[Sridhar C E]

Mod note: Merging to an existing thread, please use Search to search for an already existing thread. Thanks.

I am in a dilemma and am therefore looking for some sane advice from Fellow BHPians.

I am suffering from what I can only call as a “ 6 year itch”. I feel a compulsive need to change my wheels every 6 years or so. First, a little background about myself.

I am retired and am an other wise active 65 + . My family here in India consists of my wife, my mother (She’s 89) and myself. My children are both settled abroad and they along with their families used to visit every 2 to 3 years. That was of course, before Covid. As a family we used to travel quite often by car. Here is a chronological list of the steeds I owned and pampered:

1989 to 1993 : Premier Padmini
1994 to 1997: Pre-owned Maruti 800 - Company leased from this date onward since I moved from Mumbai to Bangalore
1997 to 2001 : Maruti Esteem
2001 to 2007 : Maruti Baleno, Maruti 800
2007 to 2015 : Toyota Innova, 7 Seater Diesel, Manual
2012 to 2015: Ford Figo Titanium , Diesel, Manual (note: I retired in 2012)
2015 to now : Sold both cars and settled for a sedan- Maruti Ciaz, VXi Petrol, Manual.

Now that I have brought you up to speed, let me elaborate on my current situation.

I love driving. However now having crossed 66 years I find that driving a car, especially a manual one in Bangalore , has become a little strenuous. I always loved travelling by car and even now, at a moment’s notice I am happy to drive off to say, Mumbai or Hyderabad with my favourite set of songs and of course my beautiful wife! However the chances of such impromptu trips are less because I also need to arrange for my mother to be taken care of if we travel.

When we go abroad to be with the children (who are in the UK), I have been driving BMW X3 or a Mercedes there over long distances and I absolutely loved driving there and in Europe.

My heart keeps saying, “Look at all the new lovely steeds in the market! Ditch your Ciaz, move on to an automatic, maybe even a smaller car!”

My budget is about Rs 20 Lakhs which includes say about Rs 5.5 lakhs if I sell my Ciaz (its done about 35K km)

So, if I were to list things logically, then:
1. Do I at all need to change my car?

If yes, then my wish list is:

2. It should be an automatic (most times I will be driving within Bangalore).
3. It should be fun to drive (not like my Ciaz)
4. It could be an EV ( but then, isn’t it better to wait and watch the EV scenario in terms of growth of related infra, introduction of newer cars, Tesla included?)

My thinking is a little unclear when it comes to which type of car I should go for-

A) An SUV (in which case when we have family visiting, we can go around together)
Or
B) A sedan - like I have now (it is between an SUV and a hatch back in terms of people carrying capacity)
Or C) A peppy hatch back ? ( I loved my Figo’s ride)

So friends, I am looking for some sane advice, like I said.

My better half already said, “ You must be mad to change such a nice car that we have, one that has hardly been used.”

However, I believe that friends in this forum will probably understand my heart better this time, than my companion of 39 years!!

Mods: If this posting is in an inappropriate thread, please do post it in the right place, thanks!

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Sridhar C E

So friends, I am looking for some sane advice, like I said.

My better half already said, “ You must be mad to change such a nice car that we have, one that has hardly been used.”

However, I believe that friends in this forum will probably understand my heart better this time, than my companion of 39 years!!

I agree with the good lady, but let's see what we have. I see a very peaceful ownership history, skillfully avoided Europeans for the most part and perhaps it should stay that way.

A sedan upgrade from Ciaz within this budget is limited to Elantra, if it's me , I'll take my wife's advice , keep the less used Ciaz and buy a Thar with a convertible Top , drive upto Ooty for a vacation from Bangalore afterwards. Enjoy the hunt.

[kosjam]

Originally Posted by Sridhar C E

Mod note: Merging to an existing thread, please use Search to search for an already existing thread. Thanks.

I am in a dilemma and am therefore looking for some sane advice from Fellow BHPians.

