[AdityaDeane]

* A friend of mine from Hyderabad is in a dilemma. His wife requires a daily commuter for 30-40Km/day drive to work and back.

* She is upgrading from a Tata Nano AMT, and never drives over 30-40Km/Hr. She does not need a very powerful vehicle, she prefers sedate low power cars.

* The total budget is lump sum payment of 10+/-2 Lakhs!

* The need is immediate, they can not wait for months after booking a new car.

Option 1:- Buy a used car with AMT, TC or CVT.

Option 2:- Buy a new car with the same transmission options.

* What do you guys suggest? They are looking for something with a good Safety Rating!

*We have already gone through all Petrol/CNG AT cars available on OLX and Team BHP Classifieds around Hyderabad.

* Liked one Honda B-RV, but the seller seems fishy and now he's saying that the car is already sold off.

*They were initially thinking of a Petrol AT due to low running, but are open also to Diesel AT cars.

* This will be a secondary/beater car in the family, mostly for daily commute and weekend City run-abouts.

*7 seater preferred, but open to 5 seaters also.

* No specific problem with low or high ground clearance cars. A good driver point of view will be preferable for her.

* You can post the links on the thread, or D.M. me links of good vehicles in your mind, and I'll forward to him! Cars with a good and complete Service History will be preferred.

[brownkaiser]

I'm not good at assessing a used car hence would like to suggest news cars, and have two options:

1. Honda Amaze CVT - The top end is INR 11 lakhs on-road in Hyderabad and has all bells and whistles. I have noticed that my female friends kind-of like the car very much and the best part is, it has a 4 star rating with stable body shell.

2. Renault Triber - Even this model is below INR 10 lakhs on road and the best part is that it has a 4 star rating. This is a suggestion since your friend wants a 7 seater preferably.

Do note that both cars are not 'enthusiastic' per se in terms of performance. However, this meets the user' requirements.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by brownkaiser

1. Honda Amaze CVT - The top end is INR 11 lakhs on-road in Hyderabad and has all bells and whistles. I have noticed that my female friends kind-of like the car very much and the best part is, it has a 4 star rating with stable body shell.

2. Renault Triber - Even this model is below INR 10 lakhs on road and the best part is that it has a 4 star rating. This is a suggestion since your friend wants a 7 seater preferably.

Thanks for the suggestions! I too had suggested them a Renault Triber RXZ AMT, but they got a lemon which has to be squeezed out of the house within 6 months at a loss! I feel really bad for them.

Having driven an older Amaze (MT though), I also believe that it is a wonderful little sedan. Loved that too. They already own a 15 years old Honda City, so Amaze and W-RV were my first recommendations to them.

But I guess, they're trying for something different this time! Thanks again for your inputs.

[AZT]

Would your friend be fine checking out the outgoing Brezza/Urban Cruiser. Carwale shows Urban Cruiser Mid grade AT at ~ 12.5 in Hyd. Not sure if stocks are still available but it's a good car for the price.

[ellip5i5]

I would suggest the Eritga VXi AT. It might be slightly above budget at around 13.xx OTR in Hyderabad

[GForceEnjoyer]

If you're willing to go used, a Honda City petrol automatic would be a great contender for its plush suspension setup and fuel efficiency (for a petrol). Maybe even a Corolla if one can be found in good condition. These cars will be comfortable to drive in the city, since their suspensions will be better at smoothing out the rumble strips that are on every road.

Else a new Honda Amaze automatic will do the job too. If 7 seats are a necessity, a Maruti Ertiga can serve you well. However, I'd stay away from the Triber due to its mediocre engine.

[AdityaDeane]

Thanks everyone for their inputs. Update from today is as follows:-

I had asked my friend to go with family and check out at Maruti Suzuki Arena and Nexa showrooms about the availability of AT models without a delay in delivery. And, to also check out with Renault again, as suggested by 'brownkaiser'.

Finally, he decided to give a chance to Renault again, and is getting a Brown-Black Triber RXZ AMT with 15K worth of accessories (as a goodwill gesture from the showroom from where he had bought the previous lemon), and almost 15K worth of 3 years Extended Warranty (from Renault as a goodwill gesture).

So, thanks for all the inputs. Do pray that this time the car is a good, reliable and comfortable vehicle for his wife and family, and they get to enjoy the versatility and comfort of a Renault Triber for years and miles!

As told to me, he will be doing the PDI on Friday, and driving the car home probably by that evening!

[ashutoshb]

My wife learnt how to drive in our Nano AMT. Now she drives our Tigor AMT. The switch was smooth for her, as the AMT controls in both cars are the same. And she absolutely loves the Tigor's solid feel and comfortable ride.

