[NPV]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

other points noted by him:

• it will have a 800cc motor
• spacious
• seems to have a solid build and looks much safer
• higher ground clearance
• and in his own words - it will eat up the Alto!

There is so much hype and talk about this, and this is the reason I brought in the twist to the tale. Hope it is worth the wait
If the structural/build quality is better than the Alto K10, it is going to be a no-brainer.

[ani21]

Well my friend is thinking of buying a new car. His budget is around 3.5 to 3.7 L. He is considering Alto 800. I have personally told him to wait for the new Renault KWID. What do you guys suggest?

[dsnaveen21]

I have personally told him to wait for the new Renault KWID. What do you guys suggest?

Please tell him to wait till November, for booking when I enquired last time dealers told me check in the month of September/October.

[MarkJoe]

Originally Posted by NPV

Beginning with the idea of replacing our Maruti 800 with an AMT, then deciding against it and instead planning to get a Manual transmission car to now waiting for a car that's not yet on the roads nor available even for a test drive, let's see how this pans out.

I hope this thread will be a 'living' one and update it as we progress in this journey...

Thanks for the journey NPV. I guess many families do once in a while go through the phase of buying a second car for their loved ones in India. However, what I liked about your writing is in spite of having different opinions, you chose not to subdue your partner (by being an MCP), which is a sorry state of affairs mostly. I am sure many of us like your approach of partnership that you presented in your story. Enjoy your search!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ani21

Well my friend is thinking of buying a new car. His budget is around 3.5 to 3.7 L. He is considering Alto 800. I have personally told him to wait for the new Renault KWID. What do you guys suggest?

Please do check for prices in the city where your friend plans to buy (is it Kolkata ?). Especially if your friend wants the higher VXI or VXI(O) variants since these may not possibly be in that range. (VXI (O) has the driver-side airbag and some other minor extras).

In Bangalore, with our road taxes being so high, the Alto 800 LX (just one notch above the base Alto 800 STD) costs about Rs.3.75 Lakh on road.

Of course, we're all waiting for the pricing of the Kwid and also a test drive ?
But even there, I think if they price the car between 3 and 4 lakhs Ex-Delhi, it means it will be between 4 and 5 Lakhs on Road in Bangalore.

Originally Posted by MarkJoe

Thanks for the journey NPV. I guess many families do once in a while go through the phase of buying a second car for their loved ones in India. However, what I liked about your writing is in spite of having different opinions, you chose not to subdue your partner (by being an MCP), which is a sorry state of affairs mostly. I am sure many of us like your approach of partnership that you presented in your story. Enjoy your search!

Thanks, I cannot even imagine doing that - after all the car is primarily for her and should meet her requirements and she should feel comfortable and happy at the end of the day

Originally Posted by dsnaveen21

Please tell him to wait till November, for booking when I enquired last time dealers told me check in the month of September/October.

I had spoken to the Sales manager at one of the Renault dealerships here in Bangalore and he said they already have several bookings. Am surprised when you say booking will start in September/October, have they started in Bangalore alone ? I don't think so.

[kp1992]

I was in the same dilemma last year. We had a budget of 3L OTR. My parents never fancied me having a bike so decided upon getting a second car home. There were no restrictions like AMT or Manual, airbag or without it etc. We just wanted a basic set of four wheeled machine. I realized that the only option feasible was the Nano Twist which was launched back then at 2.9L OTR in Mangalore. Just when I was about to book the Nano we came across few Maruti banners which advertised a good discount on Alto 800. The OTR price tag of 4.02L came down to 3.65L approx for the top end Vxi version. Seemed like a good deal and ended up picking it. Its been one year now and the car has never failed to impress me. The pulling power is more than sufficient to drive it in a city like Bangalore. Wish it was a bit more taller.
Now the reason why we dint opt for Alto k10 was probably because i knew a newer gen model was on the verge of launching.
Eon was out of picture because my dad lost faith in Hyundai after our i-gen i20 (P) failed to impress on the FE front.
Yes, I did vote for Alto 800.

[dsnaveen21]

Originally Posted by NPV

I had spoken to the Sales manager at one of the Renault dealerships here in Bangalore and he said they already have several bookings. Am surprised when you say booking will start in September/October, have they started in Bangalore alone ? I don't think so.

