Car queries answered!

I want to buy a diesel SUV with a budget of Rs22-30 lakh. Should I opt for BMW X1? Or, do you have any other suggestion?    —Saurabh Chordiya
In a couple of months, the Audi Q3 will be launched. If nothing else, that will give you more choice in the premium entry-level segment. If you can go beyond the badge, the Renault Koleos is a fantastic option; it looks good, drives like a car and has good mileage. It costs around Rs26 lakh. You can also look at the Hyundai Santa Fe, which is also good.

I am planning to buy a car. My budget is up to Rs12 lakh. I am opting for a petrol variant since my usage is very less with an occasional long drive. I am looking for a spacious car that’s reliable, is comfortable in city traffic with good mileage, resale value and good looks. I read about new cars in the DNA Drive which were unveiled at the Auto Expo 2012. Kindly advise.
— Vijay Kumar Mannava
Since you are looking at only petrol models, at the top of our list is the Honda City. It fits all your criteria very well. If you want to wait, however, there will be a couple of launches over the next few months like the Hyundai Elantra.

I want to buy a 150cc engine bike with good fuel efficiency, low maintenance and very good looks. My budget is Rs70,000-75,000. Please help me as I don’t know much about bikes.
—Rahul Gede, Mumbai.
The bike that satisfies all your parameters is the Honda Unicorn. It’s got a very refined engine, great mileage and Honda reliability. If you find the waiting period a bit long, then the Hero Hunk and the CBZ Xtreme should fit the bill too.

In my cars, I see that even when the accelerator is not pressed and the vehicle is going on a downward gradient, the engine still shows a minimum 1,000 rpm which means fuel is still being fed into the engine. Why aren’t the engines designed to cut off fuel 100% when the accelerator is not pressed?
—Amit
Well, if 100% fuel were cut off, the engine would stall in the middle of the road. In some cars, there is cylinder deactivation but even that doesn’t cut off all the fuel. Rather than stressing the internals with erratic fueling, they keep the fuel flow at a minimum level when coasting.

I have difficulty in choosing one among the Bajaj Discover 135, Discover 100 and the new TVS Sport. My budget is between Rs60,000 and Rs75,000. I am looking for good mileage in city and low maintenance. Kindly advise.   
—Rohit Supekar
Our suggestion is to wait a little. Bajaj is making huge changes to its line-up and it makes sense to wait for the latest model rather than be stuck with an older one. Honda, too, is going to come out with the 100cc Dream Yuga soon, which will do everything you want.

I am a college student and I wish to buy a bike for around Rs75,000. The bike should have good looks, power and a decent mileage. Please suggest some bikes other than the Impulse.
—Ashwin Bhide
If you want something other than the Impulse, then there are the Hero Hunk and CBZ from the Hero stable, which are both quite reliable and frugal. From Bajaj, there’s the Pulsar 135LS, which is also great on mileage and low on maintenance.

Among the Honda Stunner, Bajaj Pulsar 135, Suzuki Sling Shot, Honda Shine and the Hero Honda Passion Pro, which bike is the best, in terms of looks and mileage?
—Shravan Thorat
Our order of preference: first, the two Hondas; then, Bajaj, followed by Hero and Suzuki. That’s taking into account looks, reliability, frugality and ownership experience. The Honda bikes look good and come with brilliant engines and gearboxes. The Pulsar looks great but the engine loses out a little in terms of refinement. The Hero looks a little dated now, but comes with a buttery smooth engine-gearbox combo. As for the Suzuki, there isn’t a major fault, per se, but the others are just as good if not better.

I am planning to buy a hatchback. I have shortlisted the Honda Jazz XMT and the Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 litre. As the Honda Jazz has a long waiting period and the Fiat Punto just got upgraded, which hatchback is better in all aspects? Please suggest.
— Anil Jadhav
Of the two, the Jazz is a better car. It’s got a more frugal and peppy engine, and light and airy interiors. The Punto offers great build quality and good looks, and would make for a great buy too, but only if you don’t want to wait for the Jazz.

I am planning to buy my first car. I have shortlisted two cars - the Liva V and the Brio V MT. Which car is best in terms of features, performance and looks? —Vijay Bhinde
In a word, (the) Brio. The Liva carries the Toyota badge but it doesn’t carry the quality that goes with it while the little Honda never ceases to amaze with its peppy and efficient mill and light controls.

