[motorworks]

Thanks for all your replies!

@ deehunk and @ the brutailer, your views are spot on! Having sleepless nights after giving away my Rapid and not convinced that I will enjoy the Verna as much! Originally the plan was to switch to a proper upgrade after the next 2 years, but I did it this year thinking the car is now 6 years old and the value I got was a fair one, albeit not taking in to account the money I spent on momo alloys and Pioneer HU!

But anyway now there is nothing I can do about it, what is done is done!

New Rapid DSG is ruled out, you see the vehicle is essentially the same and although the new one looks wow, I do not want to own the same car again for another 4-5 years and plus the whole Vento / Rapid / Polo platform is at the end of their product life cycle, been more than 8 years for this platform.

Coming back to what I can buy now, it pretty much looks like it has to be the Verna SX Petrol. The diesel in the Verna is very expensive, it is at least 2 Lakhs higher than the equivalent petrol version. And since the difference between petrol and diesel has narrowed down so much off late it looks like petrol is good to go.

The Creta just does not make sense. Even the 14-15 lakh variants are missing rear wipers! And no ACC etc.

Also, I had lived with a pretty bare bones Rapid ( only driver airbag and ABS ) for 6 years and I kept spending money on alloys, HU and what not. So thinking why not buy the SX Petrol and enjoy the features it offers for a change and not keep spending on the car? Because I realise that all that extra fitments come no where in to the picture during re-sale!

[MCR]

Originally Posted by motorworks

Coming back to what I can buy now, it pretty much looks like it has to be the Verna SX Petrol. The diesel in the Verna is very expensive, it is at least 2 Lakhs higher than the equivalent petrol version. And since the difference between petrol and diesel has narrowed down so much off late it looks like petrol is good to go.

Why don't you consider the Ciaz? The Petrol Alpha variant is available for around Rs.11.86 Lakhs On-Road. There is also a discount of around Rs.30K to sweeten the deal.
Cruise control is the only feature you will miss out on as compared to Verna Sx!

On paper the Petrol engine on the Ciaz looks short on power but its a different story when you are driving it!
I was very impressed when I took a Test drive. The Test drive was a long one and I could easily touch highway cruising speeds. In city the 3rd gear can be used for driving anywhere between 20Kmph to 80 Kmph! The mid-range is that good!

The other biggest advantage will be the FE and space on the inside. Verna Sx will be around 9-10 Kmpl in Bangalore traffic where as you can get around 12-13 Kmpl in the Ciaz!

[deehunk]

Originally Posted by motorworks

Thanks for all your replies!

@ deehunk and @ the brutailer, your views are spot on! Having sleepless nights after giving away my Rapid and not convinced that I will enjoy the Verna as much! So thinking why not buy the SX Petrol and enjoy the features it offers for a change and not keep spending on the car? Because I realise that all that extra fitments come no where in to the picture during re-sale!

Since I have tasted/smelt pretty much all brands in economy segment, will not suggest you the Verna. One of my friend's Creta already feels old after 1.5 years, Hyundai and Maruti are pretty much same when it comes to parts quality. They won't last long, I know some members may dislike my words, but it is the truth. The FE of Hyundai petrol cars is not great and in a city like Bangalore you may get around 9-10 kmpl. This is why I went for the Duster in 2016 which ended up in total disaster. The 110 PS dci Manual variant is an ideal replacement for Rapid, it gives you decent FE and dynamics better than Rapid. If your choice is Verna petrol, then you will be looking at a replacement in next 4 years and a resale value around 4.0 lakhs.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by deehunk

This is why I went for the Duster in 2016 which ended up in total disaster.

Deehunk, what was the issue? I am also in a similar dilemma and following this thread closely. Could you please share your experience?

[deehunk]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Deehunk, what was the issue? I am also in a similar dilemma and following this thread closely. Could you please share your experience?

I have shared my experience on this thread, please refer the link. I ended up getting a vehicle which was plagued by poor quality issues and Renault washed off its hands saying that dealer will assist me to fix the issues.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...eview-361.html

I ended up selling the vehicle within 3 months after fixing the issues at a FNG.

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by motorworks

My budget is between 11-13 Lakhs.My yearly running is less than 10-12 K, so petrol is ok for my use. I had shortlisted the Creta Diesel because the petrol SX and diesel S+ are of the same price.

A petrol car with manual transmission would be a huge downgrade from a Rapid Tdi.

The Verna petrol is a resale disaster, it might not even fetch what the rapid did, after several years of ownership. Besides, trust me you will hate the increased number of visits to the petrol pump. Stick to the Ciaz, Honda City if you still want a petrol car.

