[Marauder]

Originally Posted by gramessh

I am new to driving cars. I am taking driving lessons at Maruti Driving School on the OMR and have driven around 70-80 km. I am starting to get the hang of it and will be getting my driver's license at the end of this month. So, I have come to the idea that this would be the perfect time to buy a car. There's only so much you can get out of a driving school, and I do not want to lose confidence or interest by waiting for a long time.
Long story short, I want to buy a car, preferably a hatchback.
How do I plan on using the car?

I go from Velachery to Perungudi everyday for work. Although the commute is just around 5k long, I have to drive through one of the most congested and horrible stretches in Chennai.

I am also certain I would do some long distance trips occasionally, say once in 1-3 months back to Madurai or Bangalore (fueled sleepless nights in buses and IRCTC hatred).

For starters, I do not think that I will be driving enough to take a diesel car. I prefer petrol, although not very strictly. I plan on picking up the right the petrol or diesel variant of a car mostly based on it's performance, and of course recommendations from experts here. Is this the right way to look at things or should I say no to diesel cars right away?


What kind of cars do I seem to prefer?

I drove the Swift back to back for two days, and the ride quality was pretty good. But for a car that looked kind of big (fat too, from the back) from the outside, there wasn't really too much space on the inside. I figured I'd enjoy a car that is compact, yet roomier thanks to some good design. Good interiors are certainly important, but not on the top of my list of priorities. Please let me know if I'm looking at these things wrongly.

Third, is there true value in buying an automatic? I drove the Nissan Micra CVT for a very short distance. It was very convenient, but performed badly. I understand that I'm tempted to get an automatic because I'm a newbie. But what the heck? Shouldn't I be looking at this seriously if it will mean a lot? How should I be prioritizing on automatics?

Finally, there are little things I have learnt to really enjoy in a car. 1 - Visibility. Although wanting to see the bonnet is kind of asking for too much, I would love to be able to whenever I'm driving in bumper to bumper traffic. 2 - Steering Feedback - A steering that feels solid and (kinda) lets you feel the weight of the car would be nice. 3. Room between pedals - It would be great if there was enough room for my legs between the clutch and the brake pedals, and hopefully a lot more on the left of the clutch (maybe a dead pedal?). Are there any similar perks I should look for as a first timer? Please help me notice potentially un-marketed in some cars.

What car models I am considering?

So far,

Grand i10, i20, Punto, Micra CVT, Honda Brio, Volkswagen Polo GT TSI (bit of a stretch)
.

Since you like to have a steering feedback,the Hyundais are out.They have dead steerings and are not much fun to drive.
On the diesel debate,although your daily running is very low but if you are going to do a lot of out station trips then you should look at your average monthly running.I'd say if it's 1000kms or more,go for the diesel.

I would say you shouldn't go for automatics since your daily driving isn't that much(on congested roads) and a more pressing point is that since you are a newbie at driving you should know how to drive a manual properly which won't be the case if you buy an automatic car as your first car.
I would recommend you to look at a pre-owned car since you are new to driving and you could get some good cars for quite less money especially since you might go for petrol.
If you don't want to go through the hassle of buying used then among the new cars I would suggest the Honda Brio or Maruti Swift.Both are quite fun to drive and have sufficient space for the front passengers.If you decide to go for diesel then the Fiat Punto would be the best choice,the petrol engines aren't in the same league as the I-VTEC or K-series.
The Brio is around a lakh cheaper than the Swift,so it all depends on your budget and how you feel after test driving both cars.

The things that you should look for in a car are the presence of safety features like ABS and Airbags.I would not recommend a car which does not have these basic safety features.Other things you could look for which aid in driving are steering and seat height adjusts.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by gramessh

Thank you guys for getting back to me so quickly!

And 101000km in less than three years! Whoa, do you have an ownership report that I can read?

Here you go buddy.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...00-kms-up.html

Anurag.

[mohitk1993]

Originally Posted by gramessh

I test drove three cars yesterday, back to back - the Grand i10 (diesel), the Punto (diesel) and the Micra CVT (petrol). Of the three, the Grand i10 felt like the most complete package of the lot. The Punto kind of turned out to be better.

