Finally Men Are Back, My New Sx4-vxi - 1000 Km Done So Far

udayjani · 29th January 2010, 15:40

Last year I had planned to go for a Ford Fiesta, but had to shelve the plans due to the economic downturn. This month we finally decided to go for a new car – an SX4. The car will be driven mostly by me and sometimes by my driver.When SX4 made its’ debut in 07, I was swept away completely by her looks, features and value offering.[/i][i] I did however promise myself to re-look at the SX4 once things settle down a bit.Around mid-December-09 I began the hunt for a new sedan, the SX4 was naturally at the top of my list. Amongst the newer cars, the Linea had also set my heart racing, so I took a test drive, but came back disappointed. (Linea owners - my objectives and their weights were possibly different - for what its’ worth, my vote for COTY went to Linea).

Cars Checked and Reviewed:

Tata Manza, Toyota innova, Mahindra Xylo, Mahindra Scorpio, Ford fiesta (Sports edition), Hyundai Accent, BMW.

The SX4 test-drive however was overwhelmingly positive, hence without any further hesitation our decision was done.

The specific parameters I was looking for in my next car were as follows:

1. Low Cost of Ownership : Cheap & widely available spares, good fuel economy and reliability.

2. Cabin Space : Let me just say this, largest cabin space over all the current sedan's in the market.

3. Seats: I find the seats quite comfortable. I love side bolstering and the SX4 has a little bit of it. Also, the seats are softer then on the Palio and getting the ideal driving position is very easy unlike the Palio where it could take up-to a few weeks to find that perfect position!

4. Indianization : Turn-indicators on the right, bad-road compatibility (GC, alloys, tubeless tyres) and tolerance to harsh weather.

5. The seating position and the dash layout gives a MPV kinda feel from the inside. Maybe Maruti should think about replacing the Versa with a SX4 based small MPV

6. Engine Performance : I am not comfortable with the concept of a hatchback-engine in bed with a sedan.

7. Value for Money : Needless to explain.

8. I like the lighting of the instrument cluster and switches. Very neat!

9. City Drivability : I think I am around 25:75 on highway:city, hence, my new car needed to be easy to maneuver in City as well as comfortable on the highway.

I booked the SX4 Vxi on 31/10/2009 and got delivered on 6th November. booked khivraj motors, mount road, Chennai.

Reason for choosing SX4:

Wanted a car that can handle the city + highway + rough roads - hence a crossover sedan. We often drive to places (e.g. in the jungle or in the hills) that have dirt tracks. Could have looked at the Linea, the ANHC, Verna and the Scorpio SLE (within my current budget). Didn’t even TD the other sedans because they won’t be able to handle the rough roads I am planning to throw at the car. And I didn’t want to settle for a Scorpio when I have plans to buy the GV someday.

Wanted to mention that I was impressed by the SX4’s Raid de Himalayas participation and travelogues (especially Leh trips) – those threads helped me make up my mind.

Color:

My favorite color was black, but my dad loved the New Metallic Biege, since its hard to find rattles and scratches in this color and it looks like a family car.

Discounts/Freebies:

* 45000 consumer discount
* 10000 loyalty discount (my Grandfather and CEO of Khivraj were childhood friends)
* 5000 worth of accessories free which includes: Sun film, remote parking sensor, remote lock, body kit, undercover coating.
* Mats, flaps, perfume, idol etc. (standard)

The sales guy refused to write on the letterhead that he was going to give me the free accessories. I got him to write things down on a white piece of paper, but he refused to

sign it, saying that it was against Maruti policy. He requested me to trust him :-). Is this normal?

Planned extras:

* Plan to upgrade tyres at the earliest. Have been thinking of Michelin Pilot Primacy 225/55/16.
* Planning for a good DVD Mp3 player. considering Pioneer 6050UB and 6080UB, please suggest, which one to buy ?
* Nice and stylish alloy wheels, recently checked the alloys of kizashi in auto expo, looks superb, planning to put the same for my SX4.
* Leather seat covers, please suggest any good dealers in Chennai.

