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Old 8th December 2011, 17:27   #61
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Guys, Does it make sense buying a used Getz 2010 1.1L, 10k on the ODO for 3.5Laks? This car is available at a Hyundai Advantage dealer with 2 free service and warranty.

I'm also scared about the fact that the production has stopped, What options do i have to buy a used hatch for 4~4.5L?
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Old 9th February 2012, 09:07   #62
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

This is a fantastic thread. However, I find that most of the information seems to apply to Petrol cars. Does the same apply to Diesel cars as well?

Are modern day diesel cars (common rail diesel engines) a good option to buy used?

Which are some of the better options among sedans? And which are ones to avoid, particularly from the perspective of a high cost of maintenance?
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Old 9th February 2012, 10:14   #63
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

I have also been doing a lot of soul searching and the entire diesel vs petrol debate has been added to the new vs old car debate. If u ask me any used diesel is a strict no no, firstly it is very very difficult to find a diesel which has not done anything lesser than 25 - 30 K per annum, add to that the cost of repairs and the deterioration in the NVH with progression in years. A petrol any day.

SO much for being a VW, these days i wake up to the jarring rattle of a polo diesel which has been bought by my neighbor. It has only done 5K and it can easily compete with any tata.
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Old 9th February 2012, 10:31   #64
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Quote:
Originally Posted by anoop.mathew View Post
Are modern day diesel cars (common rail diesel engines) a good option to buy used?
Frankly, every modern CR diesel unit cost a bomb to repair. Earlier, one can use your ears and eyes to detect the actual mileage of engines, but these days a new engine as well as a 2L done engine both sound the same.

Nevertheless, one can look for black/blue smoke from the exhaust, as well as the service record checks.

Shy away from cars that are at dealerships without a service record; these days digital ODO's are easily tampered with.
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Old 9th February 2012, 16:39   #65
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Hi guys,
Since childhood I have a facination for Mercs. Thesed days one can buy a merc post 2000-2001 models for about 6-8 lacs and I think I can afford one just for the satisfaction of owning one. I live in a small town and owning a Merc here is a big thing.

I have come acroos so many ads on team-bhp alone wherein you can buy a Merc or for that matter a BMW or Audi for a very good price. But my concern always has been the cost and ability to maintain them. Though the premium cars will be my second car and will be used very less but regularly.

All that I want to know from the experts and the experienced bhpians is that will it be a wise choice to buy a used premium car such as a Merc, BMW or Audi which is about 10 years old. Will it be possible for a person like me to maintain it without spending a fortune. For your idea I would like to tell u that currently I own a i20 CRDI Asta O. My i20 runs about 24K kms a year and maybe I will use the premium car for about 10K kms per year. So how much will the maintainance of a 10 year old premium car cost me. Which brand is easy on the pocket to maintain. Please suggest.

Thanks/Regards.
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Old 9th February 2012, 18:56   #66
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Quote:
Originally Posted by akshay_b View Post
Guys, Does it make sense buying a used Getz 2010 1.1L, 10k on the ODO for 3.5Laks? This car is available at a Hyundai Advantage dealer with 2 free service and warranty.
Akshay from just a initial cost- current cost comparision this looks good however you should also see that this is a discontinued model (not that you may find issue with spares any time soon) which may cause further depreciation in cost when you plan of selling it later. Also, does the car have proper service records ? 10k in 2.5 yrs is bit less.
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Old 24th April 2012, 12:53   #67
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Bought a Fiesta 2007 TDCi, 9 months back. Single owner and looked well maintained. The engine sounded nice, exhaust note and smoke was normal. The car was ok for about 3 months, sine then it has really started to dig deep, in my pocket. In the past 6 months, I have changed the following,

1. Clutch plate assembly,
2. AC compressor coil
3. AC hose pipe (2 pipes)
4. Tyres
5. Alternator
6. And other spare things worth around 15K (incl of 2 services).

All from FASS. The car is driving well, but this much repairs within 6 months has really tested my patience and confidence in the car.

Lesson learnt - Never buy a used car if you need peace of mind in owning a car. This will be my last used car, I will galdly wait till I save enough to buy a new car.