[AYP]

Originally Posted by motorworks

Coming back to what I can buy now, it pretty much looks like it has to be the Verna SX Petrol. The diesel in the Verna is very expensive, it is at least 2 Lakhs higher than the equivalent petrol version. And since the difference between petrol and diesel has narrowed down so much off late it looks like petrol is good to go.

Even if your monthly running is around 1000km, you will still be saving around 1k every month.

Originally Posted by motorworks

Because I realise that all that extra fitments come no where in to the picture during re-sale!

But that diesel engine will definitely fetch you a higher resale value. The higher resale along with the monthly fuel savings will negate the extra money you pay for the EX diesel variant to a very large extent.

[motorworks]

Thanks for all those valid points! Yes most of you guys are right when you say I should move to the Verna diesel, in spite of my running being low. Sure the diesels currently fetch better value. But the market is gradually changing, right? And in favour of petrols. The difference between both the fuels is less than. Rs.15 now. And the initial investment difference is very high as well. Even I were to opt for the Verna EX diesel instead of the SX petrol, it is still about a Lakh. And added to the fact is that the dealers are offering additional 60k off on the petrol version if I were to buy the December manufactured model.

All this has made me think 2 things; should I TD the Honda City? Traditionally, honda city petrols hold their value better. Or should I reconsider the Creta 1.4D S+ on which I can again get about 70k off if I pick up the 2017 November model. But that takes the cost to 14.7 Lakhs and it is still not featured well!

[deehunk]

I will suggest Honda City instead of Verna, a highly fuel efficient petrol engine and very reliable.

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by motorworks

All this has made me think 2 things; should I TD the Honda City? Traditionally, honda city petrols hold their value better. Or should I reconsider the Creta 1.4D S+ on which I can again get about 70k off if I pick up the 2017 November model. But that takes the cost to 14.7 Lakhs and it is still not featured well!

General suggestion, since you are buying new, buy something that has a higher resale. If you are buying used, buy a car that is a resale dud, so that the depreciation hit is taken by the earlier owner.

If you are planning to buy a new SUV, any of Ecosport 1.5D, Creta 1.6D and Brezza Zdi should be fuss-free, as they would hold supreme resale value for the next 5 years, despite the lessening parity in diesel vs petrol. Why? The petrol siblings of these cars are not known to be fuel efficient, only give 1/2-1/3 FE of the respective diesel sibling.

Whereas in the sedans, barring the Verna, Ciaz and City petrol are known to be fuel efficient, leading to higher break even period for the additional amount spent on a diesel car.


You could use the calculator from the following thread-
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...alculator.html

But, since you are cross-shopping, one suggestion is to evaluate whether you need an SUV or a Sedan given your usage pattern. This should help you in making the next decision.

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by motorworks

Thanks for all those valid points! Yes most of you guys are right when you say I should move to the Verna diesel, in spite of my running being low. Sure the diesels currently fetch better value. But the market is gradually changing, right? And in favour of petrols. The difference between both the fuels is less than. Rs.15 now. And the initial investment difference is very high as well. Even I were to opt for the Verna EX diesel instead of the SX petrol, it is still about a Lakh. And added to the fact is that the dealers are offering additional 60k off on the petrol version if I were to buy the December manufactured model.

All this has made me think 2 things; should I TD the Honda City? Traditionally, honda city petrols hold their value better. Or should I reconsider the Creta 1.4D S+ on which I can again get about 70k off if I pick up the 2017 November model. But that takes the cost to 14.7 Lakhs and it is still not featured well!

TD the city. It is a car which is very easy to potter around in the city apart from the brilliant engine which brings a smile every single time on the highway. This is my second city, the previous one being a 2010 one. Yes the car feels lighter than the 2010 one, however every manufacturer other than the germans have gone down that road. However I have seen innumerable cars in the workshop, which high speed accidents, the passenger cabin was intact. So just because it's lighter doesn't mean safety has been compromised.

And don't worry about resale of a city. A 2000 OHC vtec still sells for over 2L in Bangalore

[Varun_HexaGuy]

Originally Posted by motorworks

Any suggestions and feedback would be great!

Hi sir,
Why new? Go the used way. You can get a car which is like "Less for more". You have a few Fun-to-drive D-segment sedans or even the SUVs if you want one. Among the sedans, it's the Jetta eyes closed. Agreed, the dieselgate fix has messed up to some extent but it's still a Fun-to-drive car.

