[Dead Head]

Planning to buy a sedan for my wife. Budget approx 20L max. The car will be driven by the driver on most days and by myself on weekends. Zeroed down on Diesel (cheaper fuel and better fuel efficiency)and Automatic (hate gear changing in bumper to bumper traffic). Plan to keep this car for at least 5 years. Pls let me have opinion as to the long term ownership experience of Jetta 2.0TDi, cost of ownership( usage will be abour 15- 20,000 km per year max) and possible resale value after 5 or 6 years.

[AirWind]

Originally Posted by Dead Head

Planning to buy a sedan for my wife. Budget approx 20L max. The car will be driven by the driver on most days and by myself on weekends. Zeroed down on Diesel (cheaper fuel and better fuel efficiency)and Automatic (hate gear changing in bumper to bumper traffic). Plan to keep this car for at least 5 years. Pls let me have opinion as to the long term ownership experience of Jetta 2.0TDi, cost of ownership( usage will be abour 15- 20,000 km per year max) and possible resale value after 5 or 6 years.

The Jetta 2.0 TDI DSG will cost you 25L OTR as it comes only in the Highline variant, the wet dual clutch gearbox is fairly reliable... I have a manual for the last 2 yrs and it has been fairly reliable. Should age well for 5 yrs, expect to recover 35% cost at resale.

Other options include
1. Toyota Innova Cresta mid variant AT at 20L OTR - this will be the best bet but expect single digit fuel consumption from the 2.8 liter engine
2. VW Vento/ Skoda Rapid 1.5 TDI DSG twins at 14L OTR - this is a full size smaller and relatively inferior experience
3. Hyundai 1.6 CRDI mediocre 4 Speed AT's of Creta, Verna, Elantra (soon to be phased out)
4. Chevy Cruze - aged and past its life

[VW2010]

For city only driving and hardly anything outside the city the diesel will be an overkill. Forget resale cost of these german cars. By 5 years two more versions of Jetta may be out and at that time it may fetch somewhere around 10-12L. I can bet on it considering its german, and 4 years is when the warranty coverage tops and post that we are talking about costly german car

Alternatively look at pre-used Superbs. Yes they notoriously have the DSG problem but at the same time the same problem makes them far cheaper giving you enough to manage any situation in case it arises. This is the best chauffeur driven car ever and it should be rightly named to Skoda Boats.

There are quite a few options at the price point with Automatic and that includes Toyota, Ford and even the german brands.

[Dead Head]

Thanks for your advice. Since cars are about the head and also the heart (in different proportions in different people) let me say that i love the Jetta styling. Besides i believe that German make the best automobiles. I wish i could afford a Benz but am trying to make do with VW. Rapid is a competent machine and I am also looking at the diesel automatic variant which i think is on the 15L OTR range. I do not know any Toyota or Ford's in this segment. Other german autos like Audi etc are out of my reach at the moment.

[AYP]

Originally Posted by Dead Head

Planning to buy a sedan for my wife. Budget approx 20L max. The car will be driven by the driver on most days and by myself on weekends. Zeroed down on Diesel (cheaper fuel and better fuel efficiency)and Automatic (hate gear changing in bumper to bumper traffic). Plan to keep this car for at least 5 years. Pls let me have opinion as to the long term ownership experience of Jetta 2.0TDi, cost of ownership( usage will be abour 15- 20,000 km per year max) and possible resale value after 5 or 6 years.

I don't think that you can get a D-segment diesel sedan with automatic transmission within your budget. The Cruze and the Elantra come to the mind though. My choice would be the Elantra but it will cost you around 21-22 lakhs on road in Mumbai. If you are interested in a manual, then the Jetta Comfortline makes for a good buy.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Dead Head

Since cars are about the head and also the heart (in different proportions in different people) let me say that i love the Jetta styling. Besides i believe that German make the best automobiles. I wish i could afford a Benz but am trying to make do with VW. Rapid is a competent machine and I am also looking at the diesel automatic variant which i think is on the 15L OTR range. I do not know any Toyota or Ford's in this segment. Other german autos like Audi etc are out of my reach at the moment.

Since you are keen on the Jetta and budget is a constraint why not look at a preowned one. A 1-2 year old car should come in your budget. Alternative is to wait to see what VW does with the rumored Vento refresh. With stuff like led headlamps expected, may be worth the wait. Of course it will not be a match for the Jetta but kind of a compromise choice based on budget and requirements.

On a side note, the Rapid has massive discounts. The ads itself say 'Automatic at the price of a manual'. You should be able to get one at much less than 15L.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Dead Head

Rapid is a competent machine and I am also looking at the diesel automatic variant which i think is on the 15L OTR range.

