[GTO]

We have touched upon similar topics earlier, but the threads weren't exactly the same and of course, our preferences evolve with time. As an example, see how the community is moving toward automatic gearboxes in a big way - link to poll (The 2017 Poll: Manual vs Automatic Gearbox).

If shopping for a car in 2020, what does your non-negotiable list of must-haves & must-nots look like? What are the compulsory deal-makers & deal-breakers for you? My list is below. Please try to follow the same format. Thanks!

Must-Haves:

+ A top-class engine. If the car doesn't have a fantastic engine, I won't touch it with a barge pole. Now, I'm not talking just about I-6s & V8s in here. Even if I buy a cheap hatchback, I'll prioritise the 1.0L K10 petrol from Maruti over the lame one from Renault. Among the UVs, I love the 2.2L diesels from our homegrown brands (related thread (The best engines ever sold in India)).

+ Looks. Extremely important to me. A car just has to be good-looking for me to buy it.

+ Ride quality. Now, this wasn't the case a decade ago. However, with age & maturity, ride quality has become important to me. There is no way I'll buy anything with a hard / bumpy ride (e.g. Scorpio / Kona / E60 5-Series).

+ Reliability. Not just due to my frequent highway runs, but also because my schedule doesn't allow me any time to waste on an unreliable car. I need strong reliability from any car I buy. Believe it or not, even my Jeep hasn't broken down once, since its engine swap from Mahindra.

+ A competent Automatic. This has now become a must-have for me. Am not talking about "8-speed ZF" level of goodness, yet I expect the AT to be reasonably fast & smooth. As an example, even the ATs I've driven in the XUV500, Hexa, Hyundais etc. will do. But no Maruti AMTs or Nissan CVTs for me. I wouldn't consider the Jaguar XE either because of how poorly tuned its AT gearbox is. Even if I buy an MT, it has to be a smooth & slick gearbox. No hard or notchy ones for me.

+ A reasonably spacious interior, or at least something that is acceptable. Of my two primary cars, one doesn't have a back seat, while the other has a cramped one. I've come to appreciate cabin space with time. And why not? Today, even budget cars are so well-packaged (e.g. Triber & S-Presso). Although I must admit, if I really love the driving experience, I might overlook this point (much to the chagrin of my family).

+ Supportive driving seat & ergonomic driving position. This is something I'm very, very particular about. Call it a quirk, but I absolutely need an excellent seat + perfect ergonomics. This is one of the main reasons I'd never be able to live with an Abarth Punto.

+ Interior quality. A high-quality cabin is on top of the priority list now (wasn't the case earlier). Just as well since we spend all of our driving time looking at & feeling the inside of the car.

+ Features. Over the last 5 years, I've come to appreciate nice features such as cooled seats, front cameras, sunroofs etc. No base variant or poorly equipped rides for me anymore.

Must-Nots:

- If a car has performed poorly in the NCAP crash test, it's off the list for me. I'll never take my family on the expressway in an unsafe car.

- Bad brakes. Related to the previous point on safety. If a car has bad brakes, it won't even be considered (unless there are reliable brake upgrade options in the after-market).

- Van body style. No offence to MPV owners, this body style is just not for me. Maybe to be chauffeur-driven, yes, but I'll never be driving an MPV myself.

- FWD in expensive cars. Like the new Audi A6. Off the list in an instant.

- Bad steerings. Am not a hardcore purist and I am okay with neutral steering wheels (including the latest Hyundais). If a car has a horrible steering though (e.g. Harrier's dangerous steering at high speed or the Captur's weird one), it's a deal-breaker for me. I cannot live with an annoying steering.

- Excessive turbo-lag, which I think kills the driving experience in the city where we spend 90% of our driving time. If a car has awful turbo-lag, it's deleted from the shortlist.

- Terrible handling. Again, I can live with neutral handling cars like the Venue / City / Lexus'; there is no way I'll ever bring a "boat" like the MG Hector home.

- A long & hard clutch which is cumbersome to use. Straight off the list.

