[humyum]

Let me give a very 'directly from the heart' perspective about what I feel about my 9 year old 1 lakh 50 thousand run Swift Diesel, economic are going to be blasphemous when I will write the things I will write below.

1) The car's steering has recently started making a slight noise, since mine is an older version, there are no individual parts for the steering available unlike the newer swifts which get the rack unit as a separate part and power steering unit as another, my steering is one single unit costing 30 thousand. The service station is confident that they will send the steering to a lathe guy who fixes these steerings and they will replace the bush, service the steering and it will have a new life like a brand new steering unit and this will cost be only 3 thousand, I will give this a shot in a couple of thousand kilometres.

2) The timing chain has never been replaced and I feel in another 50 thousand or so km, it will need a replacement or when the noise starts, this is another 8 to 10 thousand rupees.

3) Struts were replaced at 90 thousand km with lower arms too, so in another 20 thousand or so km, I feel they will need a replacement again, this is another 10 thousand rupees.

4) Clutch was replaced 10 thousand kilometers back along with flywheel, pressure plate, release bearing, clutch plate. During this time the synchronise rings were also replaced for 1st and 2nd gear along with AC overhaul. This entire visit costed me 25 thousand rupees.

5) Tyres will be gone in another 15 to 20 thousand km, the utterly blasphemous part comes here, I want to buy the rotary type ZDI alloys when this happens along with Michelin XM2's. This will be more than 50 thousand rupees plus of spend on a car which would have run 1 lakh 70 thousand plus kilometres by then, economics call for not spending so much on something like this for a probably 10 year old car by then but hey when I hit the highway and mash the throttle, the only thing I look forward to is the next bend, the next straight and the next upshift and this version of the Swift Diesel is what gives the high's the best.

I intend to keep this forever, probably buy something new next year yes, but never let this go, someday I feel the government might bright something new up and take my car away from me, but I will register it in my home town and find ways to still keep it.

[clevermax]

My 12 year old car...



When I was 5 years into the ownership, it wasn't even a distant consideration to sell it off. 12 years later, I am still using it on a daily basis!

Read an article which talks about why you should not sell your car after 5-6 years. It advocates properly maintaining the car to be able to use it for several years - this was written from the perspective of an investor.

Anyhow, I ended up buying a new car, but didn't sell off the older one.

[sankdeshmukh]

i am at crossroads of selling or keeping my 7yrs old sx4.

Car has covered 32K kms till date, yeah not much run but offlate due shift in job car has started munching too much KM. till date its an absolutely trouble free for me.
Have changed battery on Sep-2017 and tyres are still good for another 10 to 15k kms.
So why change now ?

1. Average is poor my petrol bills have shot up considerably so diesel on mind
2. due to frequent driving have started thinking of automatic.
3. fear of not fetching any penny for this out of production car
4. Spare parts may become an issue.

All above points are making me to think i should change/upgrade. Expert opinions and pointers requested.

Thankd

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by sankdeshmukh

1. Average is poor my petrol bills have shot up considerably so diesel on mind

1. Factor the EMIs for a new diesel car. The basic diesel automatic starts at 10L on road (with Ignis, Zest, Dzire AMTs).
2. The fuel price is not as wide when you brought this SX4, its now anywhere between 9-12 Rs compared to the outrageous 20-30 Rs difference in the early part of the decade.
3. Besides, why do you want to trade a near virgin known devil whose history you know for 7 years, for an unknown angel? The way Maruti uses spares across models, I wouldn't worried about spares aspect.

2. due to frequent driving have started thinking of automatic.

If you are feeling increasing discomfort on your left leg, this is one factor you'll need to take a decision on. On an automatic, you'll use the right leg a lot more compared to the manual. This is true atleast for city driving

[Nav-i-gator]

Aww man! Every time I start considering a new buy, this thread comes to life! And there goes, again (like, 3rd time in last 2 years), my urge to take the plunge and replace my 87000 KM run Chevy beat.

