Wagon R Questions - to buy or not to buy

[carboy]

Hi,
I am planning to buy a new Wagon R VXi. But I have recieved several
differing opinions about this from friends & colleagues. Lots of people
say that it's a great car. However, some say that Maruti cars aren't
very well built & I should go for a Fiat Palio. Others say that if
the Palio is so good, why didn't it sell much. Some say that for highway
driving Wagon R isn't a safe vehicle.

My typical driving pattern is going to be 7-8 miles per day total on
weekdays. On 2 or 3 weekends a month, I will be driving up & down from
Pune to Mumbai. (I think it would be around 350 kms up & down totally).
So is Wagon R a good buy for me?

Other than that, a few questions
1) Is it worth paying the extra 25K to go for a Wagon R Duo (with
Petrol & LPG) for my driving pattern? How much time would it take
to break even the extra 25K paid?

2) I want to go for the Driver & Passenger side air bags, but someone
told me that Airbags on Indian cars are useless, they don't deploy
when needed etc. Is this true?

3) I am mostly not going to go for ABS. I have a driven a non-ABS
car for 6 years abroad & didn't feel the need for a ABS. Is there
anything in the Mumbai Pune driving which would warrant an ABS?

4) Does getting accessories like CD player etc from outside
void the warranty? If yes, then are there any alternatives?
I want only a regular decent CD player, nothing fancy,
so much extra would I be paying at the dealer as compared
to outside

5) What other stuff can I save money on by getting it from
outside, as compared to the dealer?

[rkirana]

palio 1.2 ELX (fully loaded version with power windows, rear spolier and a music system) comes at a Rs 85 k discount in Bangalore making it on road 3.85 lakhs....

I almost went for it but for stiff resistance from my family who felt it would be difficult to get spares and all....I ended up buying a Swift for around 50 k more (Lxi version).

I think Palio is anyday better than WagonR

Mileage wise Palio gives 11-12 in city (same as Swift and maybe 1-2 kpl less than WagonR).....but anyday Palio built quality is much better than WagonR

[mithun]

Search before posting.

There are lots of threads pertaining to your queries@T-BHP. You only need to use the appropriate keywords !!!

[bharanidharang]

7 - 8 kms a day... u can buy a gas guzzler

As your high way usage is high, would suggest you not to buy the wagonR. Its fun for the city but aint a highway cruiser. My Duo runs out of breath in the highway.

search the forum based on ur other requirements. And then do a test drive of all the vehicles in your list and choose one. End of it, its you who is going to buy and drive and hence test before u choose

[gemithomas]

carboy, what is your budget like. I would not suggest a Wagon R for Highway Cruising. Let me know why you chose only the Wagon R what your budget is so that i can give you my suggestions.

AS of your questions here is waht i feel.

Airbags i dont know about what you are saying but i think it would be good if you can get it at your budget. About ABS, i dont hink its required in our driving conditions. I dont think getting a CD player from outside would affect the warranty. The maximum you might need to do is get it fixed by your authorised service center guys.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by gemithomas

carboy, what is your budget like. I would not suggest a Wagon R for Highway Cruising. Let me know why you chose only the Wagon R what your budget is so that i can give you my suggestions.

Minor Budget differences isn't that big an issue. i.e. I can go for a Swift
or an Esteem over a Wagon R if they are vastly superior cars & they are
safer & better for highway driving. My main need is highway driving.
Is Wagon R a problem for highway driving only in the Duo Model or even
the petrol version is not suitable for highway driving?

Look or style of the vehicle is a non-issue as far as I am concerned.
I have more or less zero-ed in on buying a Maruti - i.e. I am not looking
at Hyundai or Fiat. In Maruti, I am mostly looking at Wagon R, Swift &
Esteem. I think a Swift or an Esteem costs more than a Wagon R. I am
ready to pay more as long I think it's worth the extra money. So what
would I be getting extra in a Swift or an Esteem as compared to a Wagon R.


My main reason for zero-ing in on the Maruti brand is the cost of maintenance, spares & the vast network available.

Originally Posted by gemithomas

Airbags i dont know about what you are saying but i think it would be good if you can get it at your budget.

When I was abroad I always had dual airbags. I never had any false deployment issues. But are the airbags on Marutis as good. i.e. unneccessary deployment of airbags would end up making the car more
unsafe rather than safe. Is this an issue?

