First Time Car Buyer – Suggest Best Suitable Hatchback

psaha · Dec 2, 2012

Dear members,
I would request you to see my criterion and suggest the best choice. Please note that I have booked Swift ZDI in October; however, I am still quite not convinced to pay 8.5L for a hatchback. I heard about many issues such as rattling, space, high maintenance cost (it’s now even higher for new swift, ertiga, and SX4 owners).

I am in Bangalore currently so, considering road registration and other taxes, final on-road price is very high here. This is going to be my first car and I do not have any driving experience so I am not confident to ask for test drive either. There is basically no way to choose my first car except by looking at stalled car or by going through your experiences. Thanks for sharing anyway.

For how many years you are going to retain the car: Well, hard to say now. Definitely 5-7 years or could be more.
How much will be intra-city and highway running: As per my average calculation, 400km (to and fro office), 400Km on weekends and another 200kms on highways. This is purely based on guess and I do not travel frequently now as I have only 2-wheeler (this has run only 2.5k in 1 year!!).
Are you likely to take loan: I will in case it is above 5L.
Who will be driving the car, you or chauffeur? I will be driving it or my wife.
Looking for:
• Looking for ABS at least in the car after learning about new brake issue in maruti vehicle,
• Good music system (after market is ok).
• Mileage is a concern seeing sky-rocketed fuel price.
• Easy after sale service and low maintenance cost (this is subjective to fuel type),
• Resale value (in case need to go outside India for more than 1 year or upgrade car after 5 yrs)
• Space and comfort
• Minimal NVH and high VFM.
• No way above 9Lacs. (I do not have any home loan now but could have one in another 1 yr. How is it good to buy a car on loan irrespective of big or small EMIs?)

Not all above could fit in one size. I have hereby chosen below Products and manufactures.

TATA: No. due to A.S.S. I did not find many TATA dealers in my native place (Kolkata/Hooghly). Being first time car owner and totally zero idea in automobile, I could be in trouble.

FIAT: Same as above.

FORD: Same as above.

Hyundai: This has good dealer and servicing network.
1) i10: I think the inside space is very much cramped. It’s only for 2/3 people. My parents /in-laws could visit us in Bangalore so that time it would hard to accommodate all.
High servicing cost and bumpy rear seat (this I have experienced in one of my colleagues i10)

2) i20: Looks good but it is costlier than Maruti and provides low mileage.

Maruti: Good A.S.S. and resale value.

My choices are:
Alto k10: No ABS. Very much low height.

Wagwon R VXI ABS: How is mileage of this car? It had pretty much all things inside. Does the ORVM folds electrically? What could be pain area in case I go for Wagon R VXI ABS? Can I take replace factory fitted music system and speakers with aftermarket ICE? Do I need a tire upgrade to 15’’? Can I feet alloy wheel?

Ritz VXI/VDI: considering new VVT and DDiS technology, this gives good mileage. I know it looks boxy but now I will reconsider this if I consider Wagwon R to fit in choices. 2 months back I did not even look at Ritz!! I have heard that Maruti has stopped providing ABS in middle variant as it did to swift. Is it true?

Swift VXI: No ABS, no ICE and 50K more than Wagwon R VXI ABS. What would be average monthly owning cost? What is the mileage in new VVT engine? Which is preferable between swift vxi and wagwon r vxi?

Chevrolet Beat diesel: I look at Beat but people say it’s under powered. Is it under powered than Alto and Wagwon R? Beat is 936cc Diesel and Alto k10 has 998cc. Both are 3 cylinders. How do experts compare under power? I do not have idea in this so your comment is awaited. How much Beat burdens for maintenance/repair cost?

So, I am in confusion whether to buy petrol car and save money now or to buy diesel now and save money later. On average, it would be 5.3 years to reach breakeven point so, how much it would be economical to run a car which is more than 5 years old? Will not that add some other cost?

If it is petrol, which car would be good to buy considering mileage and comfort?

For diesel, there are not many options available.

I would thank you for keeping patience to go through such long post and request you for your inputs.

Many Thanks.

