[CRtorquefan]

Got the Maruti Suzuki New 2012 DZire ZDi last week.



The Booking process: A hunt for a Diesel car
This is very much long story from Watching, Test Driving & Shortlisting the car from atleast every Diesel car under Rs.10 lakh price bracket. My Crush for new car begun in Jan2011 after completely watching, driving & analyzing the Polo Diesel Highline variant. But due to some personal reasons & technical reasons Polo Diesel was bluntly struck out from my shortlisted list, major one amongst them was its Cluttery & heavily noisy 3-cylinder 1.2 Diesel(TDi) powerplant.
So after that, analyzed many other cars from Ford Figo to Punto to even VW Vento Trendline but somehow all of them failed to struck the chord.

So, after completely analyzing all other options, finally I wanted to play Safe & half-heartedly booked the All New White Swift ZDi on 18th July 2011, which is completely a month before its launch, which was happened on 17th Aug 2011, I guess. Dealer quoted me the waiting period of ~7months i.e: with projected car delivery on Jan 2012 & I agreed with that as I already knew that this product will definitely going to be India's hottest Super-hatch(atleast for me).
But since the booking was done half-heartedly, so the actual hunt for the appropriate car for me began after that which Included thorough analysis of every 2nd car in Sub-10 lakh Rs. Umbrella.


The Options: Contenders to the Race
Here comes the shortlisted ones with the reasons for why they were being avoided.

1) VW Polo 1.2 TDi Highline/Comfortline:
Brilliant looking car with Brilliant build but powered by Underpowered & Noisy 3-cylinder engine.

2) Skoda Fabia 1.2 TDi:
Again brilliant product from VW-Skoda but again same noisy 3-cylinder engine.
High Maintenance costs for Skoda car is again a thumbs down for it.

Though both of these cars are well-rounded products, but some the '3-cylinder engine' thing made me to jump over to other options.

3) Hyundai i20 Sportz CRDi(non-fluidic):
Good car but Hyundai's heavy maintenance in the long-run & low fuel efficiency made to jump over to other options.
& Its famous Steering rattle issues & Weak AC made me never consider this car again.

4) Ford Figo 1.4 TDCi TITANIUM:
A brilliant product at brilliant price but left out as I needed the car from a segment above it.

5) Nissan Micra 1.5 dCi XV Premium:
Well finished product with Plush Greige Interiors.
But its Archaic & extremely noisy engine made me to jump to next showroom.

6) New Swift ZDi Diesel:
Good car with whole new lot of features but despite of booking one I wasn't satisfied with it as;
-Too common Swift-looks(for both New & Old Swift).
-Expensive for a Swift at Rs.7 lacs+ OTR.
-Dull Charcoal black Interiors.
-No VFM proportion.

7) Toyota ETIOS Liva 1.4 D-4D GD(O) variant:
Good product from Toyota with Superb mechanicals & Gem of a diesel engine.
But Poorly appointed Interiors & lack of Creature comfort features like Rear Defogger, Wash-wipe & Tachometer, etc made me to jump to another option.

While analyzing these 7 options listed above 7 waiting for already booked New Swift's delivery, came the month of Feb2012 & hence the launch of New DZire from Maruti Suzuki.




An extremely appointed car with Well appointed Black-beige Interiors(exactly to may taste), Right sized exteriors(for my need) & most important Pricing(well within my budget) made me to Immediately switch my Swift ZDi booking to Arctic white New DZire ZDi, with dealer quoted waiting period for another 1-2 months.


The Options-Chapter-II The Re-Race again

But due to heavy demand & shortage of DZire ZDi variants from Maruti Suzuki delayed the delivery of my car for another couple of month.
& that last couple of month made me to Reconsider my decision again, into New segment i.e Sedan segment & contenders in that list including DZire were;

8) Toyota ETIOS 1.4 D-4D V-D sedan:
Underpowered engine for such a huge sedan(yes it is..), driven it with 5 passengers on-board on Highway & somehow missed the punch in its engine whatever I wanted & felt in other powerful rivals, including New DZire(75PS vs 68PS)

9) Nissan Sunny 1.5 dCi XL:
Good looking CAAAAR with Nissan engine, Nissan brand & reliability.
But its Monotone Greige Interiors, very low seating(with poor underthigh support) & too loooooong external size, which was really too large for my Parking space & to the place where I mostly drive, made me to skip this car.

