Back home - thinking about a Corsa

tsk1979 · 27th November 2005, 07:59

What about spares and all? I read the corsa body panels are very expensive and so are other parts like lights etc., Moreover with production about to stop, availability of spares is going to be a problem, or do we get "jugaad" fittings for corsa commonly?

balashome · 1st December 2005, 22:12

Guys, I did consider your opinions as well as the possibility of the Corsa getting phased out - but i couldnt convince myself out of the deal. And then, there was a feeling that for the money i am shelling out, there isnt a better deal out there in the market right now. Anybody, please feel free to contradict. My on-road price is 5.05 lakhs, with a Blaupunkt Monterrey deck, remote locking and of course basic accessories. I got the car yesterday night - so have not yet spent too much time with it. But over the next few days that is going to consume me - so expect a detailed review soon. But shortly, it definitely is not a driver's car - though it isnt exactly a slouch either. It is just that the accelerator and steering fail to convey the speed of the car. There might be other factors too, but the Corsa cocoons the driver from the road so much that one has to look at the speedometer to find out the exact speed. The other thing - ergonomics is spot on. And i have driven and owned cars in the US not long back. Seating, controls, contours etc. are just right. It might be a personal thing, but these small things do matter to me. More to come, shortly. One question however - during my initial drives (in stop and start Chennai peak hour traffic), i am noticing scorching heat from the front bonnet (i am driving with my A/C on all the time). Is this common in new cars or should i get it checked out soon? Awaiting your replies...

Mpower · 1st December 2005, 22:23

Congrats. Post some pics too. As for temps, watch the coolant temp gauge in your console (after making sure its accurate).

balashome · 1st December 2005, 23:52

The coolant gauge certainly does not cross even the half way mark. But how do i make sure that it does work correctly?!

Mpower · 1st December 2005, 23:56

You have to plumb in a thermometer. Also check to make sure your thermostat is opening and all the fans are working.

turbo_lover · 2nd December 2005, 00:20

hey bala !

congrats on your ride .. was the elite (full leather ) variant offered in chennai at all ??? in delhi its a steal at 4,87L ...

anyways , it is fairly normal for the hood to heat up with the A/c on ...as long as the coolant temprature gauge is not redlining you have nothing to worry about ...
remember to keep the revs below 2000 for the first 1000kms ...
and wot colour did you get ?
engine spec ? 1.4 or 1.6 ?

cheers

balashome · 2nd December 2005, 13:55

Hey turbo_lover,

Nope, The Elite was not on offer herehttp://team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/mad.gif.

I got the 1.4 GSi with the standard grey interiors. The fabric quality and fit and finish are indeed up to the mark. And late yesterday i did flex the accelerator somewhat (couldnt resist it for long!). I did not time it to pin point precision but the 60 Kmph mark came in 5 seconds. And i do believe the car can easily do a sub 5 second time, because i got into third gear just to avoid revving highly in second. So, thats not bad timing at all eh?! And before you warn me, i will try my best to keep the revs below 3000 till the 1000 km markhttp://team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif.

And i will keep an eye on the coolant gauge at all times. Not sure if i need to go to the trouble of measuring it with a thermometer though. If this is continuing i will contact the dealer and have it checked out.

gkrishn · 2nd December 2005, 15:20

Quote:

i am noticing scorching heat from the front bonnet (i am driving with my A/C on all the time). Is this common in new cars or should i get it checked out soon?

Bala, details pls... You felt this heat sitting inside the car? How you noticed it?

The assumption is that the temp gauge is working fine... but just to be on safer side, be a paranoid, and get it checked with service center.

BTW, congrats on the new car. Its a sweet deal alright. My sail cost me more than that.

balashome · 2nd December 2005, 16:26

gkrishn,

I do not feel 'anything' inside the cabin. For that i am loving the Corsa. For performing the initial puja, i had to drive from Nelson Manickam road to the Mahalingapuram main road in 6 pm peak traffic. I tried to open the bonnet and almost burned my hand for trying. Finally i did manage to open it, but i was worried whether this was irregular.

balashome · 2nd December 2005, 18:48

Yes, the resale will probably hurt, but i am clear in my mind that this car was not bought for resale. It is for personal utility. The only thing that gave me peace of mind in this case was the fact that the Opel Astra's parts are still available in all the GM showrooms. Now, that is a car which has long since been discontinued.

