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Old 9th June 2008, 14:47   #46
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Santro / I10 / Spark

@FirstCamry
First of all thanks for starting this thread. Before I begin with my side of dilemma, a much deserved Congrats on getting your brand new car ! I'd request you to comment on your ownership experience, it'd be of great help.

I've just stumbled upon this thread, 'coz I too have all of a sudden landed in a similar situation. I have come back to Delhi (my maika), from Bangalore a month back after 2.5 years. Although I wasn't targeting a hatch at all, a recent stock take on my "expenses to come vs cash at hand" has made me a reputed member of the "hatch" club.

Need Help deciding among Santro / I10 / Spark

@Mods,
Please keep the thread open. Else merge with a dedicated one on Santro
Vs I10 Vs Spark

Background :
- Drove an Alto (2007) in Bangalore
- Already have 800 (1990) : used for ferrying groceries, etc and a
- Wagon R (2005) at home.: used by family for remaining purposes.

Use :
- 90 % City Use.
- Self Driven
- I plan to use the car 50 kms a day, Delhi-Gurgaon.

Resale :
In 2yrs

Desirables :
1) 3.5-3.75 L on road.
2) Ability to soak pot holes and bumps.
3) Mileage
4) Shoulder and legroom
5) Ease of Parking - Basically rear view comfort

I am tilted towards Santro, follwed by I10, Never considered spark until I read this thread. I'd Really Need a Mind blowing deal to tilt me in Spark's favour. I havent test driven any of these cars, should be doing both the Hyundai's by this weekend.

I feel the I10 is smaller than santro, but its basically a perception I'd say, on paper the I10 is supposedly bigger. Not too much of a fan of the looks of the I10, But worry that santro might get phased out. Basically I am worried about a lot of people tilting towards I10 inspite of Santro been there done that :-)

BHPian's need your inputs !

BTW It feels great to be in Delhi. Would wanna know about the next Team BHP meet ?
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Old 10th June 2008, 12:15   #47
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BUMP !!!

Meanwhile, I Also did some search on the new Suzuki Splash being launched, Do we have a fairly tentative date for it ? As per existing threads on the site, its comming sometime Oct.

All you Car-Phreaks, Need your inputs..
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Old 10th June 2008, 19:29   #48
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WHen the spark is compared to the Santro its neck to neck but when compared to the i10 , the i10 is miles ahead. With your budget + maybe 20K you can get the i10 era.
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Old 10th June 2008, 23:58   #49
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Have a ride of spark first , way ahead than i10 in ride quality and feel. i10 engine is noisy , the ride is relatively less smooth as compared to spark. Spark is real VFM.
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Old 11th June 2008, 10:47   #50
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Thanks Veelubhai and bkm. Quite contrasting views. But the good part is Santro is getting edged out. I guess I need to try all the three.
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Old 11th June 2008, 11:45   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnujJain View Post
@FirstCamry
First of all thanks for starting this thread. Before I begin with my side of dilemma, a much deserved Congrats on getting your brand new car ! I'd request you to comment on your ownership experience, it'd be of great help.
Thanks . I still dont have the car yet.Finance could not be arranged at right time because of delays from my side. Now its done. Today car is being registered and tomorrow I shall get the car . Hopefully

Quote:
Resale :
In 2yrs
Here Santro or i10 would be a advisable.


Quote:
1) 3.5-3.75 L on road.
Only Spark and Santro can fit in this budget.

I made couple of friends at the dealership..( out of my own selfish reasons ..i am bad ) and they told almost 60-70% of people who come looking for Santro end up buying i10. So I wont be surprised if you get an i10. No one knows what's gonna happen with Santro.

Test drive Spark . I just loved that car but as I said earlier "surrendered to mesmerising interiors of i10".No ones close in that respect
Anyway I am no expert but this is how I feel
i10 > Spark > Santro
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Old 11th June 2008, 12:58   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstCamry View Post
I just loved that car but as I said earlier "surrendered to mesmerising interiors of i10".No ones close in that respect
Anyway I am no expert but this is how I feel
i10 > Spark > Santro
Congrats Firstcamry for the spark.

