How good is a Wagon R ?

jaysmokesleaves · 27th April 2009, 19:05

The need > to putter around inside the city, for the everyday run to the malls, errands, movies, occassional intercity runs far and few in between.
Must be able to seat 4 adults, 6' tall, in comfort. Must have decent luggage space to haul bags from the airport. Has to be easy to park & manouvere. The AC must be very very good. Seating must be more upright. Im not very much in favour of vehicles with low seating(esteem or honda city style). Has to be compact, utilitarian, robust and cheap to run & easy & cheap to maintain. Aah, budget should not exceed 5 lakhs onroad. Has to run on petrol or petrol/cng/lpg.

I have never driven a Maruti though there have been a few in the family.
I have not test driven any hatches yet since there are too many options to choose from. I will begin the test drive sessions after appropriate suggestions from members here and after I come up with a list of suitable vehicles.

I saw the Wagon R website and it looks 'ok' to me from the criteria I have laid out.
What are the pros & cons of the Wagon R ?
Any alternative suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance.
J

extreme_torque · 27th April 2009, 19:09

I would suggest the Spark but the luggage space isnt as good. Four 6 feet adults in a wagon-r would be a very tight squeeze since the space at the back is almost non existent.
Since your budget is 5 lakhs why not the just announced entry level Indica Vista quadrajet.

phamilyman · 27th April 2009, 19:18

wagonR, but why not the i20 base? How cheap is it? any discounts?

or hey - the LOGAN base. It should be VERY close to 5L now post all the discounts

ram_hyundai · 27th April 2009, 19:22

Wagon -r is a good option for the needs you have put down.And always bear in mind maruti is one manufacturer who stands by the side of the customer in tough situations.Main options for you would be the W-R and santro,i10 a costly option.I would sugest W-r or santro for a budget and practical option.Nothing much seperates both and then the deciding factors would be looks and A.S.S.cost of maintenence etc.Take a test drive of both and decide.Then there is the soon to be launched in a month Ritz from maruti but that would be costing more than the said options.Why did you leave the estilo out of your choice.Good practical option in city.
cheers
ram

greenhorn · 27th April 2009, 19:22

since you know how to deal with TASS well ( as can be seen from the other threads), I'd also vote in favour of the vista.

On the other hand , if you are tired of it , and are craving for some good ol' maruti reliablity, go for it. The abominable zen estilo shares a lot of the wagon R's attributes , and is available with a lot of discounts which should make it better value than the WR. but space is a little less.

spark is also great. and it will genuinely seat 4 adults, and is a lot of fun in the city

, but if these adults are heavy, suspension might bottom out

another option is the santro

nvldvr · 27th April 2009, 19:24

:to putter around inside the city, for the everyday run to the malls, errands, movies, occassional intercity runs far and few in between. - Great car for city driving. Easy manouverability through mad traffic, a hoot to park. However, small tyres, so doesnt like pot holes at all. Lets the pessangers know well and truely about any small bumps / potholes.
Decent pulling power on the highways as well. But then its a 1.1 Ltr hatch. So expectations should be in accordance.
High Centre of gravity - Fast turns are an absolute no -no.

Must be able to seat 4 adults, 6' tall, in comfort - Leg room in the rear seats is a little limited. However, very upright seating. Tall people wont mind getting in / out of the car unlike in sedans where it can be a pain in the back sometimes.
Must have decent luggage space to haul bags - No problem at all. If you fit the rear speakers on the rear door, it liberates massive space at the back. With rear seats folded, you can move enough and more luggage.
The AC must be very very good - Good AC. Not great but does the job efficiently.
Has to be compact, utilitarian, robust and cheap to run & easy & cheap to maintain - Meets all criterias. Will be absolutely trouble free. Only visits to the *** will be for routine services. Decent mileage (should give 14-15 kmpl in city).

simply_sunny001 · 27th April 2009, 19:29

Jay
6 feet tall people cant sit in the back of a Wagon R and same is the case with Santro and Spark,Zen,Alro etc.

Ya,you can always adjust if its for 10-15 mins.

