[jeganatu]

Hey,
I own a Kicks Diesel now at 63k odo and 2011 Chevy beat odo at 193,000 !

Chevy beat is no nonsense car, spares available through authorized service centers. But going for used and again trying to sell will be a tough deal! The brand is long gone, hence you wont find any buyers if you wish to sell again!

The best choice would be from a Suzuki stable if you want good resale value when you sell it back.

[rakesh_r]

Am trying to get a beater car too, something in between 2-3 lacs. I already have a Gurkha but need a small car since I can't take the Gurkha everywhere owing to its height, making it difficult to goto malls.
I have been browsing through various websites (Spinny and First choice) just to gauge the market. Unfortunately all the good examples are atrociously priced. I am not surprised since new car prices have gone up like crazy. For 1-2 lacs all i could see were two options (in Spinny), a 2011 Tata Nano for 1.29 lacs and a 2010 Alto 800 for 1.99 lacs. The Alto and Swift are resale champs and command a premium. Getting a good condition car at low prices is like hitting a goldmine.
Would suggest to increase your budget if possible, at the same time lookout for good deals.

[Cresterk]

OLX is generally flooded by dealers and agents trying to make a quick buck flipping cars with questionable history. The problem is that most of the cars being sold by these agents have been driven for 150-200k kms and then the odo has been rolled back to 70k. They also don't complete the ownership change formalities so it could be a accidental 3rd or 4th owner car being passed off as a single owner car.

Try to buy from the direct owner if you can. Even a 100k run swift will still be just fine mechanically if it has been taken care off. Whatever car you decide to get, take it to a local mechanic and have him check it out completely. Pay him a small amount if you have to.

[casnov]

Since you got your license a year back, its safe to assume that you are still a student.

Now look for a car in which is fun to drive and looks reasonably good and the side effects of these choices is that you may be able to score with the ladies too, if you play your cards right.

Keeping the above in mind, my recommendations are:

1. A-Star
2. First gen Ford Figo
3. Fiat Punto
4. Santro
5. VW Polo 1.6 - If you can find one.
6. Stay away from SX4, its a girl-repellant.
7. i20 - You may get a 2010-2012 models at that price point.

[bosem123]

Originally Posted by shresan23

The thing here is that my dad owns a Nissan Kicks 1.3l Turbo petrol (ownership review coming soon). I am a newbie driver despite having my Driving License for over a year. My dad downright refuses to give me the Kicks in the city (rightfully so) and I get to drive it only on the highways. I want to get a used car. Budget is capped at 2 lakhs.

Now, I have no idea what to look for in a car at that price point.

I have a few queries, options and preferences. Please help me out.

Do I get a moderately driven 10+ year old WagonR, Alto, Santro etc? or,
Do I get a heavily driven 10- year old Swift, WagonR, Beat etc?

- If a car has run more than 50k kms, can I trust it to handle my noob driving? (slips, hard brakes, improper gear shifting etc?)
- If a car has run less than 30k Kms, can I trust the owner?

- Can I choose a Swift that has run for over 70k Kms?
- Do I get Petrol or Diesel?

Are Olx or Facebook sales safe? Should I pay the premium for Mahindra First choice or Maruti True Value cars. Spinny is out.

Literally in a fix. Do help me out veterans. My dad refuses to join me in the hunt. He says that I will appreciate the car more if I put in the effort to find it.

If this post was two years ago, I would have myself handed over my Alto K10. As said by others, it is a brilliant car in the city. Nimble around corners, parking will never be an issue, and mileage will always light up your face. That being said, go for a vehicle with around 40-50k on the odometer. That way you can grow in confidence and upgrade soon enough.

Petrol is usually a better option in terms of smoothness and maintenance, especially when you can't be sure what the earlier owner may have done.

Olx is perfectly safe, but needs detailed scrutiny. It shows the maximum options as per my experience. I myself purchased a Lancer in 2010 from a Korean in New Delhi in 2010.

[ron178]

Newbie driver myself (younger than you), and I drive a Polo MPI, and no disrespect to the car but I would recommend staying away from it. Of course, if you're the type of enthusiast who's willing to give the Polo the TLC it asks for in exchange for fun, then an early 1.6MPI might be a good buy. But based on the three other cars I've driven, for A-B transport I would recommend sticking with the Japanese for multiple reasons. Lighter controls, more abuse-friendly and easier on the pocket.

