Used Hatchback : Swift / Ritz / i10 / others

[Mr.Boss]

I'm back with another automotive shopper thread, but this thread posting here on behalf of my in-laws.

Budget : 2L, can be stretched to 2.5L
Monthly running : <750km
Usage pattern : Daily City usage, occasional highway drives
Location : Coimbatore
Fuel : Petrol
Body type : Hatch (Parking constraint, should be less than 4m)
Priorities : Less maintenance, Good FE, Good visibility, High seating position (compared with Alto)

Cars Considered:
- MS Swift
- MS Ritz
- Hyundai i10

Not considered: (for various reason)
- Alto
- Wagon-R
- Zen / Estilo
- Santro
- Eon
- Beat
- Spark
- Figo

I'm confused between the 3 selected cars, as we never owned one before. Pour in your suggestions please.

 

[rselva]

Since higher seating position is a priority, only Ritz qualifies. Swift has lowest seating position. But ask your in-laws to look at Ritz. They will reject it immediately. It has weird back and interiors will make them puke. If higher seating position is negotiable, go for swift . Swift is a higher segment car than i10 and Ritz and has more interior space and features than i10. Only down side is boot space is limited.

 

[Mr.Boss]

Ritz is good. Low price than swift, and a good height. It is cheaper to repair also.

I have the same opinion.

Since higher seating position is a priority, only Ritz qualifies. Swift has lowest seating position.

Any higher seating position compared with Alto / Zen is acceptable. They are quite happy with Swift's posture.

ask your in-laws to look at Ritz. They will reject it immediately. It has weird back and interiors will make them puke.

least bothered about the rear design, to me (and us) it is appealing. Also we aren't looking for any fancy interiors (IMO Ritz interiors are far better than my Sunny )

Swift is a higher segment car than i10 and Ritz and has more interior space and features than i10. Only down side is boot space is limited.

Considering the platform, underbody & under hood parts Ritz is at-par with Swift and it was made a segment higher. To me they are one and the same

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Ritz is going to be discontinued , hence out of your suggestion i think Swift is a best option.

 

[rselva]

Any higher seating position compared with Alto / Zen is acceptable. They are quite happy with Swift's posture.

least bothered about the rear design, to me (and us) it is appealing. Also we aren't looking for any fancy interiors (IMO Ritz interiors are far better than my Sunny )

If Ritz's design appeals to you, then with a higher seating position and lower price than Swift preowned , Ritz is the best bet, but note there will be very little resale value of 3rd hand Ritz and you may have problems with spares in future.

 

[nmm mithra]

Ritz will be a better bet only if it is to be driven mostly in city and it is not a stable highway car due to its braking, upgrade the tyres to 185/70 R14 michelin XM2 tyre which feels much more stable in highway. But then still it is the most comfortable car from the lot mentioned by you with the tall boy design.

Swift lacks in rear legroom when compared with the Ritz. But then Ritz is more of fun to drive car than the Swift. Driving a Ritz gives you a feel like driving a Mini. (Apologise i am not comparing it with ritz but everytime when i drive it, i feel it)

 

[Mr.Boss]

Ritz is going to be discontinued , hence out of your suggestion i think Swift is a best option.

Valid point to be considered, but since it is from MS stable, there shouldn't be much problem for another 5 years.
Swift demands a high resale value in used market. Price if 2005 model Swift is same as a 2009 Ritz. We get a 4 year younger car at same price, if we could compromise a little here and there.

note there will be very little resale value of 3rd hand Ritz and you may have problems with spares in future.

Agreed. But no plan to sell the car in near future (may be after 3~4 years) so resale isn't given much importance here.

Swift lacks in rear legroom when compared with the Ritz.

I could feel this difference, may be because of the tall boy design?
PS: Is there any difference in legroom between the old and current Swift?

 

[nmm mithra]

No, the rear legroom doesn't change when it is compared with the older models of swift.

 

[generalmax]

There is no confusion here.Its Ritz.The main reason is pricing.At 2 to 2.5L you will not get a decent car in that segment which is not old.At the same time, you can get a Ritz VXi for this price .Hyundai i10 is also a possibility.Depends up on the availability.

 

[singh890]

With all the given choices i would say;
1. MS Swift
2. I 10
3. MS Ritz. (I feel that Ritz pedal position is bit odd because the pedal are kinda positioned high and it is bit uncomfortable while driving in traffic. I had kept my cousins VDi Ritz for 3 days and I started feeling pain in my foot after driving it in traffic because of the pedal position. Besides that I think its a nice hatch.

 

[Godfather]

I have no doubts in my mind to suggest you Ritz. I am owning one for the last 5+ years and it has been a wonderful experience so far.

The high seating position itself is a very big advantage. Do go for bigger set of tyres (185/70 R14) as the car has a considerable body roll due to its height.

Yes, its getting discontinued soon but spare parts will be available as it shares most of the parts with Swift. So go for it!

 

[allhyundaicars]

The production has already been stopped but don't worry about parts availability. You will find the parts for another 10 years :p

Anyways. I will say go for the ritz or the i10. My 2009 1.2 magna model run 80k kms was quoted as 150k in delhi.
In 2.2lakhs you can get the sportz model with lesser mileage.

Few things to check about i10.
* steering rattle - my car have this and the cost to repair is around 15k which includes steering rack and other items.
How to check - in standstill position, turn the steering wheel and you should not hear any sound when iyou turn it fully and it can't go any further.. It will be audible and when you turn the steering again you may or may not hear the sound.

Ac còoling coil - start the ac and make sure there's no hiss sound in the beginning. It means the gas is low and the cooling coil might be the culprit.
Expense - max kf 4k including labor , gas and cooling coil.

These are the only 2 major problems in my car which i shared and i hope other ritz owners do the same if the car has any major defects they know of.

Besides this i have always enjoyed driving this car. It's smooth , the acceleration is brilliant ( i like my i10's acceleation better than my verna :p) seats are comfy. For various service charges and parts cost you can always check my thread.

 

[ADSA]

Since Ritz always came with 1.2L K series motor, it will be a better pick over high priced swift.

First gen i10s with kappa engine had weak bottom end. The 2009-10 cars were plagued with steering rattle issues. Also, the beige interior is easily soiled and the reflection under sunlight makes driving hard.
Pick only the facelifted i10 2011 or later with extended warranty. If you are able to find one, you may extend it upto five years from the date of purchase.

Alternatively, you may look for Honda Brio. It's got a gem of an engine.

 

[Mr.Boss]

Thank you all for the suggestions.
I came across a few cars (2 i10, 1 Swift, 1 Ritz) yesterday and not satisfied with any of them.

1) 2006 Swift VXi
- Second Owner
- 66k on odo (but I doubt)
- Heavy clutch
- Noisy engine
- Dirty Interiors
- Bald Tires

2) 2007 i10 (Couldn't remember the variant)
- Single Owner
- 54k on odo (no service records after 2011/30k km)
- Few Scratches and dents here & there
- One power window doesn't work
- Accident damage repaired with insurance

3) 2009 i10 Magna
- Single Owner
- 68k on odo with complete service records
- Engine is butter smooth with awesome pickup
- Abnormal Tire wear on Front LH (suspension / alignment issue)
- Other 3 tires with more than 50% life, spare is useless
- Steering vibration observed when driven over bad stretches

4) 2009 Ritz VXi
- Second Owner
- 66k on odo
- Accident repair done (current owner is not aware of it or he is hiding the truth)
- Clutch, Brakes everything need immediate attention

All these 4 cars were ruled out. Should look for some other cars today and next weekend.

 

[joni_rajpura]

any update Mr.Boss.