I have just called up renault kwid dealer(Gen next X motors) in Thane, Maharashtra they also handle dealership for Mumbai and NaviMumbai. Here bookings haven't started.

[DriveHigh]

Originally Posted by ani21

Well my friend is thinking of buying a new car. His budget is around 3.5 to 3.7 L. He is considering Alto 800. I have personally told him to wait for the new Renault KWID. What do you guys suggest?

Alto 800 or I would rather say to go for Alto K10. Its a well proven car and if you are conservative like do not want to take risk then you should go for Alto. Car is a special purchase for every one of us and probably 2nd highest after apartment or house. There are many things need to consider for example after market sales and service, availability of spare parts and key components , good service network , experienced mechanic etc. All of these example are true for Maruti.

Renault KWID looks promising in terms of the 'product' what it is going to offer but yet to see the rest of the things. In recent past many promising cars could not survive that we all know. But if you are ready to take the risk you may go ahead.

[Resh@22]

I preferred the Hyundai Eon to be a better option when it came to buying a car for my family in this budget.
Primary reason being- it was our first car and we wanted to get maximum bang for the buck. FE, reliability and other factors took second preference. IMHO this is a segment where the car is usually an alternative over a bigger ride or a first car. Choices would differ depending on what context it is being bought, if it's a secondary mode of transport then choosing an Alto (more practical and reliable) over other fancied options seems right. If it is going to be someone's first priced possession then choosing something like Eon with all bells and whistles along with its premium feel makes more sense.

[vdm]

My vote has gone to Alto K10. This is a proven car & the M.A.S.S. available in almost all cities. The car being hassle free & maintenance being easier on the pocket is the main reason for this car. Now with the introduction of AMT, Its tops the list in the hatchbacks list.

[NPV]

In the spec sheet of the Alto K10 brochure under "Engine" (998cc K10B engine), following is mentioned:
Emission Type:BSIV + OBD-II

However, there is no mention of "Emission" or "BS IV" or "OBD-II" in the Alto 800 brochure.
So, is the Alto 800 Engine (796cc, F8D engine) BS IV compliant and does it have the OBD-II port ?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by NPV

However, there is no mention of "Emission" or "BS IV" or "OBD-II" in the Alto 800 brochure.
So, is the Alto 800 Engine (796cc, F8D engine) BS IV compliant and does it have the OBD-II port ?

Yes, the Alto 800 is OBD 2 compliant and is BS4.

The OBD-II post is located above the accelerator pedal area below the dashboard behind lever to open the hood.

[anb]

I have voted for the Chevrolet Spark because of two reasons

1. The safest car in the segment

http://archive.indianexpress.com/new...ating/1220527/

2. Decent ride and handling

[zaheer5776]

Without a second thought I have voted for Nano. Being an owner of this car I am very much confident about its utility in City though I have done a very long distance trip on highways too without reporting any issue. This car is a marvel! And I know at least three guys who have Nano as a second car but still they are using it frequently instead of using their Safari or Santro. I have a Santro too but after I got Nano I have completely stopped using the Santro! Also I would like to add that a Nano user mostly buys another Nano only when its time for a change of car and its a fact

Originally Posted by GTO

The problem with the Nano is that it ages too quickly.

I agree with this. The ageing issue is serious issue with this car. The car is very delicate. Small things like door handles or knob are of cheap quality. I am so careful about its handling that sometimes my family feels that I have gone crazy. I didn't consider Maruti as being a 6 footer I don't feel comfortable in Maruti 800 or Alto. Regarding Eon, Spark I feel they are beyond 3 lakhs. So Nano is a clear winner for me

[NPV]

Story of our small car decision journey continues...
A friend who visited us recently enquired about the progress/decsion on our Maruti 800 replacement. After listening to the story thus far, convinced wifey to give the AMT another shot before deciding to go with a MT car.
He graciously agreed to give his Celerio Vxi AMT for a few days while he is away at his hometown. Hope this results in a positive response from wifey.
I drove the car to work yesterday (Whitefield) and quite impressed, quite a stress free drive in bumper to bumper/slow/stop and go traffic