[diki24]

Dear Friends, I am new on this forum. I have already gone through a lot of posts and seen the wealth of info available here.
As the subject says, i intend buying a car with a budget of 15-20 lakhs. My requirements are as below. Also should i wait till Jan, now that its almost the year end?

Car would be generally driven by me and the daily commute is very low. i might do around 400-500 Kms in a month.
I have been driving Ford ikon 1.6 and i find it extremely good to drive because of its handling, Power and its ground clearance. I say this because i also had Accent, where it used to be quite a pain with its low GC and not so great handling.
I need a car that is atleast a segment above these cars, I am also open to SUVs.

I have tTDed Honda Accord last month and i felt the handling wasnt very good. Also i wasnt very happy with the suspension as i could feel even the smaller stones and unevenness of the surface. It misses some basic equipment for the car of its class, like decent Trip comp, Steering mounted Audio Controls, etc. Though i loved the interior and its plush feel. Visibility too is also good fromt the driver's seat.

I had a close look at CRV. I didnt TD it but just checked out the interiors in the showroom. I have always loved the new CRV but i find the interiors very drab especially in comparison to Accord and absolutely low on equipments.

I would appreciate your suggestions and help in this regard. Also i want to know if it would be good to defer till Jan to get a new year on Registration and if some more new models are due for launch.

Regards,
Dikshant

[carbaliga]

Dikshant - Going through your thread i can say your usage does not warrant a Diesel car but since you have the budget why not go for it.
- i would recommend the Captiva - Very worthy SUV, all the bells and frills and luxurious/spacious too. The 3 Yr maintenance holiday is a big plus.
- Another recommendation would be the Laura or Jetta - both come from the same family and share the similar engine technology.
- Jetta is definitely demanding the premium for a V/W brand and the latest of the offerings. Since a new car the A** is not completely tested or vouched.
- Check out the Laura L&K which is fully loaded compared to the Laura Ambiente. The A** of Skoda cars is still a very debatable subject + cost of maintenance is definitely on the higher side.

On the topic of Jan purchase, usually Nov-Dec timeframe is a good bargain period and dealers offer a huge discount (the global meltdown effect is also there). So the discount you tend to gain negates the year of manufacture depreciation. My opinion, go squeeze the discounts and take the vehicle.

Happy hunting

[Sahil]

You clearly don't need a diesel since your avg distance per month is 400kms or so.
I think the Outlander fits your requirements well. Its very well equipped (HIDs, a banging music system,etc) and since it's an SUV it can handle bad roads much better than any sedan.

[ashish22]

if the new car factor is not an issue for you then why dont you look after few used bmws though you might have to go little extra over your budget.

otherwise you can consider laura l&k and pete it after some time..

[diki24]

Thanks for such quick responses!!
I was extremely upbeat about Laura. My cousin had one (L&K) and i was stunned with the level of gadgetery that it provided, almost everything that the cars like BMW 3 series or Audi provide. I also drove it then and found the ride pretty good with the Doors "thud" sound and interior feel and comfort. Though i found it a bit lazy in terms of pulling at lower speeds.
However in less than 6 months, the car had some problem with electronics and as a result he couldnt use it from almost a month. Fed up with it, he sold it immediately once the thing was sorted out.
Since then i have been skeptical on laura. After going through many forums i found that there have been lot of ownership problems with many users with Service and also failures. Still i might be wrong so i havent ruled out Laura completely. however if i have to i woudl definitely go for ambiente as almost 20 Lacs OTR for L&K doesnt justify. I woudl rather go for Accord if that being the price.
If you ask me, i would be ready to bargain FE anytime for Servicing problems.

I would like to know what most people feel about Automatic. I am keen on it but not sure if it is fun to drive and also if it makes life easier.

Sahil, yes Outlander seems like a good option. I am eagerly waiting for its review and hopefuly a TD over this weekend.

[harry10]

Consider Corolla Altis and Honda Civic as well as both are great in there own terms. As your driving Kms are quiet low diesel is not your priority so you can check the Honda CRV, Outlander in Suv's.
Try to avoid the Laura and superb or even Jetta as Skoda service is not good and for piece of mind why get into something like that!

[diki24]

Harry10, How is Civic Auto? Almost everyone who i know and who own a civic have a manual version. Also do you think Corolla Auto which is 4 Speed be good enough on highway drives?

