[managhatke77]

Hi All,

I consider myself a minimalist, and I'm pretty frugal about spending on material things. I have no problem spending money on unique experiences like travel, adventure, etc.

I already have a single owner, Grand i10, 2014 model, which has ran just 30,000 Kms and is in terrific condition.

I recently sold my honda city 2019 because I was just not comfortable with the low riding sedan.

I'm an avid traveller, and have driven across the himalayas multiple times.

I'm on the look out for a good, safe and a reliable SUV. The car will mostly ferry my wife and I for our road trips, and will ocassionally take my parents to coorg or mangalore regions. (They have another hatchback for their daily use in the city).

The dilemma:

I have the budget for a new Scorpio N AT or XUV 700 AT the top end, but my mind is simply refusing to spend 28 L+ on a depreciating asset which will only be used minially for long trips. (My work is fully remote). I foresee a big economic recession in 2023 and want to ensure that i have enough cash on hand to spot any good investing opportunities.

I am not interested in compact SUVs.

What do you recommend?

Do I Yolo it and go for a Scorpio N or look for a Fortuner AT, Pajero AT or Hexa XTA in the pre-owned market?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by managhatke77

I have no problem spending money on unique experiences like travel, adventure, etc.

Think of a better car also as an "experience". Every time you drive it, it will deliver a superior experience than a cheap car. It will also be safer, more comfortable & more pleasurable to drive.

I recently sold my honda city 2019 because i was just not comfortable with the low riding sedan.

You are frugal, but you are also wasting money. Selling a car within 3 years of ownership means you lost a lot of money in depreciation.

Two recommendations:

1. Buy a great car and keep it for 10 - 15 years. Believe it or not, this will work out cheaper (related article (How a more expensive car can work out cheaper (if you hold onto it for longer))).

This will also be cheaper than buying a 15 lakh car today, then changing it again in 5 - 7 years. I suggest going for that Scorpio-N or XUV700 you have your eyes set on.

2. Get a used crossover / SUV. Avoid the last-gen Scorpio as it was too bumpy. Hexa will be a hit or miss in terms of reliability. Either XUV500, or the popular crossovers (Creta, Seltos, Duster).

But really, just go get that Scorpio-N or XUV700. Keep it for 15 years and the frugal part of you can be happy with all the savings from long-term car ownership.

[Axe77]

^^. I’m largely with the advise which GTO has outlined above.

An alternate thought too, keeping with your minimalist preference.

If the need for the Scorpio is:
(a) exclusively for long road trips;
(b) these road trips are strictly very occasional; and
(c) your existing hatchback covers all your other day to day needs,

you could consider not buying any vehicle at all and renting a suitable vehicle for these occasional road trips. Of course you have to work out what the math is for renting for these trips (vs long term ownership and the up front capital spent) depending on the frequency with which they might be required.

For touring in the Himalayas for instance, lots of rental SUV options are available ex Chandigarh which also save you the time spent driving from Bangalore all the way to the North (in case that is relevant - some may enjoy that aspect of the trip as well).

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by managhatke77

Do I Yolo it and go for a Scorpio N or look for a Fortuner AT, Pajero AT or Hexa XTA in the pre-owned market?

Looks like Scorpio N has got some new, more affordable variants.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...2-49-lakh.html (Mahindra Scorpio-N gets 5 new variants priced from Rs 12.49 lakh)

Bolero Neo is also another option you could consider.

[Kosfactor]

Unlike a small hatchback , cars costing ~ 30 L comes with significant expenses, recurring expenses to be exact. They need to be maintained with a spare no expense mentality if you are to keep them for long, so if the initial spend in itself is a painful thought - well, you have to change the way you think about this. Use money as a tool to bring you and your family some happiness, I'm sure it's worth it.

Looking at your ownership history, you have not made use of your existing vehicle even though it is perfectly capable of running from Kashmir to Kanyakumari non stop - imagine how much fun memories of road trips that little car could have brought to you and your family all these years

ScorpioN and XUV7OO are now going at 30 and 31.5 L respectively around here, if you ask me they are worth it - if you make good use of them.

[heydj]

Few questions to ask yourself,:

Having a budget and budget willing to spend are two different amounts. What is the latter value? That will decide your choice.

Considering you are a avid traveller and have done many trips then what are the aspects of driving you enjoy? This will tell you what kind of car to get in terms of technical specifications.

Do you intend to keep car for 10-15 years or going to change? If going to change then in what duration? With this in mind plot the depreciation and then ask yourself what depreciation value you are ok with? This will help answer what budget to spend.

Is new SUV you desire or is it your need? If it's a need then logically derive at car choice however if it's a desire then think differently in terms of joy you will get with desire met.

Good Luck. I would suggest a car but field is so wide open with that budget and its not mentioned what type of car you want.

[lamborghini]

Don't need to get a 7 seater SUV for that - and the XUV / Scorpio-N may not be the most reliable options in that budget either though they will be safe, feature loaded, etc. but if you don't need the tougher ladder on frame chassis of the Scorpio-N; AWD; the additional seats, etc. you could probably get an equally comfortable, safe, and fun to drive 5 seater SUV for cheaper. Something like the Kushaq / Taigun 1.0TSi.