I agree. The Grand i10 is a good option. But wouldn't you recommend I go for the i20 Petrol instead? It is priced around 70-80k more than the i10 and offers better ergonomics and features, not to mention its 295 litre boot!

The Brio is definitely in my list of considerations!

On that note, what do you think about the Punto? I've seen several experts here in Team BHP recommend the Punto.

Economics aside, do you think the Polo GT checks out everything you want in an automatic? Or is there any other option I should consider here?

Gawd, you just seem to echo my thoughts.

OK, to be very honest, I was thinking of suggesting the Punto diesel for you; the only reason I held back is your low running. In my humble opinion, the Punto and Brio continue to the best driver hatchbacks that are available in the market in petrol and diesel respectively. You just won't regret buying either.

Now to the diesel part. If you finalize the Punto, stick to the diesel. The Punto 1.2 is seriously sluggish and the 1.4 is known to be a gas guzzler. The diesel, though not the quickest off the block, remains the engine of choice for the Fiat and is a trusted workhorse. Also, unlike other cars, the difference between the petrol and diesel is quite less for the Punto (its around 70k if I remember well) so that is another point in your favour. Factor in the fuel savings and better resale and you have a winner in your hands. As a product, there is very little to fault the Punto; I know Fiat is currently not in the best of health but worry not, they will soon rise and shine. Also, considering the fact that Fiats are not exactly selling like hot cakes, you can easily haggle for more discounts.

The Grand i10 is more of a family-oriented car than a youngster's hot set of wheels. You won't go wrong with it, no doubt about that; its just that it doesnt pull to your heart strings in a way the Punto or the Brio might do. Infact, if you want to make a safe choice, you would be better off in a Swift. The i20, though an appealing car, is seriously underpowered in its petrol guise and also offers lacklustre driving experience. Yeah, its huge and is loaded with nifty features that will appeal to the inner geek in you. But then, you just wont enjoy driving one, trust me.

The Polo GT TSI. Gosh, if only wishes were horses. This car continues to be the elusive machine that many young souls like me salivate for; sad that it costs so much and also comes with its own antics. If you really think you can afford it, trust me on this, nothing (except the Linea T-Jet) comes close. However, service costs for a typical VW might just burn holes in your pocket and the 7-speed DSG, for all its goodness, is frequented with unreliability woes. Keep this option for the last, if nothing else appeals to you, this machine will surely do.

Now, let us come back to the Brio. I know its not the best; the boot is tiny, the looks are frumpy and its not loaded with features either. But then, it is the jack of all trades; a car that will appeal to the heart and the head in equal doses. The Brio is just the perfect recipe for a youngster's needs; you can rip it all day long on highways or ghat sections and the nimble chassis will obey every command of yours. Factor in the Honda reliability and the frugal nature of the 1.2 i-VTEC and you just have the perfect car for yourselves. Regarding the AT, take an extensive test drive and see for yourself whether the added convenience is worthwhile or not. AFAIK, the 5-speed gearbox is borrowed from the City and does not seem to have any real vices that plague its competition. It's smooth, does not sap power and is almost as efficient as the manual. However, Honda seems to have focused upon the Amaze AT and seems to be making the Brio AT in limited batches. Many BHPians have complained of long waiting periods for the car; check with your SA for the same.

Regards,
Mohit

[ahmad.007]

Gramessh bro,
I would like to suggest you either
1- Grand i10, Great all-round package, the new kappa petrol is fun to drive, and also as quick as the swift, looks super sexy from rear, freshest of the lot, awesome fit+finish of interiors, and roomy+ decent boot.
2- i20, Premium features can put cars 2-3 segment above to shame, big and roomy. But, expensive spares.
3- Brio, Very compact yet roomy, the i-vtec is a gem of an engine, absolutely fun to drive!! Very highway capable (but limited to a max speed of 140 kmph), small boot, dashboard and rear designs are not very conventional and to everyone's liking.
4- Beat, Great looker inside out, roomy at front, rear space just about ok, comfortable for 4, super refined/silent engine (obv petrol), awesome dashboard lightning for Lt and Lt+ trims at night with ACC! Negatives- small boot and definitely not calibrated for highways, but will do 100-110 all day silently.
5. Polo GT, a thorough fun-to-drive car, engine made for enthusiast, solid build, made to last, a good package barring the cramped rear. And do remember, VW isn't the cheapest when it comes to spares.

