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Hi all,

I currently own a Tata Safari VX 2.2(top model) 2009, covered 16,000 kms with it which I plan to sell and so my next question is what do I got for after that?

My requirements are as follows:

1) Should run on diesel
2) Budget-9.5 lacs onroad (can stretch upto max 10 Lacs)
3) Should be niggle free/ Authorised service center should be customer friendly & efficient/Cheap on after service bills or spares ( in short complete paisa vasool-VFM)
4) Dont want anything to do with Tata/FIAT even if the car is given for free (believe me "peace of mind" is never included in a tata package)
5) Should be comfortable for me as I will be driving ( I am 6ft tall and well built)

So which sedan do I go for? I believe Hyundai Verna fluidic/Maruti SX4/Ford Fiesta-new/VW vento are my options. I am not much keen on the VW as the service center is very far from my place whereas all the others are 5km around my place.

I can even wait till December if anything new is going to come so what do I do?

Hyundai Verna fluidic - Fits your requirement
Maruti SX4 - Fits your requirement better
Ford Fiesta-new/VW vento - Cant guarantee peace of mind.

My suggestion - Wait for Etios diesel. It will give you utmost peace of mind and extraordinary A$$. Pretty spacious too.
1- is met
2- should be met with ease
3- What else is better
4- Same here
5- Yup this one too.

Good luck choosing!

SX4 suits you the best IMO keeping all your requirements.
As @oxygen rightly suggested, Toyota Diesel should be out by Dec 2011. If they plonk a good enough engine in the current Etios, and give a slightly better touch to the interiors, that should be perfect for your requirements.

Well, i am quoting my own post !!!!. (this is to update if someone was looking for an update from me). There was a personal medical emergency and hence was not able to make it this week as well. Hope, I can take some time on coming Tuesday and update in this forum on the price and options available.

Just as we were discussing above, the Magnum is not even present on paper as an option, although it should fulfill all the said requirements and more!
Whether you consider it or not, just test drive the Optra Magnum TCDi.
And yes, the Optra LS will definitely fit your budget and your requirements!

Just took a close look at an Optra Magnum today.
Though it was locked. It was a new vehicle and the windows had no tints to i could look in clearly.
I was really impressed with the interiors. Though the car is old. The interiors did not look dated or prehistoric at all. And the subtle hints of wood also blended well with the cabin. Yes a few things like the door locks are really old fashioned. But overall nothing you cannot live with.
Now the only thing left is to test drive one of these mature beauties.

And that only thing is the most important thing! :)
Do let me know where and when you plan to take the test drive and I could tag along!

After reading your ownership report, I have almost decided to replace my four year old fusion with the Magnum. You and Poitive can easily be the best fans of Optra Magnum.

I wish I get the time this week to check out the Magnum. Will keep you posted.

Do the test drive and you will add yourself to the list. There are tonnes of Optra fans, but we are probably the most vocal ;)

All the best (as you might have to struggle to get an Optra TD - but don't give up hope ;))

I have driven the 2007-2008 Magnum extensively whenever I visited Mumbai. I want to test the BS-IV Optra to check the difference. I just wish I'm able to freeze on the Optra as I cannot think of a better replacement. I had the SX4 in mind, but the ordinary interiors, the constant squeaks and unsettled ride was a turn-off.

There are two dealers in Chennai: Sundaram and KLN. Would request Chevy owners to chip in as to which dealer is better.

SX4! 1250CC engine :eek:. Was that not a turn off ;)

Yes and No!!

No - because Fusion itself has a 1.4 Litre /68 BHP engine. SX4's ground clearance was a big positive

Yes - because I wanted a more powerful car as my patience seems to be running out after driving 1.2 Lakh kms owith the Fusion. This is when I started thinking about the Optra.

I was apprehensive about General Motors due to the bad experience I had earlier (first impression), but this thread has re-kindled my interest in the brand.

Have been quite caught up with stuff and am really lagging on this thread specifically and T-Bhp in general. Please bear with me, if I pick up points discussed a while back and get to replying/adding to them later.

As we know this thread was closed down. Had written to the mods with the thoughts behind creating that space. Got a fairly short but reasonable answer. What I understood was that it was a part of a broader policy to keep things in various sections, which is totally understandable.

I did see merit in the thread, especially to help Jakku, NoRules, Prabhu and others considering the Optra to sort out issues and take things further. But keeping the overall bigger picture in mind, closing the thread is perfectly understandable.

Thanks for sharing your views @Ajay, @Oxyzen, @Raj, @Khoj, @SLK, @Keyur, @Vb @Prabhu. (pardon me in case I missed anyone).