I am suffering from what I can only call as a “ 6 year itch”. I feel a compulsive need to change my wheels every 6 years or so. First, a little background about myself.

However, I believe that friends in this forum will probably understand my heart better this time, than my companion of 39 years!!

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

I agree with the good lady, but let's see what we have. I see a very peaceful ownership history, skillfully avoided Europeans for the most part and perhaps it should stay that way.

A sedan upgrade from Ciaz within this budget is limited to Elantra, if it's me , I'll take my wife's advice , keep the less used Ciaz and buy a Thar with a convertible Top , drive upto Ooty for a vacation from Bangalore afterwards. Enjoy the hunt.

I also agree with Kosfactor, keep the ciaz, and since you have mentioned in your post that you might consider an EV, then you should look at the Tata Nexon or the upcoming Altroz. Both will fit your budget minus the sale price of the Ciaz (which is an excellent if underrated vehicle)

That way you can have the best of both worlds, a long distance mile muncher and a city specialist, this will also keep things fresh for you, as you can choose between the two, and secondly your family when they visit, have enough vechicles to roam around in.

[Sridhar C E]

Originally Posted by kosjam

I also agree with Kosfactor, keep the ciaz, and since you have mentioned in your post that you might consider an EV, then you should look at the Tata Nexon or the upcoming Altroz.

Thanks, @Kosjam! I think I will wait a bit to see if the Altroz and the Nexon "mature" over the next year or so. Maybe we might see some interesting alternatives ( Mahindra?)

In the meanwhile I continue to drool over the many pictures and articles of new cars!!

[kosjam]

Originally Posted by Sridhar C E

Thanks, @Kosjam! I think I will wait a bit to see if the Altroz and the Nexon "mature" over the next year or so. Maybe we might see some interesting alternatives ( Mahindra?)

While it would be a good idea to see any updates that might come with the ziptron tech of Tata, which will positively affect both the Nexon and the upcoming altroz, Mahindra will be in the same position Tata is in today, as in, they will have launched their first EV and the technology will reequire atleast another year post launch to mature, before you can safely jump onto the platform. Like it or not, the Tata cousins are the only realistic option in the Indian EV market this side of 20 L.

[ShankarG]

Dear all, I have a 2014 Grand i10 1.1 CRDI 86k on ODO in great condition. I have to travel onsite for about 9-12 months and not sure if I should retain the car or sell it (current online cars24 valuation is about 2.8L). Need your kind suggestions to help me with this dilemma.

Here is why I am confused
- It is a diesel car and anyway I wont be able to drive it beyond June 2024 in Delhi NCR. I will have to buy another vehicle before that.
- The car will sit idle for 30% of its remaining life and may depreciate further.

However,
- The car is in excellent condition even after 86K and all services/ maintenance on schedule.
- I also have a covered parking where I can keep the car without any problem but there will be no one to start the car or keep it running. I can hire a cleaner who will periodically clean it up from the outside and put the cover back.

The only reason to hold it for now is about emotional reasons and having a car right on day 1 of my arrival. It will have remaining 2years of life once I return and may not have to do an outright spending. But one part of my brain says to invest the sale value and make some returns and use it for next car .

Please advise.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by ShankarG

Dear all, I have a 2014 Grand i10 1.1 CRDI 86k on ODO in great condition. I have to travel onsite for about 9-12 months and not sure if I should retain the car or sell it (current online cars24 valuation is about 2.8L). Need your kind suggestions to help me with this dilemma.

Suggest you open a new thread and it can help you get many responses from fellow members.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by Sridhar C E

Mod note: Merging to an existing thread, please use Search to search for an already existing thread. Thanks.

I am in a dilemma and am therefore looking for some sane advice from Fellow BHPians.

I am suffering from what I can only call as a “ 6 year itch”. I feel a compulsive need to change my wheels every 6 years or so. First, a little background about myself.

