[namit]

For me the only underrated cars are from the FIAT stable after Nov. 2001 ... which is Palio / Siena / Adventure / Weekend / Petra.
I am not including Baleno in this list bcoz it has got its worth now after huge discounts from Maruti dealers


Overrated in my perspective would be Hyundai Accent .... its just crap .. just my opinion.

Cheers.

[goldie_malhotra]

The most over-rated and under-rated cars would be Palio/Siena etc.. - over-rated by the owners and under-rated by the general public.

Other under-rated cars include:
- the Indica/Indigo family
- hyundai elantra & tucson
- lancer and baleno

and the over-rated ones
- skoda laura
- earlier hyundai sonata
- mercs C class

[Hemant_Joshi]

Underrated: FIAT PALIO
Overrated : Maruti SWIFT..

[prabuddhadg]

I tend to agree with Goldie Malhotra that the fiat cars are over rated by owners and under rated by the public. For everyday use, just driving pleasure or just FE are not the only deciding factors.
When you own something everyone else is deriding, your defence mechanism comes into play and you fight back that much harder.
Anyway, I am surprised that many people think the Esteem is over rated. It is fun to drive, fuel efficient, and reasonably comfortable. It is losing out to the Indigo in terms of sales, but then how long can you keep the same car going? Though I think it has a very nice engine, both nimble and fuel efficient, which is a hard combination to find.

[typeOnegative]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

I tend to agree with Goldie Malhotra that the fiat cars are over rated by owners and under rated by the public. For everyday use, just driving pleasure or just FE are not the only deciding factors.
When you own something everyone else is deriding, your defence mechanism comes into play and you fight back that much harder.

I could not resist this prabuddha. But what do you suggest Fiat owners do? Bend over and take it? I doubt if genuine problems with Fiat cars are ever glossed over by Fiat owners. But just like so many people deride Hyundai without looking at the merits of their cars, there are many many more who just look at Fiat cars with disdain. Some of the claims made against Fiat cars are done so without owning them making the response from Fiat owners all that sharper.

[karthik247]

Now the most over-rated car has to be the Mercedes. People just talk cr@p abt it like as if there is nutin on this planet that is as good as it. It doesn't make sense at all.

People are like its so safe, its so fast n all...but there are cars available in India that will offer the same power if not more and the same safety features for a much lower price. But then, yes brand name does matter and thats where the Merc scores big time in India and most other places.

[RX135]

Originally Posted by karthik247

but there are cars available in India that will offer the same power if not more and the same safety features for a much lower price. But then, yes brand name does matter and thats where the Merc scores big time in India and most other places.

Karthik, Consider this. Many times you get better food in small road side dhabas than 5 star hotel. Why pay so much for 5 star hotel then? You get very accurate watches for Rs.1000-2000, then why pay Rs.20000 for a Rolex? You can get good quality shirt at 400-500 from local brand, then why pay 1500-2000 for Louis Phillip or Allen Solly?

There is no fixed price for luxury. Luxury will always be at premium. For others, VFM is the keyword.

[namit]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

I tend to agree with Goldie Malhotra that the fiat cars are over rated by owners and under rated by the public. For everyday use, just driving pleasure or just FE are not the only deciding factors.
When you own something everyone else is deriding, your defence mechanism comes into play and you fight back that much harder.
Anyway, I am surprised that many people think the Esteem is over rated. It is fun to drive, fuel efficient, and reasonably comfortable. It is losing out to the Indigo in terms of sales, but then how long can you keep the same car going? Though I think it has a very nice engine, both nimble and fuel efficient, which is a hard combination to find.

Prabhu and Goldie !!

I have never owned a Palio / Petra but always wanted to buy and own one but didnt just bcoz of FIAT INdia's poor strategy.

Trust me you really got to have a feel of Fiat cars to know wat stuff they are made of ..

If you remember palio was a car of the year and all journalists gave good reviews on it then but its just the pooooor image and news of the parent company heading for bankruptcy during 2004 which resulted in poor sales.

If you give Palio / Petra new interiors, even today it can win the Best car award.

Another mistake Fiat made was to pit Palio against the tinny Santros and Zens rather than creating a different segment like the Hyundai did with their Getz.

No hard feelings instead its fascination for Fiat cars which made me write this.

