[jkrishnakj]

Tarun- On straight highways, the overtake is a pain. Pain as in, you just need to plan better for the same. It is definitely underpowered. It’ll take for ever to hit 60. But then, it can also cruise at 90-110 @2900 RPM very easily.

On the ghats, it was such a joy to keep overtaking so many vehicles. It just pulls very well.

[Neil Roy]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

Thanks again for the all the varied .....
The Compass is the true upgrade to the Ecosport but the pricing today is just ridiculous........Oh yes, grinning for sure. The 'luxury' craving isn't so strong now as the drive and fun experience from behind the steering is my main priority, so that fits well.

To put things in real perspective, my 2 cents. This is my highway ride




And this is my Jimny. (Please excuse the clarity as it is a screen shot from a drone video)



That being said, think really hard about getting the Jimny cos, let's face it, cars are ridiculously overpriced these days and this sours the ownership experience a great deal. i had the (mis)fortune to drive both the Jimny and the Safari back to back on the highways this week. I was literally thinking, "I just spent 17 lacs for this?" The reason being that if needs be, I can push the safari to 140 or cruise at 120 all day long, whereas in the JImny 100 is the limit. Mind you, I have spent ridiculous amounts of money in audio and damping but that does not reduce the strained engine feel post 100. Also, compared to TATA, the interiors of the Jimny felt very cheap. You could cut onions with the seat belt..... That's how sharp the edges are. On a cost wise comparison, Safari was just 4 lacs more than the Jimny, with oodles of power, better comfort and definitely better mileage and safety. So, why did I buy the Jimny?
1) Inside city, it is very nimble and easier to drive.
2) It is very cute and draws eyeballs.
3) I have an estate and my Jimny replaced my Thar and hence I had a dedicated need for a 4x4.
Now, ask yourself the same question.
For point no.1 - Ecosport is easy to drive in the city and powerful on the highway and hence Jimny does not really trump the ecosport in any which way.
For point no.2 Beauty fades with time. When Ecosport was launched, it was a looker. Same applies to Jimny 3 to 4 years down the line.
For point no.3 - Do you have a need for mild offroading. Bangaloreans have this need due to their roads, but that's a different topic.
If you retain the Ecosport and the Jimny, you are bound to be dissapointed with the Jimny very soon as in comfort, power and performance in city and highways, the Ecosport is way more superior. If you retain the Alto and the Jimny, you will miss your Ecosport. I still miss my Cruze.
My job is done. and BTW in case you haven't noticed, my Jimny is red too.

[Vid6639]

The Jimny makes sense only as recreation vehicle provided you have a practical car.

I have an Ecosport, Kodiaq and a BMW 3 series in my garage. The Kodiaq is for highway cruising, BMW for fun to drive and ecosport for city commuting.

The Ecosport in my case will be replaced with the Jimny. When I bought the Ecosport I didn't have the 3 series or the Kodiaq, hence the Ford was my city and highway all in one car. Now I don't need a highway cruiser as I have the Kodiaq and 3 series when I want something fun with more power.

The Jimny works well as my 3rd car replacing the Ford as it will see Bangalore craters similar to Chandrayaan on the moon. I can also take it to offbeat places around town but longer trips will have to be planned based on destination.

[Uncia6276]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

My garage today consists of 2 cars:

So this brings me to my predicament - Replace the Alto with the Jimny and have 2 sub 4m cars in my garage. The Jimny will stay as the permanent 2nd car for a lonnnnng time OR keep the Alto for a lonnng time and replace the Ecosport with a ~25Lakh replacement that will give the same smiles per drive

Ecosport is an excellent vehicle - spacious, frugal, power and reliability, and most importantly, driving pleasure.

Replacing Alto with Jimny, consider following :-
- Long Turning radius. Currently your wife uses Alto, the Jimny has ridiculous turning radius, which is problematic in cities.
- If no requirement for a proper 4*4, there are much better options available in lesser price range.
- In my opinion, Jimny is overpriced by 2 to 2.5 Lacs (especially if someone does not require 4*4) - even though I have booked it as I plan to cover remote regions in Himalayas without a worry. (Note, I have done Bhaderwah-Doda-Kishtwar-Killar-Udaipur in Ertiga DDiS that too in November)
- Point here is even Front Wheel drive pseudo SUV's (Brezza / Creta / Harrier etc) are very capable, and you really need 4WD is rare case.
- 5 years In future, you can jump to a bigger car with this money saved and any extra capital, a better value for money.

[OpenRoads]

Hi Tarun,

First of all, Congratulations for the new arrival! ( I mean the baby later this year )

Now coming to the itch part I see the appeal.. We all have it and call it by many names.. Mid life crisis, Nervous first time parents, Idle money, call of the heart etc.

