[Ramon]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

We have a 2004 Maruti 800 and despite the light weight , the steering does feel heavy in the city, a lot heavier than my Punto at low speeds. The brakes on it are terrible . The front brakes are drum brakes with a high braking distance and they lock up easily under hard braking.

I would avoid the M-800 and take a look at options others have recommended here. The Alto is definitely a better choice with the power steering and better brakes , and it's cheap to maintain as well.

While I too wouldn't recommend the 800, a couple of corrections.

The Maruti 800 came with Disc brakes in the front right from day one with the SS80 launched in December 1983. Infact the 800 introduced Disc Brakes to the Indian Mass production market.

While the discs are solid docs and not ventilated ones, the main issue is they are not booster assisted - something which can be solved with a KBX kit for around Rs. 5000.

The steering on our 800 is lighter than our A Star, and Alto Lx (without power steering) but heavier than both the Ertiga and Wagon R.

And I drive all these cars back to back in the same conditions and roads several times a week.

So if your 800 has a tight steering get it checked.

My vote would be for the previous generation Wagon R Lxi or Vxi.

[GrammarNazi]

Guys, 1 lakh rupees can bring you only a few safe options IMO. Buying very very old cars (read >10yrs) may quite possibly have its serious downsides unless the owner has dearly cared for it and maintained the car. If one can stretch to ~2.5 lakh, then the recommendations could be a little adventurous, but with a limitation circled at 1 lakh, IMO one needs to play safe. Prudently safe, if not conservative.

One of the viable options would be Tata Nano. Very many of the buyers were from the higher middle class who weren't bothered about the image of the car. That and resulting to Tatas' AMC plans, most Nanos' may not be as unmaintained as most other very old cars that'll be shortlisted. Just saying that a well maintained Nano would be the norm than an exception.

Many Nanos' are available for less than 80k, IMO a mechanically sound 4 wheeler (which is easily maintainable) will not depreciate much below that in the next 5-6 years. So given that apart from losing the Bank Interest on the amount, there's very little to lose, my recommendation would be to consider a Pre-owned Nano for a city car if budget is below 1 lakh.

[McLaren Rulez]

The only comment I have is forget about the specific model.

Your requirements point to Maruti and Hyundai in general but what matters more is the condition of the car. If you find a well maintained car, go for it.

[drmohitg]

I would suggest you go with your listed choice of Nano. They haven't set the sales chart on fire and hence do not enjoy good resale. The price of the new is cheapest in the market and hence a good used example would be easier to find in your budget.

All the other cars like WagonR, Santro etc would have done a good number of kms and would be almost a decade old. Why do you want to go for such old cars ( repair bills and overall health of the car would have declined no matter what).

Nano is quite a capable car. Spares are not an issue. And it is almost tailor made for your needs. I would pick one if I was in your shoes.

[greenhorn]

I would suggest the nano only if you know a good local garage. An out of warranty nano at a tasc is a
Bad idea. Odds are you'll get ripped off and they'll create more problems than they solve!

[deep_bang]

Alto. Alto and Alto. Its the best car for your requirement and the best part is even if you decide to sell it after a few years you will get back nearly all the investment.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

I would suggest the nano only if you know a good local garage. An out of warranty nano at a tasc is a
Bad idea. Odds are you'll get ripped off and they'll create more problems than they solve!

Really? On one hand two of the most recent Tata products have gone on to bag the T-BHP COTY award and the latest product might be one of the top contenders for this year's award. Is the after sales still so horrible? Off-late there has been more praise than criticism for Tata after sales service on the forum.

[pratyush6]

WagonR is my choice in that range. It's a practical, very easy to handle city car. It's a fun thing to drive as well. You should be able to find a 2007/08 Model according to your liking.

Do check the tyre as normally they are badly maintained in older cars.

[Guna]

Check Chevy Spark. You may get Hyndai Eon also.
If you are looking at Santro, try to look for ZipPlus (Xing may not come for <1 lac)

[driverace]

Thank you- all of you, who poured in.
Good amount of homework has been done here too - How to buy a USED car.
Best part, the requirement is not by any means rushed with respect to time.
I am patient & I will only buy when I am convinced that the car is a right buy.

