[harishnayak]

He's lucky with the mileage because i'm still struggling for 13 ( with AC ) in city and 15 ( with AC ) on the highways.

[rishab.k]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

Even as far as CSD is concerned GM India has informed me that only two dealers are authorised in the country and these are in Ludhiana and Chandigarh.

I don't think that's correct.There are quite a few other CSD depots all over India through which GM cars are available.

[SPARKled]

Thanks a lot for your inputs. Yes I was aware that the newer cars do crawl even without pressing the accelerator by just depressing the clutch slowly, but the hard brake pedal, when ever I did this, had me worried. I had a hard brake pedal problem in my Fiat UNO a long time back and then I think the booster cylinder was replaced. But the problem then was it got hard pretty regularly even with normal driving.

Thanks again.

[SPARKled]

@harishnayak : I am getting about the same mileage as you and may be a bit more on the highway. I am pretty happy with this actually considering my Ikon gives me only 10 and 14 respectively. Has you mileage improved over time or is the same as you got earlier.

[mithun]

Originally Posted by Hashim

Brake booster needs engine compresson to make brake pedal lighter, in your case I think when you are not pressing the accelerator, engine is not able to supply enough compresson to booster. When you press clutch, engine is not getting any load and booster is getting required compression. Looks normal to me, it may get better with some servicing. However do report this to service center when you go there for service.

I admit what you've said about brake booster but there is a little check valve in the brake booster circuit. The brake booster stores enough vacuum to provide full boost for two or three pedal applications even after the engine dies. The check valve on the brake booster is what keeps that vacuum from leaking out.

[DRC]

This is quite normal. Hashim put this well. Just that it is vacuum derived from inlet manifold. During cold starts, there is a small stepper motor which controls the throttle body aperture to run at higher idling speed. This will lower the vacuum and hence the hard brake pedal.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

...as the car picks some speed and with the accelerator still not pressed when ever I try to brake, the brake pedal becomes hard and is not easy to press.
...is this normal.

As others mentioned already, this is a normal phenomenon in MPFi engines. Also, you might find your car trying to accelerate more as you press the brake pedal while crawling forward in 1st gear, with your foot off the accelerator. This is because the ECM senses that the engine is stalling, and tries to compensate by increasing the revs on its own, without accelerator input form you.

[SPARKled]

Got my Spark after delivering it Nikhil Automobiles in Navi Mumbai for the reassurance service. I had an appointment at 9:30 AM but some how got delayed in Pune and could start towards Mumbai only at 12:30 PM. The Spark once again showed exempelary high speed manners and after a pitstop at McDonalds after the ghat, I maintained a steady 120 (on the speedo) for almost the entire stretch till the end of the expressway.
Reached Nikhil at about 2:30 PM and they still took in the car for service.

I had opened a thread regarding a weird braking problem here
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...-spark-ls.html

The workshop head test drove the car and said that its not really a problem and is a common phenomenon. We tested my Ikon for this kind of braking hardness and it too shows a similar behavior but the brake does not become very hard. The reason given to me was that the Ikon has a big booster so the effect is not noticable enough.

The car was delivered back at 6:00 as promised and some how it seems a lot smoother now. Maybe its just a mental thing as nothing has been changed or replaced but with each passing day I am felling better and better about my decision to go with the Spark .

[vikrantj]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

No there is no parcel tray in the LS, only in the LT.

The Matiz still looks new after nine and a half years and it was a beautiful car always. the Spark interiors cannot compare. The Matiz was also a fully loaded car when the dealer sold it. Here you have to keep buying accessories.

No parcel tray in LS I am surprised I have a LS and I have a parcel tray , of course I bought it a year back so I maybe a little behind time.

--Vikrant

[frequentflyer]

Originally Posted by vikrantj

No parcel tray in LS I am surprised I have a LS and I have a parcel tray , of course I bought it a year back so I maybe a little behind time.

--Vikrant

The absence of a parcel tray behind in the Spark in the lower three models sold at Pashankar Auto means you have to buy it for Rs 1400/-. The absence of this tray in the lower three models is not mentioned in the Chevrolet Spark Car, Spark Muzic Car, Spark Music Edition, India web page. I have taken delivery of the car on 30th and sent a mail to GM asking them about it. I hope they give a straight reply as I have found they tend to protect their dealers. I also did not get a steering cover and a perfume as given by Nikhil auto (although I am not keen on the perfume). They did give mats and tyre flaps and sun film.

I have also found that dealers insist on pasting their names on the rear of the car which is of no use to the customer but a handy and free advertisement for the dealer. They give excuses that it will lead to scratches in the car and so on. Since I insisted, the salesperson has said he will bring home my parcel tray and a solution to remove the sticker. The second time this sticker gets re pasted is whn the car goes for a service. It is time car owners collectively object to carrying free and often ugly advertisements of dealers, car accessory sellers and so on.

[SPARKled]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

The absence of a parcel tray behind in the Spark in the lower three models sold at Pashankar Auto means you have to buy it for Rs 1400/-. The absence of this tray in the lower three models is not mentioned in the Chevrolet Spark Car, Spark Muzic Car, Spark Music Edition, India web page. I have taken delivery of the car on 30th and sent a mail to GM asking them about it. I hope they give a straight reply as I have found they tend to protect their dealers. I also did not get a steering cover and a perfume as given by Nikhil auto (although I am not keen on the perfume). They did give mats and tyre flaps and sun film.

I have also found that dealers insist on pasting their names on the rear of the car which is of no use to the customer but a handy and free advertisement for the dealer.

Thankfully there are absolutely no stickers on my car of the dealer, though I have seen some cars bearing 'Nikhil Auotmobiles' on the rear number plate.

Do keep us updated about GM's reply about the rear shelf. If its supposed to be there I will take up the matter with Nikhil Auto.

[rabnawaz_b]

This is same problem in my spark as well. Due to this I once could not slow down suddenly for a speed breakder and had to scrape the bottom of my car

[SPARKled]

This phenomenon has caught me unaware quite a few times now. Have to change my driving style by the looks of it.

[idea1979]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

@harishnayak : I am getting about the same mileage as you and may be a bit more on the highway. I am pretty happy with this actually considering my Ikon gives me only 10 and 14 respectively. Has you mileage improved over time or is the same as you got earlier.

I am also getting similar. 14 , 16 respectively. (with AC)

Originally Posted by vikrantj

No parcel tray in LS I am surprised I have a LS and I have a parcel tray , of course I bought it a year back so I maybe a little behind time.

--Vikrant

They have stopped doing that

Originally Posted by SPARKled

Thankfully there are absolutely no stickers on my car of the dealer, though I have seen some cars bearing 'Nikhil Auotmobiles' on the rear number plate.

Do keep us updated about GM's reply about the rear shelf. If its supposed to be there I will take up the matter with Nikhil Auto.

I always instruct dealership before leaving car for servicing "No stickers please." As of now,, there are no stickers on my spark :-)

[frequentflyer]

I hope the dealer in Pune also follows the instruction not to put stickers..! Will tell you next month!