[Mangusta]

Thank you , mods, for accepting my request for membership.

Gentlemen,

I am on the look out for a sedan (wifey insists that it be a sedan although i would be ok with a spacious hatch). Have driven a M800 for the last decade and done only 40K Kms. Before that owned a wonderful Royal Enfield 350 during the bachelor days.The bugger who bought it from me literally snatched it away despite having paid 20% more than its initial purchase price! You see, after marriage i couldn't give the Bullet my undivided attentions.

Requirements
1. Why a new car?:While there is nothing wrong with the ol' M, the mid life blues are the ones that are egging me to buy a 'decent' set of wheels. I can wait, though.
2. Type: A family sedan for four including two teenage boys plus an occassional adult.
3. Driven: Entirely self driven.
4. Ownership Period: Forever! Say 10 years.
5. Servicing: May get posted to non metros / moffusil places.
6. Usage: On an average, not more than 300 Kms a month. To be used mostly for short drives. Yearly holidays on highways. May be unused for long periods of upto 8 to 10 months - when Country calls.
7. Budget: Have a wide berth here. 5.5 to 8.5 lacs.
8. Performance: Having learnt driving on my Dad's ambi, driven his vaguely geared Indica V2 DLS, and driven a M800 - i am not fussy at all. Reliability, comfort and 'decent' is what i am willing to pay a premium for. Perhaps i still miss the reassuring throb of my Enfield.BTW, is there an equivalent 'enfeild'car today?!

Have browsed the threads extensively. Very incisive comments, some. TDed relevant models too. Will post my take in the next post.

Fire away, gentlemen.

[akas_chauhan]

Equivalent to enfield, i guess it'll be TATA Safari.

Anyway, i think since usability is low, petrol car will be good for you. Since you based in Patna ( Servicing should not be issue), you can try for Hyundai accent or Ford Ikon in low budget ariound 6 Lakh.

Otherwise you can try for SX4, you know the service network, but you do not need it as you do not tgravel much.

Then Accent/ Ikon/Fiesta should do it.

[rg_chn]

The ikon and accent are too old, since you'l be keeping it for 10 years, i'd recommend a newer model, and as you might be placed in remote areas, i wouldn't recommend the Linea.

Try the Fiesta petrol or SX4vvt.

[blackasta]

Hi mangusta - your usage patterns is as follows:

low usage -> petrol
anywhere servicing -> maruti
5 people -> big car
self driven -> comfortable

petrol + maruti + big car + comfortable = sx4 petrol

keep us posted about your decision!

[Takumi-san]

Manza Petrol. Nice car , new looks. Since you are getting one specifically for comfort and feel good factor get one that is not so common the roads. Manza fits the bill.

[xenxer]

Since most of the time you do City driving and with 5 members i would recommend to go for Ford Fusion.

[gaurav_chopra04]

I know it will sound a bit wierd but If you can wait and wait till December or January 2011, I would suggest the Toyota Etios or the Etios sedan, both of which will be launched later in 2010. The price of the cars will be in and around your buget and only by seeing it today at the Auto Expo, I can gaurantee that there will be no better cars in the segments to live with for 10 plus years. New car will gaurantee fresh appeal and toyota will gaurantee good after sales, excellent reliability and good re sale. You may have to wait for an year but you will certainly love the car for the next ten years.

If you cant wait for that long, you may go with the Maruti Suzuki SX4, very good car and VFM. I wont recommend the Polo or the swift as you seem to be more inclined towards a sedan or a spacious hatch. However, You may consider the Jazz but its highly over priced.

Please note, if you want your next car to be as reliable as your M800, choose a Japanese Product.

[khoj]

Originally Posted by Mangusta

Thank you , mods, for accepting my request for membership.

Gentlemen,

I am on the look out for a sedan (wifey insists that it be a sedan although i would be ok with a spacious hatch).
Requirements

2. Type: A family sedan for four including two teenage boys plus an occassional adult.

5. Servicing: May get posted to non metros / moffusil places.


8. Performance: Having learnt driving on my Dad's ambi, driven his vaguely geared Indica V2 DLS, and driven a M800 - i am not fussy at all. Reliability, comfort and 'decent' is what i am willing to pay a premium for. Perhaps i still miss the reassuring throb of my Enfield.BTW, is there an equivalent 'enfeild'car today?!

