[Auto_Fan]

Friends,
I started search for my new car a few days ago. My requirements/constraints are:

1. Performance
2. Ride and Handling
3. ABS and airbags
4. Rear bench comfort
5. Large boot
6. Eletronics (good ICE, ACC, et al)
7. Don't care mileage
8. 10L budget

I shortlisted T-Jet, ANHC, and Vento based on the reviews on T-BHP and with the help of info from my friends

First, put a request for T-Jet test drive on the website of Fiat. Got immediate reply from them via a call. Got a call from Pandit auto the next day. They arranged for the test drive on the same day at my house. The car is Superb! Only issue was with finding suitable sitting position - never found one during 30 mins test drive. Another point with the clutch - I somehow felt that I had to push the clutch way too much to change gears thatn I'm used to. Stalled the car at least 3-4 times.
Unfortunately, my family wasn't at home, so they did not see the car. We will visit the dealer tomorrow one more time with family. Only question I got from my wife was - If that is such a great car, why don't we see them around (and why some many Honda City)? Well, I had no answer to that question.

Same day called up B U Bhandari (VW dealer in Pune) for the test drive. The person promised to bring the car home, but forgot (?) it. Never bothered to call me to inform. Next day went to the showroom in Bawdhan with familty. Test drove Petrol MT, Petrol A/T and Diesel. The TDi IS A WONDERFUL car! However there is waiting of 6 months (that won't work for me), and somehow the diesel's noise and vibration on clutch/break just didn't work for me. The pertrols were out of question because of their performance. Another downer was that there is no USB support for the ICE, no stearing mounted controlls, no leather seats either. Overall, decided to leave Vento out of my finalists.

Next day called up Crystal Honda to check if the TD car would be available. Went to the showroom at Bawdhan and TD both M/T and A/T cars. Didn't like AT for the price of 11+L on road. The A/T is nice however out of my budget and with a low mileage of 9.5 (for a ANHC, I think this is too low). Liked MT quite a bit. However all the bumps were felt while driving. Also felt that City is somehow lighter than T-Jet and Vento (maybe it's just me).

Here are the On-road prices

T-Jet - 10.06L (Final negotiations pending. I'm hopeful to get some goodies like sunfilm, reverse parking sensor, etc)

ANHC VMT - 10.00L + Art leather seats + Sun Film

While disussing pricing, casually checked Civic (my wife's fav). The sales guy probably noticed that pretty well and made this offer - He has Nov 10 Civic VMT (only one car, white color) that he is ready to give at 14.32 (Regular price of 15.12L). That is 80K discount. Now, I CAN spend that money, and fine with white color too, however I don't want to spend that money just because the car has a discount. How bhpians rate Civic on the requirements those I put up above? Is there any specific reason that is worth spending 4.3 L more to acquire Civic instead of T-Jet/ANHC?

I'm looking for some advice from you as to what I should do?

Options -

1. Buy T-Jet - fits the bill pretty well
2. Buy ANHC - Almost fits the bill + much better mileage
3. Buy Civic

Is there any other option? I don't want to buy Laura, Cruze, or Cedia.

Any comments, inputs, suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

[procircuit_234]

actually civic is a great car. but IMO it is not worth spending 4.3 lacs extra.and the new civic is expected by year end!go for ANHC.i would say avoid fiat although t-jet is blast to drive..

[thedreamcatcher]

The Civic is any day a much better car than the other two

It is one of the best driver cars around and will definitely address all your requirements, not to mention providing the status factor. The new Civic is still a while way from making it to the market. So no real immediate threat. And then again, Honda's do not loose substantial value on resale, if you you are interested in that option. You can validate this by assessing the used car prices for the earlier generation Citys. That will give you on idea

The T-Jet has all the bells and whistles, and is one of the biggest cars in its segment. Almost at the size of the Civic. But it is losing out because of the service factor, (read TATA step mother) and the fact that Fiat is again back to square one

My take. Go in for the Civic. You will never regret this at all, and once you have driven it. You dont buy a car everyday, so buy something that will ensure you dont feel a compromise. An 80K discount on a new car is amazing

But just check it to ensure that the car is clean, that it was not used as some TD vehicle or something

[dot]

If I can add to the confusion! Will concentrate on Civic only.

1. Performance. No normal owner will ever regret purchasing a Civic on this account. The wail after 4k is very addictive. Civic MT is faster than Tjet and the City
2. Ride and Handling. Any day better than City. Moreover if you are going to drive mostly around Pune, then the car bottoming out is also not an issue.
3. ABS and airbags. Comes by default.
4. Rear bench comfort. I have limited experience here, but it was not too bad. Folks who sat there tells me that it was pretty comfortable.
5. Large boot. Not really. But can take two average suitcases.
6. Eletronics (good ICE, ACC, et al). Stock ICE not bad if you dampen the front two doors. There are many threads here where upgrades have been recorded in detail. Automatic climate control works pretty well. AC is very powerful. There are rear vents under the front seats (city also has these).
7. Don't care mileage. Well..
8. 10L budget. Well..

