[vb-saan]

If it has to be only one car, keep the Vento and give off the Micra. The Vento in my opinion is not a big car, and is quite easily manageable in Kerala city streets and also gives a bit more of safety cover on those narrow state highways. A new Figo trend or a Swift VDi will be more like a downgrade compared to a Vento with just 16K mileage.

[palsaumik]

Originally Posted by thoma

and that is huge money for us especially when the family's income is a bit skewed at present and will be for another couple of years. So we cannot think of getting anything beyond the budget of these cars sold together.

Buddy, the strongest indicator of all financial decisions is the one I quoted above. This should be the prime mover of the options you are currently considering. So, emotions aside, IMHO, sell off the Vento and retain the Micra. What harm would NVH levels do than getting into a potential risk of running short of money when you need it the most. So, sell off the Vento and utilize/save the money from it. Once you stabilize in couple of years down the line, buy another Vento (if you have to) or a better/bigger one by selling off the Micra. Money gives strength to the mind and any future financial decisions you would make would definitely work out best for you!

[biggrin]

Originally Posted by thoma

Anyone know about OLA / Uber leasing in Kerala?

Here is a related thread :

Link

Go through the posts and decide. Keep us updated on any developments regarding the issue.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by biggrin

Go through the posts and decide. Keep us updated on any developments regarding the issue.

I have already contacted zoomcar taking a cue from that thread but they say they are not into Kerala market at present.

[sreepathy]

I too was in a similar situation a few months back. Has a vento (petrol, 12,000km, mint condition then) which is two and a half years old and an alto k10 which is close to 6 years old. Was in a similar dilemma for quite some time.

It became all the more serious when I test drove s-cross 1.6 and fell for it. Wanted to sell both k10 and vento and buy s-cross. You know how much I was offered for vento? Literally peanuts. Vento was fetching Rs 4 - 4.5 lakh and alto Rs 1.4 lakh (plus an exchange bonus of Rs 50,000).

Did the maths for many weeks and quietly decided to keep vento (I have an extended warranty of 4 years) and alto for now. Might sell off both later (maybe next year) and buy a compact suv, more likely the vitara if maruti decides to bring it here or maybe even a brezza, but in a petrol avatar.

[adneeraj]

@thoma I'm into a similar dilemma. Have a Ford Fiesta Classic which is only 2 years old and a Swift which is a little over 7 years old. Both immaculately maintained cars. The Swift actually running better than the Ford even after having clocked 80k kms.

The point is, you can't be so practical to give up the Vento just because a smaller hatch would be better to drive in traffic! A 0.35 meters of extra length is negligible to drive around or finding a parking spot - if that's why you're trying to get rid of the Vento.
Besides, its done only 16k kms which is too less for a heavily depreciating brand like VW.

Sell the Micra and be at peace with your Vento.

BTW, despite having 2 cars, we sometimes even end up calling for an Uber
And I'll be off to looking at a Polo TSI tomorrow morning to replace the Swift - just for fun

[saion666]

If you are to listen to the head, sell off the Vento and keep the Micra. Keep the amount by selling off the vento in a flexi deposit and the interest itself would pay for the running cost of the Micra.

You would always have the 6-7 lakh from the vento sale and also 2-3lakh as and when you decide to sell off the micra to buy a better car. The nvh problem can be easily solved by increasing the volume of the music.
Getting a new depreciating asset should be the last option if you are thinking with the head...but then all decisions are not made with the head,specially car buying.

[adityasiera]

Originally Posted by thoma

Attachment 1508891

Majority of our running is inside the town with mostly bumper to bumper traffic and then there will be the rare occasional highway trips. So a sedan is really not the need of the hour and especially because the one we have is a VW, I have a fear how it will fare in the future.



Attachment 1508890

So it all boils down to
c) sell both and buy a new hatch but make an informed buy and have no regrets for another 7-8 years

My 2 Cents, i will start from bottom, next 7-8 years will be a paradigm shift in how we look at cars as a transportation device, with on-demand rentals (likes of Uber and Ola) will change the way completely.

Fossil fuel driven cars are going to be dinosaurs in the same time frame.

Having said the above,if i was in your place, i would sell the VW, upgrade the NVH levels of the Micra and probably get it Pete'd. IIRC the same engine does 110 bhp in the Duster.

Invest the money left wisely and switch to a electric car at the adequate time.

PS: I am a petrolhead at heart, but the daily grind makes me switch to Ola and Uber more often than not.

