Which Used car in 1L- 1.2L?

mpksuhas · 28th May 2010, 12:45

The 2000 model Zen you were saying of, price wise it looks fine in Bangalore. But is it the carb model or the MPFI?
IIRC MPFI zens came around that time. Try avoiding a carb zen, performance wise I have heard its great compared to MPFI, but on the same lines have heard its tough to find a good carb mechanic (tuner?) anywhere. Also mileage wise MPFI will be advantageous.

rvmohankumar · 28th May 2010, 14:56

OT ...i have a carb esteem and i have avery good mechanic servicing my car and he does a great job. he opens the carbs and dissembles everything.

levels the bodies to removes air gaps, puts new seals, gaskets and cleans every inch and them once assembled my car fires like it is on NOX.

i would say you can also try for a decent good looking Ford IKon which is available in the range of 1.2 to 1.4 in bangalore ( must search widely though) i am looking for and alternative car in the same budget range and found some good opel corsa 1.4 as options.

you can try it.

srikanthns · 30th May 2010, 20:47

As already told, I have a 11 year old Carb ZEN. It will give FE of only 11 KMPL in CIty. If it is okay for you, go ahead. Whereas M800 will give you definitely 2-3KMPL more in City rides.

autexy · 30th May 2010, 23:46

FE is not an issue, as the car shall be used on weekends and for highway use only.
Was going through some threads, found that the Zen A/C is not adequate and also the older models came with the R12 gas, conversion requires a whole lot of moolah.
I am more inclined towards m800 now, checked some true value cars, they don't give warantee on 5yr old cars, still quoted prices are high

This weekend's hunt was unfruitful, lets see what comes along.

GTO · 1st June 2010, 09:56

When you are on such a tight budget:

- Buy depreciation disasters. Most car for your buck. Early Hyundai Getz & Mitsubishi Lancers would be perfect! Reliable as well as cheap. If you want something newer, than the 800 / Alto are best.

- Don't worry about ICE et al. Prioritise. Spend the money on the best car you can buy right now. Accessories can follow at a later date.

imp! · 1st June 2010, 10:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

When you are on such a tight budget:

- Buy depreciation disasters. Most car for your buck. Early Hyundai Getz & Mitsubishi Lancers would be perfect! Reliable as well as cheap. If you want something newer, than the 800 / Alto are best.

- Don't worry about ICE et al. Prioritise. Spend the money on the best car you can buy right now. Accessories can follow at a later date.

This makes perfect sense since you are looking at used cars.

However, I can only assume you are paying cash for the car, as used car financing rates will be prohibitively high. Why don't you consider putting that much money down and buying a new one instead? This makes more sense to me since MS cars enjoy high residuals, and (in this segment) the chances of finding one that has been abused are more likely than finding one that hasn't .
So if you put 1lakh down and finance 1.5 and buy an Alto, you will be able to sell it for at-least 1-1.5 lakh 5 years from now. You will get peace of mind as the car will be new, have warranty and you get the new car feeling.

autexy · 1st June 2010, 12:03

@GTO: i agree with your point, But what you are saying makes sense in markets like Delhi/ Mumbai. Here in Bangalore, even a battered up lancer costs 1.8L upwards

@imp!: Buying a new car is out of question for me, as i just bought a new flat, can't take up any more added emi. I do intend to purchase the car in cash, budget strapped due to other personal commitments.

Meanwhile, the search continues...

vivekgk · 1st June 2010, 16:10

M800 or Alto, since everything else will be too old at that price. I'd suggest extending the budget slightly for an Alto. Alto is a newer design than any of the cars on your list, and will age better. Even the early ones are quite good. It will also be safer than the cars in your list. Look outside Bangy for better deals.

bhp_maniac · 10th June 2010, 13:12

Within the budget you can go for M800. Thats the best option for you. Meanwhile, if you can stretch up around 20-30k up to 1.4-1.5 mark you can find some Alto standard models. You will get the 5 speed gear box. One of my friends sold out his 42k ran Alto standard (2004) for 1.35 L recently. If A/C is necessary, then rule out Alto standard. Go for M800. You can find good deals for 2004-2005 models in the range of 1.2-1.3L. Best of luck

Amartya · 12th June 2010, 08:04

Search for a used Fiat Palio. GTO mentioned about depreciation disasters being your best bet, and I think this fits the bill.

