Team-BHP - Keep my vista or save for new car? Planning crosscountry road trip in 1 year.
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-   -   Keep my vista or save for new car? Planning crosscountry road trip in 1 year. (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchbacks/106530-keep-my-vista-save-new-car-planning-crosscountry-road-trip-1-year.html)

I'm just doing some research at the moment. If i do purchase a new car, it'll be in about 10 months.

Short version -
Cars below 8lac on road in hyderabad, diesel (should cover all available hatches other than fiat 500 and beetle). Auto ac preferred but not must. Good service coverage all over country must. Cars expected to be launched in one year may be considered. Manual only. Hydraulic steering preferred but electric units are okay if they have good feedback.

Long version-
Ok, here goes. If everything goes as it should, i'll be getting about 2 months off from mid july of next year to mid september. For a very long time now, i've been wanting to go on a road trip across the country - and that window seems to be just perfect. So, i went ahead and planned out a 6 week trip covering 20k kms. Once i can confirm this trip, i'll post in the travelogue section but before i get that far, i need to look at the logistical difficulty of such a trip.

Obviously, the first thing i need to consider is the heart of the trip - the car.

My current car is an indica vista aqua tdi, manufactured in feb 2009. Completely stock. It has covered just over 26k km so far and i expect to cross 40k km by next year. It's been in a major accident at around 1500k, repaired at concorde t.a.s.s in hyd. It has seen a lot of rough use and hasn't let me down on the road yet but i've had to make a bunch of repairs including a leaking radiator, malfunctioning turbo, leaking turbo oil return pipe, leaking oil sump and some minor stuff that i can't remember off the bat.

Here are my options for this trip.

1. Keep my vista. Keep it running till the trip and then give it in for a thorough overhaul. If you think this is the right option, then what all can, and should i get done. How much will it cost?

2. Sell the vista and buy a new car. If you think this is the right one, then which one? If i have to do this, then i'll have to set the ball rolling in that direction from now. I'll discuss my requirements in detail below. Oh, and NO used cars please. Only new cars.

3. Take the train! - not happening. The whole point is the drive. So only the first 2 options.

Now whichever route i choose, i expect to give my car away to my parents in about 2 to 3 years where it'll stay till resale value is of no concern anymore.

Now if i choose to buy a new car, here's what i'm looking for.

1. Diesel. Period.

2. Turbo lag is of no concern as i'm coming from a tdi and i'm not bothered by it. Either way, most of my driving, even now, is done at around 2k rpm.

3. High power ratings are preferred. I use the full rev band quite a lot and those extra horses will be very handy when overtaking on the highway. Not bothered about 0-100 times and the like. They don't represent the worth of an engine at all to me.

4. Not that worried about fuel economy. All small diesels give great fe anyway.

5. Only the front two seats are important. Everything else is storage space.

6. Hydraulic steering is preferred. I'll accept electric if it gives good feedback. I'll take a vague hydraulic with good feedback over a sharp electric with no feedback on anyday. This is very important to me.

7. Auto ac. Not a must but one of the most annoying things about my current car is that i'm constantly messing with the ac settings on the many road trips i take. This feature would make my life infinitely easier and would be very appreciated.

8. Interior isn't that important to me as long is it's decently screwed together and won't fall apart if you drive over a bad road. If anything, less rattles the better but it's not that important.

9. Am not that worried about aftersales service. I watch over my car like a hawk. However a good coverage allover the country is a must.

10. Almost forgot. Clutch is a must. Won't even consider automatics. Not that worried about the short gearing vs tall gearing thing. I can adapt to the car. Once you get used to the horrible drop between 2nd and 3rd on the tata tdi engine, nothing will really bother you...

Sorry for the long post folks, but all your recommendations will be very appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Uhoh, too late to edit.

Here's some more information. I forgot to give some information about the financial aspects of my thoughts.

If i go with keeping my vista, here's a list of expenses.

1. Repairs - scratches rear bumper, exhaust pipe, also need to check rear strut.
2. Other replacements to overhaul the car.
3. Music system. With touchscreen and nav. My car doesn't have one yet.
4. Alloys+new tires
5. Any other stuff that i can't remember.

I expect all this to cost between 1 and 2 lacs - without much return when i sell the car in 3 years.

Also, if i keep my car for another 3 years, and about 80-100k, value then is expected to be very low. And then a new car will have to be bought for my parents.