That being said, don't go to the other extreme: as others have commented, a better car results in a better experience : better mood, fewer body pains and aches, safer body structure, etc.

[Durango Dude]

You've already taken a huge hit by selling the 2019 City: which is probably the highest riding of all sedans with perfect H point and seating comfort, but to each his own. With the remote working and recession looming large, I suggest you hold your horses and don't spend any further on an SUV. Since the 2014 i10 has just done 30000 kms your running isn't too much. If by 'frugal' and 'minimal' you mean Maruti: suggest you wait for the 5 door Jimny.

[IshaanIan]

In our market unfortunately since SUVs are seen as aspirational vehicles, there is no furgal minimalist down to earth example of one as such. Grand Vitara 2.4 petrol, CR-V are the only simple ones that come to mind due to their reliable uncomplicated petrol drive train, but since they were not manufactured here, parts would be expensive. A TUV might strictly speaking be the only option for you but I would encourage an extended test drive to see if you are okay with it.

[Drkalgaonkar]

Frugal is the word you chose to describe yourself. You foresee a possible recession in the near future.

You are not comfortable with a sedan like Honda City.

Hmmmm.

Are you comfortable with preowned vehicles? If yes (and remember you are frugal!), my advise is to go for a well maintained Duster 110 PS, don't splurge money on Endeavour, Fortuners or Hexas, they do require deep pockets.

If not then (remember frugal!) as suggested by someone else, go for Bolero Neo. It is a good, decent vehicle with no useless gizmos.

Or, just hire a car like Innova for trips and be content with your i10. (I am using my Desire petrol from 2014 and in similar situation, daughter's 12th, possible slowdown. Though I want to own an SUV, I am not spending 20+ lac for an occasionally used car).

Lastly, if possible, lease a car and have a feel and then decide. Anyway it takes months to get these cars delivered.

Cheers.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by managhatke77

I have no problem spending money on unique experiences like travel, adventure, etc.
I'm an avid traveller, and have driven across the himalayas multiple times.

I'm on the look out for a good, safe and a reliable SUV. The car will mostly ferry my wife and I for our road trips, and will ocassionally take my parents to coorg or mangalore regions.

Why not a low-mileage pre-owned Thar? For those occasional visits with your parents, perhaps hiring an Innova will be far better than lugging a large SUV all the time.

If you are averse to buying Pre-Owned Thar's, try the new one. I mentioned pre-owned Thar's as some of the owners sell theirs very fast. A Jeep salesperson told about a customer who flipped his Six-month-old Thar with a Wrangler.

[vj_torqueaddict]

I was in the same boat as you. Wanted a SUV for our road trips in western ghats. I would like to believe I am a very frugal person( who believes in FIRE), I went ahead and purchased the Bolero BS6. We don't regret it one bit( the minimalist in me loves it). It's surprisingly comfy. I have taken my in laws and mom for few road trips already. However it depends on your driving style.

If Bolero Neo looks nice to you ( I personally don't like Neos looks) take a test drive. A solid Body on frame SUV with rear wheel drive, MLD kit, M hawk engine is a potent combo.

[deep_bang]

Last year I bought a used XUV with a similar intention of lower usage and it's served me very well. Low depreciation (as it's a used vehicle) and reasonably good travel experience (depends on what you were used to already but good large tyres do make a big difference on the highways). I did it with an intention of buying a city only EV when the need arises for both my wife and me to travel for work.
Just like you, I felt that plonking 30L for a petrol/diesel based car is just too much if your usage is low.
There are many worthy used cars:
Xuv500, bolero Neo (actually a modified Quanto), Thar (but not sure if you will get the new 4 seater version), Duster (amazing suspension is what I hear), creta (Super reliable car from Hyundai), TFort (the only problem is that these are expensive and you never know how long the govt will let you drive it. At 15 years and something like a couple of lakh kms, it's like just warmup for this vehicle but the govt may feel it's too old).

[07CR]

Originally Posted by managhatke77

I have the budget for a new Scorpio N AT or XUV 700 AT the top end, but my mind is simply refusing to spend 28 L+ on a depreciating asset which will only be used minially for long trips. (My work is fully remote). I foresee a big economic recession in 2023 and want to ensure that i have enough cash on hand to spot any good investing opportunities.

How about you go for a pre owned- XUV500/MG Hector Diesel/Fortuner (>2016 and you might get one at 24L~).

XUV/MG could cost much lesser around 14-16L and would be Frugal as well!

Also if you are not too fussy about body styles, a pre owned Elantra (14-16L), Corolla ALtis (15-16L) and Honda Civic (16-18L) seem to be other great choices for long touring. Especially the Corolla Altis, where ingress egress is much better with respect to sedan body style.

[kadanaJ]

One aspect of frugal is low running cost, low maintenance and durability.

I'd say check out the Toyota Hyryder strong hybrid. It's a good vehicle overall, and with the kind of fuel economy the Hyryder gives, it is the definition of frugal.