[The Observer]

Very thoughtful gesture, while for driving in the city an automatic hatch is best, but when the family expands the extra boot space will be very useful.

While we emphasize on safety, build and reliability, each of us will also have an eye for design, feel and other intangible things that go a long way in a buying decision.

My 2 cents. If this this something doable, make a few shortlists yourself, but do take your sister and BIL along and let them select and be involved in the buying decision, as they are the ones who will be using the car on daily basis , not that your selection will be disliked by them, but they may appreciate you taking their consensus.

Yes the surprise is negated, but it's a safer process.

Of course, you can still chose to make the decision yourself and totally surprise them, am sure she s gonna be blown away and will not be too bothered on what the car, variant, color or transmission it is.

My picks , since you asked

Ecosport AT
Polo GT TSI
Jazz CVT
Venue AT.

Congratulations and please wish your sister and BIL a happy married life, in advance

[wheeledwanderer]

If i was in your shoes, i would first like to check with sister and brother in law if they really have an requirement for a car. If yes, then i would sit with both of them and show them what options you have on your table for them to choose from. Ask them to go to the showroom and check the variants out. If NO, then may be you can use that money as an downpayment for a new flat which you can buy in your sisters name or may be complete renovation for the existing house with beautiful cozy interiors or an all paid honey moon trip abroad which they will remember. Good Luck!

[46TheDoctor]

Giving a bank FD is the best logical gift but if it has to be a car, my choices will be as follows:

1. Ford Figo 1.5 AT petrol:
This will cost close to 8.5 L on road, it has a 1.5 Litre N.A. powerful engine, torque converter AT, good ride handling setup, good space, which makes it both fun to drive, practical and reliable as well and not to mention much lower future maintenance costs than the Polo GT TSi. You will also save 2.5 L which you can give as an additional FD, the interest on which can easily cover annual insurance premium for the cars ownership period.

2. Honda Jazz CVT:
This car being more upmarket will look more presentable in the ceremony, otherwise Figo is the best VFM choice here.

[sureshkishore]

Lady drivers in the family are off late showing a keen interest towards compact suvs and cross overs and do not seem happy about cute hatchbacks any more. And AT seems to be the prefferred transmission choice.
The ecosport petrol AT seems to fit the bill perfectly. Nexon and Brezza also have decent AMT options.

[sudeepg]

You stated:

1. Your would be brother in law already has a car.
2. They use company cabs for work and prefer cabs for shopping etc.

Given this, I wonder if it would be good to gift them another car. I'd suggest that you give them that money in an FD or an investment that may come in handy for them later. For instance as a down payment for a home or home interiors etc. Just my opinion though.

All said and done, very nice gesture brother!

[tj123]

With a rational bent of mind I always prefer to give cash, gold or equities which will go much longer way in supporting a newly wed couples. Presenting a car may look fancy but remember its a depreciating asset and most of its charm is lost once a new model arrives.

[V.Narayan]

I don't want to sound preachy or holier than thou. It so happens I clocked in a lot of experience on organizing weddings in 2019 for my immediate family members. The money spent on the wedding assuages our ego but after it is done and dusted, the barat leaves and time comes to settle bills of the band baja wallah all that you did is forgotten. No matter what you gift or how much you gift or how thoughtfully you select those gifts there is always someone moaning and bitching. Gift your sister something she and others around will remember for life. For example your sister and B-I-L to be could go and perform some seva at an orphanage or an old peoples home and use some of this money to have them donate some useful asset to that charity or fund the life saving treatment of some poor person. That will be remembered always. Just a suggestion. In the end we all need to do what suits our needs.

[jayguar]

Originally Posted by di1in

Wise advice, thank you. They won't be driving a lot as they use company cabs for commute, so it'll be just for weekends. They're not really sure about MT vs AT. Not a lot of city driving as they prefer cabs for shopping, etc.

Two of my cousins have them and she doesn't like those cars very much. We used to have a modded 2002 OHC, so maybe she sees these new ones with a different eye. Thanks!
...
Yes, Ciaz and EcoSport are on the table now.

