what car?

BikerSG · 15th November 2004, 19:35

Hi All,

Am thinking of getting myself a new car sometime early next year. What shud i get among the below options?

New Mondeo - always loved this car. handles superb and goes like hell. dashboard seems a bilt cluttered though.
New Camry - I wasn't too fond of the looks (rear is bland and dashboard is way too plain), but have started to like it. hope they bring out the V6 though.
Honda Accord - Very good package, but become way too common now. Unfortunately V6 comes only in auto mode!
New Sonata -

??

Vectra is not an option, as my bro already has one! Anyways, its quite shitty. My bros vec has given us all kinds of electronic problems. From the chat I had with one of the guys at the service station, mine is not the only one with screwed up electronics!

My criteria:
1. Good looks - Will most probably go in for a body kit anyway. theres a mugen accord V6 in Chennai, looks awesome. also a mondeo with full body kit. seen the camry with all skirts in New Zealand 2 years ago. All look fantastic.
2. Power - If Ford bring in the ST220, I will pick it up blindly. I think it looks awesome and 220bhp shud make it go like stink! If toyota launches camry V6 manual, it'll be a good contender for me!
3. Reliability - Totally fed-up with all the problems that my bro's vectra has kicked up! So want a totally reliable car, which has at least the basic issues sorted out!

I dont care about price of car or price of spares!

Pls advise!

BikerSG · 15th November 2004, 19:48

what are the differences between the old mondeo and the new one which is being launched in India in Jan?

Shan2nu · 15th November 2004, 21:04

The new Mondeo is only worth, if the features are increased or rather improved and if the engine is more powerful than the one it replaces.

The Accord 2.4 is a good option, but the rear design is a bit of a let down. Has great straight line stability, but not really a true driver's car when it comes to hustling it into corners.

Vectra - has far too many gadgets that don't really makes sense, having on a car, atleast in India. Nor is it as quick as the Mondoe and the Accord.

New Sonata - will have to wait till it comes. The older one had a very soft suspenssion which created problems for the back seat passengers.

So, the competition has come down to the Mondeo and the Accord, it'll all depend on the pricing and the engine upgrade on the new Mondeo. The Accord is now the benchmark, in it's segment and Ford will have to do everything to get the Mondeo beyond that.

Shan2nu

Shan2nu

lamborghini · 15th November 2004, 21:11

the old mondeo looked better but the new mondeo comes with a different grill , and much better interiors .
i suggest you go in for either a mondeo r an accord .
a mugen accord will rule just as a modded mondeo..
the mondeo however is a car more for younger people who love to drive and want younger sexier cars while the accord is more of a backseat type but the V6 is just awesome

Revvmaster · 15th November 2004, 21:45

BikerSG

As Shan2nu has pointed out, the Accord 2.4 out and out when compared to the Mondeo is less of a driver's car and more of an all-rounder.

The new Mondeo has borrowed looks from the Ford 500 sedan available in the US. To be honest, i don't like the new one's looks. Its too grumpy and old-looking in comparison to the lithe and athletic old Mondeo. The ST220 might not make it here due to fuel and low-riding problems, unless Ford takes a U-turn. Either ways it won't make it here soon. Also Ford has indicated that it merely wants to be present in this segment rather than be a leader, so sales might be as low as 30-40 units a month unlike the 200 odd that the Accord does. Also the price will remain same as the old one. Not good, unless Ford offers more options than it did previously.

Engine will be a 2.0 litre 143 hp 4 cylinder Ghia Version. My choice? Pick the Accord 2.4 up and probably kit her out to make her look unique. 2-3 lakhs of quality kit would really make your car stand-out. That way you could deal with the commonality factor. Look for better rubber and possibly springs from H&R or Eibach which should sort out handling issues, if any.

Revvmaster

aadix · 15th November 2004, 22:06

a honda accord v6 with a mugen body kit

Deeps · 16th November 2004, 03:08

If reliability is on the priority list, then go for the Japanese Accord without any second thought. Its not even wiorth comparing japanese reliability to that of the american one. BTW, why did u not consider the Octavia RS?

fasbond1412 · 16th November 2004, 04:37

if u dont care abt price and spares den juss pick up a merc c its damn cool

BikerSG · 16th November 2004, 14:23

well, i dont care about price among these cars - cuz they are all in the same price range. The merc c class has very little space compared to some of these cars!

why hasn't anybody mentioned the camry? is it that bad?

octavia has outdated looks. thats the only reason! otherwise I would prefer to go in for stock 150 bhp anyday and chip it later to take up the power. looks is one of the 3 criteria's for me!

v12 · 16th November 2004, 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]why hasn't anybody mentioned the camry? is it that bad?

