[RaviCar]

Hi,

Wish you best of luck for your exams and a very happy 18th birthday.
I will put down a few pointers

1) Use public transport for 90%( or daily commute), you will explore a lot more than just car or a bike.

2) for the remaining 10%

Get a car not older than 2016. Buy a new car if that makes sense as financially new car loan rates are at their lowest and used cars are at their priciest. Total cost of ownership will ultimately be better in a new car

Get something with a 4 or 5 GNCAP car, Minimum 2 Airbags, ABS and good tyres.

My suggestion is Tiago >Brio>Micra>polo.

Choose a Sub-4 meter for ease of learning. I learnt driving on a brand new car and had my series of misadventures.

Hope it helps. Choose a safe car and drive safe.

Best,
RaviCar

[NarediAni7518]

I would suggest look no further than a Honda Brio, since it’s your first car, make it special, you’ll enjoy every bit of that city car trust me !

[pta320]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

Down below are the cars I have shortlisted:

Gen 1 G13B/K12 Maruti Swift:

1) Good aftermarket support (as far as I know)

2) It's a Maruti so convincing the parents is gonna be easy.

3) Maruti reliability, peace of mind and cheap running costs.

Attachment 2264048

Maruti Baleno G16B Sedan:

1) Same reasons as Swift, Good Aftermarket.

2) You can get these really cheap and in decent condition from what I've seen.

3) The usual peace of mind you get with a Maruti.

Attachment 2264047

Maruti Baleno Alturus G16B:

1) Same reasons as the Baleno Sedan.

2) Wagon body is unique

3) I mean look at this beauty.

Attachment 2264049

Honda City 1.5 VTEC

1) Fantastic aftermarket support.

2) Legendary FTD factor and the D15B VTEC is revv happy

3) An absolutely gorgeous car + VTEC JUST KICKED IN YO (yes I'm 17 how could you tell?)

Attachment 2264050

Just a small clarification, Corolla early gen 03-07 produced 125 bhp. The Corolla altis 08-10 produced 132 bhp and Altis 2011+ and newer gen Altis produce 140 bhp with new 2ZR-FE engine. The earlier ones had 1ZZ-FE engine. Both the engines are extremely reliable and bulletproof.

[hey.rudey]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

Hello there, I turn 18 in about 3 weeks and I'm looking for a first car that is also a good enthusiast car, I'm one of the emotional guys when it comes to Automobiles so drive feel/emotional connect is very important.

The original plan was to buy a brand new Duke 250 or RR310 but around December 2021 I had a change of heart and shifted (pun intended) towards a used enthusiast car instead.

At first a Honda City 1.5 VTEC was a no-brainer but I'm not so sure. We will not be purchasing the car until May-June 2022.

My Requirements:

1) Seating/Comfort - Comfort is appreciated but not a priority I'm happy in terms of interiors and comfort as long as I have a nice speaker system and the drivers seat can accommodate my 5 foot 9 inch but slightly chunky frame. We have a '17 Honda City for daily/city use and '11 Toyota Innova 2.5 V (Type2 -> Type4 converted) for Highway hauls.

2) Fun to Drive? - Oh absolutely, it should fun to drive it's my first car after all, I'm willing to make sacrifices (like comfort and interiors) for the fun factor. I want a Manual transmission.

3) Fuel efficiency- FE is not an issue, with the City for dad and mom preferring the Innova this car will not see much use outside of weekend trips and juvenile tomfoolery. Although a minimum mileage of 7-8kmpl in the city would help in convincing the parents. Furthermore we are looking to get an electric scooter to replace our old '13 Vespa LX125 as a errand vehicle so I will be using that for commuting to college 90% of the time.

4) Fuel - Not leaning towards either petrol or diesel, although most of my options that I've considered are petrol with the exception of one car (You'll see it later in the list below).

5) Body Type - Again not leaning towards anything particular, I'm open to everything.

6) Aftermarket Support - Odds are I will keep this car for atleast 3-4 years so I would like the car to have good aftermarket support in terms of mods.

7) Budget - I was initially given a budget of 3-3.2 Lakh (on road Bangalore + Gear) to get my very own bike but that cash has been reallocated to the car (Hence this post). Current budget is 3.5 Lakh and willing to extend to 3.8-4 lakh. We have 30k reserved outside the budget to get any repairs done (if needed) and getting quality of life improvements like a modern head unit and speakers. Any money saved will be re-invested into the car for mods down the line and fuel.