Hope this helps. Let us know what you finally decide!

[Ace F355]

Hello Auto_Fan,

I had considered Linea T-Jet for myself too before taking a plunge on buying a pre-worshipped Civic. T-Jet is an absolute joy to drive, infact it is the best driver's car this side of 10 Lacs. My only and only concern was the TATA's A.S.S. and Fiat's resale. At current times where petrol is INR 62/litre and ever increasing, I am really skeptical about T-Jet's resale 4-5 years down the lane.

I personally don't care about petrol prices, swap a Type R engine in my Civic for me and I will blast the valves off it , but resale value of my car remains very important to me.

I am not sure how much do you prioritize resale value in your case. If you do care for resale, buy the Civic eyes closed. It is surely expensive but is a overall better car with 80K discount being offered (Try pushing the dealer further with discount if you can!!!).

Othervise, buy the T-Jet. It is an awesome car that will give more than enough pleasure to your driving senses. My 2 cents.

And BTW, why not a Pre-worshipped Civic? Check GTO's, SmartCat's. hiren.mistry's thread, dot's thread, mine and similer threads to get an idea!!!

[vb-saan]

Since you mentioned you CAN spend the money, I will say - go for the Civic. It is a better sorted out car from Honda. And I don't think the next gen will reach here that soon.

But if your choice is between Honda City and T-Jet, my recommendation will be the T-Jet. It ticks almost all the requirements you mentioned in the opening post.

[v&v]

1. Performance
2. Ride and Handling
3. ABS and airbags

Given the prominence to the first 3 points itself, I will recommend Turbo petrol Linea for its addictive torque and handling. Go for the Plus version. it fully loaded.

[Auto_Fan]

All,
Thanks for your inputs! I'm planning to TD Civic today and will then decide. Will update the forum.

@thedreamcatcher: Good advice on checking the car being unused. I'll surely do that if I decide for it.

@download2live: Yes, the requirements are in the order of importance. That is the reason T-Jet is my first preference.

@dot: Thanks for detailes against all parameters. I will check out the boot size today (haven't seen yet).

@ Ave_F355: Resale and/or mileage is not important for me. 2 reasons - I have other 2 cars so this car will have limited running, and I keep my cars for at least 7 years. I never buy pre-worshipped simply because in family, buying the car is still a BIG deal and nobody wants to have used car simply because of mindset. So, that option is not available for me.

@vb-san: Thanks for your inputs. Appreciate.

@v&v: Thanks. I was considering J-Jet+. Again, it is still my first preference.

Today will have my family visit Fiat showroom and let us see how that goes. After that will TD the Civic.

Thanks!

[fiat_tarun]

If you are sure the Civic is clean and since you are ready to spend 14L, go for it. Coming to the City and the T-Jet, i'd say the T-Jet. This car has power and the handling to have fun with the power which will put a smile your face every time you drive her.

The only -ve that i would put against the T-Jet would be the 'Brand' as a few have mentioned.

PS: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/92455-even-civilians-can-now-own-jet-fiat-linea-t-jet-plus-review-ownership-thread.html
Not sure if you have already gone through this, but Earthed sold his Civic to buy a T-Jet !

[Ace F355]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

Not sure if you have already gone through this, but Earthed sold his Civic to buy a T-Jet !

True, but he had bought his pre-owned Civic for 12.8 Lacs!

While I know Bangalore has steep prices when it comes to used cars, I bought mine for 6.5 Lacs!

[Rohit Tripathi]

Hi

You may want to wait for the Ford Fiesta I think it will be a fantastic driver's car. If you cannot I would suggest civic>Linea>city in that order

All the best.

[noopster]

80K discount isn't that great for a car in the Civic's category, IMHO. If it were 1 lac+ I'd consider for a Nov'10 car. Not that I don't love the Civic's looks, but the ANHC has pretty much everything that its big sister has and is 4.x lac cheaper to boot. I had a similar dilemma between the Vento AT and Laura DSG but ended with the former since 6.x lac didn't seem worth it. BTW, why did you dismiss the petrol Ventos as poor performers? Admittedly compared to the TJet in 5th gear, you'd feel a difference but otherwise I find it a butter-smooth, almost noiseless and nice-performing car, ideal for city and no sluggard on the highway. You will get a highline Vento for around 9 lac OTR in Pune. Installing a nice ICE and leather seats is well within your budget, you will learn to live without the steering mounted controls soon enough! Just sayin'...

[bluevolt]

Hi autofan,

if you are deciding between Linea and Honda city, go for ANHC only. But if you are willing to stretch your budget and bring civic into the scene then look no further than civic. Honda civic is a fantastic car and has more features than your requirements (except budget).