In the past 1 year or so, I have spend around Rs 90000 in parts replacement - Front suspension replacement, Clutch plates and cable replacement, Tyres replacement (2 times, due to my laziness in timely overhaul of suspensions, which ate up my tyres), battery and some more parts. From economics point of view - That's about 5 month's EMI if I have bought a new one, Just 5 months!

The car itself runs fine, as good as new. The engine at idle is still super silent, I sometimes still crank the engine mistakenly when already idling. On the outside, the car does look abused (part and parcel of driving in Delhi NCR, I guess) with lots of bruises, bumper mis-alignment, cracked headlights and tail lights etc. Such wear and tear related expenses will keep increasing I guess, but the fact is - My car has never (touchwood) broken down and left me stranded ever. I recently drove it about 1500 KM over 2 weekends, over long drives to Uttarakhand from Gurgaon and back, with mis-alignment leading to tyre wear to the extent that the treads were visible, but the car passed the stress test without a fuss.

And guess what, minor tucks and kisses from random bikers, autos etc does not give me sleepless nights anymore.

I think I should keep running it for 20000+ KM more at least. The only thing that is still a dilemma is the ever increasing KM/Month values and safety aspects. Since the time we had our son 3 years ago, we have always gone everywhere within 500KM range in our car only, totally ditching trains and buses. The lack of ABS and Airbags in my small car does bother me every time we venture out on highways.

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by Nav-i-gator

I think I should keep running it for 20000+ KM more at least. The only thing that is still a dilemma is the ever increasing KM/Month values and safety aspects. Since the time we had our son 3 years ago, we have always gone everywhere within 500KM range in our car only, totally ditching trains and buses. The lack of ABS and Airbags in my small car does bother me every time we venture out on highways.

I too have a 5 years old Santro which has clocked just 36000KMs. Every now and then I keep on thinking replacing it but the quality and driveability holds me back. Of course I have used it on highways multiple times (no ABS, no Airbags, just seat belts) without fear. Only due to recent keywords such as ABS, Airbags etc. that fear has started trickling in. Perhaps it is just a psychology but reality on highways.
Coming back to Santro and my latest one year old Ertiga, I do not see any difference in fuel efficiency in city (13-14KMPL) and on highways (17-18KMPL) too. This one point keeps bothering me since newer small cars (1.0L etc.) might give me better mileage in city compared to Santro (is that true?) and petrol prices are always killing until the EV vehicles era jumps in.

[rajathv8]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Of course I have used it on highways multiple times (no ABS, no Airbags, just seat belts) without fear. Only due to recent keywords such as ABS, Airbags etc. that fear has started trickling in. Perhaps it is just a psychology but reality on highways.

Very much a reality both on highways and fast city roads. Remember its not only about how fast you drive but also the relative speed of an accident that matters Perhaps you can restrict your highway drives now to the Ertiga if it has better safety equipment.

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

This one point keeps bothering me since newer small cars (1.0L etc.) might give me better mileage in city compared to Santro (is that true?) and petrol prices are always killing until the EV vehicles era jumps in.

True that you probably will get better mileage, however do note that the 4 cylinder Santro with its strong low end will be better from a drivability and refinement perspective than the newer 1.0L 3cyl cars.

[Nav-i-gator]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Of course I have used it on highways multiple times (no ABS, no Airbags, just seat belts) without fear. Only due to recent keywords such as ABS, Airbags etc. that fear has started trickling in. Perhaps it is just a psychology but reality on highways.

Though Off-topic:

These are not just "recent keywords", these are real deal that does make a difference when it matters the most. It's like life insurance. You don't want to die, but still take life insurance for "just in case", and would be more than happy to know that the term insurance premium you are paying is going in vein year after year.

Heck, if situation comes to such, Life insurance can't save your life, ABS and airbags can. I guess no one in our family need the money from our life insurance, they want us, alive!

