unimpeachable integrity and honesty who sells his own cars in top condition at low prices and just couldn't stomach the ugly game that the used car business in India is.
So for a while he decided that he wouldn't buy anything. He decided to just wait till the perfect used car appeared and till then he'd buy a honda city AT to tide him over. He rationalized it to himself by saying that he needs a small convenient car for Chandigarh anyway.
I managed to dissuade him from that and continued to look for used monteros (which is when I saw the two 2008s I mentioned above).
For a while he toyed with buying a lovely 2006 S350 we saw for 35 lacs but decided against it.
Over the weekend, I am going to go look at 4 more Monteros, two 2007s and two 2008s. I have very little hope.
So the situation now is that my dad doesn't want a pajero, I won't let him buy a Fortuner under any circumstance, and we can't find a good used Montero.
So for now I'm continuing to look for used Monteros and hoping that I can find another one like that brilliant 2007 we lost.
in the mean time all the dealers and brokers are pissed off with me because I keep looking and rejecting and they are convinced that I am not serious because nobody spends 6 months looking for a vehicle.
If anybody knows of a good used montero, please let me know.
Last edited by Harbir : 11th November 2011 at 08:46.
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