[drchernish]

First pictures of the new cruze which has been launched in europe.I think the present model looks better both at fog light area and interior central console inspite of the touch screen.What do you say guys?Pictures courtesy the Lucky car owner.

[kch82]

This is turning out to be heart breaking..I think I might have to drop the plans of buying the Cruze AT as after much market research and insights from friends and relatives in the automobile industry - they all strongly suggest against the Cruze for reasons of minimal resale value (I also randomly checked with 3-4 known used cars dealers) and not worth spending 17L on "brand like Chevrolet". Again emphasis was made on the deep dropping sale numbers of the Cruze despite the engine upgrade. I have been told varying statements that a company that cannot offer even decent tyres for a premium vehicle, really reflects on it's credibility. I love the car..but I also feel it might not be a financially sensible buy, considering I will have to anyways stretch my budget a lot to buy it.

On a repeater note, TD the Fleunce Petrol...another very impressive car which was let down due to poor marketing and pricing.

[anb]

Originally Posted by kch82

after much market research and insights from friends and relatives in the automobile industry - they all strongly suggest against the Cruze for reasons of minimal resale value (I also randomly checked with 3-4 known used cars dealers) and not worth spending 17L on "brand like Chevrolet". Again emphasis was made on the deep dropping sale numbers of the Cruze despite the engine upgrade. I have been told varying statements that a company that cannot offer even decent tyres for a premium vehicle, really reflects on it's credibility.

On a repeater note, TD the Fleunce Petrol...another very impressive car which was let down due to poor marketing and pricing.

That's a very much surprising market research! Minimum resale value for Cruze ? Can you show one example? According to my opinion the resale value of Petrol Fluence will be a disaster. You have always the option to upgrade to better tyres. Skoda Laura and VW Jetta come with crappy Eagle NCT5, which is the next worst tyre after JK Vectra. Does it reflect VW's credibility?

[kch82]

Originally Posted by anb

That's a very much surprising market research! Minimum resale value for Cruze ? Can you show one example? According to my opinion the resale value of Petrol Fluence will be a disaster. You have always the option to upgrade to better tyres. Skoda Laura and VW Jetta come with crappy Eagle NCT5, which is the next worst tyre after JK Vectra. Does it reflect VW's credibility?

I take your point . But I checked with a couple of Mahindra First Choice and a few local dealers in Delhi NCR and they spoke the same language - a 2011 Cruze AT in mint condition will at best fetch nearing 9 -10 L whilst a Laura will any day would go for 12-13L minimum. Considering the difference in price of the two on road in Delhi is around 50 k and the resale difference much huge. I remember in Lucknow I saw a black Cruze AT March - April 2011 model with 18000 km done, on resale for 9.50 L and still did not get buyers for the longest time due to the price.

The Jetta in my view and as per a lot comparison road tests, is the number one car. However the price is extremely unjustified for the package.

[mobike008]

Kch82, I am following your confusion for some time now and I am not saying this just because I own the Cruze and please dont feel offended for what I have to say

You seem to be really confused whether to buy the Cruze or not. You seem to be sold and at the same time your not. You seem to change your mind on hearsay and bring other cars into equation which are either not VFM (Jetta) or a resale disaster (Fluence). Besides adding another confusion angle to your decision of waiting for the new Cruze that is supposedly coming during Diwali ( Even if thats true, current Cruze looks way better than the new one)

IMHO, Choice in this segment finally and usually boils down to only 2 cars. It's either the Laura or a Cruze. Both are fast diesels and offer plenty of driving pleasure and frugal at the same time. I dont feel any other car can come any closer to what they offer in that price range (each offering their own set of features that a prospective buyer will like and decide to buy that specific car). Both are equally good cars and will provide good ownership experience.

With regards to resale value. I regularly scan the Hyderabad market for a pre-owned Cruze. Trust me, most of the times, I dont see a single car up for sale despite its not 3 years since it first released. Very rarely I come across 1-2 odd meaning folks who are buying are not letting go of it so easily translating to a decent resale value.

There are plenty of comprehensive Cruze ownership on the forum (including mine) which give you detailed insights of what it takes to own a Cruze. I dont think there is a single owner on the forum who is not in love with his Cruze and/or has had a bad experience with the dealership. Some (like me) have received exceptional service while others received reasonably good service from the A.S.S.

And, discarding a car because someone says that the company isnt providing a premium set of stock tyres seems like very immature way of looking at things. Some of the best cars in India came with crappy stock tyres (Fiesta, Swift etc) and is not parameter to discard a good car.

Finally, what matters is whether you really like the car. If yes, decision making shouldnt be so tough. If you still cannot make a call, then wish you good luck for whichever car you finally decide to purchase.

[kch82]

Thanks mobike008 for your candid response. You have rightly sensed my state of mind. Bottom Line - I love the Cruze !!! It is a driver's car. I have driven the Laura a few times and never liked the car that much when compared to the Cruze.

