Upcoming 2016 Toyota Fortuner

If there is one car that redefined the 20-lakh-Rupee segment in India, it has to be the Toyota Fortuner. When launched, almost 6 years back in 2009, the SUV created quite a stir and added to Toyota's already soaring bank balance.

With the 2012 facelift and the introduction of multiple transmission options, and a choice to choose between a 4x2 and a an all-time 4x4 option, it maintained a long waiting list till at least late 2013 and continues to do so in some cities. The were no significant changes to the interiors or updates to the feature list from Toyota whatsoever. As on date the car costs upwards of Rupees 31 Lakh, for the top-of-the-line 4x4 Automatic variant! Although the Fortuner still has its fair share of loyalists and fanboys, the SUV has started to show its age and has started to feel like an overpriced utilitarian SUV, with minimalist features!

Toyota is all set to launch the Fortuner in an all new avatar very soon. The upcoming Fortuner is expected to have been improved in all dimensions, be it a more mature body shell design, the drivetrain or be it the interiors.

While the all-new Fortuner has lost the raw-butch looks of its predecessor, the SUV sure looks very modern and proportionate, which will appeal to a wider variety of buyers.
Purist off-roaders might miss the rugged looks but the new Fortuner's exterior design will offend none.

The 2016 Toyota Fortuner will get beautifully done up interiors befitting a 35-Lakh-Rupee SUV, which it'll be when launched in India! The exhaustive feature list will include leather upholstered seats and dashboard, a leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel with paddles shifters for the automatic transmission, TFT-screen for MID in a good looking instrument cluster, 8-way electric driver’s seat, 7-inch touchscreen entertainment system with navigation, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, an air cooled glove box, electrically adjustable door mirrors with power folding feature, electric and remote boot lid release and closing, engine Start/Stop button with a smart key, and cruise control.

It will also get an all new 2.8 liter, 4-cylinder Diesel engine churning out a very healthy 177 BHP of raw power, and tractor-competing 450 Nm of torque. A 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder Diesel engine producing 150 BHP and 400 Mn of torque might also be available as an option. We don't expect Toyota to launch a petrol engine with the Fortuner in India!

There is a speculation of the 4x4 option being made available ONLY with a 6-speed automatic transmission like Toyota has just done in the Australian market, however, we at Vahan Purchase believe that Toyota Kirloskar will NOT skip launching a full fat 6-speed Manual 4x4 variant in India.

The SUV is expected to have a better ride and handling combination than the outgoing version. The off-roading capability like most Toyota SUVs, will be second to none.

The car is expected to be launched in India, at the 13th Auto Expo in February, 2016. Bookings and delivery to commence soon after. We expect the Toyota Fortuner to repeat the stir it created in 2009, and keep the cash registers ringing for Toyota.

We'll let the pictures do further talking.
Watch this space for more updates on the 2016 Toyota Fortuner, till then Happy Motoring!

Vahan Purchase Recommended Cars With Best Resale Value Under 15 lakh Rupees

If you keep changing cars often then the resale of these cars are going to cut down your loses. Here is our list of cars with an amazing resale value-

1. Maruti Suzuki Alto-

Being one of the best selling cars in India the Alto offers one of the best resale values. The Alto till date has been sold in 5 avatars, currently being sold in 2. All the versions have been very successful in our market. 

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 2.7-3.2 lakhs

1-3 years old = Rs. 2.1-2.5 lakhs

3-5 years old = Rs. 1.6- 2 lakhs   

2. Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R

The Wagon-R defines a family hatchback. One of the most practical hatchbacks in our country. A fuel efficient petrol engine, Spacious interiors and an amazing boot space. The Wagon-R is cheap to maintain as spares and services are pretty cheap. The resale value of the Maruti Wagon-R is really good. 

