[MetalBuff]

Congrats mate! I have a feeling you fell for this car and so, didn't look out for any other deals. Looking around for as many deals as possible and picking up the best one out of those, is the best way to ensure maximum bang for the buck in the used car market. Not much anyone can do with what is destined

A feb '11 car right? I guess even the plastic on the seats would be intact

Will you be opting for a zero dep cover?

Also, can you please share the dealer's details with us, once you have a seamless buying experience?

I guess, the civic will keep you away from your guitar for a good while as, you'd be busy hitting the high notes of the ivtec for a change.

Cheers!

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Anghammarad

Call me a sucker :(...

Suckaaaaaaa

Originally Posted by Anghammarad

I went and bargained and bargained with the guy and couldn't get it down to below 11, which is what we finally agreed on. Getting the bank stuff ready now, it's a white Honda Civic AT 2011, 14k on the odo, pristine condition.

If the car is as good as you say it is (and I believe you, really), it's worth it to pay a bit extra for peace of mind. You can't put a price tag on the fact that you know the car is fundamentally completely sound and won't burn a hole in your pocket (not that a Civic does too often, mind you). Keep in mind that it's also a little more than a year old, so it's a decent deal on the whole.

Originally Posted by Anghammarad

I am working out the nitty gritties as per the Insurance, though he told me that the name transfer will take 30 days or so to get done and will show up directly at my house. (Is that so? The Smart card bit). He said I can take the car and the sale receipt to show the cops if I am stopped in the interim.

If I remember correctly, my smart card took about 10-14 days to arrive, so 30 days is way too excessive, surely. Sumeethaldankar too says it took him 10 days, so 30 is just far beyond the bounds of normal. I was careful not to be caught while I didn't have my smart card with me, but I was told the same, i.e., show the transfer receipt et al and it'll be fine.

Originally Posted by Anghammarad

Insurance is coming to around 26,000 rupees, plus 3000 transfer fees.
Still about a lakh above what I wanted to spend, and CNG fitting will do around 60,000 more, but if the car gives me the good service I am hoping to get from it, then it will be worth it eventually

On the subject of insurance; have you shopped around for the best deal possible, online or otherwise?

Congrats, enjoy the new car and rest assured, you have bought a virtually bulletproof semi-luxury barge/beast. The Civic is nothing if not a completely paisa vasool car that is the very definition of reliable without a doubt. Looking forward to the ownership thread

[Anghammarad]

Originally Posted by MetalBuff

Congrats mate! I have a feeling you fell for this car and so, didn't look out for any other deals. Looking around for as many deals as possible and picking up the best one out of those, is the best way to ensure maximum bang for the buck in the used car market. Not much anyone can do with what is destined

A feb '11 car right? I guess even the plastic on the seats would be intact

Will you be opting for a zero dep cover?

Also, can you please share the dealer's details with us, once you have a seamless buying experience?

I guess, the civic will keep you away from your guitar for a good while as, you'd be busy hitting the high notes of the ivtec for a change.

Cheers!

Hah I do believe you're right on that count :-p
And no idea on the cover yet, but I have a friend who is looking through various insurance offers to find the best comprehensive cover package.
And of course, as soon as I've made the purchase, I will be updating the site with all the relevant info, if these guys are as good as they seem to be ( fingers crossed on that score).
On a side note, got to start jamming again soon, winters the best time to play :-p

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Suckaaaaaaa

If the car is as good as you say it is (and I believe you, really), it's worth it to pay a bit extra for peace of mind. You can't put a price tag on the fact that you know the car is fundamentally completely sound and won't burn a hole in your pocket (not that a Civic does too often, mind you). Keep in mind that it's also a little more than a year old, so it's a decent deal on the whole.

That was a huge part of it, I mean there is some buyer dissonance which will probably be there, till I get the car in my hands and it belongs to me, as it were.