And like extreme-torque suggested Indica vista is a gr8 choice and its true it has the best space and nice interiors and a gr8 engine/gearbox.

i was sitting in the driver seat(i'm 6'1) and bro was able to sit right behind me on real seat with some space left and he's even taller than me. so i found only indica vista to be only car to offer so muvh space in less money.

take a test drive

bblost · 27th April 2009, 19:30

Get the Getz.
With the kind of discounts running on it will be able to fit your budget very well.

I drive a Wagon R. Very satisfied and happy with the car.
It is a four seater. But I have the old model with split seats in the rear.

Milage 13+ in city with AC on most of the time.
One highway run gave me 19 but usually get 17.

DCEite · 27th April 2009, 19:36

With that kind of budget i would look at the newers cars around. I think Suzuki Ritz is due sometime next month (i am not 100% sure on this). Its a logical successor of the wagonR, sharing many of the practical hatchback's positives.

However if can't wait and need to select a practical, trouble free and spacious hachback, WR is a decent choice. The newer model has better rear seat and has decent lower back support as well (something missing in the old split seat WR).

sparkguy · 27th April 2009, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

The need > to putter around inside the city, for the everyday run to the malls, errands, movies, occassional intercity runs far and few in between.......

Test drive Spark, a very practical vehicle minus any frills that we generally don't use. I am driving a one and I can say 'Good Choice'

pranava999 · 27th April 2009, 19:39

hi I have been driving a WR for 7 years now and to be honest its a wonderful car for the needs you have mentioned. I would definitely think of it as an urban utility vehicle. I'm 6ft3 tall and really glad for the legroom in front and the rear split seats and the boxy design came in very handy when I had to lug bags, speakers, televisions,and what not. It can comfortably seat 4 but 5 is a bit if a squeeze. Its pretty peppy enough in the city with the aircon. Drive quality is definitely not bad and the GC is good. Milage is great on the highway and not bad at all in the city.

Service costs are pretty low and after 7 years I recently got the rear shocks changed as they were weak. the replacement costs sure put a smile on my face. Recently for some weird reason a valve that controls the brake fluid or pressure or something on this line (located at the bottom rear) had a seal broken, that resulted in literally having no breaks. Had to get it replaced and once again it was pretty cheap. (Normally this is not supposed to happen on a car, but it's been 7 years and I as usual have these oddities happening to me). I have never driven her softly , had I ,I'm sure the shocks would have lasted a bit longer. Mate would definitely recommend the wagon R. Go for it. Much better than the santros and sparks out there.

If you do decide to go in for a Wag R, do replace the stock tyres and get one with a wider footprint , does improve the handling dynamics.

muke31 · 27th April 2009, 19:44

Wagon-R is an excellent car for City Driving and ocassional highway driving(but don't expect racing, enough for 80Kmph-90 speed on highway) due to its inadequate brakes but the gears are little notchy and not very smooth to engage but it is very comfirtable for tall, back seat comfort is good for 2 and can sqeeze 3.

It will serve you for years if well maintained.

-MUKE

extreme_torque · 27th April 2009, 19:45

@pranava... It depends on the mileage the car has done rather than age in years. The best thing about the wagon-r is the torquey engine which never feels out of breath but rest of the package doesnt lives up. The gearshift is horrid to say the least, rattles come in pretty early in its life, the engine isnt refined, the ride and handling are nothing to write home about, steering is ultra light at highway speeds and general refinement is poor indeed, i especially hate the road noise. (No offence meant to any wg owners) Santro doesnt fares too much better but it is better none the less, especially the overall refinement.
But as I said, looking at the requirements, Indica Vista Quadrajet base is your best bet. Nice peppy diesel, spacious interiors, good ride and handling, nice gearshift and cheap spares... what more can you ask for in 5 lakhs?

DCEite · 27th April 2009, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

rattles come in pretty early in its life

Well i have one for the past 5 years, and there is NO rattle yet. *touchwood* .It has run around 48k kms.

Maybe the newer ones develop rattles. I recently had a taxi ride in CNG WagonR (new model) , and it was rattling a lot from the rear door. But then maybe because it was a taxi.

pranava999 · 27th April 2009, 19:53

@ extreme get your point about mileage and age not being the criteria. Just that in 7 years have done about 30-35,000 kms but have rough used her a lot. In any case guess my opinion is also based on the sentimental attachment of over 7 years of reliable trouble free service.

