Replacing my 2017 Creta with a 2021 Hector: Is it a sensible choice

The vehicle has 5 year comprehensive maintenance package along with an accessories package installed by MG.

BHPian Nonstop-driver recently shared with other enthusiasts.

Hi BHPians, I'm currently driving a 2017 Creta SX AT Diesel with the ODO reading 56,000kms. I'm currently based in National Capital Region which caps the life of diesel cars at 10 years, which means my car is due for a replacement in 2027, or about 3.5 years from now.

The original plan was to replace this one with a similar car towards end of 2026.

Yesterday, I came across a post in our society group where a 2021 MG Hector Plus Petrol CVT (6 seater) is available for sale with 17,000kms on the ODO. The vehicle has 5 year comprehensive maintenance package along with an accessories package installed by MG. Also, its very well maintained. The owner is selling the vehicle because he's moving abroad.

I have never purchased a pre-worshipped vehicle in my life. This was never the plan but this lateral upgrade opportunity got me thinking and now I'm seeking suggestions from fellow motorheads if this makes sense.

The equation:

• Buy the 2021 pre-worshipped MG Hector. Seller currently quotes 19 lakh, thinking to negotiate and bring him down to 17 lakh. Since the owner is leaving the country soon, I've some leverage here.
• Sell the 2017 Creta to Cars24/ Spinny. I did a search and it appears 8-10 lakh is a reasonable price to expect. But this can vary at the time of the actual sale.
• Pay the difference in cash. Max budget is upto 10 lakhs but I want to manage everything in 9 lakhs and keep 1 for contingencies.

What I get:

• A newer, bigger, safer vehicle. Do I need these? Not necessarily but its good to have. 6 seats are sometimes missed. 6 airbags too.
• Valid vehicle life until 2036. Current vehicle's fitness expires in 2027.
• More bells and whistles. Do I need this? Well I do miss some luxuries in the current Creta like a sunroof, 360 camera, puddle lamps, etc.

What I lose:

• Upto 10 lakh rs in cash. Although if I don't spend now, I'll end up spending 18-22 lakhs 3 years later to buy a new vehicle. The opportunity cost of the 10 lakh would be partially offset by the residual value decrease of the Creta.
• Mileage. Current Creta's running cost is about 6 rs per km while I believe for Hector Petrol it will be closer to 10rs. Although my expected run is less than 10,000km per year so this isn't a huge concern.
• Lose some peace of mind because of a used vehicle? I'm probably worrying too much about this. Can probably manage it by testing the vehicle thoroughly with MGASS and FNGs.

The dilemma:

• I'm not in the market looking for pre-worshipped cars. I am not comparing this option with other pre-worshipped cars as it is very important for me that the vehicle should be from a trusted source. I'm looking at this opportunity as it came and purely as a financially wise decision. There could be an argument that a similar/ better opportunity might come up in the near future, but you never know, right? My dilemma are:
• Are the financial numbers making sense? Valuation of both cars and am I paying the right price?
• Am I getting into an unnecessary upgrade just because there is a potentially good deal available?

Thank you motorheads for reading my dilemma and sharing your thoughts.

Here's what BHPian yedukrishnan199 had to say on the matter:

An MG Hector Plus CVT 2021 model which has run for 17,000 km @ 17-18 lakhs is a good deal, provided the car is in good condition, you will surely get 8 to 10 lakhs on your Creta if you are patient and wait for the right buyer,as I have seen even Spinny and Cars24 offer around 8 lakhs for your model.

A few things to consider are the fact that the MG Hector Plus CVT is quite a bulky car running on a 1451 cc engine producing just 141 hp and 250 nm of torque which might feel a bit underpowered considering the fact that you are coming from a lighter Creta which produced 126 hp and 265 nm of torque.

The MG isn't frugal at all and would return mileage mostly in single digits. If you can live with these facts, then going for the MG Hector Plus CVT would be a good decision.

Here's what Sufficient-shop had to say on the matter:

Adding to what Yedukrishnan mentioned above, the desire to sell the 2017 Creta sounds good considering you are in NCR. Its value will only depreciate faster as years pass by.

But not sure about pre-owned (or pre-worshipped as you mention) cars. Unless it's someone whom you can trust, I'd suggest you stay away from spending 8+ lakhs, especially for a Hector.

Considering you have an overall budget of ~20L, why not look at new cars in the same segment like the new 2023 Seltos or just wait a bit for the Creta facelift expected to come in Jan 2024?

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

If you are in the market for a 6/7 seater SUV under 30 lakhs, there are hardly a handful of options to choose from, with the Mahindra Scorpio-N, Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, and MG Hector Plus, your only options.

If you are planning to go with petrol, all of the above are fuel guzzlers, and if you like the overall looks, performance, and feature set of the MG Hector Plus, there is nothing to worry about, follow your heart and go for it. If you get it for 17 lakhs, I personally think it is a good price for the model, provided it is in good condition.

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

As you said, mileage is not in the equation. In that case, the hector would be a good buy.

Additionally, since it's not really fixable outside, you can easily check for issues logged with MG for your specific car. The ownership is very peaceful, and the lack of power is only evident for about the first few days. But it's such a luxurious and comfortable place to be in, you'll soon forget about everything else that may be lacking. Mainly the kmpl and the looks. In any case, the plus looks better than the 1st gen 5 seater.

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

To me this is a no brainer. I really don't see a problem in you upgrading from a 2017 model Creta to a 2021 Hector. Its both economically viable and also sensible. Though I am not a big fan of Hector, I feel it is definitely an upgrade from a 2017 Creta. Buying a pre owned car is no longer a big matter of concern provided you buy it from a known source. Moreover the car you are mentioning will also be in warranty. Pre owned cars are the flavour of the season. You can see this from the insane resale values these days compared to a couple of years ago. If you've seen the car and you like it, you should go ahead and move it to your garage!

Note: I am saying this keeping the Hector as the only option!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.