[TSEA]

Why a new car

In my car ownership experience in India, I have predominantly owned TATA Cars. Earlier it was an Indica Turbo DLG and latter it was the Vista QJD.

Vista was the car that I loved and cherished driving it. It came with generous leg, head and shoulder room. The light colored interiors and larger glass area, made the cabin even more airy.

The car was also driving beautifully and was entering it's 9th Year. All was well, until the following unfolded.

March 22nd'18:

I had taken it for regular service to Concorde. After inspection, I was provided a huge quote for repairs (related to Suspension). I was in two minds on what to do, whether to go ahead with the repair or to dispose the vehicle. A quick chat with Carista technicians, confirmed the urgency/importance of repairs and the amount involved.

Decided at that moment to dispose the vehicle and buy a new one. Now came the question on what to buy?

Which car

Due the need and urgency of my situation, I just went ahead without exploring many options. My requirement were:

1. Budget petrol vehicle
2. Ease of maintenance
3. Fuel efficient automatic
3. Airbags and ABS

Swift and Tiago were the options that I had in my mind. Would have considered Baleno CVT, if it was in my budget. Have detailed out why I went with Swift instead of Tiago, in the Driving Experience Section. Also, I firmly believe that "you take care of the vehicle and the vehicle takes care of you".

Immediately called up Maruti with the intention to test drive a Swift AMT. Since the Swift AMT test drive vehicle was not available, took a test drive of the Dzire AMT. Was impressed with the ease of driving with an AMT.

Got my Vista estimated from Maruti True Value. Received a ridiculous quote. Decided to look at alternate places to sell the car. Called up Cars 24 and fixed an appointment for next day

March 23rd'18:

Took the car to Cars 24. After 2 hours, the vehicle was no longer mine. Was surprised at the high number of bids for this model.

Called up Kalyani and Mandovi motors. Kalyani sales person responded first. Told him that I will pay upfront, provided the car is delivered asap. The sales person confirmed availability of White Swift Vxi AMT. Booked the vehicle with a tentative delivery date of 27th/28th March.

March 27th'18:

Was informed by the sales person that the cheque had cleared and the delivery was confirmed for the next day.

Downloaded the Team BHP PDI document and inspected the car at the dealers place. Was told by the sales rep that PDI Inspection was an agreed upon practice (from the dealers's viewpoint).

March 28th'18:

Took the delivery of the vehicle on 28th'18.

Dealership Experience:

The dealership experience was very good (maybe due to the fact that I got the car swiftly). The Sales Person was prompt and kept all his promises. The car was delivered at the appointed time. The sales function of Maruti is fairly streamlined. Different departments have different responsibilities and there is no loss of information between the departments.

How much did it cost me, On Road Price and Variant Details

There was not much of a negotiation done. Any discussion on discounts were politely and firmly denied. At the end, this is how much it costed me with associated details:

Make: Maruti
Model: Swift
Variant: VXi AMT
Fuel: Petrol
Booking Date: 23/03/2018
Color: Pearl Metallic Arctic White
Delivery Date: 28/03/2018
Freebies: Floor mats, Bumper Guard Strips
Price: Rs. 767,764 OTR (Bangalore) [Including Insurance and Extended Warranty]
Discount: None
Dealership: Kalyani Motors, Bannerghatta Road

Summary of Likes:

1. AMT Gear Box and K Series engine combination is a boon for city driving. I hope with the bigger engine and Maruti's experience (learning curve) with the AMT gear box, the issues related to AMT (as reported with other Maruti Models), will be negligible. Folks who are in the process of buying a new car, should definitely explore AMT options (on whichever brand/model they like/trust)
2. Maruti's decision on providing "Dual Front Airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist" as a standard across models
3. Love the steering controls (minus the horn)
4. Bolstering on front seats
5. Small turning radius (big advantage in Bangalore traffic)
6. Availability of a service center at a walking distance from my house
7. Stability and cornering capabilities of the car
8. Gear Knob

