Long Term Review of My 'BLUE DIAMOND' Alto LXi

[mumbaikar]

HI guys, hopefully all of you had a blast during diwlai.
Here is my long term update of My Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi 2009 done almost 30K km.

History- I am originally from Panvel, Navi Mumbai. I was doing my post graduate studies in Pune. I used to go home once in a month managing time from my bust schedule. While returning from Panvel to Pune i used to hitch hike many a times from cabs or private cars which were returning from Mumbai to Pune mostly from the airport. I hated to take the bus! My parents got worried regarding my safety(or was it the drivers safety). So they decided to gift me a car.

Why Alto- My dad is a big Maruti fan and so is my bro. My dad drives a 2006 Esteem Vxi and is gaga over the engine whenever i tell him to dispose off the car and buy new one! My bro has a 2006 Swift Vxi. So no escaping maruti there!! and no diesel. Even if petrol prices reach 200 Rs. my dad will happily buy a petrol car. He hates diesel! Old school thoughts i feel! So he liked the Alto and booked it from S.K Wheels, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Got delivery within a week on 7th Jan 2009. I selected the color( on phone)! had to be Caribbean blue, cos blue is my favorite color. Got a sweet 30,000 discount! OTR price was 2.75lacs.

What i like-
1) Nice compact car for city use. Easy to park, and zippy in traffic. Pune guys know what traffic really is!
2) Good FE- I get around 15 kmpl in city with 100% AC. And 18-19 kmpl with 100% AC on highways.
3) Good handling- Ok i dont intend to compare it with the european ones but its very good for that price.
4) Relatively better built quality than my zen.
5) Space more than adequate for me. For 2.5 yrs i used to be the sole occupant of my car. Got married 6 mths back and now the navigator seat is occupied . I hardly open the hatch door because most of our luggage is on the rear bench. Leg room on the rear bench is pathetic but it doesnt bother me cos it carries maximum 2 individuals at any given time!
6) Good steering- I guess its EPS. Not sure, Light in the city, and firms up nicely on the highways.

What i don't like-
1) Under powered engine- Since i always use the AC, it sucks all the power out of the engine!. Driving in the city is ok, but boring to drive on the highways.
2) Maruti service- YES. Dont be surprised. What i feel is maruti service stations have volumes of cars lined up for service. they are really not bothered about losing a customer. I services my car at Sai Service, Deccan, Pune and Automotive, Nerul , Navi Mumbai. Both are pathetic.
My next car is not gonna be a maruti for sure!
3) No tachometer- Some one learn cost cutting from maruti!

Mods-
1) K&N stock replacement filter. Bought from Reliance Autozone, Pune for 3000.
2) All four power windows with auto up module. Costed me 8k. Installed in the first week itself. Works neat.
3)Reverse sensor- YES. One doesnt really need it for an Alto but i fitted it! Just for the sake of it. But surely comes in handy during parking in tight spots. cost 2000.
4) Audible dynamics speakers with Sony xplod amplifier. Total cost 10,000. The sound is awesome. Thats the first comment i get whenever any friend sits in my car.
5) Art leather seat covers- 4000
6) Front guard- 500 Rs.
All fitments except K&N done at Ambika Motors, Palm Beach road, Vashi. The owner is one Rajesh bhai. Very genuine person. All my cars get accessoreis from his shop. So he gives us stuff at a very good rate.
7) Bosch ford horn.. Nice.
8) Alloys are next in line. difficult to source 12". Putting at Punjab tyre sole, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
8) Tyres are stock JKs. Dont know how long they will run? Still are in a good condition.

Niggles- Twice the acclerator pedal just died mid way and became flail. I did a small DIY and tightened up the nuts which engage the acclerator cable. No problem after that.

Am i happy? yes very much. I even reached 140 Km/hr on Mumbai-Pune expressway many a times.I maintain her well. Its always sparkling clean both from outside and interiors. It is now used by my better half for her daily commuting! I use my Pulsar 180 because my place of work is hardly 0.5 km from my place. So i only get sundays to pamper her.
Thank you my dear alto for serving me well..
Here are a few pics.. enjoy! Thank you.

 

[mumbaikar]

Below is a snap of all the products i use to keep my car sparkling clean

 

[Varun560061]

Great write up, ur car looks neat.

And the rear parcel tray is fixed in the same was as in pic or is it fallen down.

 

[kannan]

excellent. do you always keep your fuel full tank? any way good looking and clean and neat car. hard to believe 2009! well done and it seems you are serious when comes to car care

 

[mumbaikar]

Hi thnx guys,
The rear parcel shelf has fallen down. The speakers are very heavy and the shelf is just supported by 2 L brackets. Gotta fix it. Wil do it soon from my ICE guy!
Haha... a full fuel tank seems to grab more attention :-!
Just topped it up yesterday. Had been to the area with a trusted fuel station! So got it filled to the brim!

 

[Surfer]

Cool Mumbaikar , well maintained Alto looks awesome in blue.

Maruti service- YES. Dont be surprised. What i feel is maruti service stations have volumes of cars lined up for service. they are really not bothered about losing a customer. I services my car at Sai Service, Deccan, Pune and Automotive, Nerul , Navi Mumbai. Both are pathetica

Sai Service is always pathetic, so people have so many complaints , I do had really bad experience with them. Try other maruti service stations.

 

[amiti]

HI guys, hopefully all of you had a blast during diwlai.
Here is my long term update of My Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi 2009 done almost 30K km.

Nice to see review of well maintained alto. I have sat inside your alto and yes, very well maintained.

