[PatienceWins]

Swift is not the ideal replacement for the Josh machine.
Swift handles very well with better tyres. I drove it in Ghat section and the handling is amazing.
The low rev performance in Swift P is bad. The low end torque is less and the driveability in city is not good. But once you cross 2-3k rpm its a pleasure to drive.

Diesel would be a better option with the performance and FE.

[headers]

Originally Posted by abhik

I am 22yrs of age and being a hardcore performance enthusiast, I had bought a second hand Ford Ikon 1.6 ZXi 2002 in june 07 with my own hard earned money, the car had done 90000kms but ran like a gem. While testing it i did 130kmph indicated speed in 3rd gear. I liked the Ikon 1.6 mainly because of its handling and sheer performance and rest has already been said and done with by other Ikon owners on TEAM-BHP in their various posts and i dont think so i need to mention anything about why we still have fans for the 1.6.
I did a lot of research on CNG conversion and got it retro fitted (as i could not afford 6-7kmpl ) and made sure that it performed as good as it is on petrol and successfully managed to do so. I have posted a report on the same under Long Term Ownership Reports. The car could do 160kmph on CNG with completely worn out tyres and worn out clutches, the car was absolutely stable, no noise apart from the awesome exhaust note and the it still had more to offer, so i really dont doubt its performance and never have.
So there i had it all, perfomance and economy and ofcourse a car that i absolutely loved.
Now why on earth would i want to get rid of it...let me tell you:-

1. Till date i have spent close to 80k excluding cost of the CNG kit on just getting things right like the alternator, clutch, tyres, ignition coil, brake pads, upholstry,a/c pipes, IAC valve, TP Sensor and a host of other things that kept comming on and on time and again.
2. I realised that getting work done on the Ikon is utter stupidity as i could not find any mechanic who were qualified enough or had proper know how to fix the problems, hence the high maintenence costs as Ford, for some odd reason, does not believe in repairing, they simply change whatever is at fault but till date i have never got the car touched by any mechanic except Ford and the car has been strictly maintained at Ford.
3. Of late the suspensions and brake pads are giving way and this will set me back by 20 odd grands which would make my total expense after purchasing the car at Rs1,00,000 excluding cost of CNG.
4. Strangely the engine has never given way even after the amount of abuse i have put it through and after 97000kms now, it has always been other related parts.
5. When i bought the car i had in mind to spend that amount on performance modifying the car but due to these recurring expenses i couldnt even get a performance air-filter fitted.
So i have had enough of it and am now considering the Swift mainly because of service network, Jap reliability, cost of spares. I have read the Long Term Ownership Reviews but need a clear picture of the car meeting my requirements and your expert comments:-

My Requirements are:-
1. Outright corner carving ability.(High speed cornering)
2. High speed stability.
3. Agility
4. Good and safe build.
5. Low maintenence cost and reliability.

Would the Swift fullfill the first 3 requirements which is of utmost importance to me?
Does the Swift hold its line when cornering hard?
How does it perform in the lower rev range?
Can the interior vibes, that a lot of people complaint about, be sorted out?

Please help me out with your suggestions .

A Palio 1.6 stile will fulfill all of your requirements..its much faster and agile than the swift petrol ..in my opinion..

check it out..!

[PAVAN KADAM]

Ford Ikon is a great car by all means, but sad that all the maintainence cost is horribly exhorbitant.

Swift by any means is a good car, Either Petrol or Diesel (fiat engine)

You might not be happy with the rear seating, its rather congested.

I think you can wait for the Swift Sedan which is coming out soon.

OR

The best bet is the new SX4, My uncle took his car delivery just 2 weeks back,

Boy oh Boy what performance the car has, Its quick, Stable and a stunner on road.

Let me know what have you done?

[hemanth.das]

As others have mentioned here the swift petrol is not all that great a performer at low revs.

If your are looking at small car or hatch back whatever u want to call it the Palio 1.6 is a stunner and i really liked the performance on this machine and the handling is pretty slick.

The other diesel machine which really took me by surprise is the Getz CRDI
i dont think any small car comes close to this, it really burns the road for a diesel car and i was stunned the check the performance on one of the test drivers i had with the car.

If your are looking at used cars there are many a model that will help you find your match.

[headers]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Ford Ikon is a great car by all means, but sad that all the maintainence cost is horribly exhorbitant.


The best bet is the new SX4,

The Palio 1.6 beats the sx4 hands down..on the road..wanna try

[snaronikar]

Nothing like Ikon in performance and comfort (in its segment). If you want to try hatch, try Getz CRDi which has got the zeal and adrenaline pumping power that you are looking into.

[Sush]

For your need for speed, I would highly recommend Palio Stile 1.6. You will never regret buying it.
To be sure, take test drives of Swift and Palio and then you will not need any advice.

[sanju.sreekumar]

I guess all Ikon 1.6 owners would vouch for their cars when it comes to performance at high speed and stability. Same goes with me!!

I think you should go for the SX4 if you want to get rid of the Ikon.

Cheers
Sanju

[spadival]

For someone who fitted an CNG to get better milage, Palio 1.6 doesnt sound like a right choice. Better option is to go for a diesel car.

[rks]

Originally Posted by abhik

So i have had enough of it and am now considering the Swift mainly because of service network, Jap reliability, cost of spares. I have read the Long Term Ownership Reviews but need a clear picture of the car meeting my requirements and your expert comments:-

My Requirements are:-
1. Outright corner carving ability.(High speed cornering)
2. High speed stability.
3. Agility
4. Good and safe build.
5. Low maintenence cost and reliability.

Nobody seems to have suggested Getz Crdi, which will surely meet all your requirements. May be a bit costly, though. No need to worry about service network and spares. Otherwise consider Swift diesel. Looks like your Swift queries have been answered.

[Jeep]

What I would have done:

1. Sell off the IKON
2. Buy a used Palio 1.6 instead of a new Swift for about 2.5 lac
3. By step 2, I would have saved some money/EMI since I am not going in for Swift. Park the money in stock market (before that wait for about 2-3 weeks, Sensex is gonna come down)

However, hunting for a GOOD Palio 1.6 will be a full-time job for a week or so

[Jaggu]

Hope abhi doesnt get scared off with so much ideas

But @abhi could you add the details if you prefer new buy or a second hand car? I for one assumed that you wanted a cheap second hand fun car that can be modded.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Also look at the Getz CRDi, its insanely fast and how!

Originally Posted by akshay1234

how about the getz crdi with wider rubber?

Originally Posted by rks

Nobody seems to have suggested Getz Crdi,

Been already suggested rks. Thanks for suggesting again though.

[2theMax]

22 years + speed + josh machine replacement..swift stands no chance for you unless it is a swift sport 1.6 (import), and why 1.6 to 1.3 ?

would suggest cedia (used also an option)

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by 2theMax

22 years + speed + josh machine replacement..swift stands no chance for you unless it is a swift sport 1.6 (import), and why 1.6 to 1.3 ?

would suggest cedia (used also an option)

or a MIVEC Lancer. Get ready to rob Zak.