Summary of Dislikes

1. Quality of plastics/electrical-parts at certain areas (like OVRM knob)
2. Thin rear seats
3. Feather light steering (on low speeds)
4. Difficult to operate horn
5. The first and second gear does not up-shift at a lower rpm (currently they up-shift around 2000 RPM). More than the first gear, I get more bothered by the second gear not up-shifting to third at a lower RPM. Honestly in city traffic, I will be more happy if the second gear up-shifts to third at say around 1600 RPM
6. The gear box downshifts very quickly. This get's irritating on speed breakers
7. The driver side door, at times will not close completely on a gentle push (when we exit the car). Have to get it checked during the first service

What I fear:

1. Life of AMT gear box due to issues reported for AMT Gear Box on other threads
2. Discoloring of the White Body color. Have seen many white cars, turning yellowish as the car ages. Any pointers on how to maintain a white car will be helpful
3. Door Rattling. Have already started to feel that the passenger side front door is making some noise, at times (or is it the glove box, have to narrow it down)

Wish list for future

1. Lighter Seat Covers (My better half does not like the dark layout of the seats and dashboard)
2. Better floor mats

Queries that I have

1. How to protect the paint and maintain a white car (Tips/Ticks)
2. How to protect and prevent fading of the exterior black plastics (this model has a lot of it)
3. How to change the incoming call alert tone
4. Do the brakes of an AMT vehicle vs a similar variant Manual vehicle, wear out faster (in similar driving conditions)


On the lighter side

1. During delivery, I asked the Sales Person about the remote for the music system unit. He told me that this model does not come with a remote. I checked in the glove box and it was there (much to the Sales Persons embarrassment. He is a nice chap, though)

My first visit to the service center will happen at 1000 Kms (maybe by end of April). Will update on the service experience accordingly.

[RM Motorsports]

Originally Posted by TSEA

March 23rd'18:

Took the car to Cars 24. After 2 hours, the vehicle was no longer mine.

Called up Kalyani and Mandovi motors. Kalyani sales person responded first. Told him that I will pay upfront, provided the car is delivered asap. The sales person confirmed availability of White Swift Vxi AMT. Booked the vehicle with a tentative delivery date of 27th/28th March.

March 27th'18:

Was informed by the sales person that the cheque had cleared and the delivery was confirmed for the next day.

Downloaded the Team BHP PDI document and inspected the car at the dealers place.

March 28th'18:

Took the delivery of the vehicle on 28th'18.

..more to follow

Delivery is so quick for new Swift? Another person I know who got delivery of new Swift in just 2 weeks after booking. There are reports that waiting is 8-10 weeks for new Swift. Is it just the hype created by Maruti about waiting periods or the number of cars booked?

[TSEA]

I have tried to pen down my experience/observations in the next few section:

Exterior: The car looks good (Specially the Front View)

Front View



Rear View



Side View





In the exterior build quality, I was pleasantly surprised. The doors are not flimsy (neither they are as reassuring as of other European cars). The front doors do not budge in on applying force. The rear doors however flex in a bit on external pressure.

I felt that the Hatch Door is heavier than the boot lid of a Dzire. It has space on either side for closing the hatch. There are buttons under the door for opening it (once all doors are unlocked from the driver side panel)



The panel gaps are also consistent.

The read door handles are integrated in the rear window, making the cabin space a little more claustrophobic for rear seat passengers





Ride and Handling: Ride quality so far has been good. The suspension setup is stiffer than my Vista. However the cornering capabilities of the swift is far ahead of my previous vista.

Ground clearance is good. The car so far has not "bottomed out" on any speed breakers. Maybe it's my observation alone; I feel that the rear of the vehicle has a higher clearance than the front.



The car came with Apollo Amazer 3G Maxx. The tyres could have been a tad wider than the existing 165/80 R14. Y



The tyres seem to have been manufactured in March'18.





Interior Front: Space is generous in front. The seats in front, are the best place to be.



They are bolstered on the sides, thereby proving Lateral Support

Steering: The steering is nice to hold and does weigh up well on higher speeds.





