ARTICLE: YOUR 5 year old car : Keep, Upgrade or Swap?

[freakmuzik]

Another dilemma - Keep 2010 Nano LX or buy New GenX XT

Our Nano LX is out of warranty for one year and has run 37,000 approx and was doing pretty well except for some rattles, a bit tight clutch and gears, etc. As you all know the resale is hitting real low values as days pass by. Plus i need to change the full set tyres (Rs.10k) and maybe replace few components (starter motor, etc) total approx 8k. And also need to be prepared for such repairs as they may get frequent (just replaced the AC cooling coil for 4.5k a month back).

I'm been quoted Rs.65 k for my Nano plus 20k exchange Bonus. Market value is almost the same and most dealers are not even looking at used Nanos. So few years down the line, i'll get mere scrap value for my car.

So,

Option 1 - New GenX Nano XT - Rs. 2,97,000 on road - 85,000 for exchange = 2,10,000

Peace of mind for four years (warranty and AMC)
Better comfort, power steering, build quality, bigger fuel tank, openable boot, etc.
Can retain it easily for four years and will be a perfect city ride
Reasonable resale at the end of four years (hoping to be better than my existing nano)

Option 2 - Nano Twist XT - 2,86,000 - 25,000 cash discount & 90,000 for exchange - 1,70,000

Peace of mind for four years (warranty and AMC)
Power steering and better quality in comparison to my car
Much lesser resale value compared to GenX as Twist production has stopped.
Lack of openable boot and Fuel tank still at 15L.


Option 3 - Retain Existing Nano for another two three years and swap later

Will need to keep aside a minimum of 6,000 to 7,000 per year as the car might need clutch overhaul, brake change, suspension components, radiator (is expensive), AC condenser, etc and an immediate expenditure of around 20k for new tyres and some parts.
Will have to live with occasional niggles and troubles
Absolutely zero resale down the years.
Lesser convenience in comparison.


The only benefit of option 3 is the lack of investment of another 2 lacs at the moment. Also consider the fact that we are interested to keep a Nano (any model) in our garage as a second car for it's sheer brilliance in handling city roads and gaps.

Suggestions and opinions would be extremely helpful.

Cheers!

[hell_raiser]

Hello everyone,

Needed your advice on a key car decision for my folks. My parents are about to retire and move from rural India to Ahmedabad. They currently drive a 2006 manual Corolla which we bought used 4 years back for Rs 3.2 Lacs. The car drives well at 80k kms but is showing signs of age in terms of noise and suspension.

My dad just received an offer to buy a 08/2014 Octavia Elegance TDI. It is currently leased by my fathers colleague and is available to purchase at Rs 16 lacs with 11k kms on it.

Requirements:
- My folks will most likely use the car for a decent bit of peripheral road travel in Ahmedabad and maybe 1 trip a month to Rajasthan (5 hrs drive one way).
- Probably around 14-15k kms annually
- The car should be safe first and foremost
- Secondly service should not be too expensive and hassle free
- Thirdly it should be fun to drive

My folks might consider purchasing a Hyundai Creta if they do not buy this car. They like this car, however, since they have always wanted a nice car and my dad likes to drive by himself. The Skoda is a more exciting drive than the Corolla and the Creta. My primary concern is the service quality and secondly if there is any other car we might be missing out on sub 20 lac range. This is important since we will likely keep the car for 5-10 years. Any thoughts on this deal and pitfalls if we purchase the Skoda?

Thanks everyone!
HR

[lamborghini]

@hell raiser: given you want to keep the car for close to 1L kms, and want a peaceful ownership period for your parents - would recommend another Toyota. Main reasons being:
- The Corolla would be easier for your folks with its higher seating and lighter + simpler controls
- Peace of mind! The Skoda service experience depends on the dealership, but even then there will be rattles and the odd bits that would need replacing. Wait times are awful, and spare prices above average. If the Skoda dealer in Ahmedabad is similar to the chaps in Mumbai - then be prepared to send your car multiple times for every small thing. Even simpler things like bulbs - the Skoda bulbs are a little harder to source in the open market than the Toyota's.
- If this is a manual, would your father be comfortable with the heavier clutch?

If not the Corolla, the Elantra might be worth a look as well! In the pre-owned category, there are quite a few Sonata's, and Accords in the market.

[hell_raiser]

Thanks Lamborghini. Thats exactly where the mind is but my dads heart is set on the Skoda. Thats why we are looking for any alternatives.

HR

[VW2010]

@hell_raiser,

There is always a compromise on these two things sometimes. At 16L you enter a luxury used market. Is it costlier than to own a Toyota, absolutely yes. But will a Toyota give the same feeling as a luxury sedan like an used A4, BMW or even a Merc (between 16-20L), I don't think so.

At the same time thats what Skoda will give in the 1 segment below luxury.

All german cars are definitely a luck based purchase or a purchase made with confidence that you will be ready to spend a lot more.

A newer Skoda with 2-4 year skoda shield protects to for those 4 years for sure. That includes everything except the consumables like a clutch etc.

Again on an automatic, even the clutch is covered for those 4 years of skoda shield.

