Honda Dio is comfortable for the elderly

I’m looking for a sporty bike with good mileage, I’m 5’6 ft tall. The price range should be around Rs1 lakh —Mohammed Samran
The Bajaj Pulsar is a good fit for you. Take a look at that, it falls in your range, too.

Can you throw some light on Honda Brio? At Es6 lakh plus, is it the right choice for me?—Kavita Sitlani
The car is great, but you need to tell us a little more about what your requirements are to help you better.

I currently own a Wagon R. Now, I intend to buy a new car with seating capacity of 7 members. My budget is around Rs6-7 lakh. Xylo and Ertiga come to my mind. Have you got better options? Please advise.— C J Antony
If you plan to carry 7 people all the time, then the Xylo is the one for you. If it’s an occasional thing, then go for the Ertiga.

I want to buy a new scooty with good mileage, pick-up and handling. My budget is around Rs55,000. Do advise— Joel Koshy
The Aviator is our pick, but the Swish from Suzuki would do just as well.

I appreciate your guidance. I wish to buy a scooter for my wife, who is 35 and weighs 60 kg. I am confused between the Activa, Access and Duro DZ. We are looking for economical pricing, great mileage and other good features. Usage would be 20-30 km per day. I can wait up to September. Kindly advise.— Surendra Kumar Gorantla
Buy the Suzuki Swish. It’s lighter than the Access so won’t be troublesome in traffic.

I want to buy a car with a budget of Rs5-7 lakh and have shortlisted the Premier Rio. I travel around 650 km monthly. Kindly advise. — Ali Asgar Bharma
If you like the Rio, wait a while as a multi-jet engine will make its way under the hood. That is worth a buy.

I read your car queries column regularly. Are you anti-Tata? I have never read you suggesting a Tata car to anyone. Why is it so? Your decision should be impartial.— Seema Pawar
You clearly missed many answers and also our reviews of Tata vehicles including how good a deal the Nano is compared with an entry level diesel hatch which was carried last month. As we see it, Tata’s forte is value for money and spaciousness. Different automakers have different USPs.

I am 25 years and want to buy a bike with a budget of Rs50,000. I stay in Mumbai and require good mileage. Kindly advise.— Samit Jain
Go for the Dream Yuga.

I own an Aveo LT (petrol) 2006. It’s in mint condition and has clocked 27,000 km. Considering that GM is phasing out Aveo, is it beneficial for me to dispose it of? What re-sale value can I expect?— Rizwy
As long as it works well, what’s the point in spending more? There won’t be a problem of spares and parts, so you need not worry about that.

I’m 18 and want to buy a bike. I’m confused between two – the Pulsar 220, which I love the most, and the Yamaha Fazer, which my dad feels is good. Daily usage will be 15-20 km. Please suggest. — Ketan Pai
Go for the Fazer. It’s stylish and will serve you well. Please wear a helmet always, and never drive rashly.

We are planning to buy a new car with a budget of Rs5-6 lakh and have shortlisted the Maruti Dzire, Hyundai i20 and Nissan Sunny. Which should I prefer in terms of good mileage, comfort and low maintenance?— Jay Khandekar
If it falls in your budget, go for the Sunny; it’s a great, spacious cart to have.

I want to buy a car with a budget of Rs3 lakh. Monthly usage will be 150-200 km. I want the petrol version, but am confused about CNG. Please advise.— Manoj Jagtap
Check out the Alto and the Eon. First ride it for a while and then see if you want to convert.

I wish to purchase a scooter for my parents. My father will be riding it most of the times. I have shortlisted the Honda Activa, Suzuki Swish and Hero Maestro.  My requirements are good mileage and suspension. Please guide.—Perce P Nakra
Go for the Activa. The second choice would be Swish.

I am contemplating buying a new bike. Currently, I use a Splendor that’s more than 12 years old. Daily usage will be 20-30 kms. Also, I have a back-pain problem. Please suggest accordingly, including about Bajaj Avenger.  —Hareesh M
The Avenger would be perfect for your situation. Else, go for the Yamaha Fazer.

You guys are doing a great job. I just want to ask you what is your view about the new Apache RTR series? — Muthu Konar
If you looked the old RTR, you’ll like this one too. They are pretty similar, save for the looks. It’s a fun little bike to ride.

I have a two-year-old Honda Shine, but it delivers very low mileage about 25-30 kmpl in city. What should I do to get better mileage? —Mehul Dodia
Check your carburettor tuning to see if the fuel mixture is proper, other than that, try changing your riding style, and the pump from where you fill petrol to see if there are any gains.

I wish to buy a scooter with good mileage and comfort. I am 5.7. Please suggest. — Priya Joshi
Go for the Honda Dio -- it has a low seat height so is easier to ride.

Upon your advice, I bought an Eon Magna+ and a Vespa scooter. Thank you. I now need advice on a motorcycle for my son. Looking for good ride comfort and best quality. — Dayananda Babu Kora
 We’re glad you’re happy. As for the bike, take a look at the Honda Stunner. It’s a nice, stylish, reliable bike for your son.

I want to buy a new sportish bike between Rs50,000-75,000. My girlfriend prefers the Honda Stunner. Is it worth the price?—Akhil Selva
 The Stunner is a great bike, but it is a 125cc bike. In your range. you can get 150cc bikes as well. Take a look at the Suzuki GA150.