Neutral (aka points I don't care about):

~ After-sales service quality. I'm not too big on this point. As long as the dealer is not a crook, I can live with "average" service quality if the car makes up for it. I anyway have to see the workshop just once a year.

~ A VFM price-tag. I'm not really price-sensitive. Despite a car being overpriced, if I really love it, I'll buy it (best example is the Kodiaq).

~ Ground clearance. Not a deal-maker for me. I have toured the entire of Maharashtra & Goa in cars like the Civic (known to scrape its underbelly), 530d (158 mm) and C220 (145 mm IIRC) without real trouble.

~ Sales experience = I'll buy a car despite a bad sales experience. After all, I have to live with the car, not the salesman (related thread (Had a bad sales experience at a dealer? Please do NOT eliminate the car model because of that!)).

~ Resale value. Because I keep cars for long, this point doesn't matter to me. Plus, as I love pre-owned cars, poor resale can actually work in my favour .

~ Fuel economy. Surprising, considering my nationality! I couldn't care less about FE and don't remember the last time I calculated it for any of my cars. I do appreciate a long tank range though, because of the rampant fuel adulteration on our highways.

~ Age of the model. All the 3 cars I own today are discontinued. I'm not at all about buying the "latest & greatest new launch". Cars like the Etios 1.5, Polo, Thar etc. still appeal to me.

~ Size of the car. I love XL-sized cars like the S-Class, as well as small cars like the i10. The size of car doesn't matter at all to me. I know many people who wouldn't buy cars that are too big or too small. Not me.

~ Some other points that I have never cared about are boot space (somehow, I've always managed to end up with poor boot space), visibility, NVH insulation (my music is loud & vibrations don't bother me) and sound systems (easiest to upgrade in the after-market). They are "nice to have" for me, not "must have".

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Indian Car Scene!

[sridhar-v]

My requirements would be as follows:-
1. Safety - 5 star rating with good mechanical integrity of the body shell. Full safety kit like 6+ airbags, ABS, EBD etc etc.
2. A 4 seater with good luggage space. Compact enough for the city, but big enough for long distance touring.
3. Great ride and handling. I am getting old so the muscles & joints need coddling now.
4. Old school torque convertor AT gearbox.
5. Petrol engine with good low and mid range torque. Must be able to potter about in town and maintain 80+ kmph speeds on highways.
6. 4WD or AWD.
7. SUV body style.
8. 180mm minimum ground clearance. With good approach, breakover and departure angles.
9. Reliability & easy availability of spares, as I intend to hang on to the vehicle for 15 years.


Our Grand Vitara turns 15 in 2022. Availability of spares is becoming a problem. So it is a prime candidate for replacement.
The Santro turns 15 in 2023. I would like to hang on to it for another 5 years after that. Let us see how the rules shape up.

[arindambasu13]

Some of the most important things for me when choosing a new car:

1. Great engine and solid, reliable mechanicals. Doesn't have to be massively powerful, but needs to have reasonably good power and torque which can be used well on Indian roads with my driving style. Should provide a fair share of thrills during fast overtaking manouvers or when cruising on the open highway. A slick shifting gearbox with a smooth and well weighted clutch is also crucial to the driving experience. Reliability is paramount, given the tough conditions we need to encounter even in our urban setting. Good brakes are also an important part of the mechanical package.

2. Ride quality. This was the least of my concerns when I bought a car 7-8 years back, but nowadays with terrible roads as well as with age, ride quality has become important. Again, does not have to be super plush but should be able to handle bad roads decently well.

3. Seating comfort. Especially the front seats, which is where I always am. Don't like overly soft seats, and prefer ones with firm material and good lower back support. Extremely important since I spend a lot of time in the drivers seat whenever I am in the car.

4. Overall looks of the car. Nowadays, overstyling cars seems to be the latest mantra, and I absolutely detest this. Case in point are the latest Hyundai designs, and even the Seltos to some extent - looks like it is trying too hard to look different. Nothing speaks to me more than clean and timeless designs, which is why VW has remained my all time favourite automobile designer (in the price brackets I can afford to consider, that is).