Last edited by Optimus7 : 24th April 2012 at 13:14.
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Old 24th April 2012, 13:50   #68
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Optimus,
Let me assure you that there is nothing cardinally wrong with buying used cars. In fact, I have no hesitation in recommending only used cars to people who drive sparingly and also to those who are fairly meagerly salaried .
For those who commute in excess of 40 km a day and also drive inter-city, they must be careful to ensure that their buy is from a known source only..family, friend, colleague etc
Buying a used car makes terrific sense if you are not lavishly paid and also drive less than say 30 -40 km a day because of the money you will end up saving or rather not spent.
A used car, 3 years old, driven 30,000 km, owned by an elderly couple or used as a second car by a doctor's family; you will find hundreds of examples like this.
You can pick up this car for around 40 -50 % of its new cost. You save a lot of capital that way. Your car doesn't depreciate very fast anymore. It is more immune to scratches or rather you are more immune to its scratches than if u'd bought a new car. You pay lower insurance premia etc.
The flip side ( if u can actually call it that), is that you have a used car and not a new one. But how does that matter? A car is a means of conveyance which has through the hard sell of American culture become a status symbol thing. But it is a fast depreciating asset and unless you are a wealthy individual, a businessman or a highly paid employee, you are frittering away your hard earned dough. Think of the umpteen household appliances, gadgets, holidays and other conveniences ( like cold beer) you could get with just the interest component you save.
The counter argument is normally that an old car could easily consume chunks of money in large repairs / renewals. This is where Shri Optimus, you have been suckered.
The car that you picked up is nearly 5 years old. It is a diesel car and has obviously been used extensively, I assure you, even if the odometer doesnt say so! One must have the odo readings confirmed from the service centers always in such cases. The AC has obviously been used all the time and its components have outlived their service life. The clutch has a life too and so have all consumables, rubber parts and such perishables. The alternator packing up is one of those things which is abnormal. I am surprised you have mentioned tyres because their condition would have been visible when you went through with the purchase.
You should also factor in about Rs 50K whenever you buy used to help cover all these sorts of niggling issues.
That's my take.
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Old 26th April 2012, 18:08   #69
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Fiestarry: I thought about it a great deal, and financially it made great sense to buy a used car at 40-50% of its price. I knew that I will be spending about 50K on top of the car price for servicing it. I was willing to spend more than that if it was necessary.

I don't mind the cost, but the unreliability in the past 3 months has really worried me. If it was like you give for service, get a 20-30K bill and the car is good for 12 months or so, then I am more than happy for it. But its the unreliable nature in which the parts are failing, which concerns me. FASS tells me, the car has not been serviced for past 2 years (before I bought), I think that explains it all.

The mistake I did was buying from a dealer, and being unaware of the fact that, 4-5 years is the lifespan of quiet a few wear and tear parts. The tires were Pirelli (205/50 r15) with a good amount of tread left in it and was only a year old. So I was surprised when I started losing air pressure in 2 of the tires very often, when I took to the tyre dealer he told me there are a lot of cuts in the sidewall and the tyres won't last long. I was new to tubeless tyres and didn't check the sidewalls when I bought it.

Don't get me wrong, I love my car and plan to keep it for another 3-4 years and in the 10 months of owning it, I have already serviced it twice.
My point is even though its a great deal financially, there is no assurance of peace of mind when it comes to maintenance. I am taking good care of the car, so I will be really happy if it makes me eat my words in the coming months.
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Old 30th June 2012, 18:49   #70
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Hi all,

My first post and I will drive straight into an immediate need. First the background, we have a Safari which my wife uses. I had an Octavia which I've just returned to my company. Need to buy a car now and looking at the rising cost of Petrol, am looking to go diesel even for the second car. Expect to drive 12-15K kms every year. Never bought a used car so far but reading the various threads, have come to the conclusion that a used car offers a bigger bang for the buck today. Of course, there is the associated risk of being taken for a literal ride but I'm willing to take a bit of a gamble.

