Budget 3 lakh: Need suggestions for buying my first car

My running will be mostly in the city, around 60 km a day and a 100-150 km highway trip once a quarter.

BHPian AdityaH recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi,

I have a budget of 3L INR and I am in the market for a small reliable and cheap to run car.

This will be my first car and the commute will be within Mumbai from Colaba to Juhu once the pandemic rules have eased.

I was looking at CNG cars since that provides the cheapest commute cost, but I have read somewhere that used CNG cars are towards their end of life and do not have any power left in them.

I am 20 years old and want a frugal yet peppy car that I can enjoy in the city.

My running will be mostly in the city, around 60 km a day and a 100-150 km highway trip once a quarter.

I am open to all brands and models.

Thank You.

Adi.

Here's what BHPian Vitruvius had to say on the matter:

Hello, and congratulations on your first car purchase.

'Small, reliable, and cheap (read: inexpensive)' has Maruti written all over it. If you have a strict 3 lacs budget, an Alto 800 would be pretty much in range. Maruti offers best value in that price range, and in my opinion, nothing else beats it by far. If you can get your hands on a used Alto k10 at a discount, nothing like it!! Although K10s are selling for a premium even after being discontinued.

CNG depends on your city. If you're in Delhi, I'd say go for it. It is cheapest to run. I don't really know the CNG infrastructure around Mumbai to advise for or against it.

Here's what BHPian GreasyCarb55 had to say on the matter:

Given the 60 km daily run, I would suggest a used Alto K10 as the more spirited options like the old 1.3 Swift would likely consume more fuel.

I also found an ad on Droom about a 2015 Alto K10 VXI AMT for sale with barely 14,000km on the clock selling for just above 3 lakh in Delhi.

You can also find cars like the gen 1 Renault Kwid and facelifted Gen 1 i10's (2012-2016) around this price point.

Here's what BHPian Livenletcarsliv had to say on the matter:

Well, you remind me of the days of my first job in Bangalore. That's where I started hunting for my first car. It was a 1996/99 Zen VXi purple color. I purchased it for about 1.2 lakhs and spent around 2 lakhs on mods in and out. This way I learned a lot about both myself (my likes and dislikes) as well as cars.

I would suggest you go the same route as well. This way you learn TWO most important factors:

• Your knowledge about machines. Once you start the mods, you will know what you like and what do you don't like. You will understand the inside out of cars. You can understand the limitations of both man and machine.
• You will become a better driver. A 21-day learning course will only make you a feeler (unfortunately, the majority of the Indian drivers are just feelers for which I don't blame them, 'coz most of them are first-time car buyers or non-enthusiasts). But for you to become a master driver, you should spend more time on the roads. In a couple of years down the line, you will know what kind of driver are you.

These 2 points will help you, later on, to choose the right machine when you are ready to go all in.

Now, coming to your budget and options, I would suggest you spend around 2.5L - 3L for the machine and save the remaining for all the mods. And go for only petrol.

So given 2.5L to 3L, your options are:

• Maruti Swift AZG 2nd-gen - K12B series.
• Honda Jazz 1st-gen L12B i-VTEC.
• Suzuki Baleno 1st-gen G16B.
• Honda City 1st-gen 1.5 VTEC D15B.
• Suzuki SX4 1.6L (with VVT better).

Here's what BHPian suhaas307 had to say on the matter:

Look no further than a 2010-2015 Ford Figo 1.4 TDCI.

Trust me when I say this - There is no other car south of a BMW 3-Series that handles and drives as well as the Figo, particularly the older gen car.

The accurate steering provides great feedback and you are always aware of what the front wheels are doing. The manual gearbox will allow you to hone your MT driving skills. The diesel engine is frugal and reasonably punchy as well. You could even tune the car for better power and performance.

If you can find a Figo TDCI with around 40k-60k on the ODO for under 4 lakh, snap it up immediately. Resale would be low considering Ford has exited the market, and maintaining these cars can't be hard if you find the right FNG.

If for whatever reason the Figo does not work for you, look at the Etios Liva petrol with the TRD kit. Another fun, light and chuckable car that will be low on maintenance.

Stay away from VWs and Skodas. Do not get a GT TSI even if you come across one, as tempting as it may seem.

All the best!

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