If i choose to buy a new car, i'll be selling the vista. Apart from the touchscreen with nav, i'll have all the other stuff coming with the car. Also, a new car won't have to be bought for my parents as i'll just give them this one and they'll happily run the car till the end of it's life. Oh, and my dad's preferences in cars are pretty close to mine. So, i'm sure they'll be happy whichever car i go with.

I haven't thought out the financial aspects all the way thru yet but some guidance there will be welcome.

Trip around India uh?! Sounds good!

Ok, talking about your existing car, what kind of major accident it went through! Perhaps a picture would be better to advise. I too had a major accident in my Zen 4yrs ago, with the frontal impact. Had to change the left apron, bonnet, fender, cross/lower/engine members, radiator, etc.. And its still drivable :) Infact, not bad for the way I have driven it at quite a few times.

I would not suggest alloys for a cross country driving, as the steel rims tend to be better, as the worst case would be a bent one, not a shattered one!

Keep additional tools handy, foot airpump is always advised + spare tubes.

A Feb 2009 car and you are thinking fo selling it by june 2012? think again.

And yes, as asked above please give more details about the accident. And are those raditor leakage, turbo malfunction and other stuffs are related to that accident?

Have you bought the car on loan or cash? A very important criteria to consider before selling the car , if bought on loan.

Car as of now has done only 26K kms, and a TDI engine can easily go way above a lakh kilometres. If you sell now, you will have to take a major depreciation hit.

And I don't think the repair and add-ons you have mentioned in your second post will go above a lakh mark. IMO all those repairs and add-on can be managed within 1 lakh budget and your car will be as good as new.

My advise would be to just spruce up your present car and go on your planned cross country drive and then if you wish sell it and buy a new car for your parents.

And even if you decide to buy a new car before your trip, I would suggest you buy it around February 2012 and settle down well with the car in this six month time. This will give the new engine enough time to break in properly and settle down in a rhythm plus it would also give you time to acquaint yourself well with pros and cons of the new car.

Hope you decide whatever's best for you. And all the best for your future trip:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478109)
My current car is an indica vista aqua tdi, manufactured in feb 2009. Completely stock. It has covered just over 26k km so far and i expect to cross 40k km by next year.

2 year old car with only 26k on the odo has 80% (or maybe more) of its life left. So i don't think its would be a wise decision to sell it off. Even if it touches 40K by next year the odo reading is nothing as compared to what the cars these days designed to run.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478109)
1. Keep my vista. Keep it running till the trip and then give it in for a thorough overhaul. If you think this is the right option, then what all can, and should i get done. How much will it cost?

A 26K run car will not have huge repairs needed on it (Generally speaking). The tyres would usually last 40k+ and if it has been generally cared for then a good checkup and service should be enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478109)
2. Sell the vista and buy a new car. If you think this is the right one, then which one? If i have to do this, then i'll have to set the ball rolling in that direction from now. I'll discuss my requirements in detail below. Oh, and NO used cars please. Only new cars.

Now whichever route i choose, i expect to give my car away to my parents in about 2 to 3 years where it'll stay till resale value is of no concern anymore.

You are only going to be using front two seats and are anyway would not be needing that car after 2-3 years why sell this car now and buy another one. Keep using this one, get it serviced and cared for and it will serve you for atleast next 7-8 years. After you are done with using it your parents can use it.

Let's start from the basics -

1) how many people would be going for this trip?
2) do you plan to cover cities or have you planned some off-roading (read : camping in the car) too?
3) why do you have doubts about your Vista? accident/space/capability/?

The reason why these details are imp. is - 2 years ago, when we shifted from Pune to Gurgaon, we drove down in our Zen. There were 2 people for the first half the journey and 3 for the latter. We did this trip over 7 days covering Baroda-A'bad-Udaipur-Ajmer.

We'd taken just clothes for 7 days and all our imp. files and documents. If our Zen could carry that amount of luggage, Vista surely can.

The accident you mentioned - how long ago was it? What all was damaged/repaired and how has the car been after that?

If all is well now, you could get a proper servicing done and the car should be good for your trip.

If you could answer why the thought of replacing Vista has crept in your mind, we'd be better placed to advice you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tantragna (Post 2478388)
Ok, talking about your existing car, what kind of major accident it went through! Perhaps a picture would be better to advise. I too had a major accident in my Zen 4yrs ago, with the frontal impact. Had to change the left apron, bonnet, fender, cross/lower/engine members, radiator, etc.. And its still drivable :) Infact, not bad for the way I have driven it at quite a few times.

