[joybhowmik]

Folks
It's time for me to ask the age old question, again!

Some may recall my earlier post here:

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

Agree it may be tough - but for me what's tougher is letting go of a perfectly good car that's fully paid up for, only 2/3rd of the way into the lifetime. To add insult to injury, I would have to pony up Rs 24 Lakhs for a replacement , which by most technical accounts is not a worthy successor to the one I have!

I would rather argue the point with the cops, assuage any hard feelings with "tea-money", and be on my way. On the face of it, even if I do get challenged 5 times a year - that's just Rs 500/- per year for the next 6 years. A small price to pay- to stand for what's right!

And that was definitely an underestimate - of the power of the NGT! But then, in retrospect, I had no way of knowing that the 10 year rule applicable for diesel vehicles was to be enforced with a certain gusto!

As recently as January 2019, I was stopped by a cop , demanding my R3's papers, ostensibly to impound him and fine me ₹ 5000 on the spot! It was yet another matter, that he followed with a sheepish grin, on being told that he became a family member 3 years ago.
Fast forward a couple weeks later, when on the regular PUC check of our Milemuncher Innova VX 2009 (Diesel), I was told that onwards from the 10th year, no PUC station in New Delhi will be able to perform a PUC check on her. Simply, the software will not allow it.

Given that it takes a few weeks to have the RTO issue an NOC for a vehicle to be transferred to a state where the NGTs writ does not yet apply, I have decided to start the search for a new vehicle to replace the Milemuncher.

Here are our requirements that we can't compromise on, so I welcome & look forward to your views and opinions.


a) D.E.P.E.N.D.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y.
I cannot stress this enough. We need a bullet proof car. No , not just the engine and/or transmission. The whole car.
To us, this means the quality of design, engineering and manufacture cannot leave the tiniest sliver of doubt.
We would rather sacrifice a few bells and whistles, in preference to this single strength.

b) Safety
All cars sold in India try and sell this as a key feature. Yes that's good. But, what do we mean when we say safety? We mean a car that left the factory with a rugged monocoque frame, side-impact beams, ABS and dual front air-bags, both side-view mirrors and inertia fuel-cut-off switch.

c) Visibility
We don't want a driving experience wherein , one seems to be lost somewhere inside the cabin, occasionally peeking out the windshield for a good dekko of the road ahead. We are used to an Innova and Scorpio - and the commanding view in the front is something that we can't compromise much on.

d) Agility
While R3 would continue to grace the stable, given that the new family member would be primarily used for in-city run-abouts, we need a car that's small and nimble. Open to hatchbacks & small sedan suggestions - on a petrol platform. Also open to All-Electric suggestions. Not OK with other alternative "green" fuel technologies- we just don't have the time or energy to devote towards standing in serpentine Q's and/or sacrifice boot space. Not OK with hybrid technologies - these have not stood the test of time in crazy Indian conditions.

e) Great Service
The product has to be backed up by a great warranty, and brilliant service (at least in NCR). By brilliant service we mean - manufacturer/dealer that have considerably less mechanic attrition at their workshop(s) than the competition; institutionalized continuous & quality training on scheduled service , running repair jobs , superb diagnostic skills ; comply well-documented workshop procedures; have access to on-demand parts availability even for low-value , low velocity products - e.g. interior plastics.

f) Ample Interior Space
We are used to the spaciousness of the Innova. We dislike the cramped pigeon-hole experience of the Scorpio.
So, we would really like something that approaches the holy-grail like experience of the Innova , but, in a small package!

g) Passenger comfort
Our basic needs will be met with a brilliant AC (capable of chilling the cabin @ 50 °C and power-steering.

h) Cost
I would like to put it this way... We can add maybe a lakh or two, to whatever we get for our beloved Milemuncher. At current market rates - that's like ₹ 4 lakh - ₹ 6 lakh on-road.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

I would like to put it this way... We can add maybe a lakh or two, to whatever we get for our beloved Milemuncher. At current market rates - that's like ₹ 4 lakh - ₹ 6 lakh on-road.

