[mclaren1885]

I have been lurking around long enough on this forum and something very interesting caught my eye. We all by now know which are termed as TBHP's favourite cars. But the answer to the above thread is not what you think is the better car, but what you would BUY putting your money where your mouth is. Some cars are not manufactured anymore and I would be taking the OTR price before some of these cars were pulled out of production to get an analysis.

The cars in competition (in no order or rank whatsoever) are thus:

1. Skoda RS - The first true perfomance car running a Turbo. Redifined the word performance since the advent of the OHC Vtec. Made quite a few fall in love with the need for a Turbo.

Specs:
Power: 150 bhp.
Torque: 21.4 kgm.
0-100: 9.06 secs.
Top Speed: 219 kmph.
PTWR: 111 bhp/tonne.
OTR Price: 15.94L

Mod Potential: Tonnes and tonnes of aftermarket products available. From Bigger turbos, intercoolers, ECU remaps, Quaife atb's the works. Car can be easily taken to 300bhp with a budget of about 5L.

2. OHC Vtec - Tbhp's favourite car with a "H" badging. India's first car aimed at performance enthusiasts. Legendary VTEC technology made it soon everyone's favourite. Only a handful of us own it here, even fewer bought it from the showroom brand new. But would you buy a brand new one at 10L+ and then harp about it? Absence of low end torque and handling being the only disadvantages.

Specs:
Power: 106 bhp.
Torque: 13.46 kgm.
0-100: 9.9 secs.
Top Speed: 185 kmph (limited I am told).
PTWR: 107.6 bhp/tonne.
OTR Price:10.xx L.

Mod Potential: Aftermarket Intake & Exhaust upgrades, VTEC controllers, cams, performance clutches, high compression pistons available. Touching the VTEC head could prove fatal in wrong hands. Turbo kits available. With about 3-4L one could get to 180-200bhp+ or thereabouts. Downside though is with the amount of Honda aftermarket parts available one will never know what the car is running. I have seen a few cars running bottom halves from different engines like the B16 etc. But one of the best looking cars when bodykitted.

3. Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Started its journey as a family saloon car. Started picking up sales after the price revamp & discounts. Somehow ended being termed as the poor man's skyline. Most VFM & mod friendly car available in the current line up. Certainly the most under rated car in the country.

Specs:
Power: 94 bhp.
Torque: 13.4 kgm.
0-100: 11.6 secs.
Top Speed: 180kmph.
PTWR: 96 bhp/tonne.
OTR Price: 6.71 L for Lxi & 7.5L for Vxi (not including discounts).

Mod Potential: Intake & Exhaust mods, porting & polishing, overboring, cams, high compression pistons, forged internals, Suspension upgrades, performance clutches almost anything available. One of the best cars to turbo. 3-4L can get one a good 1bar+ turbo setup. Only disadvantage to the Vtec is lower BHP figures stock from the company and a milder cam duration (since it was always meant to be a saloon family car and not a performance enthu's car). Certainly a wolf in a sheep's clothing.

4. Fiat Palio GTX: From the Italian manufacturers "Fabrica Italiana Automobili Torino" (FIAT in short). Redefined the word performance hatch in India. Somehow never sold well just like the Baleno, coupled with some not so mentionable FIAT A.S.S. Hopefully the revamped Stile with Tata alliance might do better? Fiat fans swear by the engine refinement, build quality and are the most enthusiastic lot on this very forum. Like the Vtec's, only a few handful available on our forum. But its good to see the enthu's lot who own the 1.2L also swear by the performance, FE figures of the 1.6 Gtx. But, a thought that bothers me, why didn't you buy the Gtx if it indeed is that great? Brilliant low end torque is to die for.

Specs:
Power: 98.6 bhp.
Torque: 13.9 kgm.
0-100: 11.1 secs.
PTWR: 93 bhp/tonne.
OTR Price: 5.05L.

Mod Potential: Porting & polishing can be done, fitting headers is a headache. Sourcing cams, clutches and other aftermarket parts is another nightmare all together. No space under the boot for turbo. But, arguments that it already has enough power. Truth is, no car has enough power. Not atleast for an enthusiast who buys such cars to drive them the way the have to be. Its only a lame excuse IMO.

So, where would you put your money? Let us be practical, logical and sensible in our thoughts we put up here. No blind love for Skoda, Fiat, Honda or Maruti here.

What did I choose? And why? Read below....