I would not suggest alloys for a cross country driving, as the steel rims tend to be better, as the worst case would be a bent one, not a shattered one!

Keep additional tools handy, foot airpump is always advised + spare tubes.

Frontal impact. Major. I don't have pics anymore though. Got it fixed at Concorde TASS at hyderabad. Total repair costs were 2 lac. Insurance paid for most of it. I don't know what exactly was replaced as I wasn't involved with the repairs then. I don't trust Concorde TASS, however. By the time they returned it, the turbo was still not working. It just happened that my dad couldn't tell the difference. After that, the car was in limbo for over a year till mid feb 2010 when I started driving it again.

That's when I got the turbo fixed. Then I noticed that the car was gulping down coolant. They had to replace the radiator - which btw, looked refurbished rather than new. Then I noticed that the car was leaking oil which meant that I had to get the turbo oil return pipe replaced. And the AC didn't work for a long while which was fixed after getting the alternator fixed. There was also a bunch of other minor niggles which I can't remember. I've taken it on a bunch of road trips and it's never failed me but I do get it checked up atleast twice inbetween scheduled services. Oh, and the intercooler and exhaust are dented.

The minor niggles don't bother me but major stuff like this does. Obviously I don't believe that Concorde motors did a good job at all. I still don't know if there's any other major stuff that hasn't come up yet. The people at Urs Kar in mysore where I'm getting my car serviced

That's why the thought of getting a new car came up. I could, ofcourse, wait a bit and then spend a lakh or so replacing stuff and getting it done right, then spending a little more on the extra accessories, none of which would improve my resale much. I could spend some more and buy a new one. The extra expense involved may be justified by higher fuel economy, longer time I can keep the car before selling it, higher resale plus, importantly lower maintanence charges and the fact that I can just pass it on to my parents, who drive a lot less, and a lot more careully. Although, I could just stay with this one and a new one can be bought for my parents.....

I'll be happy to answer any more questions.

Yeah, I need new tires. However, I've got tubeless and I'm not convinced steel is the way to go. With the number of times I've had to get the wheels undented, I'm surprised I've *never* had a flat. Knock on wood. I do want to stick to tubeless from the safety perspective. And that means tubeless to me. What do you think?

Yeah, I'll need to come up with a list of tools I need to take but that's for the travelogue thread. Still a long way to go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau (Post 2478430)
A Feb 2009 car and you are thinking fo selling it by june 2012? think again.

And yes, as asked above please give more details about the accident. And are those raditor leakage, turbo malfunction and other stuffs are related to that accident?

Have you bought the car on loan or cash? A very important criteria to consider before selling the car , if bought on loan.

Car as of now has done only 26K kms, and a TDI engine can easily go way above a lakh kilometres. If you sell now, you will have to take a major depreciation hit.

And I don't think the repair and add-ons you have mentioned in your second post will go above a lakh mark. IMO all those repairs and add-on can be managed within 1 lakh budget and your car will be as good as new.

My advise would be to just spruce up your present car and go on your planned cross country drive and then if you wish sell it and buy a new car for your parents.

And even if you decide to buy a new car before your trip, I would suggest you buy it around February 2012 and settle down well with the car in this six month time. This will give the new engine enough time to break in properly and settle down in a rhythm plus it would also give you time to acquaint yourself well with pros and cons of the new car.

Hope you decide whatever's best for you. And all the best for your future trip:)

Questions about the accident answered above.

Car was paid for upfront. So, I have no issues there.

As far as the repairs go, if I'm going to go on this trip, I'd take it to a good mechanic outside and then go on a replace spree....
Alloys - 25k
Tires - 15k
Touchscreen system + nav with good speakers - 40k
The repairs and other stuff will take it over 80k

As far as hitting 100k with the Tdi goes, I don't doubt it but I wouldn't want to risk it with my Tdi unless I can get a thorough overhaul - so, even if I don't get a new car, I'm gonna have to spend.

I'm still not convinced about getting a new car actually. Even with all the problems my car's got, it still ticks off many of the criteria I like in a car. Just looking at my options for the moment. If I had to get a new car though, what would you suggest?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806 (Post 2478467)
2 year old car with only 26k on the odo has 80% (or maybe more) of its life left. So i don't think its would be a wise decision to sell it off. Even if it touches 40K by next year the odo reading is nothing as compared to what the cars these days designed to run.


