First Car Dilemma

[nomad47]

Hello everyone,

New Member nomad47 here. In the pursuit of my first car, I have been researching for almost a month now and also had booked a car (will come to that in a minute) with token amount. But first of all the necessary details:

> My Budget: 8.5 Lakhs
> New or Used: New Car
> My Location: Kota, Rajasthan
> Top Five Priorities: Safety, Comfort, Fuel Economy, Low Maintenance, Design, Luggage Space
> Monthly Running: Somewhere around 1500 km (sometimes maybe 300-400 km)
> Type of Fuel: Diesel (Is Petrol feasible??)
> For What Purpose: Daily commute via Highway
> Seating Capacity: Min 4, 5 adults preferable
> Type of Segment: Compact Sedan, Hot Hatch

In this quest to find that illusive beast which satisfies all my requirements I have shortlisted the following in order of preference 1. Ford Aspire TDCI Titanium 2. Hyundai Elite i20 Sportz (will have to stretch budget by another 40k for this) 3. Volkswagen Ameo TDCI Comfortline (again will have to stretch budget) 4. Maruti Suzuki Baleno Delta Diesel (damn that waiting period).

The Ford Aspire is the one that sits perfectly in my budget with all the points ticked in my checklist. I have also booked the car 20 days back in silver color. But the dealership is unable to get a car for me in Silver or Grey which are my preferred colors. This has got me in the position to look for a second option as I will be requiring the car for commutes starting next month. Suggestions will be highly appreciated keeping in mind the above.
Here are some additional points:
1. I might run the car for 1500-2000 km per month for 2-3 months as year for highway commutes, but for remaining 9-10 months it would be mostly for 300-400 km per month for shorter commutes of 2-3 km per run. So in this case is Diesel favorable. Taking into consideration interest on loan and maintenance I am yet to get a decent payback period, still people suggests me for diesel. Am I missing something?
2. Are diesel cars really maintenance prone, even the new gen ones?
3. Does NVH goes up quickly in Diesel as opposed to petrol with age?
4. How does Ford Diesel fares up to its competition in terms of maintenance and ease of serviceability?

 

[allhyundaicars]

Re: First Car Dilema

All in all you will be covering 10k kms +- 1k kms in a year and this running demands a petrol. And since your commute is on highway you won't get much traffic and any petrol car ( which you mentioned ) will give you 14+ kmpl. A diesel on the same stretch will give you 22+ kmpl. So according to me you will break even after 4 years of ownership. Only after that you might get the benefit of owning a diesel.

People suggest you the diesel because most of them pay happily 1 lakh Rupees extra in advance and think they have made a good decision after they give 1500rs for a tankful of fuel. Dont buy a diesel in my opinion.

I own the new figo diesel and it gives me 17.5 kmpl in summers with ac and 20kmpl(last tankful) in winters with less ac usage. So on highways it will easily give 22 kmpl+.
Same goes for the i20.

I still prefer to sit in my 5 year old verna's silent petrol cabin than my 1 year old figo. NVH will be much better in i20 though be it the diesel or the petrol.
But both the i20 and Aspire petrol will sound a little bit harsh when you cross 80 kmph. Not a deal breaker just letting you know.

I have completed 15k kms in my figo and the engine is superb. You will leave behind most of the cars just by a lille tap on the accelerator.
2nd free service which included oil , oil filter etc costed me 1700 rs.
I20's service will be more or less the same.

If you can't get the color choice for aspire you can buy the i20 but overtaking will require some time since petrol engine isn't the best for the car's size( for both the aspire and the i20)That being said you will get habitual and after getting to know the engine you won't face much problem in overtaking.

About ameo - it will be the best in terms of handling and stability and the most safest of the lot but maintenance will be a little high than i20 and the aspire.
I think you should also ta ke a td of honda jazz. It has pathetic low end torque ( took a td myself) but many other users said it's a great highway performer( couldn't check this myself)

 

[Alpha]

Re: First Car Dilema

Hello everyone

Hello nomad47

As allhyundaicars suggested, it would be better if you stick to petrol engines with your annual commute of 9-10k kms. Since your commute is majorly on highways, a diesel as well as a petrol engine would give good fuel efficiency. In fact, you will feel better in a petrol car due to the refinement and smoothness levels.

