Best vehicle to buy post Nov 2017 budget

[dilshant80]

Dear members,

Given the recent changes in the budget, I have narrowed my search down to the below vehicles and would like your input as well. My main concerns are comfort, decent ground clearance and maintenance cost. The Toyota Rav4 was also considered, but I would have to buy a 7+ year used vehicle which I am not keen on doing.

My top picks

1. Audi Q2 1.0 Litre Turbo

2. Nissan Note E-Power 1.2 Litre

3. Honda Civic Hatchback 1.0 Litre turbo

4. Audi A3 1.0 Litre Turbo

5. Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI (Update: 28-11-2017)

My low picks

1. Toyota CH-R 1.2 Litre Turbo

2. Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Litre Hybrid

3. Suzuki Baleno 1.0 Litre Turbo

Thank you all

Edited November 28, 2017 by dilshant80

[nisala4423]

Hey, go for a Japanese hybrid if you want maintenance cheap. if u can buy the audi hybrid brand new go for it a friend of mine bought the car and drove 200k kms without any major repairs.

[dilshant80]

11 minutes ago, nisala4423 said:

Hey, go for a Japanese hybrid if you want maintenance cheap. if u can buy the audi hybrid brand new go for it a friend of mine bought the car and drove 200k kms without any major repairs.

Thanks @nisala4423. The Ignis and Nissan Note E-Power are the Japanese hybrids out of the lot and I have heard good things about the Nissan Note and its easy to maintain aspect. Went on a test drive as well and have to say I love the pickup from stop-go traffic, compared to my Aqua. The Audi is not Hybrid though. The Q2 pairs with a 1.0 litre turbo engine. But thank you for the feedback on the Audi. You are the second person to say something positive about it

Edited November 27, 2017 by dilshant80

[iRage]

1 hour ago, dilshant80 said:

Any feedback on the Nissan Note E-Power? Seem to be getting popular here in SL

 

 

Well..car become popular in Sri Lanka based on the tax structure and the car salesmen pushing whatever can be brought down for cheap and sold easily. So they don't necessarily become popular based on the car's own merit.

Having said that...the e-Note is doing quite well in Japan and haven't heard of any serious issues with it over her (in Japan). The first release of the model was for Japan only but now Nissan seems to have built-up on the system and seem to be confident enough to be selling it in other regions as well. I have not driven one so can't comment on how it handles or rides. 

The Baleno also seems to be getting pushed in SL now...simpler tech than the e-Note. 

On the other hand..the Audi turbos are much more road proven than the new Japanese turbos that are coming out.

Having said that...I did not intend to throw you off the Audi...it is a nice, solid car and it will give you tons more pleasure than the Japanese cars on your list and it is not going to break down on you every single month.  However, it will cost you a tad bit more commitment and money than your average, run of the mill Japanese car.  On a year-to-year basis the service cost would not be that much different than the service cost of a Toyota at the Toyota agent in SL; but then an average Toyota would be fine (for the most part) with a normal service station....until some Hybrid or CVT or some other issue props up. 

Were you planning to buy a brand new Q2 via the agent ? If so...then most of the serious issues that may pop-up will be covered by the warranty.  

(I just got back after a service of my Fortuner in Vietnam at the Toyota dealer...cost me $35 :D..unfortunately that will never happen in SL). 

Edited November 27, 2017 by iRage

[dilshant80]

8 minutes ago, iRage said:

Well..car become popular in Sri Lanka based on the tax structure and the car salesmen pushing whatever can be brought down for cheap and sold easily. So they don't necessarily become popular based on the car's own merit.

Having said that...the e-Note is doing quite well in Japan and haven't heard of any serious issues with it over her (in Japan). The first release of the model was for Japan only but now Nissan seems to have built-up on the system and seem to be confident enough to be selling it in other regions as well. I have not driven one so can't comment on how it handles or rides. 

The Baleno also seems to be getting pushed in SL now...simpler tech than the e-Note. 

On the other hand..the Audi turbos are much more road proven than the new Japanese turbos that are coming out.

Having said that...I did not intend to throw you off the Audi...it is a nice, solid car and it will give you tons more pleasure than the Japanese cars on your list and it is not going to break down on you every single month.  However, it might cost you a tad bit more commitment and money than your average, run of the mill Japanese car.  On a year-to-year basis the service cost would not be that much different than the service cost of a Toyota at the Toyota agent in SL; but then an average Toyota would be fine (for the most part) with a normal service station....until some Hybrid or CVT or some other issue props up. 

Were you planning to buy a brand new Q2 via the agent ? If so...then most of the serious issues that may pop-up will be covered by the warranty.  

(I just got back after a service of my Fortuner in Vietnam at the Toyota dealer...cost me $35 :D..unfortunately that will never happen in SL). 