I am retired and am an other wise active 65 + . My family here in India consists of my wife, my mother (She’s 89) and myself. My children are both settled abroad and they along with their families used to visit every 2 to 3 years. That was of course, before Covid. As a family we used to travel quite often by car. Here is a chronological list of the steeds I owned and pampered:

1989 to 1993 : Premier Padmini
1994 to 1997: Pre-owned Maruti 800 - Company leased from this date onward since I moved from Mumbai to Bangalore
1997 to 2001 : Maruti Esteem
2001 to 2007 : Maruti Baleno, Maruti 800
2007 to 2015 : Toyota Innova, 7 Seater Diesel, Manual
2012 to 2015: Ford Figo Titanium , Diesel, Manual (note: I retired in 2012)
2015 to now : Sold both cars and settled for a sedan- Maruti Ciaz, VXi Petrol, Manual.

Now that I have brought you up to speed, let me elaborate on my current situation.

I love driving. However now having crossed 66 years I find that driving a car, especially a manual one in Bangalore , has become a little strenuous. I always loved travelling by car and even now, at a moment’s notice I am happy to drive off to say, Mumbai or Hyderabad with my favourite set of songs and of course my beautiful wife! However the chances of such impromptu trips are less because I also need to arrange for my mother to be taken care of if we travel.

When we go abroad to be with the children (who are in the UK), I have been driving BMW X3 or a Mercedes there over long distances and I absolutely loved driving there and in Europe.

My heart keeps saying, “Look at all the new lovely steeds in the market! Ditch your Ciaz, move on to an automatic, maybe even a smaller car!”

My budget is about Rs 20 Lakhs which includes say about Rs 5.5 lakhs if I sell my Ciaz (its done about 35K km)

So, if I were to list things logically, then:
1. Do I at all need to change my car?

If yes, then my wish list is:

2. It should be an automatic (most times I will be driving within Bangalore).
3. It should be fun to drive (not like my Ciaz)
4. It could be an EV ( but then, isn’t it better to wait and watch the EV scenario in terms of growth of related infra, introduction of newer cars, Tesla included?)

My thinking is a little unclear when it comes to which type of car I should go for-

A) An SUV (in which case when we have family visiting, we can go around together)
Or
B) A sedan - like I have now (it is between an SUV and a hatch back in terms of people carrying capacity)
Or C) A peppy hatch back ? ( I loved my Figo’s ride)

So friends, I am looking for some sane advice, like I said.

My better half already said, “ You must be mad to change such a nice car that we have, one that has hardly been used.”

However, I believe that friends in this forum will probably understand my heart better this time, than my companion of 39 years!!

Mods: If this posting is in an inappropriate thread, please do post it in the right place, thanks!

Would highly recommend you sell the Ciaz and pick up a used 330i, given your position in life I think you have shown great restraint and have always gone for practical, logical vehicle upgrades till now. But in the end it’s not about the years in our lives, but the life in those years! You’re looking for something that’s fun to drive and the ZF trans on the 330i is as good as most automatics get, will also handle much better than your Ciaz. I don’t think anyone in the family will complain about letting go of the Ciaz once you get them in a 3. You can also look at used XE’s but jags don’t have the best reputation for reliability long term. C class and A4 won’t be as fun to drive. You can also consider 2013 Accord 3.5 V6’s but those are only fun in a straight line and FWD. Good luck.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by ShankarG

I have a 2014 Grand i10 1.1 CRDI 86k on ODO in great condition. I have to travel onsite for about 9-12 months and not sure if I should retain the car or sell it (current online cars24 valuation is about 2.8L).

As if 9-12m of a car sitting idle isn't bad enough, what if your stay abroad extends ? Best option is to sell off the car.
If you want to retain it :
1) Look for some friend/relative who can use it once in a while & keep it in running condition.
2) Or if your native is outside of NCR, transfer the car there to get out of the 10-year NCT rule.