10) Skoda Rapid 1.6 TDi Ambition:
A German lion in CZECH clothes i.e An Excellent car with well appointed Interiors & Exteriors but left it out as it surpassed my budget limit by huge margin.


And
The Final winner, to our home:


So, finally after this huge analysis, took the Delivery of my All-New Arctic White DZire ZDi on 11th June 2012.

OTR costing: Rs. 8 lacs(almost) excluding Accessories.
Cost-wise breakup(all approximate costs):
Ex-showroom price: 7.50 lacs(including Rs.3500/- for logistics).
Insurance costs: ~25k (0% depreciation).
4th year Extended Warranty: ~8k.
Registration charges: ~26k.

Freebies: for Maruti Suzuki Diesel cars(except SX4 D & probably Ritz D).
No freebies at all for Swift, DZire & Ertiga.

Things to enquire:
Though the Maruti Suzuki delivery checklist was having 5 litres Diesel/Petrol column printed over it, but on asking the dealer refused to gave it, as they said the fuel is available with Petrol cars only.
What's it ??
can anybody is having the explanation for it !!
Should I claim it to the dealer or its same throughout the Maruti Suzuki dealers.


Initial Ownership experience:


On very first day:
At the time of delivery the Odometer of the car was at 14km, as per dealer it was due to PDI & their local transportation(from their stockyard to showroom).
The car at showroom was in very Neat & Clean condition, with Exteriors cleaned superbly & dashboard plastics properly cleaned & polished.

Driven the car 100km very first day, at almost every speeds, to which I me & a brand new car(due to Run-In period) can manage, to be precise it was 120kmph & that's to check !!

Guess what ??
-Brakes i.e upto which they're having the stopping power & they can handle the situation in their 2nd-gen ABS avatar.

Yes, they worked exactly in as expected manner -'The Best' no match.
Thanks to ABS suppliers for Maruti Suzuki DZire.

FE as displayed on its MID was ~9.0kmpl(avg), while the Instantaneous FE hovering nearly around ~15 kmpl. But it was okay since the car was few kms old.

Seating Comfort was Good, with most lovable element for me is Rear Seat centre Armrest.


Driving experience Later on:

Driven car ~800kms till to date, in varying terrains including State Highways, National highways & Hilly terrains.

Engine Refinement is improving day-by-day & km-by-kms as the car is clocking.

Instantaneous FE is now hovering from 12.0-30.0kmpl as per Rpm/accelerator inputs.
& Average FE is still around 15.9kmpl.

While the actual FE seems to be somewhat near to this also, i.e. 16-17kmpl.
Will wait to improve it further, as it'll clock more & more kms.

Other Cool bits include:



-Music System:
Its having stock NIPPON HU with NIPPON 6-speakers(2 tweeters +2front door speakers +2 on rear shelf) all around.

Illuminated Steering wheel Audio controls are also standard & are boon for easy to operate while driving.

Another best feature its having is AVC(Auto Volume control) which varies its Volume as the speed of the car varies.

What's not good here is !
-HU USB mode plays Audio files with 128kbps or 160kbps or 320kbps bitrate only, anything another to this, will not be recognized.
-It supports USB drive upto 4 GB only.
-Rear speakers are Paper-cone type & aren't much great to listen while on the Rear Seat, while front speakers are Simply Awesome.
I guess, these pros & cons about the Music system are same with Ertiga & Swift ZDi, as its a shared unit.


Turn Indicators in ORVM


Yes... These are the LED units.

-Power windows:
Only Driver-side power window is having Auto-down function only.
No Express down & No Anti-pinch function on even top-end variant.


-AC(with Automatic Climate control unit):

Since its having an ACC, so its having 7-speed blower & in Scorching summers of 40+ degrees Celsius temp, its sufficient upto even 2nd speed.




