Fiat Grande Punto v. Tata Indica Vista Quadrajet

hi everyone,

two queries, 1. if i buy any car and if i want to use it for commercial purposes (like taxi) is there any restriction, is it required to get a permission of the car company to use their product as a commercial vehicle? if only some brands are allowed as taxi whether indica vista is allowed?

2. planning to buy a new diesel car, till now thinking of Vista Quadrajet, but now the brand new Fiat Grande Punto which is widely acclaimed all over the world comes to India in very reasonable price? should i buy this one? which is better in safety, handling, durability, performance, ride comfort etc.  overall which is a better buy?

Santhanam

There is no specific permission required to use a product as a taxi.  However, Tata Motors has made it a policy to sell the new Indica ONLY to private owners, which means you need to get it registered as a private vehicle first.  Dealers who have sold a vehicle with a yellow board have allegedly been penalized.

Ok, thanks for the reply, i've seen Santro, Wagon R and Alto running as taxi in Mumbai roads, is there any restriction for converting once i buy a brand new car and after registering it as a private vehicle? in that case there are exciting brands in the market today like Fiat Grande Punto, Hyundai i20, Swift Dzire, Indica Vista etc. In that price range, (around 5 lacs) which would be best for a longterm use?

Santhanam

I don't think any manufacturer can put such a restriction on types of buyers / pvt. registrations only.

Registrations can be converted from pvt. to commercial & the other way round - no restriction.  Life-time taxes apply to both type of registrations.  For commercial registration one has to pay additional fee periodically (monthly/quarterly/etc.) - mainly based on seating capacity of the vehicle.

Insurance premium will differ - higher in case of commercial vehicles.

Regarding your query on the cars, please have a look at this post (on a similar query of yours).

Has anyone seen a Vista with a yellow board. I am just curious.

Tata does, with the new Indica - if dealership representatives are to be believed.  They cannot prevent a yellow-board registration, but they can make it disadvantageous to the dealer through penalties or commission cuts.  If I'm not mistaken Honda has a similar policy.

I dont think so as I've seen cars with Yellow and Black registration plates.

Yes Ami I have seen 2-3 Vistas running with yellow board at my place. City Silvassa- U.T. of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Must have converted from Privet to Tourist

Might be. Thanks buddy.

Before going thru any deal, inquire at your local registration department as well as to the dealer. It will be prudent to take a call, once you are sure. All the best.