It is just that the Cruze is landing up to be around 4-5 L more than my comfortable budget so like every nervous buyer, I just want to make sure that I am getting my money's worth. I also agree with your remarks on the tyres and in case I buy the Cruze, I should be ready to pay another few thousands to get the tyres replaces straight away (for which I will bother you again).

I think I should be able to make up my mind in the next few days and go for the kill.

Again appreciate your inputs and I have always followed your posts with sincerity.

[anb]

Originally Posted by kch82

But I checked with a couple of Mahindra First Choice and a few local dealers in Delhi NCR and they spoke the same language - a 2011 Cruze AT in mint condition will at best fetch nearing 9 -10 L whilst a Laura will any day would go for 12-13L minimum. Considering the difference in price of the two on road in Delhi is around 50 k and the resale difference much huge. I remember in Lucknow I saw a black Cruze AT March - April 2011 model with 18000 km done, on resale for 9.50 L and still did not get buyers for the longest time due to the price.

These are the prices of Cruze LTZ AT and Laura Ambiente 2.0 CR TDI from carwale website. These are almost the same. Prices are around 11-12.5 lakh. You have been misinformed. Check the team-bhp classified also.
Prices are from www.carwale.com

[kch82]

anb - Without ignoring mobike008's valuable response and yours as well, on a separate note, I think there is a lot of difference between what the price demanded by a seller and the actual price on which a car is finally sold. Also the duration taken to sell a used car matters in the over all picture. This can apply to both the Lauras and Cruzes.

Thanks for your efforts in providing this table. Appreciate it.

[drchernish]

Those in doubt regarding cruze should go for a longish drive in it-all questions and doubts will be answered.I am having a heavenly drive in my demo cruze-enjoying automatic lights n wipers(the look was to be seen on my wife's face when the wipers started on their own and even controlled their speed according to the rain intensity or seeing the rain drops on the sunroof-priceless(would not have been possible in Laura) or setting the temp on climate control and forgetting about it or key-less entry-these are the things which will give you a smile every time and the beautiful and refined drive).Agree that Jetta is a great car but at that price point or even below that price point I cannot live without creature comforts. Don't want the people who will eventually sit in my car to tell me -oh your car doesn't have this -even my i20 or swift has it or even my vento (climate control) has it-that can kill every tom dick and hari puttar who has just spend 2 million rs.I respect every ones choices but for me the choice is made and there are no doubts.

[nik_kapur]

Originally Posted by drchernish

Those in doubt regarding cruze should go for a longish drive in it-all questions and doubts will be answered.I am having a heavenly drive in my demo cruze-enjoying automatic lights n wipers(the look was to be seen on my wife's face when the wipers started on their own and even controlled their speed according to the rain intensity or seeing the rain drops on the sunroof-priceless(would not have been possible in Laura) or setting the temp on climate control and forgetting about it or key-less entry-these are the things which will give you a smile every time and the beautiful and refined drive).Agree that Jetta is a great car but at that price point or even below that price point I cannot live without creature comforts. Don't want the people who will eventually sit in my car to tell me -oh your car doesn't have this -even my i20 or swift has it or even my vento (climate control) has it-that can kill every tom dick and hari puttar who has just spend 2 million rs.I respect every ones choices but for me the choice is made and there are no doubts.

I may have met my match in you! I wont be able to deal with a tom dick and harry ask me why my 2 Mill Rs. car has a Manual AC ! More than the feature, the fact that i may be asked that question worries me

Originally Posted by drchernish

First pictures of the new cruze which has been launched in europe.I think the present model looks better both at fog light area and interior central console inspite of the touch screen.What do you say guys?Pictures courtesy the Lucky car owner.

The new Interior is worth waiting for IMHO. Looks really hi tech.

[kch82]

Thanks to the recent posts, I am quite pepped to take the next step towards the Cruze. In fact I am shall be visiting a dealer soon to try and work out a purchase. However before I do that, I would like some advise on the following:

1. What is the possible discount I can work out with a dealer ? Members who purchase the 2012 Cruze AT - please advise.

2. Considering the necessity for stock tyres replacement - I read many post on the various options (CPC 2, Yokos, Michelin) available with a difference in a size or two. However for peace of mind, I would like to stick to the exact same stock size only. Irrespective of the increase of fall in performance. What I could understand is that the JK's should get me a buy back of 4000-5000 per tyre or for the entire set of 4 -5 tyres ? Since I do not want to spend much on the tyres, how much will the 4-5 replacement tyres cost me and in what make ?

3. Phone Bluetooth connectivity is important for me and to the best of my knowledge even the 2012 upgrade does not offer the same. What are the after market alternatives that I have ? I am not interested in changing the HU with a Caska or MegaAudio at this stage (and in my humble opinion I would like the replacement unit to be of a better make than these two). Does any navigation system from Map My India etc provide bluetooth connectivity for phones as well - that work flawlessly.

