Chevrolet Spark- 5000kms ownership review

arsenal.arun · 12th May 2010, 11:49

It is my first post in Team Bhp, even though have been following it sincerely past 3 months. Thought, this is the best time to post this thread when GM has just rolled out the 1,00,000th Spark. Mine will be approx 80000th

Vehicle: Spark LT Red
Registration: Delhi
Purchase Date: 5th Dec' 2009
Purchase Price: 3.58 lacs on road (with free Kenwood Mp3, Front speakers, Mud flaps, Central Locking)
Servicing: Just completed 5000 km free service 2.

Usage:
1. City Driving- Noida to Delhi (approx 40 kms) daily with an FE of 14.2 kmpl (avg) with the Auto cut off method with 50% AC

2. Highway Driving- 3 long trips to Nainital, Gwalior and Shimla. Avg FE of 17.5 kmpl.

Pros:

Excellent Turning Radius: Lots have been mentioned about pros of Spark, but I think this one quality is always missed out. Spark has a superb turning radius, probably the best in class which is very imp in a city like Delhi.

Price: For 3.6 lacs, you get value for every penny spent. Most VFM petrol car. Better than indica.

Handling & Driveability & Engine Performance: Spark handles like a dream when compared to my Dad's M800. Manuevring is extremely easy in Delhi traffic. Power steering is very responsive. Gear shift is smooth (though not butter like) and good torque in 2nd and 3rd gear. If, anyone's been to Nainital, if you want to go the zoo, you have to cover a slope of approx 45 degrees. Spark did it comfortably that too in 3rd Gear. Engine is noiseless and surprisingly peppy as GTO mentioned in his test drive. Attained a Max speed of 140 kmph with no problems whatsoever.

FE: Constantly giving me an FE of 14 kmpl even in bumper to bumper traffic (thanks to Ring Road) which I think is respectable.

Space: Even though not in abundance, suites perfectly for a young couple with odd trips with baggage of 4-5 days. Boot space is sufficient for 2 small suitcases. Though thigh support is slightly less (I am 5 10), even then its not something which cannot be overlooked. Also 60-40 split seats are very practical. (PS- I shifted my entire luggage from Delhi to Noida in 2 trips in my Spark). Also the cabin is noiseless.

CPCO: Cashless ownership is a peace of mind. The service till now has been extremely satisfying. I purchased the car from Regent Automobiles.

Cons:

A Pillar: While turning right, the visibility is sometimes drastically reduced. One has to be careful and get used to it.

usage of Space: Though space is adequate, the usage could have been much better. Cup holders are very small, no normal bottle fits into it. all the cabinets are storage spaces are so small that they become useless. Gm could have designed it much better.

AC: AC takes some time to cool the cabin and there is a significant drag which can be felt with the AC on.

Lack of Tachometer: Dont know why this is not provided. It should be a standard in all cars.

Lack of service centres in Tier 2 cities

Cant think of anything else right now

. Will update the post accordingly

To whom would I recommend the car

- Want a petrol car, mainly for city driving but do not want to be disappointed while on highways or hilly terrains

- Who have a strict budget of 3.5-4 lakhs, but dont want to compromise on features and buy base versions of Maruti and Hyundai. Also please dont compare spark with alto, it is a different segment altogether.

- Who are residents of Tier 1 cities

- Who are not blind Maruti followers and are looking for value for each Re spent and dont have problems with GM tag.

To sum it up, I am extremely satisfied with my spark. Am planning a trip to Auli this month end. Will update on the same.

Some pics
[IMG]file:///F:/My%20Docs/my%20pics/ari%20shuch/Naukuchiatal/DSC05986.JPG[/IMG]

quadmaniac · 12th May 2010, 12:08

Nice report sir. Your pics didnt come out properly...

arsenal.arun · 12th May 2010, 12:26

Dear Mods,

Was unable to edit my previous post.

Thereby uploading the pics again

abhinav.s · 12th May 2010, 15:03

Very good report!! Being a Spark owner recently, i can relate to most of the things in your write up.
The 2010 Spark comes with a tacho meter and its a welcome addition!

jeevmenon · 25th May 2010, 09:18

Nice report, Arun. We - Spark owners - are in the minority and are all a satisfied bunch of people. I am excited about closing in on the 5 figure mark on my odo.

SPARKled · 25th May 2010, 11:18

Excellent write up. I almost completely agree with all your findings. You mention that the AC takes a long time to cool, however I find that the Spark AC is quite good and cools instantly. The newer Spark, I see you have the old one, has a digital tacho and I sorely wish I had it in my car too. The cashless ownership works as advertised and I have replaced a faulty blower resistor under warranty without any issues. All Sparks purchased around August to September 2009 may have this issue and I saw a few more of these cars when I went to replace it at the A.S.S. Not to mention I have always been pleasantly surprised every time I get a zero amount bill for my service.

vikrantj · 25th May 2010, 13:18

Hi Arun,

Congrats on your purchase . One more thing to add is availabilty of lots of cubby holes on the doors to put waterbottels, maps , ends and odds . They really do come in handy on long drives.
We have a spark for about 2 years now and after 23000 odd kms and seeing 1200kms long trips it feels as good as new.
Enjoy.