Financing:

Haven’t closed this yet, but have a pre-approved 100% ex-showroom offer from HDFC. Last month end they were offering me flat 9.0% for a 5 year loan.

Odo reading at full tank: 15.

First Drive: The handling and ride-quality was excellent, the WE Highway has quite a few surprise craters, and I was able to dodge most, however the max speed I had set myself was 65, and barely crossed it during this drive. So this remains an open item pending evaluation until the running-in period is complete.

Had a long drive to Vellore, Yellagiri and Tiruvanamalai immediately after taking the delivery.

Highway drive: Absolutely trouble free, revv-happy after 1500 rpm, with excellent GC, you will feel like in total control. Had to maintain around 90-100 as it was in low miles

City drive: Initial gears are bit jerky, takes time to move forward in first gear, but once in 3rd gear moves swiftly

Gear shifting: Not very swift, especially to first gear and reverse. Otherwise it is fine

Fuel Efficiency: Before first service it was around 12.5 KM/L; after first service, highway 14.7 KM/L with 100% AC on. City 11.75 KM/L with 20% AC on. (tank full method)

Max speed: On the highway naturally achieved 120 KM, comfortably. I don't think our highway conditions are good to try anything beyond that. Acceleration is really quick and within a short time it moves to 80.

Breaking: Excellent deceleration, the moment you take out your foot from the pedal, it decelerates very well. Shorter breaking distance is really good.

Music system: Very good, I am enjoying it.
Air Condition: Excellent and very effective

Rattles: Had a very minor rattle from front left side, as per service center, it is from the window pane and he fixed it and seems to be fine now.

Missing pieces:

* Low fuel warning
* Lights on window switches and steering mounted controls
* Information on FE and/or DTE

Overall, I am very happy with my SX4 and hope the same will continue for long.

Posting some of the PICS:

raghu230506 · 29th January 2010, 17:26

Let me be the first one to reply.

Congratulations on your SX4. Have fun and drive safe.

Any mods done as per your list?

sanju.iitm · 29th January 2010, 17:53

Congrats for your new purchase!

TD of vehicles you have listed below is fine
(Tata Manza, Toyota innova, Mahindra Xylo, Mahindra Scorpio, Ford fiesta (Sports edition), Hyundai Accent, BMW) however I didnt understand why you TD a BMW which is out of reach and its at different segment and one of your requirement was Low Cost of Ownership

which is not true with the case of BMW (if I am not wrong).

SX4 is really a good vehicle few of my colleagues own this beauty so well done!

recshenoy · 29th January 2010, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanju.iitm

TD of vehicles you have listed below is fine
(Tata Manza, Toyota innova, Mahindra Xylo, Mahindra Scorpio, Ford fiesta (Sports edition), Hyundai Accent, BMW) however I didnt understand why you TD a BMW which is out of reach and its at different segment and one of your requirement was Low Cost of Ownership

which is not true with the case of BMW (if I am not wrong).

May be he is talking about pre-owned BMW or possibly a typo!

Quote:

* 5000 worth of accessories free which includes: Sun film, remote parking sensor, remote lock, body kit, undercover coating

@ udayjani,
all these cost only 5000? i think total cost of these would be much higher!

have nice mile munching ahead! drive safe

bnzjon · 29th January 2010, 18:48

Congratulations dear friend !

I too had the same question in mind - how come just Rs. 5000 for quite lot of accessories ?

