@Auto_Pilot:
Not only the news, even the vehicle also deserves a special mention for the way it rides and the way the steering responds, something you seldom find in Tata cars.
Although I never have many good words to say about Tata, but if one is looking for a well built, comfortable and spacious car for city driving with decent safety kit; I can't find a reason for not looking at Bolt. Buying a Bolt for 5.47 lac, one saves around 50-60k from a Swift. Add a gold AMC for 13k and for 5.6 lac you have a car for 45000 kilometers or three years AMC coverage.
What you get added to Swift in a Bolt:
- Better low end and easier city drive
- In fact for a sedate driver, the car is better overall because under 3500 it is very responsive in any gear and in real world driving, our cars hardly go beyond 3000.
- More space
- Awesome Harman music system
- ABS and airbags with VSC and believe me, people say that VSC is not something special but I have myself experienced it work and it really helps under tight cornering or if lose surface is tackled mid corner.
What you get in a Swift VXi:
- Auto folding mirrors
- Better front seats
- Better top end and better FE by 1-2 kpl
Mathematics time
![Evil [evil] [evil]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Evil.gif)
For a running of 800 kilometers a month (my city running if I remove all my inter city trips) and taking overall FE of Bolt as 13.5 kpl and Swift as 15 kpl (75-25% city highway ratio with 100% A/C).
- Fuel price: INR 61.06 per liter (As per New Delhi on Nov 16th)
- Fuel consumption by Bolt in 800 kms and fuel cost: 59.25 liters or INR 3618 per month
- Fuel consumption by Swift in 800 kms and fuel cost: 53.33 liters or INR 3256 per month
Saving in Swift:
INR 362 per month
Maintenance for three years or 28,800 kilometers @ 800 kilometers per month:
- Bolt: INR 13,000 for Gold AMC
- Swift: Including one paid service, one can expect it to be around 9000 rupees excluding the replacements of any other parts than regular service. 2500 for brake shoes replacement at 20k kms though.
At the time of purchase, you paid 5.6 lac for Bolt and 5.8 for Swift VXi (In Gurgaon there is just INR 15000 cash discount on Swift, nothing else). Safety features, which we always keep on the top of the list are already being provided in the Bolt.
Now for the saving of INR 20k at the time of purchase, you are paying 13,032 more in three years or 28800 kilometers towards fuel and 1500 extra towards maintenance (only if nothing goes kaput in Swift). All in all the break away point doesn't come even at 28,800 kilometers or three years.
BUT the resale value of Bolt will be significantly lower than that of a Swift for sure.. hence the mathematics goes into dustbin considering the resale value
An incident:
Recently I was having a word with a relative of mine who was planning to purchase a car for herself. She liked everything in the car and even was happy with the TD experience too and then she bought a Grand i10 sportz.
I asked her the reason for rejecting the Bolt and she was out of reasons
Finally what reason came "I will not buy a Tata and this car will also come in Taxi after 2-3 months I know"!!