Hi T-bhp'ers!
I've been delaying this post for a while now since I wanted to get my thoughts and purchase criteria in order.
What I am looking for: My first car!
A car that is:
1) reliable and not very difficult to maintain
2) mostly refined with classy styling
3) give lotsa driving pleasure
4) steady and stable for cruising at 110-120kmph
5) be atleast a bit unique on the road
6) equipped with high-quality interiors
and 7) return OK mileage (11+kmpl).
What I drive: An Indica 2001 V2 DLS; and before this, a Lancer GLXD in Hyderabad.
Where I drive: In Pune. I won't be using this car for office commutes - I live right opposite my workplace! So this is meant more for city runabouts (dinner, hanging out etc), and weekend trips (highway/expressway drives).
My budget: New - 4.5-6lks; Pre-owned - 4-5.5lks
Fuel: I was looking at diesel cars only till I saw the prices of good pre-owned Cedias and Fiestas. The difference in absolute price is enough to justify the higher spend on petrol and the added refinement is a boon!
Cars I have considered: (all highest-end specs)
New Maruti A-Star - Liked the cheeky unconventional looks and the smart interiors as well. ABS + Airbags for 4.5lks is a great deal. Did not like the small engine specs and awfully cramped cabin. Have not TD'ed one but have sat in one at idle, checked out interior space and cabin.
New Maruti Ritz - Yet to TD or try out one. But the price of the top-spec VDi and ZXi falls in the range of the iKon where I feel the iKon delivers more value - especially with my requirements. Correct me if I'm wrong.
New Swift - Even though I like this car a lot, its sooo common on the roads! Like a Skoda in Czechkoslovakia!
New i20 - Jaw-dropping interiors and equipment levels which are way ahead of other cars here. But am not a fan of the styling or the engine for such a car.
New Fabia - Expensive - both for purchase and for maintenance. But again, very well equipped.
New iKon TDCi - This is the prime candidate for stretching my budget to 6lks+. The car is decently equipped, looks good, drives very well, has a sound engine which is very linear in power delivery, very high mileage, reliable and is comfortable. Only dislikes are the amount of noise from the diesel (though far lesser than my Indica!) and the noise at speeds above 90. At OTR 6lks and 6.3lks with ICE and Alloys, the iKon is the most expensive of the options as well.
Accent, i10 and Getz are out because of their boring looks but the i10 has good interiors!
Pre-owned Merc/BMW 199x models - Will definitely stand out and will fit into my budget for sure. But the high maintenance costs and involvement required is not my ballgame. Plus, I'd want my first car to be *slightly new* at least.
Pre-owned OHC - Very good car but the interiors are sooo dated - even worse than the Lancer. Plus, the good deals are all for 2001-03 models which are too old again.
Pre-owned Cedia - My best bet and my current dream car. 2006-07 models are all available at 4-5.5lks having done 20-30,000 kms. Am looking for a Sports version. The Cedia is a known entity for me, very refined, very sporty, reliable, oodles of style, fast and a decent handler as well.
So it's come down to the iKon TDCi and the Pre-owned Cedia. The Fiesta is also an option but I prefer the Cedia over the Fiesta.
My questions:
1. Have I covered all the bases? Or am I missing out on anything?
2. What are the long-term maintenance costs of the Cedia and the iKon? Service, mileage, repairs, insurance etc.
3. I have found 2 Cedia Sports on Carwale (I will be searching more). One of them is right here in Pune with leather interiors, new michelins, Sony lcd system, woofer, amplifier ICE. Its a 2nd-owner, dealer-selling car with 31,800 on the odo from April 2006 selling for Rs.5.5lks. I know its high for the age, but what should I be negotiating at?
4. Any T-bhp member in Pune willing to meet up to hunt for a good Cedia Sports?
5. I'm justifying the Cedia petrol purchase due to the Rs.1-1.5lks difference to the iKon TDCi OTR price.
I hope this difference will cover up for the lower mileage and higher maintenance easily. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Lastly thanks Team-BHP, its been a very very knowledgeable 2 weeks on the forums!
Cheers!
Payne