[bhunu AMG]

You can also consider a used 2010-2011 model City AT which will be less than 6 lakhs with around 11/12km city traffic mileage. If you prefer diesel, then zest AMT is also a good option. But all these new vehicles depreciate around 50% in next 3/4 years time ; that means you are going to loose around 5 lakhs in 4 years but your 2001 Accord had already lost its major portion of the value so you are not going to lose much in depreciation.

Only cost will be the maintenance of approx 50k/year which makes 2 lakh rupees so there you have another 3 lakhs or let us say with that money you can drive 25k more in accord.

[Rajeevraj]

If your choice has to be among these three, then it has to be the Honda City AT. The Sunny/Scala CVT will be ok for sedate city driving, but will struggle if you push it hard as the CVT gearbox is not a great performer. In addition your mileage will drop drastically when you try to push a CVT.

If you are willing to look at VW, then the Vento TSI is an excellent choice. The performance will blow you away and it is reasonably fuel efficient (10-12 in City and 14-16 on Highways). Since it a 7 speed DSG + TSI Engine combination, fuel efficiency will not drop drastically even if you push it. FE can drop to 8kmpl in bumper to bumper traffic for extended periods. The face lift is also around the corner.

[golfdude]

It seems like I might get only around Rs. 1 to Rs. 1.5 lacs for the 2001 Honda Accord AT. In that case, does it make sense to keep driving it assuming I can maintain it for around Rs. 25k per year excluding fuel costs ? I have done repairs so maybe for the next couple of years, I might not even have any major repair costs.

Also considering it is a 2001 model, the km done on it are less (48,000 km so far). The ride is also nice.

Then should I overlook the low mileage and drive it to the maximum, because the math suggests that even if I drive 1,000 km a month, it will still be a lot less money to shell out for the next 2-3 years compared to buying a new AT for Rs. 10 lacs. Then when this car completely dies in 2-3 or maybe 5-6 years, I can buy a new AT.

How is this plan ?

Thanks.

[abhilashgp]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

If your choice has to be among these three, then it has to be the Honda City AT. The Sunny/Scala CVT will be ok for sedate city driving, but will struggle if you push it hard as the CVT gearbox is not a great performer. In addition your mileage will drop drastically when you try to push a CVT.

If you are willing to look at VW, then the Vento TSI is an excellent choice. The performance will blow you away and it is reasonably fuel efficient (10-12 in City and 14-16 on Highways). Since it a 7 speed DSG + TSI Engine combination, fuel efficiency will not drop drastically even if you push it. FE can drop to 8kmpl in bumper to bumper traffic for extended periods. The face lift is also around the corner.

Rajeevraj, Honda City is also pushed by a CVT. I think among mileage and reliability, CVTs are some of the best options. But I agree with you that it is suited for sedate driving, with the rubber band effect being prominent. CVTs are good for city driving.

Originally Posted by golfdude

3) Which one should I choose from the 3 ? Sunny CVT, Scala CVT or City AT ?

Or are there any better choices ? My driving will be in Pune city with trips to Mumbai.

Thanks.

I would second Rajeevraj that among the choices you have given, Honda City with its higher horse power would be the better bet (if minimising rubber band effect for highway driving as well is the goal). Of course Sunny/Scala comes tuned for higher efficiency than manuals.

Of course if you can stretch your budget (probably approx. 1L more than City SV CVT) a little bit Vento TSI is awesome!

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by abhilashgp

Rajeevraj, Honda City is also pushed by a CVT. I think among mileage and reliability, CVTs are some of the best options. But I agree with you that it is suited for sedate driving, with the rubber band effect being prominent. CVTs are good for city driving.

!

Correct. Honda is also a CVT, but as per all reviews and ownership reports, it is miles ahead of the Sunny/Scala CVT. The Honda CVT also has a slim torque converter (I am still not sure what that means). In my understanding that helps overcome the 'rubber band effect' to a great deal and makes it a better performer on highways and when pushed hard. In addition since the City CVT also provides the 7 'virtual' ratios which the driver can manually shift through (Using paddle shifts-VX Variant ) and the L mode in SV, gives better control to the driver in quick response situations.

[Pacifica]

Originally Posted by golfdude

It seems like I might get only around Rs. 1 to Rs. 1.5 lacs for the 2001 Honda Accord AT. In that case, does it make sense to keep driving it assuming I can maintain it for around Rs. 25k per year excluding fuel costs ? I have done repairs so maybe for the next couple of years, I might not even have any major repair costs.

Also considering it is a 2001 model, the km done on it are less (48,000 km so far). The ride is also nice.

Then should I overlook the low mileage and drive it to the maximum, because the math suggests that even if I drive 1,000 km a month, it will still be a lot less money to shell out for the next 2-3 years compared to buying a new AT for Rs. 10 lacs. Then when this car completely dies in 2-3 or maybe 5-6 years, I can buy a new AT.

How is this plan ?

Thanks.

golfdude,

First of all, this is a 2001 car so the chances of big ticket repair on a 13-year old car are pretty high, so I'd question the 25k-per-year maintenance estimate.

Second, you say when you bought the car in 2010, it had only 38,000km on it. Less than 4,000 km per year? Unless you got the service records to prove it, I should think it more than likely that whoever sold it to you doctored the odometer. So really the car may have many more km on it than you think, and may need serious maintenance sooner rather than later.

My advice would still be to get rid of it now while it still drives nice.