[NST440]

This is one dilemma which i have been through recently. Please understand all of us can opine on the issue from our own POV and you are the one who's going to live with that decision. Few pointers from my side:

1. If money is not much of an issue i would suggest you to keep both. The reason is that it may happen that after selling Vento you may again start longing for a bigger vehicle which may make you feel sad and kicking yourself for selling your no problem well maintained vehicle for a little price.

2. If money is an issue and you wish to ease out a bit, look no further and sell the Micra since daily chores can be very well accomplished in the Vento itself. My neighbor owns one since the last 4 years and its his only vehicle and he is one happy buyer. Moreover, please also consider the safety aspect as well, i feel Vento is a safe place to be in whether in city or on the highways plus the snob value.

3. Selling off both and buying a new hatch is a loss + loss proposition IMHO since you will sell two rarely used diesel vehicles and buy (not upgrade) to one diesel vehicle of similar or one lower category for at least 8 Lacs (OTR) which will loose its value the very moment it comes out of the showroom.

Other than the skewed financials,the parking space issues are manageable i feel. Also, fear of high service costs can be taken care of with timely servicing and proper care. A sincere advice, listen to your heart, at the end you are the owner of your decision, take the one which finds you longer peace and not temporary excitement/comfort. All the best.

[Vitalstatistiks]

Hi,

I saw one or two suggestion on this. But if I was in your situation (purely by facts laid out by you), I would do one of the two-

(a) sell the Micra and keep the Vento- Reason: Clearly, automobiles are something that stir inside of us. We crave for that bigger, better, faster car and upgrade of our wheels is one of the main motivating factor that keeps us going. A Vento would keep that thirst satiated for a couple of years easily. Keeping the Micra without the Vento would feel like a downgrade in life, and unless absolutely necessary, none of us need to do that to ourselves.

Micra being diesel would fetch decent amount for short term. And trust me, when you looks back 5 years from now, you'd think a few lakhs was small change. Not to compromised for.

(2) Sell BOTH Vento and Micro. Buy USED car. By used, i don't mean a significant downgrade like a 10 years old Santro for a lakh. Get a used Toyota/Honda/Maruti. Cars that are reliable, cheaper to maintain and yet pull strings of the heart.

A quick search on T-Bhp classifieds tells me that a 2010 diesel (preferred beverage) Corolla is available for 5.5 (pre negotiation). Heck, a 2003 petrol one costs only for 2.3! Try petrol, what's the harm. Open up options for a very nice Honda Civic (which can be had for 2-3 lakhs). Or give a used Swift a shot. 5 odd for used diesel. The world is your playground, buddy.

p.s. My primary option would have been Option (2) as laid out above. But that's a lot of headache for at least a month. Find buyers for both cars, look for a car that fits the bill. But (a) it would keep me engaged in a positive way and (b) I would come out triumphant, at the end of the process, enough to keep me going for sometime.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by adityasiera

Fossil fuel driven cars are going to be dinosaurs in the same time frame.

This is a very valid point coming to cars of the future. There is plain evidence that we have to go for a paradigm shift in terms of transportation and fuel, but mine being a tier-xx or lower city may be I can keep on a diesel for a longer period than the metro cities which gives me ample time for evasive action. Even the technology used in vehicles are on an exponential growth that much new cars are getting stale soon after arrival. This factor makes me doubtful of keeping any car for a long period in the near future.

And about the Pete's thing and damping, that is indeed another good option but first I need to overcome my addiction to keep any car close to stock. Once you dismantle the dashboard or door pads even for the sake of additional padding, I fear that the car will develop newer rattles. But if I'm holding on to the Micra, this is one thing I will come back and have a second look at. Thanks.

[rahulskumar]

Your running does not justify keeping 2 cars . As its a diesel avatar, expect your maintenance to increase over time and both these manufacturers are notorious for service charges. I will suggest sell both of the diesel cars and get a good petrol car from Maruti stable.

Sell Vento : 6 lakhs
Sell Micra : 4 lakhs

Total : 10 lakhs

Buy new Swift Dzire LXI abs which cost Rs.644000 ( onroad Trivandrum )
Pay down payment Rs.300000 and then monthly emi of around Rs.5500 for 60 months duration.

Put Rs.700000 in FD @7.5 % for 5 years. You will receive

Maturity Value:1004940.53
Interest :304940.53


I am not including the tax stuff, yearly insurance etc to make it much more simpler


If your intention is to save money in long run, I will prefer a petrol car
With your current travel rate, it will take more than 7 years to complete 1 lakh kms with your new car and as its petrol we will surely avoid unnecessary trips.



