[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by anurag_p80

Ummm.....you want a driver's car and you are not considering Fiat? TD the Palio 1.6 mate, it meets all the criteria laid by you, apart from 6 maybe. Take a look. If you can find a "good condition" used GTX/ S10, you can save ~70% of your budget AND get a car which will put a smile on your face everytime you drive. Use the savings for mods, and for petrol. If you absolutely want a Sedan, then it is another matter.

From the choices you have enumerated, I would say the Cedia is the way to go. I would think a good Sports specimen might be hard to come by though.

+1 to that

Originally Posted by d_payne

@VMG: Good to know!

@anurag: Well, Point #6 of interiors is quite important for me actually. I'm getting away from the Indica and in fact considered the i20 for a moment just for its unbelievably good interiors. You're right about the money savings though. Very very cheap to buy outright - I'll end up spending the rest on doing it up or maintaining it or for fuel. BUT, I would like a sedan and a bit upmarket car. Not very keen on hatchbacks, though I did take the time to study every model in the market.

Thanks!
Payne

If you are looking at mainly city driving and that too in Pune , I would suggest going for a Hatch and good specimen Palio 1.6 GTX is a good buy. And believe me it will definitely bring a wide grin everytime you drive, especially on the Mumbai - Pune Expressway.

But if Sedans are absolutely necessary, I would suggest going for a new car. Used car, however good ( which again is on luck) will have issues which you will need to get sorted periodically. New car in general is lesser headache.

Also since your running is not much, I wouldn't suggest a diesel , new or old.

[phamilyman]

You want a FUN car? i10 1.2 ANYDAY.

Diesels are boring to drive (take that from someone whose done 17k km in 7 months, and was otherwise a rev happy pulsar boy). First car means fun, means reliable, means no hassles.

The answer is simple i10 1.2. Look at power/weight and the rev range!

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

You want a FUN car? i10 1.2 ANYDAY.

Diesels are boring to drive (take that from someone whose done 17k km in 7 months, and was otherwise a rev happy pulsar boy). First car means fun, means reliable, means no hassles.

The answer is simple i10 1.2. Look at power/weight and the rev range!

as of this week; 5.88lac OTR bangy, Getz CRDi.

[Takumi-san]

Which diesel did you drive anyway? Heck thats a pretty wild general statement. while I dont generally recommend a Skoda , do drive a Superb or even an Octavia and let me know if you still stick to your statement.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

You want a FUN car? i10 1.2 ANYDAY.

Diesels are boring to drive

[Nikhilb2008]

Getz CRDi or Cedia. It's a no contest!

[condor]

@Takumi, it's a Swift-D @phamilyman's talking about ..

Nikhilb2008 : Getz CRDi or Cedia. It's a no contest!

Two options, and no contest between them ? So how do we do it - split them right down the middle ? or neither can give a contest to any other ? chuck both !

[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by condor

@Takumi, it's a Swift-D @phamilyman's talking about ..

Two options, and no contest between them ? So how do we do it - split them right down the middle ? or neither can give a contest to any other ? chuck both !

Heh. You got me there!

I would go for a brand new Getz CRDi mainly because of the size. Handling a huge car like the Cedia can be a bit tricky in city traffic.

[d_payne]

First off, thanks EVERYONE for all the insights! I see the Getz CRDi coming up as a reco majorly.

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

If you are looking at mainly city driving and that too in Pune , I would suggest going for a Hatch...

But if Sedans are absolutely necessary, I would suggest going for a new car.

Also since your running is not much, I wouldn't suggest a diesel , new or old.

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Heh. You got me there!

I would go for a brand new Getz CRDi mainly because of the size. Handling a huge car like the Cedia can be a bit tricky in city traffic.

I don't have any issues driving a decently sized car around town - I've driven the Lancer on multiple occassions back in Hyderabad. Plus, the Cedia is 2 segments above the Palio or the Getz - better brakes, better quality of interiors, better refinement, better everything and of course more money for spares/services.

Since the monthly mileage is only 500-600kms, am looking at petrol only now. The added refinement for petrols is a big bonus compared to the mini-truck called my Indica!