Every time I contemplate buying a new car, the first "must have" in my notebook is - ABS with EBD and dual airbags (and NCAP safety ratings, wherever available). I will not own a new car without these, that's my promise to myself, whenever I will finally take a plunge.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Mine is an older car - more than 12 years old in fact. Mileage is low <50,000 kms.

Resale value for Palio is a joke in the used car market :-(

As my car is mechanically sound, decided to go ahead and get it ship shape - it is proving to be a worthwhile exercise and helps me takes my mind off the other pressures at work!!

Almost an year down the line, have got most of the niggles sorted out, a few by myself :-). I have actually budgeted the expense for its upkeep!!

Only problem is finding a dependable FNG who can spare his time and patience attending to the issues!

Clevermax's ride has now reinforced my comittment.

Originally Posted by humyum

... probably buy something new next year yes, but never let this go.........
...... and find ways to still keep it.

That's quite an attachment - more like possessiveness!

But, yes, I agree with you - the car does bring back fond memories and once in a while feeds your adrenaline rush!

Originally Posted by clevermax

Anyhow, I ended up buying a new car, but didn't sell off the older one

After some time, people are so used to seeing your car, they consider it a part of you! And will quit advising to sell / replace it.

Originally Posted by Nav-i-gator

In the past 1 year or so, I have spend around Rs 90000 in parts replacement - Front suspension replacement, Clutch plates and cable replacement, Tyres replacement...

The car itself runs fine, as good as new.

And guess what, minor tucks and kisses from random bikers, autos etc does not give me sleepless nights anymore.

I had budgeted spending a similar amount - only the suspension is now due to be taken care of. People can't believe it is a 13 year old car.

Unfortunately, since I got the scratches and nicks fixed, I am wary of bikers and autos, once again!


A well maintained and cared for (old) car always catches (my) attention, no matter the make. Sometimes I feel that I sold my M800 in a bit of hurry to upgrade to a Palio - I do miss the manual steering and its driving agility...

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by sankdeshmukh

i am at crossroads of selling or keeping my 7yrs old sx4.

If you forsee needing a car for a longish daily commute, base your decision on safety features and convenience (AT/AMT).

From a financial standpoint, selling the SX4 now vs. a year or two later won't make a big difference. Cost of ownership of petrol vs. diesel isn't that skewed given how closely priced both fuels are. Being a Maruti, spares wouldn't be a problem either.

[ptushar]

Interesting topic indeed. And a dilemma every car owner faces. Like I do currently. Do I sell my 7 year old i10 Auto and buy a new one? It runs perfect. No issues whatsoever. Then why do I sell it. Because pretty soon it's maintenance costs will start going up.

Well, here's a guy who has done some serious analysis on this. Read his article; he also has an analyser to help you ascertain your costs. Interesting way to analyse this issue. No emotions attached.

http://www-math.bgsu.edu/~zirbel/carcosts/index.html

But what do I do? How do I take the emotions out of the equation when it comes to my decision making. I love my car!

[autorahul]

We have a 2009 Honda City and a 2013 Honda Brio in our family. The Brio, currently run by me has done 50k km in 5 years, while City used by my father currently has done just 40k in roughly 8.5 years.

The confusion is that as I start feeling the need for a new and a slightly bigger car, my father, who is now retired, desires a smaller car for more convenience.

Initial idea was to simply swap the cars, use the cars for a few more years. I am particularly looking to see what electric car market is like in the next 4 years. However, Brio has started to get just a little bit noisy off late, and I am now thinking of swapping the Brio with something like Ignis AMT/i10 AT and giving it to my father instead of the Brio. The fact that my Brio is a base variant and lacks any safety feature further convinces me for this.

Another point to note is City is in Noida, while Brio is in Bangalore (with Noida registration). So I am probably going to do a round trip from Bangalore to Delhi to swap the cars.

