[nura]

Originally Posted by magikrider

what would you guys suggest when buying a new car, EMI or buying in full DP if you have the money then and thus enjoying the EMI free car all the way! would like to get some expert opinions here if possible.

I am no expert but here's my 2-penny bit anyway. If you take a loan, you have to pay interest. If you pay for the car from your own funds, you lose the opportunity to earn from these funds. So you need to decide which is more profitable for you.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by magikrider

but I must say one thing, I dont like the way the Japs build their cars these days... so after a few years your car will start showing body problems! a little shake here and a little rattle there! thats sad.. and you might eventually start thinking about buying a new one instead.
the europeans are still built to last. thats why I would prefer a european over a Japanese anyday.

I disagree. Modern Japs are becoming increasingly more solid in build (new Altis, Civic, Accord, Camry etc. are prime examples). Plus, the most you'd get is a rattle here and there. Compare that to the Euros who, with their complex electronics, are too damn expensive to maintain. Not to mention, the reliability is not a match to the Japs, while parts & service cost a lot more. Over 1.5 lakh kms, a Jap car will be infinitely more reliable as well as cheaper to service.

I remember I had changed my hubcaps with funky alloy-lookalike wheel covers but eventually got them removed and installed the regular factofy hubcaps after those wheelcovers got cracks and started making rattling sounds.

That's more to do with the inferior quality of those wheel covers. Plenty of high quality options available in the after-market. And the best brands from around the world are making their way here.

so better get the best options on accsesories you want from the company itself.

Sure, if you don't mind paying 3 times the actual cost. Otherwise, guys like me will look at reliable after-market vendors.

Originally Posted by nura

The odo is going to touch 73K km pretty soon & am wondering if I should start looking for a buyer when it crosses 100K.
Thanks, GTO, for this wonderful thread.

Yes, you'd probably touch 100K odo in the next 3 years. Then, its the perfect time to sell her off.

Originally Posted by overdose14

Off Topic: Over here in Canada average car owner keeps the car for more then 8 years.

Is that an official statistic? If so, Canadians are an extremely smart bunch.

Originally Posted by nura

I am no expert but here's my 2-penny bit anyway. If you take a loan, you have to pay interest. If you pay for the car from your own funds, you lose the opportunity to earn from these funds. So you need to decide which is more profitable for you.

True. Depends entirely on individual circumstances. For instance, a businessowner would take the loan anyways since he doesn't want to lock capital into a car. Further, he could get tax benefits on the interest part, or could also consider a lease (with buyout option at tenure end). Or there could be an investment scheme where the returns are greater than the loan interest.

[HIGHNOON]

[quote=magikrider;1224513]but I must say one thing, I dont like the way the Japs build their cars these days... so after a few years your car will start showing body problems! a little shake here and a little rattle there! thats sad.. and you might eventually start thinking about buying a new one instead.
the europeans are still built to last. thats why I would prefer a european over a Japanese anyday.
My feelings exactly. ...But The koreans arent too far behind the europeans / americans.
My car ( Hyundai Accent ) is as tight and rattle free as she ever was. On the other hand buy a used SUZUKI and no amount of money spent can make her feel less LOOSE. After putting so much money in it; the car better give you the satisfaction of driving a well maintened car which is not my experience with 800 & zen.
a FEW MONTHS BACK WE WERE LOOKING TO BUY a second car - a petrol hatchback for my wife. Did quite a few rounds of AutomartIndia , Spectra true value etc. Almost every santro we took a TD felt better than the altos, wagon r, zen etc.
Alto demands good premium in the used car segments of small car , but all the cars we drove some even with low mileage & very good bodylines feels quite run down.
Confirms my belief that Hyundai vehicles have better built quality and the components are built to last than the maruti ones.
The irony is that amount of money spent on procuring genuine quality spares and keeping a suzuki car in good state is so far less than the bomb required to fix a Ikon / palio except maybe exception of baleno.

[Buffetfan]

I just wanted to add...57000 Kms of drive in my Baleno and the car is really rattle free at least till date.....on the other hands I have seen new Maruti Swift's developing rattle inside their dashboards pretty soon.
So it also differs by model. It is really unfair to compare a car which is a segment lower to Accent (which is wwhere most of the Maruti models sold are / were apart from Baleno and the recently launched (as far as rattle development is concerned..1-2 years is recent) SX4/Dzire.

[kannan666]

I love all my cars too much to even think of selling them off ! And because I cannot do that, I've no more place left in my garage to accomodate any new ones ! I'm certainly not complaining though......

[vak]

Dear GTO,

Thanks for starting this very educative thread.

I have an Accent CRDi which has done 90,000 km. I bought the car new in 2004 and is now 4.5 years old. I was actually going to upgrade my car, but after going through this thread I have decided to keep it atleast for two more years.

The car still has the grunt to beat the innovas and scorpios at the traffic lights. It still runs very well, thank god. I have changed the engine oil at every 5000km through out its life and has looked after the car very well.