NOW, I went and test-drove a Black Cedia yday at Pune - dealer sold and the specs are>

Quoted Price: Rs.5.5lakhs (negotiable)
Odo: 31528 kms
Owners: 2nd owner; bought last year from company
Age: 3 years old; April-2006
Documents: Full service details with bills and full documents.

Add-ons: (Don't add anything to resale value but still fun)
New Michelin PP2 205/50 tyres
JBL in-car entertainment including: DVD/DivX player/2.2" display on the Head-Unit/7" LCD screen/6-speakers/JBL Bass-tube
Stanley leather jetblack upholstery
Parking camera and sensors

The car has 3 minor scratches - 1 hairline on the bonnet, paint at door edges on the right are a bit chipped off and interior has scratches in 2 places.

Well, as for the drive - it was solid. No rattles, engine noise was minimal and I loved the grunt in 2nd/3rd gears. Took it up 90-ish in 3rd but did not get enough road due to peak traffic conditions. Braking was effortless with all discs coming into play for a straight-line stop.

Here are some photos:

Front


Read profile


Side


Interiors


Interiors


Am taking a mechanic check at the Mitsu showroom/service-center 2mro or day after as well as getting it looked at by my mech. Opinions?

Plus, I'll negotiate as hard as possible.

Thanks!
Payne

[marlinspike]

Cedia is a better bet if you need that 'exclusive' feel. Not many on the road.
Cedia parts price has come down drastically and Cedia parts price has come down drastically and its A.S.S is good enough in Cities.

I seriously considered the Cedia before I figured that the budget would have been stretched too much. Also I was worried about the size of the car and drivability in the city, now I know I may have handled it but I'm happy with what I got - Fiesta S.

First car better go for a new one unless you want to practice for six months to a year on a used car sell it off and get a car yo want to hold. Its not the case you are in.
So go for a new Fiesta.

If new is what you need, you still dont need an Ikon diesel at the Km/month. You can as well get a Fiesta Exi at slightly higher price (now a dAYSFord is coming up with all sorts of schemes to push it so you will get a great discount)and enjoy the power and better ride quality also its a lot more sound proff compared to Ikon.

Forget the Getz CRDI thats only talked about in the forums, you have mentioned you are not interested in that design anyway.

[d_payne]

@Marlin: What're the maintenance costs like for the Fiesta? The stripped-down EXi is now available at 5.55 ex-showroom.

[phamilyman]

Takumi - That's a Swift D we're talking about - and I'd daresay my mileage is enough to be considered what can be called a well thought out opinion.

Lastly, even the title screams ~6L budget. I was only talking of diesels in THAT price range, excluding the getz CRDi - amazing but god only knows when the i20 diesel lays it to rest.

Yeah - thanks for reminding that sometimes brevity can be bungled

[architect]

If you could negotiate a bit more, that Cedia is a steal (it's a steal at that price anyways)! But that's not everything, there are considerations of service backup, resale etc etc before deciding. It's the classic new car vs old car thing.

And yes, driving petrol is still more fun than diesels. I love the linear power delivery of petrols. I'm saying this after 14 months and 24,000 kms with oodles of torque on the Palio Multijet.

It's just that diesel economy gives me the freedom to take off on a long trip anytime.

[ScorpMan]

Hey Payne, you said how to find a mint condition car! Mate, you have got one. The Black Cedia looks in pukka mint condition a.k.a showroom condition. Black is the toughest to maintain, but the owner must have taken gr8 pains to keep the gloss like new. Dont know much about the prices in Pune, but if i were you i wouldnt delay the mech visit. Just get it done, and if all goes okey, gun for it. Congrats in advance.

[d_payne]

@architect: Service cost has gone down a lot recently. I've contacted Jyodi who owns a cedia in Pune and he says the service center is quite good. Am meeting both the car and the service center 2mro. Also, resale value is not an issue since I'll hold on to this for really long!

@ScorpMan: Thanks! The car is a stunner and am being drawn to it more and more. Am only delaying cuz of my extra-cautious mind.

[megger]

Go for Cedia. I have been enjoying driving this for almost 2 years now. Delivers 12.5 to 13kmpl in city with sensible driving. I also like it for its great NVH.