Which new car for Dad , budget 4 lakhs,city driven

motorpsycho · 12th May 2010, 15:02

Dad : Hi , I sold the Indica.

Me:Wow cool , what you gonna buy next?

Dad : Hmmm..well my budget is 4 lakhs.

Me : So did you decide which car?

Dad: Yes Kinda , well I know what I don't want. I checked out the Wagon R and I don't want it, our Hospital parking lot looks like the Maruti factory stock yard for Wagon R . But I have to decide between the Zen Estilo or the A star.I liked the A star but I don't know why its not sold too well . Is there a problem with it?

Me: I don't know Will check out. Why don't you buy a pre owned sedan.

Dad: No way , Second hand are a headache!

Me: But ,there's a good auto consultant in front of...

Dad: Look I am not buying a second hand, No more argument.

Me: Ok OK. Don't shout !( For some reason even after all these years I haven't mastered the art of convincing my Dad the way my sister has

)

So guys I need your help .

The features which he wants in his car (no compromise on these 2)

Power Steering

AC

He had a Indica and doesn't want to buy the same again. He is not open to buying the spark either. Also I am not able to find a review on A Star on our forum.

What other choices does he have ? The budget can be stretched by another 20k Max.

Thanks in Advance Guys !

rohan_iitr · 12th May 2010, 15:38

There are several existing threads on similar cars. Please go through them to get more inputs.

Looks like your father wants to buy only from the Maruti stable. If that is the case, Estilo and A-Star are you only options in this price range. Between these two, I would suggest the Estilo.

If he is open to other brands, he could consider Santro and i10 1.1 ERA.

Rohan

motorpsycho · 12th May 2010, 16:08

Rohan ,

Thanks for the input , I did go through a few threads but most of them suggested the Wagon R. He is open to other brands. I'll ask him to check out Santro and i10.

Alter_Ego · 12th May 2010, 16:10

Motorpsycho,

Go for the a-star.I too purchased the A-star for my dad last november and he is a happy man since then.No complaints and a nice ride as per him.

motorpsycho · 12th May 2010, 16:21

Alter Ego ,

He is worried about why A Star has not sold well and thinks there is some problem with the vehicle. I didn't find any ownership review about the car. But I am confident that the car is not to be blamed for low sales.

Regards

MP

Alter_Ego · 12th May 2010, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorpsycho

Alter Ego ,

He is worried about why A Star has not sold well and thinks there is some problem with the vehicle. I didn't find any ownership review about the car. But I am confident that the car is not to be blamed for low sales.

Regards

MP

I am not sure about why the Astar did not sell too well.I guess mostly due to the flood of hatches within the same price range and the consumer got a variety of choices to choose from.

My dad wanted his car to be a maruti or a hyundai as he wanted the A.S.S to be worthy.
I took test rides and did a thorough research of both the A-star and hyundai i10 and found the A-star better.So purchased it for my dad.

DCEite · 12th May 2010, 17:19

Its rather weird that your decision are based on what car sold and what did not.
You should buy the vehicle that suits *your* requirements - don't worry if there are too many of them on roads or too few.

IMO, i would sugest the WagonR. You didnt make any of your requirements clear , but i would guess your dad is the one who will be driving this and a comfortable, easy to drive and hassle free ownership is what's required. WR fits the bill completely.

motorpsycho · 12th May 2010, 17:40

@ DCEite ,

He is apprehensive why a car was did not sell despite it being good or is there some thing wrong with it.
I agree with you that he should go for Wagon R. The reason I created this thread was because almost all other threads suggested the Wagon R, a car which he doesn't like.

Yes it will be self driven. As far as hassle free ownership is concerned almost all the hatch backs in the market are pretty reliable.

His requirements are basic.

Mileage- almost all the hatch backs in the 4 lakh range have more or less the same FE.

Aesthetic Appeal- Not too important since he considered the Estilo.

He NEEDS power steering.

Is the Santro available with PS within the 4lk price range?

Regards

MP

lamborghini · 12th May 2010, 17:58

Ford Figo LXi? It should be within his budget and with PS and A.C.
If not, then a Santro is available with PS and AC in that budget, but it is getting quite old now. The A Star is a newer car that failed due to looks and positioning.
Has your father seen the new WagonR?
Choice in order of preference:
Figo LXi Petrol
WagonR LXi
A Star
Santro

Alter_Ego · 12th May 2010, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorpsycho

Is the Santro available with PS within the 4lk price range?

Yes. it is.

