Team-BHP - Chevy Spark - Owner's Review!!!

[quote=BomBatt;987263]Hi HIGHNOON:

Thanks Bom ,

Yes the road is bad in that service road in Jogeshwari.
Well i never thought from that perspective ... the car bein underpowered... but i was on 2nd and slowish on account of the road being so bad.
But it did feel very sluggish the second you lift the foot of the accelerator ( even in neutral i.e. the clutch fully depressed ) So it felt the issue was different than being underpowered or so. Like it would not roll ahead freely without the throttle input even if it wasn't an ascent.
got it?
strange it was.
Anyway , shall try one more time and get back....

going out for my second TD now .
My brain says Alto , My Heart says Spark and the rest says Xeta.:confused:
regards,
Kedar

[quote=BomBatt;987263]Hi HIGHNOON:

Hi Bom,
Just got back from the TD. Last time i'd thought the backrest (rear) were to erect . This time had a back seat ride , my wife was driving. ( the car is actually for her , I being very happy with my accent :) )
My head was brushing against the ceiling a bit with the roofline sloping back. Used to happen in Indica as well.
But apart from that i am impressed with the tight ride.
EXCELLENT actually :), felt way better than the Wagon R, Estilo, Xeta and the Alto. Seats are also nice. Only thing getting out of the car for tall people is tough on account of the so little clearance between the door frame and the rear seat.
Very smooth cabin and engine sounded nice. Apart from the head clearance, everything seems the segment best.
the LS metallic On road working (Mumbai reg.) out to 364362 INR.
Only a 7700 finance payout available but no discount upfront.
At the price , its unbeatable VFM.
Only Alto Lxi / Xeta Gls cheaper than this but are not offering the same ( fr. power windows , both side door mirrors internally adjustable, full color bumpers except xeta )
Now anothe thing i noticed and found disturbing is the black bumpers on the PS , are soft. I mean SOFT :Frustrati
The supposedly 2.5mph bumpers are so soft that i could push them in by more than 1" by only my index finger.
:Shockked:
The same coloured ones appear a little stiff.
But really , how can they absorb energy , when they seem to transfer the entire energy so easily behind to whatever metal cross member / bracket lies behind.
Its inexplicable.
The Indica bumpers are truly energy absorbing , go back and come back to position without actually transferring the thrust to whatever thats behind it.
Can you please check this out and let me know ?
This is the only thing i found seriously wrong with the car.... Check the un painted front bumper. it is pathetic and looks totally not upto it, or is it?
Kahi aisa to nahin ke you only get what you pay for ? And the so called localization of parts means lower quality for cost cutting?
You as a user and owner you would be a better judge of this.
Please give me some feedback which may help me decide.
We 've to buy on the 30th of this month. Looking forward to your input.
thanks & regds.

What happens when you take your foot off the "paddle" or accelerator pedal depends on which gear you are in and what speed you were doing at the time. Normally, the engine tends to brake (any car will, it has nothing to do with power). However, due to the engine management system, and efi, if one is going slow in second, the car may continue at the same speed or may actually even speed up a bit (depending on torque) when the accelerator pedal is released. It has a similar effect on the engine as when one switches the AC on - the engine reacts to the increased load. Engine braking is more apparent in lower gears at relatively high speed due to the momentum of the car being lower than the braking force of the engine, and torque through the higher gear ratios.
About the spark, I own an LT Sep 08 model Black Spark, and the only problem I have had is of stalling it in first as I normally can't hear the engine. The car rides like a mid size car at anything more than 30kmph, although the suspension is a little stiff at lower speeds.
I've read complaints of the AC, well I have to keep the AC knob almost in the blue/red overlap and fan on 1 to keep from freezing. I'm sure in a place like Delhi during tje summer, it will be quite effective when turned all the way into the blue.
As for the space inside, well I can only say it is better than my old wagonR. My knees didn't even touch the front seat back when my brother (6'2") was in the driver's seat and I was in the seat immediately behind. I am 5'10". In the wagonR, my Mom would have difficulty sitting behind the driver's seat if I were driving. She's 5' nothing. Not that the wagonR was bad, I loved it, but the Spark is better.
Yes, it is probably not as peppy as some other cars, but in all the reviews I have read, it is always said to be 'surprisingly' peppy, considering that it is a sub 1L engine. Some reviews even state that its acceleration beats the WagonR & Santro. Whatever, I don't clip in the city, and it does 120 on the highway with ease. I don't need anything else, particularly since the car is quite amazingly stable and confidence inspiring. I agree with one gentleman's view that the 1st gear is a bit too short, though.
I'm planning on going in for alloys, as I didn't get the OP. Will weigh them against the steel rims to check whether they're lighter or at the worst the same weight before choosing. I want the performance benefits as well as the looks.
And finally, I would never have been able to afford a car that has so many creature conforts (features) as this if it weren't for the GM discount, so that seals the deal for me. At this price, this car can't be beaten.
Sorry this is so long, but I was reading a lot and wanted to put my views somewhere. All in one place! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by k_ajay (Post 1014638)

