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Old 18th June 2015, 22:08   #31
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Originally Posted by NPV View Post
I was wondering why you have referred to the Suzuki Swift as the Maruti Suzuki Swift. Is it just to differentiate it from the Japanese Suzuki Swift imports or also that these models are built in India and exported to Costa Rica ?
Well, it is just to differentiate here while posting plus I feel pride as it is not just a Suzuki but the pride of a whole company with indian roots!

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Originally Posted by rxpaul View Post
Btw, your country must be having a lot of American & German cars also right? Do you also have the Tata & Mahindra cars/ suvs ? Do send us more pictures of your car & your country. Cheers
There is a good mix of Japanese, Korean, European and American cars here. We also have Chinese (JAC, Dragon Wall, etc) and Indian (Tata/Mahindra). Some are sourced from Latin America itself like the Honda CRV is made in Mexico and the VW Jetta in Brasil.

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-mahindra.jpg

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Originally Posted by girishglg View Post
Congrats on the stunning new Blu Garuti! Wow what a name!

Also do keep us regularly posted about your part of the world which would be fascinating to know especially non auto stuff like travels etc and a place where you can post them is our very own travelogues section-

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/

BTW you can explore India virtually with some superb travelogues from our very own BHPians!
Thanks!!! It is in honor of our son who chose the color of the car!

The car is still below 1000 KM but I will post my first travelogue once I can take it out of the city!

Quote:
Originally Posted by D4D View Post
Wishing you thousands of kilometers of happy and trouble free ownership.

Just a few questions:
1. Is the market dominated by ATs?
2. Is the Hyundai i20 sold in Costa Rica?

Makes me wonder why we don't get ATs when our country manufactures the same for you.
New cars are dominated by AT but still most cars here are manual transmission. Our Suzuki salesman told me 90% of new Swifts sold are A/T. However diehard fans still ask for M/T. I wanted a MT but my home minister insisted in AT due to all the city driving she does.

Hyunda i10 , i20 and Accent hatch are very popular here as well as Kia Rio hatch.


Mod Note: Please use Multi-Quote options instead of posting back to back

Last edited by ampere : 18th June 2015 at 22:31. Reason: Back to back posts
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Old 19th June 2015, 00:10   #32
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Our Blu Garuti is only 8 days old. I paid a visit to the Suzuki dealership yesterday as I got the boot door checked as it seems to require above normal force to close it. It is a minor adjustment. I also took pictures of our dealership so you can take a peek. You can see a lot of cars sourced from Maruti India!

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-del1.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-del2.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-del3.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-del7.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-del4.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-del6.jpg





In the meantime the number one complaint from our home minister (lack of vanity mirror on the driver`s side) has been solved with a cheapo mirror from the grocery store. In the picture below you can see also the Parrot hands free goven as a gift from the dealership and a sun shade I bought also from the grocery store.

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-visor.jpg
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Old 19th June 2015, 12:50   #33
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

In the picture of the dealership there is a poster of the S-cross. Has it been launched there already?
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Old 19th June 2015, 14:19   #34
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

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Originally Posted by dsr_rpm View Post
In the picture of the dealership there is a poster of the S-cross. Has it been launched there already?
I was curious as well! So, I checked Suzuki Costa Rica's website & it seems that S-Cross is launched there recently.

http://www.suzuki.cr/vehiculos.php?a...=null&video=no
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Old 19th June 2015, 14:40   #35
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Quote:
Originally Posted by GarotoCR View Post
Our Blu Garuti is only 8 days old. I paid a visit to the Suzuki dealership yesterday as I got the boot door checked as it seems to require above normal force to close it. It is a minor adjustment. I also took pictures of our dealership so you can take a peek. You can see a lot of cars sourced from Maruti India!
Thanks for those pictures, the dealership has pretty much all the cars sold in India by Maruti
How do the Alto 800 and Alto K10 fare on the sales front ? I'm asking since cars in India have just one variant/trim that offers a driver's side air bag and obviously no ABS!
Are airbags mandatory in all cars sold in Costa Rica ? In that case the lower trim levels of these cars cannot be sold there and hence the question

EDIT:Just checked the Suzuki costa rica website and it has a picture of the Alto 800 with 2 airbags.