So in other words. Listen to your head and not your heart. YOU DO NOT NEED ANOTHER CAR. Or at least wait till the baby arrives and then decide. Anyways you might be lying awake for sometime post that :P

In case your heart wins this battel (which eventually happens), then ask your wife if she needs an upgrade. If yes it should be a car which is easy and comfortable to drive in city not river. Someone who drives a automatic alto might find it difficult to maneuver a bigger and bumpier car.

And if its you who wants the car (which I see in this case) then sky is the limit

[Livnletcarsliv]

Well, here is my few cents based on my observation and understanding of your situation and requirements.

You have 2 important (more important than a car) life-changing situations upcoming - a little bundle of joy on the way and relocation (assuming that it is due to work).

Please note that both these are heavy time-consuming situations/moments. So whatever 4 wheels you buy (whether it is Jimny or XUV700 or even Compass for that matter), you will not have enough time at least in the near future to drive your heart out. As an enthusiast, it will be hurtful to keep our desired car parked for long without putting it to the best use.

You don't need a car and you only want a car. In fact, your existing garage is fun enough with your 2 cars (especially with your tuned Ecosport). It is very difficult to replace it with less than 30L. So I strongly recommend you push this car replacement activity for quite some time. Especially until you spend a few months with the little one and your routine is set.

And as someone else has already pointed out, let the first crazy wave of Jimny settle down. Then let's revisit your situation (especially your emotional and mental situation) after some time.

So hold on for now.

[fiat_tarun]

So I finally made it for a test drive but the dealer did not have an automatic TD vehicle. We got to check out a few of the parameters:



1) The missing seat height adjust is not an issue with both my wife and me on the taller side

2) The size - It is small and narrow and the rear seats have horrible under thigh support which is why I can never see the Jimny as the only car in a household. In our case though, this compactness is a huge draw and a part of the appeal !

3) The drive - Since only a manual was available for TD, I took a short drive mainly to check out the suspension and ride quality. In short, the ride quality is really really good, more so because my daily ride is an Ecosport with 17" low profile tyres. This was instantly approved by the wife
I loved the Jeep like feeling from the inside, the engine has a decent low end and the mid range as expected is dead.

Have planned another drive with the automatic for which I probably have to contact another dealer, post which we might actually go ahead if all is well.

We are looking at the Alpha AT and it is truly overpriced at ~18L on road in Pune, however with a BH registration it should be ~16L on road which is a little more digestible ( I know I eventually pay the delta tax over time, but the lower upfront investment is a big deal).

The dealer is also ready to exchange our KA registered Alto here, although I expect them to underquote for this. Spinny says I should get 3-3.5L which is pretty good, so let's see.

So the heart is winning this battle, let's see if the mind is able to come up with something to spoil the party

[fiat_tarun]

Another update - Jimny Alpha AT in Nexa Blue BOOKED !

We got to test drive an AT a few days back, wife approved it, Spinny is offering 3.7 Lakh for a 2018 Alto K10 AMT , the vehicle is in stock for ready delivery, so there was nothing else to wait for !

Have made the booking yesterday and shall sort out the loan and other documentation over the next week. Will most probably take delivery sometime towards the end of next week.

[fiat_tarun]

The Jimny came home on 9th September and we are in the process of getting to know the car better. Thanks again for all your inputs

[Harsh_sharma]

Hi all,

This is going to be a confusing post, for a dilemma that should not exist. But I would love to hear suggestions from the members so that I can make peace with my existing set of wheels.

I'll make it crisp. We own a Maruti Suzuki Baleno 2022. Which replaced our 2007'Alto. Baleno has been reliable & frugal as it should be and has clocked 34,000km.



I recently got married, & in addition to my wife in the family, there was one more addition to the garage as well. 2024 Kia Sonet HTK+ 1.0 IMT.



Usage

1. My father is the primary user of our Baleno. To his 40km daily commute to the office. But he has retired now, so no daily running.
2. My wife is still learning on the Sonet. She commutes to work which is 15km to & fro.
3. I commute to Gurgaon, so a car makes no sense. I mostly use the metro & my bike.
4. I am a native of Himachal. So a yearly or twice-a-year visit to Himachal + some casual runs to Uttrakhand 2-3 times a year.
   

What's the dilemma?
I am assuming that one of the cars will stay idle for long periods & not see any usage unless we voluntarily(which we will) shuffle between cars for daily commute. I have a few options in mind to deal with this situation.

