[d_payne]

Hi T-bhp'ers!

I've been delaying this post for a while now since I wanted to get my thoughts and purchase criteria in order.

What I am looking for: My first car!
A car that is:
1) reliable and not very difficult to maintain
2) mostly refined with classy styling
3) give lotsa driving pleasure
4) steady and stable for cruising at 110-120kmph
5) be atleast a bit unique on the road
6) equipped with high-quality interiors
and 7) return OK mileage (11+kmpl).

What I drive: An Indica 2001 V2 DLS; and before this, a Lancer GLXD in Hyderabad.

Where I drive: In Pune. I won't be using this car for office commutes - I live right opposite my workplace! So this is meant more for city runabouts (dinner, hanging out etc), and weekend trips (highway/expressway drives).

My budget: New - 4.5-6lks; Pre-owned - 4-5.5lks

Fuel: I was looking at diesel cars only till I saw the prices of good pre-owned Cedias and Fiestas. The difference in absolute price is enough to justify the higher spend on petrol and the added refinement is a boon!

Cars I have considered: (all highest-end specs)
New Maruti A-Star - Liked the cheeky unconventional looks and the smart interiors as well. ABS + Airbags for 4.5lks is a great deal. Did not like the small engine specs and awfully cramped cabin. Have not TD'ed one but have sat in one at idle, checked out interior space and cabin.

New Maruti Ritz - Yet to TD or try out one. But the price of the top-spec VDi and ZXi falls in the range of the iKon where I feel the iKon delivers more value - especially with my requirements. Correct me if I'm wrong.

New Swift - Even though I like this car a lot, its sooo common on the roads! Like a Skoda in Czechkoslovakia!

New i20 - Jaw-dropping interiors and equipment levels which are way ahead of other cars here. But am not a fan of the styling or the engine for such a car.

New Fabia - Expensive - both for purchase and for maintenance. But again, very well equipped.

New iKon TDCi - This is the prime candidate for stretching my budget to 6lks+. The car is decently equipped, looks good, drives very well, has a sound engine which is very linear in power delivery, very high mileage, reliable and is comfortable. Only dislikes are the amount of noise from the diesel (though far lesser than my Indica!) and the noise at speeds above 90. At OTR 6lks and 6.3lks with ICE and Alloys, the iKon is the most expensive of the options as well.

Accent, i10 and Getz are out because of their boring looks but the i10 has good interiors!

Pre-owned Merc/BMW 199x models - Will definitely stand out and will fit into my budget for sure. But the high maintenance costs and involvement required is not my ballgame. Plus, I'd want my first car to be *slightly new* at least.

Pre-owned OHC - Very good car but the interiors are sooo dated - even worse than the Lancer. Plus, the good deals are all for 2001-03 models which are too old again.

Pre-owned Cedia - My best bet and my current dream car. 2006-07 models are all available at 4-5.5lks having done 20-30,000 kms. Am looking for a Sports version. The Cedia is a known entity for me, very refined, very sporty, reliable, oodles of style, fast and a decent handler as well.

So it's come down to the iKon TDCi and the Pre-owned Cedia. The Fiesta is also an option but I prefer the Cedia over the Fiesta.

My questions:
1. Have I covered all the bases? Or am I missing out on anything?
2. What are the long-term maintenance costs of the Cedia and the iKon? Service, mileage, repairs, insurance etc.
3. I have found 2 Cedia Sports on Carwale (I will be searching more). One of them is right here in Pune with leather interiors, new michelins, Sony lcd system, woofer, amplifier ICE. Its a 2nd-owner, dealer-selling car with 31,800 on the odo from April 2006 selling for Rs.5.5lks. I know its high for the age, but what should I be negotiating at?
4. Any T-bhp member in Pune willing to meet up to hunt for a good Cedia Sports?
5. I'm justifying the Cedia petrol purchase due to the Rs.1-1.5lks difference to the iKon TDCi OTR price. I hope this difference will cover up for the lower mileage and higher maintenance easily. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Lastly thanks Team-BHP, its been a very very knowledgeable 2 weeks on the forums!