I would in particular appreciate inputs on 1 & 2 above at this stage. Will keep you all posted.

Thanks.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by kch82

Thanks to the recent posts, I am quite pepped to take the next step towards the Cruze.

Congrats. Hope we didnt force the decision on you?

Originally Posted by kch82

1. What is the possible discount I can work out with a dealer ? Members who purchase the 2012 Cruze AT - please advise

Normally there are no discounts on Cruze except they give 10K-15K in the name of corporate discount. Ensure you take out this amount from ex-showroom price as dealers smartly remove it from OTR price.

You can ask for lot of freebies like :-

1. LED signal on Mirror
2. Mats
3. Body Cover
4. Teflon Coat Vouchers

Also, dont take their insurance offer as its always inflated. You get atleast 30% cheaper insurance offer from outside. If dealer matches that price then take it from them

Originally Posted by kch82

2. Considering the necessity for stock tyres replacement - I read many post on the various options (CPC 2, Yokos, Michelin) available with a difference in a size or two. However for peace of mind, I would like to stick to the exact same stock size only. Irrespective of the increase of fall in performance. What I could understand is that the JK's should get me a buy back of 4000-5000 per tyre or for the entire set of 4 -5 tyres ? Since I do not want to spend much on the tyres, how much will the 4-5 replacement tyres cost me and in what make ?

Good choice of sticking to OEM size. All 3 brands that you listed are good brands. You choose what you think is best. I am on CPC2 and totally love the tyres and they make a huge difference to overall performance of the car.

Whatever is current MRP price of JK tyre ( it was 4500 when i sold it) the tyre dealer for a brand new tyre should give you Rs.500 less meaning. Rs.4000 per tyre

Difference is roughly Rs.6000 per tyre if you choose any of the brands listed above.

So you will end of paying Rs.6000 X 5 = Rs.30,000 after exchanging your stock JK tyres.

[kch82]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Congrats. Hope we didnt force the decision on you?

Normally there are no discounts on Cruze except they give 10K-15K in the name of corporate discount. Ensure you take out this amount from ex-showroom price as dealers smartly remove it from OTR price.

Thanks. Have you faced the problem of your left knee every now and then rubbing against the AC blower knob on the centre console and increasing or decreasing the settings. When I drove it last, this seemed to worry me a lot as such sudden change of blower speed can be distracting. I have a habit of driving automatics with my left knee slightly folded- enough to turn the knob.

[drchernish]

If your leg is placed comfortably on the foot rest then it will not have this problem-adjust it with the help of the electric adjustment and that should solve this problem. I solved it that way- hope it helps.

[SedatedDrive]

Originally Posted by kch82

This is turning out to be heart breaking..I think I might have to drop the plans of buying the Cruze AT as after much market research and insights from friends and relatives in the automobile industry - they all strongly suggest against the Cruze for reasons of minimal resale value (I also randomly checked with 3-4 known used cars dealers) and not worth spending 17L on "brand like Chevrolet". Again emphasis was made on the deep dropping sale numbers of the Cruze despite the engine upgrade. I have been told varying statements that a company that cannot offer even decent tyres for a premium vehicle, really reflects on it's credibility. I love the car..but I also feel it might not be a financially sensible buy, considering I will have to anyways stretch my budget a lot to buy it.

If you love the Cruze go for it. Going with your heart, you will never regret it because you will be happy.

I just wanted to tell you as I made a similar decision (cancelled Honda City booking for Cruze). For me, the Cruze is a great car. I am right now not at all happy with the service dealer in Chennai. But I hear great reviews about dealers in other cities (Bangalore and Hyderabad).

Regarding resale values, all D1 segment cars don't have decent resale value. The reason is D1 segment new car buyers are the middle peck. They tend to buy new cars more so than used ones because D1 cars are not "that" expensive. Many people who buy used D1 were those who previously owned cars from a lower segment and have options of very competitive C3 segment cars. Basically, as you go up higher in category, the resale dividend tends to be lesser. The only exception being the Innova 2.5L.

My personal advice to you is to sell cars on your own instead of through dealers. If you take good care of your car, then you will get good offers that you entirely deserve. For instance I sold my 5 year old Swift Zxi 4 months ago for 3.75L in Chennai.

Originally Posted by GTO

The Jetta is superior in nearly every way. The engine is far more driveable, the gearbox slicker, the ride & handling a level or two up, more space on the inside and better quality too. It just feels like a more "complete" car. The one area where the Cruze might emerge on top is long-term reliability (Korean vs European reliability).

The Cruze is based on Opel's Delta 2 platform and was jointly engineered by GM Daewoo and GM Opel. I guess that is why it has that unique ruggedness and solid built-like-a-tank feel.

Note to Mods: Kindly combine my last two posts. I forgot which page I was on while replying to two different posts. Thank you.