Which one’s better between the Karizma ZMR, Pulsar NS200, Honda CBR150R?—  Prashant Panchal
We recommend the Karizma for reliability and true performance. If you want something newer, then take a look at the Honda CBR 150 and 250AD.

I have almost decided to buy the Honda Jazz when I heard from friends that Honda is about to stop the production of Jazz. Is this true? If true, will I have issues later? — Ankit Jain
There are no reports about Honda stopping the production of Jazz. In the slim chance they do, spares won’t be an issue at all. It remains a great car to own.

I have a November 2009 Fiat Linea Emotion Pack 1.4 petrol. My daily commute is around 40 km plus weekend trips from Mumbai to Pune and back. Could you please advise if it will be feasible to go for a sequential CNG kit for the Linea? — Samir H, Mumbai
There will be no problem running your Linea on CNG, but only get it converted if you intend to keep the car for a while.

First, thanks a tonne for the quick response from you. Now, I would like clarity on power and torque.  Which one means good pickup and which one means good overtaking? 85 PS @3750 and 102@5850. Torque (Nm@rpm) 200@1900 145@3750.  I have second home in hilly area with bad terrain & rough roads. My budget is below Rs8 lakh. Which car/SUV will you suggest? — Suresh Karnik
 Those specs are like the Renault Duster’s. It’ll be perfect for you. Check out the review alongside.

I have been riding Bajaj CT100 for 7 years. The bike is good in the city, but unfortunately it’s not a tourer and it is apparent when  you hit the highways. I want a bike to give me the thrill and go non-stop at 80 kmh for long stretches and have decent pickup to overtake. My budget is Rs1.5 lakh. Kindly advise.—  Aditya Hatkar
The Bullet is the ultimate touring bike for our roads, so that is our choice here. The Duke is a quick accelerator, but doesn’t like holding high speeds for long. As an alternative, take a look at the Honda CBR 250 which is also a great tourer.

First of all, thanks for making our Friday mornings peppier with your advice! Do we have any automatic SUV within the Rs13 lakh range? You mentioned the Scorpio makeover. By when will it be done? — Sanjay Ishwarlal Upadhyay
The Scorpio is the nearest one with an automatic. The new one is perhaps a year away, so you can book the current one.

You guys are doing great and thanks for it. I am confused between the Chevy Beat Diesel, Honda Brio and Swift LXi petrol. I want good mileage since usage is 20-40 km daily and 1,000 km monthly. — Devashish Tamrakar
 The Beat diesel makes a lot of sense for you. Enjoy the drive.

I own a petrol Swift and am planning to buy a used car as second vehicle for the family. It will be used less than 400 km s month and will run in Noida. Budget is Rs1.5-2 lakh. Planning to use for 3 years.  Please advise.— Vishnu
If space is not a huge concern, the Alto is the best option. Cheap, reliable and easy to use as well.

I have been referring your columns every Friday without fail. Good job guys. I own a used 2006 Swift LXi that has clocked 62,300 kms. I have owned it for the last 2 years. I don’t use it daily but usually go for long drives & have driven over 24,000 kms in last years. Should I keep it for a while or look for change? — Anand Kulkarni
Keep it for another year or so, if it’s bit giving you any problems. Then you can look for a change.

Your straightforward replies to our mails are excellent! I am using a Maruti 800, 1997 petrol. It is in good condition. I have paid green tax and renewed registration for the next 5 years till February 2017. I use it on weekends (50 km a week). My question is whether I should install a CNG kit or change my car before registration expires? Please guide. —Anil Parmar
 If you plan on keeping the car till the registration expires and don’t foresee any mechanical or body problems cropping up, go for the kit as it will serve you well. Otherwise, if you have the budget, buy the Alto.

I want buy a bike for my college. My budget is Rs60,000 and daily ride around 40 km. I like the new Discover ST. Please advise.  — Mitesh Makwana
The new Discover ST is perfect for you, with its stylish looks and great engine

I am 20 and am planning to buy a bike for going to college. Please suggest one with good mileage and looks. Daily use is nearly 40 km. What are your views about the Stunner? Also I read on the internet that Hero and Royal Enfield are coming up with diesel bikes. Is it true? Should I wait for them?— Jaskeerat Singh
Diesel bikes will take a few years to come to the market, so be point waiting for them. The stunner is a great option as is the Bajaj Discover.

Need your advice on buying our first car. I am a layman with no knowledge about this except driving. We are family of 3. My travel would be 65 kms daily. Highway driving to office and weekend approximately 50 kms. Our main criteria are mileage and low maintenance. Budget below Rs4 lakh. Please suggest—  Poopathi Mudaliyar
Buy the Chevrolet Beat diesel. It will serve you well.

I want to buy a car that’s comfortable, gives good mileage and is easy on maintenance. It will be used for around 300 km a month. My budget is Rs6-6.5 lakh. Please suggest. —  Anand Shankar
 We think the DZire will be a good fit for you. Because it offers good space and interiors.

I like Honda Brio but am concerned about bootspace, maintenamce, fuel economy & resale value. Please advice. I don’t like the Tatas, Maruti Swift and Ritz. I will keep the car for at least 7 years. -- Jal Tahilramani
The Brio is a good car, but, we think you’ll be better served by the Hyundai i10. Boot space and general longevity are better.

I want to buy an old model of Java/Yezdi bike. Some of my friends suggested I buy it from Pune. How much will it cost? — Bhushan More
Depending on the condition, they go for anywhere between Rs5000 to Rs15000. Spares are available, so you can go for one.