Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs

zeshhaan · 15th April 2023, 17:53

I would recommend getting a 2010-2013 Ford Figo Diesel. It has ABS, 2 airbags in the front and you can easily get one under 2L. But make sure it is free from any issues. Fuel injector is the main culprit in this car so make sure to check if fuel injector is damaged.

I had the same problem as yours, few months back, to buy a decent car, but under 2L and i got a 2010 figo, doctor owner. The car, however was sold through a dealer and not directly by the doctor. The car was in a very good condition on the outside and i expected it wouldn't have any major issues since its coming from a doctor. Since this is going to be my first car and i dont have enough technical knowledge about car, my friend accompanied me who has better knowledge about cars but is always critical. He asked for service history but they made some excuse telling that ford service center at their area doesn't provide it so they don't have it but assured us that the vehicle is free from any issues. When asked about the oil change, service interval, etc, they said the service and oil change was done recently so you don't need to worry until next 5k kms. When my friend asked about injectors, they were sightly annoyed (partially because my friend is very critical and doesn't mind anyone's emotion lol) and adviced him not to ask such questions and said it is far from having such kind of issues.
We took the TD and it felt okay. No complaints. But my friend insisted me to not buy the car unless they provide the service history. But me, somehow fallen to the car's outer appearance decided to overtake his advice and brought the car.
After having the car with us for a week, we decided to take the car to nearby ford service center for a general checkup just to make sure everything is alright. And to my shock and surprise, we got to know that last service was done 1.5 years back, oil needs to be changed immediately and majorly, 2 injectors are not working. There are few other immediate replacements to be done which would cost me a nice amount.
We came back with my friend(now wearing thug life cooling glass, jk) and reminding me again of what would have happened instead if i listened to him.

Oh, that was a bit of a rant in middle of adding my suggestion, but would suggest OP to check for these little things to make sure you get a niggle free vehicle. But with all that said, i would recommend getting a Ford Figo. Apart from the issues which i have faced (blame is on me) it is still a great car, with a comfortable riding experience, very good ac, basuc music system but great speakers, etc.

Livnletcarsliv · 15th April 2023, 21:28

Your budget and requirements don't match at all. Either increase your budget or be ready to compromise on your requirements.
For eg - In terms of maintenance, what ever car you buy for 2 Lakhs including hatches like swift, zen estilo, wagon R, (let alone the options you've mentioned), be ready to spend at least upto 1-2L more to bring it to your desired shape.
Most likely the options you get for 2L will be high mileage ones or highly abused ones.

MT_Hyderabad · 15th April 2023, 21:41

For this budget, I would rather buy a well maintained 50k driven Santro/Figo/i10 of 2012 onwards and drive safe rather than buying a more than 15 year old 1.5 lakh driven sedan with ABS/Airbags.
It's better to drive home in the car, rather than behind it!

DSC · 15th April 2023, 22:00

Don't buy anything that has ran over fifteen years. You might even spend more that the price of the car in maintenance. My suggestion is stick to MS and Tata only due to their aftermarket service availability. The cars you have listed are the cars I would always be staying away from under this situation.

Bibendum90949 · 16th April 2023, 08:00

Few suggested Figo TDCi. You may also try Fiesta TDCi which may still fit your budget. Most would've clocked heavy miles by now. If you're lucky and can hunt patiently, you can still end up with a well maintained car. Spares are still available AFAIK and a fairly reliable car too. It's a brilliant car to drive with decent amount of space and it meets the requirements you've listed.

m8002? · 16th April 2023, 09:35

Are you particular about a sedan? For your kind of usage, petrol hatchback will serve you well.

Instead of 15 year old sedans, look at 8 year old hatches like Swift or i20. They will be easy to drive in city and lower on maintenance as well.

sdubey23 · 16th April 2023, 14:42

I've had my share of experience with buying used cars. Here's my 2 cents:

I suggest you don't go for a car older than 5-7 years. Older cars will simply have old car problems. Some or the other issue keeps popping up, requiring endless visits to the mechanic. You'll lose peace of mind and will get fed up in no time.