Drive safe.

udayjani · 30th January 2010, 01:44

hi friends,

one small mistake... dealer gave me 5k worth of accessories free.. details are below...

free accessories: under chassis coating, Teflon coating, mud flaps, car mats.

paid accessories: body kit, reverse parking sensor, remote lock and sun film worth 12k.

please suggest some good shops in Chennai where can i put good leather seat covers, my budget is average, around 5k and also suggest good ICE.

udayjani · 30th January 2010, 02:01

hi friends...
one small mistake, dealer gave 5k worth of accessories free.. details are below.

free accessories: under chassis coating, Teflon coating, mud flaps, car mats.

paid accessories: body kit, reverse parking sensor, sun film, remote lock worth 12K.

please suggest some good places in Chennai for leather seat covering, my budget is around 5K... my color is not so stylish and looks more or less like a family car, so please tell some good mods i can do for my car as per exteriors is concerned...

vikram999 · 30th January 2010, 02:06

this men looks soo cool brother
congrats on your purchase...

vivprasad · 30th January 2010, 08:08

great buy uday, congratulations for a good choice.

Have your 1000 kms been satisfactory/satisfying?

SX4LOVER · 30th January 2010, 11:15

i can see on your face that you are in absolute love with your car.congrats. happy mile munching!

Fornax · 30th January 2010, 12:12

Congrats Uday - A great car and a great choice, from one owner to another.

himanshugoswami · 30th January 2010, 12:22

congrats on the sx4- just one question- this seems to be the pre VVT SX4 is that correct?

Fornax · 30th January 2010, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

congrats on the sx4- just one question- this seems to be the pre VVT SX4 is that correct?

It indeed is, as I had the same thought, but checked the delivery date given by Uday.

VVT debuted just afterwards I think.

ahmed26 · 2nd February 2010, 17:43

congrats uday...

i think u got that 45k customer discount bcoz it was the older version.

varunroy · 2nd February 2010, 20:51

Great Choice and well thought out. Congrats and miles and miles of happy and safe driving. I too fell for the all white SX4 ZXI but thought I will wait for the K-Series which will sooner or later make its presence.

[quote]

Quote:

Originally Posted by udayjani

When SX4 made its’ debut in 07, I was swept away completely by her looks, features and value offering.

You don't seem to be convinced that the SX4 is a man. You refer to it as her.

Quote:

* Leather seat covers, please suggest any good dealers in Chennai.

Stanley's are the best. Leathers does have some draw back, check out the disadvantages.

Quote:

Haven’t closed this yet, but have a pre-approved 100% ex-showroom offer from HDFC. Last month end they were offering me flat 9.0% for a 5 year loan.

Must be 9.0% reducing balance as 9.0% flat would work out to almost 17% reducing and thats unthinkable. Ask them to tell you the EMI per lakh for a period of 60 months.

Quote:

City drive: Initial gears are bit jerky, takes time to move forward in first gear, but once in 3rd gear moves swiftly

precisely my reason for the K-Series. Felt a little under powered but a big leap as compared to the old SX4

Quote:

Overall, I am very happy with my SX4 and hope the same will continue for long.

You better be. Its the best you can get till it comes with the K-Series

. I am sure you will enjoy it for years.

So long.....

