First car for a beginner: Should I buy a 1.5 lakh km driven Grand i10

For me, the car's mileage is a red flag but I'm unable to find a better deal. In my budget, decade-old models of the Hyundai i10 & Maruti WagonR are available.

BHPian utkarshshukla92 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello Bhpians,

I am a newbie driver and I was looking for my 1st used car. I have a deal directly from the owner for a Sept 2014 Grand i10 Asta with 1.5 Lakh km on the ODO for 2.5 Lakhs. The car is mechanically in good condition though it has a fair share of scratches and 2 dents on each rear door.

This car was maintained at a workshop in Noida and the owner of this workshop has given me a green signal on the car with no major expenses coming up. (Good things have been said about the owner of this workshop on T-Bhp many times and that is how I came to know about him and this Grand i10).

Now the question is, as a newbie driver, I want that safety net of ABS and airbags that this car offers but those km on the ODO, is what I see as a red flag.

I am unable to find a better deal in the market at the moment and have noticed the used car prices are skyrocketing and in my budget of 2.5 Lakhs, dealers are offering 10-11-year-old i10s and WagonRs which I am not very happy with. So, should I go for this car or look for more options?

Sharing some pictures of the above-mentioned car.

Here's what BHPian 2000rpm had to say about the matter:

While I agree with buying used, I think you should avoid this one.

A bad condition first car is a sure shot way to move away from being an auto-enthusiast.

I would suggest you look for used Petrol POLOs with low mileage. The build quality (European) and ownership Pride of a Polo (killer looks) are far superior to that of a Hyundai.

Here's what BHPian GreasyCarb55 had to say about the matter:

Hi there Utkarsh, I started a similar thread in Jan 2022 which I will link below (although that thread is based solely on enthusiasts/drivers' cars).

Although I will say this; if you're just looking for a nice car first car, the last-gen Grand i10 does seem like a good choice. I am also in the same bucket (looking for a first car under 4 lakh myself) and I would suggest the following options as well:

• Gen 1 1.3 Petrol Swift
• Gen 1 Facelift Ford Figo Diesel (2012-2015)
• Gen 1 Ford Fiesta/Fiesta Classic 1.6

If you have questions regarding the safety and reliability side of things I would suggest you ask in the Grand i10 review thread which I will also link below.

Link to my thread. (Best enthusiast / first car for an 18-year old college student under 4 lakhs?)

Grand i10 Review thread

Here's what BHPian ObsessedByFIAT had to say about the matter:

The first few basic questions that you need to answer are:

• What is the max budget?
• How urgent is the need for a car?
• Are you ok with a car from another state?
• Are you ok with purchasing a lesser sold car?

Had I been in your place, I would not buy a 1+ lac km run car. How much ever the car is in good condition, even with an experienced new owner, the car will surely run into issues.

Better to look for lesser run cars. They would cost you a little more, but the chances of failure as compared to a more used car would be slightly less.

Don't take anyone's word for the car's condition. Make sure due diligence is done, like checking the entire service history, insurance claims, major parts if changed any.

Cosmetic beauty can be enhanced, however, don't buy a car with too many dents. I feel that is an indication that the car was not cared for too much.

You can also look at the organized players like true value, Toyota trust, Spiny, Cars24, etc. Advantage being, you get some warranty on the car which itself is a bit confidence-inspiring.

Trust me, I was in the same place as you are a few years back. Due to a lack of knowledge, I got a car with an accident history, which I got to know only after owning the car for around a year. It did dilute my ownership experience and I felt cheated. I wouldn't wish for anyone else to have that same feeling after spending your hard-earned money.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.