Consider a Toyota Liva (please consider one with the optional safety pack that was available on all variants), Honda Brio S(O)/VX or a Maruti A-Star/Ritz/Swift ZXi. They're flops, so have bad resale value, but their manufacturers are committed to good service. Would also have recommended a Micra but being stuck with two Nissans is far too risky.

[GreenerPlanet]

Originally Posted by --gKrish--

Used car prices of Chevy Beat might be tempting but stay away. Besides its appearance that might appeal to some people, there is hardly anything in them worth the hassle and expense of upkeep now after Chevrolet's exit.

I own a Chevy Beat and sales/service support still remains strong. Chevy Beat had a large market (by GM numbers) and so PNGs are used to them as well.

Team BHP fellow Chevy owners seem to agree

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...ml#post4973125 (Chevrolet owners, how is the spare parts availability & service since GM left India?)

A Chevy Beat makes an extremely good value proposition for the OP. Because of GM's exit, many good beats are available at good price. Go for a LT or LT(O) model petrol.

Advantages.
1. Good price points for relatively newer examples compared to similar Maruti.
2. Handsome looking car.
3. Extremely fun to drive. The bike like console gives a youth vibes. Very fun to sweep through the gears and engine sounds great.
4. Very forgiving to drive. This is very important for a newbie driver. If you are not in perfect gear, engine still doesn't stall. Mine is petrol, not sure of diesel. Petrols are fun.
5. LT and LT(O) are well equipped compared to other cars available then at same range. You get a rear wiper, boot light, auto ac, split folding rear seats, functional roof rails, adjustable neck restraints.

Whatever you go for, best wishes and drive safe.

[SaurabhB]

My experience here ... I purchased a 14 year old (2007 MY) Swift LXi @ 1.4 lacs in Jan 2021 from a car dealer in Kolkata (reference from OLX). Odo was @ 26,500 Kms (definitely tampered).

Thereafter i have spent nearly 80k on various repairs (suspension overhaul, brake overhaul, AC blower motor replace etc.), 3 yearly service jobs (Jan 2021, Jan 2022, Jan 2023) and few accessories (new seat covers, steering wheel cover) etc. I have also renewed the CF upto 2026 end.

Car has been butter smooth, returns a FE of 15 Kmpl and i use it for my daily office commute of approx. 50 Kms. I have already crossed 40,000 kms in the 2 years of ownership. I intend to use it for next 4 years and will try to extend the CF by another 5 years if permissible at that point in time.

Hence, if you intend to buy a 2nd hand car then ...

1. Buy Maruti (Swift, WagonR, Alto etc.) only.
2. Be prepared to shell out money on repairs and maintenance. Maruti will still be much cheaper to maintain than a Hyundai.
3. Develop a good relationship with a FNG (preferably a non-showroom linked Maruti service center) for your yearly servicing and other maintenance work.

[NB_4763]

Originally Posted by shresan23

The thing here is that my dad owns a Nissan Kicks 1.3l Turbo petrol (ownership review coming soon). I am a newbie driver despite having my Driving License for over a year. My dad downright refuses to give me the Kicks in the city (rightfully so) and I get to drive it only on the highways. I want to get a used car. Budget is capped at 2 lakhs.

Now, I have no idea what to look for in a car at that price point.

I have a few queries, options and preferences. Please help me out.

Do I get a moderately driven 10+ year old WagonR, Alto, Santro etc? or,
Do I get a heavily driven 10- year old Swift, WagonR, Beat etc?

- If a car has run more than 50k kms, can I trust it to handle my noob driving? (slips, hard brakes, improper gear shifting etc?)
- If a car has run less than 30k Kms, can I trust the owner?

- Can I choose a Swift that has run for over 70k Kms?
- Do I get Petrol or Diesel?

Are Olx or Facebook sales safe? Should I pay the premium for Mahindra First choice or Maruti True Value cars. Spinny is out.

Literally in a fix. Do help me out veterans. My dad refuses to join me in the hunt. He says that I will appreciate the car more if I put in the effort to find it.

This might be a twist but how about a Toyota Corolla? My friend was in a similar situation where he had a budget of 3 lakhs. After seeing the used car prices in Bangalore for the Swift I felt it was not worth the price [All good examples were north of 5 lakhs]. Suggested him to look for a corolla and he found one for 2.4 Lakhs [2nd Owner,90k Driven,With few minor dings and scratches but was mechanically sound] negotiated the price down to 2 lakhs after multiple visits and finalized it. Its been over 3 months after he bought it and he absolutely loves it. He was hesitant to practice in a bigger car at first but after some practice he got used to the size of the car.

