Evlauation of mid-size cars

I am considering investing in a mid-size and have compared the following ...Chevrolet Tavera LT-1Hyundai Accent CRDiFord Fusion+Maruti Baleno VXiThe car is to be used mostly in and around Mumbai for about 1,500 KM per month, except for the quarterly additional trips of 1,000 KMs. It will be self driven with family and so must carry decent baggage. Can any one guide me on the issues to be considered for finalising the car? Issues shoud cover: accessories, fiance, warranty. Best wishes.

Ford Fusion...anything karega!!! 🙂

CrDI gets my vote. economical, reliable and comfortable.

Accent CRDi.

it's true, it's true 😀

Scorpio CRDE

its not even in the list.

None of my fav here...but i 'll go for Accent CRDi

he is considering tavera why doesn't he considers scorpio

its his choice. mahindra is not exactly known for its service and quality aspects. travera is chevrolet. its GM... they are THE biggest makers of cars in the world. i guess that matters a lot. he is not considering innova as well which i believe is the best of that lot of MUVs.

Thanks guys ... this is getting informative and useful. I did think that the Chevrolet label and brand was important since it implied quality and specifications 'as used in USA', the place where Ralph Nadar had cracked the whip on the GM-Corvair some fourty years ago (unsafe at any speed). So I investigated both the Tavera and the Optima. I was shocked to find that this USA company-GM, is playing the same tricks it has played in the past in USA and recently in China. I will explain. The optima is basically the Daevoo car with a Chevrolet lable, that is all. It does not sell anywhere in the quality it is sold here. They have kept the price high to scam profits and fool the status conscious. My test drive showed the petrol engine gives a vibration in the cabin, the car handles potholes like some cheaper car and except for steering, it is not worth the price or the brand. The Tavera I was sorry to find, does not give tubeless tyres (which I had used thirty-five years ago in USA), its battery is hopeless quality, the warrenty is poor. Such configuration and quality will not sell in USA or Europe under the GM label, but can be only sold in India or China (Buick is scamming the chinese there). One has to pay Rs. 8.87 lakhs for the LT-1 model (single AC) and Rs. 9.43 lakhs for the LT-2 model (double AC) for Mumbai. They want Rs. 9,000 for upgrading to tubeless tyres when I insist. So I am done with the GM stable. I wish to give publicity to their scam. Surprsingly, the recent issue of Business World has written exactly about this issue with referance to Buick in China. The customer service of Mahindra's and the work required on Scorpio is legandary in Mumbai, so I did not consider this. Anyway it looks like an elephant on the city streets and is impossible to park even in moderatly crowded areas. It is probably good only for inter city rides. The Innova appeared so attractive, but the E-petrol model (basic stripped down configuration) does not have power steering for a 4500 mm long car and they refuse to fit it even if I want to pay extra. The fuel consumption is poor and they want to push you into the G configuration where you find they want to charge you almost Rs.50,000 only for the power steering (that is all that seems useful). The positive is they will give two free services and the hit is for Rs. 7.58 lakhs in Mumbai with a three year limited warranty. The finance charge comes to 6.25% reducing balance. I am stuck because of no power steering. The diesel verison costs Rs. 8.25 lakhs. Then I have been following up with the Hyundai-Accent people in Mumbai. They will not give me a test drive for the CRDi since they do NOT keep this vehicle, it is great they say and then add, it does not sell. I have heard whispers that if has poor resale value (implying that it has high vibration after two/three years). Further, they are bent on fooling me with the EMI. They give different EMI on different days, just confusing the customers with fast talk. The final cost is supposed to be Rs.7.78 lakhs for Mumbai. I put it to them, please sit on the customer side of the table, customer is giving you a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh, now what do you wnat him to write on the 35 other checks for the EMI and what is the 'reducing balance rate'. After six calls, I am still to get a consistant answer. You can 'catch' them easily with the arithmetic. I am pissed off, no test drive, no proper rate, no consistancy and it seems a bit crowded in the back seat with three medium size folks. So I am left with the Fusion+ and the Baleno. The later I find too staid / too vanila. The Fusion+ seems OK and I am due for a test drive soon. I am told it will cost me Rs. 7.98 lakhs, and they will give me Ford Finance of 35 interest free EMIs totalling upto Rs. 5 lakhs, and no cash discount. However, folks tell me the fuel consumption is bad, and that it looks like a 'camel', that is strange. Now tell me friends, what should I do and the logic for doing it. Best wishes.

actually daewoo makes (made) awesome vehicles. cielo remains one of the best cars i have traveled in... matiz is a personal favorite.

Fusion+ it is from the Ford stable...i hope we all know that it's one of the biggest and best!!! 🙂

Well, I took test drives on four types of vehicles and have decided that Ford-Fusion (basic model) is fine.

In Mumbai there are three dealers for Ford-Fusion and I have had talks with two of them. I am being offered a heavy discount for large payment up front. I have been investigating sources for alloy wheel rims, radio+MP3 player, vinyl or polyurethane seat covers, no-claim-bonus transfer for insurance, sale of current vehicle, etc. With all this I am still ahead of other cars in cost and performance. I invite you all to give your inputs.

There is a yahoogroup weblink where they have some 43 members at present: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/fordfusion/ This yahoogroup has all kinds of info of persons using the Fusion. I hope more will sign on and contribute to keep 'customer awareness' at high level. If you know anyone who has a Fusion, please request them to sign on at the website.

Best wishes.

Well folks, I got delivery of my new Ford Fusion last week. Its sky blue (tonique) color and drives like a dream. Unfortunately, the rains have not let up in Mumbai and what with the Ganpati Festival, I have not been able to really give it a good run. I exchanged my old MarutiDX for this new Fusion and even got my 'max. no-claim bonus insurance' transfered to the new car. Saved a pile there. Now I am chasing up AURA (Hindalco) for MagWheels delivery. Getting a real cheap deal there. The new Blaupunkt-Bermuda audio is just superb too. Excellent bass and treble with 18 Watt RMS x 4 speakers. Thanks for the guidance and support folks. Best wishes.