[rrahul_2778]

Hi Friends,

After spending days trying to come to a decision on my car, I am as confused as ever and that is why I am here.

To give a background, I sold my Wagon R in Chennai in mid 2010 and came to Hyderabad on a company transfer. To avoid any reregistration hassles, I sold my car and got a used Ford Ikon in Hyderabad.

Now after 6 months down the line I landed up a new job again in Chennai with an offer too good to resist. So, now I am deciding whether to register my Ford from AP to TN or buy a new diesel hatch. My monthly usage easily goes up 1000 kms and the occasional highway rides.

Ford Pros:
- Known devil, ~80K kms on ODO and I bought for 1.7L + 5K insurance + 15K (80K servicing, replacing some stuff)
- Will immediately have a car in Chennai, no wait time for my new car
- Sedan, so the dikky is there . If I buy a new car it would be a hatch with less boot
- My favorite color black, not easy to get choice of color in used car market
- Save on the new car EMI (more important since I am in process of buying a new house in Chennai)
- Fixed most of the issues in the car and I think she runs beautifully and gives consistant mileage of 11-12 with AC in city, tyres have a life of atleast 25K kms, new battery.

Ford Cons:
- Offered 1.6L by Mahindra First choice, car still in previous owner name and all papers signed and available. So an immediate depreciation of 30K in 6 months
- May get another used car in Chennai again at same price, but will need to search and also chances can end up with a lemon
- 2004 model, already 7 yrs old. If I dont sell now, then not sure later in 2-3 yrs down the line what can be the resale
- To pay road tax in Chennai (not sure how much it would be for a 7 yr old car)
- Not sure how feasible it is to get a pro rated refund on the AP registration
- Reregistration hassles in Chennai


New Car Pros:
- Head and Heart fighting between the Swift and Punto. Both superb cars and the whole feel of a new car
- Reliability and feel good factor
- Better resale than my Ford
- My own Tbhp new car thread

New Car Cons:
- Wait time especially now that I have a 3 month infant at home
- Higher EMI especially now when I am in process of booking a house in Chennai and would have home loan EMI
- With all EMIs adding up would not probably get the feel of a new job and the additional salary (with most of it going into EMIs)

I am not sure I have listed all the pros and cons, friends give me your suggestions. Should I go ahead and reregister my current car or give into my desires and get a Swift D or Punto MJD (i guess thats material for another discussion if I choose the 2nd option)

@Mods - kindly don't merge the thread, I would like to get some inputs to my specific case. Thanks.

[download2live]

You have to find exactly how much you have to pay for re-registration of a 7 year old car in Chennai.

If the amount is not so significant (And I think it won't be much) then better keep going on with the current one. I always tell others to stick on to their cars for as long as possible. Makes lot of sense money wise.

[camchennai]

I would suggest selling the vehicle there and get a new or used one in Chennai, re-registering is not an easy task and you have to get in and get out too many government offices too many times. The whole process would take more than 3 months and you would get fed up at the end.

Also Ikon is already 7 years old and it will start showing sign of getting old, keep in mind Ikon is not in production so down the lane already expensive Ford spares will become dearer.

So to be in peace of mind, sell it there and take a new or used one here. If I were you I would opt to sell and get a new one here

[GTO]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

Known devil, ~80K kms on ODO and I bought for 1.7L + 5K insurance + 15K (80K servicing, replacing some stuff)

Offered 1.6L by Mahindra First choice

You bought a used Ikon for 1.7 L and are now getting 1.6L for it! What's to think, sell it off. No point in spending all that re-registration money and hassle. Ikons require a lot of money as they near the 1.0 lakh kms mark.

