[SMK]

Great thread GTO, I always wanted all these cars discussed in one thread and that is what i got! The prices in Bangalore would differ a lot, though finding a clean OHC VTEC/Mitsub/Skoda RS is still a tough job since bangalore is the hub for modifications. I have got my cousin on the job for look out on these cars, no luck so far!

PS: Can we get a similar comparison thread for the SUVs available in the market? This would help the family people a great deal.

[ask77]

Originally Posted by johy

Nice thread. Glad I got a 2006 Baleno recently. Thinking of an Accord now. :-) And the older CRV is a pleasure to drive. Should be in the list.

A fantastic thread and I also second the older CRV in fact am looking for a clean CRV or a good well kept Accord.

[anarchist]

GTO I suppose the Getz CRDi would qualify for this thread, now that it is no longer in production, I'm sure you agree that its a hoot to drive.

[ported_head]

Great thread man. It makes me wonder, why I would buy a more staid new car for money, ever?

I would like to nominate the Maruti Esteem to be in this list too. It's quick to revv engine, combined with the light body shell makes it pretty sprightly. 85 HP and only about a ton to push around. Definitely quicker than the likes of Palio 1.6. Reasonably good handling and ride too, came with independent rear suspension ages back. Also, the motorsports fraternity's favourite car, be it tarmac racing or rally. Fuel injected versions can now be had for as low as a lakh of rupees.

BTW, I drove a 1.6 GTX the other day after a long time. And I didn't like it as much anymore. The driver's footwell is too cramped. The engine though torquey at low revs too, didn't pull as hard at higher revs as I was expecting it to. Also at about 60 kmph it was all over the place, though I suspect the stabiliser bar was shot.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Prices we've seen : Rs. 3.0 - 6.0 lakhs depending on engine and condition
Availability : Quite Poor. Cars are hard to come by outside of Mumbai or Delhi.

What you'll like:

• Fantastic RWD balance and handling. The best in the business
• For all you drag fanatics the RWD launches hard without torque steer .
• Interior/dash still looks faboulous and modern after all these years
• Cult car and therefore parts are plenty in the west (OEM and aftermarket)
• Cars are known to hold on well for 2 lakh plus kms with regular maintenance
• easy swap with the legendary 6 cyl engine..... if you can find one.
• Although the E36s were all imported, BMW dealers will help with parts and service

What you wont:

• 95% of the cars that came to India in the 90s were 4 cylinders (316i or 318i) in Sedan bodystyle...hardly any 6 cyls or coupes.
• Supply of cars lower than Mercs which was the prefered import but still higher than your Miatas and Celicas
• Car was designed around the 6 cyl and so the 4 banger needs to be caned to make quick progress.
• Generally BMWs are setup stiff and depending on usage you can have interior creaks and rattles.
• Most hopup parts are for the 6 cyl and not so much for the 4 bangers which tend to be ignored.
• The one from the early 90s are 2 valve engines and don't like to be revved.
• Parts availabilty not as widespread as old Mercs.

Pics courtesy: Varun M

Beautiful! How I'd love to own an old E36 3-Series! And there are plenty of them around even though they weren't officially sold here.

Thanks for that Mpower. Great stuff!

[wmanu]

That is incredible, GTO.

In fact, I was searching for the best pick under 6lakhs. Now I have the vRS, W124 and the V6 as top 3 in my list to search for.

Brilliant post, rated 5 star indeed!

[princemanatt]

Thanks GTO for giving such a wondurful christmas gift. Was drooling on those cars for hours dreaming to buy the V6 Accord. Make a great deal.

Man, to be honest, after compiling this thread for you guys, the thread starter is himself tempted to do a lateral upgrade. Sell the OHC Vtec, put in a couple of lakhs and buy a used Civic / RS. Hmmmmmmmm....

I appeal that you should not sell the Vtec. It is such a fabulous car. We have both cars(civic and vtec) at home. The mad rush of power as you hit the rev limiter in vtec is in a league of its own and civic can never match that. Civic does everything very smooth and insulates you from the proccedings.Personally when I am in the mood to drive, I go for vtec keys. -- just my way of looking at it.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by kutlee

GTO when is the most wanted vtec going to classifieds?

Started receiving inquiries even before she's gone to the classifieds . Still thinking over it, but just 2.5 - 3 lakhs more for a lateral upgrade to the Civic is tempting. The differential value provided by a used Civic is very high.

Originally Posted by AltoHoncho

I have an Alto Lxi (present-gen) nearing its first birthday and already through 10k mark, ready for an exchange

You stand to lose in depreciation, value diminishes most in the first two years. However, if you go for a lateral upgrade, that loss can be evened out.

Related thread linky

Originally Posted by quattroa4

man , GTO i strogly recommend that you should get a certification as atrue PETROLHEAD by something like ARAI or else .

Thanks . I have a Team-BHP certification, guess that's enough?

for w 124 i will recommend that anyone who buys it must get it checked by authorised merc workshop , as they do check these cars which charges you by about 3200 rs but they give you complete evaluation of pending work , history and condition of the car. that money is worth spending as the repairs can cost you over 1 laks. in this case you should avoid it . my experiance with the car was very sour as it remained in workshop only 70 % of time it was with me.

Absolutely. Buying a used Merc without a professional evaluation is like jumping off a plane without a parachute! That 5,000 bucks on an evaluation will be the best $$$ you spend on the car.