Wanted to add some thoughts here. Maybe later sometime. In the meantime, will just copy a post made on the July Sales thread, after some posts made about the Optra and ANHC sales etc. to share a part of the views on the matter. (A post on the Linea was deleted from that thread)

The part below has been extracted from this post: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2455496

Edit: Hey Sauravc and Oxyzen, hope you don't mind me putting this up here. Am adding this as an edit. Had put it up to take the subject of plunging Optra and Linea sales further. Hope it is not seen as anything personal. However, just in case you think this merits some further discussion, it may be a good place to discuss it, rather than crowding the sales thread, which has a much broader audience, hence making a detailed discussion on this less relevant there.

Alloys - AFAIK, the company has only one type being shipped. Aftermarket - you should have many many options.:D Not sure what part you were referring to, Prabhu.

Thanks for that 'scoop' about the Manza. Hadn't heard about it. Could you share more details, or at least the link to that post, so that others too could follow that.

Could the Manza LE be the shortened sub-4m Manza (a la Indigo CS)?

The difference between Manza's 1248cc and Optra's 1991cc engines is huge. And it goes well beyond the engine. Suggest you try and do a back to back TD to make sure what you would want to go for. I think I was suggested to do one in the first few pages of this thread too :)

Niggle free - Is there anything besides the Japs for this?
Honda and Toyota don't have relevant models. So the SX4 it is, with this requirement. It also has the big advantage with it GC. I had a major issue with it's A-pillar design. Especially when I consider driving on curved hill roads. Though Maruti's are supposed to be prone to rattling, the SX4 is known to be 'relatively' better.

But if you are willing to look a bit beyond the niggles aspect and accept a small gamble, it opens up more options. With it's reputed A$$, Hyundai gives you the Fluidic Verna, which IMO is suited if you don't expect to use the rear seat too much and it is usually going to be driven in the city/ upto 80kmph. I would not recommend this for the highway.

I too am 6' and have mentioned my experience with the Vento a few times on the thread - I could not sit straight in the rear seat due to lack of headroom (a video review does show a 6'4" person sitting there though). It was the same experience when I checked it again. IMO, the cabin lacked a plush feel. Ingress too was an issue with my height and well 'well built'!! If you are OK with the cabin, it is a good all-rounder, though not the most silent one. The 1.6 engine is fun to use.

There would be little space behind your seat in the NFF. The motor doesn't seem eager enough. @carfreak77 went in for this one, even though he is 6'2". You could get in touch with him to know more about his decision process. It is a very composed car for it's size.

Given the body structure and height and that you are used to the huge space of the Safari, Don't think any of the above cabins will feel big enough. I too started my purchase decision with the same issue. Narrowed down to the Optra Magnum and Manza. For you, the Manza is out of the window. So it leaves you with the Optra Magnum! Just go through this thread and you will find many opinions about it. It should help you in making up your mind.

BTW, from what I know, even the Scorpio is relatively niggle-free and is cheap to maintain for it's size. Is an SUV, which you are used to. I didn't like the handling on the casual drives I have had on this and wasn't my cuppa at all, especially with it's high CG etc. But it may work for you, even though the cabin isn't as spacious as the external size suggests.

I hope you have gone through the Driven! thread, which is a sort of sister thread to this one.

PS: The Tbhp rated the Optra Magnum's reliability as Excellent.

Thanks for the update mate. Hope the medical bit is well taken care of and that things are fine at your end.

The interiors ARE high quality. Make no mistake about that!

@mdaaab, @MAS - Guys, you may remember that there have been issues reported with TD vehicles on this thread. My impression is that many of them are very poorly maintained. Keep that in mind while forming an impression about this car. Or best, try and get a TD on one of the better ones, if possible. Eagerly waiting to hear your comments on the car after your TDs.

Ah mate! If you get a good enough TD or if you end up owning one you too are likely to be a 'fan' of this car! Given you drive a Fusion, I take it that you are fond of driving and would look beyond gizmos.

It is a car with many merits and I just acknowledge that. I do see the issues with it owning it too, but they seem small, given the overall package, especially given the price it is offered at.

Even I have noticed on several threads that Magnum is never considered as an alternate option to Vento / Linea / NFF / ANHC / ANHV at all. Sad really.

On Saturday I was at a party and was talking to few friends about my booking of Magnum and immediate reaction of a car enthusiast friend who drives a Skoda was: 'All GM cars are bakwaas, high maintenance cost and no reasle value.' When I asked him few pointed questions about whether he ever drove a Magnum, whether he is aware of CPCO / Chevy promise, did he ever explore used cars market, he had no answer. It is just a perception and unfortunately all prevailing. Another friend who is a long time user of Optra Royale also joined me in defense of Chevy. I also challenged the doubter to drive my Magnum as and when I get it and then compare it with his Skoda. :D

GM started doing a little to remove this perception with their Zero-expenditure campaign but it is not enough. A beautiful car like Magnum needs to be brought to the notice of prospective buyers with aggressive ad campaigns.