I'm going to recommend something different to you. Your monthly running doesn't really justify a diesel (from cost POV). Thus, get a used petrol car for 3 lakhs. Advantages:

- More car for less money. You are already an expert used car buyer (if the Ikon experience is anything to go by)

- You have other EMIs & financial liabilities coming up. Get 1.6 for the Ikon, put another 1.4 lakhs and you drive home with 2 - 3 lakhs saved (vis a vis a new diesel hatch)

- Some really nice cars you can buy for 3 lakhs

Chevrolet Optra (highly recommended, most bang for the buck)
Fiesta 1.6
Late model Mitsubishi Lancer P
Late model Maruti Baleno (quick, great ride & handling)
Maruti Swift Petrol
Hyundai Getz

Sample car 1

Sample Car 2

[rrahul_2778]

Hi D2L, CamChennai and GTO, thanks for dropping in your thoughts.

@D2L - I would have also not liked to sell my cars for the monotony sake. Heck if we didn't have this silly rule of other state vehicles, I would have got my Wagon to Hyd, there was simply nothing wrong with that car.

@GTO - sincere thanks for a detailed post. Am not an expert in the used car scene, both my cars were used cars and I was plain lucky they turned out to be fine samples .

Originally Posted by GTO

You bought a used Ikon for 1.7 L and are now getting 1.6L for it! What's to think, sell it off. No point in spending all that re-registration money and hassle. Ikons require a lot of money as they near the 1.0 lakh kms mark.

Actually I bought it for 1.9L (considering the 15K servicing cost and ~5K insurance and I take a 30K depreciation in just 6 months. I was not aware Ikons require more maintenance around 1L kms. But like CamChennai also said, I would prefer a peace of mind especially with a 3 month infant in the house.

My monthly running would easily cross 1000 kms / month and an occasional month going to even 1500+ kms (have few commitments coming up that would require me to travel this year in and around TN). But the thought of a used petrol car was running my head too. Just the petrol Vs Diesel thing I am not too sure how to work out.

Thanks again for the recommendations on the various vehicles. I intended to buy a car that my wife can also drive. She is not comfortable with sedans. So that means only hatches are allowed and I want a safe car that I can drive on the highways (so ABS, etc). Not sure how easy to find these examples in the used car market. Any TBhpians in Chennai looking to upgrade from their present hatch

The first thing is sorted out - sell the ikon...Now the next topic would be what hatch!!!

[mdsaab]

GTO's advice here is spot on, and a chevy optra would actually be the best bet. Too bad you can't go ahead with it, as your wife is more comfy with a hatch, guess you will just have to latch onto a hatch.
Well if you were buying new, then probably the new swift would be a better bet, but wait the swift is due for a replacement around the corner, so i guess that's not a wise option.
How about the Figo TDCI? there is the Ritz too, a lot like an upgraded wagon r, what's say? if budget permits than the Nissan Mica and VW Polo are available too. what kind of money do you want to spend? Also if you could consider a petrol you could go for higher variants of these models which would have more goodies, and possibly a few more options would open up.

[rrahul_2778]

Hi mdsaab for your recommendations. My budget for a new car would be between 6 -7 L and if used car then maybe would be under 4L.

I have a new worry now, the Mahindra first choice guy went back on his words and says wont pay more than 1.4L for my car. And the guys who came via classifieds are quoting even less than 1.4. Now again I am in a dilemma if I should sell the ikon with so much depreciation (almost 45K). Anyone who have TD my car agree that it is a great car, but they say Ford spares are expensive, hence no one prefers Ikons. One used car guy near my apartment told me they sell ikons to guys who come to buy a Wagon or zen etc saying that at same price you get bigger car, according to him no one comes to buy an ikon.

I have only about a week to 10 days to leave Hyd, cant wait until last minute, have to do one of the two -
1. Register the car to my name first and then apply for NOC to chennai and use it for 2-3 years and then dispose at whatever scrap value
2. Take the 45K depreciation and dispose off now at 1.4L (or whatever little more I can squeeze) and forget about the loss...

Sigh!!...give me some inputs friends...

[CliffHanger]

Rahul, I would still suggest you to sell off the Ikon. Since the Ikon has already done 70k km, it's no more in its mid life, it might require a lot to maintain from now on, it might run trouble free for a few months, but the chances are high for it to start showing age. Since you have a lot of commitments in the coming months you may not be able to dedicate a lot of time to your car. So, forget the depreciation and play safe.

