[prkothan]

Hi all,

I am planning to buy a premium hatch back for my daily office use and occasional weekend trips.

Currently own a Fiat Palio 1.2 (2002 model/Tangerine mist color - 50000 km driven). My average monthly drive is 1000 km (expected to go up by 50%).

My palio gives mileage around 9.3km/l city - partial AC and 14 km/l in highway. (I always track/check mileage for every refill and I do always tankful)

My requirements for next car:

1. Must be more frugal and more reliable than my current car. (My Palio is extremely reliable and I am completely in love with my car.
So far I have changed only 3 spares in my car -

a . Changed some thing fuel supply in under body which got damaged due to stone hitting while driving from Tripati to chennai. It cost around Rs 160.
b. Some thing related clutch plate - costed Rs 3000 and repaired slave cylinder.
3. Coolant leak - mechanic said that - some metal plate corrosion - cost Rs 2.5K)
)

2. Must have better clutch (or auto transmission). (you all know OV Palio clutch is not a great one).
3. Much better breaks (I think Palio breaks are OK, but I expect much greater breaks).
4. It should look different and exclusive (should not be owned by mass.) Thats the reason I am going for premium hatch back instead of sedan.
5. Since my average drive per month may go up, diesel car is also desirable.
6. Not so interested in driving in high RPMs and always self driving.

Currently in favor:
1. Skoda Fabia (diesel or 1.2/1.4 petrol).
2. Ford Fusion (diesel)
3. Honda Jazz
4. Maruti Ritz/Splash.

Not in favor:

1. Fiat Linea/Punto - (because its a car for mass, not an exclusive car. And also I would like to taste different brand. )


Here my questions:

I have test drived Skoda Fabia diesel, I am OK with manythings but main gripe its engine noise. Dealer says that, the noise will after 20000 kms.Is it true?

2. Service/maintenance and spare parts: Heard that skoda maintenance is pretty costly and it will increase after 4 yrs. Is it true. I am planning to own this car for long term (10 yrs?). Well, I am not planning to sell my Palio as well. My 7 yr old Palio looks very new. No one can believe its 7 yrs old either by look or by driving it. Hence I am looking for similar car.

3. I am OK with Fabia petrol - if its engine is better than Palio 1.2 OV . Which engine is better 1.2 or 1.4 ?

4. Fusion is a nice car, but bothered about its market failure status and Ford service.

5. Heard that Jazz will be launched by June. Is it true? What could be likely engine configuration?


6. Personally I like to go for diesel car, every one in my family advocate for Petrol car. My dad says that - diesel is not good for health and u'll feel tired after every drive. Is it true? I haven't driven a diesel car (except test drives). Also not so bothered about saving few thousand rs at cost of my health (if that myth about diesel engine turned out to be true.)


Please share your thoughts.

Regards,
Prasanna

====
Fiat Palio 1.2 OV/50000/Tangerine mist

[theEnd]

The Fusion is indeed a very nice car. And the Ford 1.4 diesel engine is very frugal and pleasant enough to drive (although I would choose the 1.6 petrol myself). The reason that this car was a "market failure" as you suggest was that most Indian customers want a "dikky" if they're paying more than 6L or 7L for a car. Also, you will get the exclusivity you want because they're quite rare on the road.

The Fabia is a very well appointed car, and is wonderfully put together. I would pick the 1.4 petrol. (1.2 petrol is underpowered and diesel is noisy).

The Honda Jazz is the most popular car in Great Britain among retired folks! But, being a Honda it should be quite decent.

Nice avatar b.t.w... I wish we could buy the Alfa Mito here in India.

[loving_alaap]

1500 KM / month is a diesel territory.

Honda will not have a Diesel.

So, At present in your budget.

Skoda Fabia (only with extra warranty / maintenance plan) and Hundai Verna diesel.

If you are looking to keep the car for 10 years, you can also think for Fusion (after 10 yrs, resale is not that much worrying, *** does)

Better go by Verna diesel.

[karanraheja]

Prasanna, for your usage its safest bet to go for diesel. I would say wait for i20 crdi and GP ( though you not that keen on it). Since you keeping your car for a long terms i would suggest stay away from Skoda. Suggest you to wait till June , thats the time premium hatchbacks will be raining in our market. But frankly i would suggest GP!!

[kiku007]

Prassana

IMHO please test drive the Hyundai Getz CRDi. I have not driven the car but have read very good things about the car in this forum!
* Powerful CRDi Diesel Engine
* You can't go wrong with Hyundai's service in Chennai
* At 6+ Lakhs, the car isn't Mass favourite either

But I think the car lacks imp safety features (Or am I wrong?).