--Vikrant

12th May 2010, 11:49	#1
arsenal.arun BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 29 Thanked: 20 Times	Chevrolet Spark- 5000kms ownership review It is my first post in Team Bhp, even though have been following it sincerely past 3 months. Thought, this is the best time to post this thread when GM has just rolled out the 1,00,000th Spark. Mine will be approx 80000th Vehicle: Spark LT Red Registration: Delhi Purchase Date: 5th Dec' 2009 Purchase Price: 3.58 lacs on road (with free Kenwood Mp3, Front speakers, Mud flaps, Central Locking) Servicing: Just completed 5000 km free service 2. Usage: 1. City Driving- Noida to Delhi (approx 40 kms) daily with an FE of 14.2 kmpl (avg) with the Auto cut off method with 50% AC 2. Highway Driving- 3 long trips to Nainital, Gwalior and Shimla. Avg FE of 17.5 kmpl. Pros: Excellent Turning Radius: Lots have been mentioned about pros of Spark, but I think this one quality is always missed out. Spark has a superb turning radius, probably the best in class which is very imp in a city like Delhi. Price: For 3.6 lacs, you get value for every penny spent. Most VFM petrol car. Better than indica. Handling & Driveability & Engine Performance: Spark handles like a dream when compared to my Dad's M800. Manuevring is extremely easy in Delhi traffic. Power steering is very responsive. Gear shift is smooth (though not butter like) and good torque in 2nd and 3rd gear. If, anyone's been to Nainital, if you want to go the zoo, you have to cover a slope of approx 45 degrees. Spark did it comfortably that too in 3rd Gear. Engine is noiseless and surprisingly peppy as GTO mentioned in his test drive. Attained a Max speed of 140 kmph with no problems whatsoever. FE: Constantly giving me an FE of 14 kmpl even in bumper to bumper traffic (thanks to Ring Road) which I think is respectable. Space: Even though not in abundance, suites perfectly for a young couple with odd trips with baggage of 4-5 days. Boot space is sufficient for 2 small suitcases. Though thigh support is slightly less (I am 5 10), even then its not something which cannot be overlooked. Also 60-40 split seats are very practical. (PS- I shifted my entire luggage from Delhi to Noida in 2 trips in my Spark). Also the cabin is noiseless. CPCO: Cashless ownership is a peace of mind. The service till now has been extremely satisfying. I purchased the car from Regent Automobiles. Cons: A Pillar: While turning right, the visibility is sometimes drastically reduced. One has to be careful and get used to it. usage of Space: Though space is adequate, the usage could have been much better. Cup holders are very small, no normal bottle fits into it. all the cabinets are storage spaces are so small that they become useless. Gm could have designed it much better. AC: AC takes some time to cool the cabin and there is a significant drag which can be felt with the AC on. Lack of Tachometer: Dont know why this is not provided. It should be a standard in all cars. Lack of service centres in Tier 2 cities Cant think of anything else right now . Will update the post accordingly To whom would I recommend the car - Want a petrol car, mainly for city driving but do not want to be disappointed while on highways or hilly terrains - Who have a strict budget of 3.5-4 lakhs, but dont want to compromise on features and buy base versions of Maruti and Hyundai. Also please dont compare spark with alto, it is a different segment altogether. - Who are residents of Tier 1 cities - Who are not blind Maruti followers and are looking for value for each Re spent and dont have problems with GM tag. To sum it up, I am extremely satisfied with my spark. Am planning a trip to Auli this month end. Will update on the same. Some pics [IMG]file:///F:/My%20Docs/my%20pics/ari%20shuch/Naukuchiatal/DSC05986.JPG[/IMG]
	(1) Thanks

12th May 2010, 12:08	#2
quadmaniac BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 430 Thanked: 119 Times	Nice report sir. Your pics didnt come out properly...
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 12:26	#3
arsenal.arun BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 29 Thanked: 20 Times	Dear Mods, Was unable to edit my previous post. Thereby uploading the pics again Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

12th May 2010, 15:03	#4
abhinav.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,775 Thanked: 1,273 Times	Very good report!! Being a Spark owner recently, i can relate to most of the things in your write up. The 2010 Spark comes with a tacho meter and its a welcome addition!
	() Thanks

25th May 2010, 09:18	#5
jeevmenon BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: TN07 Posts: 472 Thanked: 23 Times	Nice report, Arun. We - Spark owners - are in the minority and are all a satisfied bunch of people. I am excited about closing in on the 5 figure mark on my odo.
	() Thanks

25th May 2010, 11:18	#6
SPARKled Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Navi Mumbai Posts: 1,110 Thanked: 656 Times	Excellent write up. I almost completely agree with all your findings. You mention that the AC takes a long time to cool, however I find that the Spark AC is quite good and cools instantly. The newer Spark, I see you have the old one, has a digital tacho and I sorely wish I had it in my car too. The cashless ownership works as advertised and I have replaced a faulty blower resistor under warranty without any issues. All Sparks purchased around August to September 2009 may have this issue and I saw a few more of these cars when I went to replace it at the A.S.S. Not to mention I have always been pleasantly surprised every time I get a zero amount bill for my service.
	() Thanks

25th May 2010, 13:18	#7
vikrantj BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 628 Thanked: 569 Times	Hi Arun, Congrats on your purchase . One more thing to add is availabilty of lots of cubby holes on the doors to put waterbottels, maps , ends and odds . They really do come in handy on long drives. We have a spark for about 2 years now and after 23000 odd kms and seeing 1200kms long trips it feels as good as new. Enjoy. --Vikrant
	() Thanks