News
BHPian Jessierider recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
We have two cars in our garage, a 2009 first gen Suzuki Swift Dzire (1.59 lakh km), and a 2019 Suzuki Ciaz, Delta(32k km).
Current Car Usage Pattern.
Suzuki Ciaz: Used as a daily driver by dad who works near Devenahalli (outskirts of Bangalore) and on all our highway runs. Dad retires next year so his usage of Ciaz would be very limited.
Suzuki Dzire: Used predominantly in and around city limits by me as well as dad with occasional highway runs only when the Ciaz is occupied. I prefer using a two-wheeler within Bangalore. With a possible marriage coming up in a year or two, the usage pattern is set to favour a car over a motorcycle.
We have always retained our cars and bikes very long. The Dzire which has been mechanically sound was good to go for another 4-5 years as a beater car with a minimal spare replacement on account of wear and tear. Our plan was set on buying an electric hatch by 2026-27 when much better options were available in India.
The other day we got an unsolicited offer of Rs 2.7 lakhs for the Dzire from our Maruti Authorised Service centre. In addition, at least 5 others have enquired in the last 1 year about our plans of selling the car.
This got me thinking, the ideas in my mind as below:
Option 1: Sell Dzire Immediately and buy a B1 segment Petrol Hatch - Cash in on the global chip shortage, pay the sale proceeds as a down payment and pick up an AMT Tata Tiago XTA petrol immediately. The plan is to use the car till 2027-28 after which I can pick up a new BEV. Dad in his mid-60s then can continue with the ICE Tiago when his usage would be limited to about 3000 - 4000 km/year or lesser.
Option 2: Sell Dzire after 1 year well within the expiry of its RC and stick with just Ciaz until a suitable car is launched - The Tiago was launched 6+ years back, perhaps a new model is just around the corner, it might also come with a BEV powertrain. In addition, a year or two from now would also have a few more electric cars to choose from.
Option 3: Retain Dzire for another 4-5 years - mend some of the battle scars, upgrade the ICE and continue with the usage pattern. Sometime in 2026-27 pick up a BEV as many varied options would be available in the market by then.
Additional Points
If I retain, the Dzire needs a thorough modernisation in addition to figuring out why the car may be a little sluggish under hard acceleration. All this means at least a lakh if not more.
The basic modernisation plan is as under:
Thanks.
Here's what BHPian TorqueMonster had to say on the matter:
As an owner of a 12-year-old Dzire, of the same trim and same colour too, I would tell you to retain it till the next electric car purchase. The vehicle is mechanically sound and reliable, and more comfortable than any hatchback. It's also easy to maintain. Except for ICE upgrades, my car has been running sound with zero breakdowns.
I am in the same boat but hoping to buy a much bigger 4x4 later on, currently saving up for finances. And for this short delay, the Dzire has been perfect.
You may feel your car is outdated, so to improve the car, I would suggest ICE upgrades, I currently have new speakers and a touchscreen, you could add mods of your choice too. I can now easily drive the car around for the next 2 - 3 years after which I may buy a new car.
Here's what BHPian AJ56 had to say on the matter:
How important is it to have the next car be strictly an EV? The reason being most affordable EVs are very poor performers at higher speeds (with the likes of Tigor being restricted to just 80 km/hr).
Normally I recommend keeping your old car, but in your case, it doesn’t even have airbags or abs which is unacceptable in 2022, so I’d say sell it. Also, suggest you get a lightly used car as new cars are compromised in one or more areas this side of 15L.
Which car will depend on your personal needs and the importance you assign to different parameters like power/space/safety, etc.
Here's what BHPian Kosfactor had to say on the matter:
It's nearly impossible for this generation of Dzire to look attractive, the later generation vehicles were a lot better. You could spend the money on Alloys to lift up the exteriors but it's not going to do much.
I would suggest making use of the incredible demand for used cars now and swapping this for a brand new AMT equipped Maruti for city use.
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.