[allien936]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Great thread!

Have been actively looking at this price range, and keeping reliability topmost in mind, here are some of my picks (from what I've seen on the market)

1) Used Jetta TDi / Laura TSi- as GTO said, its a fantastic all rounded self driven sedan. The TSi a little more so. Some under warranty cars, and some just out of warranty can be had for 9L plus. While they may lack space, they make up for it in every other regard

2) New Hyundai Sonata - my pick over the Accord and Camry any day!

3) Skoda Superb 1.8TSi M/T - available sub 10L, with a stinker of an engine. The M/T gearbox takes care of the weakest link in the package - the DSG. If the Sonata is too boring!

4) BMW E90 320D / E60 525i / E60 525d - amongst the bigger german brothers, I have noticed that BMW owners seem to be the most content lot in terms of reliability. It helps that these cars are simply the best to drive. RWD Power on a budget!

5) Honda CR-V

I totally with this listing. As far as the price is concerned, these cars are really a bargain, considering today's economy.

The rate at which the price of these cars goes down, the value or the quality doesn't.!
And also I would like to mention one important thing here is the service cost and the reliability of the service station. As far as reliability is concerned, i will not recommend buying Skoda. Though the cars are really good (I own one, a six year old Fabia). The build quality is amazing.

with the other car makers, there are no such issues.

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by aniketi

Can we consider Toyota Corolla Altis in this gang of barges? It is a very good, very reliable, have sufficient grunt in it for petrol model, good FE, good brand value etc. It also carries a nice status along with it. I know its not big to call it as a barge but we can certainly consider it IMO.

BTW, any idea on what are the current prices of Altis in used market?

I would certainly agree with you. The Altis doesn't command the kind of resale you would expect from a Toyota vehicle, which I'm guessing is due to the petrol only option till recently.

The ever increasing numbers of the latest model on the roads seem to indicate that it's making a comeback, and the monthly numbers seem to agree too. Coupled with the drop in petrol prices, it wouldn't be surprising to see an increase in the resale value going forward. The older model might still be available at a resonable price though.

Nonetheless, it doesn't command the kind of presense most of the vehicles being discussed here have, so that's why it might not be included .(personally, I would say the fluence is pretty much in the same category as Altis or Civic, so not sure why it finds a mention here )

[asit.kulkarni93]

Originally Posted by aniketi

Can we consider Toyota Corolla Altis in this gang of barges? It is a very good, very reliable, have sufficient grunt in it for petrol model, good FE, good brand value etc. It also carries a nice status along with it. I know its not big to call it as a barge but we can certainly consider it IMO.

BTW, any idea on what are the current prices of Altis in used market?

One rarely comes across any Altis (petrol) in the 10-15 lakh range. All the used Corolla's I have come across are usually in the 5-8 lakh bracket. Their resale value is more than the civic and majority of the cars are well kept. Even the Camry's are available between 7-10 lakhs. 10-15 lakhs is actually the territory for the diesel altis, relatively new innovas ( top end) & the Fortuner. If one is open to old Toyotas then the Lc100/80's are also available in the same price bracket.

Aren't used Captiva's available in the same price range? I guess it deserves to be on the list as the X-trail is there too.

Asit

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by imp!

Well, everything is not about other peoples perception and road presence. Whatever the cars quirks and I'm not its biggest fan by any means, I still feel that the petrol automatic is a very well rounded, extremely comfortable package for the mostly chauffeur driven. It flies under the radar and isn't very expensive to maintain. I can certainly see why some people would buy it.

I think the only thing going for the Fluence is that it is cheap to buy since it has a low resale. Otherwise, from Fluence's segment there are better cars like the Altis or the Octavia which does the above things better than the Fluence.

[imp!]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

I think the only thing going for the Fluence is that it is cheap to buy since it has a low resale. Otherwise, from Fluence's segment there are better cars like the Altis or the Octavia which does the above things better than the Fluence.

The Octavia(Mk1/Mk2) may be a better car than the Fluence but the Fluence is much more comfortable than either the Octavia(Mk1/Mk2/Mk3) or the Corolla(any generation); this is true when you look at thigh and lateral support of the seats and not just leg room. Frankly speaking, I consider the Corolla one segment lower than the Fluence or the Octavia and the only reason to buy one is for Toyota corporate's customer-centric approach.

[mikon]

Fanatastic Thread!
I would like to add few points before buying a used premium car (Audi/Merc/BMW) in 10 to 15 L category. These are my views from my research only and it may vary from person to person.
I'm not de-moralizing anyone, but please consider these points before buying a premium used-german car.