27th April 2009, 19:05	#1
jaysmokesleaves Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mostly Mumbai Posts: 1,702 Thanked: 1,452 Times	How good is a Wagon R ? The need > to putter around inside the city, for the everyday run to the malls, errands, movies, occassional intercity runs far and few in between. Must be able to seat 4 adults, 6' tall, in comfort. Must have decent luggage space to haul bags from the airport. Has to be easy to park & manouvere. The AC must be very very good. Seating must be more upright. Im not very much in favour of vehicles with low seating(esteem or honda city style). Has to be compact, utilitarian, robust and cheap to run & easy & cheap to maintain. Aah, budget should not exceed 5 lakhs onroad. Has to run on petrol or petrol/cng/lpg. I have never driven a Maruti though there have been a few in the family. I have not test driven any hatches yet since there are too many options to choose from. I will begin the test drive sessions after appropriate suggestions from members here and after I come up with a list of suitable vehicles. I saw the Wagon R website and it looks 'ok' to me from the criteria I have laid out. What are the pros & cons of the Wagon R ? Any alternative suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance. J
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:09	#2
extreme_torque Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,377 Thanked: 5,105 Times	I would suggest the Spark but the luggage space isnt as good. Four 6 feet adults in a wagon-r would be a very tight squeeze since the space at the back is almost non existent. Since your budget is 5 lakhs why not the just announced entry level Indica Vista quadrajet.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:18	#3
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,968 Thanked: 4,642 Times	wagonR, but why not the i20 base? How cheap is it? any discounts? or hey - the LOGAN base. It should be VERY close to 5L now post all the discounts
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:22	#4
ram_hyundai Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calicut ,trisur Posts: 2,020 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	Wagon -r is a good option for the needs you have put down.And always bear in mind maruti is one manufacturer who stands by the side of the customer in tough situations.Main options for you would be the W-R and santro,i10 a costly option.I would sugest W-r or santro for a budget and practical option.Nothing much seperates both and then the deciding factors would be looks and A.S.S.cost of maintenence etc.Take a test drive of both and decide.Then there is the soon to be launched in a month Ritz from maruti but that would be costing more than the said options.Why did you leave the estilo out of your choice.Good practical option in city. cheers ram
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:22	#5
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,398 Times View My Garage	since you know how to deal with TASS well ( as can be seen from the other threads), I'd also vote in favour of the vista. On the other hand , if you are tired of it , and are craving for some good ol' maruti reliablity, go for it. The abominable zen estilo shares a lot of the wagon R's attributes , and is available with a lot of discounts which should make it better value than the WR. but space is a little less. spark is also great. and it will genuinely seat 4 adults, and is a lot of fun in the city , but if these adults are heavy, suspension might bottom out another option is the santro
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:24	#6
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	:to putter around inside the city, for the everyday run to the malls, errands, movies, occassional intercity runs far and few in between. - Great car for city driving. Easy manouverability through mad traffic, a hoot to park. However, small tyres, so doesnt like pot holes at all. Lets the pessangers know well and truely about any small bumps / potholes. Decent pulling power on the highways as well. But then its a 1.1 Ltr hatch. So expectations should be in accordance. High Centre of gravity - Fast turns are an absolute no -no. Must be able to seat 4 adults, 6' tall, in comfort - Leg room in the rear seats is a little limited. However, very upright seating. Tall people wont mind getting in / out of the car unlike in sedans where it can be a pain in the back sometimes. Must have decent luggage space to haul bags - No problem at all. If you fit the rear speakers on the rear door, it liberates massive space at the back. With rear seats folded, you can move enough and more luggage. The AC must be very very good - Good AC. Not great but does the job efficiently. Has to be compact, utilitarian, robust and cheap to run & easy & cheap to maintain - Meets all criterias. Will be absolutely trouble free. Only visits to the *** will be for routine services. Decent mileage (should give 14-15 kmpl in city).
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:29	#7
