[bIte tHe bulLet]

hey guys,

gifting a car to the parents on their wedding anniversary in 15 days...

have had a lot of thought about the same and have of course turned to this forum to see what you guys think. firstly a little background.

1. mum and dad are ex army folks.
2. presently drive a maruti 800 which is now definately on its last legs!!
3. dad does not drive over 15 odd kms in a day at the most. (that rules out diesel - since the original push was for the Dzire zdi)
4. prime requirements are -
a/ easy to maintain
b/ solid build quality since the car will remain with them for the next 7-8 years
c/ relatively inexpensive to run
d/ easy to drive / park


the aveo 1.4 limited edition looks to be the more vfm package and certainly the more attractive in respect to interiors etc, but the lack of grunt in the 2nd gear (as reported by almost all 1.4 owners on the forum) is slightly worrisome. mileage as reported is in the 11-12 region right?? the 3 year maintainence free plan is one heck of a bonus.

the fiesta 1.6 exi has just had a facelift and has solid antecedents what with the ikon being around for donkeys years. the 1.6 engine is a stonker and the mileage i have gleaned from the forum is about 11-123 in the city with ac... correct? however, residual resale values as well as the general cost of maintainence for ford cars, seems to be a deterrent.

i will td both cars tomorrow and have a look myself, but what i would really like is for owners of both cars to honestly give me the pros and cons of owning each vehicle... solidity and reliability are prime importance.

my one request would be to please not get carried away by how awesome either car looks!! looks are subjective and i personally like both in their own ways!! also, THESE are the two cars up for discussion and not other makes / models / future launches etc - on the forum we seem to get carried away a bit when lending our opinions..

i would really appreciate a hand here since time is really of the essence...

btw - will be buying the car through the csd.

questions i'd like answered -

avg maintainence costs
recurrent problems on either car
avg mileage recd
ease of driving / driving dynamics
resale values if known
how easy is it to live with

i look forward to a quick response.. i also owe you guys a fantastic travelogue to the sangla valley in my 2.2 safari, done with wife and kids and camped in our own tents etc.

cheers.


p.s. mods - similar threads exist but they seem to be winding in all sorts of different directions, which makes it very frustrating as there are no real answers on offer... hense the new post.

[WheelWake]

Hey,

I got my Aveo this friday and there are quite a few observation that I would like to share. I havent driven much just did 100kms on the weekend. Anyways here it goes:

1) mileage looks decent but havent checked it on tank full to tank full basis. (12 with 95% AC)
2)Ride is very comfy. This 100 kms drive I did was within Mumbai and all my 3 friends at the back were very comfortable. (Fiesta I heard is a more peppy car and it has got to be if its 1.6)
3) Yes there is a lack of power in 1500-2000 rpm mark in 2nd gear. Turning radius is bit high. But I am a new driver.
4) looks man!!! Ya its subjective but I personally like Aveo more even after Fiesta getting a makeover. ( In my opinion both cars have different look and you gotta like a look more than the other)

gotta go now...I hope i did answer some of your queries

[srijit]

Hopefully, I'll be testdriving an Aveo today. Will try and put it in words after I do so.

[nemo]

Based on my ownership of a Fiesta 1.4 ex for the last 2.6 years i would recommend a Fiesta over an Aveo. I'm very satisfied with the performance, build quality, reliability and maintainability of the car. I have hardly had any major issues during this period.

I have test driven an Aveo few times for friends and family and i did not like the refinement and particularly the placement of the gear lever which i thought was awkwardly positioned. Also, the resale value of a Fiesta is higher than an Aveo.

There are quite a few threads that talks about the merits and demerits of both the cars. Search through the threads and you'll get the information you are looking for.

[srijit]

Does anyone know what ICE comes in an Aveo Limited Edition? Also why is the Limited Edition warranty 3 years/40,000kms instead of 3 years/1lakh kms like in the other variants?
Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any info

[vasudeva]

Based on my knowledge so far, it seems highly unlikely that both cars will fulfill most of your prime requirements. They are however easy to park.

[karanraheja]

@BTB- Phew your requirements list is quite huge ! Anyways 1st of all nice of you to gift the car to your folks. Try PM'ing Mjothi for review of 1.4 Limited edition. He shall guide you. Coming back to both the cars:-

1. Both cars will not be easy to maintain( Inspite of 2-3 yrs free maint. plan- as you gonna keep the car for 7-8 years).
2. Both will not have the best resale.

I would suggest you to for the 1.6 EXI Fiesta. Ford has just made it more desirable. Better power, mileage than the Aveo. Aveo scores high on the interiors.

[vnabhi]

There is no Fiesta 1.6 exi. There is a 1.6 zxi and a 1.6 sxi, apart from the new 1.6 s.
The Fiesta will suit your needs better than an Aveo. The Aveo scores only in looks,both external and internal. But the new Fiestas also look pretty good.

