Re: ARTICLE: How to buy a *USED* Car in India I am at present using a used SKODA YETI ( 2012 MODEL) purchased by me in 2017 and a used HONDA CBR 250(2011) and Kawasaki Ninja 650 (2011) bikes purchased in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
About SKODA YETI :==
I purchased it only after test riding the car ( a 4*4 with 140 BHP ,Diesel) on the Hyderabad ,ring road reaching a top speed of 185 kmph. I found the sitting position was very suitable for me and the car is light in weight and high in pickup . It did not show up any problems and a U-turn was good enough or satisfying.
The interior was extremely clean with fine leather seats and the rear seats were almost untouched. The car came to the dealer at Gachchibowli, Hyderabad after the dealer made a phone call to the seller.
When I went to the dealers location , I saw a school girls slippers or a small toy still there in the car. I did not see the seller. That was all.
I had transferred , 9,40 ,000 rupees , by RTGS and believed in the honesty of the dealer ( a very big shop ) . I bought the car home in the afternoon , after a 3M type of cleaning was done by the dealer. The car has a valid insurance from Bajaj.
As the dealer informed me and also as there was a sticker from Skoda service , the service was recently done. And hence, I did not bother to get a check done etc., After a good 1000 km run ,myself and my wife decided to go to Badarinath via Haridwar by road from Hyderabad. It was a 5000 km round trip. I was scared because it was a used car and I am using Sakoda for the first time..
I took the car to SKODA service center at Secunderabad, parade grounds. They checked the car and found no issues at all. At the same time I asked them to show me the past record where I found that there was a hit on the back door by a smaller two wheeler probably and they repaired entire rear left door. Except that there was nothing in the past history.
They even recognized and spoke about the previous owner, and also they changed it to my name in their computer. I realized after taking the car , that I had forgotten my ray-ban glasses in the car roof box , and they were promptly stolen by servicing guys. About this my complaining was of absolute waste of time.
After return ( from Badarinath ) , at 1,03,000 km ODO , exactly I gave this Skoda Yeti for servicing.
There was not much surprising event about the bill. They charged about 33,500 rupees for regular service and for smaller items replacement .
We planned our second tour after three months and this was to go to Nepal for a darshan of Pashupathinath temple. After I lost my Ray-ban glasses , I decided to give it for a check up , at Sanathnagar workshop of Skoda.
A general check up was done at 1500 rupees and they advised me to change battery , of which I changed at a cost of 9000 rupees (Amron).
Our tour to Nepal via Varanasi and return to Hyderabad , via Kolkata was a long one for 21 days and a journey of about 6000 km and Yeti performed extremely well. The body roll is very minimum and only we two , my wife and myself travelled without getting tired for about 700 km each day .
The car is butter smooth even today ( at 1,53,000 km ) , and there are no vibrations at all anywhere including gear shaft ,steering etc.,
So many days after ( may be two months later ) while we were returning in the night in the city , I found that coolant was drippling down.
The cost of replacements ( no repairs) of radiator ( entire radiator even though radiator fan was giving problem) ,clutch plates ( even though they can for run some more time , the labour cost for such replacement would be double if not done now as part replacing radiator according to the service advisor at Skoda ASS ) was a whopping 1,38,000=00 rupees !!!
After this , I had to visit three times because , I argued that there was a rough ,crackling sound while I changed the gears. They did not agree. On third visit they said that ( as the problem now increased and very visible) I should change Drive Shaft for which I paid an advance of Rs.25000 rupees and waited for about 10 days. This spare called Drive Shaft was changed at a cost of Rs.58000 rupees . And the regular service again ,which had cost me Rs.25000 approx. .
So my drive of about ( 1,53,000 km ) now ( pre-owned purchased at ODO of 93000 km ) had cost me about 3,30,000 in repairs, replacements and regular service ( and 3 years 6 months ).
If you were to ask me weather to buy a used premium cars like Skoda Superb, Skoda Yeti etc,. I would like to say positively about buying it.
The travelling will not be cumbersome or tiresome even for a long journey lie 700 km at a stretch..
In the recent times we went to Kedarnath from Hyderabad ( October 28th 2020) in this same Skoda Yeti and before that I got the car checked up. The Skoda ASS told me to change , brakes and a link rod which had cost me Rs.16,500/= and they topped up coolant etc.,) . After coming back from Kedarnath, I got it checked up again and they charged me Rs.1650/= , though they could not correct a false alarm in the front sensor while I am reversing. They advised only a complete change of sensor which meant Rs.6000/= ,for which I refused.
So, finally , I would like to say that buying a premium car in a second hand market makes sense. A new Skoda Yeti at the time might have cost Rs.23 lakhs. ( top end elegant model ). I purchased this in 2017 at Rs.9,50,000/= ( all including). And I spent 3,30,000 on repairs ,replacements including the cost of regular servicing. But that is all for 60,000 km run and 3 and half years time.
How does it matter. ?
An Audi A4 , for example , will cost you Rs.1 lakh ,even if you keep it at home, after an ODO of 100,000 km and go for a regular servicing. A new one will cost about Rs.30,000 rupees for each service in the begining. But a used AUDI A4 is very much available for about 10 lakhs ( about 90,000 km ODO and in good condition). And parts replacements like outer review mirror will cost you Rs.50,000 approx.
The point is how to evaluate a good USED ONE for a BUY.
1) Without test riding on highways at somewhat speeds of about 120 kmph , you should never BUY a premium vehicle , even if it means checking at Authorized service center.
2) At neutral gear ask some one to press the accelerator slowly until the bottom ,and check to see if there is any smoke emanating,and if there is a smoke coming out, then DO NOT BUY it. Even if it means white smoke because premium cars do not spew out smoke .
3) Pull out the oil level checking iron strip completely out , and see if the oil is spewing out ,or ejecting out ? and if it were then DO NOT BUY it.
4) check to see or observe if there are vibrations on steering, gear shafts etc., Close the doors and open them ( all the four) several times and the sound should be almost similar to how a new one of that brand would give.
5) Drive on roads where there are speed breakers etc., and there should NOT be any rattling noises down beneath from underbelly of the car . There should not be noises from suspension system.
6) bend below to check for any leakages and ,if there are simply DO NOT BUY it.
7) smoothness of car and its steering depends on its BRAND. If you do not know ,you must have a comparison check by a person who is using that brand. A Honda CR-V ,just for example, would be extraordinarily smooth , partly because of its petrol engine. If it is not butter smooth then you must doubt its suspension setup, its rough use by previous owner, and an untimely service etc., and please DO NOT BUY it.
8) It there is a running insurance which is valid , that is much better.
9) You must believe in good luck. If you go on suspecting and strive to get a perfect car ,then that would be a new one.
10) accept some minor faults and niggling issues as it is a used one. |