What do people think about that?

My car's colour is Arctic Breeze Mica - in non-marketing terms it is a solid grey with a bluish tint that is bright but decent and understated.

Insane Devil · 4th December 2005, 10:51

tsk tsk! no corsa! baleno all the way in that budget range! great car, great performance, great mileage, cheap spares!

sidharth_j · 4th December 2005, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insane Devil

tsk tsk! no corsa! baleno all the way in that budget range! great car, great performance, great mileage, cheap spares!

I have to agree...

the corsa is just so awfully cramped

jkdas · 4th December 2005, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insane Devil

tsk tsk! no corsa! baleno all the way in that budget range! great car, great performance, great mileage, cheap spares!

Guys, he already bought the Corsa.

balashome · 5th December 2005, 23:25

sidharth_j,

I am not sure if you have seen the insides of a Corsa! It might not be as spacious as, say, an Innova or even a Fiesta. But it definitely holds two pretty tall and broad people up front and three regular size human beings in the rear seat in fantastic comfort. Spare a thought for the ride quality in this car.

The car looks small from the exterior, but is not as small inside. And its unexaggerated exterior is a great help in the Chennai traffic.

The car isnt what i would call cramped. Another thing - spare a thought for the seating ergonomics. It took me only two minutes to find a comfy spot in the driver's seat. (Of course, i am still very much in the honeymoon period. Rest assured i will write up my experiences in detail and share it with TeamBHP in course of time).

Again, like i said before, there might be better cars than this for my needs if i were to spend more. The Baleno Lxi comes to about 6.7 on road in Chennai. Now, that isnt what i would call a good deal. I wouldnt pay 1.7 lakhs over the Corsa for the Baleno - but that is just me! But if i had delayed my purchase for another 20 days i would have certainly leapt on the deal for the Elantra (6.85 ex-showroom).

RX135 · 6th December 2005, 00:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by balashome

Spare a thought for the ride quality in this car.

I can perfectly understand how you feel. A car is not always about 0-100 figure or about mileage. Lot more things make a car. I always had a thing for a black Corsa Royale :-) It looks elegant, regal and yet so compact. It feels much more solidly built when compared to some other cars in its category.

So, congrats and enjoy your ride and post some pics.

27th November 2005, 07:59	#16
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	What about spares and all? I read the corsa body panels are very expensive and so are other parts like lights etc., Moreover with production about to stop, availability of spares is going to be a problem, or do we get "jugaad" fittings for corsa commonly?
	() Thanks

1st December 2005, 22:12	#17
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	Am the proud owner of a Corsa! Guys, I did consider your opinions as well as the possibility of the Corsa getting phased out - but i couldnt convince myself out of the deal. And then, there was a feeling that for the money i am shelling out, there isnt a better deal out there in the market right now. Anybody, please feel free to contradict. My on-road price is 5.05 lakhs, with a Blaupunkt Monterrey deck, remote locking and of course basic accessories. I got the car yesterday night - so have not yet spent too much time with it. But over the next few days that is going to consume me - so expect a detailed review soon. But shortly, it definitely is not a driver's car - though it isnt exactly a slouch either. It is just that the accelerator and steering fail to convey the speed of the car. There might be other factors too, but the Corsa cocoons the driver from the road so much that one has to look at the speedometer to find out the exact speed. The other thing - ergonomics is spot on. And i have driven and owned cars in the US not long back. Seating, controls, contours etc. are just right. It might be a personal thing, but these small things do matter to me. More to come, shortly. One question however - during my initial drives (in stop and start Chennai peak hour traffic), i am noticing scorching heat from the front bonnet (i am driving with my A/C on all the time). Is this common in new cars or should i get it checked out soon? Awaiting your replies...
	() Thanks

