In search of the relevant Four Wheeler

Vivek.Martin · 5th February 2009, 09:42

Ok...so here goes.
Sister and Brother-in-law decide to buy a four-wheeler. Have lots of money. Both yet to learn driving! After a lot of delay (read as more than a year), they make time to see some cars yesterday.
First stop: Hyundai showroom. Test-drive the i20 (I drove it). Quality of interiors and seating is good. Engine not the most responsive, but will be just fine for their needs. 6.6 Lakh on Road for the top variant.
Second: Maruti. Drove the SX4. Noisy engine. Not that great a car at low RPM.
Third: Honda. Took the NHC i-VTEC for a spin. Enjoyed the drive. Quality is good and engine is noiseless. Didn't get the road to push it hard, but guess its capable of some decent speeds. 9,60,000 for top manual variant.
We are going to test drive the Optra Magnum, Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, and Tata Safari today. Not sure what is going to happen.
It probably sounds funny that we don't even know what we want to buy, but the logic here is "If you like it, just buy it". Doesn't matter if its a Sedan, SUV, anything...So folks, any suggestions? Looking mainly for comfort and below 12 Lakhs.
PS: After all this, I must say, when I was driving back home in the evening, I somehow felt none of the cars matched to my Getz CRDi's performance. No doubt, they had much better interiors and tons of features. But I loved my car the most. Am I nuts???

aaggoswami · 5th February 2009, 10:24

Ok so the budget is around Rs. 12 lakh, but can you emphasize on the requirements of theirs ? What exactly they are looking for, for example, a good highway car or city car or a good combination of both ?

For highway use, I will suggest a diesel car, may be Optra Magnum.
For city use, I will suggest Wagon R which is a great city car.

If they are looking at a good combination, try G3HC and Optra Magnum. Check Cedia also. May be the lower end Civic might just fit in.
Also have a look at Toyota Innova. Its whale in the city, but a very good car as far as comfort is brought into equation. One of the most comfortable car to travel in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vivek.Martin

PS: After all this, I must say, when I was driving back home in the evening, I somehow felt none of the cars matched to my Getz CRDi's performance. No doubt, they had much better interiors and tons of features. But I loved my car the most. Am I nuts???

Well, if you love your car and you call yourself nuts, then one question " Tell who here at Tbhp is not nuts " ?

Dippy · 5th February 2009, 10:34

Do give the new Altis a look. Refined, reliable and easy to live with. Confortable too and its a Toyota after all. The Innova is also a good option.

Vivek.Martin · 5th February 2009, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Ok so the budget is around Rs. 12 lakh, but can you emphasize on the requirements of theirs ? What exactly they are looking for, for example, a good highway car or city car or a good combination of both ??

Well, we are looking at a good city car which will also not lose steam on a highway

Ravveendrra · 5th February 2009, 11:29

Heyy Martin,

The advise that I give anyone who has not yet learnt to drive, but who want to buy a car is:

Buy an ancient car for peanuts. Learn driving on it, i.e. make all your mistakes on it, let it get shunted, bumped, scraped etc. nothing hurts. The clutch will get be by the time they finish learning. Once they have trashed this low cost car, they can sell it and buy themselves a nice car to keep.

People who have taken my advice thank me for having saved them piles of money.

Cheers.

Vivek.Martin · 5th February 2009, 12:05

That's a great idea Raveendra. But the thing is, these people have a big business and that's the reason they are looking for a good car for official use and meetings. Either ways, there will be a driver for most of the time.

architect · 5th February 2009, 12:07

A good city car that does not lose steam on the highway could be good for many cars under 12 L.

Let us know about monthly usage, ownership span, driving style (performance-oriented, sedate), space requirements, parking space availability, priorities in terms of engine / interiors / features / ride / handling etc.

I can guess (assume) that you are looking for a competent family car with good build, space, comfort, reliability, decent performance and a general peace-of-mind factor when it comes to Service back-up. By simpling ticking all the boxes, it has to be the Corolla Altis and for higher usage, the Innova V.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

Heyy Martin,

The advise that I give anyone who has not yet learnt to drive, but who want to buy a car is:

Buy an ancient car for peanuts. Learn driving on it, i.e. make all your mistakes on it, let it get shunted, bumped, scraped etc. nothing hurts. The clutch will get be by the time they finish learning. Once they have trashed this low cost car, they can sell it and buy themselves a nice car to keep.

People who have taken my advice thank me for having saved them piles of money.

Cheers.

+1 to that.

EDIT: by reading the last post by you, Altis fits the bill perfectly.

Tejas@perioimpl · 5th February 2009, 12:15

I would either consider the innova or the linea. Surprising no one has recommended the linea as yet?!
You want more punch, then also consider the verna diesel.

bblost · 5th February 2009, 12:18

I suggest the Verna.

Good to drive and be chauffeured in.