[dip27in]

Fiesta 1.6 Zxi makes sense to your purpose. Ford Fiesta is scores better in so far built quallity, reliability is concerned. However the after sales service may be an issue depending on the city. both the cars are average, if not on the higher side to maintain.

I am convinced with the high speed handling and Cornering abilities of Fiesta in comparision to verna and Aveo.

[bIte tHe bulLet]

Originally Posted by WheelWake

Hey,

I got my Aveo this friday and there are quite a few observation that I would like to share. I havent driven much just did 100kms on the weekend. Anyways here it goes:

1) mileage looks decent but havent checked it on tank full to tank full basis. (12 with 95% AC)
2)Ride is very comfy. This 100 kms drive I did was within Mumbai and all my 3 friends at the back were very comfortable. (Fiesta I heard is a more peppy car and it has got to be if its 1.6)
3) Yes there is a lack of power in 1500-2000 rpm mark in 2nd gear. Turning radius is bit high. But I am a new driver.
4) looks man!!! Ya its subjective but I personally like Aveo more even after Fiesta getting a makeover. ( In my opinion both cars have different look and you gotta like a look more than the other)

gotta go now...I hope i did answer some of your queries

thanks wheelwake... you have pretty much confirmed everything that i had heard about the aveo. most good - some bad!!

Originally Posted by nemo

Based on my ownership of a Fiesta 1.4 ex for the last 2.6 years i would recommend a Fiesta over an Aveo. I'm very satisfied with the performance, build quality, reliability and maintainability of the car. I have hardly had any major issues during this period.

I have test driven an Aveo few times for friends and family and i did not like the refinement and particularly the placement of the gear lever which i thought was awkwardly positioned. Also, the resale value of a Fiesta is higher than an Aveo.

There are quite a few threads that talks about the merits and demerits of both the cars. Search through the threads and you'll get the information you are looking for.

hey nemo, thanks for taking the time to write in... the 1.4 has been discontinued, so the 1.6 is the only option at the moment. i am keener on the fiesta, but need to see the aveo in the flesh to decide finally. and for the record, it is these very threads that i got fed up of and decided to start a new one myself, to try and get clear concise answers.

Originally Posted by karanraheja

@BTB- Phew your requirements list is quite huge ! Anyways 1st of all nice of you to gift the car to your folks. Try PM'ing Mjothi for review of 1.4 Limited edition. He shall guide you. Coming back to both the cars:-

1. Both cars will not be easy to maintain( Inspite of 2-3 yrs free maint. plan- as you gonna keep the car for 7-8 years).
2. Both will not have the best resale.

I would suggest you to for the 1.6 EXI Fiesta. Ford has just made it more desirable. Better power, mileage than the Aveo. Aveo scores high on the interiors.

karan, i've read Mjothis reviews of his car, and thus wanted conformation from other owners of the aveo for little niggly doubts!!! and my requirements aren't really that ott - they are pretty much what any person spending the better part of a years earnings ought to demand from their cars!!!

Originally Posted by vnabhi

There is no Fiesta 1.6 exi. There is a 1.6 zxi and a 1.6 sxi, apart from the new 1.6 s.
The Fiesta will suit your needs better than an Aveo. The Aveo scores only in looks,both external and internal. But the new Fiestas also look pretty good.

thanks vnabhi, like i said, i'm tilting towards the fiesta - but need to be dead sure...

and with no disrespect - the base version of the fiesta is the 1.6 exi apart from the 1.6 zxi, 1.6 sxi and the 1.6 s that you very rightly pointed out...

[aaggoswami]

Fiesta score over Aveo for almost everything except interiors and space at rear.

Fiesta is a good car to look forward. But going after the incidences of unreliability posted on TBHP, make sure you have a good dealer and A.S & S. available.

[somebodystopme]

@BTB Very Nice gesture of gifting car to your parents.

If difference bw cost of both the cars doesnt matter to you. Then Ford is the way to go. Though one of my friends complained about loose plastic in it. But still he is very satisfied with car. I have myself Driven Diesel Fiesta and found it amazing in dept of being Solid. It is not at all Fragile like Honda City(No offense to anyone thats how I feel about it.). Even am planning to go for it next year. Best of luck. Do keep us updated.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

thanks vnabhi, like i said, i'm tilting towards the fiesta - but need to be dead sure...

and with no disrespect - the base version of the fiesta is the 1.6 exi apart from the 1.6 zxi, 1.6 sxi and the 1.6 s that you very rightly pointed out...

Thanks, I stand updated in that case . It must have been introduced last week, along with the 1.6 S.

[bIte tHe bulLet]

just for the purpose of closure -

car finally decided and now on it's way - the new petrol ford fiesta sxi.

colour chosen - thunder

freebies from dealer - footmats and mudflaps ONLY

car arriving (hopefully) - 9th july, 2008

lost out to the aveo because the fiesta just feels and looks more plush and expensive on the inside (it might actually have something to do with the fact that the ruddy thing IS more expensive than the aveo limited!!!!)

anyways - the money's gone and the deal's done - just hope the folks enjoy it!!!!