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Rs 15 lakh: Used SUV options to replace my 11-year-old Honda City

Honda City's low GC has not yet given me the confidence to accomplish my wish list for the Leh-Ladakh road trip.

BHPian mohitm29 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear members,

I have been driving a 2011 model pre-worshipped Honda City I-Vtec for 7+ joyful years. I opted for a used mid-size sedan when I had a budget of a Swift/I-20 and this slightly more expensive car has turned out to be a cheaper one for me exactly what is mentioned in this great thread.

The City offers good performance, all the Honda's traits of spacious and comfortable interiors, reliability, still looks stunning has been extremely reliable and very easy to maintain from authorized Honda workshop in West Delhi.

Recently, the A/c compressor gave up bang in the middle of a highway during a family trip. Thankfully, it happened during the daytime and we had another family in their car with us and I could send my wife and kid in their car. With some difficulty, I could travel back w/o Aircon for a good 300+ km. Changing compressor and condenser cost upwards of 20k (from local yet experienced mechanic) along with routine service that cost about 12+k, and 3k battery change. This is the highest ever amount paid on maintenance so far.

As the car is in its 12th year with just under 85k mileage and due to the aforesaid incident, I am in great confusion with various questions:

Q1. Is it time for a change or I hold onto it?

Pros to retain:

  • Drives well
  • Honda's reliability and one of the best yet Honda's products (quality-wise)
  • Still easy to maintain
  • EMI free ownership (biggest joy), EMI equivalent amount can be invested for a better future
  • Love its design

Cons to retain:

  • It is valued at a measly Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh today which would certainly go down as the car nears its 15 years period.
  • Maintenance costs may rise
  • All tyres need to be replaced soon

Q2. If a change, which next car?

Usage: I love driving, most of my usage is in the city with twice/thrice road trips. My monthly usage is about 1000-1200 km and I love to go for long drives and mountains and explore the unexplored. Honda City's low GC has not yet given me the confidence to accomplish my wish list for the Leh-Ladakh road trip, hence would prefer a high-riding car this time with performance and reliability similar to Honda if not better.

I prefer buying mint-conditioned pre-worshipped machines from higher segments than my budget for new cars. Accordingly, my budget is about Rs 12-15 lakhs. Used cars I would consider buying (in order of preference) are:

  1. Tata Safari AT (though it would exceed my budget my heart wants it the most),
  2. Tata Nexon EV
  3. 5th generation Honda City AT
  4. New Mahindra Scorpio N.
  5. I also like Skoda's products (used Octavia / Slavia / Kushaq), however, their ownership stories (A/c, high maintenance costs) don't inspire confidence.
  6. Don't like Creta/any other CSUVs.

Requesting fellow Bhpians for valuable advice.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

11 years up, time to change and experience newer machinery. Cars, engines, safety, and technology have come a long way in the last decade. The only reason to hold onto a decade+ old car would be if it's special (vRS, Jeep) or a luxury German (as they age well).

Since you love the Tata Safari AT, by all means, go for it. Great looks, nice engine & AT combination, but be mentally prepared for niggles & issues. Tata is not building the Harrier-Safari twins perfectly. An extended warranty with a Safari is as mandatory as an insurance policy is.

Would also strongly recommend the XUV700 AT, and do take a spin in the Scorpio-N since TDs will be available at dealers shortly.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

I have found that post-2009/10 Hondas build quality is not that great (we owned a 09 Civic and 09 City for 7 - 9 yrs and ~65+k / 106k km respectively). There could be a chance that the body of the car will not hold up as well in the coming years even if the engine is immaculate, so in that sense, it seems like a good time to move on at this juncture. You’ve bought it pre-owned so I’m assuming your cost of acquisition should be well recovered by now.

In terms of options today, if it is feasible a slightly higher budget may get you a much nicer car. In that sense, the Harrier A/T could make sense for you if 3 rows aren’t important (I’m suggesting Harrier over Safari more to stay as true to budget as possible) and at an increased budget, a 7OO.

The new Scorpio could also be worth looking at although of course be prepared that the ride quality will be chalk and cheese compared to the City. Other than that options are indeed limited to the Korean and VAG twins.

Do also consider used Honda CR-Vs and Hyundai Tucson maybe. Modern sophisticated monocoques with the attributes and advantages of an SUV for urban use. You can always rent a Thar / Fortuner from Chandigarh (plenty of such options) for that once-in-a-blue-moon Leh Ladakh trip.

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

The typical upgrade conundrum.

I would say unless there is something horribly wrong with your car, hold on for a couple of more years. Not only will you save money by doing this, but you will also have ample time to find a good deal. Right now, it’s a seller's market and everything is being sold at exaggerated rates.

In general, the car you have is pretty reliable. Any expenses you incur over upkeep are going to be way lower than buying another car and maintaining it.

PS: I own a Honda City 3rd gen which is now 11 years old. That was bought second-hand as well. Planning to keep it till it lasts!

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

It certainly is time to change. If finances are in a comfortable place, don't think twice about it.

Given your requirements:

  • preferably high GC / SUV
  • pre-owned, mint condition
  • 12 to 15L budget

This is a tough combination to achieve.

Tata Harrier/Safari appear to be the best fit and there may be some availability given that they have been around for a bit now. Moreover, not too long waiting periods on new ones, so prices in the pre-owned market could be reasonable.

While XUV700 could be a great fit, I think it will be very difficult to find in the pre-owned market right now (especially with a meaningful depreciation which is the whole point of buying a pre-owned car in the first place).

You have mentioned Scorpio N as well, but unless you meant a new one and a lower variant, I can't imagine how that will fit with the above requirements.

You can try to look for a pre-owned Hyundai Tucson as well. Given the low demand and new generation launch around the corner, you could find a good deal. But only if you are able to find a good one in the first place (the population is quite small, to begin with).

If you aren't someone who would want to spend a lot of time in the car buying process, I would suggest going with a sedan, maybe even a new one. Honda City 5th gen if you prefer reliability. Slavia / Virtus if you really want the high ground clearance. Both will fit well in your budget. No long-waiting-period nonsense too.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

 
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