Thanks @iRage. The Audi I plan on getting down from Sterling Japan and not from the agents. The Sterling warranty covers the engine and transmission for 2 years. The price at the agent will be high. Also the Audi base model is hovering at the 6.5m mark and this is without climate control AC, folding side mirrors and reverse camera (Audi Q2 SE trim in Audi UK). So if the extra options result in a steep increase in price, it might be nudged out of the list.

The only choice left for me in Toyotas is the CH-R (Don't want to go for the Aqua or Axio, since they are insanely priced now due to the change in tax structure).

Since I test drove the Note E-Power, pickup is better than my Aqua. Drove both the S and Medallist.The S seats are not that comfortable but The Mediallist seats are quite good and there is surprisingly good rear leg room for passengers.

$35 for a service!!!! Wish I could go to Vietnam just for the service LOL!

Edited November 27, 2017 by dilshant80

[iRage]

13 minutes ago, dilshant80 said:

Thanks @iRage. The Audi I plan on getting down from Sterling Japan and not from the agents. The Sterling warranty covers the engine and transmission for 2 years. The price at the agent will be high. Also the Audi base model is hovering at the 6.5m mark and this is without climate control AC, folding side mirrors and reverse camera (Audi Q2 SE trim in Audi UK). So if the extra options result in a steep increase in price, it might be nudged out of the list.

The only choice left for me in Toyotas is the CH-R (Don't want to go for the Aqua or Axio, since they are insanely priced now due to the change in tax structure).

$35 for a service!!!! Wish I could go to Vietnam just for the service LOL!

How long do you intend to use the car for ? You are not going to have serious issues if you maintain the car properly. To do that, especially after the warranty period...find yourself a good Audi mechanic who is known to be specialized in it. An issue with something like an Audi is that once you get used to something of that calibre, only a very very very few Japanese cars would even come close to what the Audi can offer  

You will have to be diligent about upcoming pre-emptive scheduled maintenance and periodic running maintenances. Plan ahead and get down parts, etc...You can't wait till the last minute and hope to just run to a parts shop and find it (at least at a sensible price). There are a few who bring down parts for Euro cars at a reasonable markup or if you actually are diligent about cars as you say you are..then you would love getting online and searching for parts as well.

On the other hand....I think cars like the Q2 will get quite popular over the next few months. So accessibility to reasonably priced parts in country might get better

Edited November 27, 2017 by iRage

[dilshant80]

1 minute ago, iRage said:

How long do you intend to use the car for ? You are not going to have serious issues if you maintain the car properly. To do that...find yourself a good Audi mechanic who is known to be specialized in it. An issue with something like an Audi is that once you get used to something of that calibre, only a very very very few Japanese cars would even come close to what the Audi can offer  

You will have to be diligent about upcoming pre-emptive scheduled maintenance and periodic running maintenances. Plan ahead and get down parts, etc...You can't wait till the last minute and hope to just run to a parts shop and find it (at least at a sensible price). There are a few who bring down parts for Euro cars at a reasonable markup or if you actually are diligent about cars as you say you are..then you would love getting online and searching for parts as well.

On the other hand....I think cars like the Q2 will get quite popular over the next few months. So accessibility to reasonably priced parts in country might get better

Yes @iRage the Q2 is getting popular. I visited a car sale last week and they had 8 in stock. This week they had only 3! I plan on using the Q2 for at least 5 years (btw I clock around 150KM per month travel wise).

I will contact the Audi agent as well and get their pricing.

[iRage]

9 minutes ago, dilshant80 said:

Yes @iRage the Q2 is getting popular. I visited a car sale last week and they had 8 in stock. This week they had only 3! I plan on using the Q2 for at least 5 years (btw I clock around 150KM per month travel wise).

I will contact the Audi agent as well and get their pricing.

150km ? a month ? 150 ? Only ?You would do only 1800km a year ???

[dilshant80]

4 minutes ago, iRage said:

150km ? a month ? 150 ? Only ?You would do only 1800km a year ???

Sorry my mistake. Actually I do 5000KM a year

[iRage]

2 minutes ago, dilshant80 said:

Sorry my mistake. Actually I do 5000KM a year

So a little less than 500km a month...that is still pretty low. Cars do love to be driven

[dilshant80]

Just now, iRage said:

So a little less than 500km a month...that is still pretty low. Cars do love to be driven

Workplace is not that far from home so don't go long distance much apart from the weekend drives

[Quiet]

Any idea of Peugeot 3008 just saw an advert. im looking for a replacement for the Vezel

[Mazda6]

23 minutes ago, Quiet said:

Any idea of Peugeot 3008 just saw an advert. im looking for a replacement for the Vezel

I have no experience with Peugeot at all. Do take this with a pinch of salt. When I go to get my car serviced at the agent who brings down both Mazda and Peugeot, I get the distinct vibe that the service personnel are a bit used to getting complaints about Peugeots.

[dilshant80]

45 minutes ago, Quiet said:

Any idea of Peugeot 3008 just saw an advert. im looking for a replacement for the Vezel

@Quiet What was the price quoted?