[benbsb29]

@carboy : Since your choices would be limited to the Maruti stable, and among the Wagon R, Swift and Esteem, may i recommend the Swift for you, with ABS.

Swift is anyday the better highway car over the Wagon R, which seems to be your primary point of interest right now. For more owner feedback on the Swift, check out the Long Term Reviews on the forum, and u should have all the information you are looking for.

Hope that helped.

[esteem_lover]

3) I am mostly not going to go for ABS. I have a driven a non-ABS
car for 6 years abroad & didn't feel the need for a ABS. Is there
anything in the Mumbai Pune driving which would warrant an ABS?

If the car you are buying has ABS as an option, please take it. Driving abroad & driving in India are like swimming & cycling. Just because you swim does not mean you can cycle. ABS is very useful in india as you never know what is on the next corner.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

ABS is very useful in india as you never know what is on the next corner.

Are you talking about city driving or highway driving?
Where exactly do you consider ABS neccessary?

I drove many years in Seattle without ABS - it rains 10 months a year in Seattle.

[csentil]

For highways and high speeds Wagon R is not very suitable. Braking from high speeds does not inspire confidence in the Wagon R. It does not brake in a straight line. Its a tall boy and so quick turns are a major problem and if you brake at that time you might get into trouble.

Wagon R sits well on the road if there are 3+ ppl in it. If you are driving it alone on the highway and at high speeds you sort of feel like floating on the road :-)

On the bright side, since its a tall boy, you get good visibility and its also very easy to drive. (some say the steering feel is very artificial).

Wagon R comes with an ABS option also just to rectify their braking problems.

Pune-Bombay highway is where you would be driving. Please choose a car with ABS and if possible Airbags.

My personal suggestion would be to look at the fully loaded Swift if its in your budget. Getz is also a good option but it doesn't have airbags.

Now to answer your questions.

1) If you want to go for the Wagon R and if you want to save money on fuel then you can go for the Duo. Gives you good VFM. Can have some sluggishness if driven using LPG on the highways. Is very economical for city driving.

2) Airbags are good in any conditions. All car manufacturers have set high standards when it comes to airbags. If you feel safety is of primary importance then go ahead with the airbags. It does save lives.

3) All depends on how you drive. Are you a high speed driver (120+). How do you corner? I know folks who drive fast but corner slow. Wagon R does not inspire confidence while braking at high speeds. (i'm the designated driver for my friend's Wagon R :-( )

4) No, warranty should not be void if you are getting a normal CD player. However check with the dealer. You never know. You would probably pay a premium of 5 to 10% on a player if you get it from the dealer. A decent Sony or Pioneer set (mp3 player and 2 4-way speakers) costs like 9 to 10K approx.

5) Anything that's sold as accessory can be bought cheaper and sometimes better if you get it from outside. There is a whole section on accessories in team-bhp. Check it out. ICE, sunfilms, seat covers, alloys... goes on.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by carboy

Are you talking about city driving or highway driving?
Where exactly do you consider ABS neccessary?

I drove many years in Seattle without ABS - it rains 10 months a year in Seattle.

On your pune - mumbai journeys, it is vital. Maybe in city too.

[unknown]

If u can shall out few more money then Swift Vxi or Zxi is a better deal, It's got Abs,Airbags,Climate control.,Better ride quality,Good brakes,But mileage is a bit low .

[navdeep]

as you will be driving 350kms/month on highway , wagonr should suit your requirements.

[extreme_torque]

I would suggest you buy the Santro XO if you are not interested in either the Swift or the Palio.

[gemithomas]

carboy. if you are really adament on a maruti you have only 2 choices. The WagonR and the Swift Petrol. Swift would be a better Highway runner by any standards. In terms of stability, control, braking, high spped cruising the swift would rate ove the Wagon R. But if you are not a fast driver there is no need for going for the Swift since i feel the Wagon R is more value for money. And since you are bying it try to go for the Duo since you always have a choice. I personally dont like the interiors of Swift but that is personal choice. I suggest you drive both cars on the highway/city. After all Its all about your preference. Since you dont have much confusion on the models, just go for a few test drives in both vehicles for a few days. If at all you decide on the swift. Ensure you get maximum discount. You will get real good discounts if you bargain well. Atleast thats my experience with maruti's. All the best and Drive Safe.