[Bicycle7385]

Originally Posted by GTO

By now, regular readers of Team-BHP will all know the obvious & not-so-obvious advantages of buying used cars . There are some interesting articles which you must go through:
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I am thinking of buying C5 Aircross from Mumbai, which is just 18 months old. How much of humid weather of Mumbai impacts vehicle. I intend to keep vehicle for minimum of 10 years so want to make sure Mumbai registered vehicle should not have impact on long term ownership.

[lightfootdriver]

Isn't the used car market currently very high? I am looking to buy a used car preferably in Bangalore and it seems impossible to find reasonable deals. Can someone shed light on what is happening currently in the market?

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by lightfootdriver

Isn't the used car market currently very high? I am looking to buy a used car preferably in Bangalore and it seems impossible to find reasonable deals. Can someone shed light on what is happening currently in the market?

Prices of new cars have risen substantially in the last 3 years. Combined with increasing insurance costs, road tax(applicable to certain states), new car prices have risen to the tune of upto 30-40% since 2020. During the same time demand for 4-wheeler has risen as public transport is not the most preferred means of transport.

Presently demand > supply, it is a sellers market still, and may not make sense to go the used route unless the depreciation is significant.

[lightfootdriver]

Originally Posted by jetsetgo08

Presently demand > supply, it is a sellers market still, and may not make sense to go the used route unless the depreciation is significant.

Follow-up query - Does it make sense to buy a new ICE car given the rise of EVs? My thought is to let the battery charging infra mature before I buy an EV. Societies in Bangalore do not have proper guidelines/infra to allow EV charging. Long drives may be a hassle with limited infra as I would have to plan the route and stop points such that there's a charger nearby. Also, I don't know if ICE cars would become obsolete in the next 5-7 years. These, along with price-value benefits, were the major reasons I was going used-car route.

[vkarora]

Big Hello to all the esteemed members, reaching out to you for seeking an advice. I am being offered a pre-owned 2021 Audi A4 Technology Variant for INR 38.5L, Chandigarh registered. The car has done approx 17k. It comes with Insurance paid and valid till Oct 22. Service package not included. Please let me know if this make a good buy. I have checked online on various platforms for the on-going rates, but seems the prices being quoted is in the same range. Therefore would want to hear thoughts from the forum members.

Background: I am currently owner of a 2010 Honda city and still prefer Sedans over SUV. Living in NCR has made my choices limited as D-engine cars are a No. I did test drive the new Honda city and made me feel its hardly an upgrade. Took test drive of Verna turbo variant, excellent engine but overall safety of Hyundai makes me think twice. The Virtus & Slavia do not make the cut either given their hardware issues.

My preference is to go for an automatic, and prefer to have safety, engine and cabin comfort as few areas, where I do not wish to compromise. I was originally planning to go for an Octavia but when heard the news of it being discontinued, I held back the decision. Going in for a pre-owned is also more of a desperation given I found most of the cars in range of INR 20L, compromises to be made.

Apologies to the MODS if this is not the appropriate forum. Please guide me as still a newbie.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by vkarora

I am being offered a pre-owned 2021 Audi A4 Technology Variant for INR 38.5L, Chandigarh registered. The car has done approx 17k.

Background: I am currently owner of a 2010 Honda city and still prefer Sedans over SUV. Living in NCR has made my choices limited as D-engine cars are a No.

This is not a good time to shop pre owned if you live in Delhi NCR. Pls understand that all these petrol cars are rated for E10 petrol only. We are already past that, and they are not compliant with the E20 petrol which we will be forced to use in the near future. As such, by going for them, you will be opening yourself up to a lot of potential maintenance headache in future. We Delhi NCR people are in a tough spot with regards to pre owned cars. We can’t by diesel due to the 10 year rule. And we can’t by petrol peacefully either as the car will not be compliant with the fuel it will have to run on.

If you want to go down this road, then very specifically look for pre owned BMW petrol cars. They are rated for upto E25.

[vkarora]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

This is not a good time to shop pre owned if you live in Delhi NCR. Pls understand that all these petrol cars are rated for E10 petrol only. We are already past that, and they are not compliant with the E20 petrol which we will be forced to use in the near future. As such, by going for them, you will be opening yourself up to a lot of potential maintenance headache in future. We Delhi NCR people are in a tough spot with regards to pre owned cars. We can’t by diesel due to the 10 year rule. And we can’t by petrol peacefully either as the car will not be compliant with the fuel it will have to run on.

If you want to go down this road, then very specifically look for pre owned BMW petrol cars. They are rated for upto E25.

@shreyan_Jain - thanks a lot for your inputs here. I had totally forgotten about the E20 nightmare that stares us. Rules out going down the pre-owned alley for now. Phew.....NCR folks hardly have any option left now.

[Sumedik]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

This is not a good time to shop pre owned if you live in Delhi NCR. Pls understand that all these petrol cars are rated for E10 petrol only. We are already past that, and they are not compliant with the E20 petrol which we will be forced to use in the near future. As such, by going for them, you will be opening yourself up to a lot of potential maintenance headache in future.

If you want to go down this road, then very specifically look for pre owned BMW petrol cars. They are rated for upto E25.

This is a problem affecting the whole country, not just NCR. Effectively the used car stock to be considered from long term perspective is from 2023 April onwards, which makes it almost impossible to find a used car you can keep for long term in present time.

However along with BMW, Honda and Toyota have mentioned that their pre-April 2023 cars are E20 material compliant. So those brands can be explored.