• Easy to buy; Tough to maintain.
  A single yearly Service cost for a 3,C,A4 costs somewhere around 30k to 35k. This cost is only regular service, incase of brake pads change etc. the price goes north. Imagine the cost for a 7-year old 5,E,A6.
  • A 2008 Audi A6 Tdi regular yearly service cost at 1,20,000 kms is around ~ 65000 INR.
  • If there is work in adaptive air supension of Audi A6 then be ready to shell out more. Replacing a single air supension is 1.25L INR
  • Replacing a 17" tyre of Mercedes Benz C250 Avantgarde is ~19000 INR at Merc Service.
  • Wheel-alignment for an Audi A4 is ~ 4000 INR at Audi service.
  • Simple front bumper re-painting of an Audi A4 is ~ 18000 INR at Audi service.
• High miles
  In this price category, there are lots of 2007-2008 BMW 5/A6/E are available. However with ODO reading starting somewhere around 70,000 kms going to 1,00,000 kms+.
  More amount of kms, more the risk.
• ODO tampering
  2007-2008 5/A6/E are very much prone to ODO meter tampering with dealers. Be very careful while shortlisting - 50,000 kms on a 7-year old car should raise questions.
  • E.g: A friend of mine had selected a 47000km 2008 BMW 523i for 10-11 Lakhs. The dealer was not keen on showing the car to service center. Upon forcibly insisting it was found that the car was accidental and it was last serviced at 66000km 2 years back!
• Malfunction Light
  While starting the car look very carefully at the malfunctions on the MFD/MMI.
  • I was checking out a 2008 Audi A4 Tdi with 90,000kms + on ODO at a lucrative price. The test drive was good and I had completely missed the malfunction light in the first round. Upon another round, found that the car wasnot shifting from D3 to D4!
• Service Records
  Be very careful in checking the service records, rather insist hard upon gettin the service record. Donot fall for the dealer trap "You'll get the service record at the showroom. Go and check". Nowadays, to check the service records you need an authorization/email from the owner. Be ready with an email from the owner before you go to check the service records.

Happy Hunting!
MODS, if necessary kindly move this post to appropriate thread.

[canonball]

Originally Posted by mikon

Fanatastic Thread!
I would like to add few points before buying a used premium car (Audi/Merc/BMW) in 10 to 15 L category. These are my views from my research only and it may vary from person to person.
I'm not de-moralizing anyone, but please consider these points before buying a premium used-german car.

• Easy to buy; Tough to maintain.
  A single yearly Service cost for a 3,C,A4 costs somewhere around 30k to 35k. This cost is only regular service, incase of brake pads change etc. the price goes north. Imagine the cost for a 7-year old 5,E,A6.
  • A 2008 Audi A6 Tdi regular yearly service cost at 1,20,000 kms is around ~ 65000 INR.
  • If there is work in adaptive air supension of Audi A6 then be ready to shell out more. Replacing a single air supension is 1.25L INR
  • Replacing a 17" tyre of Mercedes Benz C250 Avantgarde is ~19000 INR at Merc Service.
  • Wheel-alignment for an Audi A4 is ~ 4000 INR at Audi service.
  • Simple front bumper re-painting of an Audi A4 is ~ 18000 INR at Audi service.
• High miles
  In this price category, there are lots of 2007-2008 BMW 5/A6/E are available. However with ODO reading starting somewhere around 70,000 kms going to 1,00,000 kms+.
  More amount of kms, more the risk.
• ODO tampering
  2007-2008 5/A6/E are very much prone to ODO meter tampering with dealers. Be very careful while shortlisting - 50,000 kms on a 7-year old car should raise questions.
  • E.g: A friend of mine had selected a 47000km 2008 BMW 523i for 10-11 Lakhs. The dealer was not keen on showing the car to service center. Upon forcibly insisting it was found that the car was accidental and it was last serviced at 66000km 2 years back!
• Malfunction Light
  While starting the car look very carefully at the malfunctions on the MFD/MMI.
  • I was checking out a 2008 Audi A4 Tdi with 90,000kms + on ODO at a lucrative price. The test drive was good and I had completely missed the malfunction light in the first round. Upon another round, found that the car wasnot shifting from D3 to D4!
• Service Records
  Be very careful in checking the service records, rather insist hard upon gettin the service record. Donot fall for the dealer trap "You'll get the service record at the showroom. Go and check". Nowadays, to check the service records you need an authorization/email from the owner. Be ready with an email from the owner before you go to check the service records.

Happy Hunting!
MODS, if necessary kindly move this post to appropriate thread.

So far the most useful post on this thread, you have RIGHTLY pointed out meter tampering. Meter tampering has become EXTREMELY rampant, leave aside dealers even certain individual sellers and their drivers (don't want boss to find out car is a taxi when he is not around) are engaging in this activity. I hope the new automotive covers meter tampering fraud with some specific sections i.e lemon law aside of generic cheating/420 sections.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

2) New Hyundai Sonata - my pick over the Accord and Camry any day!