Options

1. Pay off Baleno's loan & sell it off. Use the Sonet as the sole City-Highway car. The problem is Baleno is my first car & is in perfect condition + also very frugal (19-20kmpl in the city)
2. This is where the Jimny comes in. I just like it for what it offers & how it looks. Although 90% of the running will be in the city & 4x4 capabilities will never be used. So sell both the cars and get a Jimny AT.
3. Or I can trade in the Sonet for the Jimny. Sonet has less than 500km on the Odo, so the price difference will not be huge.
4. Just continue with both the cars I have. Sonet already has a 2x or 3x more feel-good factor than my Baleno. If they both were 1.2NA, it would have been boring, but the combo of 1.0 turbo & 1.2NA is good to have.

Although I am in no hurry to make the decision, except the only time I see Jimny I start thinking what if we had one? I guess I will have more clarity when I drive one which I am planning to do this weekend.

Please help me get some sense, I do not want to make an impulse decision & regret it later.

[fiat_tarun]

Originally Posted by Harsh_sharma

... Although 90% of the running will be in the city & 4x4 capabilities will never be used.
...i

Just for the highlighted portion, I'd say don't buy the Jimny. Off road is where it excels and if that is never going to be the case, then there are better vehicles to choose from.

Yes, it is a good city runabout but to truly enjoy the Jimny you need to go offroad !

[Amrit@wheels]

Originally Posted by Harsh_sharma

Please help me get some sense, I do not want to make an impulse decision & regret it later.

Please do not even think about selling your new Sonet for a Jimny. I love Jimny but the Sonet 1.0 turbo is a hoot to drive. It will be a huge downgrade in terms of driving pleasure and overall feel. Your usage doesn't really warrant that switch either. For now, I'd suggest you do not sell either of your cars. If the upgrade bug is biting you hard, I'd suggest you trade your Baleno for the Jimny, not the Sonnet. Baleno commands great resale value as well. This way, you will have a proven city and highway car that is reasonably frugal to run (obviously not as frugal as Baleno) and a go-anywhere 4x4 for your annual trip to Pahad (I am an Uttarakhandi myself so I understand your situation).

[Harsh_sharma]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

Just for the highlighted portion, I'd say don't buy the Jimny. Off road is where it excels and if that is never going to be the case, then there are better vehicles to choose from.

Yes, it is a good city runabout but to truly enjoy the Jimny you need to go offroad !

Yes, I have thought this logically & even the run to the hometown is not that challenging. Heck, my old Alto used to do it comfortably, now the Sonet can take care of it.
With Jimny, I purposely will have to find an off-beat path to enjoy it. While the majority of the running will still be in the city.

Originally Posted by Amrit@wheels

Please do not even think about selling your new Sonet for a Jimny. I love Jimny but the Sonet 1.0 turbo is a hoot to drive. It will be a huge downgrade in terms of driving pleasure and overall feel. Your usage doesn't really warrant that switch either. For now, I'd suggest you do not sell either of your cars. If the upgrade bug is biting you hard, I'd suggest you trade your Baleno for the Jimny, not the Sonnet. Baleno commands great resale value as well. This way, you will have a proven city and highway car that is reasonably frugal to run (obviously not as frugal as Baleno) and a go-anywhere 4x4 for your annual trip to Pahad (I am an Uttarakhandi myself so I understand your situation).

Sonet 1.0 is great to drive, especially when coming from Baleno. I know it would be difficult for Jimny to match Sonet in driving pleasure, interior feel, and features.
Selling the Baleno then can be thought of at a later time (around 5 year mark) & maybe then look at the Jimny.

Originally Posted by Amrit@wheels

a go-anywhere 4x4 for your annual trip to Pahad (I am an Uttarakhandi myself so I understand your situation).

I am curious do you feel the need for a 4x4 in Uttarakhand? Or even say Himachal. Because the majority of roads can be tackled by an jacked up hatchback (C-SUV)

[Amrit@wheels]

Originally Posted by Harsh_sharma

I am curious do you feel the need for a 4x4 in Uttarakhand? Or even say Himachal. Because the majority of roads can be tackled by an jacked up hatchback (C-SUV)

Honestly, no. Alto is the most widely used car in the mountains and it is a front-wheel drive hatchback with low ground clearance. 95% of the time, you don't need a 4x4. In fact, most 4x4 drivers in the mountains are people from the plains who don't really know what they are doing. There are countless videos of idiots driving huge 4x4 cars and getting stuck while a seasoned pahadi with his Alto makes it look like a cakewalk.
My honest suggestion would be to retain your Baleno for now and save up some more money before going for the Jimny. For now, your Sonnet is more than capable for your Himalayan trips.