I agree i10 has great interiors. You would definitely love sitting in an i10.
But the pickup in i10 with AC on is poor man when compared to a spark.
This made me to buy spark when there was no i10 in the market. I dont know high speed stability in i10 but spark its fantastic. Can cruise comfortably at 100KMPH.
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Old 12th June 2008, 00:32   #53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by djay99 View Post
Congrats Firstcamry for the spark.

I agree i10 has great interiors. You would definitely love sitting in an i10.
But the pickup in i10 with AC on is poor man when compared to a spark.
This made me to buy spark when there was no i10 in the market. I dont know high speed stability in i10 but spark its fantastic. Can cruise comfortably at 100KMPH.
I second that..

Congrats Firstcamry on your purchase.

nimz
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Old 12th June 2008, 15:16   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstCamry View Post
almost 60-70% of people who come looking for Santro end up buying i10. So I wont be surprised if you get an i10. No one knows what's gonna happen with Santro.
FirstCamry - I think I might just end up your way.

Guys,
What about Splash ? I can wait till diwali if its coming during that time but not any later. Does anyone have a fair idea of its launch ?
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Old 12th June 2008, 17:24   #55
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Hi AnujJain,
I have indeed read the thread completely.I own a 99 model santro.Though i bought it as a second hand vehicle a couple of years back this car has never let me down in any aspect.The previous owner of my santro is my close friend and the car was never taken to a service station for any other reason except general service, oil change and A/c service after 4th year of its purchase the A/c's colling effect went down and hence got it serviced.
My santro is 9 years old now.I can take a long trip anytime a i want...infact in one of my posts i have mentioned this...i took the car from chennai to kodaikannal the very next week i bought it from my friend. It has been a pleasure to drive this car.Key points i want you to note before choosing the car
1. Even at 150-155 Kmph the car is extremely stable
2. Trust me....my santro gave a stunning 23 Kmpl (A/c on for 40 minutes per 1 hour drive)mileage during my regular long trip from chennai to vellore..to get this mileage i will constantly maintain 90 kmph....Frankly i dont know about Erlx engine santro but my friend says he gets about 20 kmpl...he is really a race car freak and always touches 160 in highways with his 2007 Santro...yet he gets 20 kmpl and i am sure you will get more than that in highways.
3. In city i'll get about 15 kmpl with A/c on almost all the time
4. I have not spent just Rs.950 till now for the car's maintanence...i dont take it to hyundai service but to a local service station because i know the mechanic very well
5. Steering control is excellent

All round look- Santro Xing is cool
Mileage - Santro wins( my intention is not to support Hyundai. i'm just sharing my experience with santro as i own it)
Resale value - Excellent ( I got an offer for 1.20 Lacs for my 9 year old santro!!im a second owner remember!)
Engine - Hyundai Engines are always reliable

I have not said anything about spark because i don't own it. Get views from the spark owners and i10 owners as well because it is easy to comment about the car without owning it but the true picture can be had only by researching the views of the owners of the car.
You said you'll change the car after 2 years...i'm 100% sure...go for santro...it will never let you down.
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Old 13th June 2008, 09:43   #56
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Hello Blueband,

Quite a well written case. You've spoken like a master who's been served by a loyalist for a long time. I seriously dont see any negative's in the car other than it being an old horse in Hyundai's stable which it might end up replacing. Hence the Apprehension. As I said earlier, I haven't driven either of these cars, Post which I'd really be able to make some judgement. Am Hoping I'd do that tomorrow.

Since these are hatchbacks, I dont seek the need to make a 'statement' while I am on the road. Which I might look for when I am going for a sedan. This segment is for the practical buyer. The point I am making is I am OK with the santro frankly, Even if Design wise the i10 and Spark have an edge.

Quote:
Originally Posted by blueband4u View Post
In city i'll get about 15 kmpl with A/c on almost all the time
- Now that's a really good figure , I dont even get that in my Wagon R which is consider frugal compared to Santro. Good for you !! A friend of mine bought the Santro last year which is giving him 11-12 Kmpl. Offcourse variables like driving style, no. of services etc do come into play.