If I remember correctly, my smart card took about 10-14 days to arrive, so 30 days is way too excessive, surely. Sumeethaldankar too says it took him 10 days, so 30 is just far beyond the bounds of normal. I was careful not to be caught while I didn't have my smart card with me, but I was told the same, i.e., show the transfer receipt et al and it'll be fine.

This is worrisome, I have no idea why this gentleman told me it takes 30 days or so , because I reconfirmed it with him today.

Congrats, enjoy the new car and rest assured, you have bought a virtually bulletproof semi-luxury barge/beast. The Civic is nothing if not a completely paisa vasool car that is the very definition of reliable without a doubt. Looking forward to the ownership thread

Much obliged, looking forward to posting on the ownership thread asap.

[RSM_TorqueZoner]

There are times I've cursed myself for being an auto enthusiast, for it lead to me being indecisive for the longest period in my life. And the question was - which car next? In this time frame, I decided with whom I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with, but couldn't zoom in on what my second love should be (Or the first, depends on who is reading this ! ) The former was a straight forward decision, and the latter - well, I've finally decided, or am I still contemplating? So much for having loved these machines, for they have a soul.

PROLOGUE

Year 2007: Having completed 9 months in my first job, I decide it's time to realize a long cherished dream. I forever had a fixation with the Opel Astra, so it was time to hunt for a sparingly used well maintained specimen. Budget then was in the range of 1 - 1.5 lacs. I'm probably the only guy from Kerala to have a paid ad up in the daily, citing my hunt for a pre-worshipped Astra. But it wasn't to be the Opel. Gave up on the hunt after a couple of months, for I couldn't find a beauty that blew me off. And then, there was consistent pressure from within (read My Head) to go against the decision. It was never a very pragmatic buy, for multiple reasons. And oh boy, the decision changed overnight and I book a red Swift Vxi. Savings were meagre, but then, what are car loans for? I honestly did not evaluate all parameters back then, and it was a straight forward decision once the Astra crush was buried. And I drive home my lovely swift, though that meant 50% salary in 2007 went straight to SBI!

Fast Forward - 2012: 5 years with the swift, and I loved every moment with it. Off Topic - I believe Maruti has now royally messed up what the old swift had! The steering back then weighed so well, drive was much more punchy and feel the handling was crisper. Back to topic, my heart was itching for a new drive. I still loved the Swift, but well, I was already bitten by the upgrade bug. And thus..

THE HUNT BEGINS

Having the Swift meant I was never in a very desperate situation to move on, but rising petrol prices and mediocre mileage of the swift meant curtains down as far as long drives and getaways were concerned! I know, statistics would prove me wrong - cost of new car vs money spent on fuel for existing car etc, but it was more of a psychological itch than anything else, and I knew it. Bottom line was - Yes, I wanted a new car. There was always a very strong craving to retain the swift, but then, it was all dependent on which car I choose and how big a financial hole I'll dig!

By then, I was a wiser man, requirements were more precise

• Diesel
• Driver's car with a great driving position.
• Excellent ride and handling combo
• Must be a good highway cruiser and a mile muncher
• Solid build quality
• Respectable fuel economy
• Very comfortable seats and space, front and rear
• Not too many niggles
• Should serve well for the next 5 years

Max Budget: 11 - 12 Lacs (But cracking it at a lesser base meant an incentive of retaining the Swift!)

So, in no particular order, below are the cars that were even remotely considered in 3 years.

The Cold Options (I knew deep within I wasn't gonna buy it!) :

Hyundai Verna: I'd rather buy a boat! Pathetic handling. Taking a curve on a flyover at 80 plus gave me jitters. The ride was bad too, found it bumpy and below acceptable levels on uneven roads. There was a heavy equipment list on offer, but I was never gonna buy a car just for its features! Rear bench had serious lack of underthigh support. Car looks good, but gets boring over time. The build quality however was solid. Felt its slightly overpriced too.

Fiat Linea: I have always been a fan of its tank like build. The doors close with that cliched Thud, but watta feel! Steering feedback probably the best among contemporaries. Good and precise handling. But then, my love for the Linea ends there. Very very cramped interiors and I never found the seats comfortable. I wasn't able to find a driving position that suits me to the T either. Engine lacked response. This car badly needs the 1.6!

