[Aakash118]

Hello everyone, I’m looking to buy a used beater car for city usage. Currently Venue 1.0 is the only car in garage. While that little turbo petrol is pure fun on highways, in city it becomes quite thirsty. Rising fuel costs make matter only worse. Or maybe the reason for this itch of a new car is that I always wanted to have two cars in my my garage. Long story short, I’m looking to add a diesel hatch to the garage.

Budget- 3-5 lacs.

Requirements-

1- Has to be diesel, no compromises on this.
2- High ground clearance will be appreciated. The car will be used for kids’s school purpose and a patch of road in between turns into a sea during rains. Venue’s high gc has come in handy there at times.
3- Must be safe. Though it will be for city usage, I may use it on highway once in a while.
4- Maintenance cost must be low, I intend to keep this car for at least 4-5 years.
5- My last three cars have been Alto, Fabia and Venue. So want to try a brand out of these three’s.

Cars Considered-

1- Ford Figo/Freestyle- As everyone knows, Ford’s 1.5 tdci is a gem and truly fun to drive. But I haven’t found many cars in the used car market. There is a 2018 Freestyle available in my area with 1.2 lac kms on board. Asking price is 4.6 lacs. Does this car make sense given the high odometer reading?


2- Fiat Punto/Avventura- The one which appeals most to heart. The cars are true head turner on road, got that tank like build quality and I expect the car to be reliable given the popularity of 1.3 Multijet. But there is almost no service network of Fiat, is that a big issue? Another thing is that almost all cars I have found are with dealers, don’t know if I can trust them or not.


3rd- Toyota Liva/Etios Cross- The most sensible entry in the list. These cars are built to last and are also quite city friendly. A dealer is asking 3.7 lacs for a 2015 Etios cross and claims it to be very little used, even the stepney is claimed to be unused. Does this car make sense?


4th (Wild Card Entry)- Maruti Brezza- The reason for considering this car is that it’s easily available on platforms like cars24 & spinny unlike the above three. So that gives some peace of mind as they offer warranty with their cars. Yes, i will have to increase my budget by 2 lacs but this in one car which impressed me even in 2019 before I zeroed down on Venue.

So, which of these can be the best beater car? And what are the things I need to keep in mind while going for one of these?

[condor]

Though the Avventura tugs at the heart, I would skip it at this time. Spares, resale, maintenance are the concerns.

To a lesser extent, the same with the Freestyle. But still, can take a chance on these.

The Etios Cross should be fine, though the ugly duckling in this list.

The Brezza is vanilla. Can do a lot, but wont stand out.

Look around, may be across the state. FB marketplace, Toyota Trust, or other sources.

[lamborghini]

The most fun to drive choices sadly are backed by manufacturer's who have left & have poor brand presence which could impact servicing & parts which could be a little concerning as the vehicle ages, though routine service and over the counter parts shouldn't be a big issue.

Of these, I'd pick the Liva Cross (preferably a stock model without the oversized bling alloys) or would consider stretching for the Brezza or the S-Cross 1.3 (which would probably be the more engaging option).

[padmrajravi]

My suggestion is to go for the Freestyle. They should be available at a reasonable discount, and you are safe for at least five years with that car. You will also get a newer vehicle with Freestyle for the same money. If you have a Ford ASS nearby and don't intend to take that car on highways, settle with the Freestyle. Etios cross is rare, and it will always have the Toyota markup.

[X-Saint]

Originally Posted by Aakash118

Hello everyone, I’m looking to buy a used beater car for city usage. Currently Venue 1.0 is the only car in garage. While that little turbo petrol is pure fun on highways, in city it becomes quite thirsty. Rising fuel costs make matter only worse. Or maybe the reason for this itch of a new car is that I always wanted to have two cars in my my garage. Long story short, I’m looking to add a diesel hatch to the garage.

Considering that the usage will be more in the city, Etios Cross seems to be the candidate. Plus reliability of Toyota. One issue I have observed with Etios Cross is the headlight is not adequate, especially at night. Punto is again fun to drive, but parts availability is a real challenge; this is what I have learned from my 2002 Fiat Palio Sport. I used to visit Kurla CST market ( 2nd hand car parts market in Mumbai) to find injectors, power steering rack & pinion, and even taillights.