For Marutis, I see K15B engine which was E10 compliant previously is being used in their E20 compliant cars. Not sure if they are changing parts of that engine or keeping quiet about the fact that those engines were E20 compliant to begin with. More insights on this will be welcomed.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Sumedik

However along with BMW, Honda and Toyota have mentioned that their pre-April 2023 cars are E20 material compliant. So those brands can be explored.

For Marutis, I see K15B engine which was E10 compliant previously is being used in their E20 compliant cars.

It is one thing for executives to make a claim. It is totally different to put it in writing. The user manuals of Honda and Toyota cars have only now started mentioning E20 in the petrol specifications, it used to be E10 max, till a few months back.

Ditto for Maruti. Ciaz user manual says upto E10, maximum. Using E20 petrol in the K15B can lead to long term maintenance issues.

[Sahil]

Got these two twin beauties last month.

< 2 years old. 5000kms approx driven. They were used only on the silky smooth airport tarmac to shuttle private jet flyers from terminal to aircraft.

Both identical specs- Blue with beige. 730Ld DPE Signature.

Thanks to GTO for starting this thread and changing my entire car buying perspective 3 years ago.
From someone that had never bought a preowned car in the family ever, this is our third one.
First one being a Porsche Macan that we purchased in 2020 Dec that too was less than 3 years old and done 15k kms.

I think in the coming years, most of my family garage would be these rather than brand new.

It's hard to come by the right cars that match your criteria but I have learnt that if one is on the hunt constantly, patient as well as decisive when a good car comes by then it's a very rewarding effort.

[manson]

Originally Posted by vkarora

I am being offered a pre-owned 2021 Audi A4 Technology Variant for INR 38.5L, Chandigarh registered.

Spend 6-7 lacs more and buy a brand new A4 Premium+. The 2021 Technology hardly had anything significant seriously incremental over the Premium+ trim back then. The major differences I can remember are chrome grill, memory seats, keyless entry, virtual cockpit and piano black interior trim.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Pls understand that all these petrol cars are rated for E10 petrol only.

Would BS6 Phase 2 compliance imply compatibility with E20? AFAIK Audi continues to sell the A4, A6 & Q5 with the same EA888 engine without any modifications beyond the BS6 Phase 2 deadline. Would that imply the cars are BS6 Phase 2 compliant?

Another thing to consider is Audi has recommended using all of the above 3 cars with minimum 95 octane fuel ever since launch of current generations models. Are XP95 and the newly launched HP95 fuels blended as well or would it be safe to think that these cars can continue to run on the 95 octane fuels without any issues?

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by manson

Would BS6 Phase 2 compliance imply compatibility with E20? AFAIK Audi continues to sell the A4, A6 & Q5 with the same EA888 engine without any modifications beyond the BS6 Phase 2 deadline. Would that imply the cars are BS6 Phase 2 compliant?

Another thing to consider is Audi has recommended using all of the above 3 cars with minimum 95 octane fuel ever since launch of current generations models. Are XP95 and the newly launched HP95 fuels blended as well or would it be safe to think that these cars can continue to run on the 95 octane fuels without any issues?

BS6.2 and E20 are two totally separate and unrelated things. VW-Audi-Skoda have updated their cars for BS6.2, but have remained quiet on E20 compliance. Officially, their cars are rated for upto E10 max only. Same is clearly mentioned in the user manual of the new 2023 model Kodiaq. This is a huge grey area from a long term ownership perspective.

While their BS6 model engines were tuned for 95 octane, with 91 octane being minimum, they have taken things a step forward now. The BS6.2 compliant 2023 model Kodiaq is tuned for 98 octane, with 95 octane minimum. This is mentioned on the sticker on the fuel filler. You are not supposed to run this car on normal 91 octane petrol.

As for fuel, HP95 is supposed to be same is XP95. XP95 is the only relevant petrol that is still at E10, to the best of my knowledge. Normal petrol is E12 or E15. The 160-170 rupees a liter Power100 from HP is pure unadulterated petrol, zero ethanol.

[manson]

Thanks for clearing the my confusion between the BS6.2 and E20 fuel.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

XP95 is the only relevant petrol that is still at E10, to the best of my knowledge.

I've been told the same by a close family member whose been running IOCL petrol pumps since decades. I wonder if IOCL has any official document or even a press release confirming XP95 is limited to E10 though.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by manson

I've been told the same by a close family member whose been running IOCL petrol pumps since decades. I wonder if IOCL has any official document or even a press release confirming XP95 is limited to E10 though.

IOCL has confirmed this. A reply from their official handle to a tweet regarding the same was posted somewhere on this forum. Also, dealers come to know exactly what % of ethanol mixed in petrol when they get their tanker from the depot. It is mentioned on their online receipt. Information from dealers also confirms that XP95 is E10. At least till now. Thing is, this can change any time in future, and with no intimation to us consumers.

[samyakmodi]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Got these two twin beauties last month.

< 2 years old. 5000kms approx driven. They were used only on the silky smooth airport tarmac to shuttle private jet flyers from terminal to aircraft.

Both identical specs- Blue with beige. 730Ld DPE Signature.
It's hard to come by the right cars that match your criteria but I have learnt that if one is on the hunt constantly, patient as well as decisive when a good car comes by then it's a very rewarding effort.

Brilliant cars in a brilliant spec. Congratulations!!
Wonder how does one get to know about these kind of cars?