I am a regular reader of your column. I want to buy a second-hand multi-utility vehicle. I have seen a Maruti Omni 2009 model which has done 24,000 km and its asking price is Rs1.65 lakh. The car is in excellent condition with all the service records. Kindly advise me whether to buy this vehicle or not. Can I get it converted to CNG? What are the expenses involved?
— Nishant Adhav
The Omni has the makings of a great purchase. But, just to be on the safe side, take a mechanic along next time and have it inspected. Price seems to be good too. Now for the CNG conversion: It can certainly be done, but if you want to avoid the hassle, just look for an original (rather than a converted) CNG model.

I am planning to buy my first car and have pruned my shortlist to the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R and the Hyundai i10. Please tell me, which is the better option? My running would be 500 km per month. Interior-wise, I like the i10, but space and comfort are better in the Wagon R. But its looks confuse me.
— Amit Kumar
The i10 is a great city car, but is a little lacking in space as you’ve noticed. The Wagon R would be better suited for you since you prefer its space over the i10 anyway. In terms of maintenance and fuel efficiency, they are about equally matched with the i10 appearing to enjoy a slight edge.

All Tata cars appear very good on paper in specifications and are fairly priced, particular more so in Diesal Vista & Manza in their class. However they are not that much in demand, except for use as taxi. Is the reason more technical or social (are the problems more about maintenance etc or is it a status thing)?
— KB Shah
Well, sir, there has been a vast improvement in the Tata stable over the years. Sure in the past there have been some quality issues that made people think twice before buying. The Tata cars have always been value-for-money propositions with unmatched space, but I guess the fit and finish came up short. But with Jaguar Land Rover in the group, they are on the right road to delivering better products every passing year.

I am very thankful for fantastic column about all cars. I have booked Honda Brio at a showroom in Andheri, Mumbai, on October 7, 2011 but still I have not received the car. What is the issue? We are two people and drive only occasionally. Should I cancel the booking and go for the new Swift?
—Raju Vazirani
There’s no problem with the Brio, but Honda has been facing some supply-chain issues due to the floods in Thailand, but they will come back to full production capacity soon. We suggest you stick with the Brio, because booking the Swift now would only mean a still longer wait.

I use a Chevrolet Aveo 1.6 LT brought in October 2005. The car recently started having some major engine problems leading to high maintenance expenses. I have made up my mind to change the car and buy a diesel sedan. My average monthly running is about 1,000 kms a month, generally on highways. Please suggest a car in the Rs10-15 lakh on-road budget. It will be self-driven.
— Shantanu Bhagwat
For a frugal and efficient sedan, you can take a look at the Toyota Corolla diesel. It is the gold standard in the segment offering great ride quality, comfortable and modern interiors and, most importantly, great reliability. If you wish to go for something smaller, the Hyundai Verna wins our vote.

I bought a Hyundai I20 Sportz last September. I didn’t take it out of my parking space over the last 1-2 weeks due to which a rat or two entered and cut some my wires. I got it repaired and had put in some ratkill cakes the next day. But it entered again, ate all those cakes still lived and cut off my AC wires. I don’t know what to do as nobody is offering any solid advice. Please help!
— Vinay Pagadal
There’s no permanent solution to rodent infestation. If it’s possible, move the car to a spot that has more direct sunlight. Spread a few of those rat poison cakes around the car and check out the car everyday even though you don’t use it - just to make sure the vermin hasn’t colonised your vehicle.

I am interested in buying the new Swift diesel VDI model. Shall I go for it? At present I have a Maruti Wagon R.
—Romesh Gholap
Please go ahead. It’s a great vehicle for the price and gives you a lot of features. But the waiting list is long!
I really appreciate your work on the queries every week. I have a 12-year-old Kinetic Honda which gives about 19 km per litre and its overall condition is good.

Is there anything particular I can do to get a better mileage? Or would you suggest I buy a Honda Activa or something similar if it would lead to better savings (mileage) and comfort overall? My running is about 300-400 kms every month. I have been receiving various opinions in terms of average of an Activa/Access of giving only about 25-35 km per litre.
—Tapan Sharma
The Kinetic Honda is a two-stroke scooter and as such isn’t too good on the fuel efficiency. It’s far better to switch to a newer four-stroke one. We recommend the Suzuki Access over the Activa simply because there’s no waiting list involved. Their mileage isn’t as horrible as you described, but, at the same time, you can’t expect 100cc bike-like fuel efficiency either.