1st December 2005, 22:23	#18
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	Congrats. Post some pics too. As for temps, watch the coolant temp gauge in your console (after making sure its accurate).
	() Thanks

1st December 2005, 23:52	#19
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	The coolant gauge certainly does not cross even the half way mark. But how do i make sure that it does work correctly?!
	() Thanks

1st December 2005, 23:56	#20
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	You have to plumb in a thermometer. Also check to make sure your thermostat is opening and all the fans are working.
	() Thanks

2nd December 2005, 00:20	#21
turbo_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,377 Thanked: 9 Times	hey bala ! congrats on your ride .. was the elite (full leather ) variant offered in chennai at all ??? in delhi its a steal at 4,87L ... anyways , it is fairly normal for the hood to heat up with the A/c on ...as long as the coolant temprature gauge is not redlining you have nothing to worry about ... remember to keep the revs below 2000 for the first 1000kms ... and wot colour did you get ? engine spec ? 1.4 or 1.6 ? cheers
	() Thanks

2nd December 2005, 13:55	#22
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	Hey turbo_lover, Nope, The Elite was not on offer herehttp://team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/mad.gif. I got the 1.4 GSi with the standard grey interiors. The fabric quality and fit and finish are indeed up to the mark. And late yesterday i did flex the accelerator somewhat (couldnt resist it for long!). I did not time it to pin point precision but the 60 Kmph mark came in 5 seconds. And i do believe the car can easily do a sub 5 second time, because i got into third gear just to avoid revving highly in second. So, thats not bad timing at all eh?! And before you warn me, i will try my best to keep the revs below 3000 till the 1000 km markhttp://team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif. And i will keep an eye on the coolant gauge at all times. Not sure if i need to go to the trouble of measuring it with a thermometer though. If this is continuing i will contact the dealer and have it checked out.
	() Thanks

2nd December 2005, 16:26	#24
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	gkrishn, I do not feel 'anything' inside the cabin. For that i am loving the Corsa. For performing the initial puja, i had to drive from Nelson Manickam road to the Mahalingapuram main road in 6 pm peak traffic. I tried to open the bonnet and almost burned my hand for trying. Finally i did manage to open it, but i was worried whether this was irregular.
	() Thanks

2nd December 2005, 18:48	#25
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	Yes, the resale will probably hurt, but i am clear in my mind that this car was not bought for resale. It is for personal utility. The only thing that gave me peace of mind in this case was the fact that the Opel Astra's parts are still available in all the GM showrooms. Now, that is a car which has long since been discontinued. What do people think about that? My car's colour is Arctic Breeze Mica - in non-marketing terms it is a solid grey with a bluish tint that is bright but decent and understated.
	() Thanks

4th December 2005, 10:51	#26
Insane Devil BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 987 Thanked: 173 Times View My Garage	tsk tsk! no corsa! baleno all the way in that budget range! great car, great performance, great mileage, cheap spares!
	() Thanks

5th December 2005, 23:25	#29
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	sidharth_j, I am not sure if you have seen the insides of a Corsa! It might not be as spacious as, say, an Innova or even a Fiesta. But it definitely holds two pretty tall and broad people up front and three regular size human beings in the rear seat in fantastic comfort. Spare a thought for the ride quality in this car. The car looks small from the exterior, but is not as small inside. And its unexaggerated exterior is a great help in the Chennai traffic. The car isnt what i would call cramped. Another thing - spare a thought for the seating ergonomics. It took me only two minutes to find a comfy spot in the driver's seat. (Of course, i am still very much in the honeymoon period. Rest assured i will write up my experiences in detail and share it with TeamBHP in course of time). Again, like i said before, there might be better cars than this for my needs if i were to spend more. The Baleno Lxi comes to about 6.7 on road in Chennai. Now, that isnt what i would call a good deal. I wouldnt pay 1.7 lakhs over the Corsa for the Baleno - but that is just me! But if i had delayed my purchase for another 20 days i would have certainly leapt on the deal for the Elantra (6.85 ex-showroom).
	() Thanks