A 26K run car will not have huge repairs needed on it (Generally speaking). The tyres would usually last 40k+ and if it has been generally cared for then a good checkup and service should be enough.



You are only going to be using front two seats and are anyway would not be needing that car after 2-3 years why sell this car now and buy another one. Keep using this one, get it serviced and cared for and it will serve you for atleast next 7-8 years. After you are done with using it your parents can use it.

Answered the stuff about the accident earlier. And, with my running plus the road trip, I should touch 80k to 100k in 2 to 3 years. At which point, I really wouldn't want to give it to my parents then. It'll be a new car then...

Quote:

Originally Posted by libranof1987 (Post 2478533)
Let's start from the basics -

1) how many people would be going for this trip?
2) do you plan to cover cities or have you planned some off-roading (read : camping in the car) too?
3) why do you have doubts about your Vista? accident/space/capability/?

The reason why these details are imp. is - 2 years ago, when we shifted from Pune to Gurgaon, we drove down in our Zen. There were 2 people for the first half the journey and 3 for the latter. We did this trip over 7 days covering Baroda-A'bad-Udaipur-Ajmer.

We'd taken just clothes for 7 days and all our imp. files and documents. If our Zen could carry that amount of luggage, Vista surely can.

The accident you mentioned - how long ago was it? What all was damaged/repaired and how has the car been after that?

If all is well now, you could get a proper servicing done and the car should be good for your trip.

If you could answer why the thought of replacing Vista has crept in your mind, we'd be better placed to advice you.

1. I don't expect to ever have more than 2 people in the car consistently. On an occasion, maybe but my rear seat serves as extra storage for most of the time.
2. No real offroading. But needs to be able to handle whatever Indian roads throw at the car. I've taken my vista through some dirt roads and stuff and it performed quite well.
3. Only real doubt with my vista is regarding the reliability. I've talked about my problems with it earlier. Other than that, I do think it's one of the best hatches to take on a road trip.

My only real problem with my car is my lack of faith in its reliability. I've talked about why earlier.

Oh, and some car recommendations would be helpful too. In any case, the new cars I'm looking at need to prove themselves to be FAR better than my vista if I have to switch. If they don't, I'd happily stick with my known devil, and spend as much as she asks for rather than buy a new one...

Since the accident seems to have happened quite some time back and eventually all the niggles were fixed, I think the car can do this cross-country. Just get it thoroughly serviced before you embark on the journey. Reliability wise, I don't think there should be a problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
Frontal impact. Major.

So, that is a reason for the loss of reliability of your car, but I feel , it's more so because you were absent during all this repair process and got cheated by the TASS. The list of replacements looks long, but does the problem re-occurred after the replacement job were done?

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
As far as the repairs go, if I'm going to go on this trip, I'd take it to a good mechanic outside and then go on a replace spree....

Yes, mostly car would be out of warranty and a good FNG would save you a lot of expense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
Alloys - 25k

Cut it to 20K. You can manage 4 good alloys in this budget.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
Tires - 15k

increase it to 16K minimum for good rubber. If you buy 5 piece than 20K.
Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
Touchscreen system + nav with good speakers - 40k

Don't think you will have place to fit double-din touchscreen nav+music system.
Buy Olivepad Tablet with free MMI all india navigation(life time free) for 15K. Comes with 16GB card plus all the android multimedia features. Would do good. Speakers would be another 10k maximum, if you are not a hardcore audiophile.
So that's 25K for the multimedia system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
The repairs and other stuff will take it over 80k

So total is 20+20+25=65K + add another 20k (considering your car is running well and have fewer issues) for maintenance and trouble shooting.
That makes it 85K total. Well within 1lakh:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
I'm still not convinced about getting a new car actually. Even with all the problems my car's got, it still ticks off many of the criteria I like in a car.

I think your concern about the reliability has creeped in because of the bad experience at the TASS. They didn't do their work honestly and that resulted in your loss of confidence for your car. Just get it thoroughly checked and I am sure most of the things would be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2478689)
Just looking at my options for the moment. If I had to get a new car though, what would you suggest?

If at all you want a new car I'd suggest one among the New Swift, your very own Vista and Figo(in that order) because of their extensive showroom and service coverage.
All are good and proven cars.
You can also look at the Etios Liva diesel that is going to be launched soon.
But if you want the new Swift , you would have to book it right away for the waiting period it commands.
I would say, give your car sometime. Sort out it's issues one by one and observe it's behaviour.
If you are still not convinced, book a new one by January 2012 max. So you have 3months to figure out.
But if waiting period troubles you too much, just go ahead and exchange your Vista for the new Vista refresh alright!!
You won't go wrong with this one either.

