Pre-owned car market flourishing in old city

Exorbitant auto fares force people to buy cars

Many feel instead of investing on two-wheelers that are generally priced around Rs.50,000 investing in the car is better option. Photo:Mohammed.Yousuf

Given the poor public transport system and exorbitant auto-rickshaw fares demanded in old city, people here have found an alternative in the form of pre-owned cars.

Thanks to the flourishing, second hand cars market one is able to buy a car just by shelling out anywhere between Rs.30,000 and Rs.80,000.

Many middle and lower middle class families in old city are now going in for pre-owned cars as depending on autorickshaws for travel is not only turning out be a bad experience but also a costly affair.

“We face a lot of difficulty in getting an autorickshaw that charges fares by the meter. Luckily, if we get one then its meter is tampered and we end up paying more,” says Zubair Ahmed, a school correspondent.

Mr Ahmed has recently bought a Maruthi Omni for Rs.55,000 and spent a few thousand more on for making it more comfortable.

For Syed Junaid, a businessman from Falaknuma, it was more like a necessity. “Given my occupation I can go to functions only after 10 p.m. but by then the auto drivers start demanding exorbitant fares. To get rid of it I invested Rs.45,000 and bought a second hand car and using it.

Convenient vehicle

It is a matter of convenience for a few such as Abdul Ahsan, a media professional, “I save a lot of money that I otherwise pay for availing the school bus facility for my children. I drop them in the morning while my wife picks them up in the afternoon.”

In demand

Many feel instead of investing on two-wheelers that are generally priced around Rs.50,000 investing in the car is better option if one takes into account its advantages. Car models such as Maruthi Omni, Maruthi Zen, Maruthi 800, Indica, Alto and Santro are preferred a lot. Moreover they negotiate through the narrow stretches in old city easily. Shaik Saleem, the proprietor of Value pre-owned cars admits to an increased demand for pre-owned cars.

“It is true that people now prefer second hand four-wheelers and to cash upon the demand many new showrooms have also come up across the old city.”

Parking space

However, it is a different matter that parking four-wheelers remains a major issue in this part of the city with most of the car owners parking the vehicles outside their houses.