[Nonstop-driver]

Hi BHPians, I'm currently driving a 2017 Creta SX AT Diesel with the ODO reading 56,000kms. I'm currently based in National Capital Region which caps the life of diesel cars at 10 years, which means my car is due for a replacement in 2027, or about 3.5 years from now.
The original plan was to replace this one with a similar car towards end of 2026.

Yesterday, I came across a post in our society group where a 2021 MG Hector Plus Petrol CVT (6 seater) is available for sale with 17,000kms on the ODO. The vehicle has 5 year comprehensive maintenance package along with an accessories package installed by MG. Also, its very well maintained. The owner is selling the vehicle because he's moving abroad.

I have never purchased a pre-worshipped vehicle in my life. This was never the plan but this lateral upgrade opportunity got me thinking and now I'm seeking suggestions from fellow motorheads if this makes sense.

The equation:
- Buy the 2021 pre-worshipped MG Hector. Seller currently quotes 19 lakh, thinking to negotiate and bring him down to 17 lakh. Since the owner is leaving the country soon, I've some leverage here.
- Sell the 2017 Creta to Cars24/ Spinny. I did a search and it appears 8-10 lakh is a reasonable price to expect. But this can vary at the time of the actual sale.
- Pay the difference in cash. Max budget is upto 10 lakhs but I want to manage everything in 9 lakhs and keep 1 for contingencies.

What I get:
1. A newer, bigger, safer vehicle. Do I need these? Not necessarily but its good to have. 6 seats are sometimes missed. 6 airbags too.
2. Valid vehicle life until 2036. Current vehicle's fitness expires in 2027.
3. More bells and whistles. Do I need this? Well I do miss some luxuries in the current Creta like a sunroof, 360 camera, puddle lamps, etc.

What I lose:
1. Upto 10 lakh rs in cash. Although if I don't spend now, I'll end up spending 18-22 lakhs 3 years later to buy a new vehicle. The opportunity cost of the 10 lakh would be partially offset by the residual value decrease of the Creta.
2. Mileage. Current Creta's running cost is about 6 rs per km while I believe for Hector Petrol it will be closer to 10rs. Although my expected run is less than 10,000km per year so this isn't a huge concern.
3. Lose some peace of mind because of a used vehicle? I'm probably worrying too much about this. Can probably manage it by testing the vehicle thoroughly with MGASS and FNGs.

The dilemma:
I'm not in the market looking for pre-worshipped cars. I am not comparing this option with other pre-worshipped cars as it is very important for me that the vehicle should be from a trusted source. I'm looking at this opportunity as it came and purely as a financially wise decision. There could be an argument that a similar/ better opportunity might come up in the near future, but you never know, right? My dilemma are:
- Are the financial numbers making sense? Valuation of both cars and am I paying the right price?
- Am I getting into an unnecessary upgrade just because there is a potentially good deal available?

Thank you motorheads for reading my dilemma and sharing your thoughts.

[yedukrishnan199]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

The dilemma:
I'm not in the market looking for pre-worshipped cars. I am not comparing this option with other pre-worshipped cars as it is very important for me that the vehicle should be from a trusted source. I'm looking at this opportunity as it came and purely as a financially wise decision. There could be an argument that a similar/ better opportunity might come up in the near future, but you never know, right? My dilemma are:
- Are the financial numbers making sense? Valuation of both cars and am I paying the right price?
- Am I getting into an unnecessary upgrade just because there is a potentially good deal available?

Thank you motorheads for reading my dilemma and sharing your thoughts.

An MG Hector Plus CVT 2021 model which has run for 17,000 km @ 17-18 lakhs is a good deal, provided the car is in good condition, you will surely get 8 to 10 lakhs on your Creta if you are patient and wait for the right buyer,as I have seen even Spinny and Cars24 offer around 8 lakhs for your model.

A few things to consider are the fact that the MG Hector Plus CVT is quite a bulky car running on a 1451 cc engine producing just 141 hp and 250 nm of torque which might feel a bit underpowered considering the fact that you are coming from a lighter Creta which produced 126 hp and 265 nm of torque.

The MG isn't frugal at all and would return mileage mostly in single digits. If you can live with these facts, then going for the MG Hector Plus CVT would be a good decision.

[Sufficient_shop]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

The equation:
- Buy the 2021 pre-worshipped MG Hector. Seller currently quotes 19 lakh, thinking to negotiate and bring him down to 17 lakh. Since the owner is leaving the country soon, I've some leverage here.
- Sell the 2017 Creta to Cars24/ Spinny. I did a search and it appears 8-10 lakh is a reasonable price to expect. But this can vary at the time of the actual sale.
- Pay the difference in cash. Max budget is upto 10 lakhs but I want to manage everything in 9 lakhs and keep 1 for contingencies.

Adding to what Yedukrishnan mentioned above, the desire to sell the 2017 Creta sounds good considering you are in NCR. Its value will only depreciate faster as years pass by.

