The Hindu Business Line : Glamour attractive for young buyers

I AM looking for information on pricing, mileage, ride quality and power of the new Hero Honda Glamour. How does the new bike compare with the Yamaha Fazer, Bajaj Discover and Hero Honda Ambition 135? Which one will be a good buy?

Tapankumar Nanda

The Hero Honda Glamour should pose tough competition for the existing bikes in the 125cc segment. This new Hero Honda bike makes up for the Super Splendor's lack of appeal in the styling department.

With a curvaceous, yet macho fuel tank and a new fairing design that is also practical in terms of providing more than adequate lighting, the Glamour should attract style-conscious younger bike buyers.

Set against the best that the 125cc class has already, the Glamour should also be able to come up with mileage numbers that are more attractive in the long run. We would still rate the Yamaha Fazer as the best in this segment in terms of finish quality and new-age design. But the Glamour's looks should be able to partially bridge the gap between the Super Splendor and Fazer.

Fazer's sales continues to suffer owing to its lower than average fuel economy, though in terms of refinement and performance it is ahead of the rest. The Glamour will not be found wanting in the mileage factor, a crucial indicator that buyers look for in this segment too.

In terms of ride position and feel, the Bajaj Discover and Hero Honda Glamour will be neck and neck. The Hero Honda Ambition 135 is currently not available with the company's dealerships, though there is no official information confirming that the bike has been pulled out of the market.

One other point that could go in Glamour's favour is the three-year or 40,000 kms warranty that Hero Honda is offering with this bike too, just as it did with the Super Splendor.

I am planning to buy a bike, but am confused. Should I buy the Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i or the Honda Unicorn? Between the two which one will come out on top in the fuel efficiency parameter? After reading about the impending launch of the Hero Honda Glamour, I wonder if I should wait for that bike?

Padhu S.

The Glamour is not really comparable with the Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i and the Honda Unicorn. The latter two are bigger and more powerful bikes in the premium segment compared to the smaller-engined Glamour.

If you are looking to buy your first bike or for an upgrade from the 100cc class, the Glamour may be the better option to choose, particularly since most buyers in this class are still very fuel efficiency conscious.

On the other hand, if you are not too conscious about the mileage that the bike can offer and are keen on the performance edge that the Pulsar or the Unicorn can give you, then the choice will have to be different. Choosing between the two 150cc bikes will invariably tend to revolve around whether you want more value for money features (Pulsar) or more refinement (Unicorn).

The Glamour will lose out to these bikes on both the performance and features criteria. Both the Pulsar and the Unicorn will be more suitable for users with a slightly more aggressive usage profile.

The Glamour is meant to cater to bikers who are less aggressive and yet want a sporty looking, fuel-efficient bike. If you choose the Glamour, you may have to wait a while if the bike has not yet been launched in your city.

I own a Opel Corsa 1.6 which I bought in September 2001. The car has clocked 32,000 km. It gives me a mileage of 8-10 km per litre. I hear that General Motor India might stop production of the Corsa by the year-end.

I want to know if it is prudent to keep this car, in view of the poor resale value and expensive maintenance that I may have to grapple with if the car is discontinued. I clock about 3,000 km a month. If I plan to switch over to a new car, should I buy the Honda City or the Skoda Octavia?

Dr Venu Chandran

The Opel Corsa is unlikely to be discontinued from regular production. What GMI appears to be planning to do is to replace the current version with a new, latest generation Corsa.

The new Corsa is to be launched on a new platform and could initially be launched only as a three-box sedan option.

Considering the impending changeover to the new generation Corsa, there is bound to be a fall in the resale value of your current car, though it must be remembered that no car is insulated from this kind of fluctuation in residual values. That said there is a distinct possibility that the car's maintenance costs will remain the same even after the new version replaces the old one.

The new car that we would recommend you to consider (if you decide to replace the Opel Corsa) would be the Honda City for its class-leading mileage and finish quality in the premium entry-level sedan category. If you are willing to put the additional Rs 4-lakh plus to buy the Skoda Octavia compared to the City's ex-showroom price of about Rs 6.6 lakh, then the Octavia will also be a compelling option to consider.

But remember the price differential and the dimensional difference between the two cars put them both in different segments. If you do end up choosing the Octavia, opt for the diesel version for its excellent fuel economy and performance amongst diesels in its segment.

Alternatively, to offset the effect of the high price, you may want to shop for a bargain Octavia in the used-car market.

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