Maruti Baleno is out of contention since there is a huge waiting period. You can still enquire at NEXA if you don't have any strict preferences for colour and variant, since the SA would be able to allot any (booking) cancelled car to you at the earliest. But it is a gamble, and may not pay off if you still have to wait for 2-3 months for a car to be alloted. You can have a look at Honda Jazz Petrol. I have heard that it is a better performer than i20's petrol engine, but yet to check out personally. Also note that low end torque wouldn't matter in high speed scenarios since the RPM would be over 2k mark mostly. This makes even the i20 petrol to be suitable provided you don't gun the throttle. You haven't mentioned about performance in your priorities, so I guess i20 petrol should be on your list as it covers all your requirements very well. Jazz has a quirky design and may not be liked by all but i20's designed is more mature and please-all type. This plays a role while selling the car.

The next option remains Ford Aspire, which is another capable car meeting most of your requirements. Again a lacklustre engine but it is a decently loaded car in its top trim like the Elite i20. Check out Maruti Dzire Petrol also. It meets your requirements to the T. Refined and punchy petrol engine, decent fuel efficiency, decent boot space, super comfortable rear seat and supportive front seats, good handling as well as Maruti reliability. The quality of i20 would be missing though.

Sorry for the confusing post. My preference would be Elite i20 Petrol > Dzire Petrol > Aspire Petrol/Jazz Petrol.

Regards,
Alpha

 

[kkn13]

Re: First Car Dilema

I wouldnt suggest Jazz Petrol because its low end is extremely sluggish but still better than Hyundai i10 grand and i20's 1.2 petrol. Jazz Automatic petrol manages to mask this a little bit compared to the manual in traffic though , otherwise Jazz is the best car in this segment, would have loved a 1.5 though(not diesel).

Ford petrol is pretty ok but the diesel is the one of the three engines I love in this segment(upto 15L, 1.3/1.6 MJD and 1.5 IVTEC being the other 2 engines)

Modern diesels have easily bridged the gap between petrol and diesel and depending on car, they are more or less as refined as petrols and easy to maintain , NVH etc is also good

exceptions include Honda Diesels which are terribly noisy and a bit crude but fun to drive nevertheless

As for Jazz vs i20, i20 may have a few more features but Jazz is easily the more comfortable car and engine is better too
Also i20 seating is a bit odd for my liking, steering feels extremely loose too. Honda strikes the correct balance in its steering and doesnt feel lifeless, doesnt feel heavy either, great at high speeds too.

Id say get the Jazz or the Ford frankly
next best option is the i20
Ameo 3 cylinder is a major let down along with the high maintenance

Jazz/Ford>i20>Ameo according to me

Diesels story may be different

 

[nomad47]

Re: First Car Dilema

@allhyundaicar @Alpha @kkn13 thanks for the inputs. What's making it more confusing is my requirements are not fixed yet. 1 year down the line the car may be used for 85km commute daily. That's why I was inclined to the diesel option. But I am yet to be absolutely certain about the 85km requirement. Keeping only and only power factor in mind I choose the diesel option as all the petrol offerings were just average in terms of performance.

I personally don't like the looks of Honda Jazz and so am avoiding it. If Ford is unable to deliver the Aspire by this month which is highly possible I might end up buying i20 Sportz. Petrol or Diesel, yet to be decided for this model. I have never thought this would be such a confusing experience.

Btw @kkn13 you the same kkn13 of TDF?

 

[F4frewin]

Re: First Car Dilema

@allhyundaicar @Alpha @kkn13 thanks for the inputs. What's making it more confusing is my requirements are not fixed yet. 1 year down the line the car may be used for 85km commute daily. That's why I was inclined to the diesel option. But I am yet to be absolutely certain about the 85km requirement. Keeping only and only power factor in mind I choose the diesel option as all the petrol offerings were just average in terms of performance.

I personally don't like the looks of Honda Jazz and so am avoiding it. If Ford is unable to deliver the Aspire by this month which is highly possible I might end up buying i20 Sportz. Petrol or Diesel, yet to be decided for this model. I have never thought this would be such a confusing experience.

Btw @kkn13 you the same kkn13 of TDF?

If you believe your driving requirements may increase, I would suggest to buy a diesel. As the price difference between Petrol and Diesel in this segment is not substantial unlike D segment sedans, Diesel Aspire is a good choice. It's a powerful car and you would love the torque on highways.

I would suggest you to push the dealer to deliver your choice of colour or threaten to cancel. I most cases, dealers try to clear their inventory first. As the demand for Aspire is steady and not in a big up-curve, this could be the case.