Last edited by NPV : 19th June 2015 at 14:44.
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Old 19th June 2015, 20:27   #36
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Quote:
Originally Posted by GarotoCR View Post
Our Blu Garuti is only 8 days old. I paid a visit to the Suzuki dealership yesterday as I got the boot door checked as it seems to require above normal force to close it. It is a minor adjustment. I also took pictures of our dealership so you can take a peek. You can see a lot of cars sourced from Maruti India!



In the meantime the number one complaint from our home minister (lack of vanity mirror on the driver`s side) has been solved with a cheapo mirror from the grocery store. In the picture below you can see also the Parrot hands free goven as a gift from the dealership and a sun shade I bought also from the grocery store.

Attachment 1383467
Congratulations on your Car . Swift is defintlely a good car. though a M/T would be another game altogether. I can understand your decision on A/T.

How is response for Ciaz there, is it with a 1.4L engine or 1.6L or the engine specs are different compared to the ones launched in India ?
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Old 19th June 2015, 20:44   #37
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Quote:
Originally Posted by dsr_rpm View Post
In the picture of the dealership there is a poster of the S-cross. Has it been launched there already?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Desi Dybuk View Post
I was curious as well! So, I checked Suzuki Costa Rica's website & it seems that S-Cross is launched there recently.
Yes, the new S-Cross and Vitara are available now. I forgot to take pictures . One funny note on the new S-Cross. They have the model car mounted on 10 cm thick bases on all wheels so it looks way taller than it is. I heard people commenting how imposing the new model is but they don`t bother to look down.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NPV View Post
Thanks for those pictures, the dealership has pretty much all the cars sold in India by Maruti
How do the Alto 800 and Alto K10 fare on the sales front ? I'm asking since cars in India have just one variant/trim that offers a driver's side air bag and obviously no ABS!
Are airbags mandatory in all cars sold in Costa Rica ? In that case the lower trim levels of these cars cannot be sold there and hence the question

EDIT:Just checked the Suzuki costa rica website and it has a picture of the Alto 800 with 2 airbags.
Altos are popular for corporate sales, Celerio and Swift more popular with the common man.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunsh!nes View Post
Congratulations on your Car . Swift is defintlely a good car. though a M/T would be another game altogether. I can understand your decision on A/T.

How is response for Ciaz there, is it with a 1.4L engine or 1.6L or the engine specs are different compared to the ones launched in India ?
Yes! I wanted a M/T but our home minister insisted on AT due to her driving around the city habits. I dont blame her. In the end you can still feel the sporty character on most roads, it is on climbs where it suffers a little bit.

Ciaz was introduced recently and is having a great reception. There are base and "full" models both with the 1.4 engine. The full model includes reversing camera, leather trim and big wheels.

Interesting fact. Ciaz, Dzire and Swift are sold here at the same price, is it the same in India?
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Old 19th June 2015, 22:58   #38
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

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Originally Posted by GarotoCR View Post
Interesting fact. Ciaz, Dzire and Swift are sold here at the same price, is it the same in India?
Wow that's really interesting!

In India these 3 cars are in different segments and priced differently with Swift being cheapest, then the Dzire and Ciaz the most expensive. But again the higher trim level variants of the swift are almost as expensive as the basic variants of Dzire and so on.
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Old 21st June 2015, 11:45   #39
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Hello friends! I hope you are having a great Sunday. It is still Saturday here. Well, our beloved Blu Garuti has reached 1 week with us and has completed 500 km already, still 1500 km to go before her first schedule service call.

