Palio 1.6 GTX - Italian Ressurection

drifter · 5th November 2009, 15:04

I'm selling my 01 Honda City VTEC and want to buy two used cars in its place. One will be used by a learner driver to get the hang of things and the other needs to be a good hatchback for daily commute in Mumbai.

I already have a Safari 3.0 as the daily driver, need something small and fast as well. I've been looking at Palios and Santros as those are the only ones that seem to fit the budget. Want to avoid the 800, although the Alto can be considered as the learner car.

Please suggest if I should consider other cars any car preferably a Palio or Santro or even an Ikon 1.6 that you may know are for sale. Thanks!

Drifter

Kannan_Marg · 5th November 2009, 15:21

Alto could be your learner car if not 800. Given your budget you could get decent Palios which has great suspensions, good drivability suits for your daily commuting. Keep away from Palio Stile 1.1L petrol as it lacks power.

Technocrat · 5th November 2009, 15:44

See if you can get an Alto 1.1 it can act as both learner as well as a fun car

beejay · 5th November 2009, 15:55

One Alto and one Palio GTX. Or you could also consider a santro over the Alto.

drifter · 5th November 2009, 16:37

Yes, I'd pick up a Santro over the Alto anyday. I want to avoid the 800. Good palios are a bit difficult to find.

@technocrat: Alto 1.1 yes, but can't find any for sale.

Drifter

JRD · 5th November 2009, 17:07

zen for learner and an maybe an esteem or zen mpfi for city use

DCEite · 5th November 2009, 17:09

Zen 1.0 or Alto 1.1. Both are fun to drive and learner cars.

gomzi · 5th November 2009, 17:16

A Zen and a Santro.

Both are easy enough for learners and zippy enough for daily in-city driving.

Once the learner has learnt, either one of these will be good as a car for him/her.

drifter · 5th November 2009, 18:06

Yes a Zen is good too...but good resale is not allowing me to go for one. I know a very good example (a friend's car) - 2001 mpfi LX is commanding Rs 2 lakh.

Why isn't anybody not too excited about the Ikon?

Drifter

WDM007 · 5th November 2009, 18:09

If possible, try for WagonR. since it has a small bonet, learner will get a good judgement.

drifter · 5th November 2009, 19:45

I have seen a Wagon R and its a nice piece too, but I can't bring myself to buy one.

Drifter

GTO · 6th November 2009, 10:58

Some nice suggestions already. Since you have 2.5 lakhs to play with, I'd suggest allocating a majority of that amount to the "good daily drive hatchback" (reliability is key) and a minority for the "learners hatchback" (will be abused anyways).

Ideally, I'd spend 1.75 lakhs on the good hatch and 75 grand tops on the learners "haath safai" hatch. The learners hatch will be abused and banged anyways, why spend too much?

For 1.75 lakhs:

- Palio 1.6
- Ikon 1.6
- Late model Zen
- Early model Getz (tough call but worth a try)

For .75 lakhs:

- 800
- Indica
- Padmini. Believe me, its the perfect car to learn driving on. And mistakes wont lead to too much monetary damage. Its slow and thus, no chance of too much power in new hands. Plus, once the learner drives a Padmini, they will pretty much love any car afterward

PatienceWins · 6th November 2009, 11:03

This is what I would recommend for the fun car:

Alto 1.1 - Best choice
Zen MPFI (old model)
Palio 1.6
Ikon 1.6

Learners car:
800
Santro zip (old model with Power Steering) - good learners car, but hard to find in your budget.
Indica

drifter · 6th November 2009, 12:06

Yes exactly the type of cars I had in mind. Though there are plenty of 800s, Altos, Indicas in the market. I'm finding it really difficult to find a good Palio let alone a 1.6.

Today I'm checking out some cars at Popular car bazaar, they are the only ones that seem to have two Palios with them. I'm pretty sure they must be clocked, but I'll go have a look anyway. Another one is with First Choice, but not certified, and doesn't look too great in the pictures. But it is a 1.6.

Drifter

drifter · 16th November 2009, 22:26

Update:
Alright. Have bought myself a 'Flame Red' 2002 Palio 1.6 GTX. Single owner run around 24,000kms. The car had not been used for the past two years. But is in pretty decent condition. The belts are squeaky, the aircon doesn't cool enough and windows are very slow. Apart from this, there isn't much wrong with the car. It needs a thorough cleanup both inside and out. Oh yes, it cost me Rs. 1.1 lakh.

For the other car, I've zeroed in on a well maintained Matiz and a Zen. Will mostly be getting the Zen.

