[PatienceWins]

Swift
Pros: Fun to drive, handling, features, after sales service
Cons: Build quality, rattles, space

Palio
Pros: Build quality, sturdy feeling, ride, space
Cons: After sales service, resale value

Go for diesel
1. If your average daily running is more than 35 km
2. Diesel swift is more drivable in city compared to petrol as low end torque in petrol swift is bad.
3. You want the kick of torque in diesel.

[hashcode]

Originally Posted by Prasidhi

Is Swift Petrol that fuel guzzling, I guess the average should be around 15-16 (I am not sure). Once that is cleared, (I may be wrong here), your calculation would be spot-on.

I am not very sure if the Swift Petrol returns that much. I heard my friend say it was giving him 13 KMPL on an average.

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

I have done a lot of these calculations before and would like to point out that even though everything else seems to be fine, you are forgetting the interest cost which you will incurr on the additional cost of the diesel car. Add another 20k for the interest cost of additional amount.
This will increase the recovery period by 1 year. Hence, 4.5 year.

Yeah, i have missed out on the interest part which would set me back by another 20K like you have mentioned. However, I think it shouldn't be that much of a problem as a Diesel Palio has a higher resale value than a petrol one any day. Please correct me if I am wrong here.

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

Swift
Pros: Fun to drive, handling, features, after sales service
Cons: Build quality, rattles, space

Palio
Pros: Build quality, sturdy feeling, ride, space
Cons: After sales service, resale value

Go for diesel
1. If your average daily running is more than 35 km
2. Diesel swift is more drivable in city compared to petrol as low end torque in petrol swift is bad.
3. You want the kick of torque in diesel.

Very aptly summarised, PatienceWins

I agree with all of the points mentioned above except for one. I was under the assumption FIAT cars usually have better handling than others in the same league and that Palio is no different.

Point #3 is very much inviting and that is something that i am looking forward to as well.

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by hashcode

I agree with all of the points mentioned above except for one. I was under the assumption FIAT cars usually have better handling than others in the same league and that Palio is no different.

Point #3 is very much inviting and that is something that i am looking forward to as well.

We had a Palio in the family and it has a good compromise between ride and handling. The chasis of Fiat cars are sturdy and that gives them good handling. But Swift is the best in the category in terms of handling. Just take it to ghat section and you will be amazed by its handling capability. Rev friendly engine + superb handling is a deadly combination to beat.

Both cars have their positives and negatives. Prioritise your requirements and go for the one that suits you. All the Best!!

[itwasntme]

IMO, add the resale factor as well because you plan to keep the car for around 3 years +.

Please correct me if I am wrong but I think past trends show that the VDI will fetch you at least 50k more than the equivalent VXI after 3/4 years.

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

Swift
Pros: Fun to drive, handling, features, after sales service
Cons: Build quality, rattles, space

Palio
Pros: Build quality, sturdy feeling, ride, space
Cons: After sales service, resale value

Go for diesel
1. If your average daily running is more than 35 km
2. Diesel swift is more drivable in city compared to petrol as low end torque in petrol swift is bad.
3. You want the kick of torque in diesel.

Its weird that people are still recommending petrol after last few weeks' crude shock! Will people never learn? Buy diesel.
Choosing between the palio and the swift diesel depends on the prospective owners' priorities.

Patiencewins has summarised it perfectly.

BTW- used to drive a petrol swift a few years back. if driven sedately- might give you 13-14. if you try to have half the fun you get from a diesel, be prepared for numbers like 9-10kmpl

@hashcode- if its fun you're looking for-Swift diesel it is.

[tsk1979]

vinit.merchant, if you were buying a car on down payment, then I would agree with your interest criteria, but suppose you got your car on a 5 year loan, 100% loan lets say.
Swift Petrol 507842 = 11042/month
Swift Diesel 589319 = 12814/month
So you spend 1800/month more on the EMI.
Suppose you drive 800kms/month
Diesel = 800/16 = 50 liters = 2000/month
Petrol = 800/12 = 67 liters = 3886/month

So for this kind of driving, Petrol and diesel will cost you the same.
However if you ever start taking longer trips, highway trips, the difference will be more.
Lets say our man decides to take a family vacation to Chickmanglur, a total of 800kms round trip.
At the end of the trip, he will end up saving 2000rs.
That can translate to a better hotel.

[Fountainheader]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

vinit.merchant, if you were buying a car on down payment, then I would agree with your interest criteria, but suppose you got your car on a 5 year loan, 100% loan lets say.
Swift Petrol 507842 = 11042/month
Swift Diesel 589319 = 12814/month
So you spend 1800/month more on the EMI.
Suppose you drive 800kms/month
Diesel = 800/16 = 50 liters = 2000/month
Petrol = 800/12 = 67 liters = 3886/month

So for this kind of driving, Petrol and diesel will cost you the same.
However if you ever start taking longer trips, highway trips, the difference will be more.
Lets say our man decides to take a family vacation to Chickmanglur, a total of 800kms round trip.
At the end of the trip, he will end up saving 2000rs.
That can translate to a better hotel.

Nice point there. But I guess the real difference between the Petrol and Diesel for someone who doesnt have a car is obviously the waiting period. What is the typical waiting period for a Swift Zxi ?

Though I guess we are OT-ing here

[djay99]

If you like Swift Diesel and considering Palio for long waiting period of Swift then talk to Jagdish Shenoy, GM of RNS motors Hosur road. You can get it within 2 months.
Tell him that Mr Deepak from regional office has referred you.

