Need advice: A reliable AT car under 5L for city commutes & highways

I was considering purchasing a 2017 Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire Diesel AMT available for ₹5 lakhs which has around 50,000 km on the odometer.

BHPian someshgoplani recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Writing my first post today so apologies for any formatting errors and grammatical mistakes.

I reside in Mumbai and I recently started a new job. My daily commute is now between Andheri and Thane which is approx. 63 kms in total. I was considering purchasing a 2017 Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire Diesel AMT which I am able to purchase for ₹5 lakhs which has around 50,000 kms on the odometer.

My majority run is on the highway and wanted advice if there are any other options and if the aforementioned deal is worth considering. I’m looking for a high mileage and automatic only car. My budget is around 5 lakhs.

I have tried travelling from metros and trains but it’s too hectic and crowded. Just looking to find a comfortable way of travelling.

Requesting anybody’s assistance and advice in this situation.

Cheers.

Here’s what BHPian dr.aviansh had to say on the matter:

Hey. Dzire Diesel AMT is a rare practical, comfortable, economical yet fun car that existed till recently and has become even more aspiring since the discontinuation of the DDiS. It should good be in the range of 4.5 lacs.

That said, I doubt the ODO reading of this particular car, since it’s supposed to be a beater’s choice. Had the running been in 50,000 km in 6 years, he would have bought a petrol Dzire. Can’t believe a Dzire Diesel did only this much that too in Mumbai.

Still, do check for accidents as well, as IMO no person in their right sense of mind would sell a low run Dzire Diesel AMT car only when a sensible upgrade like a Nexon diesel is costing 15L OTR.

Double check this car, don’t let it go either.

If found accidental then for new cars under 5 Lac, you might get an Alto AMT. A new car has its peace of mind, it’ll spare you the time and money to deal with other hassles of life.

You might also see Kwid AMT. Feels superior to an Alto, in terms of comfort and ownership. Mind you it doesn’t get a CREEP function which is a boon in Mumbai traffic.

If you get a good deal on an unused 2022 Ignis (it sells much lesser than Swift and WagonR.)

It would be a great choice.

If none, then check for something on Spinny. Not advertising it, but they don’t deal in accidental cars as far my knowledge stands.

Here’s what BHPian Ishaanian had to say on the matter:

I know many folks who simply buy diesel regardless of what their actual running is. I have a friend who is a car enthusiast no less that bought a diesel i20 and probably barely puts 2k kms on the clock every year. Also covid changed a lot of people’s driving patterns in the last 4 years. For all you know the DZire could have been bought and used as much as a diesel car ought to have been and then once the pandemic was in full swing, its usage might have dropped. I have seen new but discontinued Civic diesels on Honda autoterrace website with hardly 11k kms on the clock going for a steal.

Also it could even be the AMT transmission itself I have another friend who uses his cars a lot and owns an Ignis with AMT but since the past 4 years it has not cracked the 70k kms mark been somewhere in the 60 thousands itself. He has been saying he wants to sell it and when I asked if I could buy it for my Mom and Dad since the easy ingress/egress is important to them, he said don’t bother because he’s been having issues with the gearbox that the SVC has not been able to resolve and that is the reason he is trying to sell it. So perhaps the owner of the car the OP is looking at also got fed up with the AMT tranny?
All that said, you’re right; when buying used, best to be vigilant.

Are there no other diesel vehicles within 5 lacs that come with a torque converter?

Here’s what BHPian DCEite had to say on the matter:

When it comes to commuting long distances on a daily basis, fuel efficiency and reliability are two crucial factors to consider. Based on the information you have provided, the 2017 Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire Diesel AMT seems like a good option for your requirements. The Swift Dzire is known for its fuel efficiency, and the diesel variant should offer a good mileage on highways.

However, before making a purchase, it is important to ensure that the car is in good condition and has been well-maintained. A thorough inspection and test drive can help you assess the car’s overall condition, and you can also check the service history and ownership details. Do also note that AMT’s are not as smooth as conventional ATs, and some of the earlier AMT iterations of Maruti cars had problematic gearboxes. Please thoroughly check the gearbox by a known mechanic.

You can also look at Tigor AMT or Tiago AMT. Both of these come with better safety than the DZire. Although these come with Petrol only option. Not sure about CNG prices in your city, but you can consider that as an aftermarket option in case you go for a Petrol powered car.

Also beware if in future any NGT regulations are imposed in Maharashtra (like Delhi-NCR), the life of Diesel vehicle to ply legally on roads may reduce accordingly.

Here’s what BHPian deep_bang had to say on the matter:

For your usage, of 65* 30 days = 1950km per month and will approximately cost about 19.5k at Rs.10km per liter. May be a little here or there.

Assuming you are ready to put in 5L, I wonder if it’s a possibility to take a loan of another 5L (which should have an Emi of say 15k or so – I have not calculated, just thinking aloud here), and buy the Tiago EV which will give you very low running costs and it’s an automatic by default and use the fuel money to fund the emi.

It might just workout well for you. Just do some calculations and see if it makes sense. Also, depends on whether you can install charging infrastructure at home or not. Public infrastructure charging may push your costs up.

Here’s what BHPian rishil.gurkhi had to say on the matter:

As a few other BHPians have mentioned, I think an EV makes the perfect sense. The Dzire does seem a little ‘too good to be true’!

I would not recommend the 2019 Tigor EV XPress-T (commercial) as it’s more of a primitive EV with a BLDC motor (if I remember correctly). I don’t know much about the e-Verito apart from the fact that most e-Taxis use it.

The Tiago EV is great for your usage, the LR version to be specific. 19kWh battery is just a little too small.

If you’re strict about your budget, then I would definitely not recommend anything but AMTs, as CVTs and TCs are mostly gas guzzlers. The Ignis or Swift Petrol AMTs aren’t rare to find in this price range, but they might have high odo readings. Nevertheless, they are reliable and fuel-efficient cars which are easy to maintain.

Hope this helps!

Keyword: Need advice: A reliable AT car under 5L for city commutes & highways