[sachinj12]

The Dzire pit stop: My VDI

Date: 20/01/2010
“Trrrnnnn” ....phat. “Trrrnnn”.... phat. “Guuiinn”. Finally, the mosquito manages to do what the alarm clock failed to do; to wake me up. As I lay still on my bed, I hear a faint voice growing incredulously loud, laden with expletives. My daily dose of Ekta Kappor serial, albeit timing is not fixed. Instead of Saas-Bahu, this is daughter-in-law VS the daughter. Man what a way to start the day!! . I sit up and my half open eyes scan the room, resting upon the wall clock hung at the far end of the room. With a bit difficulty I focus my eyes; the clock reads ten minutes to nine. Shoot, late again. I drag my self out of the bed and enter the living room. I wade across the room and throw myself on the sofa, pull the paper towards me and pretend to read, expecting a nice tell off from dad for getting up late. Finally after a few minutes of silence which seemed like an eternity, he spoke.

“You are late, as usual. Do you realize you are to be in your uncle’s house by now?”

Uncle’s house? Heck, I missed my first hour of class and here my dad is talking about me being at my uncle’s place.

“What for? I have a class to attend; I have already missed my 1st hour”, I ask with a vacant expression.

“Did you forget? “, he quips; taunt and tease evident in his tone.

I am even more bewildered, I try racking my brains. Nothing hits me; few moments pass in silence, I only hear the clattering of vessels from the kitchen and a distant faint bark of some stray dog. I stare at the wall expecting some thing to materialize on its own. The wall remains as blank as ever. Finally, I look at my father; there is almost a non existent smile on his face. As I get back to the paper, I notice a brown envelope in between the sheets, with a small red Suzuki logo on it. (Guess he has slipped them in between the sheets when I was staring at the wall). It strikes me then, I was supposed to go and make the remaining payment (The Car was booked on Nov 26th. Model: VDI), and I was to be at my uncle’s place by half past nine.
It’s almost eleven by the time I reach his house.

“What took you so long?”

“I woke up late.”

“How late? I told you to be here by 9:30”

“I woke up late, because I slept late, went to bed by 4am.”

“You never learn, do you? “

“Was watching a movie”, I lie sheepishly. All I did the entire night was text away to glory. He He.

“Whatever”, he says as he picks the house key and his bag, “let’s go, we are already running late.”

A few ‘short’ errands of his ate away most of the afternoon and we finally reach the showroom by 4pm. Whoever said it was recession should have seen the showroom. It was like a fish market, bustling with activity. Half a dozen SX4, a couple of other models all waiting to be delivered, parked one beside the other. As I climb the flight of stairs and enter the foyer, A silver A-star greets us.
I enter the showroom, a salesman comes forward, “Good day sir, how can I help you?”

“Good day, thank you very much, just looking”,

As I scan through the sea of people, I locate my uncle’s friend (thanks to him, we are skipping the queue and getting an allotment right away.). He has spoken to the manager and says we can get an allotment right away.
After making the payment, we sit there and wait. The sales person, Miss Asha returns, “Sir your car will be delivered within 10 days.”

“We have spoken to the GM; he said we will be allotted a car right away.”

“Sir, the cars available in the stockyard is all 2009 models and BS3. The 2010 make with BS4 is in transit, it will take 10 days to reach, we will allot one as soon as it arrives here.”

A call to GM confirms the same; get quotes from the accessories department and leave the premises.

‘I have waited for 3 months; another 10 days make no difference ’, I try to console my self. That is hardly any convincing. Deep down I know, with the delay in delivery all my trip plans too go for a toss. With a heavy heart, I retrace my steps back home.

Back home, the first thing I do log into teambhp and shoot off PM’s to dusmish, f1fan with whom I had been in touch since sometime.
Special thanks to these guys who have been instrumental in guiding me through the buying, who have answered my queries patiently, dispelled the apprehension about the various accessories. What is heartening is their replies have been almost instant, honest and unbiased. Way to go guys!!

Quotes from dealer

-Buy back of JK Tornado @ 1300/ tire.
-Bridgestone/ Michelin @ 14000 for 5 tires.
-Xenos reverse sensors @ 4750 for 4 sensors and mirror display
-Under Chassis coating @2600 with 5 year warrant from MGA
-Ride On slime for tires @ 2800
-Sun films Llumar @ 2500
Infra Kool @ 3000


Confirmed from dushmish and f1fan that Under Chassis coating and slime is waste of vitamin M. Also quote for tires and sun films are too expensive. I decided to buy nothing from MGA.