Choice is yours.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by gramessh

Thank you guys for getting back to me so quickly!

Since you are a new driver and this is your first car, a few pointers on the decision process:
1) Get a car with manual transmission. Cars like the Polo GT TSI are great, but I would suggest to start with a MT and switch over to an AT after a few years when you look for a change. Moving from MT to AT is quite easy but many find the opposite (AT to MT) a daunting task.
2) Get a car which makes you fall in love with driving. Choose something with good driving dynamics and handling.
3) Don't compromise on safety. Start with a car which is considered safe within your budget, and soon you'll find that safety becomes a habit, not an option.

With the above parameters, I would suggest the following options, especially since your budget permits cars around 9 lakhs OTR:
1) Punto Diesel Emotion / 90hp
2) Polo GT TDI
3) Swift ZDI/ZXI
4) Figo Diesel Titanium

[gramessh]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Here you go buddy.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...00-kms-up.html

Thanks Anurag. From what I read, it looks like you have been able to get your car through a bunch of minor accidents. Makes me want to consider Maruti again. Do you think their after sales experience is awesome enough to turn me around?

Originally Posted by Marauder

Since you like to have a steering feedback,the Hyundais are out.They have dead steerings and are not much fun to drive.

I was afraid you would say that. Does the i20 have a similar (read lightweight) steering as well? I am yet to test drive it and I was hoping it would be better.

Originally Posted by Marauder

I would say you shouldn't go for automatics since your daily driving isn't that much(on congested roads) and a more pressing point is that since you are a newbie at driving you should know how to drive a manual properly which won't be the case if you buy an automatic car as your first car.

Hehe. I know what you mean. But I think the only automatic under consideration is the Polo GT. And that is still way out of budget. I'd have to put together a lot of thinking and math if I am pull off buying one.

Originally Posted by Marauder

If you don't want to go through the hassle of buying used then among the new cars I would suggest the Honda Brio or Maruti Swift.Both are quite fun to drive and have sufficient space for the front passengers.If you decide to go for diesel then the Fiat Punto would be the best choice,the petrol engines aren't in the same league as the I-VTEC or K-series.

I am getting a lot of recommendations for both the Brio and the Punto. I am not quite sure about the Swift. Still concerned about Maruti and it's bulky nature.

Originally Posted by mohitk1993

Gawd, you just seem to echo my thoughts.

In my humble opinion, the Punto and Brio continue to the best driver hatchbacks that are available in the market in petrol and diesel respectively. You just won't regret buying either.

I was hoping that the steering feedback and the build thing wouldn't just be my opinion. The fact that so many people are into Brio and Punto must mean something

Originally Posted by mohitk1993

Now to the diesel part. If you finalize the Punto, stick to the diesel.

Also, unlike other cars, the difference between the petrol and diesel is quite less for the Punto (its around 70k if I remember well) so that is another point in your favour.

Also, considering the fact that Fiats are not exactly selling like hot cakes, you can easily haggle for more discounts.

You are totally correct here. The Petrol variants aren't very popular in Team-BHP as far as I've seen. The diesel, despite being a good performer isn't quite as expensive as you might think. As soon as the test drive was over, the sales associate offered me a 53k/54k on the 75HP and the 90HP Emotion variants. That brings down the final price to 7.75l and 8.2l respectively. I am sure I can work with him a little more for better numbers.

How do you think the 90HP Punto does in comparison to the 1.4L Diesel engine of the i20? I hear that is pretty awesome as well.

Originally Posted by mohitk1993

The Polo GT TSI. Gosh, if only wishes were horses.

If you really think you can afford it, trust me on this, nothing (except the Linea T-Jet) comes close. However, service costs for a typical VW might just burn holes in your pocket and the 7-speed DSG, for all its goodness, is frequented with unreliability woes.