 

[kkn13]

Re: First Car Dilema

@allhyundaicar @Alpha @kkn13 thanks for the inputs. What's making it more confusing is my requirements are not fixed yet. 1 year down the line the car may be used for 85km commute daily. That's why I was inclined to the diesel option. But I am yet to be absolutely certain about the 85km requirement. Keeping only and only power factor in mind I choose the diesel option as all the petrol offerings were just average in terms of performance.

I personally don't like the looks of Honda Jazz and so am avoiding it. If Ford is unable to deliver the Aspire by this month which is highly possible I might end up buying i20 Sportz. Petrol or Diesel, yet to be decided for this model. I have never thought this would be such a confusing experience.

Btw @kkn13 you the same kkn13 of TDF?

Yeah, Im from TDF , are you also from TDF?

BTW Aspire is the best car for your requirements imho
PS- keep in mind Fords dont have the best resale and they seem pretty serious about the Indian market so its best if you are gonna keep the car for a few years at least
I myself might buy a Ford next- Figo or Endeavour (for me and dad)

If you are going for i20, diesel option is the only one worth considering imho, itll perform great on highways too and isnt as sluggish as petrol
resale, maintenance is also good enough

 

[nomad47]

Re: First Car Dilema

I have booked the Aspire last month itself, but delivery is still pending and uncertain. So am looking for alternates.

You know me as The Mighty Nomad in the TDF group.;)

 

[kkn13]

Re: First Car Dilema

I have booked the Aspire last month itself, but delivery is still pending and uncertain. So am looking for alternates.

You know me as The Mighty Nomad in the TDF group.;)

Oh try a bit of arm twisting if they are giving excuses, Ford higher level execs are pretty responsive
BTW did you try pushing them for discounts? my friend bought one and got a pretty good deal (cant remember the exact figure)
Someone else in these forums was having issues buying an Ecosport in Mars red a few days ago

Hyundai is the next best option otherwise

What about Swift otherwise? it also fits your requirements and might be able to score one faster, I know its a bit dated but its a safe buy and maintenance, resale etc is proven. The 1.3 MJD in the Swift is one of the best engines in the segment(around same torque etc as the Ford)

i20 has the edge is features and design though, resale and maintenance are on par with Swift though off late
Im not a fan of i20 steering and low end response though, otherwise a smooth ride and worth it

 

[TSIVipul]

Re: First Car Dilema

In the above scenario, my suggestion will be:

If diesel:
Aspire Titanium TDCi > i20 CRDi > Ameo TDi (Ameo engine is best here but low on space this car is)

If petrol
Figo Aspire DCT if automatic can be considered
Swift DZire ZXi if manual is considered

 

[nomad47]

Re: First Car Dilema

If you believe your driving requirements may increase, I would suggest to buy a diesel. As the price difference between Petrol and Diesel in this segment is not substantial unlike D segment sedans, Diesel Aspire is a good choice. It's a powerful car and you would love the torque on highways.

I would suggest you to push the dealer to deliver your choice of colour or threaten to cancel. I most cases, dealers try to clear their inventory first. As the demand for Aspire is steady and not in a big up-curve, this could be the case.

The dealer is helpless as it seems. The ownership of all the Ford showrooms in Rajasthan are with one person. And nowhere in Rajasthan they have the color and variant I want.

Yeah, Im from TDF , are you also from TDF?

BTW Aspire is the best car for your requirements imho
PS- keep in mind Fords dont have the best resale and they seem pretty serious about the Indian market so its best if you are gonna keep the car for a few years at least
I myself might buy a Ford next- Figo or Endeavour (for me and dad)

If you are going for i20, diesel option is the only one worth considering imho, itll perform great on highways too and isnt as sluggish as petrol
resale, maintenance is also good enough

Oh try a bit of arm twisting if they are giving excuses, Ford higher level execs are pretty responsive
BTW did you try pushing them for discounts? my friend bought one and got a pretty good deal (cant remember the exact figure)
Someone else in these forums was having issues buying an Ecosport in Mars red a few days ago

Hyundai is the next best option otherwise

What about Swift otherwise? it also fits your requirements and might be able to score one faster, I know its a bit dated but its a safe buy and maintenance, resale etc is proven. The 1.3 MJD in the Swift is one of the best engines in the segment(around same torque etc as the Ford)

i20 has the edge is features and design though, resale and maintenance are on par with Swift though off late
Im not a fan of i20 steering and low end response though, otherwise a smooth ride and worth it

In Aspire there are very less discounts. I have got some free accessories and all. And free extended warranty as part of corporate tie up. I am trying for a CS rather than hatchback, but if I go the i20 route I will look into the Swift also. Can you tell me what discounts your friend was able to manage?