But not sure about pre-owned (or pre-worshipped as you mention) cars. Unless it's someone whom you can trust, I'd suggest you stay away from spending 8+ lakhs, especially for a Hector.

Considering you have an overall budget of ~20L, why not look at new cars in the same segment like the new 2023 Seltos or just wait a bit for the Creta facelift expected to come in Jan 2024?

[bijims]

If you are in the market for a 6/7 seater SUV under 30 lakhs, there are hardly a handful of options to choose from, with the Mahindra Scorpio-N, Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, and MG Hector Plus, your only options.

If you are planning to go with petrol, all of the above are fuel guzzlers, and if you like the overall looks, performance, and feature set of the MG Hector Plus, there is nothing to worry about, follow your heart and go for it. If you get it for 17 lakhs, I personally think it is a good price for the model, provided it is in good condition.

[Nonstop-driver]

Thanks all for your initial comments.

Originally Posted by Sufficient_shop

Considering you have an overall budget of ~20L, why not look at new cars in the same segment like the new 2023 Seltos or just wait a bit for the Creta facelift expected to come in Jan 2024?

If I was to replace the current car, it will be towards the very end of its life and not today because financially it doesn't make sense to lose opportunity cost on ~20L for 3 years for 2-3L of depreciation. The current purchase decision is only because of this specific used car that's available to trade.

[mayankk]

As you said, mileage is not in the equation. In that case, the hector would be a good buy.

Additionally, since it's not really fixable outside, you can easily check for issues logged with MG for your specific car. The ownership is very peaceful, and the lack of power is only evident for about the first few days. But it's such a luxurious and comfortable place to be in, you'll soon forget about everything else that may be lacking. Mainly the kmpl and the looks. In any case, the plus looks better than the 1st gen 5 seater.

[rnair]

To me this is a no brainer. I really don't see a problem in you upgrading from a 2017 model Creta to a 2021 Hector. Its both economically viable and also sensible. Though I am not a big fan of Hector, I feel it is definitely an upgrade from a 2017 Creta. Buying a pre owned car is no longer a big matter of concern provided you buy it from a known source. Moreover the car you are mentioning will also be in warranty. Pre owned cars are the flavour of the season. You can see this from the insane resale values these days compared to a couple of years ago. If you've seen the car and you like it, you should go ahead and move it to your garage!
Note: I am saying this keeping the Hector as the only option!

[Naetik30]

Have you checked out the Hyundai Alcazar Petrol? Please do take a look before you decide.

[xja1]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

My dilemma are:
- Are the financial numbers making sense? Valuation of both cars and am I paying the right price?
- Am I getting into an unnecessary upgrade just because there is a potentially good deal available?

The 2021 MG Hector Plus at 17 Lakhs does look good - provided you manage to talk the seller into giving away the car at that price.

However - since you are ready to spend ~10 lakhs on an upgrade, have you considered upgrading to a new 2023 Creta or Alcazar? You can sell your 2017 Creta to Hyundai itself and make use of the loyalty or exchange bonuses that the dealer might be offering. This might just squeeze right under 10 to 11 lakhs and you'll have a brand new car with all the modern bells and whistles. Also, the fitness certificate of the vehicle would be till 2038. If I was in your situation, I wouldn't mind going down this path since your 2017 Creta still has decent resale value.

[buzzy_boy]

If you're concerned about fuel efficiency, even slightly, don't go for the Hector. Be prepared to pay 12-14 Rs/KM (going be current petrol prices in Delhi).

[dh.harshal]

I cannot answer for pre-owned car's condition and I've never owned a pre-owned vehicle.
My input is purely based on ownership of Hector CVT.
I was in a similar dilemma given number of car models available, albeit for buying a new car

- Hector is definitely sturdier than Creta/Alcazer.

- Material quality (interior+ exterior) is far better than Tata/Mahindra for interiors and slightly better than Korean twins for interiors and lot better for exteriors/body.

- After sales service has always been a happy encounter for me in MG. I had horrific experiences with Maruti/VW/Tata. But your Hyundai also must be offering peace of mind, for after sales service.

- Hector CVT is no way underpowered. Yes, it's power to weight ratio will be lower, but it never fails to overtake or climb a steep hill easily. It's just that the engine and gearbox characteristics are little different. Be gentle on the throttle and you'll enjoy the drive.

- What I love the most about Hector is the cabin experience. There's huge space inside, lot of leg room, lot of head room, big sunroof, gigantic boot space and overall material quality is absolutely fantastic. It makes for a posh, comfortable ride for the family.

- Milege may or may not be an issue, depending on your expectations. It gives 6-9 kmpl in the city and 8-12 kmpl on the Highway. Anyone claiming better ow worse figures, is an outlier.
Other Petrol cars of this size offer just slightly better milege. Difference may not be more than 1 Rs/km.

Given all these things, take an informed decision.
All the best!

[Cliff9091]

Hey Nonstop-driver,

The MG Hector is a great car, but coming from a torque-y diesel Creta you won't feel the upgrade in the driving dynamics aspect. It sure has great features and seats 4 comfortably. The mileage is dismal, my friend gets only 5-6 kmpl in the city and 10-11 kmpl on the highways.