This is certainly my last option. Meanwhile, a petrol hatch at 9+ lakhs isn't likely to have awesome sales in India. I am hoping something would happen and the prices would get slashed to a certain extent. A price slash would put it into serious consideration.

Originally Posted by mohitk1993

Now, let us come back to the Brio. I know its not the best; the boot is tiny, the looks are frumpy and its not loaded with features either. But then, it is the jack of all trades; a car that will appeal to the heart and the head in equal doses. The Brio is just the perfect recipe for a youngster's needs; you can rip it all day long on highways or ghat sections and the nimble chassis will obey every command of yours. Factor in the Honda reliability and the frugal nature of the 1.2 i-VTEC and you just have the perfect car for yourselves.

I sat inside a Brio at the showroom and it felt pretty great. The interiors were kinda cool and somehow, there seemed to be a lot of room too. Little things like the absence of backseat headrests, Bluetooth, and sufficient boot space are making me wonder if should go for it.

Originally Posted by mohitk1993

Regarding the AT, take an extensive test drive and see for yourself whether the added convenience is worthwhile or not. AFAIK, the 5-speed gearbox is borrowed from the City and does not seem to have any real vices that plague its competition. It's smooth, does not sap power and is almost as efficient as the manual.

The Brio AT seems to be my trump card here. If the automatic proves to be as peppy as the manual (and nothing like the Micra CVT), things will become really interesting. Fingers crossed.

Originally Posted by ahmad.007

Gramessh bro,
I would like to suggest you either
1- Grand i10
2- i20
3- Brio
4- Beat
5. Polo GT

Choice is yours.

Interesting point you have there Ahmad. Do you think the Beat is as good as the other cars you have mentioned here? I've heard it's very compact and convenient but you have slightly better options in Petrol in the form of the Brio (with a very similar overall package too), and for the Diesel, I am not sure if the 936cc would be a very good performer.

Originally Posted by vb-san

Get a car which makes you fall in love with driving. Choose something with good driving dynamics and handling.

With the above parameters, I would suggest the following options, especially since your budget permits cars around 9 lakhs OTR:

1) Punto Diesel Emotion / 90hp
2) Polo GT TDI
3) Swift ZDI/ZXI
4) Figo Diesel Titanium

The Punto is definitely in. The Polo GT TDI? I don't know. There wasn't a test drive vehicle available and there isn't enough word around about it yet. Maybe I should wait until some experts get their hands on it and start commenting.

[ahmad.007]

Gramessh bro,
I own a Beat D Lt(O). And let me tell you, the car is more than at par with rivals like i10, Swift Figo, Micra, in terms of build, features, styling, and to some extent space (Good legroom at back, spacious than the swift atleast). The only sore points are the boot space and underpowered mills. The diesel-there is not much turbo lag and the engine is quite peppy and frugal and is giving me from 17 kmpl in moderately congested traffic to 20kmpl on regular open city roads, and that too with 40-50% Ac. The good part, it feels quite premium from inside (and even got ACC), when compared to Swift, Figo, Micra, even Brio.
I may add on to say that this is by far the best city car one can buy today (compact and v.low running&spare costs).
But, on a strict note, this is simply not meant for highways, and you frequently feel the lack of outright power on open roads. It can cruise all day all night at 100-110, and is quite stable and silent at that, can even touch 155-160, but anything above 110-115 and the engine noise and not so good handling just spoil the show.
The petrol engine of the Beat is also not very enthusiastic when compared to almost all other 1.2s in the segment (barring, I guess Micra's and Figo's), and is no match for the Brio's i-vtec or Swift's 1.2K.

Simply put, I bought the Beat because I keep 2 cars, and wanted a "best in a certain area" car rather than a "jack of all trades" like a Figo, Ritz, etc.

The Brio on the other hand is a better "overall" package if you are looking for a good petrol. And if you like the car, I say you can go with a Honda with your eyes closed. Barring the Boot space, rear design, and not so much to my taste dash design, I dont think there is anyhting I can say against Brio! Its a fantastic car!
Ps- I will be buying a pre-owned Jazz soon (3.5-4.0 lacs), for the highways.
Reasons- Best looking hatch, spacious and that Honda engine.