However, I find the below very irritating:

1. The steering is "just too light" for city driving. Maybe the Vista hangover will take some time
2. The horn placement and ease of use is not at all ergonomic
3. The incoming call alter tone is not very soothing for our ears, it is rather annoying. Will have to find out a way to change it

The Gear Knob feels good to hold and thankfully is not a chrome unit.



The AC is a chiller. Cools effectively. The knobs do give a feel that they will last. The AC on/off button however, is very small and feels fragile

Central AC vents and side AC vents do close completely. However one can feel air slipping through the central AC Vents



This variant comes with Electrically Adjustable OVRMs.



The OVRMs in general provide a good coverage. The knob for electrical operation is probably the first part that I might accidentally break (it is small and just does not feel strong enough)


Interior Rear: Space is just adequate on the rear bench. The boot is adequate (larger and more useful than my earlier vehicle)



The seats on the back are optimized for space (and not comfort)



My Vista had an overall width of 1695mm. My swift has a width of 1735mm. I am not sure why I still feel that the Vista had more shoulder room at the rear seats!


AMT Driving Experience: Have driven around 300 kms on the highway (took the car to Mysore over the weekend) and a little over 600 kms in the city. So far it's been a good experience. On the highway, one has to keep an eye on the speedometer. I was hitting hundred without realizing it.

The shifts from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd are noticeable. Beyond 3rd, the shifts are barely noticeable. As Team BHP reviewers have stated, one can minimize the jerks by going easy on the accelerator and by periodically lifting the right foot, thereby allowing the AMT to shift to a higher gear. As per my observation, AMT will shift from lower to higher gear by momentarily letting go of the accelerator at the following RPMs (on a leveled road):

1st to 2nd: 2000 RPM
2nd to 3rd: 2000 RPM
3rd to 4th: 1600 RPM
4th to 5th: Yet to find the sweet spot

However, on a steep incline (e.g. climbing the not so well designed parking alleys at Malls/Hospitals), the AMT does struggle to choose between 1st and 2nd gear. It basically tries to up shift to 2nd and then again down shifts (to makeup for the loss in torque). The workaround that I am using as of now is to shift to Manual and retain the desired gear.

Driving in City traffic is very very relaxing. Till now, have not found any jerks or unexpected "bouncing forward" behavior.



Comfort: This is the department wherein I am the most satisfied. It is due to a combination of various things:

6.1. Smaller Turning Radius
6.2. AMT Gear Box
6.3. K Series Engine: I want to highlight a point here which might be useful for others. As compared to the Tiago XZA that I had a test driven (a month back), I found the Swift to be much smoother and refined to drive. This experience of mine should be due to the better (and bigger) engine on the Swift. I strongly feel that it's worth paying an extra 1 Lakh for a Swift Vxi as compared to a Tiago XZA.



Fuel Efficiency:

As of now the MID is showing 13.5 kmpl for kms covered in the city (and city only).



Safety Features: The car comes with:

1. Dual Front Airbags
2. ABS with EBD and Brake Assist
3. Pre-Tensioners (and Force Limiter) for front seats
4. Speed Sensitive Automatic Door Locks
5. IsoFix
6. Engine Immobilizer
7. Security Alarm System

The brakes have the required bite (despite the AMT) and provide adequate assurance.

[TSEA]

Engine Bay: The engine bay is uncluttered and can probably accommodate a bigger engine





There is some cladding on the bonnet.



Care has to be taken while touching the bonnet holder, it generally is very hot to touch.





Storage Spaces:

The glove box is tiny



The front side pockets have decent space.



Rear side pockets are only having space for bottles



There is a bottle holder after the back of the gear box as well (for usage by rear seat passengers).



Central Console/Music System:

The Central Console layout is straightforward and fairly usable. This variant comes with Audio Player with 4 Door Speakers. Sound quality is good for a stock system. The space under the AC knobs is deep and can easily swallow a smartphone.





Other points:

Wiper Stalks feel durable and provide a good coverage:



The AMT foot well is fairly organized and dead pedal is placed ergonomically.