5. Cockpit. Again, prefer clean designs, with preferably all black materials, rather than overly fussy dashboards with a thousand different buttons and dials. Which is why my 2019 Honda City's clean and minimalistic dashboard appeals to me. A well designed chunky steering is also very important for me. I have always maintained that the steering is the primary and most important touch point for the driver, and its feel and hold in the hands are crucial to the overall driving experience.

6. Practicality. Unfortunately, India is not one of those country where one can afford to have niche cars, and we need cars that can multi-task. The weekend grocery, daily office commute and a fair share of thrills out on the occasional highway drive.

7. Safety. At least two airbags and ABS is the bare minimum requirement.

As long as the above are present, I am good to go with the car. Of course, it is well known there never is a perfect car which would have all the attributes one looks for, and one usually needs to compromise on one or more aspects in favour of others.

[vb-saan]

Wonderful thread!

Must-Haves:

+ Character: A car might have flaws but need to have character. This include reasonable looks and stance as well. Even for rental cars I look at this aspect

+ Engine: A nice punchy engine is a requirement; it need not have massive 0-100 figures but should be aligned to the first point. The engine kind of defines the car.

+ Safety: More active/passive safety features the better; Especially with good roads and increasing speeds, this is a must!

+ Steering: A good communicative steering adds to the overall experience. Absolutely dislike vague/dead steering wheels

+ Gearbox: MT or AT, a nice shifting MT or a calm and composed AT; not those whining AT which whines like 100kmph while on 40! And paddle-shifts are a nice add-on too.

+ Android Auto/Apple CarPlay: Probably the odd one in the list, and I used to say that a massive touchscreen is of no value, but slightly changed stance now – A good screen (need not be touch-enabled) with easy mobile interface is an absolute must – mainly due to the huge reliance on Google maps.


Must-Nots:

- Boats: A car that feels like a boat and have bad driving dynamics is a strict No!

- Bad brakes: Need to stop with confidence and should not feel extremely mushy/spongy.

- Over-styled designs: I can survive with plain jane cars, but absolutely hate over-the-top/busy design elements.


Neutral (aka points I don't care about):

- Auto everything: Auto headlights, rain sensing wipers etc. – not a deal breaker at all.

- Steering-mount controls: Again, not a big deal; happy with just a good steering wheel!

- VFM/FE: My VFM is defined based on the must-haves mentioned, and FE is not a massive concern as well.

- Service Network: Competent and reliable service center is a good to have, but not necessary to have service shops in every 100m. Can drive a few extra kms for that once-a-year routine maintenance.

- Interiors: A good to drive car with reasonable interiors works well; ideal if it doesn’t look and feel cheap.

- Size: Not a huge criterion either, feels at ease with a BMW 1-series or 5-series.

[nagr22]

Some of the 'Must haves' for me are:
1. 5 star safety rating
2. 6+ Airbags
3. All 4 disc brakes
4. Reliable automatic gearbox.

Some features I do not want are:
1. AMT gearbox
2. Too much electronics like connected car tech etc which can get outdated in 5 years or fail even before that!
3. Power folding mirrors - I do not like to be in a situation where I have to claim insurance everytime a two wheeler bangs my mirror! A simple manual mirror will be cheaper than insurance deductible!

[Superleggera]

My takes are below !

Must Haves:

1. At least 2 Airbags and ABS and a decent NCAP rating
2. Looks - Need to please at least 60% of the eyes !
3. VFM Price Tag - I should be convinced that I am getting a good product (if not wonderful) for what I pay. For example, I will not buy a City CVT or CRV for the price its asking as I have better options available in the market.
4.Fuel efficiency - Yes, this has to be reasonable. Anything under 8 KMPL avg is a strict NO for me.

Must NOT:

Poorly engineered - Premier RiO, Thar etc
Brands that tried to cheat : Renault giving half sized airbag just for name sake etc - I will never ever buy any car from such manufacturer.

Things that I don't care

Snob Value
Origin of the Manufacturer

[AYP]

Tachometer is the most basic feature why I would happily or sadly reject a car. I wouldn't touch the S-Presso with a barge pole and rather go with the new Kwid. Similarly, I wouldn't go for the Wagon R Vxi and rather compromise with the engine and settle for the Santro just so that I can see the needle dancing to my tune.

