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Bought a sparsely used Hexa XMA: Why I chose it over the Kia Carens

27th June 2024, 11:34 by Ananth Iyer

The entire experience, from researching and test driving to finalizing the deal, was enriching and provided valuable insights.

BHPian vasi.raju recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My Experience Buying a Used Tata Hexa

The Automotive Journey

Our family's automotive journey has seen gradual but thoughtful upgrades. We started with a trusty Swift Dzire VDi, which served us well for eight years and clocked over 85,000 kilometers. In 2021, we upgraded to a Honda City Automatic, a significant leap in terms of comfort, style, and performance. When we booked the Honda City, we were a family of five. However, by the time it was delivered, we were expecting our second child. For the first couple of years, the City was sufficient, as our younger one often stayed with the elders. But as he grew, our needs evolved.

The Realization: Need for a Seven-Seater

Family trips, especially hometown drives, became challenging as our boys became less willing to sit with the elders in their laps. The Honda City started feeling cramped, and it became clear that we needed a seven-seater. Our requirements were straightforward: a vehicle with good build quality, less than 50,000 kilometers on the odometer, under five years old, no accidents, and pocket-friendly maintenance.

The Search Begins

Initially, the Tata Hexa wasn't on my radar. My list of potential seven-seaters included:

Mahindra Marazzo
Mahindra Scorpio
Mahindra XUV 500
KIA Carens
Honda BR-V

My wife was adamant about not considering any MSIL (Maruti Suzuki India Limited) vehicles, which narrowed down our options further. I regularly scrolled through various apps—Cars24, Spinny, CarDekho, and TBHP Classifieds—hoping to find the right match.

The Test Drives

For some reason, all the cars I found were from direct owners. Here's a brief overview of our test drives:

Mahindra Marazzo (2020 model): Spacious and well-received by the kids, but it didn't feel like an upgrade. The interiors and overall feel weren't premium enough.
KIA Carens (2020 model): Seemed like an upgrade from the Honda City. However, after a test drive and checking the service history via Cars24 (which costs only ₹199 and is highly recommended), I discovered the Marazzo had a gearbox repair—a red flag. The Carens didn't impress me with its safety and build quality.

The Surprise: Tata Hexa

One fine day, while continuing my search, I came across a listing for a Tata Hexa. Intrigued, I began researching it on YouTube. The more I watched, the more I liked the car. Experts praised its build quality, features, ride, and handling, often comparing it to a ₹40 lakh car. Excited, I scheduled a test drive for the weekend.

The Inspection

After the test drive, I requested the owner to take the car to a Tata Authorized Service Station (TASS) for a thorough inspection. I met with a Service Advisor (SA) at TASS and asked him to help with the inspection, even offering a tip to ensure thoroughness. I also consulted a popular automobile YouTuber who provides consultancy services to understand what to check.

Parallelly, I delved into discussions on the TBHP forum about Hexa's gearbox issues and ensured these were checked. After the SA's inspection, which included a test drive and history check, I got the green light. I then negotiated the price, agreed on a deal, and gave the owner a token amount.

Selling the Honda City

My next step was to sell the 2021 Honda City to fund the purchase of the Hexa. I scheduled inspections from Spinny, Cars24, CarDekho, and a third-party buyer with one-hour gaps. Despite some delays, all inspections happened simultaneously. Cars24 offered the highest quote, which was 40% more than Spinny's offer, and I closed the deal with them. They transferred a token amount to my account, took the car the next day, and cleared the loan directly. After obtaining the NOC from the bank, they credited the remaining amount.

Final Purchase and Satisfaction

With funds in hand, I finalized the purchase of the Tata Hexa, which we've named Armada. Driving it feels like navigating a ship due to the sheer comfort and space it offers. The entire experience, from researching and test driving to finalizing the deal, was enriching and provided valuable insights. Overall, I am highly satisfied with this purchase and hope my experience helps others in a similar situation.