Let me clarify a bit more about the requirement-

• I am keeping 1,00,000 aside for the car purchase & maintenance for next 2 years.
• I may or may not change the car after 2 years - depending on how the experience goes.
• Keeping the budget tight & focus on being frugal (either with upfront purchase or running or maintenance) - since we already have our primary car - Duster, at home. Duster will definitely be - driven for out of city, weekend outings (beyond city limits) & be the obvious choice for long vacations/road trips.

So, I have updated my notes like this-

Price points & cars -


20000-50000 INR
In this range, I will only look at it, if it's a M800 & well maintained.
Preferably, if the owner is a friend of friend.
I saw a few examples (quick looks at cars parked at used-car-dealers) & I agree, that year-2000-well-maintained car will still be way better than a 2005-abused-car. Especially with M800 - in which not many things seem to go wrong.
This will be way inside my budget & I can have money to add/replace stuff, if need be.
Can push some money in making the interiors look fresh & a little work under the hood - perhaps.
I totally understand, that I should minimize the money 'spent' on this car (if I happen to buy a M800), since that will not add any value, whenever i would like to resell.

40000-75000
A Santro 2006+ model is what I am aiming for.
With that kind of purchase, I will have the 'planned' money for maintence too.
I am sure I will get a much better (interiors) with Santro, even though I don't mind a slightly aged car, that is still a significant plus.
I am still to check this car on olx and other sites.

40000-80000
A 2004+ Zen should serve me fine for 2 years.
I find many passionate owners with well maintained Zens.
Well maintained 1 or 2 owner Zen will most likely be a low maintenance & reliable fun car perfectly cutout for my budget.
Any example around 2002-2003 may require green tax to be paid too.

90000
Getz Prime 1.3
If I get a Getz Prime 1.3 at the "highly optimistic" price under 1,00,000, it will be so hard to resist.
Running expenses will more than double.
Maintenance will push my allocated budget up a little.
But, from the ownership reviews I have read & after hearing first hand account of our dear @IronH4wk about the Getz-mobil, I am sure, that this is the kind of car, I would definitely not sell after 2 years!

Why:

1. M800
(Checking mostly within friends of friends network, to get lowest possible cost & a relatively reliable one)
Actually, I was/am totally amazed by the simplicity this car has.
Call it dated, but it still appeals, to me, a lot.
I always wanted to own one - through the 90s.

Purchase, running & maintenance - Super low.
Will get the job done.

2. Santro
Initially I thought, Santro would be 1.5x expensive to maintain/run as compared to M800. Turns out maintenance is pretty much similar. FE is around 14-16kmpl - which is okay.
More powerful & zippy compared to the M800.
I will be paying a 2x premium on purchase for the power, better interiors & newer car.
Fair enough.

3. Zen
I am looking at examples like this:
Zen 2003ish @ 90K INR but at much lower price point, since I know good Zens also go around 50-60K

FUN car. I see this as a "super souped up" M800.
Everything is better.
I don't need more reasons

4. Getz
Looking (drooling) at examples like this:
Getz Prime 2005 @ 1.15L INR

Well, I can't believe I am getting so-much-of-a-car in the range of cars I am considering!
It's almost CS length, so not a compact by even a stretch.
It's going to be expensive to run and maintain (of the whole considered car-lot).
But, the POWER will off-set the cost to run it & way better interiors will keep me happy.
I will just leave this here.

------

Why not:
Nano- I found couple of examples barely 9 years old, but as stated here, they hadn't aged too well. Moreover, good condition Nanos demand around 70000-1,10,000 INR! For that kind of money, I am getting much better cars.
Palio - Only because maintaining one & running one isn't going to be as easy as the other considered cars.
Wagon R - I think, I am only biased against it for no good reason. I try to justify it to self, by saying that I want a "low" car as my second car. Pinned it down on 'just personal preference'
Punto/Corsa/Ikon etc- since they're not compact & most probably involve lot of effort in finding one & keeping one maintained too. Also non-frugal running.