[rkhare]

Originally Posted by gramessh

The Punto kind of turned out to be better. I figured it would make sense if I went with the Diesel variant because this was the Punto.
But wouldn't you recommend I go for the i20 Petrol instead?

Now once you have liked the Punto and I have already booked one (waiting for my delivery), nothing much left to discuss.
For me its my 4th car (may be 5th if we count a friends Dzire which I drove for more then a year, 25k kms), for you, being your first, I would still recommend you to go for a peppier petrol tall boy. My recommendation is based on fact that you are still learning to drive and your daily driving is going to be less. If CVT is out, Grand i10 is great car also do consider Ritz VXI ABS or ZXI. But TD a Brio before taking a final call. I have not driven this beauty but always fascinated by it.
In case you decide to buy a Punto and afford higher price, do buy 90 HP. Unfortunately I have stretched my budget too far for buying 75HP Emotion.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by gramessh

On that note, what do you think about the Punto? I've seen several experts here in Team BHP recommend the Punto. It felt very solid and great, even if it lacked premium interiors and features. As far as the Petrol vs Diesel comparison, don't you think the Punto Diesel would be a better choice? Not only do they offer a 90HP version but I've heard the petrol variant is really low on FE.

Hi,

I was looking out for a new car for some time. This was my second car, the first being a swift petrol.

I too like you test drove quite a few cars in the price level and finally settled for the punto. Will be getting the delivery tomorrow.

What tilted the scales in favour of punto for me was the decidedly superior ride and good handling.

The other cars that came close were polo, swift and figo. As much as I liked figo, I couldn't digest the fact that I wont get all four power Windows even on the top end and really didn't like the seats too.
Swift I already owned one and it's my experience that they start showing up age very fast. The new swift is definitely a huge improvement over the older one though.
With polo I was apprehensive about the high cost of ownership and the 3 cylinder engines.

I have driven i20 diesel quite a bit and it is powerful no doubt. But personally I like slightly weighed in steering and the ultra light steering on the Hyundai killed it for me. Moreover from personal experience I know that the rear becomes too bouncy for my liking. Petrol is slightly underpowered.

Micra and the brio were not really considered not due to anything else but because I felt they looked smaller from outside than they actually were.

Punto ticked all the right boxes for me despite it being a little underpowered. I would suggest you deliberate more before actually taking the plunge. Go for multiple test drives you may identify more quirks or good bits about the cars.
More so since this would be your first car. First car is always special. I also try to tell myself that most of the cars out there are good. It all boils down to what I want from it.

All the best for your car hunting.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by gramessh

The Brio AT seems to be my trump card here. If the automatic proves to be as peppy as the manual (and nothing like the Micra CVT), things will become really interesting. Fingers crossed.

The Punto is definitely in. The Polo GT TDI? I don't know. There wasn't a test drive vehicle available and there isn't enough word around about it yet. Maybe I should wait until some experts get their hands on it and start commenting.

If its a diesel, I would recommend the Punto. No second thought about it at all. There is no other hatchback that comes close.

I am not aware of how keen you are, but there are rumours of the Punto Abarth coming over. Again, the news is so old and Fiat has been twiddling its thumbs for so long that people who bought their cars then are ready for their next purchase/ swap already and the Abarth is not in sight!

Originally Posted by ahmad.007

Ps- I will be buying a pre-owned Jazz soon (3.5-4.0 lacs), for the highways.
Reasons- Best looking hatch, spacious and that Honda engine.

I have a Jazz too, bought preowned a couple of years ago. This car is really an amazing piece of work.
No niggles whatsoever, except a slightly irritating gearshift when coming back to 1st. But that is also rectified. It could chug along all day in city traffic and even crawls along in 3rd gear at low speeds. It is very convenient to park in tight spaces and manoeuvreable in city traffic.

On the highway, it is a totally different beast, almost like a Jekyll and Hyde case. It comes with airbags & ABS, so the safety aspect is covered. Its manners are almost sedan like, and we can fit a lot of luggage and I really mean a lot.

