[audioholic]

Arun, sad to hear that your gleaming car was put to such damage due to a moron. Also it was a good decision on buying the Zdi version as most of the Dzires I have seen are the V versions. When we purchased the SX4 we had considered the Dzire diesel. However even the SA pushed for a Vdi which annoyed us and he didn't even commit to a sane waiting period and told it might take a year or so. Hence we went in for the SX4.

The car has taken the impact well and since you were wearing seatbelts, which most of the people I have seen on the highway dont, I think that itself played a huge role in keeping you safe. Are the airbags really 1l to replace? The parts catalogue of my Sx4 and the MGP price list mentions a lesser price, of around 5k for the drivers airbag, another 10k for the passenger airbag and some other components. They are locally manufactured for my car. Not sure if its the same for the Dzire since the imported ones do cost a lot.

Guess you are looking for a new car now. I bet it will be the fully decked variant this time too. Feel sad for the dzire though.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by saket77

40% of the IDV is fine for repair job. I think that repair cost that crosses over 70-75% of the IDV is considered for a total loss. And anyway, by the pictures the car does not look like a total loss case. Not bad for a Maruti to hold up as good as this after such a nasty accident.

For 0% depreciation policy, if the repair cost is more than 40% IDV, then they can declare it as total loss. The other option which they gave was they will approve 1.85L and remaining I will have to pay. Still not finalized on which way to go.

Originally Posted by audioholic

Arun, sad to hear that your gleaming car was put to such damage due to a moron. Also it was a good decision on buying the Zdi version as most of the Dzires I have seen are the V versions. When we purchased the SX4 we had considered the Dzire diesel. However even the SA pushed for a Vdi which annoyed us and he didn't even commit to a sane waiting period and told it might take a year or so. Hence we went in for the SX4.

The car has taken the impact well and since you were wearing seatbelts, which most of the people I have seen on the highway dont, I think that itself played a huge role in keeping you safe. Are the airbags really 1l to replace? The parts catalogue of my Sx4 and the MGP price list mentions a lesser price, of around 5k for the drivers airbag, another 10k for the passenger airbag and some other components. They are locally manufactured for my car. Not sure if its the same for the Dzire since the imported ones do cost a lot.

Guess you are looking for a new car now. I bet it will be the fully decked variant this time too. Feel sad for the dzire though.

Even when I went to book ZDI, the SA was pushing for VDI, I said no matter what I will wait for a ZDI and then they took the booking quoting 4-6 months of waiting period. But I got the delivery within 2 months. I think they get more profit on LDI/VDI.

Yes, for a Maruti the car has taken the impact well. Regarding airbag, there are some sensors also which needs to be replaced, some parts of the dash board etc. I will check and will update the exact cost.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

For 0% depreciation policy, if the repair cost is more than 40% IDV, then they can declare it as total loss. The other option which they gave was they will approve 1.85L and remaining I will have to pay. Still not finalized on which way to go.

Thanks for the information on the Zero-dep policies. I didn't know that.

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Even when I went to book ZDI, the SA was pushing for VDI, I said no matter what I will wait for a ZDI and then they took the booking quoting 4-6 months of waiting period. But I got the delivery within 2 months.

Didn't you tell them your story? Then they might not have had the courage to push the VDI over the ZDI!

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Regarding airbag, there are some sensors also which needs to be replaced, some parts of the dash board etc. I will check and will update the exact cost.

Please do it at a convenient time. I am interested in knowing the expenses involved in a car of this class when the air bags deploy.

[Naetik30]

Hey Arun

Sad to hear about the accident and glad to know you are OK. Will discuss more when we meet in person.

Arvind

[S_U_N]

Very well narrated story.
I found new respect for Dzire - I always thought Maruti builds cars on cost, but Dzire is a well designed and safe car, I suppose.

[Sanjunair5]

Arun, what you did takes courage. On one hand you could have easily hit the scooter and be safe or try to save him and put your life in danger. At the end of the day you made the brave choice and saved a life (though the thankless guy didn't hang around to show an appreciation).

One question - how did your passenger airbag get deployed? It should have been 'off' with no passenger onboard, right?

[aviorp]

Sorry to hear about this incident Arun. I loved the way you had maintained the Dzire when we first met during the drive to the Kolar CCD. Glad that the car dint topple and most importantly, you're alright.

Sad that you were in the receiving end for no mistake of yours. You had a very good presence of mind and you dint panic - that's what saved you and the seat belts/air bags helped you a little more.

I just came back from Kaniyakumari and noticed the amount of intersections this stretch has. There were bikers crossing the dividers to get to the other end, riding on the wrong way with headlights on and at times right in the middle of the highway at speeds of 40-50. Not sure how one can educate them, but I guess they will end up learning when things like this happen.

I'm no expert, but this is what I do. Drive right in the middle of the road. This helps in giving you that extra second or two to maneuver when something like this happens. Just keep an eye on the rear view mirror every now & then, so you can let the vehicles pass by and of course like other members suggested, honk like crazy at intersections.

Well done!

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by Naetik30

Hey Arun

Sad to hear about the accident and glad to know you are OK. Will discuss more when we meet in person.

Arvind

Sure mate!