Skoda RS - Out of budget, though its the Skoda A.S.S that scared me the most even if I could have upped the cash outflow. One thing that did make me think twice was the availability of mods. Though they cost a bomb is it worth the money? Yes, bundled with safety features its a killer combo.

OHC Vtec - Currently not on sale (when I made a purchase that is). Also at 10L it isn't what one would call really VFM. Second cars are best left alone, one has no clue regarding how they were treated by the previous owner.

Palio - Was upgrading from a hatch. And, I am somehow glad that I did not choose as I am one of those guys who has suffered a lot, so have a few of my friends. Kindly do note that I call a spade a spade. And nothing else.

Baleno - VFM, specially with all the discounts available. Infact the car cost me 5.93L. Tremendous A.S.S, mod friendly, brilliant AC, seating, handling second only to the RS, peppy city driver with bucket loads of torque. Only thing I found lacking is power which I made up for and looks (objective). And if I put in 5L I could have Vtec's, RS' running for cover. Which is about the same price of a brand new OHC Vtec and 5L lesser than an RS.

I have put my money where my mouth is, HAVE YOU?

[finneyp]

Well, to each his own!

If I am in the market to buy a Car NOW, I would go for a hatch & that would be - Palio Stile 1.6 Sports Formula Red.

If a sedan, would wait for Fiat Linea OR go for either Chevy Optra / Mitsu Cedia.

[Surprise]

Just for looks and badge, I dont want to pump in another 2.5L. Hence it's Baleno for me (even now I miss the lovely car "OHC" )

[rjstyles69]

I would put my money on a Baleno anyday coz its real VFM and splendid A$$ from Maruti.

Wasnt too heavy on my pockets when I picked up one brand new.

2nd choice yes a Skoda , who wouldnt love to own 1 ?
Waiting for my CTC to climb a little more and then maybe I can afford one .

[HSV]

If money wasnt a problem... the RS anyday... Oooooh Yeah!

[vkochar]

Skoda RS - Anyday 150 BHP !!!! Alas - Only if I had the money to buy one & then the money to quench its thirst !!!

[iraghava]

Well I did put my money where my mouth is & bought the car I wanted to buy from the day it was launched. Is it worth the money in terms of equipment offered? Not really but IMO she makes up for it with the driving experience & that beauty of an engine.

I did consider the Octavia Petrol 2.0 (No RS then) but found that it was expensive & to be frank I never liked them much. When the RS was launched I did want one but it's out of my budget & with my running the FE & *** will kill me sooner rather than later!

Palio 1.6/Corsa Sail 1.6 were also considered but their FE & the fact that I did not want another hatch went against them.

If I need to decide today I would again go for the VTEC purely for the driving experience & that engine.

[scooby05]

Since this is a Indian car scene thread, amongst these, surely the RS.
Though, I would like to buy a M5, God willing, Fantastic daily user and Fantastic Adrenaline Rusher!!
Offcourse Dream is the LP640 and beyond!
Someone said the Evo9 is coming? to india.Good as a stepping stone

[reignofchaos]

If one can afford it, its the RS. However skoda A$$ probably competes with Ford in the race to being the worst available. The horror stories scared the $hit out of me. Hence I ended up putting my money in the next best thing available .

[HSV]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

If one can afford it, its the RS. However skoda A$$ is probably competes with Ford in the race to being the worst available. The horror stories scared the $hit out of me. Hence I ended up putting my money in the next best thing available .

sorry for being a little OT: Can anyone comment upon the after sales service now that Skoda has come up with a three year maintenance free program on all its cars. Does it still burn a hole through the pocket or not?

[superavi]

From a desire perspective, I would like to go for the RS. Currently on what I can afford, The Fiat Palio, and I do like the Palio. I'm voting for the Palio. Plus I have a Siena with the 1.6L engine.

Unfortunately I havent driven a Vtec yet, only the Civic.

Superavi

P.S. What's the aim of the poll?

[Eddy]

Of all the cars listed, I vote for the Baleno simply because its the best package.

BTW, why aren't other T-Bhp favs like swift, NHC etc listed ?

[smartmundu]

my love RS
if someone ready to sponser i would like to have that right now

[DCEite]

I would put my money on the Baleno.
Baleno is not just about peformance. Its also about good fuel efficiency, being cheap(cost), and legendary A.S.S. Not to forget the mod potential.

[BUSA]

RS for me, though i voted for OHC Vtec since it feels like a go kart, and its not how fast you go, its how you go fast