[dantoddd]

what about the A1 1.0 Turbo

[dilshant80]

Just now, dantoddd said:

what about the A1 1.0 Turbo

Dimensions a bit too small for my liking and the ground clearance of 120mm is too low as well. Other than that, its a good price point of 4.4M.

[ajm]

1 hour ago, dilshant80 said:

Dimensions a bit too small for my liking and the ground clearance of 120mm is too low as well. Other than that, its a good price point of 4.4M.

the 1L engines cant do 200kmph it seems,but wont be a problem in SL. By the way this 1L engine offered in SL is the 82PS or 95PS version? The 95PS version seems quite fast with 0-100kmph in 11S.

[Quiet]

1 hour ago, dilshant80 said:

@Quiet What was the price quoted?

It is quoted at down payment of Rs.4.5Mn +79K monthly installment. Considering 50% LTV ratio im assuming its around 9.5 to 10Mn

[Mazda6]

21 minutes ago, Quiet said:

It is quoted at down payment of Rs.4.5Mn +79K monthly installment. Considering 50% LTV ratio im assuming its around 9.5 to 10Mn

For 10 million, wouldn’t the brand new 1.5L Honda CR-V be a better choice, especially for our country? 

[dilshant80]

27 minutes ago, Supra_Natural said:

I have a feeling this thread will become a cautionary tale on AL in the Future.

@dilshant80 as someone who has owned a VW group product and a few other Euro cars, believe me when I say, I would strongly advise you to get something other than the Audi option, purely based on what you seem to be looking for. All kinds of people will make all kinds of statements about this and that, but the fact remains in Sri Lankan conditions, a Japanese car will remain the better bet in the long run if you are constrained by budget and time. 

Also if you feel you want the Audi no matter what, there is an option other than the agents for VW/Audi - Vishwa Motors. They are pretty good and generally keep up to date with the newer models also. They also have their own independent parts suppliers as well.

You might also want to check and verify whether this "Sterling Warranty" covers everything on an Audi that it would on a Jap car, because you REALLY do not want to get stuck with a warranty that is of no use to you and importers just LOVE exclusion clauses.  

Anyway, your money, your choice. Do keep us updated on what you eventually choose. 

Thanks @Supra_Natural for the recommendations. It seems the Sterling warranty covers only the engine and transmission, unlike the agent warranty offered here. My previous experience of a non-SL used vehicle is my latest one (Aqua) which two and a half years to date used in SL, I have had no problems whatsoever, so given the premium price tag of Euros I expect better quality and reliability. If that is not the case, then I would rather stick with Jap vehicles as you mentioned.

Will keep you guys posted on my eventual purchase

[ajm]

1 hour ago, dilshant80 said:

@Supra_NaturalMy previous experience of a non-SL used vehicle is my latest one (Aqua) which two and a half years to date used in SL, I have had no problems whatsoever, so given the premium price tag of Euros I expect better quality and reliability. If that is not the case, then I would rather stick with Jap vehicles as you mentioned.

Will keep you guys posted on my eventual purchase

so the arguement is,you  shouldn't buy a European car unless you have owned one before. Sounds like a Chicken or egg problem. The best way to get into the category is to buy a brand-new one if its available for a reasonable price, not to buy a 10year old Euro which would provide a steep learning curve for a newcomer switching from an Acqua. These drivetrains are quite robust,and tested under harsh conditions and also in the field by thousands of cars manufactured per day(Audi,VW,Seat,Skoda all sharing sme platform and components).

[dilshant80]

4 minutes ago, ajm said:

so the arguement is,you  shouldn't buy a European car unless you have owned one before. Sounds like a Chicken or egg problem. The best way to get into the category is to buy a brand-new one if its available for a reasonable price, not to buy a 10year old Euro which would provide a steep learning curve for a newcomer switching from an Acqua. These drivetrains are quite robust,and tested under harsh conditions and also in the field by thousands of cars manufactured per day(Audi,VW,Seat,Skoda all sharing sme platform and components).

Most make Euro cars seem like white elephants which makes me ponder as to why would a person buy a Euro car in the first place, if they are going to be stuck with a white elephant 

[Quiet]

1 hour ago, dilshant80 said:

Most make Euro cars seem like white elephants which makes me ponder as to why would a person buy a Euro car in the first place, if they are going to be stuck with a white elephant 

So why did you ponder?

[Quiet]

3 hours ago, Mazda6 said:

For 10 million, wouldn’t the brand new 1.5L Honda CR-V be a better choice, especially for our country? 

I just dont like the looks of CRV honestly. I checked one out. 3008 highest spec is 10.5Mn. Im going to check one out after 30th Nov when they receive a unit. lets see. 

[dilshant80]

11 minutes ago, Quiet said:

I just dont like the looks of CRV honestly. I checked one out. 3008 highest spec is 10.5Mn. Im going to check one out after 30th Nov when they receive a unit. lets see. 

that is WAY over budget for me

[Crishan]

4 hours ago, dilshant80 said:

what are the prices quoted?

Seriously mate?