[gpa]

55,000 KMS Service Update

The Alto has seen very minimal running in the past year and recently touched the 55,000 kms mark. I had replaced the OEM battery a few weeks earlier and since it had been a year since the last service and oil change, I decided to drop the car in for a service yesterday, Dec 10.

It was a routine service that included a change of engine oil (The Shell helix HX5 15W40 which I supplied), oil filter, cleaning of the brake drums, discs and the brake caliper pin greasing. The SA tried pushing a few extras like engine flush, de-carbonizing but I politely turned him down and asked him to change the wiper blades instead.

This was the 9th paid service/55,000 kms: Rs. 2516 + Rs. 786 for 3 litres of Shell Helix HX5 15W40. Labor rates for the service at M.A.S.S have shot up 15% in just one year!

[aneezan]

Hi gpa,
What's the latest on your Alto? Have you sold it? My Alto has just completed 41,000 Kms and the run has been good.

[gpa]

The running of the car has been very minimal over the last one year. This is the second straight year where the running has been ~5,000 kms.

The car touched the 60,000 kms mark a few weeks ago and since the running has been very minimal, I opted to do a quick oil change instead of a full service.

I looked for the usual Shell Helix HX5 15W40 which I have been using since a while now but was unable to find it in any of the Shell stations. Instead I bought three one-litre bottles of Shell Helix HX7 10W40 semi-synth oil instead for a total of Rs.1,200. If you compare the two (HX5 15W40 & HX7 10W40) its a marginal price differential of around Rs.400 for three litres so I decided to go ahead.

I drove in to my usual M.A.S.S and asked for a quick oil & oil filter change and the total was Rs.337 (Rs.78 for the oil filter & Rs.220 for labour)

While at the service station, I noticed that they have an automatic engine and gear oil dispensing machine installed since my last visit in December last year. I was talking to my SA and he mentioned that once the quantity of oil for the engine is entered into the system, it dispenses the exact amount automatically via a long dispensing tube which is pulled from the ceiling. It dispenses different grades of oil depending on the spec of the engine via individual nozzles.

This is the first time I've seen this installed in a M.A.S.S and it will put to rest all the concerns of over-filling and adulteration of engine oil.

[Gansan]

I have seen such a dispenser at MSM for the past one year. They are filling MGO 5W30 as standard for all the engines. If we want 20W 40, we should ask for it specifically.

I too switched over to HX-7 during the last service and find it to be ok. HX-5 is very much available here though.

[gpa]

7 years and 70,000 KMS Update.

My Alto completed 7 years on May 24, 2015 and since I've not had time for an update here, I'm posting a consolidated report.

65,000 kms Major Service Update

The car touched 65,000 kms in December 2014 and it was due for a major service since over the past two years (2012 and 2013) and 10,000 kms, I had only changed the engine oil and oil filter and nothing more since my running was less than 5,000 kms a year. I drove into Mandovi Motors, Yeshwantpur on Dec 7, 2014 and got to know that my trusted Service Advisor Mr. Thimme Gowda had quit some time during the year and so i was attended to by another SA. My instructions were simple and the list of work is given below

• Replace engine oil and oil filter
• Replace engine coolant
• Replace air filter
• Replace fuel filter
• Replace spark plugs (NGK only)
• Replace brake fluid
• Brake bleeding and caliper greasing
• Clean front and rear brake shoes and drums
• Remove and clean throttle body
• Adjust valve clearances

I spent the better part of that Sunday morning overlooking the work on my car. While the car was on the ramp, I noticed the suspension lower arm ball joints had given way and the cracked and so made the SA replace that component as well.

Since M.A.S.S had switched to the automatic dispensing machines for engine oil, I decided against using Shell Helix HX7 10W40 semi-synth oil that i used during the last oil change. They instead filled Shell MGO 15W40 engine oil. After driving 5,000 kms on the MGO, I must say that the Shell Helix HX7 10W40 semi-synth oil delivers far better performance especially on cold starts and mid-revving (1,500-3,500 RPMS) one encounters in the city.

Over the past 70,000 kms, I have used a few combinations of oils including fully synth but have noticed that the best performance is on Shell Helix HX7 10W40 semi-synth or Shell Helix HX5 15W40 mineral oil. When I change the oil in Dec this year, I am going back to the semi-synth brew from Shell.