The Rapid makes the most sense when compared to the Jetta, of course it needn't be said that Jetta is much better quality than Rapid.. where the niceities are concerned. Jetta is based on the Golf platform which is much better in terms of stiffness and ride quality while Rapid is based on the simple Polo platform. Both cars are overpriced in this age but seeing that you plan to have a maximum of 2 or 3 people in the car, I'd suggest the Rapid.

Size AND automatic transmission both are key in city conditions. Rapid is smaller and can negotiate traffic a little better than the Jetta. If you plan to keep the car for 5-6 years then assume that you'd get 50% or much less since VW products aren't hot in the used market, leave alone automatic transmissions which are bought even less. Given the situation its better to save the 5L and buy the Rapid. The Jetta is a brilliant car feel-wise (it is about 80% of a 3 Series at 50% the price, at least in terms of dynamics and safety.. the steering is nowhere close to BMW though), but it overshoots your budget by 5L as someone else said and it'll fetch the lesser resale when compared to Rapid.

[Dead Head]

I am overwhelmed by the sensible advice from so many experienced members. Thanks to all.
My hunt is still on but the terms have changed. The car is going to be on Company owner ship and they will foot the bill for the fuel and maintenance. So this puts a different perspective on the search.
With this in mind, I changed my search criteria to
- petrol
- automatic
- 20L OTR

Wifey did not like the styling of Elantra. She did like Octavia but my heart is set on a pure German pedigree. The used car option is not acceptable to the Employers. so with these new set of parameters we went to the VW dealership at Chembur ( really had to hunt for one, the one in Santa Cruz has closed down and we could not zero down on the one near Siddhivinayak).
VW Mumbai East zeroed down on one Jetta within our constraints:
- Jetta 1.4 TSI Manual Comfortline (2015)

This car would cost approx 20L OTR

The car they offer for test drive was a manual 2.0 TDI. This was a beauty. Silky smooth and with a lovely suspension, she was lovely to drive. The torque of the engine was evident as the Jetta took the flyover climb on 4th at fairly low rev. The car gave me a real feel good feeling.

Unfortunately the 2015 model availability could not be confirmed right away so in my budget I have to slip a notch down to C segment and perhaps look at Vento Highline fully loaded. The test drive on a petrol 1.2 TSI Automatic was unexciting. Pretty competent car, but nothing to write home about. All told with the new Celeste kit which included a GPS and roof styling etc, the car is around 14.3 OTR.
We are now waiting for confirmation from the dealer...lets see how it goes

[AirWind]

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[basuroy]

The enquiry is posted on behalf of my father who will be placing the order in the coming fortnight if possible , the idea being to take delivery before Durga Puja . Current vehicle is Swift Dzire ( Petrol ).

Current usage is quite low( 6000 km per year ) and will remain so for the next 3 years until retirement , he is in the services and hence has access to official vehicle. Personal car is for the evening jaunts and road trips . Intend to own the car for a decade .

Cars shortlisted (all petrol except Cruze of course )- Corolla , Jetta , Elantra (2017) , Cruze (this one is an afterthought since power is not a deal maker for us) , Creta - the odd one out , reason being it is slightly cheaper and my dad likes it . Corolla appeals to the brain , Elantra to the heart mainly down to the sleek design .

Automatic transmission is not a requirement .

Requirements/expectations -
1. He is buying the car with long term use in mind , that is up to 10 years so reliability and service cost over time will play a deciding factor .

2. Coming from a Dzire , his expectations are more along the line of tension free ownership , no breakdowns - that is what a man expects from his car after driving a Tata and then a Maruti .

3. Since he is 55 now , ease of driving - that is responsive engine , adjustable seat /steering column etc are very much preferable . Sunroof or quality music system on the other hand are a bonus but not a deciding factor . You get the idea hopefully .

4. Power - he is not known to slam the accelerator . While this important , this is not a deciding factor - that is the 165bhp of cruze won't necessarily pip it ahead of a 120bhp car .

5. Safety - front airbags are must but that is a common denominator in all the cars mentioned , more important is the airbag should not be deployed during minor bumps - we have been told this is often a problem across brands and this has us concerned since that would be a nuisance if it were to happen when not required . Is there any one brand where this is more common than other ?

6. After sales service - I have read Skoda stinks in this dept. What I wish to know is should we be concerned about the brands we are evaluating? This also includes service cost , will it be comparable across the mentioned cars or one of them over time will cost us significantly more to maintain ?


Coming to the cars -
We have a certain tilt towards toyota , mainly down to our wonderful experience riding the innova many times. Is toyota really the bullet proof machine it is made out to be ? Can we expect same quality from corolla as we have experienced with Innova ?

Hyundai (creta and elantra ) - we have a decent idea about the pros , what are the cons of the brand and how is the after sale service in India ? Compared to Corolla , what would be your reason to choose either of the Hyundai vehicle if you decided to do so ?

Volkswagen - How likely it is to break down compared to Corolla over a decade long ownership . Also how will they both compare over long term servicing cost . Anything else you wish to highlight . Compared to corolla , what are its plus/minus points briefly .

