[OctyBoy]

Why the need for a new car?

I live in the Delhi NCR region and this year the previous car met its fate and was scrapped. I don't have any car at present and find it quite difficult to move with family for leisure travels and outings. This has brought me in the car market.

My Major Requirements:

1) Vehicle should preferably be Petrol (15 year validity in NCR) along with lower running mainly just for recreational purposes.
2) Preferably manual transmission since running would anyways be less.
3) Good after sales experience with cheap maintenance costs.
4) Safe and reliable to run.

What Car to choose?

Due to the budget requirement that I've set up, I'm finding that I don't have much choices in the new car market which is further compounded by the exit of Ford and discontinuation of Polo. Moreover, I'd want to preferably avoid cars from the Maruti Suzuki stable due to safety concerns as mostly I won't be travelling alone (I might be the one in minority but I still don't have faith on Maruti for safety even after New Dzire's 5 star crash test rating).

I have tested the following offerings in the new car market and here are my observations that I've recorded:

1) Nissan Magnite
Fairly nice offering from Nissan but the recent developments with Nissan globally is stopping me to go forward with this. Moreover, I've doubts regarding the after sales service for a brand that's struggling to survive with a single car in its portfolio.

2) Renault Kwid and Kiger
I found the Kwid a little too tight for someone sitting just behind my driver position. Again the service concern exists similar to Nissan.

3) Hyundai i10 NIOS
A good and comfortable car for the price. It ticks all major aspects like a refined engine, low NVH, smooth and easy controls along with a good after sales service. Short listed.

4) Citroen C3
I can only get the NA engine within my budget. Two of my personal observations - a) The gear shifting wasn't as smooth as something like say a Honda or a Hyundai (I don't know whether it had anything to do with my just my specific unit). b) The driver ergonomics weren't the best, in my opinion. Lastly, I'd also like to highlight the fact that I found the dealership guys' behaviour very unprofessional. Firstly, they refused to be able to bring the vehicle to my home for test drive on weekends citing that they have huge footfalls during weekends (I don't know that if they have such high footfalls then why are they the last on the sales chart each month). Secondly, I don't want to elongate the ordeal but what's the most interesting fact is that they finally arrived at my residence and guess what day it was - Saturday.

5) Tata Tiago
It has received an update in terms of the equipment on offer in 2025. Space wise nice and the best in terms of safety for the price, however, its reverse gear seemed to get stuck and required re-slotting even by the SA who first tried to sweep my concerns under the rug. Not very impressed by the executive's approach at just this initial stage when I've been warned many a times regarding the bad service experience with Tata (probably a trailer to say the least).

6) Tata Punch
Not test driven yet.

In the pre-owned market I'm looking at offerings mainly from the Honda stable (primarily City) due to their 10 years unconditional warranty, E20 compliance even on older models, fairly safe and reliable offerings. The major concern in going the used route is that no one in my family has yet purchased one. However I'm looking at few direct owner listings of the 4th gen City which are within my budget and around the 30k - 40k odo mark (kindly suggest if these around 4 - 5 year old specimens are worth going after).

Pros of New Car:

1) Stress free ownership from the get go.
2) Full manufacturer warranty (along with warranty extension options).

Cons of New Car:

1) Higher depreciation
2) Lack of basic features like rear camera (due to the budget constraints). Fitting these from outside would likely void the warranty for the electricals, at the very least.
3) Narrow selection of models fitting in the budget.

Pros of Pre-Owned Car:

1) Wider selection of models.
2) Most models have all the essential equipment I'm looking at like rear camera, electronic ORVMs, rear ac vents, etc.
3) Vehicle from a higher segment in many cases.

Cons of Pre-Owned Car:

1) Inspection required by a mechanic before purchase.
2) Lack of manufacturer warranty (Honda is an odd one out as it's offering 10 years unconditional warranty on its offerings).

I've set up a list of pros and cons for both the options. I would be enlightened if other experts on the forum can comment on my choice of cars in both pre-owned and new options and add their opinions on the vehicles considered as well as suggest more options post analysing my requirements. I'd also like to know of places/services for pre-owned vehicle inspection for those that suggest the pre-owned route. If any BHPian wants to tag along/give leads for pre-owned options, I'd be more than happy to talk.

[GTO]

Entry-level cars have gotten expensive, and 8 lakhs gets you new models with many compromises.

For 8 lakhs, you should just get a used City or Creta. Am also seeing many Sonets & Seltos in the 8 - 9 lakh range (asking price). Can't go wrong with any of these.

If you have to buy new, then the i10 Nios, Swift and C3 Turbo (Turbo only). The last two are lots of fun to drive.

[bijims]

The used car market is the best option for your budget and requirements, you could easily get a mid to top-end car (> 4 metres) within your budget with at least 8 to 10 years left before RC expiry. Do check out the used car market extensively, models like Compact and Sub Compact SUVs like Creta, and Venue and sedans like City, Vento, and Rapid are easily available within this range and should provide you with a spacious and feature-rich car.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by OctyBoy

Why the need for a new car?

I live in the Delhi NCR region and this year the previous car met its fate and was scrapped. I don't have any car at present and find it quite difficult to move with family for leisure travels and outings. This has brought me in the car market.

My Major Requirements:
, I'd be more than happy to talk.

Short answer:
Used car.
At an 8 lac budget you can get a nice 3-4 year old Honda City which will do you proud.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by OctyBoy

Why the need for a new car?

My Major Requirements:

1) Vehicle should preferably be Petrol (15 year validity in NCR) along with lower running mainly just for recreational purposes.
2) Preferably manual transmission since running would anyways be less.
3) Good after sales experience with cheap maintenance costs.
4) Safe and reliable to run.