This was the Alto's 12th complete service at the 65,000 kms mark cost me Rs.9,639. The car had covered 10,000 kms since I changed the stock MRF tyres to Michelin XM2 at the odo reading of 55,514 kms in Dec 2012 and so a few weeks later, I took the car to Madhus for a complete wheel alignment, road force balancing and tyre rotation which cost me Rs.720

Update on May 24, 2015

My Alto completed 7 years of fuss-free ownership on May 24 this year. I renewed the insurance policy with a 50% NCB (no claims in 7 years) with Maruti Insurance for Rs.3254. I have been using the Alto sparingly since the past few years but since the past two months, my brother-in-law has been using the car as his daily drive to work and is very surprised at the overall smoothness of the engine and the car as a whole and fuel efficiency he is getting. The Alto just crossed the 70,000 kms mark last week and I decided it was about time I posted an update here.

I have not been able to measure the FE accurately but from what I have been told over the past few months, the car consistently delivers about 17-18 kmpl in Bangalore's city traffic. This is very good for a 7 year old vehicle and just goes to prove that manufacturer specified routine maintenance is all that's needed to keep the Alto running in top form.

Once my BIL get his own set of wheels, I will do a few tankful-to-tankful FE calculations and post my FE update here.

Upcoming Work

The car has its fair share of minor battle scars and I am planning to give it to a good garage to tidy her up in the next few months.

The a/c system was last recharged at M.A.S.S in Dec 2011 and I did notice that the cooling has dropped a tiny bit during this year's summer and an a/c gas top-up is due. With the onset of the monsoons now, I can easily push this work for another few months.

Service History - 7 Years and 70,000 kms

I have maintained a detailed service and maintenance/replacement history files and below is a small update.

• 1st free service/1,000 kms: Rs.636
• 2nd free service/5,000 kms: Rs.2088
• 3rd free service/10,000 kms: Rs.778 + Rs.2000 for 3 litres of Mobil 1 5W50 - Rs.2778
• 4th paid service/20,000 kms: Rs.2974 + Rs.1725 for the Mobil 10W40, NGK plugs and Gear Oil - Rs.4699
• 5th paid service/26,500 kms: Rs. 1393 + Rs. 850 for 4 litres of Mobil Super XHP 10W40 - Rs.2243
• 6th paid service/30,000 kms: Rs. 2585 + Rs. 915 for 4 litres of Shell Helix HX5 15W40 - Rs.3500
• 7th paid service/35,000 kms: Clutch Overhaul and oil change/34,816 kms: Rs.3722 + Rs.702 for 3 litres of Shell Helix HX5 15W40 - Rs.4424
• 8th paid service and body alignment/40,000 kms: Rs.4436 Service + Rs. 1379 Body Alignment + Rs.932 for 4 litres of Shell Helix HX5 15W40 + Rs. 330 NGK spark plugs + Rs.2547 RHS headlamp assembly + Rs.1162 front bumper + Rs.500 LHS ORVM - Rs.11,286
• 9th paid service/50,000 kms: Rs.3135 + Rs.786 for 3 litres of Shell Helix HX5 15W40 - Rs.3921
• 10th paid service/55,000 kms: Rs.2516 + Rs.786 for 3 litres of Shell Helix HX5 15W40 - Rs.3302
• 11th paid service/60,000 kms: Rs.337 + Rs.1200 for 3 litres of Shell Helix HX7 10W40 semi-synth oil - Rs.1537
• 12th paid service/65,000 kms: Rs.9639

[ar.abc]

Originally Posted by gpa

7 years and 70,000 KMS Update.

My Alto completed 7 years on May 24, 2015 and since I've not had time for an update here, I'm posting a consolidated report.

First of all congratulations for owning the most reliable urban commuter of India and from your review I can see that you have surely enjoyed every moment spent with your Alto. I myself own an Alto Lxi 2008 model (wine red colour) bought in Nov 2008. Till date it has completed almost 9 years and 81k kms.