Have you checked the Getz 1.3. It's super silent too [haven't checked the Spark while making this comment]

In my opinion after having been into both Getz 1.3 and Spark, the silence factor is comparable - literally, you can almost hardly realize that the engine is running at times.

I have confirmed my Spark and expecting it around the end of this month, so hopefully I should write my initial ownership review without too much delay. Mine would be the metallic blazing red LT without the optional pack (no ABS/Alloy pack).

Quote:

Originally Posted by djay99 (Post 1019374)

coolexpert,
Does spark come in matallic red? as when i bought it last year, non metallic red was available at a lower price (<6K to metallic).
Anyways the car is excellent in every area. I drive a getz crdi and many times i miss my spark.

Non-metallic red is still available at around 5K less than metallic red.

Most interestingly, I had started off with Getz CRDi as the first choice, but somehow (and mostly due to my wife) I landed up in a Spark after some twists and turns. Anyway, I am in a reasonable state of mental peace so far regarding what I have booked, based on the feedbacks I have read in TBHP and based on what I have been hearing from other sources.

I have booked from Metro Chevrolet Vasant Kunj (Delhi), and I shall narrate my experiences in my thread that I shall start after I get delivery, don't want to hijack this thread:).

[quote=VeluM;1014016]What happens when you take your foot off the "paddle" or accelerator pedal depends on which gear you are in and what speed you were doing at the time. Normally, the engine tends to brake (any car will, it has nothing to do with power). "

I agree with you about the general feel of the car. The engine refinement and the suspension and handling is way good for the price. :)
Spark is way better than the Alto & and i guess quite a lot better than the estilo ( IMO ).
Maybe thr td car had done only 1k km and may free up a bit later.
Any case how did you find the front bumper?
IMO too yielding & pliant. Any thoughts on this ?
The original black bumper i mean. The color seems to stiffen it a bit i guess.

My dad bought spark LT , though me and bro wanted him to get a swift vdi. he threatened to buy an Alto / 800 had no other choice than to accept a spark.

I drive a santro 2007, am a not a very fast driver. but every time i drive the spark my wife feels am a rash driver. Am totally in love with the spark, its loves to be reved and by second gear am able to reach arnd 40 to 50. By 4th gear am at 80 - 90. The steering is great, responsive and the plastic finish quality is definitely better than maruti. Not sure about the mileage, but i def feel its a better car to drive compared to other entry level hatch (santro, wagon r etc)

The car is awesome, but guys we must count on GM to survive

I own a Wagon-R and a Spark as well. I also would agree that Spark is way ahead in handling when compared to the former. With the current discounts in the offering, Spark no doubt remains the best choice amongst the new car buyers.
-It is excellent on the Highways at speeds beyond the 3 digit mark

-It has the best rear seat space but the head and shoulder room for taller people is a concern.

-The Car is peppy only over the Higher RPMs but handles overtaking very confidently.

-And I also have felt that you experience a significant amount of that "Braking" when you release the accelerator pedal. (Now I am aware that this is felt due to the engine braking and it also depend if the car was at a Higher RPM in the lower gear that the engine tends to slow down!! Let me tell you, This is not the case, I drive the WagonR and I dont feel this decelleration effect)

Again, Having driven the Wagon-R for more than 66,000 Kms, on Good, bad and the ugliest of roads, with full load, On highways and city, I still feel that when it comes to long term reliability, the Wagon-R personally remains my preferred choice.
I have also read about Sparks Speedometer, AC Compressor and Suspension problems and I doubt if this car can sustain the tremendous amount of beating that my Wagon-R has taken so far.
Personally, Spark can be the best City Car and a better Highway Car as well. But Wagon-R comes where one thinks of practicality. It may not handle as good as the Spark, but it certainly has better room for the Luggage and Head and shoulder room for all the passengers. The AC, I felt in the Wagon-R too is better.
Finally, I have nothing against the Spark as I own one too, but I will only realise its worth through a long term ownership!!