Meanwhile I have sold my other car which was an Indica and bought a new Swift VDi. Now I feel that, I sould have kept the Indica and bought the Swift. The Indica had only 80k on the odo.

[VMG]

Thanks to GTO.

In the past, I have changed my cars(Esteem, Lancer and Scorpio) in 4 years ( with about 45K KM) to the new one.
After seen GTO's calculation I have decided to keep my Cedia for minimum 7-8 years or upto 1 Lac KM.

[gultajkanwal]

makes sense. and its quite an equation. but the old car always has an uncertainty variable of suffering some severe and expenive ofcourse breakdown because of the age of the car and its part. i feel some risk factor of that should also be included.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by vak

I have an Accent CRDi which has done 90,000 km. I bought the car new in 2004 and is now 4.5 years old. I was actually going to upgrade my car, but after going through this thread I have decided to keep it atleast for two more years.

Originally Posted by VMG

After seen GTO's calculation I have decided to keep my Cedia for minimum 7-8 years or upto 1 Lac KM.

Neat! While I have based the opening posts calculations on a 10 year ownership period, you have more to save for each year after the 5th. Even using the same car for 7 - 8 years can lead to substantial savings!

[kiren]

Originally Posted by GTO

Neat! While I have based the opening posts calculations on a 10 year ownership period, you have more to save for each year after the 5th. Even using the same car for 7 - 8 years can lead to substantial savings!

Excellent thread. You have made me rethink.

Whats your opinion when a car is extensively driven such as mine. I have an indica turbo 2006 model & have covered more than 1 lakh km within 3 years. My extended warantee expires next year. I have to keep the car in excellent condition always as i travel mostly alone and cannot afford the car breaking down. I have plans to buy a new vehicle either a scorpio, innova or a safari by march 2010 so that i can also use for family travel. And keep this vehicle as a reserve/emergency vehicle. A larger vehicle will also me to carry work related materials and indica cannot take our family of six with luggage.

[Meer]

Excellent thread GTO. Such calculations are only available to us in bits and pieces and we are never able to thread them together. The consequences are enormous as the final TCO suggests

Many folks sell their cars because:
1. It becomes costly to maintain, spares issue
2. The model is discontinued or going to be discontinued
3. Unethical folks - car had engine issue due to their mistakes or met with accident, sell it off to unsuspecting folks
4. Some realise that their initial car choice did not take all factors and the car they have is not one fit for purpose

While most of the folks sell for the unquenchable male desire for materialistic pleasure , buy new, buy better, dont be satisfied with what you have

Cheers

[GTO]

Originally Posted by kiren

Whats your opinion when a car is extensively driven such as mine. I have an indica turbo 2006 model & have covered more than 1 lakh km within 3 years. My extended warantee expires next year.

Wow, that's some heavy running @ 33,000 kms a year. I'd sell the Indica at the 4 year mark in this case, as it would have covered 1.3 lakh kms which is pretty much the top of the reliability window for an Indica.

Originally Posted by Meer

1. It becomes costly to maintain, spares issue

Not if you maintain the car well. My Vtec has been to the garage twice in the last two years (Jan '08 & Jan '09) for scheduled services

2. The model is discontinued or going to be discontinued

3 of the 4 cars I own have been discontinued You can say I have a thing for old cars and don't like too many of the new breed.

Some realise that their initial car choice did not take all factors and the car they have is not one fit for purpose

Good point. Very important to make the right choice to start with, or splurge a li'l extra (say 20 - 30%) and then save by keeping her for a longer time.

[zenx]

Another major reason to keep (if its doing fine mechanically) - just paid comprehensive insurance charges fro my 2001 OHC - 4870/- only
A new car that just sits in the garage costs a bomb more in terms of this expense alone! The difference buys me lots of fuel and trips.

[fast lane]

One thing that i wanted to mention here about USED CAR MARKET is thats I own two used cars - a Maruti Zen 1999 (1.8 Lakhs from True Value) and a Fiat Siena 1999 (90,000 from a pune dealer). Both cars perform well. A few rattles in the maruti, Siena is very silent. maruti of course has no service problems, parts are readily available.

Siena has a few parts problem - front brake calliper wire lock is getting difficult to get - ANY HELP? But I got the clutch (3450/-), lowerarms (4500/- for a pair), tie rod ends(2000/- for a pair) etc... very easily and also quite economically. Prices mentioned for comparision to other cities and also with other similar cars. Do reply on this aspect.

have got a good garage for the Siena - Modi Auto Care at Wanowrie Pune. Good service and also good workmanship. my vehicle is running fine.

Regards
fast lane.

[supremeBaleno]

Have sent a link to this thread to a friend who is planning to sell their 2003 Ikon Flair (working perfectly fine) for an SX4/Linea. Would help them make an informed decision.

A google search for "car upgrade or swap" has this thread as the first 2 results.

A few days ago GTS (Chennai tbhp-ian) had called to clear his dilemna of whether to sell his absolutely-no-issues 3-year old Baleno and instead get an SX4. Should have pointed him to this thread.