My dad bought this car and since the first day I myself and my sister have been driving this little beauty apart from a few occasions when it was driven by a driver when my parents wanted to use the car. From city roads to highways and no roads, our Alto has seen it all and has never let us down. Only recently, our Alto gave up in the middle of the road on 3 occasions out of which once it was the driver's fault as he drove the car in a flooded area. Apart from this, once the coolant pipe broke and all coolant leaked which resulted in overheating and once there was some problem in fuel supply line. We maintained the car in Maruti authorised dealer workshop till 7 years and since then it has been serviced by a trusted local mechanic until recently I tried out a good local workshop 'S K Carzone' in Navi Mumbai.

In these 9 years and 81k kms, our Alto has undergone change of 4 tyres once (changed to CEAT tubeless tyres), front suspension replacement, front and rear shock absorber replacement, battery replacement once, clutch replacement twice and other regular minor replacements. If you are getting 18 kmpl mileage, then it is pretty good. I have not checked mileage recently, but last time when I checked mileage, it was around 15-16 kmpl when my sister used the car for daily commute to her office.

Your review inspires me to write my own experience with my Alto. Two months back we spent a good 20k to do some major and much needed repairs. Today, I took her to 3M car care and gave an interior germkleen and outside body shampoo treatment. Now she looks and feels ready to keep going strong and cross that 1L mark. However, we are also contemplating about selling off the Alto as she is ageing and we dont use it regularly as there is another car in the family. I think before we bid goodbye to her, I will pen down a detailed report about our beloved Alto.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by ar.abc

First of all congratulations for owning the most reliable urban commuter of India and from your review I can see that you have surely enjoyed every moment spent with your Alto.

Thank you, for your kind words. I truly have enjoyed the car and as of today, the car has completed 9+ years, covered 87,000 kms, is on the second battery (OEM battery replaced in Nov 2012), second set of tyres (OEM MRF tyres replaced at the 55k mark on the odo) and yet soldiers on reliably and so I have no plans to sell it since it is a great city car in Bangalore's heavy traffic.

A long-term update is more than overdue so do watch this thread for a major update in a few days.

Originally Posted by ar.abc

Now she looks and feels ready to keep going strong and cross that 1L mark. However, we are also contemplating about selling off the Alto as she is ageing and we dont use it regularly as there is another car in the family. I think before we bid goodbye to her, I will pen down a detailed report about our beloved Alto.

My advice - do not sell the car if there are no problems. Upkeep and maintenance is very cheap and so will the insurance renewals.

[ar.abc]

Originally Posted by gpa

My advice - do not sell the car if there are no problems. Upkeep and maintenance is very cheap and so will the insurance renewals.

Thank you for your valuable advice. In fact I am not willing to sell our Alto. Today after the cleaning treatment the car got a new lease of life and even dad was somewhere convinced with me that we should keep her as of now. After 2 years I am sure once sister will be back from her higher studies, she will exchange the Alto for a new car. Lets see if all is well with her at that time, then I may try to convince her to buy herself a new car and leave the Alto with me! . As of now I am enjoying the Alto.

[bharatmarch]

This fantastic thread has been quiet for 3 years! Admire your Alto, awaiting for a long term review please.

[gpa]

Updates - 2015 to 2025

Yes, it has been close to a decade since I've updated the service history and while I've complied all of it, I've just not had the time to post here so here's a consolidated update.

Aug 2015 Clutch Replacement at 72916 kms: My BIL was using the car for many months and was a relatively new driver so his driving style wasn't the smoothest and the clutch needed replacement after long drives in heavy traffic. I paid ₹6714.

Dec 2015 - 13th paid service/75432 kms: This was the last time I visited Mandovi Motors Yeshwantpur with my car. An errant SA there billed me for work that was not done and I raised a complaint with the GM of Service at the place and the bill was reduced to ₹3549. Engine oil used was the same Shell Helix HX7 which I bought from a Shell bunk at ₹1357 for 3 litres.