Example - for our recent trip to Goa, the Jazz took along 2 full size suitcases, 3 cabin bags, 1 baby pram and an assortment of soft toys and waterbottles (no, we did not shift to Goa!). This was all in the boot without magic seating in place. I and my wife were in the front, and in the rear our two kids in their child seats.
We were doing reasonable speeds (80 to 120 range) depending on road conditions as it was raining quite a bit. Mileage for 1100 kms round trip was 18 including ghats etc. (100% AC).
At times I felt as if I was driving a Linea, with better headroom of course! On the return leg, we took only 2 breaks, one for lunch and another for tea. Overall driving time 8 hours, break time 1 hour. No fatigue at all, maybe its due to the low seating position. After looking at all sorts of hatchbacks to replace my Nano, I have been told by an assortment of bhpians that I should just wait for the diesel Jazz and buy that. Or buy another Jazz to go with the existing one!

In short, please look at preowned Jazz if feasible where you live.

[gramessh]

I am going to be holding on to my horses for the next few weeks before I make the call and purchase car. My parents have some other investment plans for my which are likely to affect my decision directly. Suddenly, used cars seem to be attractive considering some of the attractive options in the market. I have already come across several sedans, the Ford Fiesta, The Skoda Rapid etc.

Do you guys any idea where I should start if I were to go for a used car? I am just giving it some thought, still inclined towards getting a new one.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Here you go buddy.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...00-kms-up.html

Anurag.

Thanks Anurag. I read through your entire thread and it looks like there have been a few unfortunate bumps and accidents over the years. How was your car handled everything, and more importantly, how has Maruti been with their after sales service?

I've been ruling them out until now, but every day I hear some story about a dent or a scratch, and it makes me wonder if I should consider availability and cost-effectiveness of parts very seriously (a little more than right now). That kinda gives Maruti some bonus points.

Originally Posted by ahmad.007

Gramessh bro,

The petrol engine of the Beat is also not very enthusiastic when compared to almost all other 1.2s in the segment (barring, I guess Micra's and Figo's), and is no match for the Brio's i-vtec or Swift's 1.2K.

The Brio on the other hand is a better "overall" package if you are looking for a good petrol. And if you like the car, I say you can go with a Honda with your eyes closed. Barring the Boot space, rear design, and not so much to my taste dash design, I dont think there is anyhting I can say against Brio! Its a fantastic car!

Ps- I will be buying a pre-owned Jazz soon (3.5-4.0 lacs), for the highways.
Reasons- Best looking hatch, spacious and that Honda engine.

I agree, the Beat does not tick all boxes, especially if I want to take it out on the highway.

How do you people find used Jazz cars so easily?

Originally Posted by vibbs

Hi,

Punto ticked all the right boxes for me despite it being a little underpowered. I would suggest you deliberate more before actually taking the plunge. Go for multiple test drives you may identify more quirks or good bits about the cars.
More so since this would be your first car. First car is always special. I also try to tell myself that most of the cars out there are good. It all boils down to what I want from it.

All the best for your car hunting.

Thanks for your tips, vibbs. I think things are a little more confusing to me because I'm a first comer and I'm not very sure what budget I should be sitting upon in the first place.

A few more test drives and recommendations would be very helpful.

Originally Posted by selfdrive

If its a diesel, I would recommend the Punto. No second thought about it at all. There is no other hatchback that comes close.

I am not aware of how keen you are, but there are rumours of the Punto Abarth coming over. Again, the news is so old and Fiat has been twiddling its thumbs for so long that people who bought their cars then are ready for their next purchase/ swap already and the Abarth is not in sight!

There's a lot of hype, yes. But think the Abarth would be available a segment above the premium sedans. As far as the rumors are concerned, it's going to be a high performance car. I don't think it would come under my budget by any means

Originally Posted by selfdrive

In short, please look at preowned Jazz if feasible where you live.

Brilliant story there. I am especially impressed by the boot space that is available in the Jazz. In fact, that is perhaps the only thing that seems to be holding me back from the Brio.

A Jazz would be brilliant - Honda refinement, lots of storage, great for a city and pretty good for the highways as well!

