[alchex7]

Need help with a predicament that I am facing. Currently, I own an XUV 300 - D AMT. I purchased the car in Jul 2021 6 months back, and have driven around 3500 km till now. Most of it in the city. I had looked at multiple cars
(subcompact auto SUV) when I was looking to buy and had narrowed it down to Sonet vs XUV. XUV won due to the less than stellar safety performance of Sonet. I also felt the suspension was most comfortable on bad bangalore roads. The AMT was a concern but I did not find it a deal-breaker, since it performed decently during the TDs, and I thought I would get used to it.

Fast forward 6 months, I have still not gotten used to the AMT. Especially around lower speeds - 0- 25 kph zone (like in parking with multiple speed breakers or B2B traffic situation), it just feels painful to drive with jerks and head nod. Also, the ride quality doesn't feel the best. The car sometimes crashes over medium-sized potholes. Above 30, the car is stellar and the gearbox performs well. But living and working close to ORR in Bangalore, 0-25 kph is almost 30% of all driving.
Last week I had some time on my hands and took TDs of Creta, Kushaq, and Astor.

The 1.4 DCT Creta seemed only a tad bit better to me because the TD vehicle still was confused about how to deliver power in the 0-20 kph zone. The Kushaq(1.0 AT) was smooth, though it is definitely a step down in power compared to my existing 1.5L Diesel engine. But Kushaq seemed like it had most of the features I wanted in a car (Wireless AA, 6 airbags, auto-dimming mirrors, telescopic adjustment for the steering, narrow enough to squeeze into tight spaces, decent boot space). A few things seem missing like the build quality isn't as good as XUV300 and the mid-range acceleration is milder. And coming finally to the Astor (1.3L TC), it just felt natural to me. The light steering, the comfortable suspension setup, and driving seemed very easy and enjoyable even in mild traffic. The luxurious interiors and features like ACC definitely add the cherry on the cake. The lack of Auto-dimming mirrors is disappointing, and the lack of ventilated seats seem like another miss, but for the most part, I enjoyed driving the Astor the most. The build quality again felt a tad worse than XUV.

I purchased the XUV (W8O AMT - D) for around 15.26L on road, and the newer cars I have driven are around 20L on-road and are a segment above as well. But they seem to tick most of the features I had initially planned, and more importantly, I enjoyed driving them more during the TD. I got my car evaluated and I can sell my car for around 11.5L. Overall according to my calculation I would have to bear a loss of around 4L if I sell my car accounting for accessories and ceramic coating, which seems quite substantial.

I am keen on Astor or Kushaq (haven't decided between them and there is a 2L difference on road between them for my preferred variants - I will mostly look at safety reviews and take the call between them if I decide to upgrade)
So the million-dollar question is - should I sell and upgrade, or hold onto XUV for at least a few more years?
Are there any members who have faced a similar dilemma, about not being satisfied with a new car, and upgraded within a year? How would you evaluate such a predicament and did anyone upgrade and later regret it?
Are there ways to improve the experience on my present car substantially (like maybe upgrading to softer compound tires?)

[GTO]

The AMT frankly sucks. I could never live with one, and if you cannot after a full 6 months of ownership, I doubt you will ever accept it. AMTs might still be okay for cheap hatchbacks, but it has no place in a 10+ lakh car. I recently drove the Punch AMT in traffic and it was a painful experience...I'd rather go to the dentist. There is also the question of the quality of AMTs. Hyundai has the best AMTs, Maruti is a distant 2nd because they are continuously tweaking it. But Mahindra + Tata + Renault AMTs are HORRIBLE.

I don't usually recommend selling a car so early - I'm normally preaching other BHPians to keep cars for 10 years or more . But life is too short to live unhappily with a pathetic AMT, so my recommendation = Sell it.

It's a seller's market and yours is a Diesel AT. Pit the online used car startups against each other and you'll get a better price.

Pro Tip = do a lateral upgrade (ARTICLE: The Beauty of Lateral Upgrades (Getting MORE CAR for LESS $$$)). That is, sell used, buy used. It will lessen the depreciation blow. Buy a 1 - 2 year old AT crossover, get a PPI & extended warranty, and your risk is zero. Follow our used car checklist (including service history, checking past insurance claims etc.) to the T.

[VW2010]

You know the financial impact. If that depreciation is something that does not bother you, please go ahead and replace. This decision will purely be financial. You knew about the car, it's features, test drove it and bought it. There will always be new cars and new models each year. So make sure you are not playing the gadget syndrome game which most photographers do and will agree whenever a new product is released.

If 4l is what you can consider as rental charges for the current car you should sell it and get something you like. Think of the depreciation as rental charges and move on.

This decision has no logic but emotional reasoning only and emotion and logic never go hand in hand. You have to kill emotions to take logical decisions and you have to kill logic when taking emotional decisions.

Have I done this?Yes.

Bought an Enticer when it got released and sold it in 11 months once I took a ride on the bullet 500 in 2005. Took a 10k loss and sold the Enticer. I Do not regret the decision and my bike is now 16 years old. It was purely an emotional decision.