8) New or used? - Definitely used, the only new car I'll get in Bangalore with 4 lakh in hand would be the base model Alto, might as well get a Duke 250 at that point.

I don't have hands on experience with most of these cars so I'm depending on TeamBHP and family input to determine the pros and cons. If it helps I'm located in Bangalore.

P.S: I know the basics of driving a car but you wouldn't want me behind the wheel any time soon, Will be taking a 21 Day course from Maruti driving school before I get my car.

Originally Posted by GTO

Don't want to come across as a party pooper, but this is your first car and you're just turning 18.

- Many of us are still alive because we started off on cars <100 BHP. I don't think a fast car is the ideal first car. When my kids turn 18, they will start off with a slow car.

- You need to focus on your education, girls etc. instead of spending time repairing an old Octavia or finding parts for a Baleno sedan.

My suggestion: Buy the newest Grand i10 or Swift that you can find. If you get a WagonR 1.2L, go for it (it's a fun breadbox). Learn the basics of driving, don't go out on the highway yet and read up on our many driving advice articles.

While "enthusiast cars" are fun to drive, so are regular cars. I enjoy driving any car, even an S-Presso or an Innova. Related discussion on the topic (Is it necessary for "fun-to-drive" to only involve fast + tight handling cars? I don't think so!).

Originally Posted by KPR

I think you should learn driving first, clock thousands of Km on the ODO to know the enthusiast in you. No amount of theory can give that experience. The word "Enthusiast" easily the most used and abused word in car forums.

Hi GreasyCarb55, I get where you are coming from. I was on the same ship as you are in right now, but I agree with GTO and KPR completely. You really need to gain some experience behind the wheel before doing all things you want to do, be it road trip, a track day, or a joyride.

Stick with a good hatchback or saloon to start off with which won't pinch your pocket. I started driving post the first lockdown, and I still learn and gain experience every single day. I have an enthusiast car parked at home, but the hard truth is I drive that car very very rarely (just an odd Sunday in the morning). To be honest, when I step out with friends or go to college, I am really happy that I have my City. I can leave or park it anywhere and it gives amazing mileage whenever I drive. It took me time to get used to the Beemer, but that is due to my time on the City.

If you still want a fun car, I suggest go for a City i-VTEC (MK5 or Indian MK3), Jazz, or Brio. For personal experience I can say that a Honda is absolutely reliable and responsive on the throttle. Be careful of rust, these cars are notoriously ridden with this (even my car). You can then start modding these cars once you are confident that you can start handling more power, but take your time and gain kilometres.

A soft top two seater does sound exciting, but please stick to a car with all the safety measures. Even if you consider an older Swift, make sure you have all the safety features such as airbags and ABS. Whenever you drive ensure your, your passenger's, and other motorist's safety. Cheers and happy driving to you.

[Pratham_V12]

Hey GreasyCarb55,

I have been following your thread ever since I had found it while browsing through google as I was in the same dilemma as you are currently. I have got to say this thread really makes up for an interesting read . My folks too have given me a budget of around 4 lakhs which does not include the cost of service and all that jazz. But my mom has a few conditions :

1) No Maruti Suzuki - She had an alto 800 (1st gen) as her first own car and ever since then she has been paranoid about that brand, no matter how good their cars are.
2)It has to be a manual - She suggests (rather strongly) that my first car should be a manual and for good reason.

So the cars that I have been suggested for now are -

1) R18 Honda Civic - My mom and I have been a fan of the car ever since we first saw it and I have been mesmerized by its looks ever since. Its like the OG poster car for me due to its clean looks and would love to own one of these.
2) Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI - The TDI is another fabulous choice as per me due to its amazing engine as it gives good mileage (will keep mom happy) and has good torque surge (will keep me happy) and it being a diesel engine, it will be pretty reliable for many kilometers to come (hopefully).
3) Ford fiesta S - This too has been in my mind ever since I saw @E=mc2's thread of his ford fiesta S which was red in colour. The only negative part of it is that they are really hard to find in clean condition.

I am not really looking out for the likes of the Honda City VTEC as I feel that it is too long in the tooth to be used as a weekend car despite it being one of the most fun cars to drive and experience. Also, it has to be something interesting as it is not always that you are shopping for a first car!

I request the petrol (and diesel) heads of this forum to please give advice on my dilemma and help me make a good choice!

[porsche_guy]

Originally Posted by Pratham_V12

I request the petrol (and diesel) heads of this forum to please give advice on my dilemma and help me make a good choice!