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 3.9-4.1 lakhs

1-3 years old = Rs 3.0- 3.6 lakhs

3-5 years old = Rs. 2.3-2.8 lakhs

3. Hyundai i10/ Grand i10-

The i10 has been one of the most successful hatchback in our country. The updated Grand i10 is now offered with a diesel engine which has improved its sales. The automatic variant offered is one of the favourites among the urban crowd (especially ladies). The i10 is well built, spacious, feels upmarket and has a peppy petrol engine. All these things help it attain a good resale value in the used market.

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 5.9- 6.5 lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 4.0-5.0 lakhs
3-5 years old = Rs. 2.85- 3.5 lakhs

4. Maruti Suzuki Swift

The Maruti Suzuki Swift is one the best selling hatchbacks in our country. It comes with powerful yet fuel efficient diesel and petrol engines. The handling characteristics are really good. It comes as a very good package combined with Maruti Suzuki's terrific after sales service which makes the ownership experience hassle free. The Swift offers one of the best resale value's in the used market. 

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 5.8-6.9 lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 3.8-5.3 lakhs
3-5 years old = Rs. 2.95-3.5 lakhs

5. Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire

Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire is one of the best selling sedans in this country. It offers a similar package as the Swift. It has everything similar to the Swift apart from a bigger boot. Most imprtantly it offers peace of mind being a Maruti Suzuki. The Swift Dzire has a terrific demand in the used market which gives it an amazing resale value.

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 5.9- 6.8 lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 4.5- 5.4 lakhs
3-5 years old = Rs. 3.3- 4.1 lakhs

6. Toyota Innova

The king of the MUV segment and one of the most preferred cars by Indians for their long distance travel. One of the default choice by cabbies. Though in the recent times it has become a lot more expensive but still rules its segment. The ride comfort, space and overall service cost in best in class.

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 11.5- 13 lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 8.5- 11 lakhs
3-5 years old = Rs. 6.8- 8 lakhs

7. Mahindra Scorpio

The most loved SUV by us Indians. Seriously when it comes to SUV's- Nothing else will do. M&M has been taking constant efforts to improve the Scorpio and the market has perceived all of them well. One of the first urban SUV's from M&M to be launched in India, The Scorpio is definitely a hit.

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 9.3-10.7 lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 6- 8.7 lakhs
3-5 years old = Rs. 4.2- 5.6 lakhs

8. Hyundai Verna

Verna is the other car apart from the i20 which helped Hyundai capture its segment. The Verna has amazing engines on offer which provide with amazing performance & fuel efficiency. It is the first one to be offered with a diesel automatic transmission. Verna always was a feature rich car which also had all the safety features & was well built.

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 8.4- 10  lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 5.6- 8  lakhs
3-5 years old = Rs. 3.5- 4.5 lakhs

9. Honda City 

Honda city is often proclaimed as the king of the C2 segment sedan. Initially launched with just a petrol engine the City went on to become a hit and still has that position. The newly added Diesel engine is an icing on the cake. The City has a terrific resale value which will put certain petrol cars below its segment to shame.

General price trends in the used market (Mumbai)-

0-1 year old = Rs. 8.6-10.8 lakhs
1-3 years old = Rs. 6.2-8 lakhs

3-5 years old = Rs. 4.3-6 lakhs 

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An Overview- CHEVROLET INDIA

Chevrolet was the first automobile manufacturer to setup a plant in India way back in 1928. They were selling cars, trucks and buses in India till 1954. In 1954 due to certain movements happening across the nation, Chevy had to shut their shop and move out.

In 2003, Chevy re-entered the Indian market. They had launched the Optra, Forester and the Tavera then. Tavera was a big hit among the cabbies. It still remains the default choice of taxi operators as it is cheap to buy and maintain. Cars like the Beat, Captiva & Cruze when launched were really successful in their respective segments. But with time Chevy failed to give their products the required updates and eventually these cars became duds. The Tavera & Enjoy are the only cars which helps Chevy keep 8th/9th position in our market. In the last two years the market share of Chevy has been between 1.5-2%, which is very poor considering their product range.