If you are open I will also recommend GTO advice to look at used cars from similar owners like you. Much cheaper to change cars. But that needs mental mindset to own an used car. You can infact go one class above for same budget you are ready to pay.

[Axe77]

This thread deserves to go to the Homepage. Just so people can read the actual user experience of someone who’s dissatisfied with one.

I am frankly dead against AMTs unless there is literally NO way to avoid it for budget or any other reasons. I have singularly advised against AMTs wherever I have responded to What Car threads.

I am with GTO here. Cut your losses early, sell it and move on. As a diesel automatic it will have a certain section of takers. Also agree that a lateral upgrade may give you the best options. I would suggest a lightly used Creta / Seltos / Sonet diesel A/T if you can get your hands on one - or maybe a new one if you are fine with that. If you are going with a petrol A/T then I would suggest either the Astor or the Kushaq 1.0 litre TC automatic. No point going from a dissatisfying AMT to an unreliable DCT / DGS.

Personally, my top choices would still be the diesel A/Ts from the Koreans. A good balance of reliability, performance, features and decent enough comfort.

[dr_TJ]

My first automatic car was a Maruti Suzuki Celerio AMT. Since it was my first automatic car as well as being low on budget, Celerio AMT served me well.
Expectations were low and during the buying process, I did test drive a Nissan Micra CVT, but the rubber band effect turned me off so bad, that won't be venturing into a CVT ever again.

Yes, AMT is jerky at low speeds and juddering was also present after 15K kms but I drove the Celerio AMT in manual mode mostly and I enjoyed it a lot. The car is sold now.

Now, last year, I decided to upgrade to a Sub 4m CSUV. Nexon AMT and XUV300 AMT were on top of my shortlist, but paying close to 13 lakhs for an AMT just didn't sound right to me. Especially when Ford Ecosport AT was present at that price point. After test driving the cars, Ecosport AT was my final choice.

Fast forward to this year, things became a mess for me, Ford exit announcement left me very annoyed.
Got rid of the Ecosport AT and got a Mahindra Thar Diesel HT AT. Yes, a bad financial decision, but I just couldn't continue with the Ecosport, emotional decision it was.

Anything above 10 lakhs should not be considered with an AMT, seriously.

Even after driving the super smooth Torque Convertor of the New Thar, I will be ok to drive a Maruti Suzuki AMT Hatchback daily but only in Manual mode

Coming to your question lastly, 6 months is a very short time to let go off a car, people consider me crazy for selling off my Ecosport AT in 17 months.

But if the mind is not at peace and not happy with the car, It will always be a sore point. So, if possible (Good resale value I mean) , get rid of the XUV300 AMT and get a Torque Convertor AT if possible. Cause DCTs have reliability issues and CVTs have rubber band effect. And test drive the shortlisted cars thoroughly.

[.anshuman]

If you dont mind the depreciation, sell the AMT & go for a car that you like driving.

AMT can only be justified only in budget small cars like Alto or Kwid, mainly because of cost concerns and at that price point the buyer is not expecting proper automatic transmission smoothness. End of the day, AMT is a low cost jugaad based on a manual transmission.

In terms of driving experience I absolutely hate AMTs. They can't be even close to smooth operation of torque convertor ATs, at the price point of XUV-300 it deserves a torque convertor or dual clutch auto.

[Raghu M]

I get your point. Last week, my friend bought a use Swift AMT. It was the first time in my life that I drove an automatic (yes, the first time). The jerks during stop n go traffic were horrible but once the car went beyond the 15 kmph mark, it was pretty smooth. I am thorough MT guy, have been driving cars since my college days. I would definitely not buy an AT/AMT/IMT anytime soon. The XUV is an amazing car, I am close to completing a year with it and I have enjoyed every feature and every ride. Sad that the AMT did not live up to it's expectations but like GTO mentioned, a car above 10 lakhs has to be an AT, the AMTs (any brand) would only be a tad better than MT (comfort wise only).

[Shreyans_Jain]

The trick with AMTs is to drive them in manual mode. A clutchless manual, pretty much like Hyundai’s IMT. Gets rid of the head nod problem and gives the driver total control. That is the only way they can provide ‘acceptable’ behaviour in city conditions.

[Bhupesh_2628]

Originally Posted by alchex7

Most of it in the city.
Fast forward 6 months, I have still not gotten used to the AMT. Especially around lower speeds - 0- 25 kph zone (like in parking with multiple speed breakers or B2B traffic situation), it just feels painful to drive with jerks and head nod. Also, the ride quality doesn't feel the best. But living and working close to ORR in Bangalore, 0-25 kph is almost 30% of all driving.

Are there ways to improve the experience on my present car substantially (like maybe upgrading to softer compound tires?)

Except the AMT gearbox, you're mostly satisfied with XUV 300. Regarding the ride quality, this parameter can be taken care of with some modifications.

However, the gearbox component which is as critical/important as the engine, there is no way we can improve the driving experience w.r.t it. That only Mahindra can do & I seriously doubt whether they will be willing to take a step further. Very slim chances.