Vivek.Martin · 5th February 2009, 12:22

Well I guess I'll have to TD the Altis today then. Their level of usage doesn't really warrant a diesel car. Driving style will be strictly sedate and comfort is top priority. Regarding the engine, anything that is refined and reliable is enough.
How's the back seat comfort in the Altis? It will be only my sister and brother-in-law, driven around by the driver. They may occasionally drive themselves (after they learn that is!).

Ramsagar · 5th February 2009, 15:27

TD Innova-V model along with Altis.
It is a very good & comfortable vehicle with relaxed rear seat comfort
Pleasure to drive in the city, though it looks huge in dimensions.
Hazel free maintenance with great resale value and also comes with airbags, automatic climate control etc.
I'm sure it meets all your needs & good chauffeur or self driven vehicle.

Guys don’t mind. I’m not a sales person from Toyota. Jotting down my personal experience.

gemithomas · 5th February 2009, 16:57

If it is to be chauffer driven you should give the altis priority. Its not a drivers car but its reliable, comfortable and spacious. Its a car thats got class. ANd had better snob value when taken fro business purposes. No doubt, That should be the car for your b-in law

Vivek.Martin · 6th February 2009, 07:00

I TD'ed the Ford Fiesta and Fusion yesterday. The 1.6S was good, handled excellently. The Fusion Diesel was a huge let down. Very noisy and unrefined. Though my sister liked the looks of the Fusion the best, once she sat in it, she gave up the idea.

Went to Manipal Motors on Sankey road for the Linea. Guard is busy chatting on his mobile and doesn't even guide us to parking. So much for customer service! Brother-in-law went inside and asked for Linea, they say they don't have it and other showroom will have display. Everyone at the showroom are busy chatting about something other than business!
Left the place and went to Tata Showroom near Urvashi Theatre. Same case..no one bothers to even ask why we're there. Finally asked one fellow for the Linea and get guided to the first floor. One look at the car and I am really pleased. Extremely stylish, looks very up-market. All the three of us liked it. Comfort is good and rear room is spacious. My only question is if a 1.3 engine can actually do justice to the car? I hope it should. Again no one bothered to respond. Just asked for a price list and left. Will decide today and book some car. Don't know which one yet...

phamilyman · 6th February 2009, 07:15

Please don't take ideas like Raveendra's too seriously for two reasons:
a. Cars always get nicked. Even in the hands of the most experienced drivers - who here hasn't lost an ORVM to a rash biker?

b. When they can afford a 12L car, why would they be satisfied with an ancient car out of its prime that may not be that much fun either (unless its a VTec

) - plus status issues.
c. If they don't know driving, then they'd have a torrid time finding good workshops for the car, lest (and there's always a chance) of it being a lemon

aaggoswami · 6th February 2009, 08:26

Just one thing, before going in for any Fiat car, have a brief talk with a few Fiat car owners about which dealer is giving good service and in general which dealer is better. If the dealership reviews you get are not good for the dealer near your in-law's location, rethink the decision of buying a fiat car. A.S & S. is not the best and can be troublesome.
This can be a negative factor in owning a fiat car.
Considering that owners are not going to drive the car a lot and will be chauffeured around, a very good driver's car is not the requirement, and here Linea is good. But from what I have read and seen, the rear seat of Linea is not the best. As this will chauffeur driven car, the rear seat has to be spacious. Before buying Linea look at this aspect of rear seat space also.

