[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by vb-san

I would suggest you to look at the face-lifted Polo 1.5 TDI. It will not stay in the 7 lakhs cut-off you mentioned, but should be a great option if you can stretch your budget.

Yes sir, this was first in my list but the pricing was way beyond my budget. The mid variant which seemed sensible was coming to 8.5 OTR

Originally Posted by vb-san

Alternately, since you don't like the the looks of the face-lifted Punto eve, maybe its a good idea to wait for the Evo launch, and you may get even more discounts on the pre-facelift stock.

These Sales guys are scaring me saying the production will be stopped any day and we might not get these models as well as discounts next month. They are trying to push me book the car within next two days.

[N Kiran]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

These Sales guys are scaring me saying the production will be stopped any day and we might not get these models as well as discounts next month. They are trying to push me book the car within next two days.

Thats just because they want to clear the stock asap. I am very confident that the old Punto will be available in the next month too, again with more discounts on offer. BTW, which dealer have you approached?

[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by N Kiran

Thats just because they want to clear the stock asap. I am very confident that the old Punto will be available in the next month too, again with more discounts on offer. BTW, which dealer have you approached?

AV Motors, Minister road Secunderabad.

[N Kiran]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

AV Motors, Minister road Secunderabad.

Cool. Wait for another couple of weeks and you will see Fiat advertising Independence Day offers on the old lot.

Also get quotes from Butta and Ankitha Motors. Thanks to having 3 dealers in Hyderabad, there is lot of competition going on, in giving the best deal.

Ankitha Motors will have an edge IMO, since they haven't opened their Showroom (which is due in few days/weeks), and are selling the cars from their service center so far. The dealer margin can be discounted a lot as they would not have any running costs of the Showroom yet.

Good Luck with your purchase.

[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by N Kiran

Ankitha Motors will have an edge IMO, since they haven't opened their Showroom (which is due in few days/weeks), and are selling the cars from their service center so far. The dealer margin can be discounted a lot as they would not have any running costs of the Showroom yet.

Good Luck with your purchase.

Thanks for the tip mate. Will check with them right away

Hope this one clicks this time

[Naman_Ferrari]

Hey guys!!
I am planning to book the new Punto Evo.
Love the car
But I am confused between the 1.4 petrol and the 90 HP.
I want a fast car and that is the priority with mainly city driving.
I test drove both but still can't decide.
Please help me out here......

[Kumar R]

Originally Posted by JohnyBoy

I will check this when doing the test drive. The sales executive told me it is not like that.
Thanks ajmat.

I can confirm this. My garage is customised with a ramp (to keep out monsoon water) so while driving up and in I use the headlights to gauge distance with the end-wall. When I switch off the ignition only the parking lights stay on.

[shreyak_ss]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

I can't suggest one name out of the 3 outright although I will explain the virtues of each on city driving basis. Optimum safety is hard to achieve unless budget is increased because it involves a mix of sturdy build, ABS & SRS.



Now among the 3 Grand i10 is the best built both inside and out in terms of load absorbing frame, gauge of sheet metal and proportions, also having the best interiors a segment above the others. Grand is also Euro NCAP tested while the other 2 aren't. The minus is however that ABS+SRS variant costs 6.5L. WagonR is quite old now and despite the updates I would not suggest it although it's good value at that price, if the variant does come with ABS then feel free to consider it. Brio has the best engine without doubt, given its light weight and low height the engine can perform much better in city conditions, minuses - the seats are too thin and interior wise it looks outmoded. Figo has the best built body-frame but it's 3 cyl petrol engine would not only be noisier but also less powerful given the weight. Service and long term maintenance wise Suzuki and Hyundai are on top so if ease of owning is also a factor choose between only those 2. FE is more or less same, unless +/-1 kmpl extra matters in thick traffic in which case the smallest engine & lightest weight (WagonR) will naturally consume less.

Thanks dark.night. I'm getting inclined towards the Brio more due to its compact size and excellent drivability. I would like to take opinion of Brio owners and other team mates who have driven it regarding the comfort levels and ease of maintenance of this car. Also are there any diesel options worth considering in this price bracket?

[ToyotaFan]

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

Hey guys!!
I am planning to book the new Punto Evo.
Love the car
But I am confused between the 1.4 petrol and the 90 HP.
I want a fast car and that is the priority with mainly city driving.
I test drove both but still can't decide.
Please help me out here......

Fuel efficiency of 1.4 petrol is pathetic and the resale would also be low. The performance also does not justify losing so much in efficiency. I would recommend a 90HP diesel punto which will give you a similar driving experience at the same time good FE and much better resale.

[drmohitg]

Hi,

We have finally decided that we need a small hatch in the garage for those short city runs on days when the driver doesn't show up and dad has to drive. Also specially over weekends, going to market places parking a hatch will be much more easier. And given the current cars we have in our garage, a hatch will sort of complete it. The expected running is not going to be much for the car and hence I am fine with a petrol engine.

