A good performer

q:My budget is Rs 4 lakh-5 lakh for a new car. I’m planning to buy a Hyundai i10 but am confused between the Kappa and IRDE model. Can you give me the pros and cons of the two cars and suggest the best choice?

Bharat K

a:Between the two, the i10 IRDE is cheaper and pulls well at low speeds. The Kappa is, however, the better one and if you drive on the highway, we suggest you go for the more powerful 1.2 engine. Apart from good performance, the Kappa feels smoother and the equipment levels in an i10 Kappa are better than the IRDE. So go for the Kappa but keep in mind two things — upgrade the tyres to a 165 section width as the current 155 width is too narrow for the power. Secondly, use 91 octane fuel as much as possible for best performance and fuel efficiency.

diesel buy

q:I’m planning to buy a Mercedes-Benz C-Class and want to rent it out. There are no manual models available at present. Should I go for the C200 or the C220?

Ravi Sidhu

a: If the car is mainly for hire, then we can assume that it will be extensively used. We suggest you go for the diesel C220 as the benefits of diesel will make good business sense and when it’s time to sell, the diesel will also command better resale value.

go vista

q: I have a budget of around Rs 5 lakh. Between the Tata Indigo CS and the recently launched Indica Vista, which one is the better buy?

Darshan

a: If you don’t need a boot or excessive luggage space, then go for the Indica Vista. It is far superior to the Indigo CS which now is a generation older. Also, the choice of Fiat engines in the Vista is much better than the Tata engine range in the CS.