[Vid6639]

I have a somewhat opposite dilemma to the 5 year old car keep or sell. Last year I went and got a Kodiaq and this year I picked up a used 3 series from a fellow Bhpian. Yes I know I've lost my mind and my family thinks the same. But that's not the problem why I am here. My issue is as follows:

I still have my older 2 cars, the 2009 corolla altis petrol (95K kms) and the 2013 Ecosport diesel (66K kms). After getting the Kodiaq and 3 series, I was looking at consolidating my garage, since with the pandemic I absolutely don't need 4 cars at home.

The Kodiaq is used for family trips and is perfect at highway cruising with family in utter luxury. I do not use it in town and its main use is highways and longer drives.

The 3 series was impulse buy cause I was looking for a sports sedan for ages and this was perfect to complement the Kodiaq for the "sheer driving pleasure" and Joy.

Now coming to the 2 cars which are what I am figuring out:

Corolla - Dad no longer goes to work and doesn't intend to resume either post pandemic. Will be retired and at home most of the time. He uses the corolla for short trips to doctor, physio or social meets (right now only absolute urgent business due to covid). Based on how covid situation is, usage will increase to the park for walks, social and airport drops. Car is always driven by his driver. No self drive.

Ecosport - It was my daily driver before pandemic and WFH started. I didn't have the 3 series. Right now it is being used for short errands for essentials, food parcel for takeaway on weekends (we are not eating out still). Dad absolutely dislikes sitting in this car especially back seat with the very stiff ride. I sent him once with the driver and got a lot of grief with complaints of back pain and was told not to mess with his car and ensure Corolla is available at all times (I had done some DIY work on the car and didn't assemble the car back together fully over the weekend )

Both cars are running like peach and AOK. However combined both these cars have racked up only 3000kms over the last 18 months.

Now these are my options which I was looking at:

Option 1.
Sell Corolla and keep Ecosport as errand / beater. Being a 12 year old car resale will not be much. As of now corolla is costing next to nothing to run annually for insurance and service with fuel extra. I will lose a car that cannot be replaced with anything remotely close in premium feel and quality and over engineered. There is nothing south of 20L that comes close to the Altis today. Dad is not ok with this option as Corolla is running fine and perfect for his duties.

Option 2.
Sell Ecosport and keep Corolla. Most logical choice. Ecosport fetches decent resale being newer than the corolla. Only drawback is Corolla becomes the beater and car for errands. Ecosport is perfect size and type of car for errands and beater car duty. I get some money from Ecosport sale which I can invest or keep in bank. This is dangerous as will lead to spending on something else.

Option 3.
Wild card - Sell both. I can sell both of them and look for one single car that kills 2 birds with 1 stone. A Kushaq/Taigun 1.0L TSI AT is what comes to mind. Dad won't mind chauffeur driven in either IMO and it will be fine as a daily driver once things open up. Problem with this option is I need to spend money. I am replacing 2 perfectly good cars that are running fine, not eating up money and buying 1 new car not as good as a Corolla and not as frugal and compact as the Ford. Also looks even more mad after buying Kodiaq and 3 series just before and during a pandemic. Selling both corolla and Ecosport might cover 60% of the cost of Kushaq 1.0l AT which means 40% I need to pay!

Option 4.
Shut up and keep quiet. Does this need more explaining? Keep both and just continue with all 4 cars. I have parking as well for 4 cars.

I am right now vacillating between 2 and 4 but the Taigun review now has added option 3 as well.

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Option 1.
Sell Corolla and keep Ecosport as errand / beater...
Option 2.
Sell Ecosport and keep Corolla. Most logical choice...
Option 3.
Wild card - Sell both...
Option 4.
Shut up and keep quiet.
I am right now vacillating between 2 and 4 but the Taigun review now has added option 3 as well.