I own a jetta and now drive a Honda....Anyday the Jetta is my favorite over the Accord. The accord is no nonsense, easy to drive, honda reliability and maintenance and i have a 8 year warranty as it was used car. Peace of mind. But drivability and fun on road is not even close to what the Jetta was giving me in city riding let alone highway.

If not corolla as lamborghini said, its accord or elantra. I would check if accord has pre-used from dealer which will automatically comes with those warranty and they honor warranty better than any german cars.

If you want to give your parents a surprise and fun as a gift, go after a german car, used. Your parents wont regret.

[landcruiser123]

If they'll be only two people in the car, Creta makes sense over buying a used Octavia.

Although Octavia is a good car, here's reasons not to buy Octavia:

• Not so good dealer network
• Expensive parts
• It's a used car
• Maintenance maybe a headache

I think Creta makes sense as:

• Brand new car
• Hyundai great track record of reliability
• High 190 mm GC
• Excellent ASS
• New creta for the price of used octavia (Well.. almost)
• Excellent diesel with an option of an AT
• More compact for ease of city driving

If you dynamics+rough road capability,
check the S-Cross and Duster.

[Swapnil4585]

The Toyota Corolla Altis (Corolla for short), will probably be missing only the fun to drive element and build quality, when compared to the Skoda Octavia. But then it will give you the following, much more than the Octavia, if you're planning it to keep for a decade / 1,50,000 kilometers -

• Bullet proof reliability. Any Toyota is a fill it - shut it - and forget it type of car. More so with their petrols.
• Toyota service is the most hassle free of them all. Parents will be happy getting a Toyota or Maruti serviced than a Skoda.
• Spare parts availability is not an issue.
• The Corolla can return a good kilometers to a liter figure in the hands of a sedate driver.
• The legroom, and may be headroom, in the Corolla should be better than that of the Octavia.
• Cost of maintenance over the period will be substantially lower than Skoda, and also lower than the Hyundai.
• If I were you, I'd have just replaced the suspension set on the existing old generation Corolla and got the rattles fixed.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Swapnil4585

[*]If I were you, I'd have just replaced the suspension set on the existing old generation Corolla and got the rattles fixed.[/list]

That actually could be a good option. Coupled with a pre-owned 325i / C200 CGI for the longer trips. Reliability, and Class!

[hell_raiser]

Thanks a lot guys, its a shame that we cannot have it all. Will check with the leasing firm regarding the service plan. The balance might tilt in the Skoda's favor if it has the extended warranty and maintenance plan already. As per the Skoda website, you cannot purchase it after the car has left the showroom.

If the Corolla had been an automatic, it would have made our decision a tad simpler.

Thanks again,
HR

PS: Its interesting the way the world is moving. Never would I have thought that I would lament that the car I am driving is a manual.

[VW2010]

The balance might tilt in the Skoda's favor if it has the extended warranty and maintenance plan already. As per the Skoda website, you cannot purchase it after the car has left the showroom.

Check with the showroom. There is always a chance of getting the extended shield for some additional money.

[dinu2506]

Help me with this please.
Background: I own a Jan 2013 BMW X1 currently 25000km run. Its on company lease for 44 months (till Aug 2016) where I pay the EMIs and the maintenance is taken care by the company. The car is in immaculate condition (touchwood), no accidents and very practical for me. Have another 11 months to go before I take the decision.
Option 1:
Exit the lease without paying anything more. Not advisable since I have the option to buy the car at around 4.75 lakhs at the end of lease and sell it for possibly around 15 lakhs (assumption).

Option 2:
Buy it @4.75 lakhs and keep it and buy a smaller second car on company lease.

Option 3:
Buy it @4.75 lakhs and sell it for possibly around 15 lakhs and take a new car on lease with the company.

Option 3 would have been good but the prices of cars in this segment have gone up so high that my EMIs would become quite substantial.

I'm leaning towards Option 2 since the X1 is something I love and in excellent condition and I don't think I will be able to afford a new car in that segment now since prices have sky rocketed. The key consideration now is whether the maths of maintaining the X1 myself works better than spending a huge EMI for a new luxury segment car.

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

Help me with this please.

Option 3:
Buy it @4.75 lakhs and sell it for possibly around 15 lakhs and take a new car on lease with the company.

Option 3 would have been good but the prices of cars in this segment have gone up so high that my EMIs would become quite substantial.

I'm leaning towards Option 2 since the X1 is something I love and in excellent condition and I don't think I will be able to afford a new car in that segment now since prices have sky rocketed. The key consideration now is whether the maths of maintaining the X1 myself works better than spending a huge EMI for a new luxury segment car.

You can have your cake and eat it too>

Depends on what you do with the 15 lakhs you get by selling your present car.


Here's a link to my post that explains the math as a rough approximation.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buying...ml#post3795675

[bluevolt]

Quoting my previous post, I made in March 2011 on this thread.

Originally Posted by bluevolt

We own a 2007 Maruti wagonr lxi clocked around 32000 KM. Ever since we bought ANHC; wagonr’s running is reduced to around 500 KM per month. Sometimes we felt that we should get a new swift but after reading this thread i am looking to keep her for some more years. The car's exterior looks glossy, one of my friends was shocked to know that this is three and a half year old car; he thought it’s just six month old.