Nissan Sunny/ Renault Scala: I think the twins are underrated. These are good cars. Excellent drivability within city, but gets a little boring on the highway. Power delivery from the word go with almost zero turbo lag. Good handler with very acceptable drive quality. Oodles and oodles of space, but lack of under thigh support at the rear. Not really fun to drive, but not way too bad either. But this is undoubtedly a very practical option. Nothing really against them, but a more powerful engine would have done a world of good. Somehow, my heart wasn't in it. Was never a strong contender for some reason.

Ford Fiesta Had some mouth watering discounts during stock clearance before the facelift was launched. This is a good car no doubt. Rock solid built. Exceptional handling. Mediocre power is a downer. But the deal breaker for me were the cramped interiors and bolstered seats in the front. With my heavy frame, it just wasn't comfortable by any yardstick.

Force One: Yes, you read it right! I test drove the Force One. Well, never really had any serious plans, but then, this is a true SUV. The engine, ride and handling were good. Good level of refinement. And this vehicle does have some presence. Seats are comfortable. In fact, ticked many boxes for. But, it would have never been a practical buy. Too big for daily use, fuel economy was a concern and I did not want to risk more than a million bucks with this. It was anyways outside my budget. Drove it out of curiosity more than anything else, and should say I came back pretty impressed. I think Force should have a better gameplan.

Ford Figo My favourite hatch. USP - Steering! This car really has the Ford DNA embedded in it, and is lovely to drive. Just that it would hardly be an upgrade. I might still go for a used one sometime down the lane. The car drives and handles really well. Adequate space. And there is something classy about the way it looks. Interiors could be much better, but I hope Ford does not fiddle around with the Figo's characteristics and screw up on the facelift.

The Hot Options: (Well, these were seriously contemplated on)

Mahindra XUV 500: There is no doubt this car is VFM. Found the W4 way too jaded, and W6 would mean having to extend my budget by quite a chunk. But somehow, it lacked finesse. Build was good, but not exceptional. Seats were comfortable. The drive was decent. Fuel economy is good for a car of its size, but I wouldn't mind a little more! But then, it did remain in strong contention and it was the budget that kept playing on my mind the most. Niggles seem to have been sorted with the upgrade. Whether to take the plunge or not was the question. However, I got hitched to a lovely lady who hates SUV's. So you could say, that almost sealed it!

Renault Duster/ Nissan Terrano Yet again, the better half factor comes into play! But then, I was literally blown away by its exceptional ride & handling. These twins beat all contemporaries hands down in this aspect. The 85 PS version felt underpowered, but I was very impressed with the 110. Turbo lag wasn't much of a botheration for me. Terrano looked better, but wasn't worth the premium being charged. But the biggest downer were the interiors. It felt really cheap! Had the interior quality been two levels higher, I would have somehow convinced wifey on this otherwise wonderful car.

Ford Ecosport Hatch on steroids - period. But then, it doesn't qualify as an outstanding hatch either. This car felt like a wannabe, and severely lacked the Ford DNA. Wasn't fun to drive, thanks to the ultra light steering. Suspension was good. This car is strictly for 4 people, but then the rear was decent with comfort. High on features, the bolstered front seats again was a downer.

Honda City Among two companies I would like to see failing in the Indian car market someday! Wishful thinking, I know. But it is just that I do not see any other way these companies would stop underestimating the Indian customer and not take them for granted. The other obviously being Maruti. I know this could be controversial, but we could debate that on another thread. How on earth would Honda otherwise come up with a car which I strongly feel is inferior to its predecessor and still became a segment leader? And the car isn't exactly niggle free anymore either. The petrol mill is fantastic, but the oil burner is nothing to write home about. I personally did not like the interiors. Build quality wasn't great. I sorely missed reach adjust on the steering wheel. But seats are probably the best in segment, and are supremely comfortable. The rear bench is exceptional. Found ride and handling acceptable, but not really plush. A pathetic experience with the showroom meant it was a quick decision to walk out on what was a serious contender an hour earlier!

