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Old 22nd October 2011, 14:16   #196
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by Klub Class View Post
Please excuse me for the post



Incorrect!

I know of another franchise by the name Amana Toyota, which sells and services Toyota cars in Kerala. They have dealerships in Calicut and Kannur, for the record.

Many congratulations on your case Amalji. I'm looking forward for your ownership log, especially the water pressure test.
Thanks for correcting me.
I stay in the southern part of Kerala. From Trivandrum to Cochin, I've seen only Nippon Toyota. So, I thought, they are the only dealers. Glad that there are other franchise's as well. But having multiple dealers in the same district as in the case of Maruti gives more confidence to the owners. But, it seems Toyota after sales won't disappoint me.

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Originally Posted by Klub Class View Post
Err...Pardon my ignorance, what exactly is weather gasket thing?
The rubber gaskets on the doors which prevent water and insects from getting in. For Etios, it's fitted on the door trims instead of the door.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 14:54   #197
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Originally Posted by amalji
And I guess, Etios' mono wipers comes under the "single arm(controlled)" wipers category even though it's not as good as the Merc's
I am pretty sure the Etios' wiper "works", because obviously Toyota is not going to sell a vehicle that doesn't just work. But one really has to accept that though it may be reliable and sufficient, it isn't precisely complete. This mono-wiper design cannot be better than the regular two wiper design, because it doesn't cover the passenger side upper area completely.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kadanaJ
It's better to compromise on things like NVH than cut costs and compromise on reliability (VW Group) or Safety (reports of brakes being insufficient in the new Swift).
Toyota has ticked all the boxes, except for NVH levels, for a basic, no-nonsense family sedan.
A compromise is a compromise. It is up to each individual to choose which suits them best. At this price range, I don't think there is any vehicle which doesn't compromise in some way. Pick your poison
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Old 22nd October 2011, 15:27   #198
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by VeluM View Post
I am pretty sure the Etios' wiper "works", because obviously Toyota is not going to sell a vehicle that doesn't just work. But one really has to accept that though it may be reliable and sufficient, it isn't precisely complete. This mono-wiper design cannot be better than the regular two wiper design, because it doesn't cover the passenger side upper area completely.
Check the wipe area of the Etios when you get a chance to. It definitely covered more area than the Esteem dual wipers. And I didn't find an issue at the passenger side at all. Dual arms seems to be the reason for that. Not sure, how durable it is though.

I'll post pictures of the wipe area once I get my Etios Diesel delivered.

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Originally Posted by VeluM View Post
A compromise is a compromise. It is up to each individual to choose which suits them best. At this price range, I don't think there is any vehicle which doesn't compromise in some way. Pick your poison
True
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Old 22nd October 2011, 15:50   #199
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by drmohitg View Post
Where is the issue of premature burning of the clutch? Did any of your friends who may have a Etios had it? Did any member from this forum had it? Or is it just mere speculation. It would be great if you can please quote your source?
This thread itself talks about premature clutch failure some pages above, I generally ask my friends to stay away from Etios & Liva whenever they talk about buying a new car.

Even with all the cost cutting antics, Toyota is still charging a premium for the Etios Liva Diesel (5.84 lakhs ex-showroom) when compared to Figo or Ritz.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 16:04   #200
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by nkg77 View Post
This thread itself talks about premature clutch failure some pages above, I generally ask my friends to stay away from Etios & Liva whenever they talk about buying a new car.

Even with all the cost cutting antics, Toyota is still charging a premium for the Etios Liva Diesel (5.84 lakhs ex-showroom) when compared to Figo or Ritz.
Yes we discussed those issues because of the gentleman who started it all on his own blog/site. This later turned out to be misleading at the best. Let me say that no one could confirm it as a problem due to Toyota. As you are very well aware that clutch failure can happen due to innumerable causes including one's driving style. Anyways the point I am trying to make is do not blame such issues on the car in concern until they are confirmed from a trusted source. Similarly the much hyped water seepage issue was later found out to be mostly due to the faulty after market fittings.

As far as cost cutting goes thats your perspective. Every car has its own USP and a buyer buys what he feels is the best for him. You are absolutely correct in not recommending the car to your family and friends if you feel its not a good product. Others may do the opposite.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 16:08   #201
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by kadanaJ View Post
It's better to compromise on things like NVH than cut costs and compromise on reliability (VW Group) or Safety (reports of brakes being insufficient in the new Swift).