[GTO]

There are enough Figos & Aspires on the road for Ford & the aftermarket to continue supporting them. My top choice would be the Freestyle from this list. It's a lot of fun to drive and that diesel engine is a workhorse. Second & safer option would be the Etios Cross. Avoid the Avventura for ownership headaches & the Vitara Brezza for being mediocre.

[Aakash118]

Looking at all the suggestions, I think I should drop the Fiats from my list. Freestyle seems to be one to go for followed by Etios Cross. I will be checking out one Freestyle which is available nearby me. But that car has done 1.2 lac kms, that is something which is in my mind. Haven’t found any other Freestyle yet.

[NarediAni7518]

I would suggest you to stay away from Ford & Fiat due to obvious reasons. Get a Brezza. It’s a great purchase for a beater. We had it for 4-5 years and loved every bit of it. Also, try out a Honda Jazz diesel if you can find one in your budget.

[Doge]

My cousin has an Aspire TDCi, and he was the person who didn’t understand why did I go for an Ecosport a few years back. Now he says this is the best car he has owned, and replaced his XUV500 with the little Ford. He wanted to get an ecosport too but they shut shop before that could happen.
My family has an Ecosport Eco boost and wanted to replace our 2012 Honda city with another Ecosport but again, Ford shut shop.
My point is, they made fantastic cars and the Figo with the diesel is a hoot drive, the ASS is easily the best I and other Ford owners I know have experienced, my experience including Honda, Hyundai and Maruti. The ASS is still great though I can’t be certain it will be so for the next decade.
If you can find a Freestyle go for it. Also the Liva is a solid choice too. Rather than the Brezza, look for an Ecosport, it drives and feels like a much better car and there is no competition to me, hands down.
Take a little time and find a nice and low run Freestyle. Avoid dealers unless you can take the car to ASS and have full service record.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Aakash118

I will be checking out one Freestyle which is available nearby me. But that car has done 1.2 lac kms, that is something which is in my mind. Haven’t found any other Freestyle yet.

I'd avoid this particular example - though do take a test drive of the regular Figo & Aspire to see if they would meet your ground clearance requirements.
Condition is key!

[Aakash118]

Originally Posted by NarediAni7518

Also, try out a Honda Jazz diesel if you can find one in your budget.

Thanks, don’t know how I forgot the Jazz. Three years ago we went to Kedarnath in a City diesel and I was highly impressed by drivability of Honda’s diesel motor. I think Jazz can be a good option too. And for Brezza, I’m keeping it as my fallback option. If I don’t find any other car in good condition, I will go for Brezza. It’s the one which is most easily available in used car market.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

do take a test drive of the regular Figo & Aspire to see if they would meet your ground clearance requirements.
Condition is key!

Yes, currently I’m keeping all the Fords at the top of my list. Let’s see if we can find one in good condition.

[greenhorn]

I'm a fan of the etios - I have a petrol liva VX, and my brother in law has a Cross VD, but something is off with that etios - They came with a very nice set of diamond cut alloys stock (pictures here (Toyota Etios Cross: A Close Look)) - wonder why they have been replaced with these abominations - seeing that, I wonder what other questionable replacements have happened on it.

[AGupta]

Since you encounter water logging situation frequently, it would be better to have high ground clearance. Go with Brezza, it's allrounder in every sense.

[sdwayam]

Did you consider Ford Ecosport?

[Alfaholic]

My dad uses a fiat punto, and the car is about 12 years old and close to 1lakhs kms. Even though it has been pretty reliable throughout its life and there have been no major parts issues here in Kerala, if you are looking for an inexpensive daily driver, Punto/Avventura may not be the right choice.

The maintenance cost would definitely be higher than anything from Maruti or Toyota. Also, all the parts may not be readily available. As a result, you may feel the pinch.

For example, our Puntos wiper motor gear was worn out and it was very hard to get that single gear anywhere. You have to change the whole assembly which costs close to ₹9500 (instead of around 4k for the Swifts assembly). However, in the case of cars from Maruti and Toyota, you could get that gear alone for just under ₹500-₹800.

The same may also be the case with the Ford Figo/Aspire. The infamous fuel injector issue hasn't been fully solved even in the newer models as well. So, I would recommend you to get the Etios Cross if you want a fill it and forget it kind of car which is also good to drive.