Jan 2016 - Went to Maruti Nexus at the radiator hoses cracked and were on the verge of leaking coolant and hence I decided to replace all the hoses and coolant for a total of ₹960

Feb 2016 - Went to Maruti Nexus again as the thermostat started giving trouble and the job needed to be re-done including changing of some gaskets. Paid a total of ₹1097

Feb 2017 - 14th paid service/81427 kms: Since I had a good rapport with the SA at Nexus on New BEL Road, I decided to drop off the car there for a full service. Due to a paucity of time, I was unable to source the engine oil this time and they filled MGO 20w40 Shell oil. All four front disc brake pads were replaced, a high tension spark plug cord that had cracked was also replaced, a new exhaust pipe was also replaced as the old one had rusted and was making a lot of noise. Paid a total of ₹9410

Oct 2017 - The weatherstrip of the rear boot window had worn and I noticed a few drops of water leaking inside when washing the vehicle and took it to Mandovi Motors on Maj. Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road for a replacement. The wiper linkage was also replaced as the wipers were going over the defined wipe area during usage. Paid ₹1837

June 2018 - 15th paid service/90324 kms: This was a routine service due where I took in the Shell HX7 engine oil this time to Nexus New BEL Road. The oil pressure switch was also replaced as the light was not working in the instrument cluster. Paid a total of ₹853


Aug 2018 - The front window winder on the LHS was getting notoriously hard to turn as the internal assembly had rusted. Took the car to Mandovi Motors on Maj. Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road to replace the regulator assembly, rubber weatherstrip beading. Paid a total of ₹842.

Dec 2019 - The Amaron Go battery I had replaced in Dec 2012 was beginning to show signs of weakness with labored cranking and with 7 years of life, I decided it was best to replace it. Went to the local battery shop near home and replaced it for another Amaron Go for ₹3400. It is now 2025 and this battery is still working fine.

The Covid Era - 2020 to 2022

The battery replacement in Dec 2019 was timely as the lockdowns set in from March 2020 and the car saw very minimal usage during 2020 and 2021. I had a Bosch C3 charger and would tell my dad to connect it to the car every three months to charge the battery. He would also start the car and idle it for 15-20 mins and switch on the a/c every week just to keep everything working smoothly. Sitting in a partially covered parking area meant the car was exposed to the elements and the rear-half of the silencer/muffler system rusted through. There was a clanking noise akin to a can inside of a bigger can and was creating a very annoying rattle when driving at a particular engine RPM. The engine oil was changed once in 2021.

Updates in 2021

The wiper blades were replaced with Bosch CLEAR Advantage Flat Blade Performance Wiper Blade in 18" and 16" and Roots Windtone horns failed and were replaced with the Hella Pearl Trumpet Horn Set along with a new 12V Horn Wiring Harness Relay. I also sprayed the Dinitrol Tuf-Kote 4941 Sealant on some parts of the front member of the chassis since I had removed the front bumper. I had clicked detailed photos of this process but I lost my phone and a few of the photos were not backed-up and hence were lost.


June 2023 - 16th paid service/98490 kms: The last full service on the car was in June 2018 and at 90304 kms, which meant the car covered just 8186 kms in 5 years with one oil change. I went to Mandovi Motors and met Mr. Hari Babu who was referred to me our by fellow Bhpian Parag as he used to be the SA for his Wagon R. I explained my case to him and told him I wanted thorough work done on the car.

My instructions were simple and the list of work is given below:

• Replace engine oil and oil filter - went with MGO Synthetic Castrol 5W30
• Replace Gear Oil - went with MGO Shell 75W90
• Replace engine coolant
• Replace timing belt
• Replace air filter
• Replace fuel filter
• Replace spark plugs (NGK was preferred but they didn't have it)
• Replace brake fluid
• Brake bleeding and caliper greasing
• Clean front and rear brake shoes and drums
• Remove and clean throttle body
• Adjust valve clearances
• Replace rear-half of silencer

As this was a major service, the total for this (incl labor) came to ₹15952. A few things Mr. Hari Babu pointed out and something that I was aware of was that the drive shafts were making a clanking noise upon tight turns and will need to be replaced.

June 2023 - The Michelin Energy XM2 tyres from Dec 2012 and at 55514 kms on the odo had aged considerably and were well beyond their useful life.

Sadly this size of tyre from Michelin is no longer available in India, else would have gone with the same set.

The Michelins were replaced at 98545 kms with a set of 5 MRF ZLX 145/80 R12 tyres along with WA, WB & tyre valves at Madhus Wilson Garden. I paid ₹15,260.


