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WHICH CAR?

It may look like a bread box (an old one at that), but the Qualis has its strengths. To begin with, it has predictable handling apart from being reliable to a fault and economical to run.  The Scorpio looks better and definitely has new age tech under the hood. And it is more fun to drive too. If your need is to have a no-nonsense people mover, then stick to the Qualis and take good care of it.  But if style matters to you, then it is time to sell the good old Toyota. And guess what, you will find takers who will pay good money for it in the used car market. Quite an achievement for a bread box, right?  Old timer  I am planning to buy a second-hand car. I have heard about the True Value scheme that Maruti has. Please advise whether it would be good to buy such a car and if so, what are the things I need to watch out for. I am actually interested in a second- hand Maruti Zen or Esteem.

Anjum Ahmad Gilani, Unnao

1. Buy a car with as little mileage on it as possible. 2. Buy one with clean paper work (True Value guys check, so it is fine) 3. Buy a car on which no additional expenditure is required (tyres, brakes, battery etc) 4. Buy a car with no accident history. In short, buy a single-owner Esteem under 30-40,000 km and you should be ok. And remember, take the car for a short test drive (ideally with a trusted mechanic) before you buy it.  Dis-counted?  We are planning to buy a second car after our 2005 Maruti Zen LXi. We