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

One sincere request- Let's not dilute the list based on Public opinion. The key entry criterion should the thread title "The Best (used) Enthusiast cars for 6 lakh rupees! Or less".

Suggestion noted and accepted. Thanks

Originally Posted by vinaydas

what about the optra magnum ?

Don't see any for 6 lakhs.

Originally Posted by Mpower

Prices we've seen : Rs. 3.0 - 6.0 lakhs depending on engine and condition
Availability : Quite Poor. Cars are hard to come by outside of Mumbai or Delhi.

Thanks Mpower! Am going to add your post to the imports.

[suman]

Originally Posted by GTO

The differential value provided by a used Civic is very high.

Safety features being one of the key points there as well.....

[rpmx1000]

Great Tread Once Again. Have to give it to you.When are'nt you really looking at tbhp, makes me wonder.
After all that fire and smoke in the Indigo Manza thread, (not sure if you remember it ), I fell for some mod posts in the mod section and went for a new Ford Fiesta 1.6. Sold off my Indica Turbo to the dealer as I got a decent deal for it. It's good to see it in the top rated 'used' section. More power to you! This thread is a 5* truly especially for true petrolheads. Now that I am a turbo-diesel head turned petrol-head,I'm enjoying the experience already.Have already done a 540 km drive in my new beast and enjoyed every moment of it.

I'm sure a lot of people will benefit from this one. I did look at a couple of used Accords but did'nt want to take any chances so went for a new one.Besides, I don't have heavy pockets enough to yet support a 6-8 kpl for a city commute and still feel good about it.

Cheers, and keep up your Great Threads.

[CoolFire]

Despite reading all the congratulatory messages, cant help putting in one of mine, GTO. What a thread. A real bible for auto enthusiasts looking for a used car.

How about adding Octavia 1.9TDI in the list? Though not in the league of the VRs, it deserves a mention here. And thanks to the horrible AS&S, you can pick up a clean one for around 6. Got to look for a good independent garage though, before one jumps in.

[basilmabraham]

Originally Posted by rpmx1000

Cheers, and keep up your Great Threads.

If I may, GTO - Great Threads Ongoing...

[GTO]

Originally Posted by SMK

The prices in Bangalore would differ a lot, though finding a clean OHC VTEC/Mitsub/Skoda RS is still a tough job since bangalore is the hub for modifications.

I do agree. Bangalore pricing for new cars is amongst the highest in India, not surprising that reflects in the used market too.

Finding clean RS, Vtec etc. is a tough job. But hey, looking for them is the fun part. The reward is ending up with a car that you look forward to driving everyday.

PS: Can we get a similar comparison thread for the SUVs available in the market? This would help the family people a great deal.

Our official TD section will tell you everything you need to know about each MUV & SUV on sale in India.

Originally Posted by ask77

A fantastic thread and I also second the older CRV in fact am looking for a clean CRV or a good well kept Accord.

So many Accords going for rock bottom prices! Please screen through the many classified options. 1st gen Accords for 3.0 lakhs, previous gen Accords starting at 5 lakhs, the list is endless.

Originally Posted by anarchist

GTO I suppose the Getz CRDi would qualify for this thread, now that it is no longer in production, I'm sure you agree that its a hoot to drive.

Will consider. Thanks

Originally Posted by ported_head

why I would buy a more staid new car for money, ever?

You speak my language, Ported.

I would like to nominate the Maruti Esteem to be in this list too. It's quick to revv engine, combined with the light body shell makes it pretty sprightly. 85 HP and only about a ton to push around. Definitely quicker than the likes of Palio 1.6. Reasonably good handling and ride too, came with independent rear suspension ages back.

Will have the Esteem added. While I don't think too much of the Esteem in stock form, it's a great project vehicle. Hey, I owned an Esteem for 10 years so know a li'l about the car.

Originally Posted by princemanatt

I appeal that you should not sell the Vtec. It is such a fabulous car.

I'm still sitting on the fence . I absolutely agree with you, the thrill of driving and that maniac of a revv-happy engine is unique to the Vtec alone. No other Indian car I've driven, spanning across segments above, comes close.

The only thing that's stopping me is the way that she's serving me. A single annual visit to Linkway Honda, for 24 hours, is all she needs. High-revvs without complaint on all the other 364 days.

Originally Posted by rpmx1000

Great Tread Once Again.

Originally Posted by basilmabraham

If I may, GTO - Great Threads Ongoing...

Appreciate the flattery, guys. I'm glad you find my threads to be of such high order.

After all that fire and smoke in the Indigo Manza thread, (not sure if you remember it ), I fell for some mod posts in the mod section and went for a new Ford Fiesta 1.6.

Wow, good taste. Congratulations. You owe us a detailed ownership report.

Originally Posted by CoolFire

How about adding Octavia 1.9TDI in the list?

Pick the best variant of each car, that's why! The 1.9 TDi is a competent package, but the RS.....it's something else. Why do you think I put the RS up on no.1 position in this thread?

Don't overlook the fact that you can get an RS of the same vintage, far cheaper than a TDi. Obvious reason : Our markets love for fuel efficient diesels.

[schitre05]

Man.. GTO, what a thread.
You are tempting me to advance my purchase of a 2nd hand sedan.
What a collection! simply awesome!!!!
Can we get a list of good dealers in Mumbai. I know all are devils and one needs to handle them with care but it would be good to know some known devils
cheers!! once again awesome work.

[GTO]

*Update* : A true petrolhead car - The Forester - has been added to the list.