Alto or Santro or something else for a new driver

mukundsb · 3rd June 2008, 16:09

Hi Auto Gurus
Greetings to you all. After reading through the threads for nearly a year now, its time for my first post

I am looking to buy my first car. I live in Chennai and I do not have previous driving experience. In Chennai after looking at the traffic I decided to go for a small car first then get a sedan after a year or so. I initially thought of getting an Alto new. But during testing the car I realized it was too cramped and even after pushing the seat to the max My legs were hitting the steering column while getting in or out.
My next option was to go for a second hand Santro Zing as the space was Ok. I visited TVS used cars at Arcot road and found a Zing 2007 March registered that has 15.5 K kliks. The price quoted was 3.25 lacs. Pearl white GLS that was also sporting a big scrach on the left door. Has a CD player with 2 speakers.
I also visited Tata motors dealer and checked on the palio. It was a solid car but around 4 lacs. Was not much impressed with Xeta which was around 3.6 lac – 25K discount.
I will be paying cash, I need your suggestions on this… Is it a good deal or Do I have other options.
Thanks in advance and Have a Great Day

tsk1979 · 3rd June 2008, 16:27

Well you want a car which you can throw around, learn driving around, and abuse.
Indica is the best for that purpose.
The clutch, the gears etc., are very hardy and can go through lots of abuse, and repair is cheap.

mukundsb · 3rd June 2008, 16:48

Thanks tsk for the quick reply. I liked the space / comfort in the zeta. But my wife and son vitoed it. So I have not much to say on it :(

vnabhi · 3rd June 2008, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by mukundsb

Hi Auto Gurus
Greetings to you all. After reading through the threads for nearly a year now, its time for my first post

Welcome to this forum, dude. Well, if reading threads for the past one year did not confuse you enough, be prepared to end up more confused than you currently are in the next few days.

phamilyman · 3rd June 2008, 17:10

VN is the man!

I say the spark. PS, easy ownership, long warranty, no niggles.
For a newbie, more niggles means more trips for repair - more chances to change something stupidly!

ethanhunt123 · 3rd June 2008, 17:17

If you just want a car to learn driving in, go in for a second hand Santro and abuse it for one year before you upgrade to a Sedan.

tsk1979 · 3rd June 2008, 17:32

Agree with the second hand Santro Idea. However make it a second hand Getz. More comfortable and lots of space, and very very reliable.
Moreover you can pick up used Getz at a sweet price.

mukundsb · 3rd June 2008, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by vnabhi

be prepared to end up more confused than you currently are in the next few days.

You are spot on

The way spark and Getz added into the fray....

tsk1979: I could not spot a GetZ in the 3 used car places I visited. Any idea on the price? Considering GLS 1.1 june 2nd price is 4.7 Lacs OTR

phamilyman: I liked Spark But all the discussion on the resale after a year or two is pushing me away.

So you people think the 3.2 Lac quoted by TVS is an OK deal? with 3 free labour service and 1 yr warranty on engine and gear box.

scorpio118 · 3rd June 2008, 17:57

You can go for used Wagon R, as the leg space will be ample, which is your concern, and it is a time tested vehicle with no problems. Though the price could be a bit higher than compartive vehicles like Santro, Getz, Xeta etc. Learn driving over it, and then move to your next choice.

smsrini · 3rd June 2008, 18:07

The Santro is definitely the car to buy to learn the ropes on. Its comfortable, and easy to drive/park.

IMO 3.2 Lacs for the 2007 Xing seems on the higher side. What model is it ?

Compare the new Santro prices with the 2007 Xing and then decide.

Edit: From Carwale.com a new santro xing GL costs Rs.3,58,948/- and GLS is Rs.3,82,718/- onroad in chennai. If you are paying cash, you can easily get a good music system as a dealer giveaway.

rks · 3rd June 2008, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by mukundsb

You are spot on

So you people think the 3.2 Lac quoted by TVS is an OK deal? with 3 free labour service and 1 yr warranty on engine and gear box.

Looks good. But get the car checked by an expert (e.g. an engineer or an experienced mechanic). There could be many issues with used cars. E.g. these people will able to tell you whether the car has genuinely run only 15500 kms or whether the speedo has been tampered with. And whether the car has had any major accidents. They will make many other checks on the engine, gearbox, suspension, corrosion levels, braking, ac, etc. etc. In short you can get your money's worth even if you have to pay a small fee to get the car checked by an expert.

Edit: One thing you can do yourself is to check the condition of the tyres/wheels. Do the tyres have a substantial amount of tread left, considering the car has done only 15500 kms. Are the rims in good shape (no bends or rusting).

kaush666 · 3rd June 2008, 18:18

Well you can get a used santro or getz (in case you get one) and abuse it to almost core for one year . Then you can get yourself a sedan . And as smsrini said check which variant the 2007 Xing which you saw is ?? If it is near topend XO or topend XS then i think it might be near VFM (Value for Money) . Anyways do keep us informed and post pics of your ride after you buy it .

Cheers
ALL THE BEST

mukundsb · 4th June 2008, 11:33

Thanks for the info and suggestions people

Srini: The price I got from Hyundai Motor Plaza on 2nd june was Santro GL - 3.68 (3.72 for Metalic), For GLS - 3.93 and 3.97 (Metalic) This excludes extended warranty (1975 Rs)

kaush666: It is XL. Check the image.

rks: Thanks

. The tyres looked almost new. I will take a friend and a mechanic to check.

