Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   On buying a car (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buying-car/)

-   -   ARTICLE: The Best (used) Enthusiast cars for 6 lakh rupees! Or less (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buying-car/71707-article-best-used-enthusiast-cars-6-lakh-rupees-less-49.html)

Just want to know how does a Fiesta 1.6S fare against a Civic on the F-T-D factor. I think the Civic has more kit (features) and is more premium & bigger too. I want to know how does these come on levels of engaging the driver.

^^ Your best bet will be either an Sx4 or the old Corolla.Both these cars don't age.

Variants of the Corolla are E , H1 , H2 , H3 , H4 , H5 , with H3 and H4 being the automatic equivalents of the H2 and H5 respectively.

H5 would be the best option.Similarly in sx4 , zxi should be your option. The sx4 offers a good mix of practicality and a decently high seating position which makes it an easier car for , say , elders or new drivers.

In my opinion , Civic won't be the best choice unless style is no.1 on your agenda.

As you rightly mentioned it is the cost of upkeep and spares together that keep me away from Skodas.


That information about the Variants is very helpful. Thank you. Corolla I consider primarily for the space, luxury and being a toyota its just a synonym for reliability as is Honda. :) I have driven the SX4 about 5yrs ago and didn't feel it is meant for an enthusiast. However, I recently test drove the S Cross and I was really surprised. A lot more refined and pretty close to the Ford in terms of ergonomics and driving pleasure. It is a really good car in terms of ground clearance, decent Fuel efficiency and being Maruti, the spares and service and support shouldn't be an issue either for another 8-10yrs. The main thing, fun factor from driving is missing and I felt more connected to the Ford 1.8D on every single drive. The ergonomics the feedback from steering was too well translated and I ended up :D on every single drive. Civic because of comfort for all that are cocooned it the luxurious seats. So whether driving or a passenger, comfort is also the top on the list

- Civic isn't recommended for learning, it has highest number of blind spots & poor GC than others in the list. Otherwise it's a perfect car.
- Clean example of City vtec (OHC) is hard to find these days.

Out of these choices Toyota Corolla wins the league with it's proven quality, space, decent performance, better GC & visibility (comparatively) and fits perfectly in your budget.

PS: 2nd choice will be vtec. Get one in decent condition for half of your budget and spend the rest in getting her back to shape and enjoy the pure driving pleasure.

PPS: Though Ford is already removed from your consideration, give a thought for Fiesta Classic 1.6. Relatively never model (around 3 years old) could be easily grabbed.

Forget the Civic. With your budget you will get old examples which were notorious for their sagging rear ends. For people learning how to drive, the Civic will prove difficult due to the need for its motor to be revved hard to get anywhere and the blindspots caused by its beautiful shape.

Go for an old Baleno :thumbs up may not have a V-Tec like the OHC, but the G16B Suzuki motor offers a lot of low and midrange grunt and the car handles much better too. SX4 is another great alternative which will fit snugly within the budget and prove the easiest and cheapest in terms of maintenance. Don't go for anything but the first initial 2006/7 ZXi variant since the pre VVT SX4 handled a lot better than the future models. You also get big 16 inch rims and meaty rubber with loads of ground clearance to boot. If none of these are fun to drive enough, look no further than a Mitsubishi Cedia, the car handles infinitely better than the Civic and has a more tractable motor with loads of space, spot on ergonomics and driving position, and good ground clearance for a sedan. Any competent independent garage will be able to easily source parts for any Japanese vehicle too so don't let that worry you.

No contest. Fiesta is just MUCH better. Civic's handling and high speed steering characteristics are simply not upto the mark.

Does the Gypsy feature in this thread at all?

If not, I would add it in.

Along with the Mitsubishi Cedia.

Thank you for the suggestion. I did chance upon a Fiesta under 2L it was an ABS model with all the bells and whistles however something tells me there is something just not right with the vehicle. Too good to be true. I might get a chance to check it out by mostly Monday. Finding a corolla in a good nick or a OHC type 2 VTEC is pretty much like a needle in a haystack.:eek:
My eyes may pop out anytime soon due to some furious searching and the laptop is being used as a workstation. Nevertheless I continue to persist. Already got the taste of what a City Vtec feels like and it has won me over. I guess time to take another spin in the Fiesta.

On a lighter note, you're kidding right. Gypsy? For the kind of fuel efficiency it offers, if I were to let my family know the magic number, instead of lemon i'll be run over by it in the maiden voyage:uncontrol

Thank you for the insight into the model on SX4 but I think i'll stay away from Baleno/SX4 for now. Cedia ! One more added to the arsenal of search strings to the already loaded tabs in chrome. But I find it surprising that Civic doesn't handle well at high speeds. I was under the impression its a luxury car with great handling. (or atleast all Honda's did and it looks like i've been blatantly following the badge rather than practical accounts of driving experience).
So to summarize, Cedia and Fiesta 1.6S to be included in searches henceforth.