I would say sell the Vista, as it has had a major accident and you seem to lack faith in it, I also think you may manage to fit in a Xylo in your budget but then again don't know if you'll like it, I would also suggest you try a i20 Diesel or the new Verna Diesel which may be slightly out of your budget, but by the looks of this thread, I think you'll not mind streaching by a bit if you like the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau (Post 2478780)
So, that is a reason for the loss of reliability of your car, but I feel , it's more so because you were absent during all this repair process and got cheated by the TASS. The list of replacements looks long, but does the problem re-occurred after the replacement job were done?


Yes, mostly car would be out of warranty and a good FNG would save you a lot of expense.


Cut it to 20K. You can manage 4 good alloys in this budget.


increase it to 16K minimum for good rubber. If you buy 5 piece than 20K.

Don't think you will have place to fit double-din touchscreen nav+music system.
Buy Olivepad Tablet with free MMI all india navigation(life time free) for 15K. Comes with 16GB card plus all the android multimedia features. Would do good. Speakers would be another 10k maximum, if you are not a hardcore audiophile.
So that's 25K for the multimedia system.


So total is 20+20+25=65K + add another 20k (considering your car is running well and have fewer issues) for maintenance and trouble shooting.
That makes it 85K total. Well within 1lakh:)

Thanks for the reply. No, none of the problems have recurred but it's rather a loss of trust.

And I do think that the vista has room for a double-din touchscreen nav+music system. I could be wrong though. Am not an audiophile but I'm not tone deaf either. So, probably will spend a decent bit on a music system. In any case, I'm not looking at more than 1.5 lacs even if I replace half the parts in the engine. Thanks for pointing that out. I've had some experiences today that are pushing me more towards keeping my vista. I'll write about them later in the post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicmanaman (Post 2478831)
I would say sell the Vista, as it has had a major accident and you seem to lack faith in it, I also think you may manage to fit in a Xylo in your budget but then again don't know if you'll like it, I would also suggest you try a i20 Diesel or the new Verna Diesel which may be slightly out of your budget, but by the looks of this thread, I think you'll not mind streaching by a bit if you like the car.

Actually, it's not the budget but it's just that I'm really not looking for a larger car. Only two people are regularly in the car and it really doesn't make any sense for me to spend on something I don't need. And it's not as though my parents would like that either when I give them the car in 2-3 years as they already have an ANHC and a smaller car for city runs would be better appreciated.

And my usage rules out the xylo as it's too big for my usage and it doesn't give me any features like 4x4 that would come in handy...

The i20 diesel is ruled out for reasons entirely different which I'll talk about below.


So, today I test drove a swift 1.3 G13B VXi, punto 1.4, i10 1.2 kappa, and a santro 1.1 - just to get a feel of the other cars.
And added to that I have significant experience driving the following cars
Maruti M800 (non PS)
Alto 800 (LX) (NonPS)
Alto 800 (LXi) (PS)

I learnt on these three cars.

Also,
ANHC
Vista Tdi

You will remember how I talked about wanting hydraulic steering and that "I'll take a vague hydraulic with good feedback over a sharp electric with no feedback on anyday."
I drove electrics today after a very long time and it totally drove home the point that I just won't be happy with an electric steering, however fancy the car may be.

Case in point - liked driving santro over i10, Alto LX over Alto LXi.

Anyway, that seriously narrowed down my choices in a new car and made me think again about getting a new car.

So, my choices are

Vista - Could upgrade to quadrajet but not much in favor of lateral upgrades. ABS and airbags, yes, but I'd rather just fix up my car proper. Nothing exciting to gained to be gained by taking the depreciation hit and splurging.
Figo - The no rear power window thing doesn't bother me and probably better to drive, but still, same problems as with a new vista. Nothing exciting. Plus, no additional horses. Since I do tend to take my cars to their redlines, I'm sure that won't make me happy
Beat - Diesel with electric power steering. Case closed.
Fiesta classic - Expensive spares, weak engine. Old car, No fancy features
Punto - Only real option. Loved the way the 1.4 felt to drive. The 90HP looks like a good buy. Good A.S.S coverage, even if it is a little crappy. Plus a lot of features! But I'm worried the punto might die soon because of lack of sales. And the short gearing means that 5th gear at 75 is already 2000 rpm. Good for overtaking but not so for cruising. I'll probably cruise more than overtake. Heart says get it but head says unnecessary buy.