29th January 2010, 15:40	#1
udayjani BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 108 Thanked: 75 Times	Finally Men Are Back, My New Sx4-vxi - 1000 Km Done So Far Last year I had planned to go for a Ford Fiesta, but had to shelve the plans due to the economic downturn. This month we finally decided to go for a new car – an SX4. The car will be driven mostly by me and sometimes by my driver.When SX4 made its’ debut in 07, I was swept away completely by her looks, features and value offering.[/i][i] I did however promise myself to re-look at the SX4 once things settle down a bit.Around mid-December-09 I began the hunt for a new sedan, the SX4 was naturally at the top of my list. Amongst the newer cars, the Linea had also set my heart racing, so I took a test drive, but came back disappointed. (Linea owners - my objectives and their weights were possibly different - for what its’ worth, my vote for COTY went to Linea). Cars Checked and Reviewed: Tata Manza, Toyota innova, Mahindra Xylo, Mahindra Scorpio, Ford fiesta (Sports edition), Hyundai Accent, BMW. The SX4 test-drive however was overwhelmingly positive, hence without any further hesitation our decision was done. The specific parameters I was looking for in my next car were as follows: 1. Low Cost of Ownership : Cheap & widely available spares, good fuel economy and reliability. 2. Cabin Space : Let me just say this, largest cabin space over all the current sedan's in the market. 3. Seats: I find the seats quite comfortable. I love side bolstering and the SX4 has a little bit of it. Also, the seats are softer then on the Palio and getting the ideal driving position is very easy unlike the Palio where it could take up-to a few weeks to find that perfect position! 4. Indianization : Turn-indicators on the right, bad-road compatibility (GC, alloys, tubeless tyres) and tolerance to harsh weather. 5. The seating position and the dash layout gives a MPV kinda feel from the inside. Maybe Maruti should think about replacing the Versa with a SX4 based small MPV 6. Engine Performance : I am not comfortable with the concept of a hatchback-engine in bed with a sedan. 7. Value for Money : Needless to explain. 8. I like the lighting of the instrument cluster and switches. Very neat! 9. City Drivability : I think I am around 25:75 on highway:city, hence, my new car needed to be easy to maneuver in City as well as comfortable on the highway. I booked the SX4 Vxi on 31/10/2009 and got delivered on 6th November. booked khivraj motors, mount road, Chennai. Reason for choosing SX4: Wanted a car that can handle the city + highway + rough roads - hence a crossover sedan. We often drive to places (e.g. in the jungle or in the hills) that have dirt tracks. Could have looked at the Linea, the ANHC, Verna and the Scorpio SLE (within my current budget). Didn’t even TD the other sedans because they won’t be able to handle the rough roads I am planning to throw at the car. And I didn’t want to settle for a Scorpio when I have plans to buy the GV someday. Wanted to mention that I was impressed by the SX4’s Raid de Himalayas participation and travelogues (especially Leh trips) – those threads helped me make up my mind. Color: My favorite color was black, but my dad loved the New Metallic Biege, since its hard to find rattles and scratches in this color and it looks like a family car. Discounts/Freebies: * 45000 consumer discount * 10000 loyalty discount (my Grandfather and CEO of Khivraj were childhood friends) * 5000 worth of accessories free which includes: Sun film, remote parking sensor, remote lock, body kit, undercover coating. * Mats, flaps, perfume, idol etc. (standard) The sales guy refused to write on the letterhead that he was going to give me the free accessories. I got him to write things down on a white piece of paper, but he refused to sign it, saying that it was against Maruti policy. He requested me to trust him :-). Is this normal? Planned extras: * Plan to upgrade tyres at the earliest. Have been thinking of Michelin Pilot Primacy 225/55/16. * Planning for a good DVD Mp3 player. considering Pioneer 6050UB and 6080UB, please suggest, which one to buy ? * Nice and stylish alloy wheels, recently checked the alloys of kizashi in auto expo, looks superb, planning to put the same for my SX4. * Leather seat covers, please suggest any good dealers in Chennai. Financing: Haven’t closed this yet, but have a pre-approved 100% ex-showroom offer from HDFC. Last month end they were offering me flat 9.0% for a 5 year loan. Odo reading at full tank: 15. First Drive: The handling and ride-quality was excellent, the WE Highway has quite a few surprise craters, and I was able to dodge most, however the max speed I had set myself was 65, and barely crossed it during this drive. So this remains an open item pending evaluation until the running-in period is complete. Had a long drive to Vellore, Yellagiri and Tiruvanamalai immediately after taking the delivery. Highway drive: Absolutely trouble free, revv-happy after 1500 rpm, with excellent GC, you will feel like in total control. Had to maintain around 90-100 as it was in low miles City drive: Initial gears are bit jerky, takes time to move forward in first gear, but once in 3rd gear moves swiftly Gear shifting: Not very swift, especially to first gear and reverse. Otherwise it is fine Fuel Efficiency: Before first service it was around 12.5 KM/L; after first service, highway 14.7 KM/L with 100% AC on. City 11.75 KM/L with 20% AC on. (tank full method) Max speed: On the highway naturally achieved 120 KM, comfortably. I don't think our highway conditions are good to try anything beyond that. Acceleration is really quick and within a short time it moves to 80. Breaking: Excellent deceleration, the moment you take out your foot from the pedal, it decelerates very well. Shorter breaking distance is really good. Music system: Very good, I am enjoying it. Air Condition: Excellent and very effective Rattles: Had a very minor rattle from front left side, as per service center, it is from the window pane and he fixed it and seems to be fine now. Missing pieces: * Low fuel warning * Lights on window switches and steering mounted controls * Information on FE and/or DTE Overall, I am very happy with my SX4 and hope the same will continue for long. Posting some of the PICS: Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Dippy : 5th February 2010 at 10:50. Reason: Removing italics
	() Thanks