Coming to your next choice, I think an used Swift D or a Punto D will make for a good choice. But since your car will be used by your wife too, I would suggest the Swift. Your wife will be more comfortable with the EPS than with the HPS of Punto. Still better, wait for the new Beat D. It might fit your bill to T.

Edit: Just read you cannot wait for a car in Chennai, so go for an used Swift D.
Edit2: If you decide on used car, make sure you buy with full cash. Buying at 16% interest rate is really not worth.

[amrisharm]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

Hi mdsaab for your recommendations. My budget for a new car would be between 6 -7 L and if used car then maybe would be under 4L.

I have a new worry now, the Mahindra first choice guy went back on his words and says wont pay more than 1.4L for my car. And the guys who came via classifieds are quoting even less than 1.4. Now again I am in a dilemma if I should sell the ikon with so much depreciation (almost 45K). Anyone who have TD my car agree that it is a great car, but they say Ford spares are expensive, hence no one prefers Ikons. One used car guy near my apartment told me they sell ikons to guys who come to buy a Wagon or zen etc saying that at same price you get bigger car, according to him no one comes to buy an ikon.

I have only about a week to 10 days to leave Hyd, cant wait until last minute, have to do one of the two -
1. Register the car to my name first and then apply for NOC to chennai and use it for 2-3 years and then dispose at whatever scrap value
2. Take the 45K depreciation and dispose off now at 1.4L (or whatever little more I can squeeze) and forget about the loss...

Sigh!!...give me some inputs friends...

Speaking from personal experience, cut your losses now and move on and never look back. If you re-register it and continue to use it, then your losses will mount.

cost of re rego + service and parts for 2-3 yrs + further depreciation in 2-3 yrs time, your loss in 3 years will be much greater than 45k. So cut your losses now. The ikon is being phased out once the new Fiesta 2011 comes out so u will get scrap money (about 40k-70k) for your ikon in 3 years.

[mdsaab]

Oh thats just to bad. Hate it when people go back on their words.
So what have you decided to do? I still feel its better to sell it off. Try a couple of other dealers too. But honestly i feel 1.4 is not too bad. Ok so 7 is a good budget and i think pretty much opens the whole hatchback segment for you. So now tell us is it going to be only diesel or can we suggest some petrol hatchbacks too?

[dot]

@rrahul_2778, yours is a situation we all face once in a while these days when we move from city to city in search of better careers. I will go with what everyone here seems to say: Sell off the Ikon. Re-registration hassle is simply not worth it. It stings, I know, however on the long run you will probably forget the depreciation loss also.

[musicmanaman]

I would suggest sell the Ikon and go for Ritz Diesel if buying new, there is no wait time on Ritz and some good discounts going too, if second hand then go with the cars GTO has suggested, you may even add an Hyundia Elantra in there.

[pvgeorge]

I got myself a re registered INdica from KA To KL.. and the resale of the vehicle simply plummetted, not that Indica had great resale

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by rrahul_2778

have to do one of the two -
1. Register the car to my name first and then apply for NOC to chennai and use it for 2-3 years and then dispose at whatever scrap value
2. Take the 45K depreciation and dispose off now at 1.4L (or whatever little more I can squeeze) and forget about the loss...

Sigh!!...give me some inputs friends...

There is a third option.

Do not re-register the car, just keep using it.

You can drive it in a different state for first 11 months for free. Post that, you will have to pay yearly road tax in that state.

Advantage is, you will not have any immediate expenditure and yearly tax for 7 year old car would not be significant.

[rrahul_2778]

Its a shame, people going back on their words and now I have an offer of 1.2 lacs. Difficult to digest a 70K depreciation in just 6 months. Not sure if the amount is so small that can be forgotten so easily.

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

There is a third option.

Do not re-register the car, just keep using it.

You can drive it in a different state for first 11 months for free. Post that, you will have to pay yearly road tax in that state.

Advantage is, you will not have any immediate expenditure and yearly tax for 7 year old car would not be significant.

@NFB - I didn't know this is possible. Are you sure of this? Is this rule applicable in all the states?