Honestly speaking, I'd rather suggest you get a more rational and frugal car over the ones currently in your shortlist(except the Fiesta- that's great if you do find a good example). The Civic is not going to have easy maintenance or for that matter even be light on the pocket. A lot of components are imported and hence have a high cost and the car won't really be very fuel efficient.
Do remember that while it costs less than a new entry level hatchback, it demands the attention of a D segment sedan. I know how absolutely droolworthy it might seem but it will pain you even more not being able to take care of it like it deserves to.

The Polo is easy(ier) to maintain than the Civic but do remember also that in the end, it's a Volkswagen and again, parts are not what you'd call cheap. In addition the 1.5 TDI is known to have injector issues and also the perennial problem of ABS sensors packing up randomly among others too. If you're very keen on getting a Polo, look at the 1.6 MPI instead. They'll be well within your budget and have lesser issues than the diesels.

A great option could also be a Punto MJD. Frugal and punchy diesel, good safety and European build quality and not to mention the dynamics! Do only look at the variants with airbags and ABS though.

[pedrolourenco]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

Toyota Corolla/Altis:

140hp makes this the second most powerful car on the list.

140 BHP would be the Altis, not the car in the pic.

Wildcard Entry - Maruti Gypsy Soft Top:

1) Because why not, aaj kuch toofani karte hai

Once you have to live with it, the experience is not so toofani.

2) Go anywhere capability + great aftermarket

+1

3) Can you even get Gypsy's that cheap?

Getting it - yes, getting it to the spec you like - no.

Originally Posted by vishy76

- Toyota Etios Liva

Best option

- Ford Figo (1st Gen)

I'd say 2nd gen is better

- Honda Jazz (1st Gen)

I'd say skip this.

If you still think you have the time to devote to an automobile and want to treat it as a project car, I would suggest picking up a Suzuki Zen MPFI. When you have had enough fun getting to grips with the 1.0 lump, you can go ahead and plonk a 1.3 G13B from the Esteem in it. An 85hp engine in a 700 odd kilo car. Only reason why it isn't in my primary recommendation list is safety.

I don't think that's something to start of with. Maybe for the 2nd car it's ok.

Originally Posted by GTO

You need to focus on your education, girls etc.

Both of which need you to have a reliable car.

instead of spending time repairing an old Octavia or finding parts for a Baleno sedan.

Both of which will ensure you will have no time or money for the above 2.

While "enthusiast cars" are fun to drive, so are regular cars.

I borrowed a friends Nano. Even that was fun to drive despite me being used to driving much more powerful cars.

[Pratham_V12]

Originally Posted by porsche_guy

Honestly speaking, I'd rather suggest you get a more rational and frugal car over the ones currently in your shortlist(except the Fiesta- that's great if you do find a good example). The Civic is not going to have easy maintenance or for that matter even be light on the pocket. A lot of components are imported and hence have a high cost and the car won't really be very fuel efficient.
Do remember that while it costs less than a new entry level hatchback, it demands the attention of a D segment sedan. I know how absolutely droolworthy it might seem but it will pain you even more not being able to take care of it like it deserves to.

So, if the civic is heavy on the pockets with respect to fuel efficiency and maintenance, it will not be considered as I don't want to burden my parents' pockets even more than I already have.

The Polo is easy(ier) to maintain than the Civic but do remember also that in the end, it's a Volkswagen and again, parts are not what you'd call cheap. In addition the 1.5 TDI is known to have injector issues and also the perennial problem of ABS sensors packing up randomly among others too. If you're very keen on getting a Polo, look at the 1.6 MPI instead. They'll be well within your budget and have lesser issues than the diesels.

How often is the 1.5 TDI (not just the engine but the whole car) prone to failing a part or throwing tantrums in general? I want a car that is fairly reliable (not Toyota levels of reliability but decent enough) so that I can take the car out for a night run without any worry.

A great option could also be a Punto MJD. Frugal and punchy diesel, good safety and European build quality and not to mention the dynamics! Do only look at the variants with airbags and ABS though.

To be honest, I have been a fan of the punto mjd (especially the grande) ever since I found out that Fiat as a company makes such amazing cars (punto mjd,linea tjet,palio 1.6, you get the drift). The only problem with the punto is that the cars are abused pretty badly and are in poor shape, especially the cars that I have seen till now. Also most of them are pretty high mileage which also brings me to the maintenance part as I have to find a trusty fng as I am not sure if Fiat's authorized service centres still function.

Lastly, can you suggest me any other cars (with an open perspective) since my immature mind can't think past those cars mentioned above?