Hey one more thing.Do try out the automatic variants too.I regretted the decision of going for the manual one.Your father would really like driving a A/T in the city.Its smooth and with lesser hassles of clutching.

drifter · 12th May 2010, 18:05

The last Wagon R was one of the most horrible cars I've driven (no offence to owners). I don't know if the new one is any better. But one thing for sure, there are better cars out there. With a budget of four lakh, the Hyundai i10 is by far the best bet. You might have to stretch just a wee bit. But the i10 is well worth it. But if not the i10, take a good hard look at the Santro Xing as well.

A-Star lost out thanks to useless boot space. It looks very good and performs decently as well.

Drifter

Autonorm · 12th May 2010, 18:51

My suggestion would be either the Ford Figo or the Hyundai i10. I personally feel that Santro has run it's course and has been too long in the market. The i10 from the same stable is a much better option than the Santro.

I believe the petrol Figo would also be within reach.

motorpsycho · 12th May 2010, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Ford Figo LXi? It should be within his budget and with PS and A.C.
If not, then a Santro is available with PS and AC in that budget, but it is getting quite old now. The A Star is a newer car that failed due to looks and positioning.
Has your father seen the new WagonR?
Choice in order of preference:
Figo LXi Petrol

I have asked him to check out the Figo , I like the car. If they have something for 4 lks +20 k , He may go for it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alter_Ego

Yes. it is.

Hey one more thing.Do try out the automatic variants too.I regretted the decision of going for the manual one..

Alter_Ego ,

He doesn't like AT's and he is not too old. He had been to to Karwar recently and he drove Wagon R and an Estilo on the Hubli -Dandeli-Karwar stretch and said that he loved the PS . His daily drive is 26 Kms part on the old NH4.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drifter

The last Wagon R was one of the most horrible cars I've driven (no offence to owners). I don't know if the new one is any better. But one thing for sure, there are better cars out there. With a budget of four lakh, the Hyundai i10 is by far the best bet. You might have to stretch just a wee bit. But the i10 is well worth it. But if not the i10, take a good hard look at the Santro Xing as well.

A-Star lost out thanks to useless boot space. It looks very good and performs decently as well.

Drifter

I have asked him to visit the showrooms today . I will also ask him to check out the New Wagon R , I don't know if he has checked it out. I would have loved to visit the showrooms and checked the rates out, But am in Pune till the month end

Lamborghini , Alter_Ego , Drifter, DCEite , Rohan , Autonorm

Thanks guys for your inputs. Once he visits the showrooms and gets the current prices , we will have a better picture to take a decision.

Thanks and Regards

MP

rajushank84 · 12th May 2010, 20:03

Well, the moment you sit in the A-Star it becomes evident why the car doesn't sell. The seating is way too low and the road view is not inspiring. This is suitable in foreign countries where they keep distance between vehicles when driving, but IMHO this is not suitable for our bumper-rubbing traffic.

Estilo is a good option, it gives a good road view and I liked its interiors too. Being on the overweight side I didn't find the thigh support sufficient. Suggest you ask your dad to sit in it and see, if he likes the seat comfort then I would suggest go for it.

lamborghini · 13th May 2010, 01:33

I tend to agree with rajushank. Especially after owning the Indica.
Do check out the Figo 1.2 LXi. It should be within your budget.

