[supremeBaleno]

Does GM have state-wise offers ? Because what HHead got in Goa is nowhere near what is offered in TN/Kerala. Or is it about lower taxes in Goa ? Have this doubt because in TN, there is 25K off on Estilo, while the Kerala dealer offers only 20K - I thought Maruti's offers were India-wide.

For those comparing the Alto with the Spark, these are the prices given to me in Kerala for Spark :
Spark1.0 (only a/c) : 361081 - 27K = 334081
Spark1.0 PS (a/c + PS) : 375412 - 27K = 348412
Spark1.0 LS : 394487 - 27K = 367487
Spark1.0 LT : 427891 - 27K = 400891
Spark1.0 LT Option Pack : 476868 - 27K = 449868
*Option Pack has 4# alloy wheels, ABS & Driver-side airbag

Forget comparing LS trim, even the lowest non-PS version is 30K more than the highest Lxi of Alto.

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

@sB - So what is it finally? Did not hear anything about the choice of color.

From what I heard last, they are still leaning for the Estilo.

Ah, color - a subject of so much confusion. FIL wanted black initially (possibly an influence from my Baleno color). MIL was against black - inauspicious... FIL moved to white, but it was turned down by MIL/SIL as too plain and they instead suggested a new brown paint which comes for Estilo. They are yet to come to a consensus.

While choice is good, sometimes it feels like life was so easy some 20-25 years ago with limited choices available then. In '85 when we bought our 1st car, only options were Amby, Padmini and M800. Was easy to zone in on M800. M800 came in just 4 colors - white, pale blue, red and choc-brown. The last 2 colors had a premium attached to them - IIRC 1K or so on a car that cost 59.7K then. We chose brown and never regretted it through the 19 years we had the car.

@jeevmenon, even with the Spark-avatar and the lastname + part of 1st-name matching, it did not strike me initially that you are someone I know. Confirmed after going thru your Spark ownership report. Good to have you here.

[radek]

I have first hand experience with both the cars. I'd owned ALTO for 6 years (97,000 KM running) before I sold the car. The next car I bought as 'upgrade' is Spark. Now I am owning Spark for nearly 3 years with 43000 on odo.

In every aspect, other than FE, Spark is better car than Alto. Even with Spark I get 15-16 kmpl which is certainly not a bad average. In Alto I used to get marginally better.

Though there are several aspects that are different between these two cars, the one I liked most about Spark is refinement. It is so smooth and easy to drive this car. I drive 60KM per day. With Alto, I used to get tired after this run, but with Spark I feel much better.

With Alto, I was a better driver with rare lane cutting, even rare close corners. But after getting Spark, I started enjoying zipping the car. It is so much with Spark. I enjoy my music much better as there is hardly any noise inside the cabin.

Service quality is same as Maruti. Experience is same, if not better. I recently noticed airport style display board in the service center that displays current state of servicing, approximate time to get it over etc. Cool.

At the same time, I like Spark as car, but this need not be interpreted as GM as company. My next car is not going to be BEAT certainly. It can be FIAT Punto or FORD Figo or WV Polo or even new Maruti Swift. I am not into whether it is American or German or Japanese or Korean. Good car is good car.

[jeevmenon]

@sB - Arent they quoting huge for the LS? Here's what I got in Sept last year - This is the split:

ExShowRoom 3,49,252
Insurance 13,171
Registration & Life Tax 33,960
Discount 40K+4K+10K
Net 3,42,363
Included Accessories: Central locking, car cover, sun-film, mud-flaps, floormat.

========
Tweeter - TS-S250 - 40mm 1-1/2" - 50/250W MAX. = 400 (Pio)/1400(if JBL)
6" x 9" - GT5-S396 - 70W RMS - 280W Peak. = 1790 (on box) / 1400
4" - GT5-S204 - 30/120W = 4490 (on box) / 3400
DEH-2190 UB - = 7990 (on box) / 5800
Rear tray = 600
Antenna = 250
Settings = 450
Set sockets = 300
steering cover (leather/stitch-type-thread&needle) = 550
Discount = -500
Net: 12,650
Art Leather = 6K
========
Total = 3.61L

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

@sB - Arent they quoting huge for the LS? Here's what I got in Sept last year - This is the split:

ExShowRoom 3,49,252
Insurance 13,171
Registration & Life Tax 33,960
Discount 40K+4K+10K
Net 3,42,363
Included Accessories: Central locking, car cover, sun-film, mud-flaps, floormat.