------

Please do not consider my thought process to be self-contradictory.
It's only evolving with all your inputs!

My intention of second car, is to replace the bike for the "compulsory" commutes within city.
Mostly driven by safety (especially in monsoon) & comfort (+want to avoid balding too soon. haha).
Since I won't be selling the bike off, I have to keep the budget in check.
The priorities are only -
Efficient / reliable / frugal / good A/c / "sufficiently" powerful!

Problem, as usual, is- these priorities seem to auto shuffle, based on the car I am looking at!

Bah.

Ace.

P.S. Please let me know, which site (recently) has the most genuine, 'seller' posts? I have been browsing tbhpclassified/Cartrade/Carwale/Olx. Most places are plagued with posts/reposts from (local) dealers. I would prefer dealing with the seller.

[imp!]

Originally Posted by driverace

Wagon R is a fantastic capable beater.
I only left it out for the compact factor.
Plus lower car would be fun too. ( since our primary car is a Duster).

If its fun factor you are looking at then the only options are the Zen and the 800. Believe you me they are extremely fun to drive. I'm not so sure it matters one bit which model you get as long as it is maintained well.

As an aside, if your budget allows it, then why not consider the A-Star or some other such amt from Maruti? It'll be new(er), you can always get a loan if required and there won't be any maintenance hassles which are all but guaranteed from such old cars.

I'm always for buying pre-owned when possible, but at that price point, you really should consider the headache of dealing with such old cars

[driverace]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

My suggestion: Getz
.. they depreciate like rocks -..

Getz - is on my list. For every 5 cars I check, I check one Getz.
I LoLed so hard on "they depreciate like rocks"..

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

A 2009 -2010 Santro will also be a good buy..

Originally Posted by GTO

If I were looking at a city car for a lakh, I'd consider the best example of a Santro or ..

+1 to Greenhorn: The Getz will be an awesome purchase.

Avoid cars like the 800 as its too old, outdated & basic..

Looking at Santros more seriously.

Getz, already on list.

I wouldn't mind being basic with a good ol' 800. (and some spare money in my pocket )

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

..
One of the viable options would be Tata Nano..
Many Nanos' are available for less than 80k, IMO a mechanically sound 4 wheeler (which is easily maintainable) will not depreciate much below that in the next 5-6 years... my recommendation would be to consider a Pre-owned Nano for a city car if budget is below 1 lakh.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I would suggest you go with your listed choice of Nano. ..I would pick one if I was in your shoes.

That was exactly how I thought about Nano.
So far, 3-4 cars I have seen, seemed too sketchy. Even at 80K price level.
I haven't totally dropped hope of finding a good Nano.
But, considering I get as much as a Getz/Zen for same amount, I would rather..

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

The only comment I have is forget about the specific model.
.. If you find a well maintained car, go for it.

Noted & totally agreed.

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

Why not consider Alto?... Highly recommended.

Originally Posted by sdp1975

..The Alto is definitely a better choice with the power steering and better brakes , and it's cheap to maintain as well.

Originally Posted by deep_bang

Alto. Alto and Alto...even if you decide to sell it after a few years you will get back nearly all the investment.

I agree. If I see one at 70ish price point, I will consider Alto (for no-depreciation-ahead).

Originally Posted by autorahul

You could also get a rather newer Chevrolet Spark (2008+) for little over 1 lakhs, somewhere around 1.2 lakhs..

Originally Posted by Guna

Check Chevy Spark. You may get Hyndai Eon also.
If you are looking at Santro, try to look for ZipPlus (Xing may not come for <1 lac)

Availability of spares & economical maintenance keeps me heavily inclined towards Maruti & Hyundai.
Again, I get more car for same amount of money with a Zen / Getz.
So, I would prefer that - keeping my constraints in mind.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

I'll suggest M800. For 30-40k rupees you can get cars of good condition. .

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

If a fun car is what you want, go for the Zen..

Originally Posted by imp!