* If I were you, I would seriously consider option 2 first. Your dad has got accustomed to the Corolla after all these years, and no point in antagonizing him with the car sale. As you say he is retired, hence he might even want to keep what he has trusted so far. (my dad had a similar predicament few years ago when he retired)

* Next in order of priority (if the above doesn't work out due to whatever reasons), would be to look at option 3, but with a twist. Sell both the Ecosport & the Corolla but don't buy a new car just yet.
Have your dad travel in the Kodiaq instead. Hopefully, he will get to appreciate the higher seating in the Kodiaq back-seat which could be as much comfortable as the Corolla (if not more). Plus with increasing age (again, speaking from my dad's experience), he might actually prefer the easier ingress/egress of the Kodiaq more than the lower Corolla.

* I would neither consider option 1 (for reasons mentioned above) nor option 4 (4 cars is just too much, even though they are not burning your wallet )

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

* Next in order of priority (if the above doesn't work out due to whatever reasons), would be to look at option 3, but with a twist. Sell both the Ecosport & the Corolla but don't buy a new car just yet.
Have your dad travel in the Kodiaq instead. Hopefully, he will get to appreciate the higher seating in the Kodiaq back-seat which could be as much comfortable as the Corolla (if not more). Plus with increasing age (again, speaking from my dad's experience), he might actually prefer the easier ingress/egress of the Kodiaq more than the lower Corolla.

Thanks. Actually he loves the Kodiaq. All our trips out of town including Mumbai Bangalore are in Kodiaq and is supremely comfortable. The only reason I am not keen on using Kodiaq is his use case is all nearby and within town for errands, Kodiaq is not ideal. Moreover then there is no beater car for driver errands as well.

[IamNikhil]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Option 1.
Sell Corolla and keep Ecosport as errand / beater. Being a 12 year old car resale will not be much. As of now corolla is costing next to nothing to run annually for insurance and service with fuel extra. I will lose a car that cannot be replaced with anything remotely close in premium feel and quality and over engineered. There is nothing south of 20L that comes close to the Altis today.

Option 2.
Sell Ecosport and keep Corolla. Most logical choice. Ecosport fetches decent resale being newer than the corolla. Only drawback is Corolla becomes the beater and car for errands. Ecosport is perfect size and type of car for errands and beater car duty. I get some money from Ecosport sale which I can invest or keep in bank. This is dangerous as will lead to spending on something else.

I'd go with Option 2. I have been using the Corolla Altis Petrol 2009 model and it's racked up approx 90k on the ODO till now. Intending to keep the car for atleast 3-4 years more, since it's absolutely niggle-free. As it was the first luxury car for the family after a string of Maruti Zen, Hyundai Santro and Wagon R, the emotional connect with the car is super strong, plus the totally hassle-free ownership period of almost 11 years now has been wonderful to say the least; looks and drives as good as new STILL! Also, like you mentioned, it's next to impossible to find a car in that bracket which matches up to the good ol' Altis. We have a Jeep Compass (2018) in the stable as well, which we now use for highway drives mostly, but the comfort of the Altis is truly unparalleled.

In your case, I think you should dispense with the Ecosport. The Altis can do city-duty very well in its absence. Anyway, the resale for Altis will fetch you next to nothing. I'd just checked last month when we booked a Creta and most places were barely giving me 2 lakh as resale for the Altis; just not worth it.

A Kodiaq, 3-series and the evergreen Altis would make for a fine stable!

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Option 2.
Sell Ecosport and keep Corolla. Most logical choice. Ecosport fetches decent resale being newer than the corolla. Only drawback is Corolla becomes the beater and car for errands. Ecosport is perfect size and type of car for errands and beater car duty. I get some money from Ecosport sale which I can invest or keep in bank. This is dangerous as will lead to spending on something else.

This is my answer. The Ecosport is not special to you, or anyone at home. It's a utility that does its job. As much as the Corolla is loved within the family, its the one which is now the oldest, and better to use it to the max.

With the driver taking it around, it can be the default utility car in the family for errands. As for the money you make, I'll send across my bank details for incoming gift funds.

[myavu]

Option 2. Corolla will definitely run for next 8 years easily. Why waste money. Save and buy a Tesla Model 3 / Y some 4 years down the line.

Cheers!