But if you still consider ANHC and Linea, the ANHC is the car to go for. You will get better performance, better service and better resale value which ultimately give you complete peace of mind. Refer to ANHC's ownership threads in Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports forum.

[RemingtonSteele]

Please read in line in BOLD

Originally Posted by Auto_Fan

Friends,
I started search for my new car a few days ago. My requirements/constraints are:

1. Performance - 1) CIVIC 2)ANHC 3) Linea T-Jet
2. Ride and Handling - CIVIC
3. ABS and airbags- 1) CIVIC 2)ANHC 3) Linea T-Jet
4. Rear bench comfort 1) CIVIC 2)ANHC
5. Large boot - ANHC
6. Eletronics (good ICE, ACC, et al) - ANHC
7. Don't care mileage - CIVIC
8. 10L budget - ANHC

I shortlisted T-Jet, ANHC, and Vento based on the reviews on T-BHP and with the help of info from my friends

First, put a request for T-Jet test drive on the website of Fiat. Got immediate reply from them via a call. Got a call from Pandit auto the next day. They arranged for the test drive on the same day at my house. The car is Superb! Only issue was with finding suitable sitting position - never found one during 30 mins test drive. Another point with the clutch - I somehow felt that I had to push the clutch way too much to change gears thatn I'm used to. Stalled the car at least 3-4 times.
Unfortunately, my family wasn't at home, so they did not see the car. We will visit the dealer tomorrow one more time with family. Only question I got from my wife was - If that is such a great car, why don't we see them around (and why some many Honda City)? Well, I had no answer to that question.

Well, you wife's question says it all ;-)

Same day called up B U Bhandari (VW dealer in Pune) for the test drive. The person promised to bring the car home, but forgot (?) it. Never bothered to call me to inform. Next day went to the showroom in Bawdhan with familty. Test drove Petrol MT, Petrol A/T and Diesel. The TDi IS A WONDERFUL car! However there is waiting of 6 months (that won't work for me), and somehow the diesel's noise and vibration on clutch/break just didn't work for me. The pertrols were out of question because of their performance. Another downer was that there is no USB support for the ICE, no stearing mounted controlls, no leather seats either. Overall, decided to leave Vento out of my finalists.

Next day called up Crystal Honda to check if the TD car would be available. Went to the showroom at Bawdhan and TD both M/T and A/T cars. Didn't like AT for the price of 11+L on road. The A/T is nice however out of my budget and with a low mileage of 9.5 (for a ANHC, I think this is too low). Liked MT quite a bit. However all the bumps were felt while driving. Also felt that City is somehow lighter than T-Jet and Vento (maybe it's just me).
ANHC/CIVIC AT is a fantastic car.
BTW you are contradicting yourself here with the mileage and budget mention. On the other side you say you don't care about mileage and also tending to buy CIVIC which is much more than your budget.

Here are the On-road prices

T-Jet - 10.06L (Final negotiations pending. I'm hopeful to get some goodies like sunfilm, reverse parking sensor, etc)

ANHC VMT - 10.00L + Art leather seats + Sun Film
I would suggest try to get cash discount as much as possible instead of freebies. Crystal Honda is currently running free insurance for ANHC plus you can get corporate discount upto 17.5 K (if you strech and play it well).

While disussing pricing, casually checked Civic (my wife's fav). The sales guy probably noticed that pretty well and made this offer - He has Nov 10 Civic VMT (only one car, white color) that he is ready to give at 14.32 (Regular price of 15.12L). That is 80K discount. Now, I CAN spend that money, and fine with white color too, however I don't want to spend that money just because the car has a discount. How bhpians rate Civic on the requirements those I put up above? Is there any specific reason that is worth spending 4.3 L more to acquire Civic instead of T-Jet/ANHC?

80K discount is too less for a Nov10 vehicle. Also you will never come to know if it was used as TD vehicle for how many kms and how much denting and painting was done on it.

I'm looking for some advice from you as to what I should do?

Options -

1. Buy T-Jet - fits the bill pretty well - OK, car is very good only if you like those classic looks, do you want to own those classic looks for 7 years ??
2. Buy ANHC - Almost fits the bill + much better mileage- Best package + reliability + resale with futureistic looks. Very important if you keep vehicle for 5-7 years.
3. Buy Civic -Very Good car but, as some one said the new CIVIC is around the corner for launch. So you may not want to possess a dated vehicle within a year.

Is there any other option? I don't want to buy Laura, Cruze, or Cedia.

Any comments, inputs, suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

Rest of the things I have PM'ed you.

[Diesel9999]

As many members have said, you cant go wrong with the Civic if you have the budget. It is one hell of a car and the engine is just one absolute rocker.

What I would watch out for is the ground clearance. The Civic actually rides a little lower and if you do travel in areas with lots of high speed breakers and big potholes, watch out. I have personally seen my friend's Civic scrape the bottom on many speed breakers in Hyderabad. Thats the only grouse.

Good luck on your Car Hunt !