[TSEA]

First Service Update

I was constantly being reminded by the Service Department that my service date was approaching (I had bought the car on March'28th). So went ahead and booked the appointment for the first free Service (1000 kms or 1 month).

Reached the service center on time (Kalyani Motors, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore)

The car had clocked around 940 kms.

Was approached promptly and was assigned a SA. The SA was quick to make a note of the issues that I was facing. Key issues that I reported were:

1. The Horn is very hard to press
2. There is some noise coming from the passenger side
3. The driver side door is not closing completely on a soft push

The Car was taken inside and I was able to see the work being done from the customer lounge area.

I was expecting that not much attention will be given to the vehicle (as it's the first service and nothing has to be changed/added). However, I saw two service engineers constantly working on the vehicle for a good 30 mins. I was able to observe the following:

1. There was some kind of yellowish-white grease applied to door rivets (including hatch and bonnet area)
2. Some nuts around the suspension (for front and rear) were tightened
3. The glove box was removed and the cabin ac filter was removed and inspected
4. Oil/fluid levels were checked
5. All door were opened and closed repeatedly (not sure why)
6. Power windows were lowered and raised
7. All lights were checked
8. Tyres were checked and air was filled
9. The vehicle was taken for test drive (was later told that it was done to isolate the noise issue that I had reported)

After the above, the vehicle was given for vacuum, dry wash and wipe.

After around 1.5 hours, the vehicle was handed to me. The service bill was 0. The issues that I had reported were clarified to me:

1. The Horn is very hard to press: Nothing much can be done as it is has the Airbag setup underneath
2. There is some noise coming from the passenger side: The noise was isolated/attributed to the light parcel tray. Was advised to keep some weight (maybe a pillow) on it
3. The driver side door is not closing completely on a soft push: The issue was rectified (probably with the yellowish-white grease)

Overall, I am happy with the service turn around time and experience. As compared to TATA, the areas wherein I saw differences were:

1. SA was allocated/available, swiftly
2. Customer Lounge area is significantly cleaner than TATA Service Center (Concorde Motors, Dairy Circle)

Yes (as reported by BHPians), the SA did try to sell Wiper Fluid Additives. I told him that I was given around 4 pouches with the new car. He advised me to add them and gave me the instructions as well.

[TSEA]

Highway Drive Update:

Just completed a long drive from Bangalore-->Chikmagalur-->Arsikere-->Bangalore.

I drove on a mix of divided (toll roads), undivided roads and curved hilly roads. The fuel economy number was at 18.7 kmpl.

The automatic's behavior was predictable. At some places (specially in the hilly terrain), I did shift to manual to enable quick overtaking.

Also, this car does behave very well while cornering. There is a stretch from Chickmagalur to Arsikere, wherein there is curvy descending road. I was able to keep good speeds on this road, despite the nature of the terrain. The co-ordinates for the road are:

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Ca...605395!1m0!3e0

As on today, the car has clocked 1700 kms.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[BODHI25]

Congratulations TSEA, white looks good!
Swift is a lovely car with a lovely 4 cylinder petrol engine and its good to hear that Maruti has improved the build quality!
Any modifications planned for your Swift in the near future?

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by TSEA

March 28th'18:

Took the delivery of the vehicle on 28th'18.

Make: Maruti
Model: Swift
Variant: VXi AMT
Fuel: Petrol
Booking Date: 23/03/2018
Color: Pearl Metallic Arctic White
Delivery Date: 28/03/2018
Freebies: Floor mats, Bumper Guard Strips
Price: Rs. 767,764 OTR (Bangalore) [Including Insurance and Extended Warranty]
Discount: None
Dealership: Kalyani Motors, Bannerghatta Road

Congrats TSEA on your latest acquisition.

When the Swift Facelift "Scoop" designs were leaked online, I just hated it. I genuinely believed that Swift was the only good looking car designed by Maruti in India in the recent decade. I was blown away when I first saw the latest D-Zire on road, as it looks just smashing.

And having seen the new Swift on the road, it actually looks pretty proportioned. Dare I say, it can almost fool an untrained eye as a Mini Cooper!!