Suzuki Ciaz I was keenly following this car right from the day Little Birdie's scoop came out. Strongly felt, that this was gonna be my next car! Kept hoping against hope that it gets launched with a 1.6 and not a 1.3. And finally, the car gets launched and was massively disappointed. I then go to the showroom and was shocked to say the least. Felt the SX4 was better! I couldn't find a good driving position. Rear seat comfort wasn't great, lacked underthigh support. Drive was ordinary. Interiors were just about ok. The only thing going for it was that it looked good and massive. But definitely not my type of a car!

Hyundai Elite i20 Yes, among the two hatches I considered. Hats off to Hyundai for their commitment, and the giant leaps they make with every iteration. This car is a looker no doubt. I loved the interiors. I drove the car and must admit its way improved over the previous gen. However, handling still has room for improvement and this probably was the downer. And again, I wasn't too keen on another hatch. But had this car been a crisp handler, you never know!

Volkswagen Vento/ Skoda Rapid To me, these are the best cars in the segment, and VW has tried hard to spoil the scorcher of an engine the 1.5 "upgrade". In the 1.6 avatar, I was addicted to the mid-range torque delivery. I loved the Vento in black. Rapid had a marginally better suspension set up, but I really did not mind the turbo lag in the Vento. In fact, loves it when the turbo kicks in. The car is really solid and the interior exudes quality. Nothing flashy, but is still elegant. Very comfortable at the rear, and decent in the front. I hate the green backlight in the rapid, but the red ones in the Vento are awesome. Overall, this was the closest I could get to what I wanted, though a tad smaller in size than what I would have liked. Finally went ahead and booked a Vento last year. But wasn't 100% sure. The model has been around for a long time, and another Vento in the family meant this new car could get boring soon. I cancel my booking! And the hunt continues...

Now, the Pre-worshipped Options! (Budget around 8-9 lacs, do not want to spend at the upper limit of my budget on a used car - And this comes with the massive incentive of retaining the Swift!)

Well, with almost all new cars within my budget not really getting me excited, I always had my eyes open for pre-worshipped specimens from the D Segment.

Toyota Corolla Great resale value meant this may not fetch me a great deal. Plus, this is such an overrated car. Way too boring for my liking. The drive is univolving. And this wasn't in hot contention ever.

Chevrolet Cruze Diesel rocket no doubt. But then, rear bench is as pathetic as it gets. This alone was a deal breaker. Interiors lack finesse and quality.

Skoda Laura Lovely car! I like just about everything on the Laura. If it was to be a new car, this would rank right up there on my charts. But now, its not a new car that I'm talking about, and that exactly was the concern. 2.0 Litre ones low on mileage were hard to find. And then, maintenance coupled with Skoda service meant setting the stage up for bidding adieu to a peaceful life!

Volkswagen Jetta The facelifted Jetta was always out of budget. And for the pre facelift 2.0 Litre versions, pros and cons were almost ditto to that of Laura. There was a 2011 model highline with 45000 kms on the odo going for around 8.5 lacs, and this was strongly considered. But then, I wasn't sure of trusting VW for another 5 years.


Chevrolet Optra Magnum I have always been a fan of this car! It's got just about everything going for it. Engine, driveability and comfort are top notch. And the pricing for used magnums are ridiculously low. However, most had munched a lot of miles and newer models were rare. Production ceased more than 3 years ago, and the model has now become way too old, though I still do not find it very dated. Would be the best from Chevrolet's stable apart from Captiva, if it was still in production! Tempted for the amount of money I'd save, but considering I plan to keep the car for 5 years, this was never pragmatic.

THE SCENARIO TODAY!

Well, so that's about it. I've become the butt of jokes for many, with friends and family asking me to get something custom manufactured! I've exhausted the list. Havn't I? Well, not yet. And in comes a pleasant surprise!