Originally Posted by rkhare

Now once you have liked the Punto and I have already booked one (waiting for my delivery), nothing much left to discuss.

In case you decide to buy a Punto and afford higher price, do buy 90 HP. Unfortunately I have stretched my budget too far for buying 75HP Emotion.

Congratulations on your booking Punto.

The fact that somebody like you recommends the car so much, having owned and driven a ton of cars yourself (look at your signature!) says quite a lot.

Looking forward to reading your initial ownership report, and your thought process that led to you finalizing the Punto. And of course, the pictures

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by gramessh

Suddenly, used cars seem to be attractive considering some of the attractive options in the market. I have already come across several sedans, the Ford Fiesta, The Skoda Rapid etc.

Used cars are attractive, but you need to be cautious and know which problems are associated with which cars. For example, a lot of Skodas are in the market around the 60K mark as there are some costs associated with the timing belt. Many others sell Skodas once their warranty expiry date nears. tyre costs need to be taken into account as you may end up changing the tyres within the next few thousand kms if not immediately. Every make has its own quirks, so you need to be aware of what yu are getting into before buying it.

Originally Posted by gramessh

Do you guys any idea where I should start if I were to go for a used car? I am just giving it some thought, still inclined towards getting a new one.

How do you people find used Jazz cars so easily?

We dont find Jazz easily as not many were initially sold considering the price. But there are 6 used Jazz cars in Chennai as of now, only on carwale. Check this link to start with:
http://www.carwale.com/used/cars-in-...=7&model=7.237

Originally Posted by gramessh

I've been ruling them out until now, but every day I hear some story about a dent or a scratch, and it makes me wonder if I should consider availability and cost-effectiveness of parts very seriously (a little more than right now). That kinda gives Maruti some bonus points.

Maruti service costs are not as cheap as they used to be. There is a thread around here that debates this topic. You may want to check that out

[ridinthru']

Folks,

My wife drives an Alto LXI, 2007 model which has completed 1 Lakh kms, I thinking of a change for her this festive season and looking for a small petrol hatch (as she drives just 20 kms per day for 5 days a week). Just 2 criterias in mind, she prefers small cars (no swift/I20/Punto's etc) and I would like to get something with ABS, if not airbags !
I drive the Figo Titanium D and have witnessed the wonders of ABS on multiple occasions and feel that this should be a must. Would appreciate inputs from the community which would be the best option keeping in mind our criterias !

Cheers !

RD

[babhishek]

Originally Posted by mohitk1993

Gawd, you just seem to echo my thoughts.

OK, to be very honest, I was thinking of suggesting the Punto diesel for you; the only reason I held back is your low running. In my humble opinion, the Punto and Brio continue to the best driver hatchbacks that are available in the market in petrol and diesel respectively. You just won't regret buying either.

Pretty sure you meant : In my humble opinion, the Punto and Brio continue to the best driver hatchbacks that are available in the market in diesel and petrol respectively.

Originally Posted by ridinthru'

Folks,

My wife drives an Alto LXI, 2007 model which has completed 1 Lakh kms, I thinking of a change for her this festive season and looking for a small petrol hatch (as she drives just 20 kms per day for 5 days a week). Just 2 criterias in mind, she prefers small cars (no swift/I20/Punto's etc) and I would like to get something with ABS, if not airbags !
I drive the Figo Titanium D and have witnessed the wonders of ABS on multiple occasions and feel that this should be a must. Would appreciate inputs from the community which would be the best option keeping in mind our criterias !

Cheers !

RD

Why not let her test drive the Brio and the i10 or the i10 grande?

[ahmad.007]

Selfdrive,
The Jazz, for me is the ultimate hatch!
380 litres of boot is amazing for a hatch! Swift dZire has 315 litres of it, feels like a joke.
But, feature-wise I find it quite basic.
I also feel if i20 had better handling dynamics, it would have been the ultimate hatch with all those features, space, power and 295 litres of boot!
Put after-market performance suspension(I know, quite expensive) on an i20 and there you go, you got the perfect hatch with all the bells and whistles!!!