We are more impressed each day we drive her, my wife is loving Blue Garuti so much to the point I am getting jealous. I want to drive her everyday but my wife won't let go of her so I have to find excuses (need anything from the supermarket honey?).

I am also feeling a deeper connection with India, I see Blue Garuti and I think of the far away and exotic country it originated from. I don't feel much when I see Youtube videos of Japanese or European Swifts but I enjoy watching Indian reviews not only of Swifts but also any car sold in your country. I feel we have many things in common. I also have spent a lot of time reading old ownership reviews in Team BHP, to the point where I am not using Facebook or Twitter as much as before. Now most of my internet time is spent on Team BHP!


Blue Garuti on her first bath


Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-1.jpg


Our FE has been around 12 km/l so far , I think it's ok considering:

1. So far 100% city driving with stop & go traffic, many slopes and hills
2. A/C on 90% of the time
3. Car has not reached 1000 km
4. I just realized I had not checked tyre pressure since D day and I found out they were at 25psi! So I adjusted them to 32 in front and 30 on rear which I found recommended in BHP

Let me know your thoughts on wether FE seems ok to you and if I expect an improvement over time.

Also I have a couple of questions:

1. Does this car have DFCO mode (Direct Fuel Cutoff Mode)? Our Sorento and old Yaris had it, where fuel consumption is 0 when doing compression like going down a hill without touching the accelerator. I notice in Blue Garuti FE indicator shows around 30km/L when doing this.
2. Is it normal for the A/C to do some noise like its going on and off when going in reverse?


Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-2.jpg


I am enjoying driving this AT! This is the most fun car to drive I had ever driven. I have learned to get the most of the AT, you need to massage it or know to to rev it, I find the Overdrive very useful and easy to use.

Well this is it for now! I leave with some random pictures, since we haven't driven much there is still no material for a travelogue but I leave you this snapshots, hope it is not against the rules.


Our old Hyundai Excel, she had 15 years in this picture. Old story was that the 1992 model was painted with the same technology as Mercedes Benz cars. I am sure it was true, look at the shine after a decade and a half! Also, one of the most reliable and cheap to maintain cars we have ever owned, maybe we were lucky with this one.

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-3.jpg


Our other car, the family hauler - the Kia Sorento - a beast!

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-4.jpg


While driving around town the other day I just realized how many Swifts there are around. Also, I spotted an old Maruti 800, a rare sight here!

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-5.jpg


Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-6.jpg


As night falls, I leave you with a picture of my home town. Greetings from Costa Rica!


Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-7.jpg
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Old 21st June 2015, 13:39   #40
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A wonderful write up, my friend. It feels good that Indian cars have grabbed attention of the international audience. Beautiful pics, just love the nightscape.
Enjoy your Garuti and keep it coming with such wonderful pics.
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Old 27th June 2015, 09:43   #41
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Good day fellow BHPians! I hope you are all having a wonderful Saturday morning!

Blue Garuti has barely reached 700km and we are only halfway on our second petrol tank! FE has been steady at 12.2km/l according to car computer. I still have not measured it using the auto cut method but I am very satisfied so far. Driving style continues to be 100% city, A/C 100% of the time.

No major changes to Garuti (home minister is not fond of major tweaking to our cars). I have added the boot window sun film, so we are at 20% tint (max permitted by law in my country) all around except windshield. Check it out in the following pictures:

Back window seems bigger do to sun film

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-polar2.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-polar1.jpg

An angry bird made a visit

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-pajaro.jpg

We have used the extended boot for several errands. Have to say that although boot is tiny, when it comes to do some hauling the extra space beats most sedans anytime!

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-cajuela.jpg


Ride continues to be smooth, only inconvenience for me is the skinny steering wheel, I wish it was leather wrapped. As I mentioned my wife won't approve adding a leather cover so I will have to deal with it, maybe I should buy driving gloves?