TSIVipul · Dec 2, 2012

Re: The What Car Thread - Helping You Choose The Right Car!

psaha said:

Then take some of your friend for TD with you and ask for his experience. Rest you can make keen observations by sitting on front seat too.

That means a maximum of 1000 kms per month or say 10-11000 kms per year(I have ate those 1000 because sometimes you will be on holiday).
In other words, you can go for a good petrol car and if you want diesel only then it's all upon your wish.
At so much low running, I am doubtful if breakdown point will also come even in next 5 years.
Example: Comparing a DZire ZXi and ZDi,the ZXi costs around 7.5 lac and ZDi costs around 9 lac at your place. Right?
Since you will be taking a loan of anything above 5 lac, so for ZXi you will be taking 2.5 lac as a loan and for ZDi it will be 3.5 lac.
Now let's take two cases(I have taken fuel prices as 75 per liter for petrol and 51 per liter for diesel):
ZXi:

FE:Around 15 kpl overall
This makes running cost: Around Rs 5/km.
So at your running @ 11000 per year, you will be paying around 55000 for petrol per year. But since fuel prices keep on increasing you next year you can expand it safely by 10% and so on.
Loan amount will be just 2.5 lac and installment will be smaller, interest paid will be lower and don't forget - "Car loan offers no tax benefits and hence smaller amount is better".

ZDi:

FE will be around 17 kpl overall(can go upto 19 though)
This makes running cost around Rs 3/km.
So at your running, it will be around 33000 Rs per year for fuel.
Loan amount will be 3.5 lacs and hence installment will be higher and of course interest paid will also be higher.

So if we consider fuel prices to be constant for next 5 years(though ratio always remains nearly constant and hence calculations give a near perfect idea of breakaway point).
For ZXi you will end up paying(Cars' current price is taken 7.5 lac): 5 lac + 2.25 lac(for fuel for 55k kms) + 4 lac(rough estimate, loan payment it is) + maintenance and insurance etc. Which makes a total of 11.25 lac + Maintenance and insurance.
For ZDi you will end up paying(Cars' current price is taken 9 lac): 5 lac + 1.65 lac(fuel price for 55k kms) + 6 lac(Rough estimate, loan payment it is) + Maintenance and insurance. Which makes a total of 12.65 lac + insurance and maintenance.

This way, petrol car suits you better in my opinion.

If you can go for a petrol car then:
Hatchback: Maruti Suzuki Ritz or Swift, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20.
Sedan: Swift DZire ZXi, but my strong recommendation will be Honda City Corporate Edition, all you will need to fix is an ICE which will cost you max 20k for a decent setup. The car has many offers and will easily fit under 9 lac, this way Honda City perfectly fits in all your criteria.

If you want diesel only then:

Hatchback: Ritz, Swift, Hyundai i20 and yes, Toyota Liva too fits all your requirements except the NVH part. Else Liva is a car that literally don't require any extra care except servicing.
Sedan: Only Swift DZire fits all of your needs, else you can try Etios GD(Safety package) too.

In terms of car loan EMI, just have a look at your bank account and calculate how much you can afford.

anand_953 · Dec 2, 2012

I should say one thing though after reading your post - you have your requirements pretty much laid out clearly [:)]

I too was in this dilemma in the months of September and early October.

Coming to your requirement, it seems you need space, reasonable ASS and Maintenance, good brand. check below for the cars -

Maruti cars are worth considering given your requirement of low maintenance and ASS. Else, go for Toyota Etios liva if you are looking for good ASS, low maintenance, reliability and durability (its the only company which gives an unmatched warrantly of 3 years or 1,00,000)

Airbags and ABS with EBD - Available in the mid variant of Etios liva, higher variants of Swift, I20, polo, Figo, Vista