Have browsed the threads extensively. Very incisive comments, some. TDed relevant models too. Will post my take in the next post.

Fire away, gentlemen.

Hello Mangusta,
Welcome to TeamBHP and as you can see I have edited your post for ease of response. From the language and point #5 above I presume that you are in the Services.

Per #2 above the two teenage boys will soon start taking/sneaking the car out for learning/driving. So what you need is a car that should be economical to maintain amongst other things. Plus the service network must be available in mofussil areas too.

Originally Posted by blackasta

Hi mangusta - your usage patterns is as follows:

low usage -> petrol
anywhere servicing -> maruti
5 people -> big car
self driven -> comfortable

petrol + maruti + big car + comfortable = sx4 petrol

keep us posted about your decision!

+1 to blackasta's post, he has it sorted out and the points that I was trying to make above are covered by the SX4 too.

Sedan Check
Space for 5 Check
Servicing in Mofussil places Check well almost.
#8 above equivalent of enfield. Well as MUL's adverts put it "The Man is back" certainly the most butch looking vehicle in its and maybe a class above too.

Plus if you are indeed in the services, I think MUL products are available through the CSD route. So added savings there.

Let me know if my presumption is correct or not and of course on your final call on the vehicle.

[Vibhanshu]

Hi Mangusta

There are 'n' number of options you've got right now. But I would seriously ask you to wait for a while. There will be a lot of new cars that would be coming in 2010. Specially Toyota entering the B+ to C+ segment. That can be a worth buy. Not only that, other brands are also upto big changes in the models line up. So take your time and then go for a new car. And btw, A spacious hatch can also do a job well, rather very well unless you want a boot of 500Lts.
As of today's models available SX4 seams good as per your requirements. No need of Diesel. Goodluck!

[DCEite]

I suggest you look at only two cars

- Suzuki SX4 VVTi
- Honda Jazz

Most of the reasons for choosing SX4 have already been given in earlier posts.
Jazz because its a kind of car you can keep forever (Honda reliability). Additionaly, you will not miss space of a sedan - for its wonderfully design interiors can give a lot of shame to some of the sedans in terms of interior space. Has got good boot space as well. Honda engines are known to be bulletproof and you can expect the car to clock 6 figure mileage with ease in its lifetime.
Not to forget ease of driving a hatch in heavy traffic conditions. And coming from a 800/Indica background you will be bowled over by the refinement this Honda has to offer

[nandans2005]

Mangusta,

i think fiesta is a good car for you.I feel its a good value for money car for the features and the drive it gives.

Moreover, its a steal for sure !!!

[nairrk]

you are going to drive the car - so opt for a Driver's cars i.e Fiesta and it will
come within your budget.?
You will love to drive !

[vkochar]

The Expo is on and there are quite a few cars there for you to see.

As of the cars on sale right now I would strongly suggest a Fiesta 1.6 / SX4 / Dezire

[nandans2005]

i would stress again that you go in for the fiesta.

Dezire: Ugly looking, i wouldn't call it a sedan, what would i call it ? a sedan with such ugly shape.Made with a very bad sense of design.

Sx4: You may consider it over fiesta.

These are my personal views.

[Fordmanchau]

Hi Mangusta,

From your post it is clear that you are in the services and presently posted in Patna(may be Bihta(airforce) or Danapur(army)).
As you usage is very low , everybody has rightly suggested a petrol car but driving a sedan in Patna is very difficult, as you must be very well aware of the traffic conditions there. Maintaining a big car is going tobe very tough, infact very very tough.
I don't think there is a FORD showroom yet in patna and neither do we have HONDA there(I have not seen these showrooms in patna, may be they have opened shop and I am not aware). So getting these cars will be tough and even if you get those from Jharkhand, servicing will be a problem.
But if you still like to go for a sedan,ignoring the road and traffic condition, then you have three options
1) SX4 from Maruti
2) Manza or Indigo CS from TATA
(Indigo CS is selling like hotcake in Patna)
3) Aveo from GM( 3 yrs no maintenance expense package is a deal maker)
4) Linea from FIAT(again maintenance will be tough, I have seen a a lone linea in front of my house with a big dent)

look at these options,I have kept Maruti and Manza at top because of their wide service network coverage.
Take care.