[madan80]

This family friend approached me to check on my inputs on them picking up a new Lancer D for their needs. As much as I think the Cedia is a great car, their requirements were that of a diesel car.

Daily run - 60-70 kms
highways - once a month

Owner driven / driver driven 50-50

They really liked the ride in my car and was inspired when i casually mentioned "yeah you can still buy the lancer"

How good is it an idea to suggest that they pick it up?

[equinox22]

If the new Lancer is to be launched soon as some here have mentioned, maybe they should wait for it.

[reignofchaos]

Do you mean the age old lancer? Other than reliability, it offers virtually nothing. I'd say get a Fiesta/Verna/Logan/Innova.

[bhp1]

Lancer now!!! There are plenty of newer products which are superior to Lancer in many ways. Lancer's days are over since long!

Try out Fiesta, Verna, Linea, etc. Lancer is out of the reckoning!

[vasudeva]

Whether it was good or not is not material now. There are so many newer and supposedly improved products. If that person your family friend, guide them towards Cedia (which they liked) or other cheaper diesel options.

I thought from the thread title that a new Lancer D has come into the market.

[narayan]

on every parameter that the old lancer offers, there are modern alternatives which would offer better resale and possibly lesser hassles on maintenance and spare parts

and i am referring to factors like FE, SPACE and maybe driving dynamics that the old lancer offered.

Innova offers all of this. Logan would be a close 2nd on all the above. Fiesta would be good on both FE and driving dynamics.

[gaurav_chopra04]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

Do you mean the age old lancer? Other than reliability, it offers virtually nothing. I'd say get a Fiesta/Verna/Logan/Innova.

I would agree, Lancer is a very reliable car, but it looks very dated now. Also it does not have features which almost all the c segment cars have these days. no airbags, no abs, no ebd, no leather seats, no beige interiors and as ROC said virtually nothing.

why not ask them to look for a used lancer D if they want Lancer D only.

[D.V.R]

I don't know what the others suggest,but we needed three diesel cars for our office purpose ,which was going to be driven by a driver with a monthly running of 5000 kms each.

So the priorities were:
-Spacious and comfortable backseat
-reliabile engine
-low on maintanance
-good fe

The lancer met all the requirements hence its in our garage .

Why I havenot bought cars which are much more modern,cheaper ,fe,classier than it are-

Verna-the looks put me off,the engine is a bomb and the fe is supposedly good,the back is quite spacious but the over softly set suspension made me cancel the deal and neither do I want to gift that engine to my driver.

Fiesta-engine is good enough ,heard is very fuel efficient ,ride is good,but really cramped cabin was a huge let down.

Indigo xl-A good car with huge space ,Nice seats and decent suspension made it a good backseat car,but an excess of over 2 lakhs for an elongated indigo,with the dicor engine didn't make the cut and I was a bit skeptical of the elongated chassis and didn't get many positive reports regarding the dicor engine.

Octavia-The inflated price tag ,expensive spares,cramped rear seat made me leave it out .

Logan-The huge backseat and the frugal enGine makes it the perfect car to be given to the driver's ,but the bad response from the dealer,uncertain future made think that it will face the same fate as that of Peugot 309.

Optra-Really really really loved the car ,the thrust when it moved ahead was out of the world ,has a good backseat with a superb suspension ,and GM warranty for 3years made the deal sweet,just didn't like the new look the old look was awesome .Frankly it was out of my budget would definitely had picked it up if it was for my own use.I am the kind of person who believes in giving the indica,sumo to the drivers rather than civics,Vrs,mercs to them,really hate it.

So it finally boiled down to the lancer v indigo v logan.But the deal by the mitsubishi dealer made me go for the lancer .

I was given nearly 2 lakhs discount,with a warranty of 3years/1.5 lakh kms,with all the three vehicles registered ,tinted,leather seats and good quality floor mats .

As per the workshop manager the engine is ftrouble free upto 2.5 lakh kms and literally bonb proof.Even if driven badly it will return 12kmpl.The service intevals are at 10k whith each service costing around 5k including the consumables.I don't need to worry if it is idled for the turbo ,worry about black smoke and poor fe if filled with bad quality and a heart attack at the 80k service ,which are all associated with the crdi engines.I can wouch for these facts because we even have a qualis,pajero,innova and the qualis and pajero are much hassle free than the modern innova.

So it basically depends on your purpose and what you will be seeking from your car.

[phamilyman]

Very interesting - DVR. You have confirmed some of my worst fears - but yes, I appreciate your unconventional clear logic.

[theMAG]

I thought the Lancer was unofficially retired in India

[Silver Knight]

@ D.V.R the weirdest but very logical option.
But whatever you told can be summed up as it's bloody reliable and can run on and on but period SLOW.
In short boringly reliable.

[devarshi84]

I would anyday recommend a Fiesta Diesel or even the Logan diesel over the lancer. this coming from a lancer owner who loves anything that starts with L followed by ANCER.

[YC.BALENO.CHD]

Originally Posted by gaurav_chopra04

I would agree, Lancer is a very reliable car, but it looks very dated now. Also it does not have features which almost all the c segment cars have these days. no airbags, no abs, no ebd, no leather seats, no beige interiors and as ROC said virtually nothing.

why not ask them to look for a used lancer D if they want Lancer D only.

Now this is very 'general' kind of statement to make. As for looks, many of us still prefer those old clean lines than these cab forward ('cross' between sedan and hatch) looks of verna,sx4s,etc.

Handling wise, lancer still is way better than a logan or a verna, which I guess has the worst dynamics ever. Even NHC felt more reassuring than the verna.

No features-
One thing I fail to understand, why do many of us have a fetish for beige interiors? Even ZEn estilo have it, does it make it a 'luxury' car?
And By the way, lancer does have beige seat covers and door trims to offer, if that might please you.

And as for absence of safety features and leather in rs.6 lakh car, tell me which car at that price in that segment gives you ABS,EBD,Leather Interiors? And how many of the potential customers really go after these even as an option?
Just because a car is old does not mean it has to be eternally dated. Newer does not necessarily means better.
I will prefer a fiesta over the lancer, but never will I discard the lan. for verna/logan/indigo. Even if it was that the latter were launched as soon as yesterday.


And yes,if old is dated, think of it, had we still had OHC vtec selling in the market, what would you had preffered? ANHC vtec or the OHC vtec?
Those, who may choose the intial, they will most probably be impressed by the UNCONVENTIONAL (not necessarily beautiful) looks and beige interiors.
The latter will be chosen by those for who look at the overall aspects and not just the modern and supposedly better looks and beige interiors of the car.


Regards.

[jkdas]

Madan: for your friend right? Get the Lancer if the dealer quotes 5lac OTR
Its 10years old! TEN!

Check out Dezire(long wait though), Indigo, Logan if on budget or Verna and others. Linea will be a good buy too.

[itwasntme]

DVR: Impeccable reasoning and requirements speccing! I agree with all your points about giving the 110hp Verna to the driver, the cramped rear seat of the Fiesta, the Peugeot-like long term commitment of the Logan/Renault etc.

What was your final OTR?