Expert Opinion on Buying an AQUA (2012)

[Rajit]

Hey , I would like to hear the expert opinions around buying an AQUA 2012 which have done more than 90000 Km.

Have seen certain advertisements around 30 LAKHS and want to make sure will it be worth to give a try.....

Edited June 13, 2020 by Rajit

[ajm]

Replacement battery cost around 4lakh. Plus keep another 1-2lakh standby for other repairs 

Edited June 14, 2020 by ajm

[gayanath]

If you add a brand new battery,

  On 6/13/2020 at 7:21 PM, Rajit said:

AQUA 2012 which have done more than 90000 Km.

Have seen certain advertisements around 30 LAKHS and want to make sure will it be worth to give a try.....

Expand  

Installation cost (Rs. 325,000 max) you would cost the car Rs. 3,325,000. All other maintenance cost would be less than same category 8 year old car. 

What are the other vehicles in same category later than YOM 2012?

** Fuel efficiency advantage is a bonus for a light user and but a main concern for a heavy user. 

[vag2]

  On 6/15/2020 at 2:52 AM, gayanath said:

All other maintenance cost would be less than same category 8 year old car

Expand  

Any facts to support this claim? You have to maintain engine AND hybrid parts, not possible at any garage etc

[gayanath]

  On 6/15/2020 at 5:50 AM, vag2 said:

Any facts to support this claim? You have to maintain engine AND hybrid parts, not possible at any garage etc

Expand  

Engine - As usual (and extended maintenance intervals also due to less usage - its a cost advantage) 

Transmission - Very simple than most other Auto Transmissions, so less wear and tare. 

Electrical and Electronics - No maintenance (replacement only if needed - used parts also available for cheap price such as all other JDM cars)

HV Battery - No maintenance (replacement cost already discussed)  

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by gayanath

[vag2]

  On 6/15/2020 at 6:08 AM, gayanath said:

Electrical and Electronics - No maintenance (replacement only if needed - used parts also available for cheap price such as all other JDM cars)

 

 

Expand  

please elaborate? what are the additional electronic parts in a hybrid and what are their lifetimes?

[matroska]

  On 6/13/2020 at 7:21 PM, Rajit said:

Hey , I would like to hear the expert opinions around buying an AQUA 2012 which have done more than 90000 Km.

Have seen certain advertisements around 30 LAKHS and want to make sure will it be worth to give a try.....

Expand  

At 8 years and almost a 100,000 km's you should probably be prepared for Hybrid battery replacement -  I'd say it'd be worth if it if you could bargain it and get it below 30 Lakhs.

  On 6/15/2020 at 2:52 AM, gayanath said:

What are the other vehicles in same category later than YOM 2012?

Expand  

For a sub 3 Mil Budget - the other options  would be Honda Fit GP1 or the non hybrid GE6 if OP really want's a hatchback.

But if it were my money for 3Mill - I'd get myself a 2012 Lancer CS3 for around 2.9 Mill and pump fuel for the 1 Lakh i saved and the 3 lakhs i saved by not having to bother with a hybrid battery  I'd have less worries and more fun. 

Edited June 15, 2020 by matroska

[thusharak340]

  On 6/15/2020 at 10:10 AM, matroska said:

At 8 years and almost a 100,000 km's you should probably be prepared for Hybrid battery replacement -  I'd say it'd be worth if it if you could bargain it and get it below 30 Lakhs.

For a sub 3 Mil Budget - the other options  would be Honda Fit GP1 or the non hybrid GE6 if OP really want's a hatchback.

But if it were my money for 3Mill - I'd get myself a 2012 Lancer CS3 for around 2.9 Mill and pump fuel for the 1 Lakh i saved and the 3 lakhs i saved by not having to bother with a hybrid battery  I'd have less worries and more fun. 

Expand  

I also agree with you, it is less hassle,   regarding hybrid vehicle, entire fuel savings will be vanished when battery replacement & and other repairs,  my recommendation is not to buy this vehicle 

 

 

[gayanath]

  On 6/15/2020 at 5:50 AM, vag2 said:

Not possible at any garage etc

Expand  

Same thing we heard in 1990's when automatic cars coming in to the market. For hybrids, this is true few years before. but bow there are enough places in SL to dealt with including some knowledgeable people. Taking your non-hybrid to any garage also not advisable. Isn't it? ? 