Toyota has ticked all the boxes, except for NVH levels, for a basic, no-nonsense family sedan.
Dezire or Manza are as reliable as Etios and still are much better engineered. I am not sure what kind of compromise has VW done on reliability, anyways there is no point in comparing a Vento with Etios.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 16:21   #202
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by nkg77 View Post
Dezire or Manza are as reliable as Etios and still are much better engineered.
I'm one person who booked both the new Swift as well as the Etios and Liva. I turned away from Swift for the following reasons.

Poor Braking
Poor rear bench ambience ( As GTO mentioned, it feels like a cargo van )
Poor visibility
Poor ergonomics for the driver and rear foot of passengers
Poor leg space
Poor boot space.
Lack of ABS and Airbags on versions other than the top-end.

With regards to Manza, even though most of these aspects are covered, I'm skeptical about Tata's After sales Service. So, did not consider that as an option. People who are used to MASS, will never compromise on After sales Service.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 19:27   #203
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

Haven't gone through the 14 odd pages of this thread, but had read the ad posted in the first post, so kindly excuse if my post seems redundant. But I feel these issues are hardly present in this car, and probably are more of a one-off case.

Recently got an opportunity to test drive the Etios in a back-to-back comparison to a Fiesta (Classic), I20 (these were the cars chosen by my friend who was planning to buy) Also since I own a Vento, I could compare the Etios to this car too on all aspects.

- Suspension : Best of the above (including Vento) lot. This was the same on both the Etios & Liva. Even the Hyundai which generally is considered to be very good for city roads, did not do better than the Toyota twins.

- Interiors : The Etios comes last. But regarding quality of rubber/plastics/fibers, these would last. Certainly not of the quality that would break or come off in the longer run. I guess that has been blown out of proportion a bit too much.

- Space. Huge. Even better than most premium C segment sedans (if not all). The Fiesta/i20 don't stand a chance.

- A$$ - Is there any doubt at all? No comparison.

- A.C. - The car lacks a good a.c. It could hardly cope up with Mumbai's afternoon sun, even when we kept the blower at high speeds.

- Handling - Top notch. The Fiesta was undoubtedly better, but the Etios wasn't far behind.

- Power - This car is for city driving and sedated highway driving. Not for the rev-happy folks. More than sufficient for city driving.

- Price - A bit on the higher side. Especially considering its a budget sedan, the price could be reduced by 30-40k if not more.

Needless to say, my friend booked the Etios without a second thought.

All prospective Etios owners, don't go by the name of the thread or the (newspaper) ad put up by the disgruntled Etios owner. If there were issues with the car, GTO would have picked it up in his review.

Last edited by ninjatalli : 22nd October 2011 at 19:30.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 19:35   #204
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by amalji View Post
I'm one person who booked both the new Swift as well as the Etios and Liva. I turned away from Swift for the following reasons.

Poor Braking
Poor rear bench ambience ( As GTO mentioned, it feels like a cargo van )
Poor visibility
Poor ergonomics for the driver and rear foot of passengers
Poor leg space
Poor boot space.
Lack of ABS and Airbags on versions other than the top-end.

With regards to Manza, even though most of these aspects are covered, I'm skeptical about Tata's After sales Service. So, did not consider that as an option. People who are used to MASS, will never compromise on After sales Service.
Etios is nothing but the decade old Echo from Toyota.

toyota: toyota echo
Toyota ECHO

I am not sure how you can say that the 10 year old car is superior to the Swift you booked. With TASS you can go either way and if you are skeptical about service, Manza might not be the best option.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 20:09   #205
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by nkg77 View Post
Etios is nothing but the decade old Echo from Toyota.
nkg, could you enlighten us on how you came to the conclusion that the Etios is a nothing but Echo? In my view there is absolutely no truth to this statement. On what basis have you made this connection?
Regards
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Old 22nd October 2011, 21:34   #206
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by nkg77 View Post
Etios is nothing but the decade old Echo from Toyota.

toyota: toyota echo
Toyota ECHO

I am not sure how you can say that the 10 year old car is superior to the Swift you booked. With TASS you can go either way and if you are skeptical about service, Manza might not be the best option.
No doubt Swift is a great car with that ultra refined DDiS engine. But, it doesn't tick the right boxes for me.

