[anachronix]

^^ It would still be the best seller

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Gilead

Yeah right, as if you knew last June that the BS4 Alto was going to look like this. But a good decision in hindsight nevertheless. Maruti followers will know this is not new. There was a similar downgrade in the M800 when it was 'upgraded' from BS2 to BS3. Similar stickers, worse quality fabric on the seats and doors started sounding more tinny.

Now the question is, will the Wagon R see a similar downgrade?

Well, I did not know it will look like this, of course! But it was a no brainer that there will be cost cutting if they were to upgrade the engine and hold the price line at the same time. A mere look at my brother in law's BS II Alto and the BS III one in the show room was enough, and things could only head south from there! Alternatively they could decide to put in the K series engine and spruce it up, which would take it to the next level and out of my budget. This was all speculation then, but "heads I win, tails you lose" any way, so I took the plunge!

[SPARKled]

The dashboard looks way to bland. Its similar to what chevy has done with the new Spark dash where they have a central big speedo dial and everything else become digital. Somehow I prefer lots of dials in mycar over digital readouts. So the engine has actually be upgraded to meet the new emission norms. I thought it was cheaper/economical to just plonk the 3 pot A-star motor. Now I wonder if the Wagon-R would get a similarly upgraded engine or a brand new K series.

[longhorn]

Originally Posted by romeomidhun

By moving the top-sellers Wagon-R up a bit and Alto low a bit, it is almost clear that Maruti is making way for the soon-to-be-launched Cervo at around 3 Lakh price range!

I was thinking on similar lines. Just wondering what engine will be plonked into the Cervo if it is launched.

Originally Posted by SPARKled

The dashboard looks way to bland. Its similar to what chevy has done with the new Spark dash where they have a central big speedo dial and everything else become digital. Somehow I prefer lots of dials in mycar over digital readouts. So the engine has actually be upgraded to meet the new emission norms. I thought it was cheaper/economical to just plonk the 3 pot A-star motor. Now I wonder if the Wagon-R would get a similarly upgraded engine or a brand new K series.

The WagonR is going to be All New. It will be shod with the K10B motor.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by anachronix

^^ It would still be the best seller

Exactly. There will be ads that will be aired telling the alto just got more advanced and there will be hoards of people queuing up to buy the alto.

It will still remain the best seller.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by smashnerd

I am puking all over my PC as I type this out.

Maruti is going to hell for this.

'Nuff Said.

No need to puke! Just don't buy it if you don't like it, and don't crib when lots of others do!

Originally Posted by anachronix

^^ It would still be the best seller

That it will be, at least in the near future, I have absolutely no doubts.

[Aparajith]

Guess Maruti is fighting tooth and nail to retain its affordable car image even after the retirement of Maruti 800(in certain metros). Any reduction in the price expected? It would be good even if they retain the same price without hiking it!!

[Gansan]

A friend in my apartment complex works for a company in MM Nagar that makes steering systems for Maruti among others. He visits both the plants of MIL very frequently and says that for the price, the QC of Alto is very good and has the lowest failure rates. He was all praise for them, and said the Alto being a flagship product, MIL will do all it takes to retain it's no.1 position in the sales charts.

PS: He is not a Maruti owner and drives a Santro!

[longhorn]

Originally Posted by Gansan

A friend in my apartment complex works for a company in MM Nagar that makes steering systems for Maruti among others. He visits both the plants of MIL very frequently and says that for the price, the QC of Alto is very good and has the lowest failure rates. He was all praise for them, and said the Alto being a flagship product, MIL will do all it takes to retain it's no.1 position in the sales charts.

PS: He is not a Maruti owner and drives a Santro!

It's not for nothing that MSIL is topping the JD customer satisfaction survey for years together. For a manufacturer that sells 5 out of every 10 cars sold in India, that's a huge achievement to say the least.The ownership experience is really great, something to write home about. They make very very relaible cars that are cheap to maintain.

[anachronix]

Originally Posted by Gansan

A friend in my apartment complex works for a company in MM Nagar that makes steering systems for Maruti among others. He visits both the plants of MIL very frequently and says that for the price, the QC of Alto is very good and has the lowest failure rates. He was all praise for them, and said the Alto being a flagship product, MIL will do all it takes to retain it's no.1 position in the sales charts.

PS: He is not a Maruti owner and drives a Santro!

Is the QC not a part & part job of the manufacturing life cycle? What makes it special here? There is no electronic complexities in the car which makes it easy to make it reliable. And how many times do you see an engine failure or anything in the Santro or i10?

I drive a Alto LXi (my in law's) when I am in Kerala. My observations!

1. Typical Maruti rattle. Found the old gen 800 & Zen felt to be of superior build.
2. A faulty A/C in the car which keeps failing every now and then.
3. Extremely uncomfortable seating & ride quality.
4. Superb FE. It gives an average of 14+ however you rip the car.
5. MASS in that area are nothing but cheats. A simple scratch on the front door of the car. The MASS folks made my in-law replace the complete door stating that the crumble zones in the door would have been damaged. A bill of something around 7K for that.

The car is still being held with my in-law because of a serious family sentiment and nothing else. She regrets her purchase big time!

I am sure the Indian market will wake up to better quality products one day and I am sure, that day is not too far!

[Gansan]

@anachronix

He is an Engineer. I am not. I doubt you are one either. I merely repeated what a (IMO) competent neutral party stated! I presumed he knew what he was talking about.

Rattles are a part of most Indian cars and may be Alto is no exception. Touch wood, mine has not started so far! But that does not affect reliability and running costs. I have seen many, many satisfied Alto owners and very few cribbing. It is consistent with my friends assumption of very low failure rates!

Perhaps the particular Alto you are talking about falls in the rare failure category!

The market has been waking up for more than a decade and a half! I guess it will take a little more time!

[McLaren Rulez]

While its disappointing to see such blatant cosst cutting, the Alto does what it is meant to do. Give the masses a form of cheap transportation. A few stickers instead of badges doesn't take away that USP.

[kiku007]

What is the price difference between similarly speced Alto BSIV and Chevy Spark?

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by longhorn

It's not for nothing that MSIL is topping the JD customer satisfaction survey for years together. For a manufacturer that sells 5 out of every 10 cars sold in India, that's a huge achievement to say the least.The ownership experience is really great, something to write home about. "They make very very relaible cars that are cheap to maintain".

And they stop right there!!
Alto has no competition as such and with more and more Nano's catching fire I don't see any car which can take on an Alto. Having said that and with "All new BS IV" Alto, I don't think why some one will not go in for Eeco instead of Alto. Atleast you get an bigger and spacious 4 wheeler in the form of Eeco.

Generally
1) Maruti = Reliability, VFM (I don't think so), Low ownership cost and Good resale

Similarly
2) Maruti = Basic build quality, Rattles, Cramped interiors and Bumpy ride

Since majority understands 1st point very well and have no or very less knowledge of the second point, Maruti is rocking the sales charts.

No way I'm saying one should not buy a Maruti, its just that I don't expect No:1 car company to provide same stuff which they provided some 30years back!!!

[Sankar]

I kinda like the rear stickers, the chrome logos were a bit too much.
Dasboard looks yuck, el cheapo, we can clearly see a deleted dial on the left side of the speedo.
The wheels looks like its designed for an inset hub cover which sits flush covering the centre part of the wheel.
A single piece cover for the double din stereo placeholder is a negative.

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

i cant see anything new here.Is it the same old engine which has been made bs4 compliant now.What are the engine output specs?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1814668-post32.html

Its the very same engine reworked as confirmed by my dealer early this month.