[porsche_guy]

Originally Posted by Pratham_V12

How often is the 1.5 TDI (not just the engine but the whole car) prone to failing a part or throwing tantrums in general? I want a car that is fairly reliable (not Toyota levels of reliability but decent enough) so that I can take the car out for a night run without any worry.

It isn't as bad as say the mechatronics unit in the DQ200 in the GT TSI randomly conking off but these are known things that you need to be prepared for in your ownership. You'll be able to find a plethora of info about the Polo on the forum, do go through the threads. As for the pain points, they're not cheap. I recall reading somewhere on the forum that an ABS sensor costed a good 4.3k to replace VW. The injectors are also very expensive at around 20k a pop. Hence, I asked you to look at the 1.6 MPI. It won't be blazing fast but has a beautiful gearbox and a far more reliable powertrain. Being from the pre-localised era of Polos it'll have a superior feel and part quality as well.

To be honest, I have been a fan of the punto mjd (especially the grande) ever since I found out that Fiat as a company makes such amazing cars (punto mjd,linea tjet,palio 1.6, you get the drift). The only problem with the punto is that the cars are abused pretty badly and are in poor shape, especially the cars that I have seen till now. Also most of them are pretty high mileage which also brings me to the maintenance part as I have to find a trusty fng as I am not sure if Fiat's authorized service centres still function.

I completely understand when you say it's tough to find well maintained Puntos these days. All the examples are higher run and pretty old. That said, I wouldn't worry too much about the mileage if the fundamentals are sorted since the 1.3 MJD is a very reliable and durable powertrain. As for the service, an FNG will be your best bet and regular parts aren't hard to come by given how many cars the engine used to operate in.

Lastly, can you suggest me any other cars (with an open perspective) since my immature mind can't think past those cars mentioned above?

Marutis being no-gos eliminate a lot options. That said, some other cars you can consider potentially are the Honda Brio, Toyota Etios/Liva (if you can live with the interiors and image. Both Petrol and diesel are easy to maintain and reliable) and an oddball but logical entry which is the Nissan Micra diesel(compact, punchy enough and very fuel efficient. Parts wouldn't be a problem since the engine operated in virtually all diesel Renault-Nissans and Logan/Verito). Wouldn't push you towards Hyundais since they generally don't age very well.

[Pratham_V12]

Hence, I asked you to look at the 1.6 MPI. It won't be blazing fast but has a beautiful gearbox and a far more reliable powertrain. Being from the pre-localised era of Polos it'll have a superior feel and part quality as well

Since we are on the topic of the 1.6 MPI, do you think its worthwhile to look for its elder brother and its cousin, the vento and the rapid MPI respectively?

I completely understand when you say it's tough to find well maintained Puntos these days. All the examples are higher run and pretty old. That said, I wouldn't worry too much about the mileage if the fundamentals are sorted since the 1.3 MJD is a very reliable and durable powertrain. As for the service, an FNG will be your best bet and regular parts aren't hard to come by given how many cars the engine used to operate in.

If I get a good car for sale then I would be pretty tempted to pick it up as my first choice as its a pretty fun car and I could eventually mod it up as the years pass.

Marutis being no-gos eliminate a lot options.

I love some Marutis like the s-cross and swift (ignis not so much) but the main question is that how can I convince my mother that the quality has been changed for the better since she had the alto?

an oddball but logical entry which is the Nissan Micra diesel(compact, punchy enough and very fuel efficient.

The only gripe that I have with the Nissan Micra is that I don't like the interior as I feel that it looks quite old as compared to the timeless design on the punto, which in my opinion has graced quite gracefully.

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by Pratham_V12

1) No Maruti Suzuki - She had an alto 800 (1st gen) as her first own car and ever since then she has been paranoid about that brand, no matter how good their cars are.
2)It has to be a manual - She suggests (rather strongly) that my first car should be a manual and for good reason.

So the cars that I have been suggested for now are -

1) R18 Honda Civic
2) Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI
3) Ford fiesta S

Your mom has the exact opposite conditions that my mom gave me

She strongly suggests that I go for a Maruti Suzuki as (according to her) you get the benefits of owning a Maruti Suzuki in India (cheap parts, service stations everywhere, reliability) and when you look back at the 2000's some of the memorable cars/engines were Maruti Suzuki's (Zen 1.0 MPFI, 1.3 Swift, 1.6 Baleno etc) plus we used to own a 2005 WagonR LXI that ran for 200,000km/12 years without any issues and served us religiously till 2017 when it was replaced by a top of the line 2017 Honda City ZX Petrol so there's a hint of nostalgia as well.

