A TATA Car Experience - Fighting Fear and Prejuice

How did the rate the car?

Under 10 Lakh midsize cars sedans

Style: 5 stars - Fiat Linea

Comfort 5 stars - Optra

Performance 5 stars - Ford Duratorq

Performance 4 stars - Fiat Linea

Performance 3 stars - Swift Dzire

Performance 2 Stars - INDIGO

Performance 1 Star - Hyundai Accent

Fuel Economy 5 stars - Ford Duratorq

I test rode the following cars

1. Wagon R Duo

2. Indica V2

3. Indica Vista

4. Ford Duratorq

5. Santro Xing

6. i20

7. Mahindra Xylo

8. Fiat Linea

9. Fiat Punto

10. Indigo CS LX DiCOR (Diesel)

My Conclusions

• If you want a formal car, Fuel Efficient Car and Less Maintainance.
• Vote for INDIGO CS LX DiCOR (Diesel)
• ORP : 5,57,000/- (Hyderabad)
• Have to find the various Dealers Prices.
• As the FIAT and Tata Wheels dealerships is coupled at Paradise, HYD. Interesting to see the Salesman of the Fiat Downplaying the TATA product and TATA salesmen Downplaying the FIAT product. You will get nothing honest and substantial from them.
• Dealing with this nut jobs is tough.
• -ves of INDIGO CS XL(Diesel) less power.
• Another car that was a close competitor was Swift LDi (Diesel).
•  ORP : 5,33,277 (Varun Motors - 3 Year Warranty)
• ORP : 5,29,701 (Acer Motors - 3 Year Warranty)
• Swift LDi has no body colored bumpers. No body colored rear view mirrors.
• No Power Windows
• INDIGO has all of above.
• If you want that in Swift you will have to go for VDi. ORP : 5,71,000/- (Dealers vary by 3,000/- as you might have noticed)
• Further, the proof of blind buying and the maruti hype is the three month waiting period (@ Acer Motors). You need to pay 2,50,000/- for delivery within one month.
• Swift has got no goodies coming with it.
• So you need to loosen your pocket further.
• All this makes the Swift VDi in the above 6L bracket. Finally it remains a butt-less machine. Guys which girl looks good one with a butt or without ?
• Swift plus point : Has More power. But you will never require that kind of power. On the contrary INDIGO can be driven efficiently in low speeds without much gear changes. Thats a key factor in city driving.
• Ford Ikon (Duratorq) has outstanding fuel efficiency and performance.
• ORP: 6,12,319 (Mody Ford, Begumpet Hyderabad)
• Price Difference with INDIGO: 56,000/-
• Its Base Model cost is comparable to Swift VDi.
• Ford Parts are manufactured in India now. Whats the difference between Ford and Tata then. Spare parts are costly (But Parts last longer). But FORD is currently giving a two year/One Lakh km warranty. Ford rejection is a tough decision. I still like this josh machine. 
• Dealers are no-nonsense guys.
• Regular Service is good. Unlike maruti they dont get flooded with vehicles. (I hear from owners). Maruti owners of complain of trying to be First In .. ..Last Harassed Out.
• Wagon R (Duo)
• put your dining table chairs on the table.
• lets put wheels underneath.
• Vola! We have Wagon R. It feels like a Wagon.
• +ve point. Good Road View. Your wife can drive it easily. And you kids can watch the road pass by.
• The New Wagon R Model that was released in JAPAN looks good. Dunno when it will be released here!
• Looks do matter. Wagon R Loses here. No wonder it doesnt ask for a dowry!
• Santro ECO GLS (ECO)
• If you looking for fuel efficiency, value for money and near zero maintainence.
• ORP : 4,17,000/- (Talwar Hyundai)
• This is your car. You can close you eyes and buy one.
• Not for ass lovers! Car is never a car unless its a sedan. The Car is an image. About you. Ford Cares a damn about price. Build world class high performance car. If your seen with one people think you a result oriented guy. With a INDIGO you are seen as a practical guy. With a LINEA your a classy guy. With a SANTRO. Well one among the many beggars like me. Takes you from place X to place Y - Period. Doesnt burn your pocket. With a i10, i20 you are seen as guy with an iQ in the SPECIAL PEOPLE range.   
• Finally LINEA
• If you dont travel much. You want a car for style and status symbol.
• Its has to be FIAT LINEA Active (Petrol)
• ORP: 6,84,019
• It looks like a BMW. The styling is superb. Drop Dead looks. This is an excellent option if you travel less than 25km per day.
• Mileage claim :17kmpl
• Mileage lets assume :12kmpl
• 25(daily travel) X 25(Days) X12 (Months)=7500
• 7500/12(mileage) = 625 (Litres) = 625 x 50(Petrol Price) = 31250
• Diesel Engine Variant of LINEA is approx 2Lakhs more. To recover that cost you will need 5-6 years. Makes no sense. Diesel engines require more Maintanence. That further increases the Cost of ownership.
• If your beggar wanting to live life KING buy LINEA the model i suggested. Buy it BLACK. Then you dont have to bother about body colored heads and noses. BLACK looks royal with the steel grill. MAJESTIC

Hope this Analysis is useful in your decision making. Finally rememeber to verify if you engine Bharat stage- IV Compliant. It is being introduced across 11 cities from April 2010. Dont end up with an brand new uncompliant Engine.

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