Looking for: (see my comments on your requirements)
• Looking for ABS at least in the car after learning about new brake issue in maruti vehicle - Swift, Ford figo, Toyota Etios Liva, I20, Polo
• Good music system (after market is ok) - Any car above 6 lakhs
• Mileage is a concern seeing sky-rocketed fuel price - Ford figo diseal, Maruti (any hatchback), Toyota etios liva, TATA indica/vista
• Easy after sale service and low maintenance cost (this is subjective to fuel type), - Maruti hatchbacks, Toyota Etios liva
• Resale value (in case need to go outside India for more than 1 year or upgrade car after 5 yrs) - Maruti Cars, Hyundai Cars and Toyota Cars
• Space and comfort - Toyota Etios Liva (without doubt), TATA Indica Vista, Ford Figo, I20
• Minimal NVH and high VFM (Swft, Ford figo diesal, Toyota Etios Liva)
• No way above 9Lacs. (I do not have any home loan now but could have one in another 1 yr. How is it good to buy a car on loan irrespective of big or small EMIs?)

Music_Swift · Dec 3, 2012

Mr.Saha,

Go for Petrol Version.For a first time buyer,go for Hyundai I20.As it has much features and Hyundai service backup,I20 is the better Car.Polo is also a good Car.But,VW Maintenance is higher than Hyundai and Maruti.As you had booked Swift ZDI,cancel the Swift booking and go for I20 Diesel or Punto Diesel or Polo Diesel.

As Vipul suggested,go for City CE.It is the mid sized sedan in 9L.It is better than D-zire.Or else,go for Classic Titanium Petrol.It is drivable than D-zire.But,not good as City CE when it comes to resale,comfort and space and service costs(Ford and Honda are almost same).

patil · Dec 3, 2012

psaha said:

Dear members,
I would request you to see my criterion and suggest the best choice. Please note that I have booked Swift ZDI in October; however, I am still quite not convinced to pay 8.5L for a hatchback. I heard about many issues such as rattling, space, high maintenance cost (it’s now even higher for new swift, ertiga, and SX4 owners).

I am in Bangalore currently so, considering road registration and other taxes, final on-road price is very high here. This is going to be my first car and I do not have any driving experience so I am not confident to ask for test drive either. There is basically no way to choose my first car except by looking at stalled car or by going through your experiences. Thanks for sharing anyway.

For how many years you are going to retain the car: Well, hard to say now. Definitely 5-7 years or could be more.
How much will be intra-city and highway running: As per my average calculation, 400km (to and fro office), 400Km on weekends and another 200kms on highways. This is purely based on guess and I do not travel frequently now as I have only 2-wheeler (this has run only 2.5k in 1 year!!).
Are you likely to take loan: I will in case it is above 5L.
Who will be driving the car, you or chauffeur? I will be driving it or my wife.
Looking for:
• Looking for ABS at least in the car after learning about new brake issue in maruti vehicle,
• Good music system (after market is ok).
• Mileage is a concern seeing sky-rocketed fuel price.
• Easy after sale service and low maintenance cost (this is subjective to fuel type),
• Resale value (in case need to go outside India for more than 1 year or upgrade car after 5 yrs)
• Space and comfort
• Minimal NVH and high VFM.
• No way above 9Lacs. (I do not have any home loan now but could have one in another 1 yr. How is it good to buy a car on loan irrespective of big or small EMIs?)

Not all above could fit in one size. I have hereby chosen below Products and manufactures.

TATA: No. due to A.S.S. I did not find many TATA dealers in my native place (Kolkata/Hooghly). Being first time car owner and totally zero idea in automobile, I could be in trouble.

FIAT: Same as above.

FORD: Same as above.

Hyundai: This has good dealer and servicing network.
1) i10: I think the inside space is very much cramped. It’s only for 2/3 people. My parents /in-laws could visit us in Bangalore so that time it would hard to accommodate all.
High servicing cost and bumpy rear seat (this I have experienced in one of my colleagues i10)

2) i20: Looks good but it is costlier than Maruti and provides low mileage.

Maruti: Good A.S.S. and resale value.

My choices are:
Alto k10: No ABS. Very much low height.

Wagwon R VXI ABS: How is mileage of this car? It had pretty much all things inside. Does the ORVM folds electrically? What could be pain area in case I go for Wagon R VXI ABS? Can I take replace factory fitted music system and speakers with aftermarket ICE? Do I need a tire upgrade to 15’’? Can I feet alloy wheel?