Accessories got till to date:

-Carpet floor mats.
-Plastic floor mats.
-Car Perfume.
-Door end Rub-guards.
-4GB Strontium USB(got it from Snapdeal).
-Non-Slip dashboard mat(got it from Snapdeal).


Accessories planned for near future:

-GPS unit(will need bhp-ians inputs on this).
-Rear Parking sensors.
-Seat covers.
-Door side moulding strips.
-Door sill plates.
-Premium Rubber mats(Beige/brown coloured).
-Leather Steering cover.

Will love to get the advice for the planned accessories from bhp-ians.
Thanks in advance.

[abhayshanu]

Congratulations on the buy. I never liked the Desire but the new one looks decent. IMO. I have always been a fan of short stubby boots. Also white looks real nice.
Also I feel 8L for the ZDi model is really VFM. Someone asked me recently which car would be great at 8L, I didnt have an answer, now I do.

[goandude]

Congrats on your buy and a well brought out comparo, but why not manza? The beige interior looks fresh, and do I see a beige carpet too? Tough to keep clean. Do write an ownership report. Drive safe

[shashank.nk]

Congrats on your dzire ZDi, a well thought out buy over the Swift ZDi as the dzire is more VFM in my opinion. Here's wishing you many safe miles in your new car!

The waiting time for the Swift made many of us look and settle for other options in the segment. Do post more about the driving experience of the car

[CRtorquefan]

Originally Posted by abhayshanu

Congratulations on the buy. Someone asked me recently which car would be great at 8L, I didnt have an answer, now I do.

Thanks abhayshanu.
Initially i bought it with Reserved thoughts but now I'm in love with it.

Originally Posted by goandude

Congrats on your buy and a well brought out comparo, but why not manza? The beige interior looks fresh, and do I see a beige carpet too? Tough to keep clean.

Thanks goandude.
TATA cars are never on our Radar, sans their fit-finish & reliability.

Regarding floor, got light brown carpet floor mats & Vinyl transparent mats to cover them.

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

Congrats on your dzire ZDi, a well thought out buy over the Swift ZDi as the dzire is more VFM in my opinion. Here's wishing you many safe miles in your new car!

The waiting time for the Swift made many of us look and settle for other options in the segment. Do post more about the driving experience of the car

Thanks shashank for the wishes.
Its not only the waiting period, instead its the overall package which tempted me to wait even further, in total 11 months.
But now I'm enjoying my decision.

[anoop.mathew]

Originally Posted by CRtorquefan

What's not good here is !
-HU USB mode plays Audio files with 128kbps or 160kbps or 320kbps bitrate only, anything another to this, will not be recognized.

Do you mean that it will not play Variable bit Rate MP3? If so, that's a bit disappointing!

[Alive2Drive]

Congratulations on your new Ride !

Hope you do many miles ahead ! Any ICE upgrade planned by you ?

[CRtorquefan]

Originally Posted by Alive2Drive

Congratulations on your new Ride !

Hope you do many miles ahead ! Any ICE upgrade planned by you ?

Thanks alot Alive2Drive.

Though its stock ICE is great with Good Bass throw & 6-speakers.
But fitting a Sub-woofer/Bass tube is on the cards in upcoming months.
Your Suggestions are welcome.

Originally Posted by anoop.mathew

Do you mean that it will not play Variable bit Rate MP3? If so, that's a bit disappointing!

Yes.
But its for USB files only.
It plays 128kbps or 160kbps or 320kbps files only, others aren't recognized by its ICE.
Though CD/MP3 & Aux plays it all.
Overall, its an great ICE with multiple playing options.

[CRtorquefan]

My Update:

First Service done:

Got its first service done few days back.
It was both as per distance(1080kms) & time norms(1 month 5 days).

Jobs included:
-Free washing & cleaning of the car.
-Checking of all moving & underbody parts.
-Engine Oil isn't changed yet.
-Suspension checkup.

Everything was ok, with fastening of some nuts & bolts.

Total cost paid: Rs.0.00.


Also got few of its accessories fitted 2-3 weeks back. Those were:

-MGA Reverse Parking sensors(Type-II).
-MGA Seat covers.
-MGA body side moulding strips.
-MGA Door scuff plates.

