[ramki.grandhi]

Simple,

Manual : May be yes
DSG : NO NO

In general, i voted NO for reliability issues.

[Annibaddh]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Of course there are other options out in the market, but once you sit in this car and "feel it", it's hard to feel the same way about another equivalent.

Originally Posted by Turbohead

A well maintained Vento/Rapid ages very slowly. Many people are still surprised when they see the odometer of our car at 1 lakh.

The car just grows on you and it's absolutely classy. Can't find a suitable replacement. The Jetta is rare and the parts will cost a bomb.

That's the point. I can't think of cars that comes even close to the way this thing makes you feel. Classy, understated, ages gracefully, continues to grow on you!

And that heartbeat of a thrum you feel on the steering, accelerator as you turn on the engine...this thing is alive!

Everything most owners said here is true. I've changed my steering rack, upgraded my suspension, changed the timing kit, water pump and what not. All of which was expensive to say the least. The service is atrocious. (I sincerely hope VW is reading this....you had people in love with your cars...and killed it)

But I can't think of a car to replace it, other than the Octavia 1.8 perhaps (but that has its own and bigger issues!).

[chiefpk]

Voted Yes* (T&C APPLY)
If the car is meant for my own usage and outstation trips, I would definitely get one, around 5-6 years old with hopefully around less than 50k on ODO. But if it is meant for daily driver, family vehicle and for city chores, I will rather stay away. The service and maintenance is costly(read= way costlier) so if monthly running is restricted to 500-600km I would get the car and have it serviced at an FNG station and not from VW authorized service center. Mind it that I would opt for a Vento and not a Rapid, since the Rapid feels much more outdated and bland if compared with the Vento. Vento still seems fresh and the design has aged very well.

[tanaysn]

Voted YES*

*Only if it is a manual.

Another reason being, such driver centric cars are way cheaper in the used car market over the Marutis or Hyundais which makes it a tempting buy.

I was lucky enough to pick up an year old GT TDI at 30% depreciation over the OTR price.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...-gt-tdi-2.html (One year with my pre-worshipped VW Polo 1.5L GT TDI)

Ofcourse you have to go through lot of thorough checks and second or may be even third opinion with few trusted mechanics and in my opinion, its worth the struggle to get a fun to drive car and save considerable money.

[ash22]

Voted YES!

Recently one of my close buddy bought a used VW Vento TDi Comfort Line (Manual) (2019 Model) (8,000 Kms done) (Yokohama S-Drive with 16-inch Highline varient alloys) for 8.3 Lakhs in Chennai.

This car is with in the warranty and that is the only reason to proceed with the deal.
As members mentioned, It is a pure bliss to drive this on highway since it can easily cruise 100Kmph plus.

Completed the service recently which costed 12,000 INR plus taxes. (quite high for 10,000 kms service)

Few snaps for reference,

[sarav_a]

Mod Note : Please do NOT post messages that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the quality of this forum. We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further. Request to post ONLY when you have something substantial to add to a discussion.

[motor spirit]

For the looks of the Vento ,Voting Yes from my heart .The clean lines , the proportions & the silhouette is timeless .
The car looks so gorgeous in the above picture posted by ash22 .
Having said that ,surely my brains have shut the doors hearing this choice . It hates the maintenance cost , the TDI tractor engine , dated interiors & the service aspects attached to this beauty .

[naveen.raju]

Voted - No

Although we loved the build quality and the looks, we sold it in one year due to:
1) Heavy clutch
2) Poor ground clearance

And for me, I never get the seating position right in any VW cars. Even today, I fiddle with the seats on the Jetta.

Clicked almost a decade back. Although this wasn't my primary car, I always used to go for the car on the right whenever I got the chance

[PPS]

Voted No!

Used Vento/Rapid is only meant for those who have a high-risk appetite. Most of them would be out of warranty as VAG only started offering extended warranty upto 6yrs a few years back. Still feel a brand new Rapid Rider Plus TSI at around 9 lakhs OTR is tremendous value.

[ninjatalli]

Yes.

But that goes with some caveats. Adding on what someone above mentioned, it depends on

- which engine we are talking about (1.6 tdi - sure!)
- which version (highline just for the abs and airbags)
- which year (pre-2013 no-no for the injectors)
- knowledge of good FNGs (I have that in select cities)
- the low price point I can get out of the seller

And of course, for me, I know this car in and out. Lesser of a headache for me than for someone new to these models.

[rkv_2401]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

I was completely anti-VW/Skoda until I got a very good piece of Polo 1.6. The car is a leap ahead of similarly priced Swifts which would have costed me twice for the same vintage.

I am worried about reliability, but I am clear in my head that if I face reliability issues, I will swap this with a new car (my family is bored of adjusting to new cars every 2 years or so.)

I have had the car for one year and it has shown its share of tantrums but nothing which is unexpected from a 9 year old car (things like ABS sensors, suspension noise which I am yet to completely diagnose, one instance of engine gasket leakage, I have spend 40k on all of these put together).

But honestly, at that price I was getting reliable but unsafe cars. I chose a safe but less reliable car.

Between safety and reliability, I choose the former.

I wish I can own this car until EVs become more feasible and I can then get my next car as an EV (so two years more I have on the horizon).

Strong advice - If safety is your top priority and you are on a budget for a used car which can be used for 2 years or so. Thats when the VWs make a strong case for themselves.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with this post.

Coming from a D1 segment sedan('04 Elantra), we were very apprehensive of purchasing a smaller car for city use because of safety concerns. After looking at the Creta in 2016 and some other similarly priced options, my dad almost put his foot down that we stick to D1 segment cars, regardless of what it's going to be used for.

But I insisted we check out the Vento Highline TSi, because it cost a full 10 lakhs less OTR than the Highline Jetta TDI then, it was more appropriate for the planned usage and still had the convenience features we desired(DSG gearbox, Cruise Control, etc.) And these VAG cars were built like a tank for their size and pricing back then. I learnt how to drive and took my first few road trips in this car, I've put it in situations that I now realize I shouldn't have, but it has come through every time.

[iamitp]

Voted No because of the infamous VAG service experience and maintenance costs. Also considering that the current model on sale already looks last-gen, buying a used Vento is like taking a time machine to 2010, and not in a fun way.

[manjubp]

Voted yes. First VW was vento in 2013, we friends together brought 4 ventos and a polo and all of them doing perfectly fine. Together they have clocked more than 3 lakh kms. My present pre owned Jetta (2014) has almost 60K kms on oddo and has no issues. Good news is none of these cars had any of the normal issues reported like injectors or ABS sensors or water pimp or AC issues, touchwood.
I voted yes, as I own one pre owned Jetta.

[hummer]

Voted a NO.

I have driven my friend's Vento diesel MT extensively, meaning I will be the driver whenever we go out in Vento and he loves to be a passenger.

I would say build quality is good and fun to drive on open roads, would I consider buying a pre-owned?, 'No' for below reasons:

1. GC is way too low, underbelly scraps almost on all humps, we have to circus
2. Expensive spares and maintenance, so big no for pre-owned
3. VW service @ Bengaluru is pathetic, he is found some local guy, but not satisfied
4. He crossed 1lakh kms and pushing, as resale is horribly low
5. Way too legacy and conservative for my liking, not a looker
6. Not a peace of mind buying, not a not carefree and go-anywhere car

[Mad Max]

Most Vento/ Rapid owners - YAY! BUY AS MANY!

All others - NOO! DON'T DO IT!