Considering the usage of the personal vehicle only during the weekends, do check if a second car is needed at all. If they are fine with a second car, I would suggest you to prepare a list of cars your sister, her fiance and you hate/dislike in the first place. See if either your sister or her fiance is an driving enthusiast. Since your sister's fiance already owns a Brezza, I would suggest you to go for a hatchback or a sedan. For a hatchback, Jazz CVT would be a good choice for good enough ride quality and peace of mind provided your sister does not dislike the car. A Ciaz Automatic is a nice option if opting for a sedan. Do have a look at the JTP Twins aswell if they love driving even though its just for the weekends.

[rajushank84]

The moment I read the title the thought was "Polo GT Tsi". I don't think there is a better choice at 11 lakhs new.

[jithin23]

Your sister is lucky to get a brother like you to gift a car in the first place. For a wedding gift Ford EcoSport S would be an awesome car to receive, affordable service as well. Other brands aren't so VFM and offer completeness as the EcoSport. This car can be used for cross country drives as well. VW Polo GT is good but the service, suspension and brakes are a concern.Duster is another option which can be considered.

My suggestion would be make your sister and to be BIL to drive each of the cars and then choose one. At the end they should be happy with the car

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by jithin23

For a wedding gift Ford EcoSport S would be an awesome car to receive, affordable service as well.

VW Polo GT is good but the serviceand brakes are a concern. Duster is another option which can be considered.

Ecosport S would not come within the budget of 11 lakhs stated in the opening post and title.

As for the Polo TSI, apart from service issues, I would be hesitant to suggest it due to DSG woes. Hotly contested topic of course, but nevertheless an important criteria to keep in mind.

[jithin23]

Originally Posted by arindambasu13

Ecosport S would not come within the budget of 11 lakhs stated in the opening post and title.

As for the Polo TSI, apart from service issues, I would be hesitant to suggest it due to DSG woes. Hotly contested topic of course, but nevertheless an important criteria to keep in mind.

Completely agree with you on both the points but for EcoSport, the S EcoBoost variant is discontinued now, so there will be good discounts on existing EcoBoost stock and for Nov-Dec manufactured vehicles be it petrol or diesel.

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by di1in

Hey, everybody. I'm trying to find a car to gift my sister at her wedding.

• Budget is 11L
• She has no preference whatsoever
• Fiance isn't saying anything about it either
• Need the vehicle delivered by mid-April
• Her fiance already has a Brezza
• City - Bengaluru?? And they usually take cabs to work and shopping.

The only info missing is 'Do they have an extra parking slot to accommodate your gift?

With 11L budget in hand, I would have started just like you but then would have eventually settled on a FD to the couple as a gift.

Good luck to you and best wishes to your sis

[RK79]

For my marriage, my in laws wanted to gift wife a car, and when they asked my opinion I told them to deposit the amount in her name as were already having a car and there was no need for a 2nd car. They deposited 10L in her name.After 2 years when my wife finished her course,we were in need of 2 cars,and we bought Zest with 4L cash and 4L gold loan,the deposit untouched. 3 years later we paid off the loan using the interest of the deposit and some additional. Now we are in search of a proprty and this deposit will come in handy. Always consider the need and the depreciation factors before spending.Remember,money saved is money earned

[di1in]

Wow, the collection of advice here is mind blowing. Thanks everybody!

Reading all the Honda love reminded me of my Raj Hingorani FFEd OHC from around 11 years ago. In fact, my profile picture is from one of those revved up OHC runs with my sister. Used to be a lot of fun!

To answer some points raised, this post is about gifting a vehicle because things are already covered on the FD/Investments aspect. Dumping everything in deposits and investments isn’t fun (this question is on T-BHP, not MoneyControl ), balancing some of it out into toys is better. But those are great advice for other situations and I truly appreciate it a lot.

My BIL’s car probably won’t be coming to Bangalore If I get them this one, since they’ll need one in Kerala too.

Current order of cars:

1. Polo GT TSi (honorary position, not actually in the run with those warnings)
2. EcoSport Titanium 1.5
3. Jazz
4. Ciaz

I’m going to show these to her and ask her to make a choice. Will keep you all posted.