For a start, I need to spend 7 lakh plus for a variant with ABS and Airbag which is a must for me.
Even after spending that, you need to cramp for space ( even head room ) on the rear. My father is 6 foot. So, there is no way, I can think about this car.
Add to that, the inadequate boot space, braking, bad visibility, and not so good ergonomics for the driver seat, . I had to give up on this car. So sad that Maruti designers inspite of having the longest hatch in the segment couldn't allocate that space for either the cabin or the boot!
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Old 22nd October 2011, 21:40   #207
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Quote:
Originally Posted by powertrain

nkg, could you enlighten us on how you came to the conclusion that the Etios is a nothing but Echo? In my view there is absolutely no truth to this statement. On what basis have you made this connection?
Regards
Varun
Please check the links I have posted, that should answer your question.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 22:06   #208
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by ninjatalli View Post
All prospective Etios owners, don't go by the name of the thread or the (newspaper) ad put up by the disgruntled Etios owner. If there were issues with the car, GTO would have picked it up in his review.
With all due respect, for the above comment, I really hope that you own an Etios or Liva for some time. A test drive cannot bring out certain aspects of a car which will only come out after real time use for some period. GTO and other test drivers of the community, please correct me if I'm wrong. There are problem which creep up in cars which may not be visible in a day or two of test drive.
It's funny that there are double standards existing with us Indians that if a Fiat or Tata or Hyundai or Maruti car has a problem, it is always a manufacturers' problem and if a Toyota or Honda car has a problem, it's because the owner is an idiot. This is brand value in India or should I say blind value?
Two of my friends own the Etios and both of them are not satisfied with the car. They call it a compromise and they too fell for the Toyota badge. And for Rs. 8,41,698 OTR in Bangalore for the petrol VX, it's a costly compromise according to me. Definitely, the Q in the Q-class jargon does not stand for Quality.
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Old 22nd October 2011, 22:58   #209
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Re: Frustrated Etios owner places Ad with complaints

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Originally Posted by A350XWB View Post
It's funny that there are double standards existing with us Indians that if a Fiat or Tata or Hyundai or Maruti car has a problem, it is always a manufacturers' problem and if a Toyota or Honda car has a problem, it's because the owner is an idiot. This is brand value in India or should I say blind value?
Two of my friends own the Etios and both of them are not satisfied with the car. They call it a compromise and they too fell for the Toyota badge. And for Rs. 8,41,698 OTR in Bangalore for the petrol VX, it's a costly compromise according to me. Definitely, the Q in the Q-class jargon does not stand for Quality.
There are 2 types of buyers for Etios -
  • People who followed brand Toyota Blindly
  • People who evaluated the pros and cons of the car and then took a decision.

For the first set, Etios will obviously disappoint them. Because Etios is not a normal Toyota car. It's a built to price car, but at the same time provides many advantages compared to Maruti's offering.

For the later set, Etios will always make sense. Because this segment contains people who understands the practical and functional sense of this vehicle.

Once, the market settles down, and Etios starts proving its reliability and low cost of ownership, there will be more "right audience of this car" buying it.
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Old 23rd October 2011, 00:17   #210
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Originally Posted by A350XWB View Post
With all due respect, for the above comment, I really hope that you own an Etios or Liva for some time. A test drive cannot bring out certain aspects of a car which will only come out after real time use for some period. GTO and other test drivers of the community, please correct me if I'm wrong. There are problem which creep up in cars which may not be visible in a day or two of test drive.
And you believe a friend's opinion might work better than trying out the car itself. No disrespect to you or your friends but I feel opinions matter but only as a point of reference.
Quote:
It's funny that there are double standards existing with us Indians that if a Fiat or Tata or Hyundai or Maruti car has a problem, it is always a manufacturers' problem and if a Toyota or Honda car has a problem, it's because the owner is an idiot.
On the contrary it is the opposite. With a maruti or hyundai it is always the owner's fault - even the recent swift braking issues thread, there are people supporting the org/ swift brand.

And please go through my post - I gave a very candid feedback citing both +/-ves of the car. Etios wouldn't have worked for me - I needed the power, hence vento.
Everything clicked for my friend and he booked it.

Quote:
Two of my friends own the Etios and both of them are not satisfied with the car. They call it a compromise and they too fell for the Toyota badge. And for Rs. 8,41,698 OTR in Bangalore for the petrol VX, it's a costly compromise according to me. Definitely, the Q in the Q-class jargon does not stand for Quality.
Even I feel the price is high.

I know two owners who are unhappy with etios. When I asked why, its the interiors that's the problem, second issue is mileage. Suspension, power, etc didn't matter.
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