Of course, the only things which supersede the tacho are AC and power steering. So at the very core of it, I can live with a car as long as it has these 3 things. However, practically speaking, my list of basic requirements is slightly more elaborate. In terms of decreasing importance, my basic requirements are-

1. AC
2. Power steering
3. ABS
4. Dual airbags
5. Tachometer
6. Power windows
7. Bluetooth audio
8. Steering mounted audio and telephone controls

All the above are more or less the very 'basic' requirements which I have. To elaborate a bit more-

Must-Haves

1. Engine- I should feel happy while driving a car. And for me happiness also includes getting to those speeds fast and more importantly, being able to take those quick overtaking maneuvers.

2. Handling- I should feel confident while taking those turns up the hill.

3. Steering- The steering should not behave like a joystick devoid of any feel.

4. Interiors- It is the interiors of a car which matter more to me than the exterior. I maybe willing to overlook an average looking interior of a car which meets my above mentioned must-haves but it doesn't mean that I will go for a car with weird or extremely dated interior designs. Also, I really dislike the central placement of the instrument console.

Neutral

1. The exterior design- A good looking car is an added bonus.

2. After sales and service- Average reviews won't stop me from getting a car if I really like it.

3. Mileage- Never really think about it.

Must-Nots

1. Bad brakes- Have had a couple of 'Heart in the mouth' experience in a couple of my friends' car when I assumed their braking to be as good as my car, even though they were either a segment above or two.

2. Safety rating- Won't go for a car which fared poorly in crash tests.

3. Naturally Aspirated engine - Many purists will disagree with this opinion, but after having driven turbo equipped cars for so long, driving a NA car feels boring and 'almost' like a task. I miss the turbo-surge which we get in turbo equipped cars. I say task because I drive with a heavy foot and to extract the most from an NA engine, you have to revv it all the way. That revving is indeed special but when you have a turbo engine which gives you a lot of power(and torque) lower down the RPM range and can revv to almost the same RPM as a NA engine, you just start liking the turbo. At least I do.

[Nav-i-gator]

we make a lot of compromises while actually deciding to buy one car over all other, and a lot of those compromises are not what we think we should make when just listing down our priorities. I will try listing down the practical ones here:

Must have's (in no particular order):
1. ABS with EBD and at least 2 Airbags; with no less that 4 star safety rating
2. Full size spare wheel
3. Driver seat height adjustment
4. Good quality interiors and exterior looks
5. Android auto/Apple Carplay
6. Good ICE sound quality
7. Enough space for 5 medium built adults and decently sized boot
8. Good engine, crisp acceleration from rest& esp good punch at low & mid range (in gear acceleration - very imp for city driving)
9. Petrol Engine only
10. Fog Lamps
11. Good handling ( a combination of engine, transmission, steering and brakes)

Good to have (and potential deal breakers):
1. Rear Wash-Wipe (in 5 door format)
2. proper AT (no AMT)
3. DRL's and LED projectors
4. sufficient USB ports at front as well as for rear passengers


Don't care much:
1. Fuel efficiency (as long as >the mental block of 10KMPL)
2. Gadgetry & Gizmos
3. "Auto" everything. I don't mind twisting the key to start/stop the engine or clicking a few buttons )
4. rear parking sensors/camera

[abhishek46]

My requirements are quite simple:

Must haves:
1. Inoffensive styling
2. Decent Music system (Touchscreen is not mandatory)
3. Refined & torquey engine (preferably diesel)
4. Reverse Camera

Don't care/Do not care for:
1. Sunroof
2. Touchscreens and their sizes
3. Auto this, Auto that etc.
4. LED stuff.

[discoverwild]

Must-be:

+ Build: Robust, go-anywhere without worry, a reliable workhorse.

+ Engine: A decent punchy engine, preferably diesel and low-end torque.

+ Safety: More active safety features. ABS, EBD, CSC, rear wipers, defoggers, good brakes (absolutely fine with disc-drum combo). Passive features are a bonus.