Would suggest you to stay away from dealers. Not saying all are bad but most of them are. Buying the car directly from the owner is far better and will save you a lot of time.

[shresan23]

Originally Posted by NB_4763

This might be a twist but how about a Toyota Corolla?

Good suggestion, but impossible. Even for an alto i have to fight for a parking spot. For a Corolla? Impossible.

[shresan23]

Originally Posted by ron178

I would recommend sticking with the Japanese for multiple reasons. Lighter controls, more abuse-friendly and easier on the pocket.

Consider a Toyota Liva (please consider one with the optional safety pack that was available on all variants), Honda Brio S(O)/VX or a Maruti A-Star/Ritz/Swift ZXi. They're flops, so have bad resale value, but their manufacturers are committed to good service. .

My first ever choice was Polo. Given the fact that Volkswagen has stopped making Polo, the resale value is up. I could not find a decent vehicle south of 5 lakhs. As far as the toyota is concerned, i will look for it, but the only available toyota cars are either taxis or badly bruised or sometimes both.

Swifts are out for that matter too.

Okay guys, a little update.

I have shortlisted a WagonR, Zen Estillo, Alto 800 and Hyundai i10 Era.

These cars are from TrueValue and TrueBil (from spinny). The cars have run on an average 45k to 55k kilometers. The TrueValue WagonR is coming today for a test drive. What should i look for ?

I am going to the TrueBil Yard tomorrow to check out the other vehicles.

TrueBil offers a lot of perks for the premium like roadside assistance 24/7, certified repairs, genuine parts and all that, so i am inclined towards Truebil.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by shresan23

Okay guys, a little update.

I have shortlisted a WagonR, Zen Estillo, Alto 800 and Hyundai i10 Era.

These cars are from TrueValue and TrueBil (from spinny). The cars have run on an average 45k to 55k kilometers. The TrueValue WagonR is coming today for a test drive. What should i look for ?

I am going to the TrueBil Yard tomorrow to check out the other vehicles.

TrueBil offers a lot of perks for the premium like roadside assistance 24/7, certified repairs, genuine parts and all that, so i am inclined towards Truebil.

Check the used car buying checklist on the forum to get an idea of what all to look for. If you like the car, it would also make sense to invest a little in getting it checked out at the A.S.S. and using that opportunity to also comb through the service history - especially to make sure the odometer isn't tampered with.

If you are looking for a Zen Estilo, there is also one listed on the tbhp classifieds in Chennai that is being sold by the owner directly.

[amit_hhh]

Mod note: Post merged. Please use Search and continue in an existing post, before opening a new one. Thanks.

Hi Everyone,

First of all, Thank you Team BHP for approving my registration request after multiple requests. This is my first post and I will try to stick to the forum guidelines.

I am learning driving and took a driving class for 10 days almost a year back and test drove 2-3 times on empty roads. But at this point, I consider myself to be a complete beginner in driving. I am very much confused in buying the car as this is going to be first car in my family, so some level of social status is also involved in the decision.
I am very much confused among hatchback like i20, Compact SUV like Venue, Nexon and Mid Segment SUV like Seltos, Elevate etc. Below are some key points:

