[Diesel lover]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

AT giving a mileage of 14kmpl in city is fantastic!!! Are the roads relatively traffic free? My swift (old gen 1.3) gives me a mileage of around 12-13 on relatively free roads . Not that I complain about it.

Chandigarh roads give enough room to stretch her legs at decent speeds during noon/night (after 9pm). However rush hour time is same as everywhere. Also small runs of a km or two give pathetic mileage of less than 10.

[davidashish]

Originally Posted by dZired

Attachment 1059120


PROLOGUE

We had a 2002 Maruti Zen which was efficiently serving our family from the last 10 years without any trouble and had clocked 1 lakh kms in its lifetime. Around July 2012, the Zen started showing signs of ageing and since the model was discontinued long back, availability of spare parts became a rare find. So it was time to find a replacement. This new car would be mainly driven by my dad who is currently posted in a small district Jhunjhunu in the state of Rajasthan. Being the "only automobile expert" in my family, I was given the responsibility to research and finalize the chief contenders. Budget was kept around 6 lakhs and hence I started searching the Premium Hatchback market.

The major requirements were:
1. Easy to drive : Since it would be mostly driven in town, the engine must be drive-able all along the RPM range.
2. Revv happy engine : Even my father has an automobile enthusiast hidden in his heart.
3. Comfortable ride quality : Suspension and ride quality played a vital role in the decision as condition of roads in Jhunjhunu was pathetic.
4. Silent cabin : I hate high NVH levels and hence the cabin should be quite.
5. Fuel efficient : No need to explain this, thanks to soaring fuel prices.


PETROL OR DIESEL

My father's office is 5 kms far from our house and hence the monthly running will not be exceeding 500 kms except the occasional highway trips. As a result, there was no use of buying a diesel car since the premium was around 1 lakh on most diesel variants with respect to their petrol counterparts. Moreover, there was news about a diesel price hike in the pipeline and therefore it was decided that we would only be focusing on the petrol variants.


CHIEF CONTENDERS

Maruti Suzuki Swift
At my home, "Maruti" is nothing less than a synonym for the word "cars". It was only me who stressed to take test drive of other cars in the segment too or else my father would have straightly booked any Maruti product. Went to Vipul Motors in Jaipur and took a test drive of a white Swift zxi.
Positives:
1. Gem of an engine. The 1.2L k-series engine is one of the best engines I have ever driven. It never runs out of breath and has sufficient torque available on tap all across the RPM range. This makes it quite drive-able in the city and helps in easy overtaking on highways.
2. Ride quality is pretty decent. Though I was not able to test it on poor roads but the way it handled speed beakers and occasional pot holes was good enough for a comfortable ride.
3. Refinement. This was something I was experiencing for the first time. When the Swift is standing idle with engine turned on, the NVH levels are so small that I felt as if the engine is off. As you proceed across the RPM range, sound starts penetrating the cabin, but it never irritates you, not even above 4000 RPM. This was something I really loved about the Swift.
4. We have a Maruti Dealer and authorized Workshop in Jhunjhunu itself so service and maintenance would be a bit easy.
Negatives:
1. I am not a big fan of the all black themed interiors.
2. The rear design looked awkward to me. AFAIK, no one has said this on Team-BHP yet, but I really don't know why I thought the rear to be shaped unnecessarily bulbous.
3. The boot space was small. But this can be rolled out since it would mostly be my Father and Mother travelling in the car as I live in Jaipur.
Decision:
I liked the Swift and kept this as an option.

Hyundai i20
Went to Morani Motors, Jaipur for a test drive. The dealer experience was much better than Maruti. A test drive was arranged within 5 minutes of my arrival.
Positives:
1. Interiors and exteriors are designed perfectly. It has adequate flare inside-out.
2. Spacious interiors. IMO, the space of i20 is comparable with many sedans.
3. Equipment list. On the basis of equipment given, the i20 is truly a VFM car.
4. Availability of authorized service station in Jhunjhunu.
Negatives:
1. Severely under powered engine. It was so dull that I often felt as if the hand brake has been pulled up.
2. The steering is too light to my liking and does not provide the required feedback.
3. Hyundai's after sales service are always costly.
Decision:
Due to poor engine, the i20 was ruled out straight away. I wish Hyundai had planted a better mill under the hood of this beautiful product.

