[benzinblut]

According to Carwale estimate these are the prices that an individual seller should expect for his car for single owner Mumbai regn cars:
2003 Dec Opel Corsa 1.6GLS 37000km: 1.32L (Excellent) - 1.09L (Fair).
2003 May Estem Di 120000km: 1.87L (Excellent) - 1.56L (Fair).

Even though this is just an indication but the comparison looks logical to me.

These are the immediate thoughts coming to my mind:
1) I exchanging a car that I own that has higher mkt value for a car with lower mkt value and I am also paying a preium on that.
2) Apart from this, there is no upgradation. i.e., I will still own a 7 year old car
3) I wil be the 2nd owner of the new car
4) I am trying to run away from problems of the EsteemDi and may be there is another set of problems for me in the Corsa. (I truly believe that 7year old car will not be chep on maintenance)
5) My fuel bills will be higher. I dont know what the FE of corsa 1.6L engine is. But even if its 12, then @12000km per year: petrol@12kpl (52Rs)=52000. diesel@15kpl (40Rs/L)=32000. You spend 20K exra per year on fuel.

If I were you, I would not go for this exchange. I would still use my EsteemDi or look for a better exghange.

My suggestion: have a look at used Maruti Esteems (MPFI only) in the market. On carwale, I can see that 2005-06 Esteems in Mumbay with less than 40K ask 2.6L or so (can be easily negotiated). I dont konw what your budget is, but if you could stretch a little and get a good one, you will be happier. In this case, point#1 & #2 will become positive and in a good buy, point#3 will be minimised.

I say all this because I feel that you are running away from your existing car for some reason (parts unavailability / failure due to high mileage) and your new buy should be free of it.

[Jimmy_u]

Dear benzinblut,

Excellent Writeup and i really appreciate the time and effort you have put in.

I missed out on a few details for the Esteem Di( my apologies )

-> I am the second owner of the Esteem Di
-> I have spent close to 1 lac after purchasing the car to resolve numerous issue which have come over time due to wear and tear like power steering bracket (broken) / water pump replacement( this took 2 months as the parts had to be ordered from outside india) / tyre replacement / suspension replacement / clutch n pressure plate replacement /
regular service @ every 5000 kms maintained throughout the duration of the ownership of the vehicle.

Now i need to spend an additional 20000 for the Ac system , considering the running i have done on the car i believe this would be the right time for me to exchange the car.

I fully understand the implications on my petrol expenses and the work that a corsa may need, my faith is in my cousin who has owned 1 for a year and bought a second for my uncle few months back , impressed with his ownership feedback i am planning to go for the exchange.

Also i am spending 22000 for the exchange against the 20000 for the ac .
my running also has reduced as earlier i was doing pune-bom every weekend , now it will just be 1 trip a month, also i have my bike which suits the daily needs.

Hope this information helps .

Awaiting your thoughts !!!

[Jimmy_u]

Dear benzinblut,

Excellent Writeup and i really appreciate the time and effort you have put in.

I missed out on a few details for the Esteem Di( my apologies )

-> I am the second owner of the Esteem Di
-> I have spent close to 1 lac after purchasing the car to resolve numerous issue which have come over time due to wear and tear like power steering bracket (broken) / water pump replacement( this took 2 months as the parts had to be ordered from outside india) / tyre replacement / suspension replacement / clutch n pressure plate replacement /
regular service @ every 5000 kms maintained throughout the duration of the ownership of the vehicle.
-> The esteem is a pune registration.
-> I have plans for a house in very near future hence my budget is very very tight, so i cant think of spending more than 25-30 for an exchange and this car fits my budget.
-> i was offered around 60k in pune for this car and here i was offered 80k
-> corsa is costing me 1lac 2thousand 500


Now i need to spend an additional 20000 for the Ac system , considering the running i have done on the car i believe this would be the right time for me to exchange the car.

I fully understand the implications on my petrol expenses and the work that a corsa may need, my faith is in my cousin who has owned 1 for a year and bought a second for my uncle few months back , impressed with his ownership feedback i am planning to go for the exchange.

Also i am spending 22000 for the exchange against the 20000 for the ac .
my running also has reduced as earlier i was doing pune-bom every weekend , now it will just be 1 trip a month, also i have my bike which suits the daily needs.

Hope this information helps .

Awaiting your thoughts !!!

[benzinblut]

Hey Jimmy,

Thanks. Ill put the information pointwise this way:

> You're the 2nd owner: Well then the car will demand lesser price
> Spending on used vehicles is always going to be more. There could be isses that you only know of after driving a few km. Tyres, and to an extent suspension and clutch are related to your mileage and to your driving style, so I believe that you consider them as wear parts. PS bracket was a design fault in the EsteemDi and I had numerous brackets changed in warranty before finally they got the right design thats working fine. Regular service is @ 8000km. thats oil, filter etc change.
> Pune registration should fetch more if sold in pune. Surprisingly its the opposite.
> I understand your budget.