So What is good in general about the cars from Chevy? 

All cars from Chevy come with decent engines and are priced well. Be it the spark or the Captiva the overall package offered is really good. The Spark & Beat which are basically the same cars but one being the predecessor to the other are sold alongside in our market. The Beat is a lovely car with a funky design which is loved by the youth. Chevy also offers a 1.0L diesel engine on the Beat which offers terrific fuel economy. The Sail siblings (Hatchback & Sedan) offer a really good package. They are one the most spacious cars in their segment. The ride quality of both the cars is really good. The Petrol engine is the same as that of the Beat but in a slightly higher state of tune. It offers adequate performance and decent fuel economy. The Diesel engine is the famous 1.3 Multi-jet engine from Fiat but is tuned very well. Chevy has got the best state of tune for the 1.3 MJD engine. The Chevrolet Enjoy is the cheapest Multi-utility vehicle you can buy in India. The ride quality is really good & the diesel engine is tuned well. The Enjoy is a saving grace for Chevy in India as it is sold in decent number every month. The Tavera has been the only car from Chevy which has been doing well. Its a simple product and is a favourite among the taxi operators. Though the Tavera in the recent times is facing the heat of the competition but its positioned in a way that it will be the default choice of the Taxi operators. The Cruze and the Captiva are the premium offerings from Chevy. Both the cars when launched did perform well in their initial years. The Cruze is like a missile. It is one of the most powerful cars in its segment. It has a nice feature list and most importantly is priced well. The Captiva is a well equipped SUV. It has a powerful diesel engine & offers a good package. The Captiva did well in its initial years.
So now that we have  understood what is good about cars from Chevrolet India.

Now, Lets find out what is wrong with Chevrolet India and their products?

1. After sales service- The After sales-service from Chevrolet is strictly average. The service network is really poor and parts are priced really high. Overall the service center experience for any Chevy customer totally depends on the reputation of the service center in his area and that is why is a total gamble.

2. Unreliable- The cars from Chevy do not have consistent reliability. Many cars in the recent times have got their engine replaced under warranty.  Such incidents have occurred a lot of times. Many cases of Chevrolet Captiva's catching fire have occurred. Overall the reliability factor isn't very high with products from Chevrolet.

3. Outdated Products- Currently all the products from Chevy are outdated. The Spark & Tavera are almost decade old products. The Beat has been on sale from 2009 and since then has seen no major changes. Same thing remains with the Cruze and Captiva. All the three were hits in their initial years But then Chevy couldn't update them and started losing market share. The Sail Hatchback and sedan offer good packages but feel like an incomplete attempt. The design is too simple. Looking at other smashing designs from Chevy (like the Cruze, Beat & the Captiva) the Sail siblings feel very outdated. Things get even worse when it comes to their interiors. The layout is too simple and too much of beige has been used. The quality and layout of interiors feels atleast a decade old.

So, Here are a few ways Chevrolet India can improve their market-

1. Discontinue all the outdated products and bring in the latest generations of the complete line up in here. Indian market has come a long way and is no more a dumping ground for automobile companies.

2. Improve the interiors and certain external design bits of the Enjoy, Sail Hatchback and the Sail Sedan. These car are going to offer a terrific offer once that is done.

3. As we all know Chevrolet is planning to launch the Chevrolet Trailblazer in India soon (Upcoming Chevrolet Trailblazer). This launch should help them capture the 20-30 lakh price bracket SUV's.

4. The new 2016 Cruze has already been showcased. Chevrolet needs to launch it soon here which will help them gain the market which the Cruze had when it was launched in 2009.

5. The Most important thing that Chevrolet needs to do is improve their after sales service. Expand their dealer network and reduce the cost of spares. Over the counter sale of spares will help them a lot.

We really hope Chevrolet India improves their lineup and after sales. They are one of the best sellers in China. With certain improvements they can increase their market share in India too.

