A new Gear-less Scooter, or a Used Car?

silversteed · 8th November 2010, 14:56

This is about the dilemma faced by a friend of mine, a girl. She's working in Coimbatore city, and goes to her hometown for the weekend. She needs a vehicle to roam around - not too much, but to do her errands, meet friends once in a while, etc. She's willing to spend close to 60k for the "vehicle".

Her parents are of the opinion that it's better to go for a used car (price bracket not specified, but I assume 100-150k). Their PoV is, she can use the car to go home (100km one way) as well as satisfy her commuting needs.

Here's how I've analysed the situation:
Pros of a new scooter:
- Less initial investment, compared to a "good, well maintained" used car
- Lower running costs
- Parking is a breeze
- Being new, lower probability of niggles compared to a car
Cons of a new scooter:
- Very limited luggage space
- Difficult to take it on a highway
- Less safe
- Less protection from the elements

Options that I've suggested: Honda Dio (Activa, Aviator ruled out because she finds them very heavy), TVS Wego, TVS Scooty Streak (most probably this will be out because of comparatively less power)
[Please add the other options as well]

Pros of a used car:
- Protection
- Safety
- Can take out parents on a drive
- Luggage space
Cons of a used car:
- Difficult to get a good, well maintained one
- The cost factor
- Running costs would be higher
- Parking

She's not an expert driver, and she hardly drives their car. Therefore I doubt if it'll be an overkill for her to drive on the busy NH-47. She learnt riding a scooter very recently. She's good at that.

Considering all the above points, is there anything more that I should be telling her, so that she can reach a decision?

I thought of having a healthy discussion on this topic, as there would be many people who would be thinking on similar lines, or people who would like to upgrade their old two-wheeler to a better one, etc. More importantly, my mom who's currently using a Scooty Pep also has some long-term plans of an upgrade.

MODS, please move it to the relevant section, if I'm posting at the wrong place.

sachinj12 · 8th November 2010, 15:23

If she is willing to plonk, ask her to go ahead with the car. None of us are born expert drivers, we just learn the tricks of the trade, don't we?

Its a matter of time,she will get used to driving. The biggest possible advantage of scooter I can think of is the ease of maneuverability and parking. In all other aspects, car wins.

vasanthn21 · 8th November 2010, 15:55

I would recommend a used car (especially for ladies). Reasons being:

1. Safety from Injury (in case of accidents): worst case, the car would be damaged. Falling off from 2 wheelers can be dangerous. Especially because of the driving sense and "raod crossing" sense (if I may say so) of Indians! Even the most experienced and careful riders have had nasty falls! This point applies as long as she learns to drive properly and is no danger to other drivers/riders!

2. Personal safety: Be it driving on highways/lonely roads/during rains/at nights, being inside a car is mush safer than being on a 2 wheeler.

Most of the other points are covered by you.

phamilyman · 8th November 2010, 16:19

She will get old abused cars in that price, unless its a palio. even then, headaches can be there. scooter= reliability, lots of ease of use.

why assume it for highways? the same men who would harass a woman driver in a car would harass a woman driver on an activa. depends on the area really.

theexperthand · 8th November 2010, 16:34

If she is not too keen on highway runs to her hometown, a new gearless scooter will be what I will suggest.
A used car in that price bracket (100-150K) will come with its fair shre of niggles, and copared to that, a new gearless scooter will give her peace of mind for years.

Among the gearless scooter options, do check out Mahindra Rodeo \ Flyte. I found them pretty good, and my FIL have purchased Rodeo recently in native - I took it for some drives on country roads and state highways, and was really impressed with the handling, pickup and breaking.

aargee · 8th November 2010, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phamilyman

She will get old abused cars in that price, unless its a palio. even then, headaches can be there. scooter= reliability, lots of ease of use.

Very very true

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phamilyman

why assume it for highways? the same men who would harass a woman driver in a car would harass a woman driver on an activa. depends on the area really

+1; add to that one more point on the cons of owning a car - taking a car to highway for a weekend drive will only increase the cost of living.