In the above scenario, my suggestion will be:

If diesel:
Aspire Titanium TDCi > i20 CRDi > Ameo TDi (Ameo engine is best here but low on space this car is)

If petrol
Figo Aspire DCT if automatic can be considered
Swift DZire ZXi if manual is considered

Aspire is first choice. Non availability is pissing me off.

Heard in Bangalore waiting as long as up to Feb 2017 is being quoted for Aspire.

 

[kkn13]

Re: First Car Dilema

The dealer is helpless as it seems. The ownership of all the Ford showrooms in Rajasthan are with one person. And nowhere in Rajasthan they have the color and variant I want.






In Aspire there are very less discounts. I have got some free accessories and all. And free extended warranty as part of corporate tie up. I am trying for a CS rather than hatchback, but if I go the i20 route I will look into the Swift also. Can you tell me what discounts your friend was able to manage?




Aspire is first choice. Non availability is pissing me off.

Heard in Bangalore waiting as long as up to Feb 2017 is being quoted for Aspire.

I think it was somewhere along the lines of 7.10 for top end Diesel Titanium
BTW Dzire got an AMT DDiS variant too a while back (havent driven it) though I feel it looks a bit quirky and Aspire should be your first choice
Try Ford Twitter or try contacting their execs via email

Edit- Dzire AMT is 10.23 OTR, not worth it imho
heck Ertiga is cheaper than that

 

[nomad47]

Re: First Car Dilema

I think it was somewhere along the lines of 7.10 for top end Diesel Titanium
BTW Dzire got an AMT DDiS variant too a while back (havent driven it) though I feel it looks a bit quirky and Aspire should be your first choice
Try Ford Twitter or try contacting their execs via email

Edit- Dzire AMT is 10.23 OTR, not worth it imho
heck Ertiga is cheaper than that

Wait what? 7.10 is not possible as Titanium Diesel ex showroom is 7.25 and top end Titanium plus is 8.08. wait are you saying ex-showroom? That's still cheap

 

[TSIVipul]

Re: First Car Dilema

Aspire is first choice. Non availability is pissing me off.

Heard in Bangalore waiting as long as up to Feb 2017 is being quoted for Aspire.

I don't think there is any significant waiting on the Aspire, tweet to Ford, write to customer care and check with an another dealer to get a clear picture of the situation.

For knowing avilability you can use your laptop and phone, just search fr dealers in different cities and ask them of waiting period on Aspire. It isn't a fast moving product and a waiting till Feb 2017 is what I can't simply digest.

Rest you can check Ameo TDi too in case you are biased towards cracker performance and awesome driving experience.

BTW Dzire got an AMT DDiS variant too a while back (havent driven it) though I feel it

IMO DZire is best in terms of petrol one. The engine is very refined, frugal and offers nice drivability too. Diesel is also good but easily outclassed by Aspire, Ameo or Amaze (All three respond better and require lesser gearshifts) and then AMT + that diesel engine is not impressive, seriously the AMT does nothing to keep the engine in power band when needed to be kept; one needs to switch to manual mode time and again.

 

[kkn13]

Re: First Car Dilema

Wait what? 7.10 is not possible as Titanium Diesel ex showroom is 7.25 and top end Titanium plus is 8.08. wait are you saying ex-showroom? That's still cheap

No OTR for Titanium Diesel is 7.93
He got 80k discount from the dealer

Ameo maintenance costs will be pretty high imho
Also I dont agree with DDiS being outclassed, its got more than enough punch and easily matches up to Aspire, Ameo

Amaze diesel isnt refined at all, pretty noisy. Amaze has poor cabin space and seats, Aspire,Dzire and Ameo have better seating . Jazz is a far superior car than Amaze in every way

Ameo engine is the most powerful but the car itself isnt, seating position is pretty low and legroom isnt as good as the competition
Also Ameo has a transmission hump in the middle,making it a 4 seater
Ameo has good highway manners I presume though going by the Vento , Dzire has a slight bit of roll compared to the swift but easily manageable

Dzire diesel is a good option but Id get the aspire if possible
Dzire is a bit overpriced but thats because of design and interior quality. Engine etc is good
The usual maruti rattles will be present after 2-3 years though but easily fixed