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Very well narrated story.
I found new respect for Dzire - I always thought Maruti builds cars on cost, but Dzire is a well designed and safe car, I suppose.

Yes, the build quality surprised me as well.

Originally Posted by Sanjunair5

One question - how did your passenger airbag get deployed? It should have been 'off' with no passenger onboard, right?

I was told by MASS that both the airbags will deploy together. It deploys only when driver side seat belt is ON .

Originally Posted by aviorp

Sorry to hear about this incident Arun. I loved the way you had maintained the Dzire when we first met during the drive to the Kolar CCD. Glad that the car dint topple and most importantly, you're alright.

I'm no expert, but this is what I do. Drive right in the middle of the road. This helps in giving you that extra second or two to maneuver when something like this happens. Just keep an eye on the rear view mirror every now & then, so you can let the vehicles pass by and of course like other members suggested, honk like crazy at intersections.

Well done!

Thanks Avinash! Yes, tried my best to maintain it in pristine condition but God has other plans. May be he wants me to drive a better car to Leh/Ladhak. ;-)

Some of the intersections are very dangerous because they are just after curves. Anyways, now I am little more cautious at intersections.

I do honk or flash lights when required, but this time everything happened so fast that I didn't get time for that.

Hope you had a nice trip KK!

[abirnale]

Originally Posted by Sanjunair5

One question - how did your passenger airbag get deployed? It should have been 'off' with no passenger onboard, right?

Answering off topic - There are some cars that deploy the airbags by checking the seat belt use situation. And there used to be some that checks with weight applied on the seats. The prior is best since without seat belts, airbags getting deployed is fatal - they can do harm instead of saving.

As Arun said already, the MASS engineer has once told me too that both airbags in my SX4 are linked with driver side seat belt. And knowing without seatbelts how fatal airbag deployment can be, I enforce everyone taking my passenger seat to wear seat belts compulsory.

[n_aditya]

Glad you are doing fine, Arun. That was indeed a bad crash and luckily no one was injured.

Hope the insurance formalities work out well in your favor and without much headache or hassle.

Take care buddy.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

This accident happened on 4th January...

Glad to know that you're safe, arun_josie, and really feel sorry for you and your Dzire for going through this.

I quote your experience and show this thread to the many of my acquaintances who are least bothered about wearing seat belts once they're out of the city limits (and the watchful eyes of cops), to impress the importance of buckling up, upon them.

I almost ended up in an accident about a week before yours. (Posted in this thread). If not for my luck, I would've gone straight into the median (like you did) to save a dumb jaywalker.

[Srikanthan]

Arun - Glad that you managed to come out safely from the accident. For sure, the car's safety systems (belts, air-bags and ABS) helped - but also your instinct to go over the median saved the life of the moron on the 2-wheeler.

Whenever I have to negotiate such curves on highways, my best practice includes:

> Try to move away from the speed lane depending on vegetation on the median - some medians have thick grown plants, that block what's moving within them - might be a cattle or a human trying to cross the road.

> Reduce the speed of the car.

> Honk my car continuously - to be on the safe side.

Though I know that honking is painful to others on the road, it significantly reduces potential accidents.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I almost ended up in an accident about a week before yours. (Posted in this thread). If not for my luck, I would've gone straight into the median (like you did) to save a dumb jaywalker.

Scary! Looks like a suicide attempt.

[lapsi]

Originally Posted by silversteed

If not for my luck, I would've gone straight into the median (like you did) to save a dumb jaywalker.

A person crossing the road on zebra crossing cannot be called a jaywalker. In fact, if you read the rules, a vehicle has to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings. Sure he should not have been crossing since he should have known that cars are not going to stop for him.

I am surprised that you did not notice the zebra crossing even before posting the video. Or possibly you were not aware of the Law regarding zebra crossings.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I almost ended up in an accident about a week before yours. (Posted in this thread). If not for my luck, I would've gone straight into the median (like you did) to save a dumb jaywalker.

That was just scary. I wonder how he even missed your car. I guess he was severely drunk. Imagine how much guts it must take to cross a busy high way with vehicles, including a bus coming towards him. I dont think any sane man will have so much guts, and walking so calmly. Only C2H5OH can give that strength.

Originally Posted by lapsi

I am surprised that you did not notice the zebra crossing even before posting the video. Or possibly you were not aware of the Law regarding zebra crossings.

In the ideal world, I agree with your say. But, I think it would be overly ideal to stop the car in the middle of a highway at night with traffic moving around you, given that:

1. There was already a bus in the left lane which would block the view of a person wanting to cross the road.
2. Least expect a person to cross a road in that manner. I usually slow down if I see a man on the divider or on the side of the road wanting to cross. But this is insane.
3. Since its on the right lane, we will have a decent number of vehicles tailing us, causing a pile up if we brake suddenly. The idiot will walk away as in Aruns case and we will have to deal with a lot of damages. Again, it is wrong in the ideal world, but our roads are far away from being ideal and hence we cant argue with a group of cars questioning us why we stopped in the middle of a road. If we were to answer, I let a man cross a road safely, I cant imagine where the situation would head to.

I sincerely stop my two wheeler to let pedestrains pass, and I like to see the smile on elders when you stop and let them cross when they expect you to run across them. But in such cases, I have no mercy