Not mechanically inclined at all but have always loved the looks of the old Passat. So am thinking of buying a 2008 / 09 TDI Auto. A few questions:
  1. Is a 3-4 year old used Passat a good idea at all? Saw a pretty scary thread "VW Passat - Problems Alert!" started by GTO in 2008. After reading the thread, my Passat fetish has weakened a little. Have things improved since 2008?
  2. I've seen a lot of debate about PD v/s CRDI. Is PD necessarily a bad thing?
  3. When exactly did Passat change from PD to CRDI(which month)? It appears to have happened sometime in 2009.
  4. What should I expect to pay? I do realise that this will depend on the condition but say a 2009 Highline AT with 40K on the odo?
  5. What will be the maintenance cost per year?
  6. What kind of surprises can I expect in terms of maintenance? I hear that that the parts are very expensive.
  7. Should I look at the Petrol variant as well? Will that be better in terms of maintenance cost?
  8. What kind of mileage can I expect from a 3-4 year old diesel Passat?
  9. Now that there is a new model for this car, will there be part availability issues going forward?
  10. Since I'm ill qualified to judge the condition of the car, can I use the VW service station to inspect the car and give me some reassurance. DO they undertake this service and how much would they charge.
  11. To throw in a wildcard at the end - came across what looked like a pretty good deal, a 2010 Accord with 24K at 11 Lacs negotiable. The car looked fantastic cosmetically. And had 2 years additional warranty available. My concerns were on the fuel economy. Did the math based on my daily mileage and the Accord will mean at least one lac extra per year on fuel . Also I found the Accord too big and a bit unwieldy and like I said, to me Passat is the more aesthetically pleasing of the two. On the other hand a 2 year Jap vehicle will almost certainly impart peace of mind in terms of service and reliability. Is that a fair assumption?

As you've probably guessed, while Passat is my car of choice, I'm not completely closed to other suggestions from Forum members.

I'm in Mumbai, so if any of you know of any good deals available, please let me know on mmishh at gmail dot com. Would be so grateful for your comments / advice. Also not too sure if this is the right place for this post or I should do a new one. Hopefully, the mods will be able to decide.

Thanks
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Old 14th September 2012, 22:35   #71
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Hi Guys, I Don't know if this is the right place to post this question. I am planning to buy a used Honda Civic next week. Car has been decided and advance paid. Can someone fill me up on the formalities needed for change of registration/ insurance etc and any other details which I should not miss out. Thanks.
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Old 30th November 2012, 22:44   #72
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

I am back with a question I wasn't expecting to ask so soon - in the same year I already bought a (new) car.

I have a valid driving license, I have driven cars now and then and I can handle the car in terms of operating it well enough, but I drive only occasionally and thus not being in regular practice, I haven't driven in city/slow dense traffic except once or twice ( that was the WagonR , now sold ). I have a bit of a phobia in thick traffic of damaging the car, or someone else's , not being used to driving in increasingly dense traffic. Highways, I manage fine

So with this my concern is - should I buy another cheap, used car for myself, with the aim of using it to hone my judgement of the car's four corners and how to estimate gaps , rather than risk my new Figo being damaged (and thus unavailable for dad if out of service for repairs ) , ruining the insurance record as well?

My though is, I'd rather get familiar with driving in traffic on a cheap old car especially Maruti, that is cheap to repair , than risk potentially more expensive repairs on newer car ? I'd also feel less upset if I scratched/dented an old car than a new one ! Or should I go ahead with using the Figo as my training ride ? I haven't quite fixed a plan on how long I would use the car - but it would a huge bonus if the car can be a good mile muncher and economical to run and maintain/repair.

I did think of the Nano - it's cheap but also so small, it probably won't help much since my objective is to be able to develop a judgement for a biggish car well enough to be second nature in traffic.


As of now I have no urgent need of a second car, hence avoiding buying a car unless I change jobs to another city - though the resurgence of the "raise car taxes" thread again, has popped the idea back in my head.

Last edited by Ricci : 30th November 2012 at 22:49.
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Old 2nd October 2013, 23:39   #73
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Hello All,

Please help me with this as I need to take the decision quickly and the decision will cost me my entire savings that I have currently.