Date: 30/01/2010

Called up the dealer, was told that the car is in transit, will be informed once it lands in the yard.

Date: 01/02/2010

Got a call and was informed that the car has arrived. Told them I would come the next day and check out the car and make the remaining payment (around 35K).

Date: 02/02/2010

Reached the showroom by 2 pm. Made the payment and told them would hand over form 20 only after I inspect the car. Was taken to the terrace where the car was parked. Man, what a eyesore!!. It was completely covered in dirt.. The doors were ajar and music was being played at full blast. As I approached the car, my heart skipped a beat, what I saw made my blood boil. A service guy was having a gala time inside. One foot on the door trims, other on the seat, carelessly fiddling with stereo controls. He was in no hurry to get up, its only after Miss Asha told them we wanted to check the car did he get up. With an unapologetic look he vanished. As I inspected the car, I couldn’t help but curse the typical callous attitude of us, Indians. When it’s not yours, show complete disregard. Made a quick inspection for scratches, visible damages. Found nothing and was satisfied. Checked the odo reading, it read 19 km. Checked the VIN, the car was indeed Jan 2010 manufactured. Was completely satisfied, handed over form 20.


Next, the inevitable question was finally popped.

“Sir, what accessories have you planned? We will get them fixed before delivery.”

“I haven’t planned anything. Probably will get them during first service”.

“Sir, if you have got a better quote from outside, let me know. I will try to work out a better deal for you”.

I was stunned, I couldn’t believe that she saw my lie right through. Inexperience coming into play I guess. I have never been good at working around people.

“Yes, have got better quotes from outside. I find your prices to be ridiculously higher by at least 25-30%. “

“Please give me the quotes sir; I will talk to my manager and work out the best possible deal from our side.”

I was expecting this, truth be told, I had not visited any shop outside. Got the quotes from tbhp by reading fellow bhpians posts. I deducted 200-300 from these quotes and told them I am getting Yokohama at 2700/ tire, Xenos at 3400 for the set.

The drive back home was pathetic, crawling traffic coupled with air pollution and heat made me wish that my car was delivered at that instant. Couldn’t go to JC road due to some commitments, hence asked a friend to visit the shops and enquire about the tire rates. Got a call from my friend a couple of hours later. Buy back of JK tornado @ 1400/tire. New Yokos @ 2900/tire.
Date: 03/02/2010.

Got a call from the dealer with the best offer that he could give:
-Tire buy back @ 1300 apiece and new Yokos @ 3000/tire including labour.
-No change in parking sensors quote.

Have decided to get everything from outside.

Date: 04/02/2010. The D-day.

We reached the showroom by quarter to eleven, half an hour late than intended. Did the PDI according to tbhp checklist, was satisfied; completed all the formalities, took the delivery by quarter to one. Straight away drove to the tire dealer from whom I had got the quotes and got the lousy JK Tornados swapped for Yokohama A-drives. Upsized to ZDI profile.
After lunch, we went to Rajajinagar to get the accessories fitted, despite my disapproval. I wanted to go to JC road
Mistake no 1. Lesson’s learnt- go to a place where wide choice is available no matter how far.
Visited couple of shops on West of Chord Road near Varier bakery and finally settled for Sun Car Decors.
Quotes from the shop:

Gar Ware Ice Shield : 900 bucks for windows and rear.
Gar Ware Cool Vision : 1800 for front wind shield
Seat Covers : 4800 bucks for the set.

Negotiated for 2800 for the sun films, and 4000 for the seat cover.

Mistake no 2. Lesson’s learnt- Day light is your best friend. Always go early morning, an hour or so after shop opens. Never go late afternoon as I did.

Though they started work by 4pm, it was well over 8 pm by the time they finished their work. Though the work seemed decent, the flaws were visible only next morning. I couldn’t help but blame my stupidity. Lots of bubbles in sun films, though very tiny and noticeable only to a hawk eye. Nevertheless I am dissatisfied with the job. Seat cover job is good though.

Accessory shop recommended? No.


Now, about the car.

Looks : A lot has already been said about it’s ugly looks. I stand by it. If swift looked ugly, the Dzie takes the game further up ahead. It’s hideous. The front is typical swift, with the change in the grill design. I liked the rear though. IMO, the saving grace is the rear. The lesser said about the side view, the better. For a guy like me, where function rules over form, it doesn’t matter. VFM matters to me, looks come secondary.

