Own a car with buy back guarantee from Spinny-best foot forward!

Earlier I was a strong advocate of using public transport and managing with rental cars instead of buying cars for own use. However Corona virus has changed the dynamics. This pandemic, using public transportation is proving to be risky.  Public transportation like buses and rails are also severely curtailed and hard to find. Even those operating, social distancing is tough to maintain. With these reasons, it makes a lot of sense to buy an own car. 

With current trends, it looks like the covid crisis will stay for several more months. While we are confined to our homes most of the time, we do face the need to travel once a while for personal work and emergencies. While conventional way is to walk into a car showroom and buy a new car, buying new car has some drawbacks- they cost a more (particularly after BS6 emission norms have kicked in) and unless you have lots of driving to do each day, letting a new car sit idle at home and depreciate is a bad idea. When the usage is not heavy, buying a used car makes a lot more sense, particularly if it comes from a trusted seller, has undergone all required quality checks and if there is a guaranteed buyback program.

Most cars have a lifespan of 10-15 years before they need to be scrapped. A new car loses 20-30% of its value the moment it is driven out of the showroom. A two to three year old used car is a great choice if available at a reasonable price compared to a new car. Used cars in good conditions are a nice tradeoff between spending a lot of money and not compromising on quality, safety, features and ownership experience.

Spinny offers quality tested used cars with a buy back program.  Spinny’s offers used cars in Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.

Before I get into details of this option, let us also compare buying a used car with a car subscription model. I have reviewed ZAP Subscribe, Revv and other subscription models earlier. Subscription requires you to pay a fixed monthly rent (INR  15k to 35k depending on model) and the rental company will own the car, maintain it while you get to use it. However this subscription model is flawed on several grounds.

Car subscription model vs buying a used car comparison

#	Factor	Subscription Model	Buying a used car
1	Model & Variant	Limited models, usually base/mid variants	Unlimited options
2	Number plate	Yellow on black	Black on white
3	Usage limits	Applies- around 1000-1500 kms per month depending on company & plan	Unlimited
4	Interstate entry fees	Applicable	NA
5	Speed limit	80 kmph (Speed Governor installed)	NA
6	GST	18%	Less. Registration fees
7	Ownership/Resale value	Zero	Available. With buy back guarantee
8	Other terms	Min rental duration- 6 months +
9	Upgrade/ Switch option	Available	Available
10	Approx Spend for 3 years, hatchback	15k/month * 12* 3 = 5.4 lakhs	Buy for 5 lakhs Sell for say 2.5 lakhs Net spend: 2.5 lakhs

Clearly the subscription model is not sustainable over the long run. You will pay a huge amount for nothing as you won’t be owning the car, have to deal with several restrictions in terms of speed limit, monthly usage and so on.  On the other hand, buying a used car makes a lot more sense- it might need a bit extra spend upfront, but gives you lots of control- use as long as you feel like and then sell it, no restrictions on usage, 1000s of models, variants and colours to choose from. Plus the peace of mind of owning your own vehicle at disposal for any travel needs or emergencies, without having to worry about taxis, public transport, coronavirus risk and other nuisances.

Spinny is a reputed brand in the used car market who have branches in all major cities of India. Spinny’s specialties are listed below.

Spinny Used Car with buyback guarantee advantages

-1000s of used cars in each city- never run out of options. All models, variants and colours available -200 Point checks on each cars -Test drive at Spinny hubs (available in all cities Spinny operates, unless there’s a lockdown in the specific city) -Delivery within 24 hours of payment -One year service warranty -Assured buyback program -10000+ happy customers -Contactless transaction and 5 day money back guarantee

Spinny’s buy-back program is very useful. It sets a fixed future value to your car, so that you have right expectations on how much you will get if you sell the car say 12-18 months later. Hopefully this pandemic will end in about an year, you may get a better job and might be able to upgrade to a better car. Provided you maintain the car well, this means you can have a clear idea on your actual ownership cost. End of this tenure you can either sell back and upgrade to a better car, or decide to continue with current car.

Let us take an example that you’d need a small used car in city like Bangalore for just one and a half years. Hyundai i20 elite Magna.

Option	Buy New Car	Buy Used Car	Subscribe
Initial Spend	8.2 lakhs	5.59 Lakhs (2016)	0
Monthly rent	0	0	24k * 18= 4.14 lakhs
Maintenance cost	5000 Approx (labour charge for initial 2 service)	15000 approx (one or two services + insurance)	10000 (excess km, interstate fee etc)
Resale value after 18 months	6-6.3 Lakhs	3.91 Lakhs	NA
Net Spend	2 to 2.2 lakhs + higher interest on initial spend	1.83 lakhs	4.24 lakhs

I am sure numbers will be similar in other cities such as for used cars in Hyderabad.

As you can see in the above reference, a used car with buyback option reduces your initial spend and costs less overall in ownership cost with an assured buyback value.  Be advised that numbers are indicative. Usage limit applies for buyback offers.

Also to be noted Spinny doesn’t list cars older than 10 years and that have 70000+ kms on the odometer. Cars that have met with accidents, cars without service history and cars found to have tampered meters are also disqualified.  This means lots of potential troubles are eliminated even before you begin screening your potential car.

Having an own car at our disposal is a different feeling compared to renting or subscribing. Your car becomes your identity, you don’t have to worry about complicated terms and restrictions, you are confident of having a vehicle readily available for any emergencies and no dependency on others to get around. Your family members feel great about having a car at home and your neighbors respect you more for moving up in life.

Stay safe, ride safe. Check Spinny’s website for available cars in your city, their policies and buy back program. With Spinny doing most of the background checks and quality audits on the cars, you can buy without typical worries of buying a used car- such as potential use in crime, stolen cars, undisclosed internal damages etc. In Bengaluru Spinny hubs are located in Whitefield and BTM Layout. Once lockdown ends you can walk in and take a look at the cars available there for purchase.

Visit https://www.spinny.com/