Edited June 15, 2020 by gayanath

[vag2]

  On 6/15/2020 at 7:38 AM, vag2 said:

please elaborate? what are the additional electronic parts in a hybrid and what are their lifetimes?

Expand  

@gayanath

[gayanath]

 

  On 6/15/2020 at 7:38 AM, vag2 said:

please elaborate? what are the additional electronic parts in a hybrid and what are their lifetimes?

Expand  

 

  On 6/15/2020 at 5:07 PM, vag2 said:

@gayanath

Expand  

Ha... Ha.... You know this better than me dude.....

Anyway, no big issues reported yet in electrical and electronics. Isn't it? And even anything to be replaced, used units are now available on the market. Nothing could be used for whole life, so you may have to replace even the engine some day. Whether lifetime matters, could we avoid electronics these days? 

[gayanath]

  On 6/15/2020 at 10:10 AM, matroska said:

But if it were my money for 3Mill - I'd get myself a 2012 Lancer CS3 for around 2.9 Mill and pump fuel for the 1 Lakh i saved and the 3 lakhs i saved by not having to bother with a hybrid battery  I'd have less worries and more fun. 

Expand  

Is it possible to find body parts? As I know, most of the time you have to go for BNew parts and probably 50% is under owners account. 

BTW, careful driving will less trouble you....

[matroska]

  On 6/15/2020 at 9:29 PM, gayanath said:

Is it possible to find body parts?

Expand  

well not as frequent as body parts for a Vitz etc but yes you can find body parts.

 by "50% under owners account" I assume you're trying to say that insurance will not boot the entire bill? 

  On 6/15/2020 at 9:29 PM, gayanath said:

BTW, careful driving will less trouble you....

Expand  

well that goes without saying doesn't it?

Anyways point is - while there's no reason to be paranoid about hybrids, there can be other less painful options which are always good to explore.  

At the end of the day if you don't have a hybrid you could quote Jayz and say 'I got 99 problems but a battery ain't one'  

[vag2]

  On 6/15/2020 at 9:15 PM, gayanath said:

 

 

Ha... Ha.... You know this better than me dude.....

Anyway, no big issues reported yet in electrical and electronics. Isn't it? And even anything to be replaced, used units are now available on the market. Nothing could be used for whole life, so you may have to replace even the engine some day. Whether lifetime matters, could we avoid electronics these days? 

Expand  

no I dont. Thats why asking an expert engineer like yourself.

1.How many are the additional electronics parts in a hybrid compared to non-hybrid?

2.what are their lifetimes?

3. As an Engineer, do you recommend replacing hi-voltage electronics parts with used units? how can you guarantee that this type of maka-baas engineering would be suitable/safe for the end user?

Edited June 16, 2020 by vag2

[Devinda_Z]

  On 6/15/2020 at 6:08 AM, gayanath said:

Engine - As usual (and extended maintenance intervals also due to less usage - its a cost advantage) 

Transmission - Very simple than most other Auto Transmissions, so less wear and tare. 

Electrical and Electronics - No maintenance (replacement only if needed - used parts also available for cheap price such as all other JDM cars)

HV Battery - No maintenance (replacement cost already discussed)  

 

Expand  

@gayanath weren't most Toyota hybrids prone to ABS actuator failure? 

[gayanath]

  On 6/16/2020 at 2:49 PM, Devinda_Z said:

@gayanath weren't most Toyota hybrids prone to ABS actuator failure? 

Expand  

Yes. Not most but there is a considerable amount having the failure (according to my knowledge). People suggesting that regular brake fluid replacement may reduce the risk but it's not clearly proved.

BTW, we have to replace BF withing 2 to 3 years for any JDM car. 

[iRage]

  On 6/18/2020 at 6:16 AM, gayanath said:

BTW, we have to replace BF withing 2 to 3 years for any JDM car. 

Expand  

It does apply to non-JDM cars as well. Service manuals for most cars say it needs to be swapped out every 30,000-40,000kms. In Japan the fluid gets swapped during every shaken inspection prep.