[deepakhon]

Originally Posted by kiku007

Prassana

IMHO please test drive the Hyundai Getz CRDi. I have not driven the car but have read very good things about the car in this forum!
* Powerful CRDi Diesel Engine
* You can't go wrong with Hyundai's service in Chennai
* At 6+ Lakhs, the car isn't Mass favourite either

But I think the car lacks imp safety features (Or am I wrong?).

I would second this.

Also, I guess Honda Jazz will be more mass market than GP, since many more people buy a Honda as compared to a Fiat .

[devarshi84]

I would strongly suggest you to look at Ford Fusion. Is more spacious and better thought out car with a genuinely advanced and silent diesel.

[SkyWalker]

out of your list the most exclusive will be:

Fusion D: wont recommend. Its exclusive alright, but spares are horribly expensive.
Fabia D: same here. Spares and service will be even more expensive.
Getz CrDi: spares and service would be reasonable.

and then these could be launched within 4-5 months
Jazz: expect public to lap up the cheapest Honda in the market. It wont be exclusive but will be a great car and will give you a great FE (assumption)
GP Diesel: would be a good car and good VFM. Like Linea - expect FIAT to prices spares reasonable.
i20 D: pricing would keep this reasonably exclusive. But you never know.

Diesel not good for health and tiring is no longer true. don't worry about it. If it was me i would probably wait for a few months and choose from Jazz/GP/i20D.

[Guna]

One pointer: Recent issue of ACI carries article on parts of all cars and Fabia is the most expensive, much higher then even Fusion.

[ScorpMan]

Hi Prasanna.

Following are my thoughts for your queries:

1. Skoda Fabia has a very noisy diesel engine, and its not going to improve much, whatsoever the dealer claims. It is not very refined either and sounds like a tractor.(No offenses to any Fabia owners)

2. Maintenance and Spares for a Skoda is not only expensive but Day Light robbery. Some of the spares are ridiculously overpriced, be it Fabia or Octavia.

Guna has rightly pointed in the above post to check out the March 09 ACI, and you will be shocked with the price difference over other cars.

3. If you still decide to go for a Fabia, and that too a petrol, 1.4 is definitely better. The 1.2 sucks.

4. You are very right about Fusion, it is a NICE car but it has bombed and its gonna be a HUGE task for Ford to make it a success. Again, the parts are much more expensive over others.

5. Honda Jazz, brilliant car, and hopefully it will be here by June-July, and initially only 1.2 petrol will be offered. And it will be hugely reliable being a Honda with a very refined and frugal petrol engine.

6. Diesels are great for health, and little rockets like Swift D and Getz CRDi will surely bring a smile on your face every time you take them for a ride. But, Getz isnt very comfortable in bumper to bumper traffic with that Turbo-Lag, and Swift will always make you feel a part of the crowd, and its certainly not gonna hold itself tight for a long term( Rattles ).

Further, forget about the Maruti Ritz, its gonna be huge success like its sibling, The Swift and will be everywhere.

So, finally we are left with Honda Jazz, it will undoubtedly be hugely successful as well but will not sell in huge numbers like Swift or Ritz, because of the price factor.

But, all in all, it will be worth the wait, and IMO the best buy for you.

Happy Driving.

[drashkum]

If you still decide to go for a Fabia, and that too a petrol, 1.4 is definitely better. The 1.2 sucks.

he Fabia is a very well appointed car, and is wonderfully put together. I would pick the 1.4 petrol. (1.2 petrol is underpowered and diesel is noisy)

mate!! fabia 1.4 petrol ( elegance model is not under production any more ( courtesy gurudev motors chennai - dealer for skode) only ambience ( 1.2) petrol will be available as on 1/03/09

and yes the deisel is noisy . pretty loud noise too. happened to tset drive it the dealer says why bother about noise when performance is good.

but its pretty costly too the topend is 8.58 lakhs on road . if u put 50000 more u would get a honda city for 9.22 lakhs in chennai. the pricing is daylight roberry

[manujkansal]

IMO let the cars roll out,see the performance of each one,and then make up your mind.

[VKJ]

Skoda Fabia.....you can even consider VW polo!

[Guna]

If exclussivity is the main criteria, Chevy SRV may be worth taking a look at

[joslicx]

Avoid Skoda.
If you can, wait for Jazz. Its definitely coming in June/July timeframe.