simply_sunny001 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London & Rohtak Posts: 1,340 Thanked: 18 Times View My Garage	Jay 6 feet tall people cant sit in the back of a Wagon R and same is the case with Santro and Spark,Zen,Alro etc. Ya,you can always adjust if its for 10-15 mins. And like extreme-torque suggested Indica vista is a gr8 choice and its true it has the best space and nice interiors and a gr8 engine/gearbox. i was sitting in the driver seat(i'm 6'1) and bro was able to sit right behind me on real seat with some space left and he's even taller than me. so i found only indica vista to be only car to offer so muvh space in less money. take a test drive
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:30	#8
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,008 Thanked: 15,341 Times View My Garage	Get the Getz. With the kind of discounts running on it will be able to fit your budget very well. I drive a Wagon R. Very satisfied and happy with the car. It is a four seater. But I have the old model with split seats in the rear. Milage 13+ in city with AC on most of the time. One highway run gave me 19 but usually get 17.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:36	#9
DCEite Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NCR Posts: 3,417 Thanked: 2,552 Times	With that kind of budget i would look at the newers cars around. I think Suzuki Ritz is due sometime next month (i am not 100% sure on this). Its a logical successor of the wagonR, sharing many of the practical hatchback's positives. However if can't wait and need to select a practical, trouble free and spacious hachback, WR is a decent choice. The newer model has better rear seat and has decent lower back support as well (something missing in the old split seat WR).
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:39	#11
pranava999 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: BANGALORE Posts: 845 Thanked: 23 Times View My Garage	hi I have been driving a WR for 7 years now and to be honest its a wonderful car for the needs you have mentioned. I would definitely think of it as an urban utility vehicle. I'm 6ft3 tall and really glad for the legroom in front and the rear split seats and the boxy design came in very handy when I had to lug bags, speakers, televisions,and what not. It can comfortably seat 4 but 5 is a bit if a squeeze. Its pretty peppy enough in the city with the aircon. Drive quality is definitely not bad and the GC is good. Milage is great on the highway and not bad at all in the city. Service costs are pretty low and after 7 years I recently got the rear shocks changed as they were weak. the replacement costs sure put a smile on my face. Recently for some weird reason a valve that controls the brake fluid or pressure or something on this line (located at the bottom rear) had a seal broken, that resulted in literally having no breaks. Had to get it replaced and once again it was pretty cheap. (Normally this is not supposed to happen on a car, but it's been 7 years and I as usual have these oddities happening to me). I have never driven her softly , had I ,I'm sure the shocks would have lasted a bit longer. Mate would definitely recommend the wagon R. Go for it. Much better than the santros and sparks out there. If you do decide to go in for a Wag R, do replace the stock tyres and get one with a wider footprint , does improve the handling dynamics. Last edited by pranava999 : 27th April 2009 at 19:48.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:44	#12
muke31 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 191 Thanked: 21 Times	Wagon-R is an excellent car for City Driving and ocassional highway driving(but don't expect racing, enough for 80Kmph-90 speed on highway) due to its inadequate brakes but the gears are little notchy and not very smooth to engage but it is very comfirtable for tall, back seat comfort is good for 2 and can sqeeze 3. It will serve you for years if well maintained. -MUKE
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:45	#13
extreme_torque Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,377 Thanked: 5,105 Times	@pranava... It depends on the mileage the car has done rather than age in years. The best thing about the wagon-r is the torquey engine which never feels out of breath but rest of the package doesnt lives up. The gearshift is horrid to say the least, rattles come in pretty early in its life, the engine isnt refined, the ride and handling are nothing to write home about, steering is ultra light at highway speeds and general refinement is poor indeed, i especially hate the road noise. (No offence meant to any wg owners) Santro doesnt fares too much better but it is better none the less, especially the overall refinement. But as I said, looking at the requirements, Indica Vista Quadrajet base is your best bet. Nice peppy diesel, spacious interiors, good ride and handling, nice gearshift and cheap spares... what more can you ask for in 5 lakhs? Last edited by extreme_torque : 27th April 2009 at 19:55.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 19:53	#15
pranava999 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: BANGALORE Posts: 845 Thanked: 23 Times View My Garage	@ extreme get your point about mileage and age not being the criteria. Just that in 7 years have done about 30-35,000 kms but have rough used her a lot. In any case guess my opinion is also based on the sentimental attachment of over 7 years of reliable trouble free service.
	() Thanks