I am having fun spotting on my commute as in this picture, where Blue Garuti met a bigger cousin and a fellow friend born in the same country.


Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-mahindra.jpg
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Old 18th July 2015, 17:13   #42
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Quote:
Originally Posted by condor View Post
Like JD1 said, no AT option here. I wish Suzuki does release it for us here too.
Yes! Pray why not? Swift AT would be a no-brainer for someone looking for good reliable AT hatch with the excellent Maruti Service network to support.

I found the Celerio underwhelming after my ownership of the i10 AT and pretty shortsighted that the DZire sedan is the next vehicle in the Maruti stable where you get an AT.
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Old 20th July 2015, 07:28   #43
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Hi guys I hope you are doing good! I was waiting to hit 2k for an update to the thread but it has been slow going. We just drove past the 1.5k mark so I expect to schedule our first maintenance in a couple of weeks.

Suzuki maintenance schedule in Costa Rica is at 2000, 5000, 10000 and every 5000 km from there on. First oil change is at 5k. Seems odd as in India it has service intervals every 10000 km doesn't it?

Driving experience has been superb!!!! We are loving it!!! Things are going smooth, no rattles, my wife loves it now that she has learned to dominate the AT (as she was used to the low rev AT on the Kia Sorento).

As we are now on full rainy season washing cycles are closer so I started to wash it myself with a visit to the car care center once or twice a month. Thanks to the small size it is very fast to clean it (I don't need more than 20 min).


Quote:
Originally Posted by NowNew7 View Post
Yes! Pray why not? Swift AT would be a no-brainer for someone looking for good reliable AT hatch with the excellent Maruti Service network to support.

I found the Celerio underwhelming after my ownership of the i10 AT and pretty shortsighted that the DZire sedan is the next vehicle in the Maruti stable where you get an AT.
Yes its another of those weird decisions done by car makers that seem to defy logic. We are extremely happy with the AT, it doesn't feel slow at all, you just need to learn how to make it do what you want. It is a blessing in bumper to bumper traffic. Love the Overdrive Off button, very handy with our frequent hills to be able to get decent acceleration on demand.

Paid a visit to the Suzuki dealership to pick up the license plates and registration stickers so it looks complete now!

While buying some pastries for breakfast, Garuti had some visits: a red cousin and a nifty Daihatsu.

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-1.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-2.jpg

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-3.jpg

Some spotting at the Suzuki dealership. APV is a very popular model. It is made in Indonesia isn't it? Or is it also made in India?

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-4.jpg

As usual, a parting shot. This is La Penca Beach, about 350km from our capital. To get there you go through mostly flat roads and beautiful scenery. Hope to be hitting the road on long trips next summer!

Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!-20150118_152730.jpg


See you soon friends and have a happy and safe motoring this week!
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Old 20th July 2015, 08:07   #44
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

Quote:
Originally Posted by GarotoCR View Post
You can see a lot of cars sourced from Maruti India!
Damn ! I just can not believe that tin can is there - the Alto 800 .. do people there really buy it ?

Lovely pics there, especially of the beach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GarotoCR View Post
Seems odd as in India it has service intervals every 10000 km doesn't it?
Yes ! Was expecting a longer interval for you guys.

Quote:
Some spotting at the Suzuki dealership. APV is a very popular model. It is made in Indonesia isn't it ?
Quote:
Or is it also made in India??
No, not India .. must be Indonesia / SE Asia.

Last edited by condor : 20th July 2015 at 08:25.
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Old 14th August 2015, 23:32   #45
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re: Bought a LHD Maruti Swift AT in Costa Rica! Update: SOLD after 5 years and 75k km!

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Originally Posted by condor View Post
Damn ! I just can not believe that tin can is there - the Alto 800 .. do people there really buy it ?
Sorry for the delayed response, I have been very busy! I have paid attention on the road and I dont see many, maybe 1 or 2 per week. Some seem to be business vehicles but I have seen personal used ones too.
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