[n.devdath]

A car can look bad, be slow, handle like a boat, be as luxurious as a tractor and have one ASC per state but if it is *reliable*, everything else is ignored.

That is what counts. Reliability.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Very, very well said Dev (I was about to post the same). What is the point in having all these if the car is not reliable? BTW, did you cast your vote in the poll? If no, please do so.

Spike

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

What is the point in having all these if the car is not reliable? BTW, did you cast your vote in the poll?

Thanks Spikey, my vote has been cast.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

A car can look bad, be slow, handle like a boat, be as luxurious as a tractor and have one ASC per state but if it is *reliable*, everything else is ignored.

That is what counts. Reliability.

Different strokes for different folks Sir

Your parameter for a Car is similar of that an appliance for me, something which would move my body from Point A to point B. Nothing more. As I said, different strokes for different folks

[rtandon]

Originally Posted by akj123

Can you tell me which cars you're able to see the corners - in all the cars i TD recently (Ritz/Jazz/Swift), i could not see the bonnet corners at all - it was all 'andaze se'. I agree it's not at all ideal for our bumper-to-bumper city traffic conditions.

Accent & Cedia. I've not TD'en the ones you mentioned.

[arindambasu13]

Has to be the engine in my books. A sweet revv happy petrol engine with a slick shifting tranny, and a tight chassis makes my day. It does not have to have massive top speed or torque- but the above combination makes the car flow along the road, and stitch together corners sweetly. The K12 Swift fits my criteria, and I am awating delivery of my VXi

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by arindambasu13

Has to be the engine in my books. A sweet revv happy petrol engine with a slick shifting tranny, and a tight chassis makes my day. It does not have to have massive top speed or torque- but the above combination makes the car flow along the road, and stitch together corners sweetly. The K12 Swift fits my criteria, and I am awating delivery of my VXi

You have identified quite a few criteria at one go
- Engine
- Gear box
- Chassis

Actually you are right, the three should be in harmony if driving has to be fun, else you are just traveling from point A to B.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by Aroy

Actually you are right, the three should be in harmony if driving has to be fun, else you are just traveling from point A to B.

Thats true- a powerful engine without the other two ingredients would not really make it a fun to drive experience.

The characteristic that I look for, as I said, is how the car flows along the road, and how connected I feel to the machine when it is doing so. To give you an example, when I drove my father's swift, it was like the shifter was an extension of my left hand, while the steering was an extension of my right. Its that inexplicable connected feeling which trumps everything else for me.

The second most important aspect for me would be reliability, since I have one car which I use for everything- office commutes, groceries, long drives etc. Reliability is therefore absolutely critical. Its probably because of this that I lean towards the Maruti brand, which has served us unfailingly over the last couple of decades.

[aniketi]

Actually its a combination of all. You can't say i just bought a car due to its engine. For example, will you buy A * just for its engine? Or same with Estilo? Nope i guess. There has to be more than 4-5 parameters at least to buy a car like looks, reliability, engine, A$$, cost etc. No body will buy any car for just one parameter IMHO.

I dont think even people will buy Merc, BMW or Audi seeing just one parameter like looks or image. Everyone will see maximum parameters to choose the car. Many votes are for engine. Would people buy K12 engine car like swift with looks of Estilo? Nope i guess

[Axe77]

Personally, I cannot relate to the poll as I simply cannot drill down to identifying a "single" parameter to be deal "maker", standalone. It will always be a combination of factors with varying priorities.

I can still reconcile to a single deal "breaker" parameter being identifiable but the opposite? Nope. Interesting to read the various responses though.

[jinojohnt]

I voted 'reliability', but I feel it's rather a deal-breaker than a deal-maker.

Here is my actual rating:

1. Reliability/Safety (both rated equally highest)
2. Ride Quality/Build Quality (both rated equal)
3. Space (I am not much of a long distance traveller anyway)
4. Interior (Very less priority, compared to the above)

I haven't considered the below items while purchasing any of my cars (Clear signs that I am ageing), but would like to rate these in the below order:

5. Handling (I rearly go more than 80 km/hr, even on long drives)
6. Engine (I am ok even with an Alto 800 cc engine, as long as it's reliable)
7. Equipment (I would rather use the manual park-lights rather than 'follow me home headlights' while opening the gates)
8. Looks (I actually hate head-turners)

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Personally, I cannot relate to the poll as I simply cannot drill down to identifying a "single" parameter to be deal "maker", standalone. It will always be a combination of factors with varying priorities.

Exactly. If I like an engine would I still buy the car if it was plonked in a car that I hate for its looks.

IMO this poll would've been better if it was ordinal/rank based in nature and we could see how bhpians priortize the parameters involved in buying a car.

I voted for looks and I personally believe that if I couldn't stand the looks of a car I don't know what I was going to do even if it had the most powerful engine in its class or best handling etc. That said, I bought my Swift ddis not just for the looks, but also for a whole lot of other parameters that it met. If my Swift ddis had the Beat diesel engine (or even looked like it) I would've never bought it.

A single parameter can NEVER be a deal maker.

[VeluM]

I voted for Build Quality, as that is something that can break the deal for me. I wouldn't however go for a vehicle even if within my budget just for the build quality alone. Ride, handling, ABS are also important, then engine and features.

Within the limits of the Poll structure, this is an interesting thread to read

[Cheiron]

SAFETY

I vote for safety. Without ABS and airbags, I would not want to buy the car.

[RadiantKarma]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Personally, I cannot relate to the poll as I simply cannot drill down to identifying a "single" parameter to be deal "maker", standalone. It will always be a combination of factors with varying priorities.

I can still reconcile to a single deal "breaker" parameter being identifiable but the opposite? Nope.

Originally Posted by fine69

A single parameter can NEVER be a deal maker.

You guys are right. I was of the same opinion when I read the thread title. But the very first line of the opening post clarifies it. Here it is...

Originally Posted by GTO

...The *one* thing that a car MUST have....you will not compromise on this factor for anything in the world.

Does this make it easier now? GTO, would the thread title read better as "The *one* MUST-have for your car "?