[HKap]

I haven't voted yet because there is a third category which is a good mix of driving pleasure and reliability. While I've owned a VW Vento TSI and I've loved every minute I've spent in it, I've also loved the 2009 Honda City just as much. I personally feel the Honda city's iVTEC has a bit more grunt than the 1.2 TSI of the Vento and I believe the Honda is more reliable than the Vento. The steering feel for both of them is average. However, while driving the Vento through the crazy traffic in Mumbai I always have this fear of the DSG giving up on me. While I was wading through a lot of water on Aug 29th in the Vento, I was constantly praying that the engine and transmission don't give up while I'm in knee deep water. I care for my cars like I would for my child and I've always ensured that the DSG is shifted to N while in traffic. I avoid "crawling" in traffic as well. I've got friends who've seen the DSG fail on the new Octavia TSI and that is the ONLY reason why I would believe the Honda to be more reliable but equally good to drive (NOT THE CVT).


I moved to Toronto recently and ended up buying the Acura ILX. Its a great little car based on the Honda Civic SI and gives me all the luxury bells and whistles that the Honda doesn't. I could have bought the A3 or the CLA instead but the Acura has THE BEST gearbox of the lot (DSG with a torque converter... you read it right) and is also perceived to be more reliable.

Lexus and Infiniti also make some very reliable and fun to drive cars. In fact I would go so far as saying that no one does luxury better than lexus. So if comfort = pleasure for you then the Lexus ES is the best bang for the buck. If you care about driving pleasure and reliability along with a dollop of proper luxury then the IS or the GS serve the purpose (again not the hybrid + CVT nonsense).

The Germans (read BMW) are awesome to drive no doubt but in the real world can you really tell the difference between the 3 series and the Lexus IS? I've read about some horror stories around stranded bhpians thanks to the horrible attitude of the big 3 germans. I also know of a friend stranded on the ghats of the Mumbai - Pune expressway because his Audi's steering LOCKED in one position. Beat that! He was stranded with his family around dusk and Audi refused to help him. Finally they sent some towing guy who demanded 10k cash to touch the car. Who carries that kind of cash? paytm, credit card weren't acceptable forms of payment. A 40 L car as collateral was also not good enough. He had to go with the towing guys in the towing van to an ATM some kms away and withdraw the cash. This whole process took some 4 hours. 3 days later he still hadn't heard back from Audi about the issue at hand. When he called then they said they hadn't had the time to see the car due to so many water damaged cars after the Aug 29 deluge.

I haven't heard a single such horror story about the Japanese luxury cars. Also on Aug 29th when I could finally leave BKC at 3 am I was stunned by the number of abandoned German luxury cars inside BKC and on the WEH. There were a ton of Omnis as well but thats just he CNG powered crap that stops working when it sees water from a mile away.

So to sum up my rant, as much as I love BMW I would seriously look at Lexus, Infiniti and Acura (AWD only) that provide a similar driving experience with a much higher perceived reliability quotient. The maintenance cost of a Lexus is almost as low as that of a Toyota so there.. cheaper to maintain and you are treated like God when you go to a Lexus workshop (saying that from experience accompanying a cousin to both Lexus and Mercedes).

[honeybee]

If I have to choose one over the other, it's absolute reliability.

I would love to have a car that starts with a single crank, gears slot easy, acceleration is smooth, steering is good, the car takes me wherever I want to go and brings me back home - I never have to see tyre walla or an FNG for topping up odd fuels or tightening various nuts and bolts.

And I could give a ride to a fella stranded midway for his car broke down.

[HKap]

My response to questions at the beginning of the thread:

The fast Polo GTs vs the all-rounded, fuss-free & high quality Elite i20? Or a Vento TSI / TDI vs the new Verna?

Me: Polo GT and Vento TSI (I bought the Vento TSI - so money where the mouth is). But I knew what I was getting into and was sort of prepared to take a chance with the DSG as I still had the good old City and Accent as back up.

Mahindra Thar - loads of character but niggles too, or the bullet-proof Gypsy that our Army depends on?

Honestly, both aren't my cup of tea.

