[Firebird]

Shapath, I used to own Matiz 2000 Nov SG till Nov 2006. I had purchased it second had. After using for 1.5 years I upgraded to Palio 1.6.

1 Lakh for a Matiz SG is too much money to spend. There will be issues cropping up where you will end up in spending another 10 to 15k.

To take an example the AC coil which is a costly part. To change the coil labour and spares cost in the range of 5K to 6k.
From your list of repairs owner has carried out, I do not see suspensions. The overhaul of all 4 cost around 7K with labour and spare. The car may not have the service history which can show you timing belt change. You need to change the timing belt. This cost 1.2K. If you dont change it, it can bring down the engine if the belt tear apart while in run. This can lead to overhauling of engine which will cost another 12 to 15K.
The spares are priced at premium saying they are not available, in fact its not the case.

So if you purchase it, in next 6 month you will easily end up in spending another 15 to 20K.

So in this case it makes sense to go for a 1.5 L Zen or old santro or save money and buy a good M800 at 75K.

[shapath]

thanks for the reply & concern. by the way which ZEN for 1.5. Which version and what KM done( approx) we would get for this Amount. im in chennai right now.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by shapath

thanks for the reply & concern. by the way which ZEN for 1.5. Which version and what KM done( approx) we would get for this Amount. im in chennai right now.

Any zen which is 7 years old, or so and in a reasonably good condition should cost you somewhere around 1.35lacs max. If you like the car too much (as in heavily loaded with accessories), very very well maintained, no dents and glossy paintwork, tyres and suspension in good condition, battery in a good condition, has insurance for at least another 6 months or more etc. you may pay upto 1.5lacs at your discretion.

For a good idea you can do a homework at the Maruti Truevalue website. You choose the seller link and reach a self evaluation page. Put in the required data about a hypothetical Zen of 1999-2000 make and then put in the conditions as mentioned above. Choose Chennai as the city of registration. See how much Maruti will pay you. Of course they pay you a lot less and sell it at some fancy price. So that will give you an idea of the things.

Edit: Uh oh... I did the exercise for you dear. A Maruti Zen LX of 2000, run 68000 kms, in Excellent condition (a car this old is never taken to be in excellent condition in reality = lesser price) and registered in Chennai shows a purchase price of only Rs109000.00 So you see? haa haa haaaa... Maruti will not pay more than this for a Zen this old. Of course they will sell it for not less than 1.35lacs either.

On second thoughts you should not pay more than 1.25lacs for a Zen of 2000 make even if in very good condition. And by the way this is the price that Maruti quotes for Chennai.

[rubin2006]

Stay away from matiz is the only advice for you friend 1 lack its not even worth 70 K .My friend sold his cielo for 20000 rs PW Ps AC

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Whenever you think about buying a 2nd hand car think of yourself as the seller of the same car. You will get your answers. Although they say Matiz is the new Spark, none of the Spark parts will fit the old Matiz.

A seller who sells the car with the 68k meter reading, is an honest person - you could safely assume this. But I think Rs 1 lakh for a Matiz is a bit too much. Find out how much you would get if you were to sell a similar car. In Calcutta you would get perhaps 30k.

Matiz, if you can get the parts is a bloody good car. It is also a very safe car. I have seen a Matiz that drove straight into a truck on the Delhi Agra highway. The bonnet portion was unrecognisable. The windscreen was all cracked up but still holding on. Driver's cabin onwards nothing had happened. If the driver was wearing a seat belt he would have walked out of the vehicle.
I know a guy in another forum who owns a Matiz and has been to virtually every nook and corner of the country with it, including Leh and Ladakh.
But having owned a Peugeot 309 I can say buying a car whose manufacturer is out of business is a dangerous thing.

[abhi1309]

I dont agree, I use my old Matiz as a second car. It has done 97000 kms since I bought it in 2000. I have done nothing except oil and oil filter changes. It never gives any problem. I have taken it to Goa and Bombay a million times, reliability is awesome. I think I will never sell that car. It still runs perfectly. Gives 16kmpl as well Greatest small car till date. We have a Santro and Fiesta as well. Santro is crap as compared to the Matiz.

[musicmanaman]

I suggest you go for either a 800 or a zen, spare parts are available easily and you now get them at rock buttom prices. A 2k 800 in good condition would cost you about 75-80k and a zen about 100-110k.

[u_chill]

I bought a Matiz last year. SD, driven only 23,000 km (genuine as the earlier owner was a retired Armed forces guy, trustworthy). Did not feel the need to bargain on the 1 lac asking price after a test drive. Family has owned a M800 & Fiat in the past & let me say there is no better bargain than a sparingly used & well cared Matiz in the market today. The car is a rocking performer, steady as a rock on high speeds. My only issue has been with fuel average, I get approx 10-12kmpl, which I undertand could be improved. Spare parts can be an issue, most of the engine & body work can be easily managed. However it is likely that a well used car would have problems with the Aircon & Electrical systems, both of which require an expert & knowledgeable mechanic.

Meanwhile father back in Bombay got inspired enough to plump for a Matiz driven over 50k kms, despite my advise to the contrary. This vehicle has been a pain! Almost everything seems to be falling apart, only saving grace he got the lump of metal for 60k.

Lesson from the family: if you understand basic car mechanics & feel confident of hunting down parts etc on your own, the Matiz is a steal. If not, forget it & please get yourself an 800 for the money. No more, no less.

[rohan_fonseca]

Sincere advice would be to drop the idea. Owned one for 5years. Great little car it was. But hunting for parts and trusty mechanics is a pain. The new spark does not share any components with the former version.