Interior : The dash looks pretty bland. Cost cutting is evident though not in-your-face. Inconsistent panel gaps though present is missed by the casual eye, though a keen observer can make out in an instant. Glove box is pretty small and can hold only minimal things. The storage below the AC controls is adequate. No storage space at the driver’s end, no provision to hold sun glasses/ spectacles. The sun visor has two degrees of freedom, they can open downwards and side wards- a very useful provision. The driver side visor has provision to hold tickets. Handle bars for support at top are spring loaded, they retract as you let go. The front lights are push-to- activate, different from switch types- a welcome change from the convectional style. Rear lights are convectional though. Cigarette lighter is very useful. The front doors do have provision to hold items though a coin holder is sorely missed. I keep the coins in the ash tray or the cup holders, more convenient to reach. Rear doors have only bottle holders. Front seats are comfortable and provide good support for the body. The rear can seat three lean adults comfortably. With hefty people, only two adults and a 6-7 year old is best fit. The absence of rear bottle holder (behind the hand brake is a boon, present only in ZDI.), Leg room is decent, though nothing to write home about. With the driver seat pushed back completely, its tad difficult for me to sit ( I am 5’9 ft). Centre arm rest has no cup holders. Rear visibility at best is poor. Stereo system is decent ( I am no audio buff), no plans to upgrade. Outside rear view mirror’s view is good, it is difficult to judge/gauge using left ORVM though. Noise insulation is good though not excellent. With all the windows rolled up, you still can hear the Fiat MJD grunt. Horn is heard very loudly inside. Is there any way I can reduce this?
------X------

Ride Comfort : Since I have not driven any car ( this being my first), I won’t be able compare the ride quality with its competitors. All the view I present are in regard to this car only.

Most of the driving is done by my uncle and I am handed over the wheels only at isolated/ minimal traffic areas. Of the 400 odd km run ( as on 07/02/2010) I have driven around 60 kms. I have enjoyed every bit of it. Power steering is a boon, maneuvering is effortless. Gear box is butter smooth, engaging reverse gear is tad difficult, firm push is required. Body roll is evident, though not very much. Overtaking is a breeze, thanks to the turbo. Within seconds, the vehicle parallel to you is now getting tiny in your RVM. The first time I was handed the steering, everyone were screaming, mom and aunt asking me to reduce speed, uncle pointing to the tachometer and me after experiencing the turbo surge. I make it a point to drive at 2000 rpm to get the turbo kick. There is remarkable difference in the ride quality in front and rear seats. The front is really comfy whereas the rear gets bumpier. A higher tire pressure makes it horrible at the rear.

Cheers :

No prizes for guessing, the turbo of course.
Acclaimed fuel efficient Fiat MJD.
Torque.
Boot- its humongous, it can eat lots of luggage. Enough for a three week trip.
Neatly placed controls. Easily accessible.
Easy to read console. Also the pale white light for the console is pleasing to view at night, doesn’t irritate your eyes.
Fantastic ergonomics at the driver’s seat. My uncle drove for 3 hours straight and said it’s super comfortable.
Maruti’s famed A.S.S.
Diesel Economy.

Sneers :

Overall fit and finish is average.
Lousy stock tires.
Average music system.
Plain and boring dash.
Limited rear visibility.
Poor man’s sedan image. (For god’s sake, I have paid INR 7 lakh, provide me a decent looking car)
Waiting period of 3 months is a turn off.
The interiors leave a lot to be desired.


All in all, the car is an excellent VFM package and I am happy with my purchase and have no regrets whatsoever.
The 1st week of ownership has been a roller coaster ride. The joy of owning a brand new and my-first-car has been marred by few very forgettable and unavoidable incidents.
On the day after purchase, while returning home from my uncle’s place a drunk moron whacked my windshield causing a crack. This happened at the toll gate signal while heading towards Mathikere.
On Sunday, while heading towards Kolar for a short trip, a stray stone from a truck carrying construction material hit my front windshield, causing a half a foot long crack. Due to this, my front windshield’s sun film has developed bubbles. Both need replacement. I am contemplating claiming insurance..

For now all I can say is I am DDIS-ed and I’m luvin’ it.

Cheers,
Sachin.


Some Pics :

Only change from its sibling is the grill.


The Saving grace. Somehow I like the rear styling.


Fall from grace- the side profile.

Few additional shots



Rear Visibility is poor, takes some time to get a hang of it.


Sun Visor in down-side way position- cool


Uninspiring dash, notice the inconsistent panel gaps near the stereo controls?


Small glove box, where did all the space go in LDI/VDI variants?


Stereo and AC knobs, really dislike the cheap feel it gives.


Seat covers. Decided against beige as it looked out of sync with the door trims.


Yokohama A-drives, upsized to ZDI profile.