The Octavia with its lusty TSI engines vs the "I will outlast you" Toyota Corolla?

Me: The Octavia with a 4 year warranty and I will evaluate whether to stick with it or sell it after 3.5 years.

The Compass vs the Creta / Tucson? While the Jeep is fresh off the block, we can safely assume that the Hyundais will be the easier to own in the longer term.

Me: Am super confused about this. I know the Hyundai will be easier to live with but I hate hyundai cars with a passion. I've owned 3 of them over the last 20 years and they do not age very well. I spend about 30k a year in keeping the Accent (2003 model) running.

Why not the XUV here?

The Skoda Superb vs the "I will outlast your kids" Camry?

Me: Camry without a doubt. More comfy in the back (personal choice) and acres of space.. it just feels wider than the superb.

Fiat's turbo-petrols vs Honda Citys? Would you buy an Abarth Punto, despite the flaws of the car & its maker?

The fiats seem to be fairly reliable. The service network sucks but if the service interval is once a year then i would pick the Linea petrol. The city manual is equally good except the steering isn't that great and the build quality seems to have deteriorated with the current gen. The linea can even be a mile muncher I hear.

New 5-Series or the Lexus ES?

Me: For the "seth ji" I would recommend the Lexus ES. Actually the new gen Lexus ES (based on the Avalon) is not that bad to drive. For day to day stuff anyway.

Isn't its reputation for reliability & durability one of the (many) reasons that the Fortuner outsells the Endeavour 2 or 3 times over?

Me: I would be ok with either of them. Both of them are fairly reliable i hear and both of them are equally good. If everything else is equal I would pay a 5% premium for the Fortuner.

Even if you loved the Safari, would you still buy it after hearing about all its niggles?

Me: I wouldn't touch the old gen tata products. The Tiago and Hexa might be a different story.

Would you bring home the EcoSport for the way she drives, or prefer to stay within "Maruti's safe net" with the Vitara Brezza?

Me: Ecosport.

No matter what the budget, people are having to make such choices everyday. Alto or Kwid? Ferrari or Porsche?

Me: alto K10 -- super fun to drive and reliable.

Ferrari or Porsche -- at that price the reliability doesn't really matter. This is just indulgence.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by ampere

Well.. Driving is pleasure!! Isn't it?

No doubt about that, But then we can also debate on the level of pleasure you get by driving different cars, More powerful ones, More dynamically accomplished ones, The level of pleasure keeps increasing depending on what your driving too.

[HKap]

Respect! How many companies are willing to put quality above all else?

http://driving.ca/lexus/auto-news/ne...r-quality-risk

[rangarx]

I vote for driving pleasure. Example? Trading my trusty Etios 1.5 Petrol (You may vouch it is fun to drive but wait!) to a 2014 Fiesta, waiting for my friend to end his company lease on it.

Yes, driving satisfaction is addictive and I am an addict.

[docprashant]

As for me the joy of driving is paramount. Besides that the novelty factor of a car which is a step apart from the herd is what entices me. For me exclusivity is an important part of the decision maing process. Rather than going for a Swift in 2009 i went against better judgement and got myself a Punto. The timeless lines of the car was worth the ergonomical niggles. Never regretted the decision, especially when i took her on long highway rides.

Recently i was in the market for a 20 lakh odd car/suv; I bucked the trend for a pseudo SUV like Creta (which is as common as an M-800 these days) or the plain jane Corolla (which in my opinion is as exciting to look and drive as a potato on wheels) I went for the Elantra Petrol. You know you have bought the right car when you check her out after you have parked her ;-)
In the end for me it is a matter of buying something which sets your pulse racing.

P.S: The Octavia vRS was not in the market when i made my purchase so that is a small regret...and yes one has to aspirational yet rational in the long run..my next car is going to be a Jag no doubt.

[Turbohead]

Driving pleasure! Period!

Although I had sleepless nights when we booked the Vento against the City, driving pleasure won! Within a few months the City's questionable reliability/ quality was a seriously debated topic in this forum!