Here are few more shots of the car after the tyres were replaced.




July 2023 - Due to a paucity of time, I kept putting off the renewal of the fitness certificate and certificate of registration of the car. I realized my folly in end of May after the car crossed the 15 year mark and it was too late. I had to pay ₹10,500 including a fine to renew the registration of the car and I got the new smart card with validity extended for five more years until July 2028

Oct 2023 - the radiator cooling fan stopped working abruptly when the car was being driven in peak evening traffic. Luckily my dad's driver pulled over to a quiet lane in Vasanth Nagar was waited for the engine to cool down for an hour. I reached there in the meanwhile and poured a mix of engine coolant from a small can I picked up at a bunk with two bottles of distilled water into the radiator cap and the car was able to travel the next 15 kms home with no issues. I took the car to Mandovi Motors the next day to replace the radiator fan assembly and thermostat. Paid a total of ₹6947.

April 2025 - thanks to the nice rains in Bangalore, I realized that the wipers blades needed a change and replaced them with the same set (18" & 16") of Bosch CLEAR Advantage Flat Blade Performance Wiper Blades. The low tone of the horn also stopped working and I replaced with with a set of Bosch Symphony Dual Tone Car Horns.

It was also when driving in the recent rains that the a/c mode control cable snapped and I was unable to direct the air flow to the glass.

You can see the cable highlighted in red - which enabled the changing of direction of airflow from the vents to the glass, face and feet and so on.



I dismantled the inner center fascia of the dashboard and removed the a/c control system and replaced the snapped cable with a similar length GI wire and now it works flawlessly.

As of today, May 4, 2025, the car has covered 104577 kms. The car has aged well and it has truly been a fuss-free ownership in the past 17 years. The few mechanical replacement parts were due to age of the components. The Alto is perfect for congested city driving and when I tracked the FE over Jan, Feb and March, I was consistently getting 16-17 kmpl in the city with occasional use of the a/c. Without a/c, it would touch 18+kmpl giving one little to complain about.

The Alto will complete 17 years in a few weeks time and the insurance is due for renewal. The car is also due for a service which will happen in the coming weeks. 17 years have left a fair share of battle scars on the vehicle and I'm thinking of keeping the vehicle for longer and might get the car repainted. Stay tuned for more updates on what was at one point in time, India's best-selling car.

[Mr.Ogre]

Originally Posted by gpa

Updates - 2015 to 2025

Yes, it has been close to a decade since I've updated the service history and while I've complied all of it, I've just not had the time to post here so here's a consolidated update.

This car is so close to my heart, mainly because I could not afford it when I wanted to buy it. This post for some reason just brings back those old memories. I was newly married and had moved to Bangalore with my wife. I was in the early stages of my career having very recently moved from a call center to an IT job.

Maruti launched the Alto K10, and I was very impressed reading the reviews of the Alto K10 on TeamBHP, so much that I wanted to buy one. I also went into a Maruti Showroom (Bimal, I think) and got the quote for the car on finance. I came home and did the Maths and I realised I just could not afford it. I also realised I won't be able to afford it at least for then next couple of years either. With a heavy heart I put it on hold and got on with my life.

If I were in India, I would buy an Alto K10 vxi, just to remind me of what I had missed.

[F10D_Estilo]

Originally Posted by gpa

Updates - 2015 to 2025

The Alto will complete 17 years in a few weeks time and the insurance is due for renewal. The car is also due for a service which will happen in the coming weeks. 17 years have left a fair share of battle scars on the vehicle and I'm thinking of keeping the vehicle for longer and might get the car repainted. Stay tuned for more updates on what was at one point in time, India's best-selling car.

That's a very clean example of a 2nd-gen Alto. I am impressed by the amount of love you have given to this car. Generally, people just trash these around without any love or remorse. I have only seen a handful of these in such good condition, and every time I see one, it makes me feel very happy. I myself have recently bought a 2008 Maruti Zen Estilo Vxi from my dad and got it re-registered. I have no plans on selling it anytime in the near future as it's close to my heart and is in really good condition for a 17-year-old car.

Originally Posted by gpa

Updates - 2015 to 2025
I dismantled the inner center fascia of the dashboard and removed the a/c control system and replaced the snapped cable with a similar length GI wire and now it works flawlessly.