@Silversteed - IMHO, comparing a new scooter & an used car are totally different & you know well about it. Riding a scooter for 200 Kms during weekend is totally not advisable & owning a car for 60K will only get to spend more time in workshop than on road. Even if we assume that she gets an excellent piece, then would she be able to bear the running costs?

silversteed · 8th November 2010, 16:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by theexperthand

If she is not too keen on highway runs to her hometown, a new gearless scooter will be what I will suggest.
A used car in that price bracket (100-150K) will come with its fair shre of niggles, and copared to that, a new gearless scooter will give her peace of mind for years.

That's exactly what I have in mind.

If I were to choose a car that I'd use for this kind of use (200km highways + some 20-40km city runs on weekdays), I would prefer a diesel and that won't fit into the 100-150k bracket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Among the gearless scooter options, do check out Mahindra Rodeo \ Flyte

Point noted

@Others: Thanks for sharing your thoughts, keep them coming.

I would like to underline the fact that getting a used car that has been maintained well and without any major accidents, is really a pain. I myself have gone through this when we were in the process of buying our first car (We settled down for a brand new one after getting fed up with running around).

EDIT:

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee

add to that one more point on the cons of owning a car - taking a car to highway for a weekend drive will only increase the cost of living.

That's right. Thanks for pointing out

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee

comparing a new scooter & a used car are totally different & you know well about it. Riding a scooter for 200 Kms during weekend is totally not advisable & owning a car for 60K will only get to spend more time in workshop than on road. Even if we assume that she gets an excellent piece, then would she be able to bear the running costs?

Let me make it clear:
(New) Scooter = City rides ONLY. She'll use KeSRTC buses to go home
(Used) Car = City rides + homeward trips. Adios to buses

You're right that it's unfair to compare a new scooter to a used car. But not everyone is like us. People do compare things belonging to the same price bracket.

I still remember an old mechanic who happened to see my friend's CBZ. On coming to know it's price tag, he told us that you can get a used Omni with LPG-kit for the price of the CBZ (the old one, ~70k OTR, 2002/3). And we were

@phamilyman: You're right on the bullying part.

avi550m · 8th November 2010, 17:02

I would say go in for a used car, the benefits of safety, comfort and the freedom to go home (the 100km drive) when you want to, and not being dependent on buses or trains, is definitely worth it. Of course, the big problem is finding an easy to drive, well maintained one for the budget. The only one I can think of is a used 800.

If a scooter, go in for the Wego or Dio instead of the Scooty. She would definitely want more power, for ease of riding.

insidious · 8th November 2010, 17:40

Do note the point that if it's raining, she'd have a far easier time with the car. Besides, it's a lot safer. Traffic is chaotic in Coimbatore, and buses and trucks find it very convenient to bully any sort of traffic in front. In such a case, if you can find a decent, used car for that price bracket, I think it'd make a lot more sense.

And about the long term running costs of the car, well, over a period of time, if she's willing to, she can install an LPG kit in the car. That'll make the running costs a lot cheaper.

You pointed it out yourself - both the options have a fair bit of pros. But given my opinion, I think that a car would be a better option for her.