Cheers!
Payne

[Red Liner]

Cedia all the way man! Christ - how can you even compare that car to the Ikon TDCI. The Cedia is one helluva stonker. So go in and negotiate hard!

[centaur]

cedia is good no doubt, but the feel and peace of mind you get with a new car can never match with buying a seconds. Also just a word of caution, dealers sometimes alter the odo to sell it at a higher price. SO not necessary the car has actually run what the odo shows.

[d_payne]

@Red-liner: I know, I know! Why do you think my heart is ruling over the head so much right now. Negotiations will happen for sure.

@centaur: I don't completely agree with the peace-of-mind bit about the new car. We bought a 2nd-hand Lancer around 6 yrs back and it was a good purchase. Thanks for the tip about the Odo, that is always a risk with dealers.

Query: Doesn't the Cedia come with a Digital ODO which can't be tampered with?

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by d_payne

Query: Doesn't the Cedia come with a Digital ODO which can't be tampered with?

Digital odos can actually be tampered with, if you know how. I was under the impression they couldn't be messed with, but a mechanic at a Honda A.S.C showed me otherwise. We were trying to catch our driver for stealing petrol from our CRV - tampering with the odo readings was one way to manipulate the mileage figures.

Anyway, I would still go for the Cedia if it's in good nick. Very nice car

[muralisk]

Cedia would be my choice. I still feel bad that I did not test drive Cedia while buying my NHC. While Cedia was over the the budget limit, I might have stretched as I really like the car, the drive and the way it moves on the road.

Bargain hard and go for it.

[ScorpMan]

It should be a Cedia, looking at your requirements. But try and find one in mint condition to experience hassle free ownership, even if you have to pay a premium.

[d_payne]

Thanks razor, Scoprman, murali, centaur and Red Liner!

Ok, now that most of you concur with the Cedia (I know most other T-bhp'ers would also agree!). Here are some Cedia specific queries:

Originally Posted by ScorpMan

But try and find one in mint condition to experience hassle free ownership, even if you have to pay a premium.

How do I know what's "mint" condition in a pre-owned car? What do I need to look for? (Especially age of car).
(I've read the PDI thread in and out; is there a similar one for pre-owned cars?)

Originally Posted by muralisk

Bargain hard and go for it.

What is the price I ought to be looking at for that specific model?
April 2006, 32000kms, Upgraded ICE/Michelin lo-pros/Stanley Leather. Quoted 5.5lks.

Also,

What are the long-term maintenance costs of the Cedia and the iKon? Service, mileage, repairs, insurance etc. (repeat question!)

Any T-bhp member in Pune willing to meet up to hunt for a good Cedia Sports? I know its a repeat question!

[greenhorn]

drive the getz crdi mate. You won't care much for the looks after that

[KRf1]

Does the Cedia meet your first criteria ?
Have you considered the Dzire ? A new model with alloys and ICE could be nice .
Also what about an old Corolla ? Could give you peace of mind and it is fun to drive . Not to good in looks though .

[d_payne]

@KRf1: Yes it does. I've been going through many posts of Cedia owners and so far it looks quite reliable and the spare-parts bin price has gone down drastically last year. The Dzire is just ugly, I'd rather buy a Swift if I'm going that route. The Dzire is meant for a Swift buyer who needs a boot, its built for a utilitarian purpose. As for the Corolla, its quite boring to be honest. Not just looks wise but even on the involvement bit. I've driven one. Plus, the Corollas for sale are atleast 2 years older than similarly clocked Cedias for the same price.

@greenhorn: From what I gather from the forums, the Getz is a great engine but not the most inspiring of cars all around. Solid build not withstanding. Personally, I found the Getz to be a conservative design in and out - my ex-boss used to have one.

It would be awesome if someone can post a list of to-dos for inspecting pre-owned cars. Atleast preliminary checks.

Thanks!
Payne

[VMG]

I am using Cedia for the last 18 months. Car is fantastic in all aspects.
Service interval is 10K or 6 months; Last service bill is Rs.1700(paid service).
We love the car.

[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.

[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

[d_payne]

Hi guys,

Any more help here? Would really appreciate it! Am going to check out a car tomorrow.

Payne