[prabuddhadg]

Both of you, Typeonegative and Namit have got me wrong. The Palio is one of my favourite cars, for the way it give you a secure feeling, for the solid thud of the doors closing, and the way the car feels new even after two years and 20000km with not a rattle to disturb you. But the way the owners come up in arms against any criticism, it is obvious its a raw nerve rubbed the wrong way. A car may be the best to drive and it may be indestructible. But at the end of the day, it should also be efficient in what it is meant to do. If a Baleno can do 13kmpl, why should a 1.6Palio manage only 8? I am sure that hurts. I am a finance guy, and I look at cost figures more intently, but I am sure even non-finance people do the approximately the same.
I think saving fuel should always be at the back of our minds, it is a scarce resource.
Having said all that, I might end up getting a Palio for myself (I am considering an upgrade from my 800).

[karthik247]

Originally Posted by RX135

Karthik, Consider this. Many times you get better food in small road side dhabas than 5 star hotel. Why pay so much for 5 star hotel then? You get very accurate watches for Rs.1000-2000, then why pay Rs.20000 for a Rolex? You can get good quality shirt at 400-500 from local brand, then why pay 1500-2000 for Louis Phillip or Allen Solly?

There is no fixed price for luxury. Luxury will always be at premium. For others, VFM is the keyword.

Well lets take this case for instance..
The Audi A4 and the Mercedes C-Class are priced in the same range, got the same features, safety ratings, performance...everything.

Actually in a few cases the Audi scores better than the Merc..but still, how many people are gonna buy the Audi?? I bet the Merc will sell 50% more units the the Audi simply because the people blindly trust the brand even tho' they are equally matched worldwide.

In your words, both are 5star hotels, both serve delicious food but then since one hotel started early (Mercedes) people would obviously trust it more

I'm talkin abt the case in India and not throughout the world.

[RX135]

Originally Posted by karthik247

In your words, both are 5star hotels, both serve delicious food but then since one hotel started early (Mercedes) people would obviously trust it more

Brand name does have a meaning.

e.g. I know my Fiat Petra as a product is far superior to most of its competitors, but no one would buy it fearing Fiat brand name. Many of us acknowledge that Honda cars in India are overpriced for what they offer, still NHC sells like hot cake.

[karthik247]

Yes, even though the Palio and the Petra are excellent cars, only real enthusiasts will know about it. And for all the others, the old Premier Padmini comes to mind with the name Fiat.

Most people in our countries don't have any car knowledge at all. They blindly trust everything the sales man or others have to say. For instance, my cousins neighbour bought himself an Accent, and he thought his AC was working perfectly fine when it wasn't even switched on. Only when i got in the car a few days back did i realise that for the past year that he had owned his car, he was only using the fan. I was..well shocked!!!!! I wonder how people would spend a good few lakhs on getting a car and don't even know the very basic stuff. I alteast hope he knows how to start the car and drive

[typeOnegative]

Originally Posted by karthik247

I bet the Merc will sell 50% more units the the Audi simply because the people blindly trust the brand even tho' they are equally matched worldwide.

If they had the money these people would pick up a Rolls over a Merc. Dude, for some people, pedigree counts. BTW, would you like to marry Aishwarya Rai or your friendly girl next door? Hope you got the point!

[typeOnegative]

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

Both of you, Typeonegative and Namit have got me wrong.

Hey Prabuddha. You have got me wrong. I do not discount that Fiat owners go up in arms, but I am trying to enlighten you on the reasons for this. They are just helpless. Try criticizing a Baleno on this forum. The reaction is always the same. It is just that these cars are so good, (imho both the Petra and Baleno rock) that mindless criticism of these cars get onto the nerves of people who owen them and actually know about them.

Also, there is a reason that the Baleno gives more mileage - a lighter body with a less powerful engine. Besides there are Balenos that give 8kmpl and Palios/Petra that give 10-11 kmpl in city. It all depends on the driver and the way a car is driven.

[karthik247]

Originally Posted by typeOnegative

If they had the money these people would pick up a Rolls over a Merc. Dude, for some people, pedigree counts. BTW, would you like to marry Aishwarya Rai or your friendly girl next door? Hope you got the point!

I mean if both are EQUAL, then also why would they prefer the Merc?? Same price, same power, same features, same everything. Only thing diff. is the name. But still why?? All this brand name counts so much only in India.

Oh, and yes i would pick Aishwarya Rai