I would suggest checkout the Nexon XM petrol - it is around 8 lakhs on-road presently in the NCR with some offers running. I guess you could get it down a bit. I know it would still be over the figures you mention but I guess it would be worth the dough. Why?
- 5 star safety rating
- Ample space
- High seating - guessing you would prefer a higher seating, coming from the R3 and Innova
- Decently spec'd, you get all the basic necessities, at least as of Feb 2019 - with TML's obsession of deleting features don't know how long this will hold true.
- Decent to drive. I was pleasantly surprised by the response from the petrol mill.
- HIGH ground clearance - no problems in flooded streets or broken tarmac. Coming from R3 and Innova I guess you would like it.

All said, include it in your list of TD at least even if you aren't inclined towards it yet.

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

So, we would really like something that approaches the holy-grail like experience of the Innova , but, in a small package!

Replace the Innova with the mini Innova, aka Ertiga. You might exceed the budget by a bit, but you would get nearly all the experience you were getting with Ertiga, as the 5 seating Ertiga with 3rd row folded is amongst the most spacious cars.

Since you mention city car, I would also recommend Baleno Delta CVT. Spacious car, with sufficient features and and automatic for the city traffic.

Thirdly, would recommend that you check out Amaze. It has great visibility, oodles of space, and a very practical city car. You can consider the automatic too.

[AYP]

Hi Joy,

Assuming a budget of 7L, I'd suggest the Baleno Delta followed by the i10 Grand. With discounts, which are omnipresent on the Grand i10, you can easily get it for around the 7L mark.

If you don't have an immediate requirement for this new buy, then the 'Toyota Baleno' is a car which is worth waiting for.

[roby_dk]

Thanks to all members for helping to finalize my car. Took delivery of Polo GT TSI.

In love with the super smooth DSG gearbox and this car is hoot to drive in sports mode. The engine sounds quite different like a sports car.

Trying to quickly clock 1000 kms to finish of with the initial running-in period. SA told it is not required with new cars now but there is no harm in following the old school process.

Upgraded the tires from MRF 195/55 R16 to Pirelli 205/55 R16 the latter are far better than stock tires and I can feel the difference within 100kms of drive on stock. Ah I feel very bad I didn't upgraded for my Endeavour which is still running on cheap MRF's at 26k on odo.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by roby_dk

TTook delivery of Polo GT TSI.

Congrats to you and your family for the new acquisition. It does look lovely in the Red colour. Enjoy the ride.

[2000rpm]

Whats the on-road price friend, can you please share?

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

Folks
It's time for me to ask the age old question, again!

Guys
I am thinking of purchasing baleno alpha mt in petrol.
My questions:
1) other than price is there any reason to not consider toyota glanza v mt? Price wise - they are neck to neck if one considers the first year of service and extended warranty package (total 5 years warranty).
2) I was told by Nexa the RC would be endorsed with BS4 and BS 6. Any reason why this would be ?

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

Folks
It's time for me to ask the age old question, again!

Easy - get a Toyota Liva. It fits every single requirement of yours perfectly.

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

Whats the on-road price friend, can you please share?

It was 10.5 lakh with Delhi registration. Sorry for replying so late. BTW I mentioned the same in earlier post too after booking.

[pannags]

Originally Posted by roby_dk

Thanks to all members for helping to finalize my car. Took delivery of Polo GT TSI.

Congratulations Roby. I'm sure you guys must be enjoying the little legend.

BTW, this made for an interesting read as we were on a similar hunt for a birthday gift for my wife, 18 months ago.

We finally settled for a Brio AT. While I was never a big fan of the Honda, in the one year that we've had the car, the looks have grown on me nicely and I never miss an opportunity to jump into the drivers seat.

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

Guys
I am thinking of purchasing baleno alpha mt in petrol.
My questions:
1) other than price is there any reason to not consider toyota glanza v mt? Price wise - they are neck to neck if one considers the first year of service and extended warranty package (total 5 years warranty).
2) I was told by Nexa the RC would be endorsed with BS4 and BS 6. Any reason why this would be ?

Dear friends,
I finally bit the bullet and purchased a Red Glanza V model for my wife, earlier this month, for ₹846000. The price included Toyota extended warranty, aside from the privilege of driving home a road legal car.