It isnt bad at all. Its just that the price tag is too high. You cud get a Accord V6 in that money. My suggestion is to go for the V6 Accord with the Mugen kit. Would cost you around 1.6-2 lakhs i guess. Read the article on BSM about Linkway Honda owner Mohan Mariwala's Mugen Accord. Check here : Mugen Accord V6

fasbond1412 · 16th November 2004, 15:00

hi biker the accord is the best in class so go for that or go for any octavia may be the l and k or the RS if u odnt like the luks of the octy u can wait for sumtime as the 2005 octy is juss on its way

GTO · 16th November 2004, 15:41

BikerSG,

The Camry aint bad, but its over-priced and very b-o-r-i-n-g to drive.

My recommended options:

1. Skoda Octavia RS : If you dont like the current shape, wait for the new one. Its incredibly reliable, and a chip upgrade is only a credit card payment away.

2. Second Hand EVO VI/VII : Will fit in the 20 lac budget and a nice example wont be too hard to import. Get in touch with Dom, I am sure he can help ya out in this. Also the search will be the fun part. If you can stretch, go for a spanking new Subaru Impreza WRX STi - Going now in Bombay within 25 lacs.

If you want to play it real safe, pick the Accord and then hop over to Mugen to customize.

GTO

fasbond1412 · 16th November 2004, 16:09

Hey biiker also check out the new sonata its supposed to be a Audi accord combo also the new mondeo which is cummin any moment.. BMW 3 series is also on its way u can check out tat too..

lamborghini · 17th November 2004, 02:45

well if u want i can find out some really cool used cars but they will be in bombay
p.m me if you are interested

cheers
lamborghini

cheatingdeath · 17th November 2004, 18:57

Biker .. me confused too i first saw the camy it was reallly nice price tag as mentioned to high ... jjus coz its a cbu unit... then came the mondeo .. welll have to wait till jan is it worth waitin?

Accord well nice carinfact excellent car v6 good enough all rite but colours are limited ok if dats not a probb delivery period is really high so using simple maths.. if i book accord get by mid dec and then 15 to 20 dayz later mondeo comes in and is better and in the same price range .. havent i made a mistake unless you are too happy buying the accord and dont care which car comes in by jan .. so i am confused toooand i need help tooo... so guyzz help me or atleast convince me on some car

15th November 2004, 19:35	#1
BikerSG BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Chennai, INDIA Posts: 378 Thanked: 15 Times	what car? Hi All, Am thinking of getting myself a new car sometime early next year. What shud i get among the below options? New Mondeo - always loved this car. handles superb and goes like hell. dashboard seems a bilt cluttered though. New Camry - I wasn't too fond of the looks (rear is bland and dashboard is way too plain), but have started to like it. hope they bring out the V6 though. Honda Accord - Very good package, but become way too common now. Unfortunately V6 comes only in auto mode! New Sonata - ?? Vectra is not an option, as my bro already has one! Anyways, its quite shitty. My bros vec has given us all kinds of electronic problems. From the chat I had with one of the guys at the service station, mine is not the only one with screwed up electronics! My criteria: 1. Good looks - Will most probably go in for a body kit anyway. theres a mugen accord V6 in Chennai, looks awesome. also a mondeo with full body kit. seen the camry with all skirts in New Zealand 2 years ago. All look fantastic. 2. Power - If Ford bring in the ST220, I will pick it up blindly. I think it looks awesome and 220bhp shud make it go like stink! If toyota launches camry V6 manual, it'll be a good contender for me! 3. Reliability - Totally fed-up with all the problems that my bro's vectra has kicked up! So want a totally reliable car, which has at least the basic issues sorted out! I dont care about price of car or price of spares! Pls advise!
	() Thanks

15th November 2004, 19:48	#2
BikerSG BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Chennai, INDIA Posts: 378 Thanked: 15 Times	what are the differences between the old mondeo and the new one which is being launched in India in Jan?
	() Thanks

15th November 2004, 21:04	#3
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	The new Mondeo is only worth, if the features are increased or rather improved and if the engine is more powerful than the one it replaces. The Accord 2.4 is a good option, but the rear design is a bit of a let down. Has great straight line stability, but not really a true driver's car when it comes to hustling it into corners. Vectra - has far too many gadgets that don't really makes sense, having on a car, atleast in India. Nor is it as quick as the Mondoe and the Accord. New Sonata - will have to wait till it comes. The older one had a very soft suspenssion which created problems for the back seat passengers. So, the competition has come down to the Mondeo and the Accord, it'll all depend on the pricing and the engine upgrade on the new Mondeo. The Accord is now the benchmark, in it's segment and Ford will have to do everything to get the Mondeo beyond that. Shan2nu Shan2nu
	() Thanks