A friend of mine who is a year older and lives down the road from me bought a brand new TVS Apache RTR 160 4V Special Edition in Matte Black/Red to replace the near decade old Access 125 he'd been riding for a year and riding that thing rewired my brain. Till then the only two-wheelers I had really ridden were a 2014 FZ-S (older model with the 155cc engine), 2012 UCE Classic 350 and a 2016 Splendor Plus, so compared to those the RTR 160 4V was a rocket ship. This made me rethink my decisions and I thought that if a 17.5hp RTR 160 that can be had for about 1.5 Lakh (OTR Bangalore) is this fast, I wonder how fast a Duke 390 or RR310 or an Interceptor 650 would be, all of which would comfortably fit in my budget. Hell, even a chromed out Interceptor 650 Mark 2 would leave enough room in my budget for an ECE rated helmet from SMK or MT Helmets and a nice pair of gloves and that's excluding the 30-40k I have outside the budget for mods (originally intended to freshen up the car's interior with a subwoofer and a new head unit)

The plan is to do a course from Maruti driving school, rent out some cars, test ride the bikes on my list and then go from there. I am not buying anything until I've tested it first.

[Pratham_V12]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

Your mom has the exact opposite conditions that my mom gave me

She strongly suggests that I go for a Maruti Suzuki as (according to her) you get the benefits of owning a Maruti Suzuki in India (cheap parts, service stations everywhere, reliability) and when you look back at the 2000's some of the memorable cars/engines were Maruti Suzuki's (Zen 1.0 MPFI, 1.3 Swift, 1.6 Baleno etc) plus we used to own a 2005 WagonR LXI that ran for 200,000km/12 years without any issues and served us religiously till 2017 when it was replaced by a top of the line 2017 Honda City ZX Petrol so there's a hint of nostalgia as well.

While sometimes I question my mom's choices, I kind of know where she is coming from. The older altos were not the best handling cars in the world as it would swerve all over the place when a truck or a lorry zoomed by on a highway. She still questions the safety aspect of the brand, no matter how hard I try to convince her that it is much better now. According to her, "Bills in the hospital are more expensive than bills at the fuel pump". She says that its ok if the car's fuel efficiency is on the lower side, but it should be safe as I am not an expert in driving yet and might wrap up the car around a tree while pushing the car's limits. So, she has kicked Maruti out of the list (no offense to any Maruti owners).

A friend of mine who is a year older and lives down the road from me bought a brand new TVS Apache RTR 160 4V Special Edition in Matte Black/Red to replace the near decade old Access 125 he'd been riding for a year and riding that thing rewired my brain. Till then the only two-wheelers I had really ridden were a 2014 FZ-S (older model with the 155cc engine), 2012 UCE Classic 350 and a 2016 Splendor Plus, so compared to those the RTR 160 4V was a rocket ship.

My dad had an Access 125 before and he wanted a bike as an upgrade to the access, so we had gone to the TVS showroom to check out the RTR 160 4V as he loved the bike's design. When he test rode it, he felt scared as he thought that there was too much power in the bike, justifiable as he had come from riding the 125. He then test rode the Raider 125 and then he came back smiling because the raider 125 was much more manageable and likeable. So yeah, the RTR 160 is a pretty quick bike.

This made me rethink my decisions and I thought that if a 17.5hp RTR 160 that can be had for about 1.5 Lakh (OTR Bangalore) is this fast, I wonder how fast a Duke 390 or RR310 or an Interceptor 650 would be, all of which would comfortably fit in my budget. Hell, even a chromed out Interceptor 650 Mark 2 would leave enough room in my budget for an ECE rated helmet from SMK or MT Helmets and a nice pair of gloves and that's excluding the 30-40k I have outside the budget for mods (originally intended to freshen up the car's interior with a subwoofer and a new head unit)

My mom is dead against me buying a bike because she has seen how people of my age ride like they are Valentino Rossi . Jokes aside, my mom thinks that I can't be trusted with a bike as it is not as safe during a crash as a car is, no matter the gear that you are wearing. So have to suppress the want of owning a bike till I myself can afford one.

The plan is to do a course from Maruti driving school, rent out some cars, test ride the bikes on my list and then go from there. I am not buying anything until I've tested it first.