Wish you many happy and fuss free mile munching, and a happy motoring.

[TSEA]

Originally Posted by BODHI25

Congratulations TSEA, white looks good!
Swift is a lovely car with a lovely 4 cylinder petrol engine and its good to hear that Maruti has improved the build quality!
Any modifications planned for your Swift in the near future?

Thanks Bodhi25; No modifications planned at all (apart from lighter seat covers)

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Congrats TSEA on your latest acquisition.

When the Swift Facelift "Scoop" designs were leaked online, I just hated it. I genuinely believed that Swift was the only good looking car designed by Maruti in India in the recent decade. I was blown away when I first saw the latest D-Zire on road, as it looks just smashing.

And having seen the new Swift on the road, it actually looks pretty proportioned. Dare I say, it can almost fool an untrained eye as a Mini Cooper!!

Wish you many happy and fuss free mile munching, and a happy motoring.

Thanks Vik0728; The car indeed looks good and well proportioned. However, I do feel that the front could have had a slightly more higher stance.

[a4anurag]

Many congratulations on the Swift VXi AMT.

Originally Posted by TSEA

The tyres seem to have been manufactured in March'18.

The code '0318' means 3rd week of 2018 which is between '14.01.2018 to 20.01.2018'.

[Col Mehta]

Congratulations on your new beautiful car. Wish you and your family many happy and safe miles with it. Glad to know that you are satisfied with AMT performance.

Originally Posted by TSEA

First Service Update

2. There is some noise coming from the passenger side: The noise was isolated/attributed to the light parcel tray. Was advised to keep some weight (maybe a pillow) on it

Oh dear Maruti! If you are reading this, please do something about these minor but embarassing niggles. Getting such lame solution after spending 7+ lacs is just not acceptable. Such a turn off!

[TSEA]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Many congratulations on the Swift VXi AMT.
The code '0318' means 3rd week of 2018 which is between '14.01.2018 to 20.01.2018'.

Got it. Thanks Anurag

Originally Posted by Col Mehta

Congratulations on your new beautiful car. Wish you and your family many happy and safe miles with it. Glad to know that you are satisfied with AMT performance.

Oh dear Maruti! If you are reading this, please do something about these minor but embarassing niggles. Getting such lame solution after spending 7+ lacs is just not acceptable. Such a turn off!

Thanks Col Mehta; I hope I don't have to deal with more of such minor niggles!

[AkMar]

Congratulations TSEA on your car! The swift is still an iconic car no matter how common it may be. And yes I totally agree with you that every additional penny over Tiago XZA is worth it just because of that sweet K series engine!

Originally Posted by Col Mehta

Oh dear Maruti! If you are reading this, please do something about these minor but embarassing niggles. Getting such lame solution after spending 7+ lacs is just not acceptable. Such a turn off!

These things are a part and parcel of Maruti ownership experience, sadly.

[TSEA]

Recall Episode:

So over lunch yesterday, my colleague told me that Maruti has issued a recall of recently manufactured Swifts and Baleno(s), over a possible fault in the break vacuum hose. I google and found the below link:

https://apps.marutisuzuki.com/servicecampaign1.aspx

Entered my Chassis Number and realized that my vehicle was also effected. Immediately called up the SA at Kalyani and confirmed the news. He confirmed that not attending to the issue, might result in reduced breaking capabilities. He asked me to bring the vehicle to the Service Center.

Gave the vehicle (today) and got it back in approximately 1 hour. The grey pipes in the picture, are the vacuum hose(s) that were replaced.





I do not feel any difference before and after the change. The brakes for me were working fine, before as well.

Minor Scratch and recovery::

I had also managed to scratch my car in our apartments basement, a few days back.

Thankfully for me (and thankfully to the good soul who forced our apartment association to install black rubber corner guards ), the scratches were superficial due to the presence of Rubber Corner Guards on the pillars. The scratches eventually came off with the help of a polishing compound.

Here are some before and after pics:

Before



After



The Rubber Corner Guard:



If the car would have rubbed directly against the concrete pillars, the damage surely would have been much more.