How sound do you all think the idea is? Any other permutation and combination that I can think of?

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by Nav-i-gator

Every time I contemplate buying a new car, the first "must have" in my notebook is - ABS with EBD and dual airbags (and NCAP safety ratings, wherever available). I will not own a new car without these, that's my promise to myself, whenever I will finally take a plunge.

That's where I was pointing to. All newer small cars come with the safety features and of course roads are improving so as the average travel speed in city and highways (and number of cars as well ). This will force me to replace the Santro even for city drives.

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Perhaps you can restrict your highway drives now to the Ertiga if it has better safety equipment.

That's what it is since last year. Santro is becoming more idle and Ertiga going everywhere. Cannot think of getting Santro out of Bangalore now a days, making me to run that atleast 3-4 days a week to office to make sure it "runs".

[varunanb]

Interesting topic. Got me thinking and what have I done, every 5 years I've bought a car but didn't have the heart to sell anything in the process. All the cars are periodically serviced and running well.

Our 10 Year old Civic with more than 1Lakh kms in Odo is still our daily car and doesnt look the age. I love to drive this in city still against a relatively new Figo. The car atleast has another 50-60K kms before any major expenses.

[motorworks]

Hi Folks

Need some serious help for shortlisting my next car.

A quick back ground, my first car was a Dzire DDIS way back in 2008. Although the ownership was peaceful as expected from a Maruti, I felt the car was pretty bad at high speed stability and braking. So gave up the car in 2012 and moved on to a Rapid 1.6 TDI Ambition in 2012. The Rapid diesel, as all of you know, is a great car, offers great torque, fantastic build and great high speed stability. In the last 6 years is actually when I have been more involved in cars and even in T-Bhp since the car that I own was so involving!
I did face a lot of issues too, the Turbo charger went kaput and Skoda replaced it for free, similar experience with the EGR and even the Steering Rack.
Although I did not have to pay money for the above, there is always a scary feeling especially after the warranty has expired now.
So anyway, I still loved my car in spite of all these issue since the car is a true performer on the open road.

In the meanwhile I also spent quite heavily on the car in terms of Momo alloys, Continental CPC2 tyres, Pioneer Apple car play HU and the works, with the HU just being fitter just 4-5 months ago. So the intention was to keep it for another 2 years or so since i have done less than 50K.

About 6 months back, I had this offer of car lease in my company and thought of selling the car and opting for a new car under car lease. But I got very low quotes at that point, around 4 Lakhs etc and plus GST came in to the picture making car lease prohibitively expensive.


Anyway, I received an offer just yday for 5 L, and now in a complete confusion whether to sell the car or not. On one side, I have spent quite a bit on the car, so those costs I cannot recover. I love the car too much to just give it away as well.. but on the other side it is 6 years old and now due yearly service and insurance etc. and considering abysmal resale values of skodas and VWs, 5 L did seem fair.

And now the real conundrum, what next to buy? I always thought that my next car should be again an upgrade, so I had planned that I should buy something in the range of 18 L after 2 years or so. So i actually wanted a Octavia or a Jeep Compass entry level variant, but in reality I Cannot afford more than 11-12 L today. So my options in front of me are simple&mdash;Creta base petrol or diesel, S cross Zeta, Verna E petrol or the Honda City base petrol.

Moving from a Skoda Rapid which car would I find it easier to adjust? Are these cars even in the league of the Rapid? I short listed Creta because the whole country is moving towards SUVs and I thought I would have decent ownership without any hassles, plus there might be better resale. S-cross since I heard so much about the build etc, but the 1.3 is a real downer.
Verna because it is new and supposedly leaps better than the earlier one.

And lastly city because it is fairly neutral in all aspects.


My running is less than 10-12K every year, so petrol should do the trick, although I would not mind diesel as long as it is in my budget, like the s-cross.
Please help me out!


My total running in the last 6 years have been pretty low, just under 50k as on feb 2018.