Also, you spend time on heavy city traffic where AMT is not helping here despite free left hand-leg.
Taking out your car only for highway drives for comfortable driving experience (smoother gearshifts) will be fine but it'll defeat the purchase as you won't be using it much on city traffic.
But you cannot escape city traffic in the coming days by starting early due to increase in the number of vehicles.

If you decide to sell it, then I would suggest to stay away from DCT due to considerable time spent in city traffic.
TC gearboxes would be fine & reliable in the long run.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by alchex7

Are there any members who have faced a similar dilemma, about not being satisfied with a new car, and upgraded within a year?

I sold my Honda City VX CVT within an year of purchase and got the Polo for much cheaper. Dont regret the decision on the driving front at all (reliability is a different discussion). Dont think I will ever buy a CVT or an AMT.

Try to sell your car to someone within your network who knows how well you keep your cars.

And as GTO said, make a lateral upgrade in the used car market and the financial hit wont pinch as much.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by Axe77

This thread deserves to go to the Homepage. Just so people can read the actual user experience of someone who’s dissatisfied with one.

I am frankly dead against AMTs unless there is literally NO way to avoid it for budget or any other reasons. I have singularly advised against AMTs wherever I have responded to What Car threads.

I totally differ with you. I own two AMT cars. One a 35500 KM run 2016 Wagon R, 2nd owner, never had a AMT issue, runs pure smooth. The 2nd one is a 13000 KM run 2018 Ignis, no issues.

Yes AMTs have their isuue at low speeds and it is true that you have to "learn" to drive them. They are not for enthusiastic drivers. If you are too eager to press your accelerator AMT is not for you.

But they offer a few things positive, cheaper maintenance cost, better FE and lesser upfront cost of the car compared to the other auto variants.

If somebody have budget surely they should go for pure automatic but if not there is no harm in getting a AMT keeping in mind it's certain characteristics.

[d3mon]

AMT plus a torquey (300nm) engine is a recipe for disaster. They are best left for anemic petrol engines where the max acceleration is low enough that the head nod will be far less intrusive.

I think you've been low balled at 11.5L. Spend some more time pitting dealers vs each other, or looking for an individual buyer. You should be able to get at least 1L more, which should make your decision easier.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by alchex7

So the million-dollar question is - should I sell and upgrade, or hold onto XUV for at least a few more years?

I am with GTO and most others here who are suggesting to sell this car. AMTs are really terrible, and yours is a rare case where selling the car makes more sense than (the usually recommended) way of keeping it.

However, just before actually selling it, try driving it in the Manual mode. Have you already tried the manual mode? I hate AMTs as automatic transmissions. They are the worst. However, if you truly use AMTs for what they are - automated manual transmissions, they are not that bad. You do the shifting and let the car change gears automatically for you. I am not saying this is going to be that great either, but just that this will be a bit better than using AMTs in the automated mode, and you might find this something that you could live with.

So in summary, sell your car. But before that, please give a shot to the manual mode (unless of course you have already tried that too).

[blackstallion76]

@alchex7: I was in the same boat 6-7 months back after driving Punto Diesel for 9 yrs. Mine is Swift AMT Petrol. Was not liking at all for initial 3-4 months. Took to MASS and had longish test drive. Both in Auto and Manual. I found Manual mode to be best to get better control. MASS technician suggested to drive sedately & practice the lift-off/knock-down techniques. Its all about getting used to push the accelerator as much needed and lift-off when rpm touches 2000rpm. Needs some learning coming from MT habit. Muscle memory is quite strong to unlearn. Yes, its not the best autos and does the job. You will like more of manual mode than an Auto mode unless its for newbie driver.
After 6 months, actually i am loving the way it drives.

Particularly for 0-25kmph, its only 1st & 2nd gears working a lot in traffic. Its best to leave in auto mode. in AMT, if speed is below 15kmph or rpm around 1000 it automatically shifts to 1st. Above 15kmph, it shifts to 2nd. If there is jerkiness experienced pls get the technician re-initialize the clutch program. It worked much better for me after this re-initialize. The 1st to 2nd became smooth.

For me, taking a hit of 3-4L is too much unless no problem with budget. XUV300 is gem of a car with 1.5L diesel its a monster. I think high torque is also adding to this jerk. Probably needs some practice with patience.

it works a lot better if you lift completely between gear changes to make things peppier.
Keeping your foot down keeps it sluggish and prone to jerkiness
It's always eager to shift up a gear, even on an incline once you hit the speed it considers right

[saisree]

AMT was supposed to be a short term solution by Maruti for the non existent proper AT models in their budget hatchback line up. But, AMT kind of settled in mainstream cars and every one started to offer this tech (is this cheap?) and our Mango (aum) junta accepted it as a proper auto transmission.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

The trick with AMTs is to drive them in manual mode. A clutchless manual, pretty much like Hyundai’s IMT. Gets rid of the head nod problem and gives the driver total control. That is the only way they can provide ‘acceptable’ behaviour in city conditions.

I would suggest this option to the OP. I know its pain to switch between manual and auto based on the driving condition and terrain. But the manual is there for this purpose right. No?