I am currently facing this issue in my 2008 Maruti Zen Estilo, where the Zone control only works for the front vents and defrost. The remaining modes don't seem to engage whatsoever. I would highly appreciate if anyone could help me with this issue.

Another problem I am facing is that all 4 of my power windows have stopped working one after another. My friendly mechanic diagnosed it, turns out to be a bad master switch, which had burnt the motors on all four corners. He suggests me to get a new Master switch (Which certainly requires replacing as the driver switch is broken) and rewinding the burnt motors (Considering I use the car rarely and the fact that new motors cost close to 3.5k per piece as opposed to 1K per motor for rewinding). Will rewinding my power window motors be a good idea?

[gpa]

Originally Posted by F10D_Estilo

That's a very clean example of a 2nd-gen Alto. I am impressed by the amount of love you have given to this car. Generally, people just trash these around without any love or remorse. I have only seen a handful of these in such good condition, and every time I see one, it makes me feel very happy. I myself have recently bought a 2008 Maruti Zen Estilo Vxi from my dad and got it re-registered. I have no plans on selling it anytime in the near future as it's close to my heart and is in really good condition for a 17-year-old car.

Thank you, the car saw fairly heavy usage until 2018 and then running became minimal as my parents used to use it for short runs within the city. Glad to hear you have the Estilo Vxi and want to keep it. As long as you maintain the mechanicals, it will serve you well for many more years.

Originally Posted by F10D_Estilo

I am currently facing this issue in my 2008 Maruti Zen Estilo, where the Zone control only works for the front vents and defrost. The remaining modes don't seem to engage whatsoever. I would highly appreciate if anyone could help me with this issue.

The Alto and Estilo from 2008 share identical a/c control modules. From what you've shared it could be one of two issues - either the control cable is broken (as was the case in my Alto) or the plastic module at the back into which the wire hooks onto could be broken. If it is the latter, then your only choice will be to replace the entire module. You can find it on boodmo or check in your local MGP store.

If the control cable is broken, you can remove the module from the dash and replace the wire - I also found this part available on boodmo but the GI wire hack worked in my case. Please wear gloves to prevent the back of your palms and fingers from getting scratched as the area around the dash is cramped with a lot of sharp plastic parts. I didn't wear gloves and my hands were completely scratched and bruised after this work. Also factor-in some time (3-4 hours) for this job as it is very fiddly and time consuming. Remember to disconnect the cables from the fresh air intake and the temperature control areas under the dash before removing the control unit.

Originally Posted by F10D_Estilo

Another problem I am facing is that all 4 of my power windows have stopped working one after another. Will rewinding my power window motors be a good idea?

See if you can source an OEM spare part from boodmo. If your usage is minimal, then rewinding the motor is a good choice to keep it working. It will also make sense to check the window winder mechanism on all four windows and lube the linkages with some lithium grease before you rewind the motors, so they work freely. The front LHS side one on mine was rusted and the mechanism became very hard needing considerable effort to operate and eventually was replaced.

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by gpa

The Alto will complete 17 years in a few weeks time and the insurance is due for renewal. The car is also due for a service which will happen in the coming weeks. 17 years have left a fair share of battle scars on the vehicle and I'm thinking of keeping the vehicle for longer and might get the car repainted. Stay tuned for more updates on what was at one point in time, India's best-selling car.

My favorite Alto on Team BHP, I am glad you are still keeping it. Do get it a fresh coat of paint not that it looks bad. The new type HSRP plates if applicable with a plastic frame will make the current license plate look better. I know the mechanicals will be sound since you taken care of it so meticulously.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

My favorite Alto on Team BHP, I am glad you are still keeping it. Do get it a fresh coat of paint not that it looks bad. The new type HSRP plates if applicable with a plastic frame will make the current license plate look better. I know the mechanicals will be sound since you taken care of it so meticulously.

Thank you, sumeethaldankar. This photo was from June 2023 before I changed to the HSRP with the plastic frame. A full body respray is something I am contemplating on as there are a few surface rusts spots appearing in certain places and will likely get it done this year. There are a few pending mechanical works on the car which will also get addressed during the upcoming service.