What you say guys? How long a wagonr can survive? After reading this thread i am planning to keep her till she completes at least 50,000 KM.

At that time I got wonderful suggestion from BHPians/GTO advising me to keep the car

Originally Posted by GTO

A hatchback & a sedan make for a balanced garage. Since your car is well-maintained & has such low mileage, no point selling her off. WagonR's easily cross 1,00,000 kms without issue.

Ever since WagonR turned 5 year old, we had on and off thoughts about whether to keep the car or to part ways with it. But with time, the plan was postponed for one reason or other. After i10 shifted to Mumbai, WagonR is being used for most city runs and after the recent service(with changed tyres, clutch, battery and brakes) I have also done quite a few highway trips in Wagonr. There are no such major issues as such except for minor ones like power steering not activating sometimes. Paint is still in new glossy condition. Below are the latest pics of my WagonR. There are couple of small rust spots/patches in the lower portion of both front doors. I have taken care of them and is in now controlled situation.

As of now the age of the WagonR is 8.5 years old, I have no issues extending the ownership period to 10 years(even beyond that say 12+ years). I love my car, have kept it as it was treated the day we bought it brand new from showroom. My WagonR's long term ownership thread - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...ki-wagonr.html

We have another car - Honda City in the family.http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...nst-world.html It turned 5 years last month with 35,000 Kms on the odo. All loans paid off. Couple of months back, I almost decided on currrent gen Honda City diesel but after consulting with exsiting owners like RavenAvi sir, we decided to not to go with the current gen City because of the associated niggles with it. Also there is not much difference in terms of looks either that really makes someone go for it. The third gen City with arrow shot design was the most revolutionary revamp and many people sold their almost new dolphin shaped second gen City for the new one.
Also considered Ciaz and almost booked a Ciaz Vdi, but plans were put on a hold due to some reasons. Having a sedan and hatchback(parking issues in the vicinity) makes a very balanced garage but I am confused about the future. For how long how should I retain my cars and when to replace and which one to replace. As of now both we are happy with both cars.

Shall I replace a hatchback with a hatchback or should replace it with an urban SUV or another sedan? Also planning to replace City with a 5th gen City which might come in 2019/2020 and by then my City will be 10 years old also - a sensible time for replacement. We also need to have a reliable and safe car in the family because on many ocassions, parents also ahev to travel on their own. And with both of them to be senior citizen in coming years, I want them to have a nice reliable car for their retirement trips. I have recently started working in IT industry after finishing my post graduation in computers - further doing some certifications and all and I am paying for these expenditures myself. Because of this I am unable to save much amount for my dream machine. Going sensibly and practically, I can easily afford a new Swift diesel in next couple of years with all my own money. But then we need to upgrade City also in 2020.

Since both of our cars have crossed 5+ years mark, We are planning to look out for Maruti's new compact SUV scheduled in 2016 next year, also we are considering Renault Duster as a replacement for our WagonR. But its getting old now, must be up for complete revamp soon. Same is the case for current gen Swift, k10 WagonR. Since we plan to keep our cars for atleast 10-12 years, we look and go for latest possible model in production. I also started a thread for my new car purchase hunt - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/sedans...kh-budget.html

So in a nutshell should I retain my WagonR for some more years. City is good enough for next 4-5 years easily. How should I plan my car purchase decision in future.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

As of now the age of the WagonR is 8.5 years old, I have no issues extending the ownership period to 10 years

Congrats on 8.5! My Civic has also just completed 8.5 years. However, I've put her on the block as there is absolutely no use for it after I bought the 530d.

For how long how should I retain my cars and when to replace and which one to replace. As of now both we are happy with both cars.

So in a nutshell should I retain my WagonR for some more years. City is good enough for next 4-5 years easily. How should I plan my car purchase decision in future.

Here's what I suggest.

1. Since you (like me) hold onto your cars for a long time, it's VERY IMPORTANT to buy a car that you really like, is contemporary etc. The better the car you buy, the longer you'll hold onto it.

2. Between your WagonR & City, there's no doubt that the WagonR should go first.

3. Since you mentioned 'urban SUV', hold onto your WagonR for another year or two. There are a plethora of compact SUVs coming up. Maruti, Hyundai, Honda, Tata....all have models lined up. The minute you see something you love, swap your WagonR for it.

As your City has done merely 35,000 kms, it has a long healthy life ahead of it. She's a keeper.

[shankar.balan]

Advice requested.
My Yeti is now 4 years old.
It has hardly done 32000 Kms in all this time because Im hardly here and in any case, I hardly do highway drives except very occasionally. So the predominant usage is inside the city - normal home-office commute only.
I like it very much and it ticks all my boxes as a daily drive vehicle. Plus as a family of two, we have only one car.

How long should I hang on to the Yeti for? Shall I consider at least another 3 years? Or is it worth considering hanging on to it for longer?

Or are there any contrary points of view which say that I should consider an upgrade?

Personally I have no reason to upgrade further right now and given the condition of this car, it can go on happily for another 3 - 4 years...