Moreover, the cost of the fixes and repairs overtime will add up to the same as buying a 5-7 year old car.

Now, while buying used, Maruti, Hyundai, and Honda hold good resale and will tend to be more expensive. I suggest you look for good examples of Fiat Punto, Ford Ecosport/ Figo/ Aspire, Chevy Sail, Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, etc. These were well-built cars (also more fun to drive), making them an excellent candidate for buying used and offer excellent VFM.

Good luck and keep us posted.

mpadiki · 16th April 2023, 15:03

You should look for some great cars that for discontinued because of low demand... like Tata Manza, Nissan Sunny... you can get some great deals.

MageshSai · 17th April 2023, 15:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikhildrao

Fords like fiesta tdci are out because of obvious reasons and if anyone thinks that I should reconsider them, please let me know with your reasoning . Do provide your valuable opinions and suggestions if I have overlooked some others.

Since I have been looking for such a vehicle and bought one (with higher budget though) in Bangalore, the closest you can get for that budget is Fiat Linea. Find a well maintained one. Buying from a known source like colleagues, neighbors with a through mechanical check-up would get a good value for money car. All the best!

Clown Prince · 17th June 2023, 00:29

Few points you can keep in mind
* Try to get the car from owner instead of dealer
* Newer Hatchbacks are better than older Sedans
* Go with flop or discontinued models
Beat and Figo are really good options for your case scenario.
You try making a search in olx or other platforms in your location and budget and try gradual reduction of years to see how much older or newer car you can get. This will give you a fair idea what to expect and help with future bargains.

15th April 2023, 17:53	#16
zeshhaan Newbie Join Date: Feb 2023 Location: Kasaragod Posts: 7 Thanked: 12 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs I would recommend getting a 2010-2013 Ford Figo Diesel. It has ABS, 2 airbags in the front and you can easily get one under 2L. But make sure it is free from any issues. Fuel injector is the main culprit in this car so make sure to check if fuel injector is damaged. I had the same problem as yours, few months back, to buy a decent car, but under 2L and i got a 2010 figo, doctor owner. The car, however was sold through a dealer and not directly by the doctor. The car was in a very good condition on the outside and i expected it wouldn't have any major issues since its coming from a doctor. Since this is going to be my first car and i dont have enough technical knowledge about car, my friend accompanied me who has better knowledge about cars but is always critical. He asked for service history but they made some excuse telling that ford service center at their area doesn't provide it so they don't have it but assured us that the vehicle is free from any issues. When asked about the oil change, service interval, etc, they said the service and oil change was done recently so you don't need to worry until next 5k kms. When my friend asked about injectors, they were sightly annoyed (partially because my friend is very critical and doesn't mind anyone's emotion lol) and adviced him not to ask such questions and said it is far from having such kind of issues. We took the TD and it felt okay. No complaints. But my friend insisted me to not buy the car unless they provide the service history. But me, somehow fallen to the car's outer appearance decided to overtake his advice and brought the car. After having the car with us for a week, we decided to take the car to nearby ford service center for a general checkup just to make sure everything is alright. And to my shock and surprise, we got to know that last service was done 1.5 years back, oil needs to be changed immediately and majorly, 2 injectors are not working. There are few other immediate replacements to be done which would cost me a nice amount. We came back with my friend(now wearing thug life cooling glass, jk) and reminding me again of what would have happened instead if i listened to him. Oh, that was a bit of a rant in middle of adding my suggestion, but would suggest OP to check for these little things to make sure you get a niggle free vehicle. But with all that said, i would recommend getting a Ford Figo. Apart from the issues which i have faced (blame is on me) it is still a great car, with a comfortable riding experience, very good ac, basuc music system but great speakers, etc.
	(3) Thanks