Ashish, do you have an idea how much would a used BMW 320d, cost? also what other premium vehicle options would be there be at the said range. I dont like the old Audi A4, so that is ruled out.
Between a Laura and used BMW 320d, i would go for the later anyday, :-)

[Ym-enjn]

As per my knowledge these are the forth coming models in your range:

1. New Grand Vitara 2.4
2. Facelift Civic
3. Facelift Laura (As new Octavia images are out abroad)

May be if you like any of these then worth waiting or else you have good choice in SUVs which are just a little over your budget.

[HotChillyPepper]

If you can wait till next year, why dont you consider Chevy Cruze? Check out http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...utomobile.html

[rangaraj]

Originally Posted by carbaliga

- i would recommend the Captiva - Very worthy SUV, all the bells and frills and luxurious/spacious too. The 3 Yr maintenance holiday is a big plus.

Not applicable to the captiva.. it does to the rest of the fleet..
General Motors - COO

[Guna]

I think Laura RS is on cards. Not sure about the date of launch.

[AbhiJ]

Try to TD the Outlander. Its well equipped and reviews sound good.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by diki24

Harry10, How is Civic Auto? Almost everyone who i know and who own a civic have a manual version. Also do you think Corolla Auto which is 4 Speed be good enough on highway drives?

Ashish, do you have an idea how much would a used BMW 320d, cost? also what other premium vehicle options would be there be at the said range. I dont like the old Audi A4, so that is ruled out.
Between a Laura and used BMW 320d, i would go for the later anyday, :-)

More comfortable than the manual no doubt but i find the driving pleasure more in the manual (somehow i always find AT for the lazy and leisure loving, for driving Enthus like me its manual always). Also Auto was a tad slower, can anyone confirm?

[Vid6639]

Yes the accord does have some basic features missing like xenons, trip computer, steering mounted audio controls. It makes up with it's engine and comfort. For a 20L budget it's actually a no brainer. You get the maximum car for your cash in the Accord.

I have also become skeptical of the european brands like VW and Skoda. If it is your only car then I woudn't recommend them. If anything were to go wrong the down time at the garage is very long.

The CR-V 2L 2WD is a good buy but problem is again CBU and expensive parts.

The civic and Altis make more sense in crowded bangalore roads as they are smaller than accord and easier to drive in our traffic conditions. Moreover they are very reliable cars and you really cant go wrong with either.

The Outlander is very good but on road price bangalore is 24.65L. Not sure if you can stretch your budget so much.

[DocG]

I would implore you to stay away from Skoda and VW...You'll break the bank servicing them.

Cars to go for below your budget:
1) Altis [Sensible buy, you won't regret it, new version has tons of tech]
2) Civic [Not a fan of the current civic, but it's popular]

At your budget:
1) Accord [Best car at your budget]
2) Embera [Not a fan of the badge, but have a friend who has 5 Accords, and still loves his Embera...I don't though, must be my anti-Hyundai nature]
3) C-RV 2.0 [Hate the looks, but it is a good car]

Above your budget:
1) Outlander [The latest offering from HM-Mitsubishi, good technology, and a good attitude, not skimping out on any goodies]
2) Camry [Overpriced, but a badge to match, and oodles of comfort, and a love it of hate it style]
3) A member of The German Trio

Difference between an auto and a manual transmission car:

Slush boxes are good in traffic, not exactly enthusiastic, but they can hold their own on the highways...I doubt you'll do speeds over 180, well the Corolla with it's 4-speed can touch that without all too much effort, gearing in the Corolla is quite smart, and it's really comfortable in traffic. Been driving it 3 years, before finally getting bored of the car...But then again I'm 21! I needed more power, so now I drive a manual Accord...It's a great car too...

A.S.S. wise, Honda is around the same price as Toyota, both are reliable...

You being from Bangalore I'd suggest the Altis auto, save the rest of the money, or spend it adding performance goodies to the car...It'll help you keep stress to a minimum in Bangalore traffic...Trust me, I would know...

**User experience**
Since I changed my car, the manual is fun when traffic is low on the highways, the Accord is also larger, so I have changed my driving style, a lot, and am really careful no one scratches my car, so I end up taking a longer time than the slightly smaller Corolla. The manual has me shifting way too much..And every evening for the past few weeks, my ankles pain when I get back in the evenings...

Therefore I still use my Corolla when I have to drive in break-neck traffic, and my manual Accord for highway fun...