15th November 2004, 21:11	#4
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,113 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	the old mondeo looked better but the new mondeo comes with a different grill , and much better interiors . i suggest you go in for either a mondeo r an accord . a mugen accord will rule just as a modded mondeo.. the mondeo however is a car more for younger people who love to drive and want younger sexier cars while the accord is more of a backseat type but the V6 is just awesome
	() Thanks

15th November 2004, 21:45	#5
Revvmaster Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,190 Thanked: 95 Times	BikerSG As Shan2nu has pointed out, the Accord 2.4 out and out when compared to the Mondeo is less of a driver's car and more of an all-rounder. The new Mondeo has borrowed looks from the Ford 500 sedan available in the US. To be honest, i don't like the new one's looks. Its too grumpy and old-looking in comparison to the lithe and athletic old Mondeo. The ST220 might not make it here due to fuel and low-riding problems, unless Ford takes a U-turn. Either ways it won't make it here soon. Also Ford has indicated that it merely wants to be present in this segment rather than be a leader, so sales might be as low as 30-40 units a month unlike the 200 odd that the Accord does. Also the price will remain same as the old one. Not good, unless Ford offers more options than it did previously. Engine will be a 2.0 litre 143 hp 4 cylinder Ghia Version. My choice? Pick the Accord 2.4 up and probably kit her out to make her look unique. 2-3 lakhs of quality kit would really make your car stand-out. That way you could deal with the commonality factor. Look for better rubber and possibly springs from H&R or Eibach which should sort out handling issues, if any. Revvmaster
	() Thanks

15th November 2004, 22:06	#6
aadix Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: hyderabad Posts: 1,597 Thanked: 14 Times	a honda accord v6 with a mugen body kit
	() Thanks

16th November 2004, 03:08	#7
Deeps Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Delhi/Noida Posts: 1,116 Thanked: 170 Times	If reliability is on the priority list, then go for the Japanese Accord without any second thought. Its not even wiorth comparing japanese reliability to that of the american one. BTW, why did u not consider the Octavia RS?
	() Thanks

16th November 2004, 04:37	#8
fasbond1412 BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 124 Thanked: 0 Times	if u dont care abt price and spares den juss pick up a merc c its damn cool
	() Thanks

16th November 2004, 14:23	#9
BikerSG BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Chennai, INDIA Posts: 378 Thanked: 15 Times	well, i dont care about price among these cars - cuz they are all in the same price range. The merc c class has very little space compared to some of these cars! why hasn't anybody mentioned the camry? is it that bad? octavia has outdated looks. thats the only reason! otherwise I would prefer to go in for stock 150 bhp anyday and chip it later to take up the power. looks is one of the 3 criteria's for me!
	() Thanks

16th November 2004, 15:00	#11
fasbond1412 BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 124 Thanked: 0 Times	hi biker the accord is the best in class so go for that or go for any octavia may be the l and k or the RS if u odnt like the luks of the octy u can wait for sumtime as the 2005 octy is juss on its way
	() Thanks

16th November 2004, 15:41	#12
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,546 Thanked: 300,766 Times View My Garage	BikerSG, The Camry aint bad, but its over-priced and very b-o-r-i-n-g to drive. My recommended options: 1. Skoda Octavia RS : If you dont like the current shape, wait for the new one. Its incredibly reliable, and a chip upgrade is only a credit card payment away. 2. Second Hand EVO VI/VII : Will fit in the 20 lac budget and a nice example wont be too hard to import. Get in touch with Dom, I am sure he can help ya out in this. Also the search will be the fun part. If you can stretch, go for a spanking new Subaru Impreza WRX STi - Going now in Bombay within 25 lacs. If you want to play it real safe, pick the Accord and then hop over to Mugen to customize. GTO
	() Thanks

16th November 2004, 16:09	#13
fasbond1412 BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 124 Thanked: 0 Times	Hey biiker also check out the new sonata its supposed to be a Audi accord combo also the new mondeo which is cummin any moment.. BMW 3 series is also on its way u can check out tat too..
	() Thanks

17th November 2004, 02:45	#14
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,113 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	well if u want i can find out some really cool used cars but they will be in bombay p.m me if you are interested cheers lamborghini
	() Thanks

17th November 2004, 18:57	#15
cheatingdeath BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 275 Thanked: 10 Times	Biker .. me confused too i first saw the camy it was reallly nice price tag as mentioned to high ... jjus coz its a cbu unit... then came the mondeo .. welll have to wait till jan is it worth waitin? Accord well nice carinfact excellent car v6 good enough all rite but colours are limited ok if dats not a probb delivery period is really high so using simple maths.. if i book accord get by mid dec and then 15 to 20 dayz later mondeo comes in and is better and in the same price range .. havent i made a mistake unless you are too happy buying the accord and dont care which car comes in by jan .. so i am confused toooand i need help tooo... so guyzz help me or atleast convince me on some car
	() Thanks