Need Advice on First Car

[avrp]

Hi everyone,

Please help me out.
I am willing to buy the first car ever to be owned by my family.
I am listing my preferences/requirements below :

My Budget: Max 4.40 Lakhs. on road

My Location: Kolkata.

Top 5 Priorities: Mileage, space, maintenance costs, performance, looks.

Monthly Running: The car will primarily be used in city conditions.

For Which Purpose: Family car.

Max. Seating Capacity: Mostly 3 at back and I will drive.

Priority of Fuel Type: Petrol (please advise).

Body Type:Hatchback

I don’t have plans to change the car for next 5 years, at least.
I am going for max available loan while purchasing the car.


I know this question has been asked many times before, still I request you experts to help me out please. This is going to be a big investment for me. With the kind of budget I have, it probably sounds ambitious to wish for a good performing car, but I personally do not want to go for 800cc cars like the Alto or the Eon.

Eagerly waiting for your replies.

Thanks in advance....

 

[freakdude]

Hi buddy,

since this is going to be your first car so make sure you get one that is already proven it's worth and capabilities, add to that a trouble free one with lighter on maintenance. In your budget, the best bet would be a i10 magna kappa2 or a Wagon R . Both cars are equally good but i10 is a tad above in interiors and power. Wagon R scores in effectiveness of AC and biggest plus is being a maruti. I'd suggest you to have a test drive of both and decide.
Other close contenders would be Ford Figo EXI and Honda Brio SMT. My personal fav. out of all would be i10.

freakdude.

 

[avrp]

Thanks for the reply freakdude..

According to official website of hyundai, the i10 magna (metallic) kappa 2 ex-showroom is INR 4,32,386.
The onroad price will probably be INR 40k more, which exceeds my budget (big time ). Except for this constraint I would have loved to get the i10 for me..

Help me out plzzzzz

 

[Jazzy]

Hi everyone,

Please help me out.
I am willing to buy the first car ever to be owned by my family.
I am listing my preferences/requirements below :

My Budget: Max 4.40 Lakhs. on road

My Location: Kolkata.

Top 5 Priorities: Mileage, space, maintenance costs, performance, looks.

Monthly Running: The car will primarily be used in city conditions.

For Which Purpose: Family car.

Max. Seating Capacity: Mostly 3 at back and I will drive.

Priority of Fuel Type: Petrol (please advise).

Body Type:Hatchback

I don’t have plans to change the car for next 5 years, at least.
I am going for max available loan while purchasing the car.


I know this question has been asked many times before, still I request you experts to help me out please. This is going to be a big investment for me. With the kind of budget I have, it probably sounds ambitious to wish for a good performing car, but I personally do not want to go for 800cc cars like the Alto or the Eon.

Eagerly waiting for your replies.

Thanks in advance....

Hi,
As per your parameters, i feel you have a couple of options:
1> Honda Brio- small outside big inside, great mileage, great performance, looks are subjective but yes maintainance can be slightly on the higher side. Ex showroom is 4lakhs, so OTR will be around 4.40l.

2> Maruti A Star has a good engine & it comes with all benefits associated with the maruti brand. Low cost ownership, great mileage but space will be at a premium.

3> Have a look at Beat also as it comes with a 3year maintainance free offer (i guess its still on). But space will be a constraint here too.

As you understand ticking all the boxes with 1 car is difficult, but Brio comes the closest I feel.

Cheers

Jazzy

 

[madaneeraj]

In B segment you have plethora of choices, but again choosing your ride wouldn't be difficult. Considering that you would be taking a big loan, few things you should keep in mind before picking one-

Petrol Contenders- I10 Era, Santro, Wagon R, Zen Estillio, Ford Figo LXI, Brio E MT

Brio- Looks small but you be surprised to know that it is one of the widest hatches. Good handling, refined engine, reliability of H. Downside- Fuel economy, bumpy low speed ride (especially for rear) on bad patches. Higher maintenance. Base model just squeeze into your budget

Ford Figo- Good space, great handling good ride quality, practical VFM car. Negatives- Engine lacks the punch. Not very contemporary design.

Santro- Best low end torque in its class, boon in stop and go city traffic. Ample space, decent ride, easy ingress and exit. LPG/CNG option in your budget Negatives- outgoing model, looks, moderately high on service cost

I10 Era- Smooth ride, contemporary design,light and peppy,decent space. Negatives- fuel economy, base model, moderately high on service cost

Wagon R Tall boy design (subjective),easy ingress, economical LPG and CNG, Maruti Afters sales, low upkeep cost. Negatives- To be frank car is for a purpose which it fulfills well, enthusiast have other choices

Zen Estlio Point A to B not so costly car with nothing too good or bad about. Top end easily fits in your budget and will decrease your EMI burden also. Upgrade over 800CC car, but just an upgrade

With your requirements- Go for Wagon R, It make sense.

 

[madaneeraj]

In B segment you have plethora of choices, but again choosing your ride wouldn't be difficult. Considering that you would be taking a big loan, few things you should keep in mind before picking one-

Petrol Contenders- I10 Era, Santro, Wagon R, Zen Estillio, Ford Figo LXI, Brio E MT

Brio- Looks small but you be surprised to know that it is one of the widest hatches. Good handling, refined engine, reliability of H. Downside- Fuel economy, bumpy low speed ride (especially for rear) on bad patches. Higher maintenance. Base model just squeeze into your budget

Ford Figo- Good space, great handling good ride quality, practical VFM car. Negatives- Engine lacks the punch. Not very contemporary design.