Requirements:
1. Safety features: ABS and dual Airbags
2. Nice to drive. May not be a stonker but shouldn't be a boring car either.
3. Interior feature list in form of electrically foldable ORVMs, Bluetooth connectivity, Steering controls are very much desirable. Engine start stop and other gimmicks like keyless entry are not so important.
4. Transmission: Preferably AT. After experiencing the BMW, we are convinced that AT is the way to go even if the FE might be lower. But since the car is going to be run in the city for short runs, FE is not an issue.
5. Fuel type: Petrol. There are anyways no diesel AT hatchbacks out there.

Cars shortlisted:
1. Hyundai Grand i10: Absolutely love this car. Its spacious, loaded with features, looks good, rich interiors and good to drive in the city. The only problem is that the AT variant doesn't come with safety features and hence I have to choose either one of them. And somehow I really want to have the basic safety features on every car of mine. The top end Asta(O) variant would cost around 6.2L OTR delhi.

2. VW Polo: This is another car that we have all loved since its launch. The GT TSI would be one hell of a car and offers me everything I listed in the requirements above. But the price is so high that I am unable to justify spending so much on the car. Also the eternal fear with the DSG box. The other option in this group is then to go for the 1.5 TDI engine and compromise on the AT box. The regular petrol motor doesn't sound exciting at all and hence not in my list. The GT TSI would easily cost around 9.5L OTR delhi which is a cool 3L more than the grand.

3. Since I am not in any hurry, wait for the upcoming Honda Jazz and even the Ford Figo perhaps. Even the upcoming Hyundai i20 might offer an AT box with safety features.

Cars not considered: Maruti ( not very fond of them), Nissan/Renault, Toyota Liva, Chevrolet beat/sail, current Ford Figo, Tata, Fiat.

Looking for some valuable inputs to help decide. The budget is not fixed but honestly I had a ball park figure of around 6-7L keeping the grand i10 in mind. The polo however finds its name in the list of shortlisted cars because it has always been something I have admired and the GT TSI just sounds magical.

[ToyotaFan]

[quote=drmohitg;3l

Looking for some valuable inputs to help decide. The budget is not fixed but honestly I had a ball park figure of around 6-7L keeping the grand i10 in mind. The polo however finds its name in the list of shortlisted cars because it has always been something I have admired and the GT TSI just sounds magical.[/QUOTE]

Go for Brio VX AT. It has a good transmission, good to drive and has small dimensions. The boot is small but considering the other cars you have that might not be an important consideration. Honda will ensure peace of mind as well. I myself wanted a car for the same purpose in 2011 and got the A star automatic (no brio AT available then). Extremely happy with it.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by ToyotaFan

Go for Brio VX AT. It has a good transmission, good to drive and has small dimensions. The boot is small but considering the other cars you have that might not be an important consideration. Honda will ensure peace of mind as well. I myself wanted a car for the same purpose in 2011 and got the A star automatic (no brio AT available then). Extremely happy with it.

Sorry forgot to mention the Brio in the post above. Do not like the looks of the hatch and the dash design is outright ugly. So Brio is not in the contention.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Requirements:
1. Safety features: ABS and dual Airbags
2. Nice to drive. May not be a stonker but shouldn't be a boring car either.
3. Interior feature list in form of electrically foldable ORVMs, Bluetooth connectivity, Steering controls are very much desirable. Engine start stop and other gimmicks like keyless entry are not so important.
4. Transmission: Preferably AT. After experiencing the BMW, we are convinced that AT is the way to go even if the FE might be lower. But since the car is going to be run in the city for short runs, FE is not an issue.
5. Fuel type: Petrol. There are anyways no diesel AT hatchbacks out there.

Petrol AT hatchback - it should be the Polo TSI right? None of the other options mentioned will come close to that. And you have been getting close on a VW for quite a while

Since you are not fixed on budget, maybe its worth considering the Ecosport Titanium AT as well. May not be as exciting as the GT TSI, but should work well in those tight spaces and its pretty good on safety (6 airbags, ESP etc.).

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Petrol AT hatchback - it should be the Polo TSI right? None of the other options mentioned will come close to that. And you have been getting close on a VW for quite a while

Since you are not fixed on budget, maybe its worth considering the Ecosport Titanium AT as well. May not be as exciting as the GT TSI, but should work well in those tight spaces and its pretty good on safety (6 airbags, ESP etc.).

I did consider the Ecosport. But isn't that just too big for my usage which is basically for car with smaller dimensions which my dad will find easier to drive and park. The Ecosport will be a little big I feel.

The polo GT TSI is quite pricy. Its going to be tough to justify the price in front of dad. The only other decent option is to otherwise go with the Grand AT and let go of the safety features.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I did consider the Ecosport. But isn't that just too big for my usage which is basically for car with smaller dimensions which my dad will find easier to drive and park. The Ecosport will be a little big I feel.

The polo GT TSI is quite pricy. Its going to be tough to justify the price in front of dad. The only other decent option is to otherwise go with the Grand AT and let go of the safety features.

Well, its not hugely different from the Polo. Both are under 4m in length, and with its high seating position, the Ecosport maybe an easier car for your dad to drive and park. It maybe ideal for you to get him do a TD of both these cars. I doubt the Grand will stand a chance after the TD