Ford Figo
Went to KS Ford, Jaipur and was horrified with the way they treated potential customers. I entered the showroom, receptionist was busy on phone and signaled me to sit on a table situated far away from the reception. I was sitting on that table for about 10 minutes and not even a single Sales Agent came to entertain my wish for a Test Drive. At last a Test Drive was arranged after half an hour of my arrival.
Positives:
1. Good build quality.
2. Better looking interiors than the swift. but still i20 leads this characteristic.
3. Engine was good to drive regularly. In other words, it was ok ok types.
Negatives:
1. Looked old as compared to its newly launched or facelifted counterparts.
2. Absence of a Ford dealer in Jhunjhunu meant we had to take it all the way to Jaipur for service,etc.
Decision:
Don't know what happened, but we didn't take the Figo seriously and soon it was automatically out of our list.

VW and Skoda were not considered due to their poor Service experiences, and avoided Tata owing to its pathetic build quality.

And so it was finalized that we will be booking a Maruti Suzuki Swift vxi in September 2012, once my father takes a TD.

Congrats for the Dezire !!

Comfortable city driving and practically. Detailed pictures, great keep the enthusiasm Alive!

Few tips that would help you save a lot on the long run -

Lubrication
Conventional engines can get away with lubrication that does nothing but keep things slick, the oil in a TCE is responsible for both lubricating and cooling the turbocharger itself. The high heat encountered in the turbocharger's bearings will quickly begin to cook the contaminants found in all conventional motor oils, causing sludge and engine failure. The importance of good oil in a turbocharged engine simply cannot be overstated.The use of full synthetic oil is an expensive but necessary precaution, and a good investment in longevity.

Fueling
Turbochargers put a lot of stress on the fuel system, so its maintenance should be at the top of your list. Turbocharged engines are especially sensitive to disruptions and irregularities in fuel supply.

Cooling
TCE produce a lot of heat, so it's important that their cooling systems are able to shed it. Flush your cooling system at least every 20,000Kms and always use a quality coolant. It's worth remembering that antifreeze does more than prevent freezing; it also lubricates cooling system parts and helps prevent heat-induced leakage.

Leaks
The pressurized intake system in many TCE will develop small leaks over time, which bleed off boost pressure and cost power. Check for leaks by spraying soapy water around the rubber coupling of your engine's turbo-to-intake manifold ducting while the engine is running. Bubbles indicate a leaking, which should be dealt with promptly.

NOTE: Take "Turbocharged Engine" warning seriously. Every manufactures specifies it the manual as well as a sticker placed on the Dash or near by. TCE should be given at-least 30-seconds at ignition and same while turning it down. Avoid being harsh on the engine in the morning.

Safe Driving !

[dass]

Just read this news article "MARUTI OFFERS DISCOUNT ON SWIFT AND DZIRE"

http://profit.ndtv.com/news/market/a...e-otherstories

I may be getting mine tomorrow and the dealer has flatly refused to provide me anything. Talk about bad timings.

[Rajat]

Congrats on your "Dzire" being fulfilled! In fact I got my Silver VXi Dzire on 2nd Feb 2013. Requirements were similar as yours and hence the same spec. The car came home for Dad as he was moving to our home town Nagpur post retirement & our old workhorse, 06 Wagon R Lxi is now in my possession in Mumbai.

The Dzire is a gem to drive in city and equally fun on the Highway. I was getting 16.5 kmpl in Mumbai city running and got a astounding 21 kmpl on an 850 kms drive from Mumbai to Nagpur

Here is how she looked on the first day:

[dZired]

Originally Posted by Rajat

Congrats on your "Dzire" being fulfilled! In fact I got my Silver VXi Dzire on 2nd Feb 2013.

Thanks and congratulations to you too mate. Keep sharing your ownership experiences here as we are having the same variant.
Have you gone for the first service yet? And what are the accessories you have planned or installed?

[dZired]

Thanks to a maniac driving a Hero Honda Splendor, my DZire got its first scratch today. The passenger side front bumper has got a hit and something from below the bumper has penetrated the plastic. Will post the pics today evening. :-(

[dZired]

Originally Posted by dZired

Thanks to a maniac driving a Hero Honda Splendor, my DZire got its first scratch today. The passenger side front bumper has got a hit and something from below the bumper has penetrated the plastic. Will post the pics today evening. :-(

Here are the pics.

[stringbh]

Hi dZired, first, congratulations on your purchase and wish you many happy miles with it.

That first scratch hurts (I gone mine) and hopefully you will be able to cover it up. I try my best to slow down when I see these crazy bikers, but, it is not always in your hands.

[dZired]

Originally Posted by stringbh

Hi dZired, first, congratulations on your purchase and wish you many happy miles with it.

That first scratch hurts (I gone mine) and hopefully you will be able to cover it up. I try my best to slow down when I see these crazy bikers, but, it is not always in your hands.