Discontinued Products-

1. Chevrolet Forester-

2. Chevrolet Optra (Also Sold as the Optra Magnum & SRV)

3. Chevrolet Aveo & Aveo U-VA

Current Offerings-

1. Chevrolet Spark-

2. Chevrolet Beat-

3. Chevrolet Sail hatchback & Sedan-

4. Chevrolet Enjoy-

5. Chevrolet Tavera-

6. Chevrolet Cruze-

7. Chevrolet Captiva-

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A USED CAR PURCHASE GUIDE

Buying used cars or not is always a big confusion. Used cars offer much more for less but on the other hand there is a risk associated with buying them. Here is our guide to a Used car Purchase.

Firstly lets start with a basic question-

Why Buy a Used Car?

1. More for less- The biggest advantage of buying a used car is they offer more for less. For example, you get a new Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 at a price of 3.80 lakhs. But in the used market you can get a 1-2 year old Ritz, Brio, i10, figo.etc. for the price of a new Alto. If that doesn't satisfy you then a 3-4 year old Fiesta, Accent, Indigo, Dzire.etc. can be bought for the same price. Lastly you can get a 5 year old Honda City for the same price. 

2. Financing Available for used cars- Many banks are now offering loans on used cars. Though there is always a restriction on how old the car is. On the other hand you can take a loan against Fixed Deposits.

3. Certified Used Cars- Many dealers are offering certified used cars now. These dealers offers cars which are close to new cars. These used cars are listed after they pass through a rigorous check list. Certain used car dealers offer a warranty on their cars. In India the most famous used car dealerships- Mahindra First Choice, Maruti Suzuki true value, cartrade.com & Authorized car dealerships.

4. Online Classifieds- Many websites have come up which offer online classified services where you can list your car or bike. With coming of players like olx, quikr.etc. one to one interaction between seller and the buyer. With the absence of any agents the deals usually are pretty transparent. This also helps both the seller & buyers in having a look at cars available from other cities with just a click.

5. Warranty and Reliability- Many manufacturers offer an extended warranty upto 5 years (some even upto 6 years). The extended warranty gives you a peace of mind. Although the modern cars are very reliable and one barely has to worry about failures unlike cars before. Regularly serviced cars can go for 200k-300k kms easily without any trouble.

6. Insurance & Depreciation- The biggest advantage of a new car is that the first owner takes all the Depreciation which is really high in the initial years. The other advantage being you pay a lesser insurance premium when buying a used car.

7. Sales Tax- In most of the states you pay no tax when buying a used car. All the sales tax is paid when the car is bought new. This saves up a lot of money especially when buying luxury cars.

So now we have enough reasons for buying a used car but everything comes with its fair share of pros and cons. Now lets have a look at some of the cons.

Why not to buy a used Car?

1. Difficulty in finding the right car- Whenever you want to buy a used you need to be really patient. 

You need to browse around classifieds and even visit certain dealerships. Although the certified used cars dealerships do make your experience quite similar to that of buying a new car but all said and done buying a used car is never easy.

2. High rate of  interest-  Even though many banks offer loan on used cars, The rate of interest is really high when compared to new cars.

3. Depreciation- Used cars deprecate lesser than new cars, hence offer less tax benefits especially for businessmen.

4. More for less requires more upkeep too. Remember if you buy a used Honda city for 5 lakhs it still has the upkeep costs of a 10 lakh car. On the other hand a new 5 lakh Brio will be cheaper to maintain.

5. Service history & Accidental damage- Many times the service history of a car isn't available. Many dealers even mess with the ODO and hence reduce the number of kms the car has clocked. Many a times you might come across cars repaired after an extreme either due to a natural calamity or a road accident. If the chassis has borne the damage then it is highly unsafe to drive such a car.

So now, We have both the pros and cons associated with a used car. Now lets have a look on the usual procedure while selecting a used car.