That's a very nice price! Did you get the 3 Yrs Maintenance Package also as free?
In that case I should be pushing for some more discounts/freebies I guess

Chennai June Price & Offers:
Ex-Showroom - Rs.3,15,212/-(After Rs.34,000/- discount from GM)
Insurance - Rs.11,564
Life Tax & Registration - Rs.38,996
Additional Discounts:
Corporate - Rs.5,000/-
Gold Coin - Rs.3,500/-
Free:
* 3 Year Maintenance Package (Labour and Spares)
* Floor, Boot Mats and Mud Flaps
On-Road Price - Rs.3,57,272/-

+ Sun Film - Rs.1,400
+ Autocop Keyless Entry - Rs.3800

[jeevmenon]

Yes, 3 yrs maintenance included. Apologies for a wrong info in my previous post - I did not get sun-film. They had promised the car-cover, but they said it was out of stock :-) Chased it once but then left it. The major diff I see is an additional 15K of discount I got. The rest is all similar +/- here and there. Just probe on this big-fish area.

[HammerHead]

Hey add those Floor and Boot mats along with Mud flaps to my earlier list of what all we got with our Sparky
The saddest part of our deal was, we did not bargain!! We could have got some more stuff added if we did.

[harishnayak]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Does GM have state-wise offers ? Because what HHead got in Goa is nowhere near what is offered in TN/Kerala. Or is it about lower taxes in Goa ? Have this doubt because in TN, there is 25K off on Estilo, while the Kerala dealer offers only 20K - I thought Maruti's offers were India-wide.

For those comparing the Alto with the Spark, these are the prices given to me in Kerala for Spark :

Spark1.0 LS : 394487 - 27K = 367487

I got my LS in 2008 May for 2.38 on road with NO 3 years ) maintenance package. Looks like it's catching the same ear the other way round.

[jeevmenon]

Originally Posted by harishnayak

I got my LS in 2008 May for 2.38 on road with NO 3 years ) maintenance package. Looks like it's catching the same ear the other way round.

2.38? Should'nt it be 3.28?

[MutantX]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

2.38? Should'nt it be 3.28?

jeevmenon, i am sure it was 3.28L. Another point is, since june 1st there was an increase in the taxes and hence there should surely be a hike in the cost of the car. Can anyone let me know what is current OTR in chennai for LS & PS models? *my dad is planning to get one in a months time*

[harishnayak]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

2.38? Should'nt it be 3.28?

That was a typo. It was 3.38 lacs rather.

[SPARKled]

My Spark LS with 5 freebies like teflon coating, mudflaps, floor mats, perfume and steering cover was bought in Aug 2009 for 3.3 on road ex Navi Mumbai with the 3 years cashless maintenance package thrown in. At this price the Alto Lxi made no sense to me at all.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

@sB - Arent they quoting huge for the LS?

One main difference I see is the discount. You got 54K discount, while they mentioned only 27K to me, which is half of what you got. With another 27K discount, the price would come down to 3.40L which is same as what you got.

[AvonA7]

well, i do not own either of these 2 cars, but have used these cars.Alto for 1+yrs and Spark for around ~3months.
Recently, we come to hear that many companies are preparing to launch 800cc cars in India in the next 1-2yrs, and more specifically they are targeting market share of Alto mostly, like H800, Fiat etc (as m800 is already discontinued in major cities).
So isn`t it safe to say that if foreign companies consider Alto to be their benchmark (at least in no. of cars sold) then there must be something to it which deserve praise? And other car manufacturers missing that little thing in their small car which doesn`t make their product to be considered as benchmark.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by AvonA7

well, i do not own either of these 2 cars, but have used these cars.Alto for 1+yrs and Spark for around ~3months.
Recently, we come to hear that many companies are preparing to launch 800cc cars in India in the next 1-2yrs, and more specifically they are targeting market share of Alto mostly, like H800, Fiat etc (as m800 is already discontinued in major cities).
So isn`t it safe to say that if foreign companies consider Alto to be their benchmark (at least in no. of cars sold) then there must be something to it which deserve praise? And other car manufacturers missing that little thing in their small car which doesn`t make their product to be considered as benchmark.

A Car as basic like the Alto sells because of the price, but presently there are better cars in the market within the same price range, but a better product than the Alto.

Other companies consider Alto as their benchmark and will provide us better car than what Maruti has given, which is good for the Indian consumer.

Presently Alto has lost its charm, Maruti might be just too late if they react now. But does not look like they are going to get some fresh faces into the country.

Very soon they will have a real tough competition.

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by AvonA7

So isn`t it safe to say that if foreign companies consider Alto to be their benchmark (at least in no. of cars sold) then there must be something to it which deserve praise?

Why Alto, almost every Maruti is a benchmark for others if we talk about no. of cars sold.

And other car manufacturers missing that little thing in their small car which doesn`t make their product to be considered as benchmark.

I don't think any car manufacturer is missing anything in their 'product'. It all depends what all attributes you would consider to benchmark.

Tell me frankly, apart from FE, No of service centers, ownership cost and so called resale value what else you would think of Alto as a benchmark?

For god sake don't categorize me as 'Alto' basher now . I love Alto, but to a limit, beyond that there are better cars then Alto!