[ravikn]

I donot not think there is a big difference in mileage of Swift Petrol and Palio 1.6 in the city. Palio 1.6 you can expect 9-10kmpl and on swift you can expect 11-12 kmpl. On highway driven normally(80-90kmpl) palio would return 14-15kmpl easily and so is with swift.

[iceman7]

I drove my friends Swift VDI iesterday from Dadar to Thane (roughly 27 kms of highway). It was puring cats and dogs and had terrible traffic on some patches. A couple of observations;

1. this car can pull in any gear, any rpm
2. Shift down from 5th to 4th @ 1500 rpm and just feel the power you get. this thing just zaps forward
3. gear shify is super
4. LACKS A REAR WIPER - i couldnt see a bit of what was behind me. I dont understand why maruti left such a small but critical element. (can current vdi owners comment on their rear visibility issues)

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

vinit.merchant, if you were buying a car on down payment, then I would agree with your interest criteria, but suppose you got your car on a 5 year loan, 100% loan lets say.
Swift Petrol 507842 = 11042/month
Swift Diesel 589319 = 12814/month
So you spend 1800/month more on the EMI.
Suppose you drive 800kms/month
Diesel = 800/16 = 50 liters = 2000/month
Petrol = 800/12 = 67 liters = 3886/month

So for this kind of driving, Petrol and diesel will cost you the same.
However if you ever start taking longer trips, highway trips, the difference will be more.
Lets say our man decides to take a family vacation to Chickmanglur, a total of 800kms round trip.
At the end of the trip, he will end up saving 2000rs.
That can translate to a better hotel.

I was talking about buying the car on Loan and not otherwise.

Since the diesel variant will need additional 1 lakh, the loan amount will increase. I was talking about the interest factor of this additional loan amount of 1 Lakh for diesel. According to me, this should be conbsidered as well.

Regarding the Crude Shock, let us not forget that Diesel and Petrol, both are derieved from Crude Oil. It is just that the Goverment is unwilling to reduce subsidies off the Diesel, as it has direct impact on the economy. Raising Petrol would not impact the inflation as much. But we never know when they decide to remove the subsidy. I remember, when I had been to UK way back in 2004, there the diesel is priced higher than the Petrol to induce people to buy Petrol cars instead of diesel, to save the environment.


Coming back, Lets assume he makes 10 such trips as mentioned by you. That would save him 20,000 as per your calc. But the additional Rs. 1 Lakh which was paid upfront? Ofcourse, add the interest he will be paying on the loan of 1 lakh.
I am not justified for a diesel with running of 800 per month + some occassional trips, unless he wants to enjoy the Diesel Torque.

In that case, chuck the Palio MJD as Swift Diesel has more Torque than the Palio MJD.

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Regarding the Crude Shock, let us not forget that Diesel and Petrol, both are derieved from Crude Oil. It is just that the Goverment is unwilling to reduce subsidies off the Diesel, as it has direct impact on the economy. Raising Petrol would not impact the inflation as much. But we never know when they decide to remove the subsidy. I remember, when I had been to UK way back in 2004, there the diesel is priced higher than the Petrol to induce people to buy Petrol cars instead of diesel, to save the environment.

if you are optimistic that our govt has the cojones to push through a fair policy/de regulated fuel pricing scheme like in the UK, I suggest you stop dreaming.
diesel will continue to be heavily subsidised for the forseeable future.

no Indian govt will dare to remove the diesel subsidy. not till our population is educated and becomes more sensitive to globalisation and environmental issues. how long do you think that will take?

till then, the upper classes and the middle class (me included)will unfairly use the subsidy that is meant for the poor.

Buy diesel. we should buy soooo many diesel cars for private use that the govt is forced to change this stupid fuel pricing policy.

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

In that case, chuck the Palio MJD as Swift Diesel has more Torque than the Palio MJD.

strictly speaking, the difference in torque is minor.
but the way its delivered, the gear ratios and the power sapping hydraulic steering, all add up to make the palio feel slower(and it is- by 2 secs IIRC)
however,I doubt if it translates into a big difference in real world driving conditions.

let me play devil's advocate by saying, even though, I know that the difference in performance is going to be minor, the Swift is defintely more fun to drive(for me atleast)

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

if you are optimistic that our govt has the cojones to push through a fair policy/de regulated fuel pricing scheme like in the UK, I suggest you stop dreaming.
diesel will continue to be heavily subsidised for the forseeable future.

I have no hopes on this from the Government. I have myself changed my decision from Palio 1.6 to MJD considering the Petrol price rise. But still, I strongle feel 800kms per month is not enough to go for Diesel and shed that extra 1 lakh upfront plus interest.

Originally Posted by rippergeo

Buy diesel. we should buy soooo many diesel cars for private use that the govt is forced to change this stupid fuel pricing policy.

Very optimistic, but the government is justified in not rising the diesel prices by much. This,in turn, will make sure there are more and more diesel variants on road.

[ece2k2]

My petrol swift gives 13 kmpl in city traffic whereas my diesel swift gives 16 kmpl. In highways, swift petrol has given me a max of 17 kmpl if driven very sedately and with no a/c. Swift D has given me a 21 kmpl in my recent highway trip driven judiciously and with 25% a/c.

If your driving is pretty much confined to Bangalore city, then I would suggest you to go for the Swift D. If you are planning to drive your car on highways (meaning less city runs) and on bad roads frequently, then Palio D can be considered. Do think about the high turning radius of Palio when driving in tight city traffic - it does make a difference. Swift is a breeze to drive in good and decent (slightly rough) roads, whatever be the volume of traffic is and however high the number of u-turns you take are.

[Veelubai]

IF you are willing to take a more practical approach I would suggest that you look closely at the Getz CRDi.Its better than the swift in many ways.The only put off will be its price.