The Renault Fluence For some reason, I had never strongly considered the Fluence. I was doing my regular olx search session when I chanced upon one. And the Fluence hits me! Off I go to the showroom and test drive the facelifted E4. An awesome car that has been even more awesomely ruined by some ridiculous marketing & pricing strategies at Renault. With OTR almost touching 20, this car felt over priced. But wait, who is talking about a new car here? I kick start the hunt for a used Fluence. There were not many up for sale, but they were hardly sold anyways! Came across a couple of them, and finally - one really caught my attention. A pre-engine upgrade 2012 April manufactured E2, with merely 17000 on odo.

I called the owner and he was asking an exorbitantly high price. But I gave it time. I knew there wern't many takers for the Fluence and it is a depreciation disaster - just what the doctor ordered! Finally, after multiple rounds of negotiation, we arrive at an agreeable settlement point. I stay at Cochin and the car was 200 kms away. Me, along with wifey and younger brother (who is also an auto fanatic) leave at 5 AM on a Sunday morning to inspect the car.
Reached the location, and the owner was warm and friendly. The car was lying in the porch, and it had elegance written all over it. This car is one hell of a looker! Wife loved it. I was desperately waiting to get upclose, and dived deep into the inspection process after customary pleasantry exchanges.

The interiors are spartan. But it did have an aura of elegance. Spare tyre has never been used. 2-3 minor scratches, and no dents. I go for the drive! Turbo lag before 2000 rpm is annoying, but it gets into a zone of its own once the turbo kicks in. Ride was exceptional, even on uneven surfaces. Handling felt solid, and the engine was really responsive post the turbo kick. Took the back seat later, and this was by far the most comfortable ride I had sat in a long time! I was sure my grandmother wouldn't complain. I'm not expecting the Fluence to be in production for long, but then, I'm assuming there should not be much of an issue for the next 5 years.

Interiors were not jazzy. There is significant turbo lag. Can I live with these, considering excellent ride & handling, supreme comfort, comparatively low maintenance, very decent fuel economy, awesome looks and a good price point? Hell YES! I paid the token advance.

The owner is away for a couple of weeks, and the deal should be completed most likely over the next weekend. In the mean time, I checked service history and there is no major repair work that was undertaken. Insurance has never been claimed either. The car is under warranty till next May.

So now, I'm almost on the verge of taking the plunge. But you never know, nothing is done till it's done! I look forward to valuable opinions from fellow members, no other place on the planet to make a better certified decision!

[ajmat]

I have a soft spot for the Fluence

Being a townie, the turbo lag and hard clutch were the deal breakers. When I tested the car from Kolegal to Bangalore, I was quite impressed with the cruising ability and handling/ride. If it had more power, better resale and better low end tractability. I might have signed the cheque!

[PraveenM]

@ RSM_TorqueZoner As a current owner of the E2, I can assure you that the turbo-lag is something you'd get used and work your way around it easily.

Our Fluence has done 35k and touchwood there are no niggles. Taking it out of town is always a delight. Will be happy to answer any queries.

[RSM_TorqueZoner]

Originally Posted by PraveenM

@ RSM_TorqueZoner As a current owner of the E2, I can assure you that the turbo-lag is something you'd get used and work your way around it easily.

Our Fluence has done 35k and touchwood there are no niggles. Taking it out of town is always a delight. Will be happy to answer any queries.

Thank you so much Praveen, much appreciated. I have now come across a 2013 E4D with 30K on the Odo. Looks like this is going to be it! I have already informed the owner the 2012 E2 about the decision, and I'll let go the advance that was already paid. With the updated engine, interiors and features, this car is a blind buy as far as I'm concerned. If everything goes to plan, the car should be with me in 2 days from now

[Dieselritzer]

Hi, i am looking to buy a used Fluence. What is the price i should be looking at considering its a market dud and the facelift is launched?

[RSM_TorqueZoner]

Which model and year you are looking at? I'd suggest you go for an E4 Diesel. Rates in Mumbai are generally on the lower side, and you should be able to find a good one in the range of around 8 lacs.