[CRtorquefan]

Update-II:

Till now the car has clocked ~2000kms.

Problems faced till to date:

-A week before rat entered into its AC Unit and died into it, engulfing the whole car into foul smell.
Got this problem alright at MASC. The whole repairs is carried out by opening its dashboard and AC Unit.
it took around 4-5 hrs and it costed around Rs.1200 to fix the issue.

-Afterthat, its music system has gone crap, as its display started blinking.
given at MASC for rectification and was given back in 2days.

Now the car is again back on the track.

No regrets with my Dzire but Maruti suzuki still needs something better workout to ensure the minor tit-bits right.

[delix]

Originally Posted by CRtorquefan

Update-II:

Till now the car has clocked ~2000kms.

Problems faced till to date:

-A week before rat entered into its AC Unit and died into it, engulfing the whole car into foul smell.
Got this problem alright at MASC. The whole repairs is carried out by opening its dashboard and AC Unit.
it took around 4-5 hrs and it costed around Rs.1200 to fix the issue.

-Afterthat, its music system has gone crap, as its display started blinking.
given at MASC for rectification and was given back in 2days.

Now the car is again back on the track.

No regrets with my Dzire but Maruti suzuki still needs something better workout to ensure the minor tit-bits right.

Planning to buy a Dzire finally. But confused whether to go for vdi or a zdi model. Price difference in nearly 80K.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Originally Posted by CRtorquefan

Update-II:


-A week before rat entered into its AC Unit and died into it, engulfing the whole car into foul smell.
Got this problem alright at MASC. The whole repairs is carried out by opening its dashboard and AC Unit.
it took around 4-5 hrs and it costed around Rs.1200 to fix the issue.

-Afterthat, its music system has gone crap, as its display started blinking.
given at MASC for rectification and was given back in 2days.

Congrats on the Car. The color suits the car very well.

Save the car from rats. I am too paranoid about it because they had created a havoc in my brand new Indica. They died in the AC unit, for which the mechanics operated it by removing the dashboard and fan unit and after that it never ever worked as before! They also ate seats and plastics inside along with light/speaker wiring. And the smell never went even after years of use. They love to chew wires don't know why.

[CRtorquefan]

Originally Posted by delix

Planning to buy a Dzire finally. But confused whether to go for vdi or a zdi model. Price difference in nearly 80K.

Go for ZDi only, as because of what it offers for the price, the most needed Safety features Airbags, ABS & the Alloys.
Believe me or not, the both three make a difference & elevates the driving experience to another level. With these you'll be having the speed, dynamics & complete control over them.

VDi is more of a basic looking car with slightly different driving feel, as its having relatively smaller 14-inch wheels with relatively lower body stance than Sporty looking ZDi shod with 15-inch Alloys.
Had DZire VDi being equipped with ABS, i'd have suggested it to you, but with all these facts my vote is for a complete looking, feeling & exactly complete DZire ZDi.
A month more wait & few grands more, makes really much more sense for your pleasurable drive & safety of your family.

[CRtorquefan]

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

Congrats on the Car. The color suits the car very well.

Thanks alot.

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

Save the car from rats. I am too paranoid about it because they had created a havoc in my brand new Indica. They died in the AC unit, for which the mechanics operated it by removing the dashboard and fan unit and after that it never ever worked as before! They also ate seats and plastics inside along with light/speaker wiring. And the smell never went even after years of use. They love to chew wires don't know why.

Thank god the smell went off, within next few weeks.

[funkyp]

Originally Posted by CRtorquefan

Got the Maruti Suzuki New 2012 DZire ZDi last week.


-It supports USB drive upto 4 GB only.

Accessories planned for near future:
-Leather Steering cover.
.

[quote="CRtorquefan"]

Congrats on your new buy. Excellent car and wish you many happy miles. I would have chosen the same had I not been certain that I didn't want a sedan.

I have a swift zdi and my oem system supports 8gb.(haven't tested higher). Since the dzire and swift are basically the same, I see no reason in why the dzire should not support higher than 4gb.

I strongly recommend the leather steering. Make the grip meatier and more fun.