3) Skoda Superb 1.8TSi M/T - available sub 10L, with a stinker of an engine. The M/T gearbox takes care of the weakest link in the package - the DSG. If the Sonata is too boring!

I hope you meant stonker!* : P

I would like to know, Why did you choose the Sonata over the Accord or Camry though?

[bivin]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Volvo S80 Petrol

Attachment 1307086

This was completely off the radar until I noticed quite a few on OLX.com. There are plenty of Series 1 versions that came in as embassy cars coming under the Rs 10 Lakh range.

The series 2 cars were sold locally. Not many have been sold due to the stealthy Volvo network but examples are popping up at tempting prices. These cars may not have the cachet of the Germans but are more than a match in the comfort, durability and reliability stakes. If you are realistic, you will realize that one spends more time driving in straight lines on rutted roads. this is where these cars make a lot of sense.

2007 6 cylliner petrol versions are going around the Rs 12 lakhs range. If lucky, a Yamaha engined AWD V8 can turn up for over Rs 17 Lakhs.

For

• Excellent ride
• Durable and reliable
• Excellent seats
• Well built

Against

• Duller than the germans to drive
• Dealers thin on the ground
• Parts might be delayed
• No, its not a bus - commonly heard at the cocktail party

Verdict - Try one, you might have the last laugh over ze Germans

you had me at v8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjuYFOwm5ng

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Maky

I hope you meant stonker!* : P

I would like to know, Why did you choose the Sonata over the Accord or Camry though?

Haha! My bad!

Sonata over Accord or Camry?

Well - you won't get the current gen Camry in the pre-owned market at those rates otherwise it would be a no-brainer.
Between the Accord and the old-gen Camry, the latter can be written off from this trio as it doesn't ride/handle as well as the Accord (personal view) and even the interiors are pretty bland.
The Accord on the other hand has a nicer engine, however compared to the Sonata - the interiors are not as nice, equipment is low, looks are nothing to write home about. Overall, you just don't feel as special as you do in the Sonata - and I believe this feeling is half the reason why we want these luxury barges in the first place.

[vineshpikale]

Thanks Ajmat for an incredibly useful post. Completely agree with the lateral upgrade proposition.

A similar thread for soft roaders and SUVs would be immensly helpful.

Thanked and Rated a completely deserved 5 stars.



I wish India has a developed network of third party service providers which had the competence to service these cars so that we could look beyond and not be at the mercy of the ASS of these cars. I mean with Toyota, Honda and Nissan it isn't so much a cause of concern. But great buys from the Skoda and Audi stables become unattractive because of overpriced and unreliable service.

[rattanw]

Fantastic thread. Deserves more than 5 stars actually. Now after reading this I instinctively went to olx and saw many mercs listed at tempting prices. In fact there are so many models and variants of mercs listed it really is mind boggling especially for those unacquainted with the sheer line up of Mercedes. Is there a thread which only highlights the plethora of Mercedes Benz models available today. I believe such a thread will be very useful. Upon scrolling through various cars, came across One really good looking s350 Sl petrol available for 15 lacs in Mumbai. Now whoever said that this thread kind of makes you dream big cannot be more accurate. I neither have the money nor the knowledge to buy an used merc at this time especially with the kind of risks involved. Though the ad for this one car that I quoted above claims its corporate, single owner vehicle, still I would be skeptical.

[E90-E250]

Hi Guys

Need some grey matter input:

How is a BMW 530i , 2007 ODO 50k km...quote 15.5 lac

Its in good health. Hows the history of this model in terms of performance and reliability

Thanks in advance

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by E90-E250

Hi Guys

Need some grey matter input:

How is a BMW 530i , 2007 ODO 50k km...quote 15.5 lac

Its in good health. Hows the history of this model in terms of performance and reliability

Thanks in advance

The performance is well - great!
Just overshadowed by the 530D

As for reliability, google up some of the more common issues with the E60 530i Facelift, but from our experience with the 08 525D done 50Kkm, there isn't much to report back about as far as electronics and other bits are concerned.
In fact, I believe member Saahil faced an issue with the suspension of his E60 525d, but nothing much that I have read, heard, or experienced.

[E90-E250]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

The performance is well - great!
Just overshadowed by the 530D

As for reliability, google up some of the more common issues with the E60 530i Facelift, but from our experience with the 08 525D done 50Kkm, there isn't much to report back about as far as electronics and other bits are concerned.
In fact, I believe member Saahil faced an issue with the suspension of his E60 525d, but nothing much that I have read, heard, or experienced.

Thanks Lamborgini

But is it a good deal?

I drove an e90 for 70 k km and love the way it handles. Regret selling it.... E60 is a genuine drivers car..... So tempted again