Do not be too worried about service, the Palio was built really well, for accident damage etc., you will now have better access to service because of the Tata-Fiat collaboration. Certain uncommon parts might take longer to find, but it shouldn't be a big problem.

The Palio in my opinion ticks all the right boxes, it's built tough, has a fantastic ride, great A/C and a reasonably torquey engine. The 1.2 mill might not be extremely fuel efficient, but I do remember hearing about Fiat getting the odometer calibration wrong (due to the tire size), leading to a false sense of fuel INefficiency.

Lightening-Fast · 23rd June 2010, 09:47

@Autexy, you have mentioned rightly. Maruti Zen still sells like hot cakes when it comes to used car market. If you can find one, go ahead and find a Maruti Zen. Its a pep car and you will love it. But be aware of the Ground clearance. If you travel with 4 or more people and if thats regular, give esteem a close look

harishnayak · 24th June 2010, 09:16

Shut your eyes and go for a clean M800 as suggested by many here and you would not regret your decision. This would be the best choice in the kind of budget that you have.

I have a 98 M800 - 1.25 kms lacs done and still runs like a dream. It's going only for 40K so not planning to sell it in near future.

Adventourer · 24th June 2010, 10:29

I would suggest a used Fiat Uno petrol 1.2 fuel injected model. You might be able to get one within one lakh INR. It's trouble free. And in case some thing does go wrong there are uno gurus in bangalore like sharan ramesh and good mechanics.

You just can't go wrong with a Uno. Drive one before you take a decision.

nairrk · 24th June 2010, 10:55

With your strict budget, suggest go for M800, may be around 2005built which means you have car around 5 year old. Do not go for much older cars (like the zen you have seen) which may cost you more in services/repairs/spare parts etc..?

autexy · 24th June 2010, 12:36

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Meanwhile, saw a couple of 800s, now the confusion is Carb or Mpfi ??

Which one is better with the AC running, getting some sweet deals on 98-99 model cars, only thing is that they are carb models.

What do you guys suggest? what are the pros and cons of carb vs mpfi in AC handling?

28th May 2010, 12:45	#16
mpksuhas Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: KA03/KL11 Posts: 3,934 Thanked: 7,338 Times View My Garage	The 2000 model Zen you were saying of, price wise it looks fine in Bangalore. But is it the carb model or the MPFI? IIRC MPFI zens came around that time. Try avoiding a carb zen, performance wise I have heard its great compared to MPFI, but on the same lines have heard its tough to find a good carb mechanic (tuner?) anywhere. Also mileage wise MPFI will be advantageous.
	() Thanks

28th May 2010, 14:56	#17
rvmohankumar BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: bangalore Posts: 77 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	OT ...i have a carb esteem and i have avery good mechanic servicing my car and he does a great job. he opens the carbs and dissembles everything. levels the bodies to removes air gaps, puts new seals, gaskets and cleans every inch and them once assembled my car fires like it is on NOX. i would say you can also try for a decent good looking Ford IKon which is available in the range of 1.2 to 1.4 in bangalore ( must search widely though) i am looking for and alternative car in the same budget range and found some good opel corsa 1.4 as options. you can try it.
	() Thanks

30th May 2010, 20:47	#18
srikanthns BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 231 Thanked: 76 Times	As already told, I have a 11 year old Carb ZEN. It will give FE of only 11 KMPL in CIty. If it is okay for you, go ahead. Whereas M800 will give you definitely 2-3KMPL more in City rides.
	() Thanks

30th May 2010, 23:46	#19
autexy Newbie Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 18 Thanked: Once	FE is not an issue, as the car shall be used on weekends and for highway use only. Was going through some threads, found that the Zen A/C is not adequate and also the older models came with the R12 gas, conversion requires a whole lot of moolah. I am more inclined towards m800 now, checked some true value cars, they don't give warantee on 5yr old cars, still quoted prices are high This weekend's hunt was unfruitful, lets see what comes along.
	() Thanks

1st June 2010, 09:56	#20
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,496 Thanked: 300,299 Times View My Garage	When you are on such a tight budget: - Buy depreciation disasters. Most car for your buck. Early Hyundai Getz & Mitsubishi Lancers would be perfect! Reliable as well as cheap. If you want something newer, than the 800 / Alto are best. - Don't worry about ICE et al. Prioritise. Spend the money on the best car you can buy right now. Accessories can follow at a later date.
	() Thanks