In the last 3.5 years, the amazing Highway drives are the only thing I can remember. I've nearly forgotten all the bad experiences I had with it- totally 3 weeks in the SC in 3.5 years!

Atleast in my case, it was a calculated risk! I sort of knew all the problems I could face thanks to Team BHP! Thus it was easier to forgive and live with it!

[balechaparka]

For me its reliability over pleasure,vehicle should take me from Point A to point B and back without any issue.My 10 year old swift with 160K km run did not leave me stranded on road till now.

[sawnilrules]

I always say this, If you don't turn around and give a look at your car once parked. Mate, you bought a wrong car for yourself.

So goes without saying that Driving Pleasure is utmost. It also brings me back to what buddy and friend Tanveer_2558 says in his post of his monster, and to quote him "Life is too short to think about Reliability, Warranty, Repairs, Service cost, Fuel Economy & Insurance costs! If your right foot makes you grin like a maniac, You are living your life like you should."

This is what was going on in my mind the day I booked my Octavia Tsi and same thoughts came back to me when I cranked her for the first time. I knew I am going to have a hell of a ride every time I get her out on the roads and I am gonna enjoy her. 9 months later, ladies and gentlemen, nothing has changed. Even today when I sit on that hot seat, I grin just like this

And the end of the day, I believe, if you take good care of your car, the car will take good care of you in return.

[johy]

As I don't have to drive to work, it is pleasure for me. All the way.

[jayram.r]

Originally Posted by GTO

We've had related discussions earlier ([url="http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/182281

My pick would be [I]driving pleasure[/i]. As an example, I'd rather enjoy the car for 357 days of the year, having it off the road for about a week, than have a car that's with me for 363 days, but doesn't bring a grin on my face. That doesn't mean I'll touch an unreliable car - no way do I want to live with a headache!! Just that I'm willing to live with acceptable (not exceptional) levels of reliability if I get a lot of driving satisfaction in return. Both my primary rides work fine day after day, but they aren't exactly the last word in dependability. Equally, if I were buying a car for my family, reliability would be prioritised over joy behind the wheel (e.g. my Sunny - lovingly called the cockroach because it survives every kind of driver or situation).

I think there is another factor in Indian context that we have to take into account which is the road infrastructure & traffic sense. If the only way I can enjoy the Polo GT is on the expressway or a well laid ghat section (few & far between), or if the Abarth Punto is going to jostle for the same road space as an oversized truck plying on the wrong side of the road then the sheer opportunities to have driving pleasure become scarce.

This effectively means bearly 20-30% of the lifespan of vehicle is used for same, the rest is for bumper to bumper driving, with smart & agile steering manoeuvres taking precedence over steering feedback & such things.

I am all for driving pleasure, but at the end of the day, supply will complement demand which complements the need to be 'practical' & have horses for courses!

[bullock-Car]

Today all cars have a decent reliability,( I have a 23 year old Maruti, which just works), unlike old Amby. So chooose cars which gives pleasure everyday. I would choose a car which is a pleasure everytime you sit and thows tantrums once a year rather than boring drive throughout year. A moody, tantrum throwing mistress who touches heart is better than boring wife

[Tapish]

So I came to the forum and these two threads were parked next to each other. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...r-day-1-a.html

Not saying the same thing couldn't happen to a reliable car, but I would always prefer a car that I can pick up and drive till where time permits. And it doesn't have to always be one or the other. I had an Esteem that served me well for 5 years and only broke down once near Kedarnath, but 30 km of towing and I found a service station for the same. It was a hoot to drive as well. I briefly had a Mazda 3 while in the US and had the same experience - great to drive and super reliable.

When my brother was picking up a car, he went for the Elite over Polo and the car has been to Rann of Kutch, Rajasthan, Spiti & Ladakh in the past two years without any issue. I don't think we would have attempted the same in a Polo.

[shekatkar31]

Looks like it is going neck to neck as of now

For me reliability is always the key, primarily because of frequency of long drives e.g. in Rajasthan and the hills. I can compromise on the driving pleasure but being with family and kids, can definitely not afford to be lax on the reliability.