I would suggest your friend and his wife to go TD both Tigor AMT and Altroz DCA.

[Raghu M]

Since it will mostly be driven by a woman, I would suggest a compact car with great drivability. I think a used Jazz/Brio would make for an excellent choice. There are many cars between the 30 to 50K range that come with pretty decent deals. Otherwise, I think something like an i10 Nios (used) would be a good choice too.

[Bismaya]

OP, if your friend doesn't have any issue against getting a SUV and 7-seater isn't a must, may I suggest that you ask him to get the Kiger RXT AMT (Easy-R).

It's a very decent AMT, uses the same engine as Triber and gets the job done really well. I find it a really balanced car over Magnite (twin brother). The comfort and stability is really good for the budget.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

Finally, he decided to give a chance to Renault again, and is getting a Brown-Black Triber RXZ AMT with 15K worth of accessories (as a goodwill gesture from the showroom from where he had bought the previous lemon), and almost 15K worth of 3 years Extended Warranty (from Renault as a goodwill gesture).

As told to me, he will be doing the PDI on Friday, and driving the car home probably by that evening!

So, as per the data from my last post, he was able to bring home the Brown-Black Renault Triber RXZ AMT yesterday evening! Hoping that he has a much better ownership experience this time around.

Heartfelt thanks to all the BHP-ians who gave their valuable opinion and helped him to narrow down on his recent purchase.

[jessie007]

Although you have bought a Triber (Congrats for that! ) but still wanted to share that we also have a Nano AMT, and plan on the Punch AMT as it's replacement (not anytime soon though).

There are two main reasons for that - upgrading from the Nano for someone used to driving a vehicle with a small footprint, calls for a gradual upgrade - and feel Punch is about the right size - length is around 3.8 metres (versus Nano's 3.2 m) i believe. Though any sub 4m vehicle, like the Triber, should not be cumbersome to navigate through traffic and for parking. Also the high seating position of the Punch is like the Nano's and is confidence inspiring for novice drivers, as they can better see the traffic ahead and any obstacles.

Another reason is that, after the recent round of exit by many automobile manufacturers viz FIAT, GM-Chevrolet, Ford, Harley Davidson - i personally have shortlisted four main automobile manufacturers, especially since we plan to keep the vehicle for atleast 7 years and don't think anyone other than Maruti, Hyundai / Kia, Tata and Mahindra are likely to be there for the long term.

Can't really say the same about Nissan, Renault, VW, Skoda, MG and even Honda and Toyota don't have much sales to invest further for the longer term in India.

And yes, Punch's 5 star rating is a big plus - till date unbeaten by any other vehicle in sub 7 lakhs category (other than Tata's own Altroz if we consider the ex-showroom price). Also the 4 star safety rating for child occupancy is another plus for a family with a young child(ren).

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by jessie007

Although you have bought a Triber (Congrats for that! ) but still wanted to share that we also have a Nano AMT, and plan on the Punch AMT as it's replacement (not anytime soon though).

There are two main reasons for that - upgrading from the Nano for someone used to driving a vehicle with a small footprint, calls for a gradual upgrade - and feel Punch is about the right size - length is around 3.8 metres (versus Nano's 3.2 m) i believe. Though any sub 4m vehicle, like the Triber, should not be cumbersome to navigate through traffic and for parking. Also the high seating position of the Punch is like the Nano's and is confidence inspiring for novice drivers, as they can better see the traffic ahead and any obstacles.

Another reason is that, after the recent round of exit by many automobile manufacturers viz FIAT, GM-Chevrolet, Ford, Harley Davidson - i personally have shortlisted four main automobile manufacturers, especially since we plan to keep the vehicle for atleast 7 years and don't think anyone other than Maruti, Hyundai / Kia, Tata and Mahindra are likely to be there for the long term.

Can't really say the same about Nissan, Renault, VW, Skoda, MG and even Honda and Toyota don't have much sales to invest further for the longer term in India.

And yes, Punch's 5 star rating is a big plus - till date unbeaten by any other vehicle in sub 7 lakhs category (other than Tata's own Altroz if we consider the ex-showroom price). Also the 4 star safety rating for child occupancy is another plus for a family with a young child(ren).

Completely agree with your thought process, and Congratulations! It is not me who bought the Triber, I sold mine off in April 2022. It is another BHP-ian friend from Hyderabad who bought this. I too love the Punch and Tiago NRG for their raised stance and good Global NCAP safety ratings.