1. Budget 10-13 lakhs on road in Gwalior, MP but will relocate to Gurgaon after some time.
2. I want to keep car for long term, so do not want to buy small car like Alto, Kwid or second hand car first and then upgrade it after some time.
3. I am not a rash driver or driving enthusiast even with Bikes or Activas. My driving mostly will be in city with occasional highway driving, So looking for a family car.
4. Currently there are 3 members in family, parents and I. Will be 4 in sometime after I get married in a year or so.
5. Looks and road presence is something I also am thinking about. My running would be mostly on weekends and expecting it to be less than 200 KM per months.
6. With all the buzz around C- SUVs now a days, it is worth spending 10-11 lakhs on a hatchback like i20? I did not like Altroz after taking test drive of manual variant. In Hatchback, I liked i20 more than others because it felt more premium and gear shifting was smoother than Altroz.
7. For someone who is just starting to learn, does 3 Cylinder and 4 Cylinder engine really make a difference? All the youtube pundits claim vibrations in 3 cylinder engine compared to 4 but in reality, how does it make a difference for a newbie like me? This is a big confusion while deciding the car. As I initially liked Nexon very much, but due to this engine vibration point, I got confused. I liked venue too, but again the youtube reviews about safety ratings of the car confused me. It seems like no car is perfect and there is always going to be trade offs while choosing one.
8. Is venue really underpowered with its NA engine that produces 81 BHP power? As I mentioned, the driving is mostly going to be in city but occasional long route travelling on highways with 4-5 people in the car.
9. I took test drive of Venue and I felt comfortable driving it on empty roads. Gear Shifting was very smooth and ABC padels were smooth too. I was considering S(O) Petrol model of Venue.
   For Nexon, I found gear knob a little rigid while changing. I was considering Creative Petrol of Nexon.
   i20 Sportz was also very smooth but due to less ground clearance, I hit the bottom of the car in potholes during test drive as I could not judge them. My height is 5'6", so a car with high ground clearance should give me better viewing angles. I may be wrong here with this assumption.
10. I also sat inside Seltos, Grand Vitara, Elevate, but due to huge size of these cars or at least the view I was getting from driving seat, I did not get confidence to drive these SUVs in heavy traffic as my initial few days are going into learning the driving. So I did not take test drive of them. Still my heart goes out for Elevate and Seltos, but due to not knowing driving at this moment, I am not sure whether to go for such big cars.
11. Should I go for a manual or an automatic car? As I want to keep the car for long term, I am considerate about running and maintenance cost too, although I am ready to pay premium if the product is good and long lasting.

So to summarize, I need help on deciding the car between a hatchback and an SUV, manual or automatic considering my requirements. I also need clarity between Turbo and NA engines and safety ratings of the car. As I am going to spend intial few days or maybe months in learning driving and I am sure I am not going to drive rash or at high speeds even when I am pro, I want to take an informed decision while choosing the best car for me. Please advise.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by amit_hhh

[b]
So to summarize, I need help on deciding the car between a hatchback and an SUV, manual or automatic considering my requirements. I also need clarity between Turbo and NA engines and safety ratings of the car. As I am going to spend intial few days or maybe months in learning driving and I am sure I am not going to drive rash or at high speeds even when I am pro, I want to take an informed decision while choosing the best car for me. Please advise.

Considering the recent trends, better ingress and egress, higher ground clearance, and so on, an SUV would be the better choice, and I would recommend going for an automatic one at that, it gives you convenience and you would certainly appreciate the automatic transmission especially in the cities and in traffic.

Now with diminishing engine capacity, turbo engines are the norm and most manufacturers have gone with them, Naturally aspirated engines are good in their own right but produce less power and torque compared to their corresponding turbo counterparts.

Now, as regards safety ratings, a car with a good safety rating is always better. Now with all these in mind, my recommendations are as follows:

1. Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi AT/ ZXi MT
Priced at exactly 13 lakhs OTR in Gwalior, the Brezza is a safe (4-star NCAP) and reliable (with 1.5L N.A. K-15C engine with 6-speed AT) choice in this budget, it offers excellent practicality, enough features, smooth engine and gearbox, excellent mileage, good after-sales as well. Overall it would be a good choice for a first-time buyer. If you don't want the AT, the ZXi manual is the variant to go for.

2. Kia Sonet HTX 1.0 Turbo Petrol iMT
The Sonet HTX IMT comes in at around 13.3 lakhs, but with the facelift now on the way, you get benefits of up to 90k including a free 5-year warranty, free 3 years service, and maintenance package, insurance discounts of up to 44k, a corporate discount of 10k, and so on. the iMT is a clutchless manual transmission and offers the convenience of no clutch while still having control over the gears, the car is loaded with almost all necessary features and is a good buy. the only cons are the rear seat space and questionable safety.

Do check these out, other options in this segment worth considering are the Hyundai Venue S(O) DCT at around 13.4 lakhs OTR which is similar to the Sonet as regards safety and platform but offers a proper automatic, the Tata Nexon Creative Petrol MT is also an option, but I would prefer the other options for better reliability and smoother engines.

Hope it helps! and if you need any more help feel free to DM me

[amit_hhh]

Thanks @bijims for responding! The problem with Brezza is long waiting period and in Sonet iMT, I am not sure how reliable this technology is as only Hyundai and Kia offer iMT.
What is your take on mid segment SUV like elevate or seltos? Will it be difficult to learn and manoeuvre big car for a newbie driver?