Well your list seemed very varied. The Baleno was meant to be a solid alternative to the OHC and the SX4 a more practical and cheap alternative :)

Having had tons of experience with the Civic I can tell you that it handles well but certainly doesn't deserve to be complimented much on that aspect. Nearly every Honda in India doesn't handle that amazingly (always going to be atleast one if not two competitors in the same segment that handle better). The City<Vento<Rapid<Linea<Fiesta, Civic<Cedia, CR-V<Outlander and the Accord is simply a waste of the double wishbone setup. The Civic simply isn't any great shakes apart from the styling, especially when you consider the fact that the Cedia offers the same if not more space, better visibility and driving ergonomics, better handling and more useable low-end grunt, all while being atleast a couple of lakhs cheaper than a Civic in similar condition. If family will be using it, I'd suggest against the Fiesta 1.6S. The Fiesta is an extremely cramped car. Baleno and City are too, but they are extremely cheap as well.

Thats a myth.
If a Gypsy is well maintained it will give you a happy 9-10kmpl which is what most cars return in city traffic anyway.

Very true. Reminds me of the Top gear Race to Blackpool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oapZsUw6lwY

13:48 onwards. Voice quality sounds like these guys were on helium. but a great episode.

Well, i've kept all options open for what i can source for ~2Lac. So Civic and Fiesta are out. I've got a deal on Chevrolet SRV Petrol 1.6 but owner quotes 3L. Is that a good contender? I like the power, space and styling. Haven't driven one though so handling is a big if. Any SRV BHPians that can shed some light?

While the car still looks smashing to me even today, I would stay away from an SRV. The handling is well balanced but the steering isn't the most precise nor very chatty, the engine has just about adequate power and lacks any character IMO but most importantly, servicing the car and sourcing parts will prove to be a task. GM and Daewoo (the car is a rebadged Daewoo) both have a pretty bad reputation in ASS in our country on top of that, this being a rare car, parts are slightly difficult to come by and unnecessarily expensive

Hello fellow petrolheads,

I can't believe my excitement on posting a "What Car" post after so many years. I have been away from India the past three years and am returning in November. I am looking to buy a fun to drive car for myself by December and am starting the primary research now.

I used to have an Esteem in India that I drove for almost 5 years before passing it to a friend in 2014. I had bought it used in 2009 and am still a fan of the used car market.

I have identified my requirements as below:
1. Long distance cruising ability. I intend to take a lot of roadtrips and long distance highway cruising is my main requirement.
2. Reliability: I keep my cars stock, so mod potential is not really a necessity. However, I would like the car to be reliable for long distance runs whenever I need them. I was looking at Polo 1.6 etc but the stories are keeping me away.
3. Manual: I don't enjoy auto transmissions except DSG/ DCT type which do not seem reliable in the long run. Hence, manual!

Most of the time, it will just be 1-2 people in the front seat so the backseat comfort can be ignored. However, I would really like a Jazz type car where the backseat can be folded down and it becomes a bed for those camping trips to see the sunrise. Older folks here would remember the "hanky panky" thread. Don't know why but I suddenly remembered it lol:lol:

Budget: I plan to buy it without any loans, so an initial budget of 4L is outlined. I can extend it by a couple of lakhs if I get a great car/ deal.

Cars I'm considering:

Civic (2011-12 vintage) Prices I have seen hover around 6-7 lakh. I have driven a lot of civics here in the US and I like the car. The only issue I believe is finding a clean example.

Jazz (2010-12 vintage) I have always been a fan of Jazz. The only thing that keeps me away is the exorbitant price tags on used ones.

Polo 1.6 (2012 vintage) I still have it on my list but I have a lot of questions around its reliability.

Fiesta 1.6 (2010-2012) Always liked this car. Not sure about long term reliability though.

Are there any other cars that I need to see?

Also, where should I look for advertisements? Cartrade postings always seem to be done by dealers and on olx it seems very difficult to get to what you want. I'm looking at BHP classifieds too.

Look forward to your inputs.

Thanks
Tapish

I don't know how many times I would have posted this, but if you like the Civic, do check out the Cedia. The Mitsubishi is more spacious, handles better at high speeds, and can take some pretty bad roads as well which lends it a certain practicality that the Civic can never achieve. With your budget you will easily find a Cedia in top shape and any competent independent garage should be able to help you source parts and service the car. :thumbs up

Speaking of hanky panky :D why not consider the idea of an Octavia Combi vRS? The vRS does have its problems but depending on the city you're in, I can bet there would be at least 3-4 independent garages that can handle and work with old Octavia vRS' easily. Definitely something worth checking out if you have a good trustworthy garage guy.

Fiesta 1.6 is always a good buy. No reliability concerns to speak of with modern day Fords it's not like it used to be with the escorts, ikons and mondeos

Thanks, I have always been a fan of Mitsubishi & was actually toying with the idea of getting an Evo here in Boston. I will add Cedia to my list and try finding a good specimen. Fiesta 1.6 seems a good bet too.

Regarding the Combi, that's for a lot of "hanky panky":deadhorse:deadhorse . Not a fan of estates personally so I think I'll pass on that.

Thanks
Tapish

Can people help me with the above mentioned issue as well?