+ Steering: I prefer hydraulics to vague EPS any day. I should be able judge where I'm planting the wheel and steering response is almost paramount to me.

+ Gearbox: MT with selectable 4WD, preferably with a low-ratio.

+ Gizmos: A simple stereo with BT connectivity would do. But since everything is about touch-screens and more, a clear display without glare that can read Google Maps is more than enough.

+ VFM: I'm not bothered about snob value. A lot of people weigh on this. It has never been a factor for me. I need a car that serves my purpose, spacious, ability to take the rough and the rougher and a decent highway runner.

+ Price: It's a machine that takes me from A to B in relative comfort. I'm not looking at resale value as I tend to keep my car for long (My Vista is 8.5 years old at 1.57L kms). Would prefer keeping prices around the 10-15L mark.

Neutral:

- Auto everything: I don't need them. Not a deal breaker at all.

- Fuel Efficiency: I tend to travel a lot (40-100km within the city each day, 500-5000kms drives out of town) and hence I do weigh in efficiency. No single digit figures.

- Service Network: A competent FNG is good enough. I have survived over two decades on them.

- Interiors: An ergonomically good car with reasonable interiors works well; ideal if it doesn’t look and feel cheap. Well bolstered seats with under thigh support.

- Size: A decent 5-7 seater.

Never:

- Tin cans: Besides the safety factor, I can't live with rattles and tend to work my car like a truck. (The Vista has carried a load of over 300 kgs for short distances and carried 3 large people with baggage and photography equipment over 5500 kms on all kinds of roads without a squeak).

- Cost: Initial input costs also suggest higher maintenance costs over regular service. Even though a used Fortuner or an Endeavour might tick most of my boxes, the running costs are too high for my liking.

What nearly cuts the cake & why not:

* Hexa 4x4 - 7 seater (Pricey for the 4x4, would have loved a mid variant)

* Nexon - 5 seater (Only as spacious as my Vista with a bigger boot. No 4x4. Love everything else.)

* HBX - If it comes in its Autoshow avatar with a 4x4 GB. (Highly unlikely, but keeping fingers crossed. Also a 4 seater at best.)

[harry10]

Must haves.

1. Good engine. No drag racing kind but decently refined and peppy. I have changed my driving style but it should bring a smile if rarely I want to drive aggressively.

2. Abs + Ebd, 2 airbags minimum, additionally more the safety features the better.

3. Good FE. With a daily running of 80-100 km per day I can't have a gas guzzler.

4. Automatic transmission. Gearbox can be any depending on how much I can spend for it. Having driven manuals all my life it will be tough to adjust but NCR traffic is getting brutal and Automatic is a must now.

5. Good ride quality. Both my Tiago and City have good ride quality so I am a bit spoiled for it now.

6. Good handling. Shouldn't have lots of body roll or drive like a boat.

7. Good looking exterior and comfortable interiors. Good cushioning seats with good ergonomics are a must.

8. Good ground clearance. The roads we have it's a requirement not a luxury.

9. Good boot space. My work requires it so it's a priority.

10. Reliability. Dont have time and energy to spend visiting A.S.S frequently. Credit to Honda City in my case. In last 5.5 years only once I have visited them except for mandatory service routines. Even Tiago has behaved properly in its 35k kms till now.

11. VFM. Call it my middle class mentality or my business brain. I just can't pay for overpriced products no matter it's a mobile, a car or any materialistic object. Even if I like it a lot. The only thing I buy even if overpriced is delicious food

12. Chilling Air conditioner. With the NCR heat and because I sweat more than others it's a must have.

13. Build quality. Can't have tin cans. Will always prefer a good safety rated car even if it has less features than competition.

Neutral stuff.

1. Features like touchscreen system or push button start does not matter to me. Music system can be added after market and I still like putting a key in and starting the car.

2. Sunroof. I don't get the general public's fascination with it. Agreed it looks pleasing aesthetically but functionally its rarely used in our climate conditions ridden with dust, heat and pollution. Will gladly take more airbags over it.