So I have zeroed down on a 2006 Mitsubishi Cedia Elegance Petrol which has done 51,000 kms as per the current odometer reading. He is asking 2.2 lakhs for the car. I went today in bright day light and inspected the vehicle as well. Although I could not find any dents or deformities in the body shape to hint of any accident but the wear and tear of body paint, steering, gear knob and pedals did indicate rough and extensive usage of the car. Though the seat covers, music system and other parts of the interior were well maintained. I drove the car too and had a look at the engine and the first impression was ok. The ride was rattle free.

But that is not just the entire story. Before going for physical check of the car the current owner had sent me photos of the car. The number plate at the back had sticker of a servicing center on it. I googled it and found out the number of that center. I called them up and gave them the registration number of the car. They said the car came last to them in 2010 with 1,00,000 kms on the odomete. Then I found out the numbers of authorized service centers for Mitsubishi in Delhi. I call up Excel Motors and they said the car came to them in 2011 with 1,20,000 on the odometer. I tell the owner about this but he is simply refusing to accept. Now as per the owner he had replaced the tyres at 30,000 kms but the current tyres on it are Bridgestone Potenza which I believe are the tyres that came as standard with Cedia when it was launched.

I have found another Cedia Elegance which is in nice shape and has very less wear and tear comparatively but here there is a dealer in between and he is asking for 3 lakhs. I am trying to find contact of the owner directly. Wish me luck

I am not in mood to buy brand new hand hatch back as only Alto K10 is in my budget and although engine is peppy but its safety rating is scary and for others I will hhave to take a loan which I simply want to avoid at this point in time. I have just got married and hence I need a car badly.

BHPians please help me with this decision.


Note from Mod - please limit the use of emoticons to 3 - please read the posting rules and guidelines

Last edited by ajmat : 3rd October 2013 at 08:53.
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Old 22nd October 2013, 18:00   #74
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

CHANGING YOUR CAR- A CASE OF “HEART” OVER “MIND”

This question popped up recently, after seeing the pictures and specs of the new Skoda Octavia.

I currently drive a Honda City AT (bought in august 2010). This is our family car and all our outings-both within the city and outside happens in this vehicle. It is a modern car and I have no special grouses with it. It has not given me any cause of concern or insecurity so far. The low ground clearance was partly compensated by upgrading to larger tyres-and this works 95% of the time. I have no “real” excuse to change the car right now.

My last vehicle was a Ford Fusion-bought in 2005, one of the original ones-with all European parts!. Did about 1,00,000 kms in 5 years. An excellent car-unfortunately, spares were becoming a problem. Also, the car was not equipped with airbags. So after much cringing , let it go and got the Honda City AT.

I have recently completed the EMI’s on the City. Was generally browsing and came across the coverage of the Skoda Octavia launch. Was smitten!!! It looked beautiful and came loaded with tons of electronics-a true beauty with brains.

Now I am rationalizing about why I should change the CityAT to the Skoda AT. So here we are, a decision of the heart, that the mind is trying to rationalize. So, how should one decide, succumbing to the impulse or using cold logic.

I am sure that there are instances where a car HAS to be changed. But generally, these are few. Most will change a perfectly usable car at some point after a few years.

So what is it with men and their cars? Seems more a matter of the “heart” rather than the “mind “ to me. What's your take !!!

docsr
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Old 16th December 2013, 23:28   #75
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Re: ARTICLE: Buying a New Car vs Used Car

Hi all

I have a swift vdi and it has run 80k Kms ,I bought it new in oct 08.
Now I am confused as to whether I need to change it and move to next car or stay with this for more time.

My swift has no problem but I am afraid that goin forward tyre,suspension,steering and clutch might be up for replacement ,

And for my next car I want a solid car with good suspension and MOST IMPORTANTLY GOOD LEG SPACE ... AS I Am 6'2 ,if I delay the decision I might have to spend on swift may be in 6months and lose on resale value for every km/year

On the other hand I don't want to spend more than five Lakhs on next car and has to be diesel.i might get 3.5 to 3.75 on swift and rest from my hand...

I am unable to come to a decision so request your help
Should I sell swift or retain it,what should be my next car ????

Thanks in advance
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