Get a Camry from 2014, you’ll get excellent condition, low mile, single owner cars for around 6-6.5L. It’ll go for 4 years straight till 2029 after which you can sell it for 2-3L and get another used one.

I picked up a 2013 for just 6.8L. Keep 2-3L aside for basic maintenance like fluids, brakes, tyres and suspension and you’ll be set. Mine had 66k kms, single owner and had only gone to the dealer for services. These three points are non negotiable, walk away from any car that doesn’t meet all 3.

I’ve had it for nearly a year now and couldn’t be happier. Ride quality is even better than my Accord, super silent cabin with excellent NVH. Decent straight line performance, hits 100 in 8.5 seconds. Servicing at the dealer is relatively cheap.

Except manual, it meets all your requirements perfectly and is much safer than the other micro cars you’re considering buying new. City too is ultimately a small car and not very stable at high speeds in crosswinds on highways. Going up a size gets you more power and stability (and safety).

[carhead]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Short answer:
Used car.
At an 8 lac budget you can get a nice 3-4 year old Honda City which will do you proud.

Spot on! You simply cant go wrong with:

1. Hondas unique 10 years warranty.
2. City's fill it shut it attribute
3. Refinement of the 1.5L NA engine

[heydj]

I would go with new car and get something that you would like to drive for recreational purposes, even if it means stretching a bit. Because if it was just a utility choice of point A to B then one could even get by with base models of Hyundai Maruti etc.

If you do get used car then its 8L divided by lets say 10 years life span vs a new car lets say 10L divided by 15 years life span. I would suggest do the maths and arrive at yearly cost in budget. I think your actual was 53K per year. (8/15).

[SixPistons]

A 2018-2019 vintage City 4th Gen mid-top variant should be available for around 7L approx at around 50k kms. Manual 1.5 NA with its 120 horses is amazing fun to drive, offers the most comfortable rear seats and has 7-8 years of life in NCR. Honda’s anytime warranty is another icing in the cake, making life easy for long term ownership. I’d start with Spinny then look for something close by in my network and take things from there.

Whether you buy from Spinny or elsewhere, take a trusted mechanic with you for vehicle checks.

I just searched and I could spot two options with an NCR Plate: both nearly 7 lacs, mid variants. Leaves you with some funds for refurbishments and pampering.

Disclaimer: Not associated with any used car business.

[octane1002]

If you are purist at heart, as far as seeking driving pleasure - get the C3Turbo from Citroen. It is all the car you need. Solid suspension setup, punchy engine, well built - a little basic inside but good space management. Special mention to the engine and gearing - it will keep up with cars a segment above.

You get a NEW car that will give you 8-10 years of hassle free service at the very least. No hassle of hidden niggles, rusting, dents, repaints etc. (unlike used cars) .

[himanshu_trikha]

For New Car

I bought a Baleno Delta AGS under 8 lakhs for city commute this December ,the offers are still going around.

This was preferred over Swift Due to 3 pot engine in New Swift.
Grand i10 was not considered since Baleno offered better value for money.

Reliability of the car was a factor in consideration as this is used a beater City car with Multiple drivers.

For Old Car:
Pick a used Sonnet ,ticks comfort and features and looks better than Venue IMHO.
Honda City is a great car ,but then practicality offered by Crossovers is unmatched !

[IshaanIan]

With 8 lacs you should find yourself a used S-Cross. I understand that you don’t like Marutis and are afraid of their crash safety but majority of the cars that you have short listed perform poorly in crashes too; Magnite, Kwid, C3, i10. Besides they don’t even come with refined motors. The engine in a Kwid or a C3 for example feels coarse right out of the showroom and the i10 only feels smooth because of all the damping. Get that Hyundai motor up into the higher rpm’s and you will be able to make out from the way the power tapers off that it is not so comfortable being revved out. The S Cross on the other hand comes with a refined and reliable 1.5 4 cylinder petrol, a chassis that feels way better than most of the cars you have short listed, and loads of space, practicality and simplicity

[Vinod_nair]

With 8L budget you should not look beyond Tata Punch, with discount and offers going around you can choose the variant of your choice.

[androdev]

I thought about your requirement and realised how terrible our market is. When it comes to safety, I trust models that are sold in developed markets and I am very suspicious of certain brands with high market share in India. Because of stupid NGT rule, you can’t buy cars like 10 yr old preowned Camry which would have been ideal for your scenario. Companies like Ford that made excellent VFM safe cars have been driven out. No-frills but safe and affordable cars like Polo and Vento MT cars have been replaced by flimsy newer versions with questionable reliability. On paper, there is a lot of choice in affordable new cars but they all follow some combination of Maruti playbook of cheap-unsafe cars and Kia playbook of window-dressing.

I find the NGT rule very cruel towards consumers on budget.

Look for the most recent Vento petrol MT that’s in the market. Or Honda city as a second choice. Camry can be expensive to maintain if the car needs anything beyond regular service (regular service is cheap).

[Jazzybala]

I would go used and pick something from Cars24, Spinny, or the authorized used car program from OEM like Honda Auto Terrace simply for the large number of models and trims that are available to meet your exact requirements.

[dkaile]

You are quite misplaced in your thoughts about Maruti cars, as some years back I was. Go for a brand new Maruti Baleno in it's base trim. Load it up with your choicest accessories like a Pioneer 9" Wireless Android/ACP System with 6 good quality speakers, steering remote, fog lights/drl etc. and enjoy all that a used sedan like Honda City can do, and also save some moolah in the process. And remain tension free for the next 15 years in Delhi NCR.

Read my various threads on this forum as to how to go about all that I have mentioned above.

Cheers...