Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   The Indian Car Scene (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/)

-   -   Cheapest of the higher or costliest of the lower? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/23754-cheapest-higher-costliest-lower-4.html)

This poll has answered one of the most difficult questions that was twirling in my mind for years on end.

voted for loaded variant of a lower segment. For me ABS, Airbags are of primary importance and unfortunately that comes only in the fully loaded variants. If the manufactures can give me the Airbags, ABS, EBD without the ICE at a lower price, I will go for that. Can get the ICE over a period of ownership.

Fantastic poll and thread!
I agree with GTO's views.
I have used similar logic when buying my current apartment. Even if you have money later on in your life, you can not add a 'room' to your apartment :-). So went for a bigger apartment with low amenities ('features').
Voted for "base model for the segment higher", anything that can be bought/upgraded later can wait.
That way you also have something to look forward to ;-)

I feel it can only be decided on a case to case basis and a general rule will not hold good across the spectrum. For example, I would go for the Swift Lxi any day over the Chevy Spark LT. But if it were between the top end Santro and the base Getz, I would go for the Santro. Then again, here many factors come into play and its not jsut a matter of which segment. There used to be a time when people used to go for the sedan with their eyes closed due to the premuim tag attached to a sedan. Not any more. I would say along came the Swift and turned the tables like no other. There a quite a few sedans that have taken the hit across segments after the Swift arrived on the scene. People suddenly started to see value in a diesel hatch that gave an FE in excess of 20 km to the litre and one that was almost as cheap and esay to maintain as your regular petrol car. That also explains the unprecedented demand for the Swift which lasts to this day.

It is difficult to participate in this poll because it is so relative - what is important to some may be less than important to others.

For example if I were to buy a car like say a VW Polo or Ford Figo I would like to go for the Top Spec given what one is getting with it.

If I were buying a Skoda, I would probably go to the level which is one below the Top Spec.

In the case of my Scorpio I went for the lowest spec (at that time) and added all the utility extras which I wanted, on my own.

Note that at that time, the features like ABS, Airbags etc were not available in the Scorpio at all.

Even now, these safety features are only available on the Top Spec variant of the Scorpio, along with a whole lot of other stuff which I dont need, dont like and wont use.

In my opinion, the Top Spec per se ought to be defined only by its Engine, Wheel and Tyre Specs, and Interior Trim choices/ extras.

The Safety features like ABS, EBD, Airbags, Load sensitive Restraining belts etc should be constant/ mandatory across variants or at least provided as options for the buyer to pick - even if the manufacturer says one has to wait for such "customization" it is fine - but the buyer should be able to pick what he/she wants. And Utility features such as 4WD etc should be available as an option across variants.

However, in our price sensitive country, this type of logic may not work out because for one thing, people are generally willing to compromise on safety on account of cost and seem more interested (in general) in the overall "impression" they create on account of which car they drive!

Very difficult to give a general answer to this poll without getting into specific details.

As Sony's chairman well ex-chairman Akio Morita puts it

" It is better to live in cheapest room of the best hotel
Rather than living in the best room of a cheapest hotel "

--Vikrant

Personally, i would prefer a base version of premium segment cars as they cut down on things like cruise control, sun roof, etc. whereas in a small and mid segment would go mid or high end models giving ABS and AIRBAGS complete importance.

Anything that is better with a factory fitted versus external, and that is a priority to the buyer, should be looked for.

Very interesting thread indeed!!in fact this is one question which has really boggled my mind whenever it comes to making a purchase decision!!

i have voted for a higher spec lower class vehicle.basically, whenever i have to make a decision, i think to myself-what exactly do i need from a car?do i need the extra space or the features?do i need the car for my personal satisfaction or for social status etc..

there are some features i cannot compromise eg abs and these features usually do not come in lowest spec models.i usually end up choosing the middle variant but never go to the class above without the features i want!!

Vikrant, as the story goes, Yoshinobu "Doc" Kagawa taught this to Akio Morita.

When World War II ended, Japan surrendered and the Allied Powers led by USA occupied Japan -- such ignominy and humiliation!

Yoshinobu "Doc" Kagawa -- a Hawaii-born Japanese-American served as lawyer for the occupation forces in Japan. The occupation of Japan ended in 1952. Post that, Kagawa became legal-advisor to SONY. He often accompanied Morita to USA.

When Morita went to New York, he would stay in cheap hotels and eat his meals at automats to avoid people. His English was deficient and he was poor in the purse.

Yoshinobu Kagawa taught Akio Morita much about American business.
He taught Morita that he should live better, to create an image of success, pride, dignity and prestige for Sony.

Kagawa taught Morita that it was better to stay in the cheapest room of the best hotel than in the best room of the cheapest hotel.

He also suggested that he eat in good restaurants to learn the differences in taste and quality of service. Morita faithfully followed Kagawa's advice throughout the early years.

Asian cultures place a very high premium on image and face -- be the culture Chinese, Japanese, Indian or Singaporean.

When I visited my niece and her husband in Minneapolis, they explained to me, their rationale on why they chose to buy a brand new stripper Accord rather than a high-end Civic.

Ram

according to me, this will depend on the model. if my requirements are fulfilled i may go for the top end variant of a lower segment car or the basic variant of a high segment car.

Always the bigger car, as long as power steering and power windows is taken care of. More face value the better i think.

This is a really interesting topic. In todays world, it feels good to have nice things. People want large LSD's, Aircons, etc. Even in cars we want a host a features which make travel pleasurable and comfortable as well as safer. Thus, I would prefer a top end model of 1 segment lower when it comes to cars. All the small luxury features like electric re-tractable mirrors, auto aircon, and so on, make me feel good! I can make do with a less powerful car as I will not be racing on city roads!

It is predominantly the S.E. Asian cultures which place a very high Premium on Face. India also, yes, but to a slightly lesser extent than the above.

Having said this, the Western (semi/non-urban) cultures place greater value (to a larger extent) on the "utility" aspect rather than the "impression/preception management" aspect. Choices there are dictated more by genuine lifestyle requirements than otherwise and an advantage is also the access to more than one vehicle, for different need segments within the same family unit.

However, the Western (urban/corporate) cultures do place a high premium on the "impression/ perception management" aspect which is why one sees large 4x4's crowding the city streets in various urban centres across the Western World, where the maximum use the said 4x4's are put to, is the "school run"! (To be fair, this is also attributable in part to the "perception of higher safety in a 4x4 rather than a runabout hatch")

India falls somewhere in-between the S.E. Asian and the Western Urban/Corporate - largely on account of the ever-increasing numbers of the "urban/corporate consuming class" which class as a whole, tends to sacrifice pure utility on the altar of "impression/perception management".

Bigger / faster car with less features in do-able for me.

creature comforts like power windows and cubby holes come later in my list.