Maruti Suzuki Alto LXi--Ownership Review - one year and 20000 Kms

[gpa]

As promised here are a few pics clicked this morning after a nice wash post the heavy rains last night

Cheers,
gpa

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@gpa,
nicely kept car.

i suggest
1] chrome plated door handles--rs 200 for set of 4
2] front grill chrome patti----rs 300
3] window visors---rs 1000-1800
add above items and see the difference.
for example purpose, i am posting pic of my alto.

[pedrolourenco]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

@gpa,
nicely kept car.

i suggest
1] chrome plated door handles--rs 200 for set of 4
2] front grill chrome patti----rs 300
3] window visors---rs 1000-1800
add above items and see the difference.
for example purpose, i am posting pic of my alto.

No offence meant but the chrome pieces don't look good. Only the front grill one is acceptable. Better to spend on some nice wheel caps or alloys, mirrors, spoiler and fog lamps Even the attachments to the bumper look bad.

[ada]

Ashish -- I guess if the side strips had metal finish like the one in front or back, that would be nice. Personally I like the way your car looks. Now what about some alloys? I'am almost sorry on looking at Alto's pics that I'am selling my own.

[gpa]

ashish,

Thanks for your inputs. I'm a stickler when it comes to maintaining my cars and pamper them a lot. That's a nicely maintained car you've got there too I have been trying to source the front grill chrome bit, but the aftermarket ones are of atrocious quality. I prefer to keep the looks stock which is why I have not gone in for any chrome dressings on the door handles.

ada,

Alloys is something that's on the cards. I will upgrade to a nice set, once this set of tyres are worn. In fact Abhi (akroy's) car has a nice set of alloys, so i am definitely looking forward to changing to them.

Cheers,
gpa

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@pedrolourenco-Even the attachments to the bumper look bad.

yeah, front attachment to bumper looks bad due to chrome strip pilling.
i do not need alloys and fog lamps due to natural conditions where i drive.

[gpa]

Well, it finally happened. I was driving to work today and it was a overcast, drizzly morning. To brighten things up, I was listening to a CCR CD playing on my music system.

I was on the outer ring road and in the far right of the middle lane cruising along at 60-65 kmph with the entire right lane free for anyone who was driving faster than me. I had just crossed a roadover bridge and noticed a Hyundai i10 coming up quite fast (easily 80+ kmph) in the right lane behind me in my ORVM and would have overtaken me in a few seconds.

Suddenly a dog darted right in front of my car! It happened so fast that I had no time to brake and the dog hit my car's bumper with a loud thud. What happened next really rattled me. Due to the momentum of my car and force of the impact the dog was airborne about 2 feet off the ground and flew towards the right lane right into the path of the speeding Hyundai i10.

The driver must have panicked and instead of braking, he tried to swerve and avoid the dog. But it was too late, the dog got run over under his left front wheel and due to the sheer speed and the swerve of the steering wheel, the i10 ran over the median and collided head on with a lamp post.

My bumper was totalled, number plate broken and there was a loud grinding noise as the right portion of the broken off bumper was grinding against my tyre.

I pulled over about 30 metres ahead and stopped, switched on the hazard lights and ran towards the i10 that was totalled on the median. The driver didn't have his seatbelt on and due to the force of the impact, the airbags were deployed and he had a bleeding nose. The damage to the i10 was extensive-shattered front windshield, bonnet crushed, radiator and a/c compressor smashed and the doors were out of alignment.

A huge crowd had gathered by now and the driver in the i10 was still stunned but able to walk around. I sat him down, asked him if he knew what happened and he responded well. Told him that there was nothing I could have done as the dog just darted out from no where and he agreed and said that it all happened too fast. The cops arrived, took stock of the situation and then as I left, he was calling the Hyundai help line to get his car towed.

A few pedestrians helped me remove the piece of the bumper that was touching my tyre and I did a quick check of the car to see of all was ok. I then called my Service Advisor informing him that I'll be making an unexpected visit and then I drove to my M.A.S.S.

Will be posting a few pics soon and also an update on the repairs that followed.

Cheers,
gpa

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by gpa

Well, it finally happened. I was driving to work today and it was a overcast, drizzly morning. To brighten things up, I was listening to a CCR CD playing on my music system.

I was on the outer ring road and in the far right of the middle lane cruising along at 60-65 kmph with the entire right lane free for anyone who was driving faster than me.

Sorry for not getting the entire post :

1) You have mentioned that you had left the " left side for anyone going faster than you " ? Is it not wrong, I mean if you are slower you are expected to be on the left side of the road.

2) Was the Hyundai coming in wrong side ?

I am sorry if my questions are silly, but I was not able to get the exact manner you were going and that man in Hyundai i10 was coming fast.

[Technocrat]

Sorry for not getting the entire post :

I think you didnt read the post you have quoted properly. Here is what he said.

I was on the outer ring road and in the far right of the middle lane cruising along at 60-65 kmph with the entire right lane free for anyone who was driving faster than me.

[Gansan]

Sorry to learn about the mishap, gpa. Accidents always happen out of nowhere. Hope the damage to the car is minor and you get over it quickly.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

I think you didnt read the post you have quoted properly. Here is what he said.

Sir, One more sorry. ( I wonder how many I will end up with ).

I read it again carefully.

1) You were cruising in the correct lane.
2) Hyundai was coming from behind. Generally whenever I read " ended up in pillar ", I think it for those coming in wrong direction to avoid taking longer route for U-turn.

I apologize for my mistake.

Wonder how people forget to use seatbelt that too on a car with airbags. High speed crash + no seatbelts + airbags = disaster. If airbags are present in a car, then seatbelt use is a must. I think the Hyundai driver has learnt the lesson hard way round.

[kavesh55]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Sir, One more sorry. ( I wonder how many I will end up with ).


Wonder how people forget to use seatbelt that too on a car with airbags. High speed crash + no seatbelts + airbags = disaster. If airbags are present in a car, then seatbelt use is a must. I think the Hyundai driver has learnt the lesson hard way round.

Seems a really bad crash. Had there been no airbags he would have been against the glass or maybe outside.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Sorry to learn about the mishap, gpa. Accidents always happen out of nowhere. Hope the damage to the car is minor and you get over it quickly.

Thanks Gansan,

The damage was very minor and the the only damage was to the bumper which shattered and broke and got twisted in few areas. It did its job well by absorbing and dispersing the kinetic energy from the collision.

The bumper was replaced. The body had absolutely no damage apart from a slightly dented apron.

The car is back home with me after spending 3 hours at my M.A.S.S. Will be posting pics soon, so stay tuned to this thread!

Cheers,
gpa

[HappyWheels]

That is a bad one, GPA!

Hope there were no other damages to the front, in terms of radiator and such. Dogs hits are famous for causing them!!!

EDIT: Which MASS do you go to?

[gpa]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Hyundai was coming from behind.

Yupp, like I mentioned, he was visible in my right ORVM.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Wonder how people forget to use seatbelt that too on a car with airbags. High speed crash + no seatbelts + airbags = disaster. If airbags are present in a car, then seatbelt use is a must. I think the Hyundai driver has learnt the lesson hard way round.

He did learn his lesson the hard way. At the time of impact, he must have been doing nothing less than 75 kmph. His survival is a testament to the build quality of the i10. The force of the deploying airbag must have been like a hard punch straight in his face which explained his profusely bleeding nose.