Your Creta RC expires in 2027, I would recommend you hold on to the Creta for the next 3 years and upgrade to a higher segment as 3 years from now financial commitments and situations also change.

When you buy a new car 2027 assuming you buy petrol (because the MG Hector you are considering is petrol) the RC would last till 2042 as opposed to 2021-2036 for the Hector.

Keeping your Creta for 3.5 years would workout better in the long run economically. It would let you buy something from a segment that is higher than the Hector, perhaps the New-Gen Skoda Kodiaq/Superb when launched in late 2024 or something from the luxury German stable.

Cheers
Cliff

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by xja1

The 2021 MG Hector Plus at 17 Lakhs does look good - provided you manage to talk the seller into giving away the car at that price.

However - since you are ready to spend ~10 lakhs on an upgrade, have you considered upgrading to a new 2023 Creta or Alcazar? You can sell your 2017 Creta to Hyundai itself and make use of the loyalty or exchange bonuses that the dealer might be offering. This might just squeeze right under 10 to 11 lakhs and you'll have a brand new car with all the modern bells and whistles. Also, the fitness certificate of the vehicle would be till 2038. If I was in your situation, I wouldn't mind going down this path since your 2017 Creta still has decent resale value.

Thank you for the contra view, I've been thinking along the same lines for the last few days and my observations are:

1. Creta to Creta is not that much of a change. Given engine and ICE would be upgraded, its still a very similar vehicle after driving one for close to 7 years.
2. The big lifestyle difference with the Hector are the captain seats in 2nd row, which I won't get in any car in Creta's segment. If I were to buy a new vehicle with 10 lakh rs + my 2017 Creta right now, I cannot get into Hector's segment. Alcazar Signature petrol AT is about 23.5 lakhs OTR. So the dilemma becomes - spend approx 13-14 lakhs for a new car or 7-8 lakhs for a used car! (assuming current Creta fetches 10 lakhs).

Originally Posted by Cliff9091

The MG Hector is a great car, but coming from a torque-y diesel Creta you won't feel the upgrade in the driving dynamics aspect. It sure has great features and seats 4 comfortably. The mileage is dismal, my friend gets only 5-6 kmpl in the city and 10-11 kmpl on the highways.

Thanks for your comment, I've heard that a lot so I do plan to TD a brand new Hector and the pre-worshipped that I'm considering to get a live perspective.

[car-dent]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

Hi BHPians, I'm currently driving a 2017 Creta SX AT Diesel with the ODO reading 56,000kms. .............Thank you motorheads for reading my dilemma and sharing your thoughts.

I too am based in Noida, I had exactly the same concerns as you and I did a similar upgrade last month. I was driving an Scross Diesel 2018 with about 1,12,500kms on ODO. Was casually looking for new cars in range of 15-18 lakhs but with no immediate intent to change unless i had a real good deal. The increase in prices of new cars with each passing year meant the gap between the price of old car resale and new car is constantly increasing, but then Sonet top model or Creta/ Seltos Mid models which fell into budget werent really convincing options. Was not considering used cars at that point.

It was then, when i came across a Hector Diesel 2021 Sharp with just about 19-20k kms on odo through a friend. The owner was leaving the country and thw car was impeccably maintained with 5 yrs warranty and 5years maintenance package. It was the just the car i wanted and at quite a sweet price point. So, i thought i had nothing to lose. I immediately closed the deal and now i am driving Hector since last one month and loving every bit of it. I especially love the infinity Music system and Ventilated seats.

Coming from diesel creta, lack of that diesel torque and low Mileage with hector petrol may be the only concern if that matters to you a lot, otherwise, there is nothing in a hector which you wouldnt like, so decide accordingly.

The thing with Good Preowned deals is that you need to make a decision when the opoortunity is there, because you may not get one when you actually want one actively.

Also, do consider to negotiate better , i see a lot of Hectors online for sale today esp CVTs so the demand is not as high as supply. Ask the owner what the aggregators are paying him and offer to pay slighlty more than that to make it beneficial to both. Thats what i did. Although i dont exactly know how much he was offered, As far as i know i paid him substantially more than spinny were paying but still got a very sweet deal. I haven't seen any 2021 Hector listed even close to that price yet anywhere online.

[07CR]

Originally Posted by Nonstop-driver

Thank you motorheads for reading my dilemma and sharing your thoughts.

Unless you have a requirement for a 6 seater, I would suggest to stay away from Hector.

The driving experience would be a downer, coming from a 1.6 D Creta. Sure features would be more, and so would be the space. But these factors fade away later. As and when you drive more, since you would also be shelling out around 10L or so, it will always crib you that you spent 10L for a downgrade in performance. Not just the performance, even the handling would be a downgrade.

Even if you need a 6 seater, I will suggest to look for a new/used Kia Carens instead. You get the features upgrade, as well as space and performance upgrade. I guess a well maintained used top spec specimen in Delhi would be around 17L.