Drifter

5th November 2009, 15:04	#1
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Palio 1.6 GTX - Italian Ressurection I'm selling my 01 Honda City VTEC and want to buy two used cars in its place. One will be used by a learner driver to get the hang of things and the other needs to be a good hatchback for daily commute in Mumbai. I already have a Safari 3.0 as the daily driver, need something small and fast as well. I've been looking at Palios and Santros as those are the only ones that seem to fit the budget. Want to avoid the 800, although the Alto can be considered as the learner car. Please suggest if I should consider other cars any car preferably a Palio or Santro or even an Ikon 1.6 that you may know are for sale. Thanks! Drifter
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 15:21	#2
Kannan_Marg BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 27 Thanked: 0 Times View My Garage	Alto could be your learner car if not 800. Given your budget you could get decent Palios which has great suspensions, good drivability suits for your daily commuting. Keep away from Palio Stile 1.1L petrol as it lacks power.
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 15:44	#3
Technocrat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: GTA Posts: 14,813 Thanked: 2,700 Times	See if you can get an Alto 1.1 it can act as both learner as well as a fun car
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5th November 2009, 15:55	#4
beejay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: The Nilgiris Posts: 1,963 Thanked: 204 Times View My Garage	One Alto and one Palio GTX. Or you could also consider a santro over the Alto.
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 16:37	#5
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Yes, I'd pick up a Santro over the Alto anyday. I want to avoid the 800. Good palios are a bit difficult to find. @technocrat: Alto 1.1 yes, but can't find any for sale. Drifter
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5th November 2009, 17:07	#6
JRD BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Turin/Ahmedabad Posts: 372 Thanked: 15 Times View My Garage	zen for learner and an maybe an esteem or zen mpfi for city use
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 17:09	#7
DCEite Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NCR Posts: 3,418 Thanked: 2,564 Times	Zen 1.0 or Alto 1.1. Both are fun to drive and learner cars.
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 17:16	#8
gomzi BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 798 Thanked: 236 Times	A Zen and a Santro. Both are easy enough for learners and zippy enough for daily in-city driving. Once the learner has learnt, either one of these will be good as a car for him/her.
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 18:06	#9
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Yes a Zen is good too...but good resale is not allowing me to go for one. I know a very good example (a friend's car) - 2001 mpfi LX is commanding Rs 2 lakh. Why isn't anybody not too excited about the Ikon? Drifter
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 18:09	#10
WDM007 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Beaverton, USA Posts: 236 Thanked: 15 Times View My Garage	If possible, try for WagonR. since it has a small bonet, learner will get a good judgement.
	() Thanks

5th November 2009, 19:45	#11
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	I have seen a Wagon R and its a nice piece too, but I can't bring myself to buy one. Drifter
	() Thanks

6th November 2009, 10:58	#12
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,546 Thanked: 300,779 Times View My Garage	Some nice suggestions already. Since you have 2.5 lakhs to play with, I'd suggest allocating a majority of that amount to the "good daily drive hatchback" (reliability is key) and a minority for the "learners hatchback" (will be abused anyways). Ideally, I'd spend 1.75 lakhs on the good hatch and 75 grand tops on the learners "haath safai" hatch. The learners hatch will be abused and banged anyways, why spend too much? For 1.75 lakhs: - Palio 1.6 - Ikon 1.6 - Late model Zen - Early model Getz (tough call but worth a try) For .75 lakhs: - 800 - Indica - Padmini. Believe me, its the perfect car to learn driving on. And mistakes wont lead to too much monetary damage. Its slow and thus, no chance of too much power in new hands. Plus, once the learner drives a Padmini, they will pretty much love any car afterward
	(1) Thanks

6th November 2009, 11:03	#13
PatienceWins Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,416 Thanked: 809 Times View My Garage	This is what I would recommend for the fun car: Alto 1.1 - Best choice Zen MPFI (old model) Palio 1.6 Ikon 1.6 Learners car: 800 Santro zip (old model with Power Steering) - good learners car, but hard to find in your budget. Indica
	() Thanks

6th November 2009, 12:06	#14
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Yes exactly the type of cars I had in mind. Though there are plenty of 800s, Altos, Indicas in the market. I'm finding it really difficult to find a good Palio let alone a 1.6. Today I'm checking out some cars at Popular car bazaar, they are the only ones that seem to have two Palios with them. I'm pretty sure they must be clocked, but I'll go have a look anyway. Another one is with First Choice, but not certified, and doesn't look too great in the pictures. But it is a 1.6. Drifter
	() Thanks

16th November 2009, 22:26	#15
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Update: Alright. Have bought myself a 'Flame Red' 2002 Palio 1.6 GTX. Single owner run around 24,000kms. The car had not been used for the past two years. But is in pretty decent condition. The belts are squeaky, the aircon doesn't cool enough and windows are very slow. Apart from this, there isn't much wrong with the car. It needs a thorough cleanup both inside and out. Oh yes, it cost me Rs. 1.1 lakh. For the other car, I've zeroed in on a well maintained Matiz and a Zen. Will mostly be getting the Zen. Drifter Last edited by drifter : 16th November 2009 at 22:27.
	() Thanks