Speaking of spark, I dont think I'd be able convince myself going in for a Chevy in this segment. But, as they say never say never.

much after the test drive..

thanks for sharing your point of view.
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Old 19th June 2008, 14:46   #57
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Got the car

Hello all,
Got my i10 with 2-3 days delay. I am still in a learning mode and have not driven extensively.

My assessment.
AC is rock solid. It will freeze you with blower speed 1.
Gear box is very smooth ( Spark is bit smoother but i10 doesnt disappoint )
I have started loving the placement of gear.
Interiors - we all know !
Rode once in highway with 100kmh. Drove beautifully.
Back seat is not that bumpy as Santro.

Overall it's a very experience.
More as it drives.!
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Old 25th June 2008, 13:58   #58
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Sorry for the delay folks!

This weekend I have finally took the TD of i10 and it felt great and much much more planted than my Wagon R. The view was great. Ease of maneuvering was to be experienced. Interiors were really appealing. All in all a good experience. Although It had a hard time crossing 60 kmph mark, I could clearly feel the load on the engine.. however this could be due to it being TD vehicle.

Santro - TD not available at 3 showrooms in Delhi. So couldn't perform a vis-a-vis test with the i10.

I was however quite tempted to checkout the Swift VXI which was available just across the road at RANA motors. listen on - The car was unlike any other Maruti I'd ever driven. The doors opened and closed with metal thud to them, seating was really soft, the view was panoramic. The car felt bigger than it actually is from inside, which come to think of it isn’t a plus (Judgment driving comes into play). The best part was the gear shift. The knob is short and feels sporty. It was able to swallow low rpms at higher gears. Rear view wasn’t great though.

Overall, the drive has made me arrive on what is a no brainer to all and everyone on this forum. Stretch your budget and go for the swift, and that’s exactly what I’d be doing.

So long !
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Old 25th June 2008, 19:22   #59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnujJain View Post
@FirstCamry
Use :
- 90 % City Use.
- Self Driven
- I plan to use the car 50 kms a day, Delhi-Gurgaon.

Resale :
In 2yrs

Desirables :
1) 3.5-3.75 L on road.
2) Ability to soak pot holes and bumps.
3) Mileage
4) Shoulder and legroom
5) Ease of Parking - Basically rear view comfort
@Anuj,
Good that you are streching your budget and going for a Swift.
I think Swift VXI is around 4.75L on road. So a strech of 1L from your budget.

One thought that comes to my mind is your daily running.
50 Kms per day surely suggests Diesel hatch as a feasible option.
Swift Petrol returns an FE of 11 KMPL in City. Your daily running cost would be around Rs.250.
A diesel would return FE of 17 KMPL in city. Your daily running cost would come to around Rs.120.
In a month you can save around Rs.4000 on fuel.

Make your calculations.

And there are a few diesel hatches around 5L available in the market.

1. Swift LDI (5.3L) VDI (5.75L) - Fun to drive car.
2. Palio SDE (5L) SDX (5.35L) - Not as torqy but good car. Look for A.s.s. in your City though before going for it.
3. Indica Dicor - 4.7L - Not as refined engine as the above two but definately VFM car.

I think going for a diesel hatch would be more sensible considering your daily running. Think about it.
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Old 26th June 2008, 12:25   #60
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@Vinit,

Valid Calculations. I do see a case for a diesel here although not an all an all case. Rough monthly usage comes out to be 45kms x 25days=1125 kms, with 11kmpl the petrol cost is just over 5K. However, the part which one forgets, is that I have already stretched the budget to a lac. I just can't go any further, I mean I can't stretch again..:-)

This I happens to all of us I guess, One starts from a lower segment, moves on to the middle segment and then tries aiming for the upper segment or accommodating similar propositions..

But I understand, you have my best interest in mind. Even going with that, the first two options just don't fit my pocket. The third one is a real compromise on the driving experience, refinement, etc..as pointed out by you as well.

I guess I'd stick to the Swift vxi. Another Issue is that need to get a ride within 2 weeks or so. Otherwise, would consider waiting for the A star and the splash.

Thanks though !

Last edited by Jaggu : 26th June 2008 at 20:09. Reason: Please be careful while cut and pasting
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