Otherwise, you also have the Skoda Octavia. You can get a 2014-15 model for about 13 Lacs or even more. The same goes for the Jetta. The 2.0 TDI in this is also great. It's torquey and the light weight of the car (thanks to the MQB platform) gives it an advantage over the rest. Plus it's loaded with features too.

No sedans? Then, you've got some typical SUVs as well. In the new car segment, dream on. In the used car segment, you've got the mighty fortuner or even the Endy 3.0. They're typical SUVs. Want something which can be used as a commuter too? Get yourself a XUV500 AT/MT AWD or even a Hexa AT/MT trim for about 14 Lacs. So just don't rule the used cars out. All you just need is a bit of a patience and you're good to go. Infact, the wait times are proved to be less than a waiting period of some popular new cars!

Still want a new one? Then try stretching a bit since for 11-12 lacs, you'll again end up with a car which is more or less equivalent of your erstwhile Rapid. In terms of EMIs, the extra two Lacs is just peanuts. So, try upping the ante and get yourself a better car. You've got the Hexa XM/XMA and XUV500 W6 MT/AT for about 14-15 Lacs OTR Bengaluru. These cars can make you feel that you're indeed upgrading to some extent.

All the best with your purchase,
Varun

[motorworks]

Thanks again for all the replies and suggestions.

@varun_hexaguy, your points on used cars are valid, but very apprehensive when it comes to used cars especially D segment ones like Jetta or Octavia. My Turbo charger in the Rapid went kaput and it costed 1.5L against 30-40k of Hyundai or Maruti. I was lucky that it was in the service period and covered under warranty. If heavily localised cars like the Rapid/Vento/Polo have such issues then imagine the situation with Jetta or Octavia and on top of that you would not have warranty to fall back on. Sure, you may get good cars, but there is a risk involved and I do not think I want to take that risk now.

You see, after 4 years of my first car-Dzire, I really wanted a fun to drive, powerful and well built car. Hence I bought the Rapid, enjoyed every bit of it. But now in the phase of my life where my car needs to be practical, not disturb my daily routine and offer some peace of mind. That is not to say I do no want the power or stability on the highway and I do not want the car to feel like a massive downgrade from the Rapid. So in spite of being quite good on its own, I ruled out the Ecosport.

My final 3 choices now seem to be the Verna SX Petrol, Creta 1.4 D S+ and final now in contention Honda City V MT.

Of these 3, my heart says Verna SX Petrol, I loved the short drive I had. Seems like a balance between something like a Rapid and a Ciaz. Offering decent build and also some power on the tap. And to top it off, it is now being offered at 11.3 Lakhs OTR, which is quite VFM considering cars around it. The only thing that is holding me back is feedback I have got with regard to re-sale. Most of BHPians are right when they say that the Verna Petrol may not hold its value well, but is it changing with this new car and the shifting diesel to petrol dynamics? I do not know!



Second up is the Creta 1.4D S+. Not fun at all, has the least features. But offers a different experience, a move from a sedan to a SUV. True it is not a proper one, but in the Indian context it is one. Also I think this will hold its value well down the line. So what is holding me back on this one? Well simple, the car is the exact opposite of VFM, and I do not know if I will enjoy it. Plus the Creta is due for a refresh this year, sure it may not be much. But most of all I think 14.7 L OTR in spite of the discount is way too high!

And lastly the City, I have not TDd one as yet, but travelled many times in the car. My friend owns one and he also happens to move on from a Linea. So the situation is similar and his feeling is that the car is good but is completely the opposite of the Rapid. He himself thinks I should get the New Verna.
So the TD Of the city should happen by Saturday morning and hopefully it will give me an answer. Also thinking I will test drive the Verna and the city back to back just to see how they feel.

[Sahil]

I think anyone looking in this segment should wait for the Yaris! Looks like a fantastic product coming up from Toyota. Launch is rumoured to be in two months.

[Ramsagar]

Originally Posted by deehunk

This is what I went through after selling my Rapid, it may happen to everyone who looks for a new car after owning a Skoda. Suddenly you start realising how good a car was the Rapid for its price tag, once a Skoda always a Skoda, . Hyundai and Maruti are nowhere near a Skoda.

The moment I think of "What's next to Vento": its going to be a tough call. I'm into same dilemma as you guys are going through Where my max budget is 20L on road, had S-Cross 1.6 Aplha for a while, it is being stopped now. Duster, XUV500, are too old in the tooth. Striked-off City, Verna, Creta from my notepad. Considered Ecosport for while being 1.5L, felt too cramped. God knows when the Fiesta is going to land here. Thinking in the lines of Crysta 2.4, where the top end Z is settling at 25L on road. not interested in G/V variants. Oh god please help me.