29th January 2010, 17:26	#2
raghu230506 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 766 Thanked: 63 Times View My Garage	Let me be the first one to reply. Congratulations on your SX4. Have fun and drive safe. Any mods done as per your list?
	() Thanks

29th January 2010, 17:53	#3
sanju.iitm BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bangalore, Dxb Posts: 64 Thanked: 2 Times	Congrats for your new purchase! TD of vehicles you have listed below is fine (Tata Manza, Toyota innova, Mahindra Xylo, Mahindra Scorpio, Ford fiesta (Sports edition), Hyundai Accent, BMW) however I didnt understand why you TD a BMW which is out of reach and its at different segment and one of your requirement was Low Cost of Ownership which is not true with the case of BMW (if I am not wrong). SX4 is really a good vehicle few of my colleagues own this beauty so well done!
	() Thanks

29th January 2010, 18:48	#5
bnzjon BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dubai Posts: 836 Thanked: 127 Times View My Garage	Congratulations dear friend ! I too had the same question in mind - how come just Rs. 5000 for quite lot of accessories ? Drive safe.
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 01:44	#6
udayjani BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 108 Thanked: 75 Times	accessories list. hi friends, one small mistake... dealer gave me 5k worth of accessories free.. details are below... free accessories: under chassis coating, Teflon coating, mud flaps, car mats. paid accessories: body kit, reverse parking sensor, remote lock and sun film worth 12k. please suggest some good shops in Chennai where can i put good leather seat covers, my budget is average, around 5k and also suggest good ICE.
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 02:01	#7
udayjani BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 108 Thanked: 75 Times	hi friends... one small mistake, dealer gave 5k worth of accessories free.. details are below. free accessories: under chassis coating, Teflon coating, mud flaps, car mats. paid accessories: body kit, reverse parking sensor, sun film, remote lock worth 12K. please suggest some good places in Chennai for leather seat covering, my budget is around 5K... my color is not so stylish and looks more or less like a family car, so please tell some good mods i can do for my car as per exteriors is concerned...
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 02:06	#8
vikram999 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Jaipur Posts: 67 Thanked: 75 Times	this men looks soo cool brother congrats on your purchase...
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 08:08	#9
vivprasad BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Lucknow Posts: 154 Thanked: 114 Times	great buy uday, congratulations for a good choice. Have your 1000 kms been satisfactory/satisfying?
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 11:15	#10
SX4LOVER BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Highway Posts: 304 Thanked: 173 Times	i can see on your face that you are in absolute love with your car.congrats. happy mile munching!
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 12:12	#11
Fornax BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 293 Thanked: 91 Times View My Garage	Congrats Uday - A great car and a great choice, from one owner to another.
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 12:22	#12
himanshugoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: !!!! Posts: 2,303 Thanked: 2,619 Times	congrats on the sx4- just one question- this seems to be the pre VVT SX4 is that correct?
	() Thanks

2nd February 2010, 17:43	#14
ahmed26 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Calicut Posts: 99 Thanked: 39 Times	congrats uday... i think u got that 45k customer discount bcoz it was the older version.
	() Thanks