Ritz VXI/VDI: considering new VVT and DDiS technology, this gives good mileage. I know it looks boxy but now I will reconsider this if I consider Wagwon R to fit in choices. 2 months back I did not even look at Ritz!! I have heard that Maruti has stopped providing ABS in middle variant as it did to swift. Is it true?

Swift VXI: No ABS, no ICE and 50K more than Wagwon R VXI ABS. What would be average monthly owning cost? What is the mileage in new VVT engine? Which is preferable between swift vxi and wagwon r vxi?

Chevrolet Beat diesel: I look at Beat but people say it’s under powered. Is it under powered than Alto and Wagwon R? Beat is 936cc Diesel and Alto k10 has 998cc. Both are 3 cylinders. How do experts compare under power? I do not have idea in this so your comment is awaited. How much Beat burdens for maintenance/repair cost?

So, I am in confusion whether to buy petrol car and save money now or to buy diesel now and save money later. On average, it would be 5.3 years to reach breakeven point so, how much it would be economical to run a car which is more than 5 years old? Will not that add some other cost?

If it is petrol, which car would be good to buy considering mileage and comfort?

For diesel, there are not many options available.

I would thank you for keeping patience to go through such long post and request you for your inputs.

Many Thanks.

Mr. Saha,

As Mr. Vipul has suggested please take test drive with your friend. I took had same problem of not having driving experience, hence I took one of my friend with me for TD also I took TD for short distance whenever roads are relatevely free. Suggest that you too take TD on ORR during off peak hour so that you can get idea of car's dimension when on wheels. The other aspect that I would suggest you to consider is ground clearance owing to fact that many of speed breakers in Bangalore are un-scientifically laid.

Some of the other cars that you can consider are:
- Nissan Micra/ Renault Pulse: Good this about these two cars are that they are very friendly for first time drivers, No question of feeling jurky when moving at lower gears, or getting switched off due to sudden release of clutch.
- Jazz/Brio - Jazz is very specious car but only problem is waiting period of 3 months. Brio good if you don't care much of boot space. BTW both Jazz and Brio have same engine and NVH is very low.
- Skoda Fabia - The quality of its interior is too good, way more that Maruti, Hyundai's. I guess it will meet rest of your features.

rsrs_in · Dec 3, 2012

The new chevy Sail diesel - spacious and good overall

Ankx · Dec 4, 2012

I can suggest go for a Petrol and not diesel as this is your 1st car

I suggest why not consider the Honda Jazz as an option?

It has all the safety features right from the base variant and the IVTEC engine is a gem

Also many folks have been getting an mileage of 15-16 consistently

psaha · Feb 3, 2013

Thanks to TSIVipul, anand_953, Music_Swift, patil, rsrs_in, ankx for your wonderful feedbacks.

I have checked with the dealer recently. The sales guy who booked my car has left job and, now I have to follow up with a new guy for the delivery of the car which is still in vain. Now I need to consider changing my booking as there is no positive response on swift zdi.

As you know that I have limited knowledge about cars, I am staying very much with Maruti for their service centers at every shore. My native place, which is about 45 kms from Kolkata, does have maruti and hyundai sales and service centers but not others. One Maruti dealer is just opposite to my house.

I am fully agreed with TSIVipul and going to cancel ZDI now and will go for petrol. I contacted maruti dealers to change to petrol model but now I am choosing ritz ZXI. See my reasons below.

1. Very much roomy interiors, spacious (new ritz face-lifted ZXI comes with 236Ltrs boot space)
2. Handling is good but not as good as swift.
3. I will miss automatic AC but I think I can live without it.
4. Good egress and ingress -- would be nice for my parents and in-laws
5. Very much practical car in terms of VFM.
6. New body molding and integrated spoiler
7. My left leg does not hit the console – this is the case in new swift

I am looking for the car by this month end so would expect to get Ritz by 30-45 days.

Petrol i20: I have opted this out for 3 reasons -
a) 1.2L seems insufficient considering the size
b) Low GC. Patil is absolutely right. I have seen people to slow down their i20 while on road bumpers. In Bangalore, BBMP or BDA are digging roads every other day to build flyovers or something.
c) It is bit overpriced.