I understand your situation. Ill put my thoughts this way:

Before deciding on exchange:
You have already spent quite an amount on the Esteem. I can see that whats attracting you the most is that for the price of a compressor, you can exchange your car (that you consider problematic). But may be you have spent so much and are frustrated, but the car is actually now trouble free becuase all problems rectified (exept AC).. Just make sure that the situation is not such that you have already spent so much on your esteem and all other parts have good life in them. I hope you understand what I mean. The new car will come with new set of problems and you do not want to undrergo the same trouble that you did with the Esteem.
Make sure your decision is a gain for you in the long run

If you have decided for the Corsa:
1) Check: The corsa is a very good car with german build quality. But, any 7 year old car (and on indian roads) will have its own sets of problems. Your cousin is lucky to find a good one, but make sure that you find an equally good one too. Take a mechanic along (preferably someone who handles corsas) and ask him to check the car thoroughly. Lift it on a ramp and do the underbody analysis. Read reviews and see what are the areas of failure and keep an eye for this. All this might cost but will ensure you trouble free ownership. The most imp thing is check that the car is genuintely 37K km. See body panels, gaps for irregularities. Dont be in a hurry and make sure you find a fit car for yourself

2) Analyse the cost: After the checkup, take an estimate of what needs to be replaced/repaired and how much will they cost. Tyres, if need to be replaced, will cost quite an amount. All this will add to your cost of the car.

3) Bargain: Try to bargain based as the corsa should fetch lesser. Also, if there are additional costs to be incurred, bargain harder.

3) Additional costs: Even after the estimate, be prepared for
> Another 20K for minor repairs.
> Higher fuel bills
> Parts availability issues

If decided for exchange but not for the Corsa:
Look for alternate vehicles that are easier to maintain.
You may probably find a used petrol Esteem.
A small hatchback will be cheaper and newer.


In the end I will say, listen to your heart. But, with a budget and for problem-free ownership, your mind must be convinced

[Jimmy_u]

Dear benzinblut,

You have caught the right nerve .

I agree that the parts replaced would prolong the life of the car and i have been of the same thought process.

My policy was always replace never repair for the car , treat it with respect and you will have reliability on your side.

There i one inherit issue which no one has been able to rectify with The esteem is with the temperature switch.

I have replaced more than 6-8 times but it keeps goign bad.
On long drives the car heats up to an extent where i have to let it rest for 20-30 min and then continue onwards , so in a netshell, expences are a recourrence and i cannot invest more at this time for any other major failure ,

your thoughs !!!

[benzinblut]

Replacing is always better than repairing. People think its more expensive because of the initial but its cheaper than multiple repairs and troubled times.

What temperature switch are you talking about? The blue/red zone switch? We have 4 esteems in the family and none of the cars has this problem. I think there was an inherent problem in the blower switch (esp position 2).

About the PS bracket: it was a design fault by maruti. It used to bend the mounting and damage the PS/AC belt. Had got atleast 5 brackets replaced under warranty. But finally they got a design change and its working just fine since 4 years.

I understand your budget and commitments dont call for repairs. I will say that no matter what you buy, just make sure that you buy a car that wont give you any trouble. Exchange the car only if you are sure that your requirements will be met. Its a very tough situation you are in, but you know your means and requirements best.

Suggestion: Try looking beyond the Corsa. If you find a good small hatch, it will be newer and cheaper to mainain. If you are open to Mumbai/Pune then have a look at www.carwale.com for used small cars in these cities. It will increase your options.

[Jimmy_u]

Dear benzinblut,

Thanks for the reply.

The temp switch is the one which fits on the radiator and the cooling system is connected to this switch.

This monitor the temperature of the car and starts/stops the radiator fan to cool the car.

I have this changed multiple times without success.

The PS i know and understand what you have gone through, i was not able to find an updated version hence as a last resort i have had the PS braket double welded from both sides and for now its working fine.

I have checked hatches as well but i do not want to move down a segment.

for now the corsa is a fix to the complicated and budgeted situation i am in.

I really appriciate your time and effort for this conversation and will update this forum with that happens next.

[benzinblut]

I dont think I have that temperature switch problem.

All the best for your find!

[ghpk]

benzinblut, your write-up on cost analysis is excellent.

keep up the good work.

[benzinblut]

Originally Posted by ghpk

benzinblut, your write-up on cost analysis is excellent.

keep up the good work.

Thanks there mate!!!

[FourWheelDrift]

@Jimmy_u : what did you end up doing ? By any chance, did you visit Four Seasons and get the a-c fixed there, as GTO recommended ?

[Jimmy_u]

Originally Posted by FourWheelDrift

@Jimmy_u : what did you end up doing ? By any chance, did you visit Four Seasons and get the a-c fixed there, as GTO recommended ?

Apologies for the late reply.

I have sold the Esteem and bought the opel corsa , it was more of a family decision considering i had my way for a long time on expenses and other things related to the Esteem.

Corsa is a great workhorse, the only downside is the fuel average which is around 7-9 in city and 11 on highways.

Will be looking for a Diesel vehicle soon considering the petrol prices and my running which is not showing any signs of coming down.