Illuminated speed console.



Illuminated AC/Stereo controls.

[anekho]

Excellent review Sachin!

Loved the write up and some parts were funny (i can relate to them)!

Congrats for your dzire - drive safe.

Regarding the looks, well to each his own - i personally think it looks decent (there are plenty of uglier cars, xylo for one )

Enjoy your ride and keep updating!

[sachinj12]

@ anekho, thank you very much. Well the review in tbhp were my inspiration. And thought would put it in story from rather than the regullar type. Glad you liked it.

[Latheesh]

Congrats on your new acquisition, very nice write up.

[lsp]

Detailed report, lotsa pics, humor, learnings.... just how I like the ownership reports

Congrats on the new car Sachin. Wishing you many many happy miles with her.

Its good that you got a 2010 make car with BS4. I think it makes up for the wait.

[sachinj12]

@ Latheesh
Thank you very much pal
@ lsp
This is just an attempt to write a review in a casual and unassuming way. Feels good to know people have liked my writing

[recshenoy]

congratulations Sachin. very nice write up enjoy the value for money car.
were any other cars considered before zero-ing on Dzire?

[sachinj12]

@ shenoy

No, not any. Had only Maruti in mind. Ruled out fiesta due to fear of costly A.S.S. Linea was out of budget, as was Verna. I only wish Accent CRDi was still in production.

[f1fan]

Finally the review is up. Great writing, thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The seats covers looks really good and are snug fit. Looks great.

Originally Posted by sachinj12

I was stunned, I couldn’t believe that she saw my lie right through. Inexperience coming into play I guess. I have never been good at working around people.

This might be the first time for you but I am sure she might have heard the same from a lot of folks

Originally Posted by sachinj12

The absence of rear bottle holder (behind the hand brake is a boon, present only in ZDI.)

There is a cup holder behind the hand brake which can handle a mid size bottle.

[sanjayc]

Sachin,

Man, thank your stars, you settled for Swift..with the kind of narrative style you have, you are destined to be a novel writer. Knowing the income that writers make, Fiesta would have been problematic to maintain;-}

Okay..okay..I crossed the line there. Forgive.

Great start to the ownership. Man, what a narration!

Agree, VFM is what counts..everything else is like 1st-day-1st show of a pathetic Rajni/Chiru movie.

So when is the postponed trip re-planned? Waiting for more.

[sachinj12]

Originally Posted by f1fan

Finally the review is up. Great writing, thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The seats covers looks really good and are snug fit. Looks great.



This might be the first time for you but I am sure she might have heard the same from a lot of folks


There is a cup holder behind the hand brake which can handle a mid size bottle.

Glad to know you enjoyed reading it.

Yes, for a salesperson this will be routine.
The bottle holder is present only in ZDI/ZXI. Not in the lower trims. I don't need em and thank god they have taken that off, it's really cramped with those holders.
The are rest is available only in VDI/ZDI and VXI/ZXI. See the portion above the seat belt, you can spot it.

[sachinj12]

Originally Posted by sanjayc

Sachin,

with the kind of narrative style you have, you are destined to be a novel writer. Knowing the income that writers make,


Great start to the ownership. Man, what a narration!

Agree, VFM is what counts..everything else is like 1st-day-1st show of a pathetic Rajni/Chiru movie.

So when is the postponed trip re-planned? Waiting for more.

Thank you very much, I am flattered!! The narration style is inspired by moderator tanveer's and distinguished bhpian sam kapasi's writing style. If Tanveer and Sam are reading this, you are my source of inspiration. Yes, for me VFM is important over everything else. And as for Rajni/Chiru movie comments, you better go into hiding for a few days, many will kill you after reading it
With semesters going on in full swing, there is no chance for a trip at the moment. A few one day trips are being planned though it depends on others schedule as well. Yes, will surely post as soon as I go for a trip and PM you for sure.

[dushmish]

Congrats Sachin! You write very well. And the review is very good. Pictures are cool. The poor man's sedan image is more in our minds than others'. It is a great car. Rightly said, very functional.

happy driving!

Cheers,
Dushyant

[sachinj12]

"Congrats Sachin! You write very well. And the review is very good. Pictures are cool. The poor man's sedan image is more in our minds than others'. It is a great car. Rightly said, very functional.

happy driving!

Cheers,
Dushyant "

Thank you. Glad you liked the review. Yes the poor man's sedan is all in the mind. About the pete's box, it has to wait for now.

[classicselva]

Sachin, Congrats and awaiting for next level of review.
Offcourse, i should mention "Good write up"