[model-t]

Hi Sreehari ,

I would completely rule out the Zen as per your needs. Although an excellent car to drive and with an excellent engine , it does not suit your needs . Plus getting a Zen in great condition will be tough as well .

Choice 1 :

Alto : Cheap spares , easy and affordable ASS , cheap to run and a practical car to the core . You will be able to get a 3-4 years old model easily in this budget

Choice 2 :

Chevy Spark : Modern looks (subjective, of course ) , good average , practical and easy to run . The best part is with the budget that you have , you might be able to get a pre worshiped model which may have more creature comforts ( Front PW , PS and Cosmetic additions like Body colored bumpers ,etc al) . A very high probability of getting a 2-3 year old car with (maybe ?) Chevrolet promise *** pending. If you get such a model , it will be an amazing buy. I just did a quick search on Carwale and found a couple of Sparks with less than 30K on the ODO in your budget !

H

[rajeev k]

Today, used Altos doesn't come cheap and Zens are not costlier. There are many low-fig-on-odo Zens around and therefore try to get a good Zen especially the face lifted ones with PS. Both these cars are comparatively in demand and are available at True Value outlets. Prices could be a minimum 15K higher there.

[shk 8896]

Originally Posted by MetalBuff

From the above options, the alto makes the most sense simply, as being a running model, spares and the likes will not be as expensive as for the others. Is relatively fresher than the zen as well.

Why not add the Santro and Wagon R to this list as well?

Santro and Wagonr are not considered as they are almost as long as our Ritz.Want something very compact and easy on the wallet.Also the Wagonr's boxy looks which we hate.Also ,Alto also is now not in production and with the other 2,it is an 800cc car limiting its appeal in the highway.

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

I would have advised to do what your heart says. But I think it is important to know who will be driving the car. Go for zen if it you, but get an alto if it is someone in your family who will require the car only for its practical use.

The only dilemma is thet spending 2 lakhs for a car that is almost 10 year old.And finding one with low mileage and one with power steering was pretty difficult. Also we may have to get it re registered after a few years.

Originally Posted by john doe

You can buy a brand new Nano with a 4 year Tata warranty at that price, no? Have you not shortlisted it after some actual test experiences?
It would be a shame not to include it due to something you may have heard about the Nano. After all , Ratan Tata created this car exactly for needs such as yours:-)

The Nano has been eleminated for a few reasons-
1.Poor residual value:If we are not very happy with the car,we'll have to sell it away for peanuts.The price for a 2012 Nano with only about 6k on odo is 1.5 lakhs and 2011 models are available for a little over 1 lakh.
1.We observed that nano has a very heavy appetite for rear tyres.

Originally Posted by zenren

Zen is a very reliable car and it would still be young at 10 years. The parts are still available easily and are very cheap based on my experience. We're having a 17 year old Zen with around 175k on odo and that is a keeper for sure. Just did a 400km trip on it last week and it is still a pleasure to drive on highways.

Main issue with Zen is the huge turning radius of 4.9m which can make it a pain to park in tight spots, especially if it is without power steering. Alto scores here with a much smaller turning radius. So ensure you go for the variant with power steering if you decide on Zen as single stroke U turns in Kerala roads are not going to be easy with the Zen. I don't have any other complaints about this car.

The interiors in Alto feel very cramped and entry-level while you would feel the Zen to be much better here. If you can manage to get a VXi variant, that would have more features than the Alto.

If it is purely going to be city driving, Alto might be a better option. In case of occasional highway runs, Zen is definitely leagues ahead of Alto.

Originally Posted by agambhandari

I would suggest you to look at a new car if possible at all. It would be more reliable in most cases.
Also, as you pointed out it would be better to get a car less than 5 year old. Spark makes a lot of sense.
You will not be able to accept the fact that it costs only as much as the Alto after test driving it. Being a satisfied Spark owner , i would strongly suggest you the car. Also see my ownership thread if want some more info.

Spending about 2.25 lakhs for a Spark is good value considering Zen and alto.It is the car which satisfied our every requirement-Compact size,looks ,power steering,and enough space for 4,and a higher seating position.

Originally Posted by oxyzen

After 1.75L km and 14 years of experience in Zen, all I can say it is leagues above the other two. Be it for performance of handling or reliability or low maintenance. The only issue is with a 2L+ budget the zen may not fit and you will get very old models. (Leave out Estillo)

I would suggest for Alto K10. It is available under 2 L and that to is ~2 years old. So a pretty decent deal I would say.

The alto k10 is above our budget .A 2010 model LXi costed about 2.45 lakhs. Also not impressed by the Estilo.Its a shame that maruti replaced a legendary car with a breadbox.

Originally Posted by model-t

Hi Sreehari ,

I would completely rule out the Zen as per your needs. Although an excellent car to drive and with an excellent engine , it does not suit your needs . Plus getting a Zen in great condition will be tough as well .

Choice 1 :

Alto : Cheap spares , easy and affordable *** , cheap to run and a practical car to the core . You will be able to get a 3-4 years old model easily in this budget

Choice 2 :

Chevy Spark : Modern looks (subjective, of course ) , good average , practical and easy to run . The best part is with the budget that you have , you might be able to get a pre worshiped model which may have more creature comforts ( Front PW , PS and Cosmetic additions like Body colored bumpers ,etc al) . A very high probability of getting a 2-3 year old car with (maybe ?) Chevrolet promise *** pending. If you get such a model , it will be an amazing buy. I just did a quick search on Carwale and found a couple of Sparks with less than 30K on the ODO in your budget !