Rough estimate excluding maintenance :

Current monthly mileage: 1100 km

petrol : Rs: 6000 ( 12 km/litre mileage @ 67 per litre petrol )

diesel : Rs. 3800 ( 16 km /litre mileage @ 56 per litre diesel )

I have owned both Ritz diesel ( sold ) and petrol (currently own ) . With my running of around 1300 kms per month , I will still prefer petrol avatar over diesel due to less cabin noise and very less maintenance cost over time. Moreover i found petrol car to be more zippy inside city limits.

Just adjust the above calculations with the maintenance cost over a 10 year period or for a duration you intent to keep your car

[autorahul]

Many have suggested you various options, however here is a slightly different perspective to it.

You have mentioned 7-8 years as the period for which you would like to keep your next car. In my opinion, you should buy something from premium hatch/ compact sedan segment so that in the long run, you don't feel the loss of space. Hence keeping Micra is definitely out. I feel the best bet would be Baleno Delta, its well in your budget, has all the safety features, space, easy to maintain, has good engine and can easily be maneuvered in the city.

Now lets get to the maths and see how you fare. I have assumed fuel expense same for all the cars.

Scenario 1

• Sell both cars: 10 lakhs
• Buy Baleno Sigma Diesel: 7.5 lakhs, 20-30k to kit it up
• Money in hand: 2.2 lakhs
• Put that in long term FD(under section 80/C) too
• Annual maintenance expense- 8k average over 7-8 years
• Resale value after 90 months, 90k km: 2.5 lakhs
• Money in hand in 2023:

370000 (Principle+Interest earned on 2.2 lakhs)
-56000 (8000*7 years)
+250000
=564000

Scenario 2

• Sell the Micra for 4 lakhs
• Put it in FD for 3 years
• Keep The Vento
• Service it for 15k per year
• Sell it 3 years later for 3.5 lakhs
• Buy new car for 8.5 lakhs, which would have resale value of 5 lakhs in 2023
  
• Money in hand in 2023

500000 (Micra money+interest earned over 3 years)
-45000 (Vento maintenance)
+350000
-850000
-24000(Baleno servicing)
+500000
=441000

So at the end if you look at the scenario thinking that you shall buy a new car in 2023, your choice comes down to this.

1. Spend 3 more years with Vento, then buy Baleno and keep that for 3 years, and lose 1.25 lakhs
2. Sell both now, and buy Baleno and save 1.25 lakhs over 7 years.

In either case, I don't think benefit or loss of 1.25 lakhs is a huge amount, so you can decide either way with ease.


PS: I know that people don't generally sell their cars in 3 years, however I have assumed so that I can have parity in ownership situation at the end.

[rapid_fire]

I would also suggest you to keep vento and sell Micra. It is an really good car to drive on Highways, especially the 1.6 motor you have. it is one of the best cars in its segment in terms of build quality and drivability.
Don't worry about parking space much, in most places where you can park your Micra, you can squeeze in your vento also. And regarding the service costs, vento may cost 2-4K more per year, but I don't think it is a big amount when compared to what you will lose by selling it at this stage. My advice will be
* Sell Micra now to improve your financial situation
* Keep vento for atleast 2-3 years
* after 3 years, sell vento and get a good automatic hatch (you may get more choices after 3 years)

[apachelongbow]

I understand you are in a bit of a financial pinch right now, and the pinch stays for at least a couple of years more. You have taken a sensible decision of selling off one or both cars. In true financial speak a car is a liability and not an asset unless one earns from the car (say a cab). So reducing your liabilities in hard times makes financial sense. I am not sure if your cars are fully owned by you or are still on EMI. In-case either car is still on EMI please sell off that car and pay off the EMI, you will have reduced a significant non earning burden on your family.
If both cars are EMI free, than they are really not a big burden on your family, except in case of recurrent outflows like fuel, and maintenance. Even here in pure financial terms a Vento is bound to be costlier in terms of spare parts and fuel consumed, and I am sure WW service is costlier than the Nissan's. Purely on these conditions it makes best sense to retire the Vento and keep the Micra. You can also analyze if you 'really' need a car to get around. If you are doing less than 1500kms a month (only required/business/work related trips), than a car is not required. You can sell off both cars, invest the couple of lakhs earned in good financial schemes, or to pay of debts or invest in a business and commute to work on a bike/bus/or some public transport.
For auto lovers like us, its hardest to sell of cars or bikes, but in hard times these should be the first to be sold off, to help earn extra money. When the going gets good, new and better automobiles can be always bought.