car for a student

[rebux]

hi! m an enginering student n i stay in banglore n want to buy a used car of bughet around 1.5lakh max. i hav sortlisted maruti 800, zen,esteem and the opel corsa, but cant decide on one..maruti 800 seems the best fit but how are zen n esteem at tis price range?..spare parts price n maintainance? opel coras at tis price is very very tempting ..but can nebody tell me about how are the avaibility of the parts for tis car n overall maintainace cost. the examples dat i got at tis price range hav clocked 50k-65k kms..is the opel a safe buy for another at least 4-5years to run?...help

[sgiitk]

Avoid the Corsa. Expensive to repair and maintain.Between the M800, Zen and Esteem I will suggest the Zen. But then you have to see the compromises in the car which you will have to make in order to meet your budget. 

[AdityaM]

The old Zen, or the new Zen Estilo?

[sgiitk]

Must be the old Zen, do not exepct an Estilo at 1.5L.

[Rajeevraj]

I would say M800. That was the 2nd hand car i bought first time in Bangalore. I bought a 2004 Oct model in 2006 March for 1.7lacs and it had run only 8000km. And that too this was from Maruti True value KR Puram. So i feel you should be able to get a very good M800 for 1.5.

 

I would not recommend the other cars as they are by nature expensive cars and to get for 1.5 would mean you would have to compromise.

 

Also see if you can get an alto lxi. That comes with power steering also.

 

if you are not confident about buying from independent owners go to Maruti true Value showrooms ( you will pay a higher price but u will get a years warranty and 3 free service and all)

[Rajeevraj]

Of course you can also wait for the Nano

[adi1991]

or go for a zen

[raj_5004]

go for the zen and pls avoid the corse, its huge on maintainence although its a great car.

also try getting a used santro, i feel its the best second hand car.

[anjan_c2007]

'll suggest an old Zen that has been well maintained. The 800 is ok but

very very basic.Its not tough to find a well kept Zen as people hive

off old cars for new.We have FRG's thread here, that tells us what to

look out for while selecting second hand cars.

[designersf]

zen wil be the best bet for u...its one of the best for a college guy/teenager....being a maruti spares and service wont be a problem...just make sure the car is well  maintained

[bluesapphire]

Go for zen if its condition is good n avoid 800 as some said its basic n even for 4to5 years u will feel that u must have opt for a better one n u will be bored of this too basic car although good for city use...try getting used santro or wagonr ....santro if u can get in good condition at ur budget can be best for u although not as cheap as maruti to maintain but u will enjoy this car n it gives somewhat a big car feel

[AdityaM]

I guess it is the old Zen.

If you get a good buy, go for it.

I have found that Zen drivers mostly maintain their car very well. Something to do with prode of ownership?!

[bluesapphire]

Ya even i have found many old zens in well maintained condition

[shubham420don]

I think you should opt for a used,well-maintained Zen.A well- maintained Zen can be found easily..  

[adi1991]

well seems the majority is with zen

[AdityaM]

Well, it is the best of the lot!!

[bluesapphire]

Well' date=' it is the best of the lot!![/quote']ya tis small, peppy has good performance, and stability on high speeds....And maintenance is low and Fe is also good ....

[Rajeevraj]

From my experience in buying new cars i would say its better to go for the newest one you can get for your budget. The older it is however well maintained i think it will have its own wear and tear related problems. Thats what i have experienced with my current Zen. Lovely car. But because it has run 50K km keeps throwing up small issues time to time.

[Durango Dude]

Nano will be zilch, go for the Maruti 800; it's the most affordable 'reliable' car.