1. Budget And Requirements-

The first and the most basic step in a used car purchase is that you need to fix a budget and list down your requirements. A fix budget makes you shortlist used cars with ease. You should decide your requirements on the basis of the points like- monthly usage, preferred brands, colour, after-sales service in your area.etc. For further details regrading your requirements please refer to our Vahan Purchase Used Car Form (Buyer)

2. Search For The Right Car

Firstly you need to be really patient when buying a used car. You have to wait for the right car to come. Now where to look for the right used car-

1. Spread a word among your friends and relatives. This will help you save a lot of money as you would be directly dealing with the owner who is known to you. But dont be in a hurry. Verify certain things which will be mentioned in the next point.

2. Online classifieds like Vahan Purchase, olx, quikr, carwale.etc. where you have cars listed from both the dealers and individuals. These classifieds will also help you have a look at cars in other cities around you. 

3. Certified/ Authorized Car Dealerships- Many authorized dealers and certified used car dealers like Mahindra First Choice, cartrade.com, Maruti true value.etc. offer certified used cars. They basically offer you cars which are as good as new cars. Overall they enhance your used car purchase experience.

3. Verification

Once you have found the right car, you need to verify a lot of things. Here is a list of those things-

1. Service History- You need to verify the service history of the car under consideration. Once you obtain the registration number of the car, You need to call the authorized dealer who will give you the details about the date of last service, service cost, parts changed. If the servicing was done regularly and no crucial components were changed then the car is worth a shot. If you find any crucial components changed (like engine head, crank,gearbox.etc.) then it is best you stay away from such a car. Something not reliable in its early life will never be reliable later. Normal parts like brake pads, air filter.etc. if changed regularly is not a big deal. 

2. If you find no issues with the service record then you should visit the seller and have a look at the car. Please take an expert mechanic or a knowledgeable & experienced friend with you when you visit the seller. They can easily find out about any accidental damage repairs or random issues which we normally can not find out. See to it that you visit the seller yourself and not ask him to bring the car to you as it will help you analyse the car in a cold start condition. Always analyse a car in daylight. 

3. Once done with the analysis you should verify the documents like valid insurance, Registration book/card, Tax receipt, Bank NOC (if the car was on loan) & original invoice. Verify things like the engine size as a few cars are sold with multiple engines (like the Verna comes with 4 engine options 1.4L & 1.6L with both petrol and diesel) with the help of the RC & if possible get he VIN code and decode it to get more details about the car. VIN Decoder.

4. Finally take a proper test drive of the car. Keep the music off and drive the car with windows rolled up. If possible try driving the car in traffic, bad roads and open roads/highways to check for any sounds or irregularities observed when on the move.

Once the above points are verified we come to the final step-

4. Buying A Used Car

Finally convey it to the seller about your interest in buying his car. Please see to it that all the conversations and confirmations are in writing. Do not trust any verbal commitment. 

When you go for the final negotiation please go with a token amount (5-15k) or a cheque book. Remember one thing as a buyer you can walk out of the deal anytime you want as there is no compulsion. There is no fixed price for cars in the used market, you get the best deal based on your negotiation skills. If you are not so good at negotiations then you should take a relative or friend along with you who is good at it. 

Once the deal is finalized you need to get the following things from the owner-

1. Duplicate keys.

2. Tax Receipts.

3. PUC certificate and if any warranty related papers.

4. Service History (if bills available)

5. Registration certificate and Tax receipt.

6. Owners Manual.

7. Insurance Policy (if being transferred)

8. RTO Form no.29 (Notice of transfer)

9. RTO Form no.30 (Report of transfer)

10. RTO Form no.28 (if the buyer belongs to a different RTO)

After all this you do become the new owner of the car but please get a through service done as soon as you get the car, replace tyres if required & add the necessary accessories. Finally after all this you are going to have a peaceful ownership experience. 

If you want to sell your car then you can use- Vahan Purchase Used Car Form ( Seller)

If you want to buy a used car then- Vahan Purchase Used Car Form (Buyer)

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