H

The sparks are very tempting!!

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Today, used Altos doesn't come cheap and Zens are not costlier. There are many low-fig-on-odo Zens around and therefore try to get a good Zen especially the face lifted ones with PS. Both these cars are comparatively in demand and are available at True Value outlets. Prices could be a minimum 15K higher there.

But 1.75 lakhs for an 8 yer old car???

[SPARKled]

I voted for the Alto even though I own a Spark simply coz I don't think its as reliable as a Maruti car as your daily commute vehicle. Even though the 3 year maintenance plan works wonderfully well and its a better car to drive, I still won't recommend it.

As for the Zen seriously don't bother. It had its time of glory but its just too old now to deserve serious consideration.

[mjothi]

I would advice a New Alto of the shortlisted ones. Why? Its Maruti - which means,

1. good availability of spares and service
2. good resale value
3. Overall Peace of mind.

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by shk 8896

But 1.75 lakhs for an 8 yer old car???

From where did you get this price of 1.75 lakhs (Rs)?

[fiat_tarun]

If you can find a good Zen, go for it. It still feels more modern than an Alto to drive and the interiors / features are also on par or better. I managed to find one in 2010 and 2 years on, I can definitely say it was a brilliant decision.

You can't go wrong with the Alto, but if your usage is primarily in the city do give the Nano another chance. The latest update has made this little car a brilliant package for the city.

Not too sure about the spark, so no comments on that option.

[saket77]

If you will be driving it, go for a well -maintained Zen, else an Alto. We purchased our Zen in 2002, so more than 10 years now. It is absolutely among the least expensive car to maintain. Spares are very reasonably priced and the car itself is very reliable. The engine is a gem. Running costs- low. 15-16 KMPL (w/o AC) in city & over 20KMPL on highways. & not to forget, its a 1000 CC engine.

The only issue is that its an old car and more importantly, no longer in production. Spares are still available easily just for your information but if its wise to buy this car now will be your call ultimately. Other than this, I don't see any reason and aspect where it should not compete (& even outshine) its modern scion!

Just my 2 cents!

[vasanthn21]

I believe owning a Maruti will any day be a hassle free experience.

I have been driving a Zen for almost 5 years now. Both Zen and Alto have their postiives, depends on what you are looking for:

Power: Zen >Alto
Space: Zen > Alto
Ride comfort: Alto > Zen
Handling: Zen > Alto (worry about this only if you plan to drive on highways or if you like taking corners at high speeds)
FE: Alto >Zen
Resale value after a few years: Alto > Zen
Features: Zen >< Alto (Depends on varinat)
Looks: Zen > Alto (subjective)
Spare parts availability: Alto > Zen
Service costs: not sure (can someone help - I presume it is the same)

Edit: I believe you should be able to get Zen for much lesser cost than an Alto, but then Alto would fetch you a much better resale value.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by shk 8896

The alto k10 is above our budget .A 2010 model LXi costed about 2.45 lakhs.

Browse OLX. You may get some decent deals. I saw a 2010 Alto K10 Vxi for 2.1L. See if you can find 1 at your location.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by shk 8896

Santro and Wagonr are not considered as they are almost as long as our Ritz.Want something very compact

In that case, Zen might not be a good option. It looks compact but needs more space when turning. You might not be able to squeeze the Zen in some spots that you can take the Ritz in. I've faced this between Swift and Zen and always have to reverse the Zen into parking slots.

The Nano has been eleminated for a few reasons-
Poor residual value:If we are not very happy with the car,we'll have to sell it away for peanuts.The price for a 2012 Nano with only about 6k on odo is 1.5 lakhs and 2011 models are available for a little over 1 lakh.

If resale value is your concern, why not go for a used Nano at these prices and sell it off if you are not happy. That said, if you have a 2.25L budget I wouldn't recommend Nano irrespective its resale value.

Spending about 2.25 lakhs for a Spark is good value considering Zen and alto.It is the car which satisfied our every requirement-Compact size,looks ,power steering,and enough space for 4,and a higher seating position.

New shape Zen (model before Estilo) with power steering should come at around 1.4L I guess. Also, spark resale value is not so great. There is scope for bargaining and you could newer models at 2.25L

[shk 8896]

Somehow the Alto is now out of the scene.Dad and me lost the interest in Alto.Comparing to the other 2 ,the car is an 800 cc .Visited True Value and desperately disappointed.There were no good altos and all the cars checked was abused and had a very gruff engine.Also,the all the Zen we saw had some rust in the wheel arch area and where high milers.
Will check out two 2009 Spark-
2009 Spark PS with 20k on odo
2009 Spark LT with 60k on odo
Both for 2.2 lakhs .Should haggle down the price though

[shk 8896]

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD! To know how to multi-quote, click here.

Finalised a 2003 White Zen LXi (Pre-facelift).The car has run 80k kms but the car has been maintained passionately.The price is 1.5 lakhs and it has 4 new tyres. Will get the car transferred in the first week of february.

Here is the pic of the zen I am talking about.

[saket77]

Looks like a really well maintained car. I love this car in terms of reliability. Yesterday I came back from a 700 km + trip in my 10 years old Zen (MPFI). Got an average of about 21 kmpl with 4 adults & some luggage. Burnt 35 ltrs of fuel in all with some AC too!
Its a real work horse. Touched speeds of 120 kmph on NH2. All I can say is that you will not regret your decision. Just make sure that you get good shoes for it like Michelin or equivalent. Its worth the money paid for.

Enjoy your tiny spitfire.

Regards.