15th April 2023, 21:28	#17
Livnletcarsliv BHPian Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: TN66/TN14 Posts: 944 Thanked: 2,310 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs Your budget and requirements don't match at all. Either increase your budget or be ready to compromise on your requirements. For eg - In terms of maintenance, what ever car you buy for 2 Lakhs including hatches like swift, zen estilo, wagon R, (let alone the options you've mentioned), be ready to spend at least upto 1-2L more to bring it to your desired shape. Most likely the options you get for 2L will be high mileage ones or highly abused ones.
	(1) Thanks

15th April 2023, 21:41	#18
MT_Hyderabad BANNED Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: <<-- Posts: 813 Thanked: 3,584 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs For this budget, I would rather buy a well maintained 50k driven Santro/Figo/i10 of 2012 onwards and drive safe rather than buying a more than 15 year old 1.5 lakh driven sedan with ABS/Airbags. It's better to drive home in the car, rather than behind it!
	(1) Thanks

15th April 2023, 22:00	#19
DSC BHPian Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 51 Thanked: 27 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs Don't buy anything that has ran over fifteen years. You might even spend more that the price of the car in maintenance. My suggestion is stick to MS and Tata only due to their aftermarket service availability. The cars you have listed are the cars I would always be staying away from under this situation.
	(1) Thanks

16th April 2023, 08:00	#20
Bibendum90949 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Blr/Kochi/Wynd Posts: 1,486 Thanked: 7,456 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs Few suggested Figo TDCi. You may also try Fiesta TDCi which may still fit your budget. Most would've clocked heavy miles by now. If you're lucky and can hunt patiently, you can still end up with a well maintained car. Spares are still available AFAIK and a fairly reliable car too. It's a brilliant car to drive with decent amount of space and it meets the requirements you've listed. Last edited by Bibendum90949 : 16th April 2023 at 08:02.
	(1) Thanks

16th April 2023, 09:35	#21
m8002? BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 933 Thanked: 2,971 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs Are you particular about a sedan? For your kind of usage, petrol hatchback will serve you well. Instead of 15 year old sedans, look at 8 year old hatches like Swift or i20. They will be easy to drive in city and lower on maintenance as well.
	(1) Thanks

16th April 2023, 14:42	#22
sdubey23 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Bangalore Posts: 52 Thanked: 132 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs I've had my share of experience with buying used cars. Here's my 2 cents: I suggest you don't go for a car older than 5-7 years. Older cars will simply have old car problems. Some or the other issue keeps popping up, requiring endless visits to the mechanic. You'll lose peace of mind and will get fed up in no time. Moreover, the cost of the fixes and repairs overtime will add up to the same as buying a 5-7 year old car. Now, while buying used, Maruti, Hyundai, and Honda hold good resale and will tend to be more expensive. I suggest you look for good examples of Fiat Punto, Ford Ecosport/ Figo/ Aspire, Chevy Sail, Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, etc. These were well-built cars (also more fun to drive), making them an excellent candidate for buying used and offer excellent VFM. Good luck and keep us posted.
	(1) Thanks

16th April 2023, 15:03	#23
mpadiki Newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2 Thanked: 2 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs You should look for some great cars that for discontinued because of low demand... like Tata Manza, Nissan Sunny... you can get some great deals.
	(2) Thanks

17th June 2023, 00:29	#25
Clown Prince BHPian Join Date: May 2023 Location: India Posts: 100 Thanked: 131 Times	Re: Hunt for my first car with a budget of around 2 lakhs Few points you can keep in mind * Try to get the car from owner instead of dealer * Newer Hatchbacks are better than older Sedans * Go with flop or discontinued models Beat and Figo are really good options for your case scenario. You try making a search in olx or other platforms in your location and budget and try gradual reduction of years to see how much older or newer car you can get. This will give you a fair idea what to expect and help with future bargains.
	() Thanks