Further, it looks like you need the AT primarily for city use since you have the Xylo for highway runs. In that case you would be better off with an i10 AT or Brio AT, rather than a big (by India standards) AT sedan.

Hope this helps.

[D4D]

Originally Posted by golfdude

1) How does the Nissan Sunny CVT compare itself with the Scala ?

Both are mechanically identical. Not much to differentiate, except for features.

2) Is Nissan Sunny CVT more VFM compared to Honda City AT or the Scala ?

Nissan Sunny is cheaper, but City is more VFM.

3) Which one should I choose from the 3 ? Sunny CVT, Scala CVT or City AT ?

Of choice is limited to these three, then City AT

Or are there any better choices ? My driving will be in Pune city with trips to Mumbai.

Thanks.

Vento TSI with 7 speed DSG is a good buy if VW dealers in your area are good.

Rumor suggests that Vento TDI with 6 speed DSG is going to be launched. Go for it if you need a diesel.

Maruti Ciaz is supposed to come with a 4 speed Torque conveter AT. If that is the case, don't buy it. However, if it's with a CVT, buy it.

Either way, get rid of your accord fast.

[rajshenoy]

After giving lots of thought, My friend finally decided to stretch his budget and go for Honda City SV AT. This would mean he has to stretch his budget by over a lakh, but after going through various threads City seems like a good choice.

He did consider Ciaz AT as well, but Nothing is clear about it. I would say Maruti has hired pretty incompetent marketing guys for ciaz !!

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by golfdude

Considering all of the above, I am thinking to get a new AT. Budget is around Rs. 10 lacs.

For a budget of around 10 lakhs, other than Polo/Vento TSI, I will recommend to add the Ecosport AT Titanium also into the mix. It may not be as entertaining as the VW twins, but is well-loaded on safety. And in this price range, only these three models come with Stability control (ESP).

[golfdude]

Originally Posted by vb-san

For a budget of around 10 lakhs, other than Polo/Vento TSI, I will recommend to add the Ecosport AT Titanium also into the mix. It may not be as entertaining as the VW twins, but is well-loaded on safety. And in this price range, only these three models come with Stability control (ESP).

Can I use Ecosport AT for long drives to take 3 adults and 2 kids (ages 9 and 11) ? Or do I still need to use the Xylo for that ?

If I can use Ecosport for long drives as well as inside Pune city, it will be the ideal situation. I am getting tired of the Xylo having owned it for 4.5 years. The reason I have kept it is for long drives.

In that case I can do the following:

1) Exchange the Xylo for the Ecosport. My Xylo is the top end 2010 model with ABS, airbags, ceiling DVD etc. It has 40,000 km on it. Assuming I get around Rs. 6 lacs for it, I will have to spend around Rs. 4 lacs after exchange with the Ecosport.

2) I can exchange my Honda Accord AT with a small automatic hatch. Assuming I get around Rs. 1 lac for the Accord, I will have to spend around Rs. 5 lacs to exchange for i10 AT for example.

So I will have the Ecosport AT and i10 AT for a total of around Rs. 10 lacs. 2 new AT cars which will still fit in my Rs. 10 lac budget plus something more fun to drive (Ecosport) on long drives than the Xylo.

Please advice.

Thanks.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by golfdude

So I will have the Ecosport AT and i10 AT for a total of around Rs. 10 lacs. 2 new AT cars which will still fit in my Rs. 10 lac budget plus something more fun to drive (Ecosport) on long drives than the Xylo.

Your current fleet:
Xylo & Accord - Both these cars have enough boot space in addition to your 3 adults & 2 kids requirement. Either of them would suit long drives.

Your proposed fleet:
Ecosport & a small hatch - Both these cars are sub-4m with small boot space. While the Ecosport might be okay for the 3 adults and 2 kids on long drives in the passenger compartment, I seriously doubt if the boot space would be sufficient to accommodate the luggage for the 5 during your long trips. So it would only work if you are the type that packs very light. Honda City or Vento would be a more practical choice for highways.

However, do you really need an AT for your highway trips if you have a small car which is AT for city driving? If not, then you have a lot more options to choose from.

[Equus]

Hey Golfdude, here is a nice tip - Zoom cars have been launched in Pune. Why dont you rent a Ecosport and go out for a small trip? You would know if it fits your size needs.
If it does, then you are going to buy the Ecosport as it is the fits your week day as well as weekend needs!!

[anshul26]

IMO City Auto. You can't go wrong with Honda.
GT TSI is super hot car and somehow I have resisted the temptation of buying it. It's gearbox is not reliable and VW is notorious for it's poor ASS. It has been recalled in other countries but not in India. Google 'VW DSG gearbox issues' before considering it.

[SHANKY11]

My opinion on your budget: Buy the Polo GT TSI (or Vento TSI if you need a bigger boot)
It has a gem of an engine and the best in class DSG gearbox. The gearbox issues have been significantly reduced in recent times in my opinion. A friend of mine has owned it for the last 2 years and he is very happy with it.

[golfdude]

On the forum, it has been suggested that City AT is the est VFM. But the City AT mid variant is Rs. 11.05 lacs which has only one airbag. The Vento AT is Rs. 11.37 lacs with dual airbags and I think few other features which are not there in City AT.

So is there any reason I should stick with City AT and not consider the Vento AT ? Both are priced same but looks like the Vento has more features.

Thanks.