Did I miss any cars?? Please let me know...
So, I've decided to wait and watch. If I have major issues with my vista, then punto it is...otherwise, I'm good with the vista. I can spend all that extra cash and give it some quality accessories. Any and all opinions will be most welcome!! Thanks in advance!!

Just thought would mention this since you've mentioned the Sat Nav multiple times and also that you wouldn't be off-roading as such.

If you're taking the main National Highways or the GQ and even some State Highways, they are very nicely marked; the routes and distances are well outlined out late.

Do you really need the Sat Nav? Of course, it is a handy thingy but it is not indisposable. We've had a cross-country trip and a recent one to Valley of Flowers, we never had a feeling that we were "lost" or needed a Navigation. The sign boards are decent enough. Worst case - I'm sure you'd have a phone with at least GPRS.

Not discouraging you from buying the Sat Nav - just saying you could channel the money you've set aside for this for more significant repairs/upgrades in the car.

Depends purely on your finances but if you can afford it I'd try to change the car. Two reasons:
(1) Major accident - often the car isn't the same, doesn't feel the same after the accident.
(2) TDI - Would be better to get a peppy diesel.

Again I said it depends on your finances and how "crazy" you are. Assuming you're a millionaire, I'd suggest going for a new car. Swift or Punto considering all those highway miles you're going to put on it.

Pros of your existing car:

TDi is a workhorse. The car just takes abuses and keeps going. One good thing is, you really do not need TASS to fix the TDi engine. You can easily find competent mechanics who will fix the car better than any ***. I would go to the extent to say TDi is almost like a modern Amby - even if you do not find OEM spares, you will get some spares which can get you going till the next place where you can fix it.

Vista do have space for double din.

Cons:

TDi is not as peppy as Quadrajet\Multijet.
Loss of trust \ fear of not so perfect repair work done.
Not much frills viz a viz a Punto

Now, suppose you are selling your car now. Since it have an accident history, the resale will be less, irrespective of you sell it now or later.

You have two choices.
1. You can sell it now and take the hit of depreciation.
2. Spent 1~1.5L as per your list to upgrade\maintain the car and sell it at a later stage and take the hit of depreciation harder.

I do not think the 1~1.5L you pour into the car now for its upkeep will add any extra value when you plan to sell the car and at the end of the day, it is still a car with accident history and will hit by depreciation. So, I think you may lose more money if you go for option2.

About new car - I would say get a Punto diesel. I have both TDi and Punto and driving comfort of Punto is leagues ahead of TDi. If you plan to drive across India, Punto is a car which can take you there and some more. The suspension and handling will be of great aid when you plan to drive thousands of kilometers, and the steering of a Punto is a thing of beauty.

I would say, trade your car now for a new Punto.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukeblitz (Post 2479011)
So, my choices are

Vista - Could upgrade to quadrajet but not much in favor of lateral upgrades. ABS and airbags, yes, but I'd rather just fix up my car proper. Nothing exciting to gained to be gained by taking the depreciation hit and splurging.
Figo - The no rear power window thing doesn't bother me and probably better to drive, but still, same problems as with a new vista. Nothing exciting. Plus, no additional horses. Since I do tend to take my cars to their redlines, I'm sure that won't make me happy
Beat - Diesel with electric power steering. Case closed.
Fiesta classic - Expensive spares, weak engine. Old car, No fancy features
Punto - Only real option. Loved the way the 1.4 felt to drive. The 90HP looks like a good buy. Good A.S.S coverage, even if it is a little crappy. Plus a lot of features! But I'm worried the punto might die soon because of lack of sales. And the short gearing means that 5th gear at 75 is already 2000 rpm. Good for overtaking but not so for cruising. I'll probably cruise more than overtake. Heart says get it but head says unnecessary buy.


Did I miss any cars?? Please let me know...
So, I've decided to wait and watch. If I have major issues with my vista, then punto it is...otherwise, I'm good with the vista. I can spend all that extra cash and give it some quality accessories. Any and all opinions will be most welcome!! Thanks in advance!!

You didn't say why the Swift Diesel is ruled out. You could also take a look at the Ritz diesel & the Nissan Micra Diesel.
And yes I think you should flog your Vista and go in for a new car - owing to that accident you mentioned.


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