1st June 2010, 12:03	#22
autexy Newbie Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 18 Thanked: Once	@GTO: i agree with your point, But what you are saying makes sense in markets like Delhi/ Mumbai. Here in Bangalore, even a battered up lancer costs 1.8L upwards @imp!: Buying a new car is out of question for me, as i just bought a new flat, can't take up any more added emi. I do intend to purchase the car in cash, budget strapped due to other personal commitments. Meanwhile, the search continues...
	() Thanks

1st June 2010, 16:10	#23
vivekgk BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 984 Thanked: 1,985 Times View My Garage	M800 or Alto, since everything else will be too old at that price. I'd suggest extending the budget slightly for an Alto. Alto is a newer design than any of the cars on your list, and will age better. Even the early ones are quite good. It will also be safer than the cars in your list. Look outside Bangy for better deals. Last edited by vivekgk : 1st June 2010 at 16:12.
	() Thanks

10th June 2010, 13:12	#24
bhp_maniac BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kochi, Kerala Posts: 504 Thanked: 255 Times View My Garage	Within the budget you can go for M800. Thats the best option for you. Meanwhile, if you can stretch up around 20-30k up to 1.4-1.5 mark you can find some Alto standard models. You will get the 5 speed gear box. One of my friends sold out his 42k ran Alto standard (2004) for 1.35 L recently. If A/C is necessary, then rule out Alto standard. Go for M800. You can find good deals for 2004-2005 models in the range of 1.2-1.3L. Best of luck
	() Thanks

12th June 2010, 08:04	#25
Amartya Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Evanston Posts: 1,748 Thanked: 736 Times	Search for a used Fiat Palio. GTO mentioned about depreciation disasters being your best bet, and I think this fits the bill. Do not be too worried about service, the Palio was built really well, for accident damage etc., you will now have better access to service because of the Tata-Fiat collaboration. Certain uncommon parts might take longer to find, but it shouldn't be a big problem. The Palio in my opinion ticks all the right boxes, it's built tough, has a fantastic ride, great A/C and a reasonably torquey engine. The 1.2 mill might not be extremely fuel efficient, but I do remember hearing about Fiat getting the odometer calibration wrong (due to the tire size), leading to a false sense of fuel INefficiency.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2010, 09:47	#26
Lightening-Fast BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 251 Thanked: 11 Times	@Autexy, you have mentioned rightly. Maruti Zen still sells like hot cakes when it comes to used car market. If you can find one, go ahead and find a Maruti Zen. Its a pep car and you will love it. But be aware of the Ground clearance. If you travel with 4 or more people and if thats regular, give esteem a close look
	() Thanks

24th June 2010, 09:16	#27
harishnayak Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: DELHI Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 125 Times	Shut your eyes and go for a clean M800 as suggested by many here and you would not regret your decision. This would be the best choice in the kind of budget that you have. I have a 98 M800 - 1.25 kms lacs done and still runs like a dream. It's going only for 40K so not planning to sell it in near future.
	() Thanks

24th June 2010, 10:29	#28
Adventourer Newbie Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 8 Thanked: 2 Times	Check out a used Fiat Uno! I would suggest a used Fiat Uno petrol 1.2 fuel injected model. You might be able to get one within one lakh INR. It's trouble free. And in case some thing does go wrong there are uno gurus in bangalore like sharan ramesh and good mechanics. You just can't go wrong with a Uno. Drive one before you take a decision.
	() Thanks

24th June 2010, 10:55	#29
nairrk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kannur Posts: 2,441 Thanked: 674 Times View My Garage	With your strict budget, suggest go for M800, may be around 2005built which means you have car around 5 year old. Do not go for much older cars (like the zen you have seen) which may cost you more in services/repairs/spare parts etc..?
	() Thanks

24th June 2010, 12:36	#30
autexy Newbie Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 18 Thanked: Once	Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Meanwhile, saw a couple of 800s, now the confusion is Carb or Mpfi ?? Which one is better with the AC running, getting some sweet deals on 98-99 model cars, only thing is that they are carb models. What do you guys suggest? what are the pros and cons of carb vs mpfi in AC handling?
	() Thanks