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Plan A vs plan B: Which car to sell and which new car to buy

Going by the resale value of the EcoSport AT in my place and the lack of buyers, I now have doubts about its probabilities of sale at a sane price and consequently my financial ability to own the Thar, so I have to make a Plan B.

BHPian dr_TJ recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introduction

Initially, I planned to get myself the new Mahindra Thar Diesel AT. Not just because I like the Thar for its looks but also because it will be capable of handling the rough stuff much more easily than my EcoSport can. And so, I ended up booking the Thar, 2 months ago. In the meantime, I listed my current car, Ford EcoSport Titanium Plus AT for sale. Little did I know, Ecosport AT is a tough car to sell. Low resale value of Petrol "Big Car", Automatic etc. Few enquires, lots of spam callers and low ballers. Some buyers genuinely interested in getting the EcoSport but don't have any clue about Automatic Transmission. And then, the mic drop moment by Ford India about its manufacturing shut down/restructuring announcement.

Instantly, The Ecosport sale turned out to be Mission Impossible. Meanwhile, Mahindra Dealership has offered me, my choice of color and variant of the Thar twice (don't know how they did so). But I am not able to buy it now. Such a bummer.

 

Now let's get real

Going by the resale value of the EcoSport AT in my place and the lack of buyers, I now have doubts about its probabilities of sale at a sane price and consequently my financial ability to own the Thar, so I have to make a Plan B.

Plan B is to get myself a Compact SUV (Basically all are crossovers).

Budget: Max of 14.5 lakhs for On-Road Price

Cars in my garage now:

  • Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI AMT - used for my daily commute
  • Ford Ecosport Titanium Plus AT - Weekend rides and intercity rides.

The new car was to be the Thar as mentioned above and it would have replaced the EcoSport. But now, Plan B is to replace the Celerio AMT with a compact Automatic SUV, meanwhile I keep trying to sell off the EcoSport at a good enough price to shut its hypothecation.

Must-Have Features (As per priority)

  • Reliable Engine and Transmission
  • Good Ground Clearance - 180mm or higher
  • Safety Features like ESP, Hill Hold Assist, Rear defogger etc.
  • Automatic Transmission - any form of Automatic transmission is ok for me but has to be reliable so I am staying clear of DCT
  • Must be good in both City as well as on the Highway

Nice to have Features

  • Passive Keyless Entry
  • Push Button Start
  • Connected Car app
  • Android Auto or Apple CarPlay

Type of fuel is not a concern to me.

Now, my buying criteria as mentioned above is pretty simple, in short, I want a reliable, automatic SUV.

I have made a shortlist based on the prices:

  • Mahindra XUV300 W8(0) AMT, Petrol and Diesel
  • Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Alpha AT, Petrol
  • Maruti Suzuki XL6 Alpha AT, Petrol (Yes, its a people carrier but will be good for my parents to be driven in)
  • Kia Seltos HTK Plus iMT Petrol
  • Kia Sonet GTX Plus iMT Petrol
  • Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ZXI+ AT Petrol
  • Toyota Urban Cruiser Premium Grade AT Petrol (Yes, same as Vitara Brezza but Toyota service center will be less crowded)

I also have a wild thought. If I like the clutch action and gearshifts of a certain car, I might get myself a Manual Transmission car, although its very unlikely to happen.

Another important point to consider is the Manufacturer, I don't want to end up with a brand which will turn its back on India in the near future.

Plan A is still to get the Thar AT as a replacement of the EcoSport AT. Keep the Celerio AMT for daily commute and replace it after 2-3 years (if possible with an EV).

Should I wait and try to fulfill Plan A or initiate Plan B.

What would be your suggestions?

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

I would suggest stick to Plan A.

Reasons:

  • Celerio is going to hold its value well, even after 2-3 years down the line, no worries there.
  • EcoSport's value will only keep falling from now on so selling that at a resonable price should be your priority.

IMO it would be an overkill to get a CSUV for city commutes to replace your Celerio. If you still want to replace it I would also suggest to check out the following hatches with AMT and 180mm GC, in addition to your CSUVs:

  • Ignis
  • Tiago NRG

PS : Ask your Mahindra dealership what they can offer in exchange for the EcoSport or if they can facilitate it through their contacts.

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

Let me add to your confusion by suggesting another plan, Plan C.

Get the Thar as your weekend car, shift the EcoSport to daily duties and get rid of the Celerio. This way, you keep your EcoSport as a compact SUV daily driver, get the most return after selling the Celerio and enjoy the Thar as intended. You will lose the least amount of money this way as well. Selling the Ford at a lower than expected price plus getting another similar vehicle which will depreciate when new is not a good financial choice.

Also, unless you're facing major issues with your EcoSport (reliability or space), you should not worry about after-sales. I know of a few people who are happy with Chevrolet despite the brand leaving India 4 years back, and Ford has much cheaper parts in comparison. Apart from stiff ride and less space at rear, there is not much that can be listed as a con for the EcoSport as a product (barring the Sync3 and other feature shuffling which is a Ford planning failure rather than the product).

So I will suggest you to refrain from a panic sale and wait unless you're facing issues. There are plenty of EcoSport owners in India and Ford even has CBU plans for which they will preferably not leave the existing owners high and dry in the next decade at least.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

 
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