5th February 2009, 09:42	#1
Vivek.Martin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Garden (Garbage?) City Posts: 109 Thanked: 0 Times	In search of the relevant Four Wheeler Ok...so here goes. Sister and Brother-in-law decide to buy a four-wheeler. Have lots of money. Both yet to learn driving! After a lot of delay (read as more than a year), they make time to see some cars yesterday. First stop: Hyundai showroom. Test-drive the i20 (I drove it). Quality of interiors and seating is good. Engine not the most responsive, but will be just fine for their needs. 6.6 Lakh on Road for the top variant. Second: Maruti. Drove the SX4. Noisy engine. Not that great a car at low RPM. Third: Honda. Took the NHC i-VTEC for a spin. Enjoyed the drive. Quality is good and engine is noiseless. Didn't get the road to push it hard, but guess its capable of some decent speeds. 9,60,000 for top manual variant. We are going to test drive the Optra Magnum, Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, and Tata Safari today. Not sure what is going to happen. It probably sounds funny that we don't even know what we want to buy, but the logic here is "If you like it, just buy it". Doesn't matter if its a Sedan, SUV, anything...So folks, any suggestions? Looking mainly for comfort and below 12 Lakhs. PS: After all this, I must say, when I was driving back home in the evening, I somehow felt none of the cars matched to my Getz CRDi's performance. No doubt, they had much better interiors and tons of features. But I loved my car the most. Am I nuts??? Last edited by Vivek.Martin : 5th February 2009 at 09:44.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 10:34	#3
Dippy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 7,561 Thanked: 2,476 Times	Do give the new Altis a look. Refined, reliable and easy to live with. Confortable too and its a Toyota after all. The Innova is also a good option.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 11:29	#5
Ravveendrra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,391 Thanked: 446 Times View My Garage	Cars for non-drivers, Heyy Martin, The advise that I give anyone who has not yet learnt to drive, but who want to buy a car is: Buy an ancient car for peanuts. Learn driving on it, i.e. make all your mistakes on it, let it get shunted, bumped, scraped etc. nothing hurts. The clutch will get be by the time they finish learning. Once they have trashed this low cost car, they can sell it and buy themselves a nice car to keep. People who have taken my advice thank me for having saved them piles of money. Cheers.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 12:05	#6
Vivek.Martin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Garden (Garbage?) City Posts: 109 Thanked: 0 Times	That's a great idea Raveendra. But the thing is, these people have a big business and that's the reason they are looking for a good car for official use and meetings. Either ways, there will be a driver for most of the time.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 12:15	#8
Tejas@perioimpl Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 4,423 Thanked: 9,582 Times View My Garage	I would either consider the innova or the linea. Surprising no one has recommended the linea as yet?! You want more punch, then also consider the verna diesel.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 12:18	#9
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,008 Thanked: 15,371 Times View My Garage	I suggest the Verna. Good to drive and be chauffeured in.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 12:22	#10
Vivek.Martin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Garden (Garbage?) City Posts: 109 Thanked: 0 Times	Well I guess I'll have to TD the Altis today then. Their level of usage doesn't really warrant a diesel car. Driving style will be strictly sedate and comfort is top priority. Regarding the engine, anything that is refined and reliable is enough. How's the back seat comfort in the Altis? It will be only my sister and brother-in-law, driven around by the driver. They may occasionally drive themselves (after they learn that is!).
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 15:27	#11
Ramsagar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BLR_Nellore(AP) Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 252 Times View My Garage	TD Innova-V model along with Altis. It is a very good & comfortable vehicle with relaxed rear seat comfort Pleasure to drive in the city, though it looks huge in dimensions. Hazel free maintenance with great resale value and also comes with airbags, automatic climate control etc. I'm sure it meets all your needs & good chauffeur or self driven vehicle. Guys don’t mind. I’m not a sales person from Toyota. Jotting down my personal experience.
	() Thanks

5th February 2009, 16:57	#12
gemithomas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 2,366 Thanked: 143 Times View My Garage	If it is to be chauffer driven you should give the altis priority. Its not a drivers car but its reliable, comfortable and spacious. Its a car thats got class. ANd had better snob value when taken fro business purposes. No doubt, That should be the car for your b-in law
	() Thanks

6th February 2009, 07:00	#13
Vivek.Martin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Garden (Garbage?) City Posts: 109 Thanked: 0 Times	I TD'ed the Ford Fiesta and Fusion yesterday. The 1.6S was good, handled excellently. The Fusion Diesel was a huge let down. Very noisy and unrefined. Though my sister liked the looks of the Fusion the best, once she sat in it, she gave up the idea. Went to Manipal Motors on Sankey road for the Linea. Guard is busy chatting on his mobile and doesn't even guide us to parking. So much for customer service! Brother-in-law went inside and asked for Linea, they say they don't have it and other showroom will have display. Everyone at the showroom are busy chatting about something other than business! Left the place and went to Tata Showroom near Urvashi Theatre. Same case..no one bothers to even ask why we're there. Finally asked one fellow for the Linea and get guided to the first floor. One look at the car and I am really pleased. Extremely stylish, looks very up-market. All the three of us liked it. Comfort is good and rear room is spacious. My only question is if a 1.3 engine can actually do justice to the car? I hope it should. Again no one bothered to respond. Just asked for a price list and left. Will decide today and book some car. Don't know which one yet...
	() Thanks

6th February 2009, 07:15	#14
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,968 Thanked: 4,642 Times	Please don't take ideas like Raveendra's too seriously for two reasons: a. Cars always get nicked. Even in the hands of the most experienced drivers - who here hasn't lost an ORVM to a rash biker? b. When they can afford a 12L car, why would they be satisfied with an ancient car out of its prime that may not be that much fun either (unless its a VTec ) - plus status issues. c. If they don't know driving, then they'd have a torrid time finding good workshops for the car, lest (and there's always a chance) of it being a lemon
	() Thanks

6th February 2009, 08:26	#15
aaggoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vadodara Posts: 4,982 Thanked: 2,931 Times	Just one thing, before going in for any Fiat car, have a brief talk with a few Fiat car owners about which dealer is giving good service and in general which dealer is better. If the dealership reviews you get are not good for the dealer near your in-law's location, rethink the decision of buying a fiat car. A.S & S. is not the best and can be troublesome. This can be a negative factor in owning a fiat car. Considering that owners are not going to drive the car a lot and will be chauffeured around, a very good driver's car is not the requirement, and here Linea is good. But from what I have read and seen, the rear seat of Linea is not the best. As this will chauffeur driven car, the rear seat has to be spacious. Before buying Linea look at this aspect of rear seat space also.
	() Thanks