8th November 2010, 14:56	#1
silversteed Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Electri-City Posts: 2,335 Thanked: 2,194 Times	A new Gear-less Scooter, or a Used Car? This is about the dilemma faced by a friend of mine, a girl. She's working in Coimbatore city, and goes to her hometown for the weekend. She needs a vehicle to roam around - not too much, but to do her errands, meet friends once in a while, etc. She's willing to spend close to 60k for the "vehicle". Her parents are of the opinion that it's better to go for a used car (price bracket not specified, but I assume 100-150k). Their PoV is, she can use the car to go home (100km one way) as well as satisfy her commuting needs. Here's how I've analysed the situation: Pros of a new scooter: - Less initial investment, compared to a "good, well maintained" used car - Lower running costs - Parking is a breeze - Being new, lower probability of niggles compared to a car Cons of a new scooter: - Very limited luggage space - Difficult to take it on a highway - Less safe - Less protection from the elements Options that I've suggested: Honda Dio (Activa, Aviator ruled out because she finds them very heavy), TVS Wego, TVS Scooty Streak (most probably this will be out because of comparatively less power) [Please add the other options as well] Pros of a used car: - Protection - Safety - Can take out parents on a drive - Luggage space Cons of a used car: - Difficult to get a good, well maintained one - The cost factor - Running costs would be higher - Parking She's not an expert driver, and she hardly drives their car. Therefore I doubt if it'll be an overkill for her to drive on the busy NH-47. She learnt riding a scooter very recently. She's good at that. Considering all the above points, is there anything more that I should be telling her, so that she can reach a decision? I thought of having a healthy discussion on this topic, as there would be many people who would be thinking on similar lines, or people who would like to upgrade their old two-wheeler to a better one, etc. More importantly, my mom who's currently using a Scooty Pep also has some long-term plans of an upgrade. MODS, please move it to the relevant section, if I'm posting at the wrong place. Last edited by silversteed : 8th November 2010 at 15:04.
	() Thanks

8th November 2010, 15:23	#2
sachinj12 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,187 Thanked: 168 Times	If she is willing to plonk, ask her to go ahead with the car. None of us are born expert drivers, we just learn the tricks of the trade, don't we? Its a matter of time,she will get used to driving. The biggest possible advantage of scooter I can think of is the ease of maneuverability and parking. In all other aspects, car wins.
	() Thanks

8th November 2010, 15:55	#3
vasanthn21 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 811 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	I would recommend a used car (especially for ladies). Reasons being: 1. Safety from Injury (in case of accidents): worst case, the car would be damaged. Falling off from 2 wheelers can be dangerous. Especially because of the driving sense and "raod crossing" sense (if I may say so) of Indians! Even the most experienced and careful riders have had nasty falls! This point applies as long as she learns to drive properly and is no danger to other drivers/riders! 2. Personal safety: Be it driving on highways/lonely roads/during rains/at nights, being inside a car is mush safer than being on a 2 wheeler. Most of the other points are covered by you.
	() Thanks

8th November 2010, 16:19	#4
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,968 Thanked: 4,642 Times	She will get old abused cars in that price, unless its a palio. even then, headaches can be there. scooter= reliability, lots of ease of use. why assume it for highways? the same men who would harass a woman driver in a car would harass a woman driver on an activa. depends on the area really.
	() Thanks

8th November 2010, 16:34	#5
theexperthand Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,633 Thanked: 2,448 Times View My Garage	If she is not too keen on highway runs to her hometown, a new gearless scooter will be what I will suggest. A used car in that price bracket (100-150K) will come with its fair shre of niggles, and copared to that, a new gearless scooter will give her peace of mind for years. Among the gearless scooter options, do check out Mahindra Rodeo \ Flyte. I found them pretty good, and my FIL have purchased Rodeo recently in native - I took it for some drives on country roads and state highways, and was really impressed with the handling, pickup and breaking.
	() Thanks

8th November 2010, 17:02	#8
avi550m BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 253 Thanked: 307 Times	I would say go in for a used car, the benefits of safety, comfort and the freedom to go home (the 100km drive) when you want to, and not being dependent on buses or trains, is definitely worth it. Of course, the big problem is finding an easy to drive, well maintained one for the budget. The only one I can think of is a used 800. If a scooter, go in for the Wego or Dio instead of the Scooty. She would definitely want more power, for ease of riding.
	() Thanks

8th November 2010, 17:40	#9
insidious Newbie Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 21 Thanked: Once	Do note the point that if it's raining, she'd have a far easier time with the car. Besides, it's a lot safer. Traffic is chaotic in Coimbatore, and buses and trucks find it very convenient to bully any sort of traffic in front. In such a case, if you can find a decent, used car for that price bracket, I think it'd make a lot more sense. And about the long term running costs of the car, well, over a period of time, if she's willing to, she can install an LPG kit in the car. That'll make the running costs a lot cheaper. You pointed it out yourself - both the options have a fair bit of pros. But given my opinion, I think that a car would be a better option for her.
	() Thanks