Honda Jazz:
1) it is very big car. I am not sure about whether I get confidence to drive it.
2) Waiting period is 2-3 months.
3) Worried about servicing in my town.

I called the dealer and asked him to bring Ritz and Swift Dzire for TD. I felt that swift dzire is just bigger than swift in boot space. The light color interior is a reason to worry. I saw the huge dirt in test drive car particularly on door handles. The sales guy told me that it is so because lot many people are test driving this car.

The height of Ritz seems advantageous as I got higher seating position and console mounted gear is great in terms of convenience and extra space in front of hand brake. Tachometer is right on the dash is easy to see while driving and lots of space here and there.

While doing the erstwhile comparison between new swift and new face-lifted Ritz, I have noticed below points:
1. Handling is good in swift because of low height and gear ratio is different from ritz (experts can confirm it)
2. Extra length is wasted in aesthetic values not utilized for boot space or rear leg space
3. Boot is at higher position
4. Swift has sporty look and automatic AC
5. Swift is lighter than Ritz
6. Swift is tad wider than Ritz and wheelbase is more by 70mm
7. Swift lacks 60:40 split
8. Swift rear is claustrophobic and I felt very dark inside may be because of all black interiors

What seems common to me between both:
1. Powered by same engine
2. Specification says that suspensions are same in both cars. Does it mean that both cars provide equal ride comfort?
3. NVH are same in both petrol cars

I will be contacting dealer next week to change to below model:
Make: Maruti Suzuki
Model: Ritz ZXI
Color: Silky Silver

Thanks.

alexddas · Feb 4, 2013

psaha said:

Re-sale. i think you missed out that point.
Anyways that choice is not bad as it satisfies all your needs.Good luck.

psaha · Feb 4, 2013

That's correct, alexddas. I have considered it though forgot to mention it here.
Today, swift has higher re-sale value than the Ritz. I was initially so worried about re-sale value but, later on, I thought of what would be the point to re-sale before I even enjoyed it. Car is a depreciated asset so it will never return you what you have actually paid for it. I can understand that swift has higher re-sale value but you are paying extra for it too.
By the way, now I see many new Ritz on road or in my office basement. I think people are becoming more rational now [;)]

alexddas · Feb 4, 2013

If you are planning for a test drive then test drive the diesel one too as it is your first car.

vijay · Feb 4, 2013

The difference you found in ride quality is cause of the reason that Ritz being a tall boy design where body roll is sufice to feel the difference, while in swift you wont feel that, compared to ritz.
Why not opting for Zdi or Vdi,diesel mill even in Vdi you would get the option of ABS.

psaha · Feb 6, 2013

Thanks vijay for bringing this point "body roll". Doest it happen above some specific speed or does it happen especially at low speed/high speed?

I can assume that any car which has low center of gravity should have low body roll. let me know in case you think otherwise.

Gurrala74 · Feb 6, 2013

psaha said:

@Saha,

I appreciate for your practical approach on Ritz as people are not becoming rational but started thinking bit practical as even I see lot of Ritz on roads these days!! as a Ritz owner for last 2 years..

I can say it is really a wonderful car for seating comfort, ride comfort and very good FE. About the body roll issue, it is only felt during the sharp cornering at higher speeds like 80-100kmph and in regular day to day drive nothing is felt [:)]

. In addition to this, I get a UV driving feel in this car and I don't think any other hatch will make you feel this

alexddas · Feb 6, 2013

Gurrala74 said:

+100
That's right we always get a feeling of driving a big macho car.
But to my height i feel like the steering is positioned a bit high.(i am 6.7")

First Time Car Buyer – Suggest Best Suitable Hatchback

psaha

V4

TSIVipul

V12

anand_953

V6

Music_Swift

V10

patil

V6

rsrs_in

V6

Ankx

V6

psaha

V4

alexddas

V8

psaha

V4

alexddas

V8

vijay

V10

psaha

V4

Gurrala74

V12

alexddas

V8