Hi Bhpians
I have been banging my head against a wall for the last three months now. I have read reviews and compared a few cars but never reached an end result. Finally decided to start a new thread, hoping that I would get personalized attention from you guys.
So here's the deal. I have a black Alto vxi 1.1, amazing performance for a small car its size and nimble handling, I have stage 1 mods on my car, sounds like a rally car, does 0-100 in about 12.5 seconds according to my stopwatch. I have seen a lot of frustrated faces in my rvm when their 12 lakh car cant keep up with mine.
You have to see it to believe it. It used to touch 165-170km/hr once upon a time. Now its 10 years old, 1.17Lakh kms on the odo and still in great shape with no signs of ageing. I have a buyer ready to buy it for 1.2Lakhs, so I have painfully decided to part with it.
The following list is not belonging to any particular segment, reason being, I want a car which I can fall in love with. I will be getting the car modified, at least stage 1 mods no matter which car I pick. Don't like keeping my cars stock, that's why a used car! My needs are maintenance should not be exorbitant, good looks, great handling, best possible features and easily tuned.
The cars I have shortlisted are
- 2007 Accord V6
- Fiesta 1.6S
- Polo 1.6
- Honda Civic
- Pajero
I am very keen on buying the 2007 Accord V6 (Led Lights). I have never driven it, but from what I hear, it is a much better car as compared to the new 'sofa' accord. Plus you get V6 power for the price of a new hot hatch. The interiors are spacious and comfortable. On the downside I hear it floats a bit as well, not a very good handler and the brakes need to be upgraded, keeping in mind the performance of the car. Mileage is not a concern. What are the areas that I need to look into while buying a used one? Does it live upto its V6 name?
The Fiesta 1.6S is a much revered car by fellow Bhpians. Again never driven it but I read its the best enthusiasts car this side of a 3-series. Is it true? Better than the Accord V6 and the civic? Are the spare parts expensive? My uncle's Ikon was such a pickpocket! Don't like the looks of it so much. The color I like is its blue which is very rare in the used car market.
Polo 1.6 is in the list because its small yet has snob value and I am assuming the car will be pocket friendly, I have no idea about its service costs. It is easy to use in the city and comfort levels are pretty good. Engine is not lacking grunt at all, things will be much better after it gets a FFE and a ECU remap. Would love to call it the next gen pocket-rocket or is it another pickpocket? Me being six feet tall, I always had to move my seat in the alto to accommodate rear passengers, will the same happen here or is it spacious enough for occasional back-benchers? Very few 1.6 models are available though.
Honda Civic is a tried and tested car which can be easily modified. Some good examples are available in the market for peanuts. The size is perfect for daily city routine as well. It is my second favorite only because of the fact that for nearly the same amount I am getting an Accord V6. Now as much as I like manuals, after owning a Superb for a year now, I fell in love with the DSG. So out of the two available models, which is a better the better one manual or auto? My brother suggested to go for a manual but I was tempted for the paddle shifts.
Many of you must be wondering, out of all the cars, a Pajero in this list! Well, its because I am getting a killer deal on a 2008 model, 30K run. I have recently started to take part in rallies and Motorsport events and was thinking, this car can handle rough terrains smoothly, why not? I would like to experience the rallies first and then buy a competitive car like a rally prepped gypsy/vitara. It would also solve my purpose of highway cruising without worrying about dips and potholes. Its got amazing road presence. It has that take it anywhere advantage. My worries with this car is Mitsubishi A.S.S, parts availability and costs. I would miss the musical rumble of a modified petrol engine but I am ready to compromise if this SUV fits the bill. Just curious why such a huge 2.8L mill produces so less power? It should be able to handle 170-200 Bhp, no?
I rest my case. I hope my first thread wasn't such a boring read. I am looking forward to your suggestions. Please feel free to talk about any other car that you think I should consider.
Thanks for reading.