I have a Zen Estilo bought in September 2010 and am satisfied with it. I get a mileage of 13 to 15 km per litre in city. I have been reading this column, but you never suggest the vehicle to anybody. You suggest Wagon R or the  Alto K10 but not the Zen Estilo. In fact, all these vehicles have the same K-Series engine. So I am confused - was my choice wrong?
—Sanjay Palimkar
Fret not, you’ve definitely made the right choice if you’re happy with the car. It’s just that needs differ from person to person. Just to remind you, we have indeed recommended the Zen Estilo a couple of times at least - may be you missed it.

I am planning to buy the TVS Wego soon. My daily travel would be 30 kms. Kindly suggest me if this is a good choice or any other better options are available in the gearless two-wheeler segment.
—Manish Makhijani
The Wego is a decent choice, but the better choice in that segment is the Suzuki Access. The Honda Activa/Dio are considered the best in the class, but with long waiting lists, it’s better to go for the Suzuki and save yourself time.

I have been using a Hyundai Santro since 9 years and wish to switch to a new car now. My daily travelling is about 100 km and my budget is between Rs4-5 lakhs. Which one will be better for me - a petrol or diesel variant? Also tell me the best in terms of maintenance and mileage according to my usage.
—Vinod Goyal
With your commute we would recommend a diesel car for you. In that price range, the Chevrolet Beat is the one to look at. It will be frugal and suit your needs very well.

My budget is Rs5.5-6.5 lakh, including EMI. My daily drive is 45-50 kms. I need a-c, auto lock, power steering and ample leg room as I am 6 feet tall. Which is my dream car?
— Kumar Sardesai
Well, our current favourite is the Suzuki Swift. It comes with a brilliant multi-jet engine and comfortable interiors and great fuel efficiency too.

I am looking for a sedan costing less than Rs10 lakhs. I drive 60 km daily in Mumbai traffic and between Mumbai and to Pune twice a month. I will prefer a car with a soft clutch (not automatic) as my knee hurts in Mumbai traffic. Can you please suggest options? I am okay with a CNG option too.
— Pramod R
The Hyundai Verna will suit your requirements very well. The clutch is soft and eas to use and the car itself is good for commuting in city traffic. It also comes with all the creature comforts you could think of to keep you occupied.

Your queries section is great. I have a Maruti Alto LXi December 2008 model. The car has run 8,500 kms, mostly on long drives and very little on short drives. My weekend drive is about 15 kms (that, too, just to keep the car in running condition). I would like to know how can I keep the car in good condition for a long time.
—Satish Kumar Singh
If you plan on keeping the car stationary for a long time, then perform regular maintenance on a time basis — not mileage basis. Also, keep tyre pressure in check. There won’t be other problems as long as the car is kept in a good, safe place.

Your unbiased replies to reader queries are awesome. I am planning to buy my first car and my budget is Rs5-5.5 lakh. Could you please suggest which is better among Chevrolet Beat & Honda Brio? Could you please through some light on Premier Rio’s performance. Can it actually fulfill the dream of driving SUVs at low cost?
— Jasvinder Bhatia
Of the two you mentioned, the Brio gets our nod. It’s a newer entrant and still has the novelty factor about it. It’s also a hoot to drive. If you’re planning on buying a Rio, we suggest you wait a while. The Rio will soon get a 1.3 litre multi-jet engine found in the Maruti Swift diesel and others. That will make it a great buy.

Many people have told me that authorised car dealers indulge in malpractices such as changing original spare parts with duplicate ones, and tamper with engine after all the free services are done, so it is better to service cars by private mechanics. Is it true? Once free service is over, where would you recommend we service a car?   
—Shridhar Mandke.
We recommend getting cars repaired from authorised workshop only. What stops a private mechanic from doing exactly the same thing you fear? At least, with authorised dealers, you can take legal recourse if anything goes wrong. Do a little research on the blogs and internet about your particular workshop and find out about their authenticity and you’ll be fine.