Are courses in Maruti driving school good? My friends are talking about it too and I feel that I should take a course too to improve and polish my driving skills. I don't know about renting to see if the cars/bikes are good, because the rented cars/bikes are (mostly) not in good condition as my family had rented a Ford Ecosport from Zoomcar to go to Goa, and the car was clearly abused as mechanically it was not in a good running condition. We then (somehow) drove it till Goa and booked a flight while returning. Please do share your experiences of renting these vehicles and I might check them out too.

[porsche_guy]

Originally Posted by Pratham_V12

Since we are on the topic of the 1.6 MPI, do you think its worthwhile to look for its elder brother and its cousin, the vento and the rapid MPI respectively?

Absolutely, both are great cars. I suggested the Polo since it'll be smaller and you don't need the extra space.

The only gripe that I have with the Nissan Micra is that I don't like the interior as I feel that it looks quite old as compared to the timeless design on the punto, which in my opinion has graced quite gracefully.

Don't blame you for not liking the drab interiors. But if that can be compromised upon, it's a pretty decent option. Some later cars even got features such as 4 airbags, phone mirroring, auto climate control etc.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

Hello there, I turn 18 in about 3 weeks and I'm looking for a first car that is also a good enthusiast car, I'm one of the emotional guys when it comes to Automobiles so drive feel/emotional connect is very important.

My Requirements:

1) Seating/Comfort - Comfort is appreciated but not a priority I'm happy in terms of interiors and comfort as long as I have a nice speaker system and the drivers seat can accommodate my 5 foot 9 inch but slightly chunky frame. We have a '17 Honda City for daily/city use and '11 Toyota Innova 2.5 V (Type2 -> Type4 converted) for Highway hauls.

2) Fun to Drive? - Oh absolutely, it should fun to drive it's my first car after all, I'm willing to make sacrifices (like comfort and interiors) for the fun factor. I want a Manual transmission.

3) Fuel efficiency- FE is not an issue, with the City for dad and mom preferring the Innova this car will not see much use outside of weekend trips and juvenile tomfoolery. Although a minimum mileage of 7-8kmpl in the city would help in convincing the parents. Furthermore we are looking to get an electric scooter to replace our old '13 Vespa LX125 as a errand vehicle so I will be using that for commuting to college 90% of the time.

4) Fuel - Not leaning towards either petrol or diesel, although most of my options that I've considered are petrol with the exception of one car (You'll see it later in the list below).

5) Body Type - Again not leaning towards anything particular, I'm open to everything.

6) Aftermarket Support - Odds are I will keep this car for atleast 3-4 years so I would like the car to have good aftermarket support in terms of mods.

7) Budget - I was initially given a budget of 3-3.2 Lakh (on road Bangalore + Gear) to get my very own bike but that cash has been reallocated to the car (Hence this post). Current budget is 3.5 Lakh and willing to extend to 3.8-4 lakh. We have 30k reserved outside the budget to get any repairs done (if needed) and getting quality of life improvements like a modern head unit and speakers. Any money saved will be re-invested into the car for mods down the line and fuel.

8) New or used? - Definitely used, the only new car I'll get in Bangalore with 4 lakh in hand would be the base model Alto, might as well get a Duke 250 at that point.

I don't have hands on experience with most of these cars so I'm depending on TeamBHP and family input to determine the pros and cons. If it helps I'm located in Bangalore.

P.S: I know the basics of driving a car but you wouldn't want me behind the wheel any time soon, Will be taking a 21 Day course from Maruti driving school before I get my car.

Your requirements have Accord/Civic written all over them, fun cars to drive for a first time driver, easy to learn on (I too learnt on the Accord at 18), cheap to maintain and reliable, adequate power, good aftermarket support. You’ll get well kept ones under 3L, keep 1-1.5L aside for maintenance for a worst case scenario. Will also be much safer than tin cans like micra or i10. Cheers.

[TurboKat]

Originally Posted by Pratham_V12

Are courses in Maruti driving school good? My friends are talking about it too and I feel that I should take a course too to improve and polish my driving skills. I don't know about renting to see if the cars/bikes are good, because the rented cars/bikes are (mostly) not in good condition as my family had rented a Ford Ecosport from Zoomcar to go to Goa, and the car was clearly abused as mechanically it was not in a good running condition. We then (somehow) drove it till Goa and booked a flight while returning. Please do share your experiences of renting these vehicles and I might check them out too.

Hey Pratham_V12. I'm of your age too. I learnt to drive in open fields. However, some of my friends have enrolled themselves in Maruti Driving School. I've seen them drive properly and responsibly. Based on that, I'll say that the driving classes have paid off. So it's not a bad option if you think about enrolling yourself in a Maruti Driving School.