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.
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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.
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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.