Santro- Best low end torque in its class, boon in stop and go city traffic. Ample space, decent ride, easy ingress and exit. LPG/CNG option in your budget Negatives- outgoing model, looks, moderately high on service cost

I10 Era- Smooth ride, contemporary design,light and peppy,decent space. Negatives- fuel economy, base model, moderately high on service cost

Wagon R Tall boy design (subjective),easy ingress, economical LPG and CNG, Maruti Afters sales, low upkeep cost. Negatives- To be frank car is for a purpose which it fulfills well, enthusiast have other choices

Zen Estlio Point A to B not so costly car with nothing too good or bad about. Top end easily fits in your budget and will decrease your EMI burden also. Upgrade over 800CC car, but just an upgrade

With your requirements- Go for Wagon R, It make sense.

 

[avrp]

Hi,
As per your parameters, i feel you have a couple of options:
1> Honda Brio- small outside big inside, great mileage, great performance, looks are subjective but yes maintainance can be slightly on the higher side. Ex showroom is 4lakhs, so OTR will be around 4.40l.

2> Maruti A Star has a good engine & it comes with all benefits associated with the maruti brand. Low cost ownership, great mileage but space will be at a premium.

3> Have a look at Beat also as it comes with a 3year maintainance free offer (i guess its still on). But space will be a constraint here too.

As you understand ticking all the boxes with 1 car is difficult, but Brio comes the closest I feel.


Cheers

Jazzy

Thanks for the assistance dude..

I was bent on going for the A-Star. But I did a lot of R&D and all seem to be opinion that the rear space is very less and the back seat passengers feel claustrophobic.

I am considering Beat LS, but am skeptical of the after sales service and the cost of spare parts. Also many users said in other forums that the mileage (though it depends on driving) is quite less, in the lines of 9-10 kmpl (city).

Should I go for the Beat LS?? Or any other option??

 

[nagasaki]

Go for Alto K10 vxi which is VFM in that segment.
My experiance.

 

[avrp]

Thanks for all the replies guys

I sat with a friend of mine today. He is a bit of a car crazy guy and owns a Hyundai i10. We tried to reach a decision for two hours but failed !!

However, on the basis of my priorities we shortlisted the following :

Santro : Pros : Space, maintenance, proven city car. Cons : Mileage is on the lower side

Astar : Pros : Great engine, Mileage, Fuel Economy, Maruti after sales service, cost of spares, Cons : Rear seat space is very less

Beat : Pros : Pricing, looks, engine, space (better than Astar), Cons : Unsure of the after sales service of Chevy and the cost of spare parts

I am feeling drawn towards the Beat due to the VFM factor(LS is priced less than Astar Vxi !! ). But the cost of ownership is concerning me . Also am confused about the actual mileage the Beat is giving in city usage.

The Astar has a bit of a "failed maruti car" tag attached to it. The exact reason I can not understand. Is it only because of the rear seat factor?

The Santro mileage is not good compared to the other two cars mentioned above. But the pricing is good.

I surrender myself to you experts...please help me take a decision.

Sorry for bugging u guys, but it really is a big decision for me

 

[avrp]

Go for Alto K10 vxi which is VFM in that segment.
My experiance.

Thanks for sharing nagasaki,

I took a test drive of Alto K10. I found the car to be very less spacious. I am 5 feet 11. I found the going quite difficult in the car. Also the interiors are not good at all. According to users the mileage is not great either. The car seems to be a bit overpriced too. That is why I discarded the option of the Alto K10.

 

[Vivian]

If it is the SPACE you are looking for then Liva will be the better choice. It can accommodate 3 persons comfortably or even 4 average sized people without any problem. It has a better ground clearance too so that it could help in our roads even when 3 persons are there in backseat.

 

[Akash]

Looking at your requirements, i feel WagonR will suffice all your needs. It has the powerful K10 engine to move you around with comfort which is enhanced by its tall boy design.

 

[avrp]

Looking at your requirements, i feel WagonR will suffice all your needs. It has the powerful K10 engine to move you around with comfort which is enhanced by its tall boy design.

Hi Akash,

I am looking for a young looking car. Wagon R is a bit mature and oozes the feeling that it is meant for more serious class of people. That is why I am not too inclined towards either the Wagon R or the Estilo. I know I have mentioned Santro as an option for me, though it is a mature looking car too.But it is because my brother-in-law had a Santro for 7 years and the car seems very familiar to me. Santro is the last option.

Thanks for helping me out

 

[avrp]

If it is the SPACE you are looking for then Liva will be the better choice. It can accommodate 3 persons comfortably or even 4 average sized people without any problem. It has a better ground clearance too so that it could help in our roads even when 3 persons are there in backseat.

Hi Vivian,

As a first car I don`t want to go for Toyota.

 

[lxi.]

avrp, Looking at your requirements,
The cars that fall in your budget are-

A-Star lxi/vxi - Has a powerful engine but lacks space at the rear seat.
Estilo - Looks are a serious matter. Most people dont like the looks.
WagonR - Lxi/Vxi - Vxi is the best car for you. Space, Features, Mileage, Resale, everything!
Santro - Again a nice car, Fits your budget very well. Fits all your requirements.
I10 era- Good car but no featues for this variant. So, Dont think of it.
Eon - New car, Better than santro. Fits your requirements and budget really well.


I would advice you to go for the HYUNDAI EON MAGNA/Sportz. It has all features (Power windows, Pwer steeering). As it is your first car, It also has a gear shift indicator, That advices you to drive in which gear at what RPM/Speed. Space is at par with santro. Is a new comer to the market and comes in a decent price bracket. With besst-in class interiors, fresh and funky design based on the Fluidic philosophy, It seems a super VFM product from Hyundai. Only bad thing is that the top most model - SPORTZ, Doesnt have alloys, It comes with wheel caps. The car is the best for you.

Cheers.