3. Alloys. Can be added aftermarket if needed.

4. Chrome. The less of it the better. I like the car in it's natural state.

5. Size. Parking is a big issue near my office. No dedicated parking space means it's a tussle to find a spot everyday. Can't have something too big like a XUV500. Compact SUVs are still fine.

[Reinhard]

Ah nice thread GTO I'm too late to it & all items are already taken up! Still, here's my list then -
(My 2nd car conflicts with all items incidentally. But its a shopping cart only. Not really a car!)

Must Have

1. A powerful diesel engine! No matter what it costs while going greener, I'll stick to oil burners. I don't like machines at high RPM and that takes out petrol engines for me.
2. Good cornering dynamics. I turn into a different person in ghat roads & I need a car that comes with me.
3. Good brakes, ABS, airbags
4. Well thought out gear ratios. Fiasco like the Punto/Vista's insanely short 1st gears make it frustrating.
5. Design that allows for practically usable mud-flaps to be installed. Not just cosmetic ones.
6. Storage spaces in door panels & elsewhere in the cabin that can be used
7. Good OEM lighting or at least moderate compatibility for DIY upgrades.
8. Good power & torque to weight ratios.
9. Rear wash & wipe if its a hatch/SUV
10. Solid build & certified safety if possible. I look for the amount of steel/aluminium that I'm getting for the rupees I spend.
11. Good cabin space. All family is 6+ footers .
12. A software that is bug free - ECU, ICE, BCM, MID
13. An engaging and aggressive steering. Faster the better in lock to lock. Smaller in diameter. Point and shoot!

Must NOT Have

1. Chrome. Please no.
2. Connected car features. Not a single one please.
3. Understeer. The only thing for which I really hated the Vista!
4. LHD oriented wiper & lighting stalks. Yes - when selling car in India, make it for India please.
5. Fixed front or rear head restraints.
6. Too many buttons on steering
7. Too much information on MID
8. Automatic transmission
9. Automatic headlamps / wipers
10. Sunroof. If I want open top, I'll buy a Thar directly. Nothing intermediate.
11. Differently sized spare wheel. I want all 5 wheels of same size. Period.
12. Faux leather(ette) seats. I sweat like a tennis player even with 0 activity.

[KL01toKA03]

Must haves:

Excellent Reliability: I would like to spend very little time at the service center.

Good Fuel Economy or an electric car when prices/range are comparable to an ICE car

Low service costs

Safety Features

Neutral/Don't care:

Looks
Gadgets and sunroofs,


Must-nots:

Low ground clearance: The roads in Bengaluru are bad in many places.
Must not be from a manufacturer like Fiat or Nissan which are at risk of closing their business in India

[DLC5005]

Nice thread GTO.

This is one of the main topics everyone discuss often, during a new car buy. It helps each buyer further, to prepare a list and choose a apt car based on their requirements.

So here are the things, I look forward to, when choosing a new car.

Must haves:
1. ABS + atleast 2 Airbags(more the better)
2. Good reliable engine
3. Good ride quality
4. After Sales Service
5. Rear wiper + washer
6. Driver height adjustable seats
7. Decent music system
8. Fog lamps
9. Electrically adjustable ORVMs

Good to have:
(Happy if I get the below things, but not a deal breaker even if it's not available. Hence have kept this as a seperate section)
1. Automatic transmission (may be this becomes a priority for me, a few years later)
2. All four disc breaks (I am happy if the car provides good braking even with disc+drum brake combo)
3. Ground clearance
4. Projector headlights
5. Alloy wheels
6. Touch screen
7. Push start
8. Parking sensors / camera
9. Good fuel efficiency

Don't care much on:
(Least bothered things to me)
1. Sunroof
2. Leather seats
3. Cruise Control
4. DRLs
5. Resale value
6. Auto everything stuff

Must Nots:
1. Funky and over styled designs
2. Unreliable and flop models
3. Cars built like tin cans
4. Cars which rides like boats
5. Compact sedans
(it's either a hatchback or a proper sedan for me, no offence meant to anyone. Though, I am OK with compact SUVs, to some extent)