Cruze - asides from power , what other factor would distinguish it from the rest of the lot ? A line or two would suffice .


We are not expecting any detailed feedback on driving experience , we will sort that out during test drive but rather wish to be warned against purchasing any particular brand and be reassured of the shortlisted cars .

Regards

[mijnoirhammer67]

Originally Posted by basuroy

Cars shortlisted Corolla , Jetta , Elantra (2017) , Cruze

Seeing your choices, your budget is around 20 lakhs. If it were my choice, buying an automatic is a must. It is rather trouble free driving one and seeing your dad is on the other side of 50, automatic is an option i must highly recommend to you. I own the Creta automatic in diesel. I drive it about 50-60 kms daily, and i simply have to share that I hate the seating position of this car. The seats, especially near the back side feels sunken in. My knees are higher positioned than the butt. So lower back support is pathetic. The automatics don't have the ESP or ESC, whatever hyundai calls it, i feel thats a big minus point. You can feel the car struggling to control itself when floored with a slight degree turn or bumpy road. If you test drive it, you could check this out. Music system is average, back seat can sit 3 average sized adults and the luggage space should be enough for a couple bags.

Since you plan to own the car for 10 years, Id suggest stay away from Jetta automatic, though its only in diesel, due to DSG. Also i haven't heard anyone owning a Cruze for more than 5 years so thats your call. The Corolla Altis wouldn't be my choice simply because of the way it looks. Ive seen too many taxi corollas, but haven't driven the new altis. So TD it and see for yourself.

Choose between Corolla, Creta and the due Elantra. Now, from what choices you haven't mentioned, you could pick up an older Elantra at great discounts if you like the car. Its still a great looker in my eyes. Moreover, look at the mahindra boys, XUV and Scorpio. Even Safari strome could be looked at. If you could negotiate for the current gen Fortuner, you could maybe get one in your price bracket. Its due a change sometime later this year. Also look at the Tuscon, it should come out later this year. It will be positioned between Sante Fe and Creta in Hyundais line up and i think it looks marvellous and would be the pick of the lot, unless you need a car ASAP. A close friend owns it in the UK, and has only great things to say about it. Even the Tata Hexa is due next month.

What a time to be alive eh, hope this helps

[IshaanIan]

The Creta and any other pseudo SUVs in that price range, simply doesn't compare to the quality and build offered by a D-Segment sedan. If the car is meant to be driven by your dad, I would recommend the Corolla although if the annual running isn't too much, then the Jetta may not be a bad decision either. The VW will definitely cost more than a Corolla to maintain no doubt about it. All cars will have expensive spares which are the norm for car in this segment. Another thing your dad might want to check out, is which is easier for him to drive. I have noticed that older folk find it more difficult to get in and out of the Laura/Jetta compared to a few other sedans in the segment because of the space between the door and the seat. Take all these into consideration. I am not sure how easy it would be to maintain a Hyundai in the long run, Cruze should just be forgotten the car is practically obsolete these days.

[RajaTaurus]

I am 54, I drive a Cedia for past 9 years. I went through the same exercise and have booked Jetta 1.4 TSI. My criteria - match or exceed Cedia. Suspension, power and build - three factors Jetta scores over Corolla. Others cars don't measure up to Cedia in various factors.

[GranvilleDsouza]

My 2 cents - Toyota has been known to be very reliable and having said that, services and spares in future would be easy to procure. They say a Toyota will outlive you, Altis is a really nice car.
The Creta is a nice car, would suit him well with both ingress and egress, however, that isn't such a bad thing on the Toyota Corolla as well.
For a trouble free experience and cheaper maintenance over the years, I guess many would suggest staying away from the Germans. Once the problems start, they continue. Have friends having a lot of issues with their Skoda and Volkswagen.
Why don't you consider the S-Cross in this too since automatic isn't a requirement? It's value for money, a good ride, an impressive cabin with a sturdy built, and being a Maruti owner, would be easy on the mind as well. With your budget, you could have your hands on the 1.6! It'll surely bring a smile to the faces of you and your dad.
Do check out the official review thread. It's one such review that'll make you want it. Even more so one you have a look at the car personally.

[Shashankjk]

Originally Posted by basuroy

We are not expecting any detailed feedback on driving experience , we will sort that out during test drive but rather wish to be warned against purchasing any particular brand and be reassured of the shortlisted cars .

Regards

Toyota Innova Crysta (since you have considered a Creta , it implies that you aren't restricted to sedans only) for hassle free long term ownership.
How much I wish Civic would have been a option but don't think it will be available by Q3 this year.
Volkswagen Jetta if you are ok with high maintenance.
If you are fine to come down one segment, have you considered the CIAZ? I think a new version is out with 6 airbags etc. You already know everything about owning a Maruti so won't go there.