If its fun factor you are looking at then the only options are the Zen and the 800. Believe you me ..

As an aside, if your budget allows it, then why not consider the A-Star or some other such amt from Maruti? It'll be new(er),..

Have driven Zen & 800. Cannot agree more with your statement about them.
New(er) car isn't in consideration for reasons clarified in post before this one.


My leash is in my hand! I can't let go!
I mean I "can", but I shouldn't. Haha.

[bodhisatva]

As a Nano Twist XT (2014) model owner, I would highly recommend looking at the car.

After 3 years of ownership in Delhi, the car has fast made itself my favourite. Interestingly, I was going to buy the Zest, looked at the parking woes in the city, took a test drive of the Nano and was sold. The ease of driving, maneuverability and parking along with decent pickup in the 0-60 range means that I am often shaving 15-20 minutes of drive time in heavy traffic, and 5-10 minutes in flowing traffic. My rear view mirror is often filled with larger cars trying to maneuver for space while they rapidly recede.

The inbuilt AC, music system with Bluetooth have all ensured that the only upgrade to my Nano after buying it has been a smartphone holder on the windscreen.

I have also driven the car to various places around Delhi, including Hill stations like Manali. The road manners of the car are quite commendable and I can safely say that once you have driven the Nano for a couple of weeks, it will be hard to go back to any other car.

The only drawback I see is that the future of the Nano is now in question with the scuffle at Tata. If they don't cancel it I would recommend looking at it. Otherwise, one would question the availability of parts and spares 4-5 years down the line.

[imp!]

Originally Posted by driverace

90000
Getz Prime 1.3
If I get a Getz Prime 1.3 at the "highly optimistic" price under 1,00,000, it will be so hard to resist.
Running expenses will more than double.
Maintenance will push my allocated budget up a little.
But, from the ownership reviews I have read & after hearing first hand account of our dear @IronH4wk about the Getz-mobil, I am sure, that this is the kind of car, I would definitely not sell after 2 years!

This is one of the reasons I didn't suggest the Getz. Also second hand accounts from my mechanics seem to indicate that maintenance costs are rising.

Originally Posted by driverace

My intention of second car, is to replace the bike for the "compulsory" commutes within city.
Mostly driven by safety (especially in monsoon) & comfort (+want to avoid balding too soon. haha).
Since I won't be selling the bike off, I have to keep the budget in check.
The priorities are only -
Efficient / reliable / frugal / good A/c / "sufficiently" powerful!

Problem, as usual, is- these priorities seem to auto shuffle, based on the car I am looking at!

Given the budget, I feel a Zen or a newer WagonR are your best bet at reliability, however keep in mind that cars at this stage in life, there is no guarantee that you will have a headache free ownership experience.

Originally Posted by driverace

Getz - is on my list. For every 5 cars I check, I check one Getz.
I LoLed so hard on "they depreciate like rocks"..

Have driven Zen & 800. Cannot agree more with your statement about them.
New(er) car isn't in consideration for reasons clarified in post before this one.

I would seriously consider using the Duster all day every day, it isn't so large that it can't be used in the city. It is "Efficient / reliable / frugal, has a good A/c and is "sufficiently" powerful!" Besides, it is what any car is meant to do! I'm basically telling you the same thing I tell my friends with Bimmers and Mercs, use your car! it is not meant for the garage.

You can always use Uber when commuting with the Duster is not convenient. To me this makes the most sense. If you use your budget for Uber at Rs. 200 per ride, you get 500 rides from your budget without having to shell out on maintenance, insurance, petrol etc; easily enough for a year of headache free transport.

[greenhorn]

My Thoughts
M800 - good if you are on a 50K budget, with 1L, you have better options
Zen - Pros and cons are the same - feels like driving a go kart. Cheap thrills
Santro - hard to find good examples - since they're cheap, there are a lot of abused cars out there, and has high prices, not really justified when you have good getz's out there,
Getz - buy if you want something big comfy and feels well made. While they have enough power, powerful is not a word I would use, especially if you have driven a getz crdi - if you want power, look at the zen