So far , both of us are getting used to a manual petrol, after years of enjoying torquey (read minimal throttle input required) diesels.

P.S. The ownership thread is still lurking somewhere in my head. I just haven't found time away from chores and work. But, I am painfully aware of the debt I owe to this fantastic community and will pen my thoughts on the newest addition to our family. Just allow me some time.

In the meantime, here's a teaser pic. Photo clicked during PDI on August 7.

[naru80]

We are looking to replace our 14-year-old i10. For the last 5 years, it's been used very sparingly, mostly for trips to the neighborhood market. That's why it's not been replaced yet. But it's now a little unreliable. Needs tyres, battery replaced + other small issues and we don't want to spend any money on it since it has only a year of life left. And with offices now reopened, we are feeling the need for a reliable and easy to drive city car.

The requirements are pretty basic:
1 Smallish size (for easy maneuverability)
2 Automatic (for convenience)
3 Petrol (for NGT)
4 High seating/height adjustable (for the Mrs)
5 Hassle free ownership (for peace of mind)
6 Upmarket interiors (for the wow factor)
7 Reverse camera/sensors (for easy parking)

It doesn't really matter if it's a hatch, CSUV or sedan as long as the seating is not low (bonet should be visible). The driver is not an enthusiast. Just wants to get her destination in comfort.

We are not very keen on stuff like sunroof, push button start, etc. We don't want to spend more than 10 lakh since our other car is also going to be replaced next year (most likely with a Creta/XUV700).

We tend to retain our cars for 10+ years, so we want to buy something that is fresh so that it doesn't feel dated so soon.

We test drove and rejected Nexon. It's a very nice car, but oddball design elements were dealbreakers. Only manual TD was available. Couldn't test the AMT.

Sonet/Venue iMTs were also rejected because we want a fully automatic vehicle. The DCTs are in contention (haven't TDed yet since no one seems to have one). But the problem is high price (we will be paying for lots of "features" which will never be used), long wait and DCT reliability issues. But Sonet has the nicest interiors and strongly ticks the wow factor criterion.

I really liked the Kiger CVT, but interiors are too basic. Plus the cost cutting is not very confidence inspiring. The salesman too felt the interiors were not justified for the ~10-11 lakh mark variants. He strongly suggested we go for the cheaper AMT since "only college kids get CVT to show off, families don't need it" .

Then there's the Amaze. The all singing, all dancing VX CVT is a shade over 10 lakh. The interiors, though not "wow", seem acceptable. We got a very small 5 min TD in which the ride, etc too seemed okay. Though it's not a car that tugs at the heart, so far it seemed like it can be an acceptable compromise of easy driveability and clean interiors. The + point is that the VX variant is just around 1 lakh more than Grand i10 Nios Asta AMT. But the cost cutting is also evident: it has the worst reverse camera of any car we have tested (and none in the cheaper S version).

But then i searched for its reviews on Team-bhp . It may manage to see ~3k units/month but here the verdict seems to be pretty brutal: there is hardly any activity on the main review page, very few ownership reviews, and a lot of negativity around AS*, the cost cutting in Amaze, and the future of Honda itself in India.

The only other car from our shortlist left to TD is the Grand i10 AMT. We are not particularly keen on it since we have been using an i10 for the last 14 years.

Cars not considered:
Nissan/VW/Skoda because we want hassle free ownership.
i20: Our other car is already an i20
Baleno: low seating/ same category as i20
Brezza: Facelift coming soon

Is Amaze a good choice or should we consider any other option?

[The Rationalist]

Why is the Tata Altroz DCA not even considered? I think you should test drive it. Amaze is definitely a good choice, but I’m skeptical about Honda surviving our market. Hardly any volume seller and nothing much exciting on the cards.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by naru80

Is Amaze a good choice or should we consider any other option?

Why not try Honda Jazz? If you get over with the boring design, it is indeed a good car for the requirement. And now the top end comes with sunroof too. Quality and build wise it is better than Amaze and also scored 4 stars in the recent crash test.