12th May 2010, 15:02	#1
motorpsycho BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hubli Posts: 482 Thanked: 448 Times	Which new car for Dad , budget 4 lakhs,city driven Dad : Hi , I sold the Indica. Me:Wow cool , what you gonna buy next? Dad : Hmmm..well my budget is 4 lakhs. Me : So did you decide which car? Dad: Yes Kinda , well I know what I don't want. I checked out the Wagon R and I don't want it, our Hospital parking lot looks like the Maruti factory stock yard for Wagon R . But I have to decide between the Zen Estilo or the A star.I liked the A star but I don't know why its not sold too well . Is there a problem with it? Me: I don't know Will check out. Why don't you buy a pre owned sedan. Dad: No way , Second hand are a headache! Me: But ,there's a good auto consultant in front of... Dad: Look I am not buying a second hand, No more argument. Me: Ok OK. Don't shout !( For some reason even after all these years I haven't mastered the art of convincing my Dad the way my sister has ) So guys I need your help . The features which he wants in his car (no compromise on these 2) Power Steering AC He had a Indica and doesn't want to buy the same again. He is not open to buying the spark either. Also I am not able to find a review on A Star on our forum. What other choices does he have ? The budget can be stretched by another 20k Max. Thanks in Advance Guys ! Last edited by motorpsycho : 12th May 2010 at 15:07. Reason: Added Info and spell check...!
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 15:38	#2
rohan_iitr Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,129 Thanked: 820 Times	There are several existing threads on similar cars. Please go through them to get more inputs. Looks like your father wants to buy only from the Maruti stable. If that is the case, Estilo and A-Star are you only options in this price range. Between these two, I would suggest the Estilo. If he is open to other brands, he could consider Santro and i10 1.1 ERA. Rohan Last edited by rohan_iitr : 12th May 2010 at 15:39.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 16:08	#3
motorpsycho BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hubli Posts: 482 Thanked: 448 Times	Rohan , Thanks for the input , I did go through a few threads but most of them suggested the Wagon R. He is open to other brands. I'll ask him to check out Santro and i10.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 16:10	#4
Alter_Ego BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 444 Thanked: 113 Times View My Garage	Motorpsycho, Go for the a-star.I too purchased the A-star for my dad last november and he is a happy man since then.No complaints and a nice ride as per him.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 16:21	#5
motorpsycho BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hubli Posts: 482 Thanked: 448 Times	Alter Ego , He is worried about why A Star has not sold well and thinks there is some problem with the vehicle. I didn't find any ownership review about the car. But I am confident that the car is not to be blamed for low sales. Regards MP
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 17:19	#7
DCEite Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NCR Posts: 3,418 Thanked: 2,571 Times	Its rather weird that your decision are based on what car sold and what did not. You should buy the vehicle that suits your requirements - don't worry if there are too many of them on roads or too few. IMO, i would sugest the WagonR. You didnt make any of your requirements clear , but i would guess your dad is the one who will be driving this and a comfortable, easy to drive and hassle free ownership is what's required. WR fits the bill completely.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 17:40	#8
motorpsycho BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hubli Posts: 482 Thanked: 448 Times	@ DCEite , He is apprehensive why a car was did not sell despite it being good or is there some thing wrong with it. I agree with you that he should go for Wagon R. The reason I created this thread was because almost all other threads suggested the Wagon R, a car which he doesn't like. Yes it will be self driven. As far as hassle free ownership is concerned almost all the hatch backs in the market are pretty reliable. His requirements are basic. Mileage- almost all the hatch backs in the 4 lakh range have more or less the same FE. Aesthetic Appeal- Not too important since he considered the Estilo. He NEEDS power steering. Is the Santro available with PS within the 4lk price range? Regards MP
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 17:58	#9
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,764 Times View My Garage	Ford Figo LXi? It should be within his budget and with PS and A.C. If not, then a Santro is available with PS and AC in that budget, but it is getting quite old now. The A Star is a newer car that failed due to looks and positioning. Has your father seen the new WagonR? Choice in order of preference: Figo LXi Petrol WagonR LXi A Star Santro
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 18:05	#11
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	The last Wagon R was one of the most horrible cars I've driven (no offence to owners). I don't know if the new one is any better. But one thing for sure, there are better cars out there. With a budget of four lakh, the Hyundai i10 is by far the best bet. You might have to stretch just a wee bit. But the i10 is well worth it. But if not the i10, take a good hard look at the Santro Xing as well. A-Star lost out thanks to useless boot space. It looks very good and performs decently as well. Drifter Last edited by drifter : 12th May 2010 at 18:07.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 18:51	#12
Autonorm BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 83 Thanked: 8 Times	My suggestion would be either the Ford Figo or the Hyundai i10. I personally feel that Santro has run it's course and has been too long in the market. The i10 from the same stable is a much better option than the Santro. I believe the petrol Figo would also be within reach.
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 20:03	#14
rajushank84 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,116 Thanked: 1,098 Times View My Garage	Well, the moment you sit in the A-Star it becomes evident why the car doesn't sell. The seating is way too low and the road view is not inspiring. This is suitable in foreign countries where they keep distance between vehicles when driving, but IMHO this is not suitable for our bumper-rubbing traffic. Estilo is a good option, it gives a good road view and I liked its interiors too. Being on the overweight side I didn't find the thigh support sufficient. Suggest you ask your dad to sit in it and see, if he likes the seat comfort then I would suggest go for it.
	() Thanks

13th May 2010, 01:33	#15
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,764 Times View My Garage	I tend to agree with rajushank. Especially after owning the Indica. Do check out the Figo 1.2 LXi. It should be within your budget.
	() Thanks