Exactly mate. Irrespective of how small the first scratch is, it always hurts the most. I saved the car from these maniacs for 4 months but in the end those crazy bikers won the battle.

[dZired]

Did a Jhunjhunu - Delhi trip yesterday. Speed was maintained between 80-100 kmph. Got a whopping mileage of 22 kmpl (tankfull to tankfull method) with AC running for around 80% of the drive and two people on board. This is the best mileage I have been able to get in the past 4 months of ownership.
On another note, mileage value shown in the MID is a bit too optimistic and was showing average FE of 30 kmpl at the end of the trip.

[Loud]

dZired, heartiest congratulations on your car.
The mileage figures you got in the trip was great I think. How much is the odometer reading now?

MIDs are sometimes faulty also. My friend's Verna shows 55 kmpl sometimes, that too in a petrol! After sometime, it comes back to 11.5 kmpl. :lol

Scratches are standard in a car within 1 year of ownership. Thank God its not much visible. The tyre mark can be rubbed with a rubbing compound, rest can be done with a touchup paint. I think the bumper has cracked and nothing from below the bumper has done this.

Cheers.

[dZired]

Originally Posted by Loud

dZired, heartiest congratulations on your car.
The mileage figures you got in the trip was great I think. How much is the odometer reading now?

Thank you mate. The car has run over 3200 kms till date.

Scratches are standard in a car within 1 year of ownership. Thank God its not much visible. The tyre mark can be rubbed with a rubbing compound, rest can be done with a touchup paint. I think the bumper has cracked and nothing from below the bumper has done this.

Tried to rub the tyre mark but it is not willing to go. Regarding the bumper, a tiny steel plate-like-thing has penetrated it. Maybe it is not visible in these pics.

[Loud]

Originally Posted by dZired

Thank you mate. The car has run over 3200 kms till date.

Nice. I gifted my car the first scratch at 729 kms! Rammed the divider when my adjacent car lost control at 100+ kph, banging me from the left and forcing me towards the divider.

Originally Posted by dZired

Tried to rub the tyre mark but it is not willing to go. Regarding the bumper, a tiny steel plate-like-thing has penetrated it. Maybe it is not visible in these pics.

I think you should try 'Formula One Scratch Out' on the tyre mark. I have used it many times and it has always helped in getting the tyre marks off the car, if not scratches. Then you can apply some wax for a normal finish. I would advice you to leave the scratch as it is until there is some reason that you want to replace the bumper / visit a paintshop.

[amitksvs]

Originally Posted by dZired

I have mentioned the FE figures in my review above.


Till now I have not found any problem in the braking aspect. Even I have heard bad reviews about DZire's braking capabilities but have not got the chance to test emergency or hard braking. For regular commuting, the brakes give more than sufficient response.

Hello there @dZired, read your review and happily realized that I have reached the right place/post! I have booked an Amaze base model-Petrol and after waiting for good 4 months for the Launch itself and more than 2 months for delivery now post launch, am seriously considering Dzire-VXI. Wanted to ask you about the Braking issue as it was discussed negatively at many places, how bad is this issue if at all it is there anymore! saw your feedback on FE so that part is answered already. Since I am very fond of music, would like to know about the quality of stereo system in VXI, any suggestion/idea about sprucing up the stock audio system provided? like putting in tweeters or replacing the OE speakers with better ones?
Thanks in advance.

[dZired]

Originally Posted by amitksvs

Wanted to ask you about the Braking issue as it was discussed negatively at many places, how bad is this issue if at all it is there anymore!

Well frankly speaking, the brakes do feel weak in emergency braking conditions. But it is definitely not a deal breaker.
It was only yesterday when a cyclist jumped from nowhere in front of my car while I was doing 70kmph. I slammed the brakes and then realised that the DZire takes longer distance to come to a full stop, as compared to my swift zxi. To put it straight, the braking problem is definitely there, but it is not so prominent. The fact that we already know that the brakes lack bite make this problem more noticeable.

PS: The car did stop, and the cyclist escaped unhurt.

Since I am very fond of music, would like to know about the quality of stereo system in VXI, any suggestion/idea about sprucing up the stock audio system provided? like putting in tweeters or replacing the OE speakers with better ones?

Well if you are not a hard core audioholic, the OE system might be more than enough for you. It provides ample amount of bass and treble, even at higher volumes.
But if you lie in the audioholic band, installing a set of tweeters in the front and replacing the rear speakers by JBL-GTO 949-400W (a set of two costs 5000 bucks) would spruce up your ICE experience.