Thanks again every one.

hrag · 4th June 2008, 15:26

mukundsb, please take an extended drive of the Santro before buying, if possible. The accelerator pedal is placed awkwardly (for me). Please ensure your right ankle doesn't hurt after, say, 20 minutes or so. Apart from this, the Santro would be ideal.

LLL · 4th June 2008, 19:44

I will suggest going in for a brand new santro. its peppy and easy to drive and learn. You are planning to sell it in 1 year, but i would suggest you wait out 2-3 years else you are going to take a big hit in depreciation/resale value.

I wont suggest a used one as its costly, resale will be a bigger hassle (who wants to be a 3rd owner) and this used car is quite new Why did the first owner sell a car under 15k kms and after 1 year? Also, there isnt much difference between this used car and new car price.

3rd June 2008, 16:09	#1
mukundsb Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 15 Thanked: 0 Times	Alto or Santro or something else for a new driver Hi Auto Gurus Greetings to you all. After reading through the threads for nearly a year now, its time for my first post I am looking to buy my first car. I live in Chennai and I do not have previous driving experience. In Chennai after looking at the traffic I decided to go for a small car first then get a sedan after a year or so. I initially thought of getting an Alto new. But during testing the car I realized it was too cramped and even after pushing the seat to the max My legs were hitting the steering column while getting in or out. My next option was to go for a second hand Santro Zing as the space was Ok. I visited TVS used cars at Arcot road and found a Zing 2007 March registered that has 15.5 K kliks. The price quoted was 3.25 lacs. Pearl white GLS that was also sporting a big scrach on the left door. Has a CD player with 2 speakers. I also visited Tata motors dealer and checked on the palio. It was a solid car but around 4 lacs. Was not much impressed with Xeta which was around 3.6 lac – 25K discount. I will be paying cash, I need your suggestions on this… Is it a good deal or Do I have other options. Thanks in advance and Have a Great Day
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 16:27	#2
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Well you want a car which you can throw around, learn driving around, and abuse. Indica is the best for that purpose. The clutch, the gears etc., are very hardy and can go through lots of abuse, and repair is cheap.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 16:48	#3
mukundsb Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 15 Thanked: 0 Times	Thanks tsk for the quick reply. I liked the space / comfort in the zeta. But my wife and son vitoed it. So I have not much to say on it :(
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 17:10	#5
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,968 Thanked: 4,642 Times	VN is the man! I say the spark. PS, easy ownership, long warranty, no niggles. For a newbie, more niggles means more trips for repair - more chances to change something stupidly!
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 17:17	#6
ethanhunt123 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,384 Thanked: 1,033 Times View My Garage	If you just want a car to learn driving in, go in for a second hand Santro and abuse it for one year before you upgrade to a Sedan.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 17:32	#7
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Agree with the second hand Santro Idea. However make it a second hand Getz. More comfortable and lots of space, and very very reliable. Moreover you can pick up used Getz at a sweet price.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 17:57	#9
scorpio118 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 46 Thanked: 5 Times	You can go for used Wagon R, as the leg space will be ample, which is your concern, and it is a time tested vehicle with no problems. Though the price could be a bit higher than compartive vehicles like Santro, Getz, Xeta etc. Learn driving over it, and then move to your next choice.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 18:07	#10
smsrini Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,115 Thanked: 426 Times View My Garage	The Santro is definitely the car to buy to learn the ropes on. Its comfortable, and easy to drive/park. IMO 3.2 Lacs for the 2007 Xing seems on the higher side. What model is it ? Compare the new Santro prices with the 2007 Xing and then decide. Edit: From Carwale.com a new santro xing GL costs Rs.3,58,948/- and GLS is Rs.3,82,718/- onroad in chennai. If you are paying cash, you can easily get a good music system as a dealer giveaway. Last edited by smsrini : 3rd June 2008 at 18:17.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2008, 18:18	#12
kaush666 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 311 Thanked: 79 Times	Well you can get a used santro or getz (in case you get one) and abuse it to almost core for one year . Then you can get yourself a sedan . And as smsrini said check which variant the 2007 Xing which you saw is ?? If it is near topend XO or topend XS then i think it might be near VFM (Value for Money) . Anyways do keep us informed and post pics of your ride after you buy it . Cheers ALL THE BEST
	() Thanks

4th June 2008, 11:33	#13
mukundsb Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 15 Thanked: 0 Times	Thanks for the info and suggestions people Srini: The price I got from Hyundai Motor Plaza on 2nd june was Santro GL - 3.68 (3.72 for Metalic), For GLS - 3.93 and 3.97 (Metalic) This excludes extended warranty (1975 Rs) kaush666: It is XL. Check the image. rks: Thanks . The tyres looked almost new. I will take a friend and a mechanic to check. Thanks again every one.
	() Thanks

4th June 2008, 15:26	#14
hrag BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bangalore / Madras Posts: 1,982 Thanked: 31 Times	mukundsb, please take an extended drive of the Santro before buying, if possible. The accelerator pedal is placed awkwardly (for me). Please ensure your right ankle doesn't hurt after, say, 20 minutes or so. Apart from this, the Santro would be ideal.
	() Thanks

4th June 2008, 19:44	#15
LLL BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 635 Thanked: 2 Times	I will suggest going in for a brand new santro. its peppy and easy to drive and learn. You are planning to sell it in 1 year, but i would suggest you wait out 2-3 years else you are going to take a big hit in depreciation/resale value. I wont suggest a used one as its costly, resale will be a bigger hassle (who wants to be a 3rd owner) and this used car is quite new Why did the first owner sell a car under 15k kms and after 1 year? Also, there isnt much difference between this used car and new car price.
	() Thanks