Sister act

I want to know which car in the Rs 3 to 3.5 lakh range would you recommend for my 37-year old sister "� the Maruti Suzuki Alto LXi, the Tata Indica V2 or the Hyundai Santro Xing. The monsoon is around the corner "� is it better to buy a car after the season or is it all right if we make a purchase before the rains?

Alpana Joshi, via email

On your budget, your sister can go for the Alto LXi "� amongst the three cars you have shortlisted, it's the most suitable for her. It's nimble, effortless to drive and park, economical and reliable too. There's no need to wait for the monsoons to end for purchasing a car. Go ahead, pick one up right away.

Mass conversion

Is it feasible to convert the Maruti Esteem's 1300cc (67 bhp, non-MPFI) engine to a diesel engine? Could I do the same with the 85 bhp MPFI engine? If so, should I change the crankshaft (to change the compression ratio) and the timing belt as well to match the firing sequence and camshaft timing? What would be the rough estimate of such a conversion? Can I do the job with an Ambassador diesel conversion kit? I need your suggestions.

K Shashikiran, via email

In automotive engineering, virtually anything is possible, however, we don't advise you to do what you have in mind. Instead of using a petrol engine and working on it, it would be better if you replace it entirely with a diesel engine. 1500cc Toyota diesel engines are available in the market, and they could be shoehorned into the Esteem's engine bay, and will be suitable. Alternatively, you could always look around for the Peugeot TuD5 engine the Zens and Esteems came with, which will also meet your requirements.

Being a Sport

I was scouting for a used (previous generation) Honda City and have come across a 1.5 EXi Sport, model year 1999. I would like to know more about the EXi S, what are the things I should look for before buying it? What should be the approximate price for this car? It's done about 37,000 km.

Nihar Chakravarty, via email

The Honda City 1.5 EXi S is a rare beast "� it sported minor aerodynamic pieces, had adequate power, and can be termed India's first production sports car. Chances are that the car you have seen was used by an enthusiast for the last 37,000 km "� that means, maybe, a slightly abused machine. Check for wear and tear "� tyres and clutch may need replacement/work.

It is a low-slung car and those add-on bits may wear speed-bump induced damage. If the car you have found is a clean, good example, then go for it "� it still has another good one lakh km of life left in it. The approximate price for this example should not be more than Rs 3.5 lakh.

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