Second thoughts

A couple of days back I read the article on your website titled "5 lakh hatchback? Or pre-owned luxury instead?" The article about the Skoda Octavia RS in particular caught my attention because I saw mentioned there that a pre owned Octavia RS can cost as low as Rs 3.5 lakh. I am still considering the cost in the range of Rs 5-6 lakh depending on the owners’ practice of maintaining the car in good condition. The only thing that holds me back in buying a Skoda is the cost of the spares. The article aptly warns about the parts that are most ruptured during the use and replacing them costs a bomb. Also, considering the fact that it is a fantastic car to drive and has amazing capabilities, is it recommended to buy such a car? My friend owns one and I have driven the car. It swept me of my feet. It was simply awesome. Is it recommended to go for a brand new car over this choice? I am thinking of the new Honda City 1.5V MT. Please help.

Yayati R Nanivadekar, via email

Wow, all right so you are ready to take the plunge and get yourself a Skoda Octavia RS. Yes, some parts are expensive and hard to find, but if you are interested in the driving experience, then the Octavia RS will leave a smile on your face all the way from here to Mlada Boleslav. Finding a clean example is hard, so use the internet, friend circles and the newspapers to find one. Our suggestion would be to drive the car around for a year or two and then decide whether you want to hold on to it or drive something else. Have fun!

Four sure

I'm from Vadodara, Gujarat and on a strict budget of Rs 4 lakh. I currently drive a 2001 Maruti Suzuki Zen and would like to replace it with a car which has very good suspension since I have back problems and a yearly maintenance cost not exceeding Rs 25,000. Usage will be low, approx. 6,000 kilometres a year and will be self driven. I don't have any preference for new or used cars. Either is fine as long as the above two requirements are satisfied. Also, I was looking at some websites and found certain luxury cars like Mercs, Honda Civics (over 10 years old and driven about 1,00,000 km) were costing about Rs 4 lakh. Does it make any sense in buying these cars or would they be exhorbitantly expensive to maintain?

Sarang, via email

Considering you have a back problem, we see only two hatchbacks that suit your requirement but are not the perfect solution. The Maruti Suzuki Ritz has well designed front seats but the ride isn't as settled while the Chevrolet Beat has excellent suspension but poor seats. Your ideal car would be the Mahindra Logan which has a great combination of space, comfort and ride quality, even though it means stretching your budget a bit . Alternatively, if you want to look at used cars, try out a 2003-04 Toyota Corolla. The car has good ingress and egress, has well-designed seats which offer good back and under thigh support and the ride quality is pretty good too.

Automatically yours

I have been looking to buy a diesel automatic sedan or SUV under Rs 20 lakh but find that apart from the Hyundai Sonata Transform there are no other choices. I understand that no further Volkswagen Jettas or Passats are being sold in automatic version. Is there any other vehicle in the diesel automatic range I have missed that will suit my budget? I drive about 450-500 km per week. My car is chauffeur driven but I like to drive myself as well. Driving is restricted to the city with an occasional out-of-town drive every couple of months.

Anil Dass, via email

You are right about the Jetta not being sold with the automatic transmission any more, though the Passat diesel still comes with one, but is priced around Rs 25 lakh. Your next best option in that budget is the Skoda Laura 2.0 TDI. It comes with a DSG gearbox that is easy to use and very responsive. Moreover, the 2.0 TDI itself is a new common rail diesel engine unit which replaces the previous PD unit, making it more refined and responsive. The Laura has good space at the rear, nicely designed seats and good ride quality too, all within your budget.

Any automotive questions? Ask us at bijoy.y@bsmail.in