History- I am originally from Panvel, Navi Mumbai. I was doing my post graduate studies in Pune. I used to go home once in a month managing time from my bust schedule. While returning from Panvel to Pune i used to hitch hike many a times from cabs or private cars which were returning from Mumbai to Pune mostly from the airport. I hated to take the bus! My parents got worried regarding my safety(or was it the drivers safety). So they decided to gift me a car.

So your parents have gifted you one. Now I know why you are ready to spend more cash on your alto

Why Alto- My dad is a big Maruti fan and so is my bro. My dad drives a 2006 Esteem Vxi and is gaga over the engine whenever i tell him to dispose off the car and buy new one! My bro has a 2006 Swift Vxi. So no escaping maruti there!! and no diesel. Even if petrol prices reach 200 Rs. my dad will happily buy a petrol car. He hates diesel! Old school thoughts i feel! So he liked the Alto and booked it from S.K Wheels, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Got delivery within a week on 7th Jan 2009. I selected the color( on phone)! had to be Caribbean blue, cos blue is my favorite color. Got a sweet 30,000 discount! OTR price was 2.75lacs.

I agree, maruti cars, well almost all of them are easy on pocket and suit Indian road conditions well.

What i like-
1) Nice compact car for city use. Easy to park, and zippy in traffic. Pune guys know what traffic really is!
2) Good FE- I get around 15 kmpl in city with 100% AC. And 18-19 kmpl with 100% AC on highways.
3) Good handling- Ok i dont intend to compare it with the european ones but its very good for that price.
4) Relatively better built quality than my zen.

Well that zen is almost a free one

What i don't like-
1) Under powered engine- Since i always use the AC, it sucks all the power out of the engine!. Driving in the city is ok, but boring to drive on the highways.
2) Maruti service- YES. Dont be surprised. What i feel is maruti service stations have volumes of cars lined up for service. they are really not bothered about losing a customer. I services my car at Sai Service, Deccan, Pune and Automotive, Nerul , Navi Mumbai. Both are pathetic.
My next car is not gonna be a maruti for sure!

I will introduce to a friend of mine at Chowgules. He is the best there, infact the best in maharashtra, very genuine (not because he's my friend. But he's reputation is very good. He knows most problems in maruti cars and more over, he knows the solution for them.
3) No tachometer- Some one learn cost cutting from maruti!

Mods-
1) K&N stock replacement filter. Bought from Reliance Autozone, Pune for 3000.
2) All four power windows with auto up module. Costed me 8k. Installed in the first week itself. Works neat.
3)Reverse sensor- YES. One doesnt really need it for an Alto but i fitted it! Just for the sake of it. But surely comes in handy during parking in tight spots. cost 2000.
4) Audible dynamics speakers with Sony xplod amplifier. Total cost 10,000. The sound is awesome. Thats the first comment i get whenever any friend sits in my car.
5) Art leather seat covers- 4000
6) Front guard- 500 Rs.
All fitments except K&N done at Ambika Motors, Palm Beach road, Vashi. The owner is one Rajesh bhai. Very genuine person. All my cars get accessoreis from his shop. So he gives us stuff at a very good rate.
7) Bosch ford horn.. Nice.
8) Alloys are next in line. difficult to source 12". Putting at Punjab tyre sole, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

We will go for alloys hunting soon

So a nice review. Good to see a Doctor who loves cars. For other Doctor friends of mine, car is just a machine which takes us from point A to point B.

 

[mumbaikar]

Thanks amiti. That parking sticker is yours!! Wil get it tomo!
But what wil i get in return? Am sure you will save enough money to buy me a set of alloys!!!!

 

[Serrao]

Nice review pal. You have maintained your car really well. Those speakers look really cool! But those wheel covers grabbed my attention... only on the left hand side??

 

[mumbaikar]

@ Serrao
The wheel covers are only on the right side!!
The Left side ones fell off on Mumbai- Pune expressway!!
Fitting alloys soon, so doesn really matter.
I tie the wheel caps on my zen with the fastener that they use to tie shopping bags at stores like Big Bazaar.. work really well!!!

 

[carfreak]

Hi mumbaikar, very neat, detailed and honest write up. I have been driving Alto Lxi for 3years + now and I agree with most of the points made by you! Yeah, with AC on, there is definite dip in performance but cant expect a miracle from a 800 cc engine. But have to admit that AC works really well in an Alto. On any day, it cools the cabin within minutes. On highways, if you maintain constant speed of 80 kms + and downshift/upshift appropriately, pick up wont be a hindrance with AC on. But acceleration from low speed is surely an issue. Tacho is absent in most of the entry level hatch (like i10 Era irde, Santro etc). So have to live with it for the price paid.

You can check out Plati alloys. I have them on my car and pretty much satisfied. Plati offers around 4-5 designs in 12 inch. You can check out their website. Happy driving your Lets Go car

 

[amiti]

Thnx amiti..
That parking sticker is yours!! Wil get it tomo!
But what wil i get in return? Am sure you wil save enuf money to buy me a set of alloys!!!!

Pravin, I leave you to answer this on behalf of me.

Mumbaikar wants me to pay 12-15k in exchange of parking sticker which costs 300 odd bucks.

Mumbaikar, get rid of that rear parcel tray and get new set of speakers fixed on rear hatch of alto (of course, if you are ready to do away with those nice speakers)

 

[mumbaikar]

U pay around 20 rs for a parking ticket in KEMH every week.
Thats 100/month roughly. Make it 1200/Yr. Now if you start a recurring account with that @ 11% you will end up saving a bomb!!
My humble 12" alloys are a small price to ask for it
Pravin, do the math and you wil agree with me!!
Reg the speakers, I will let my co passenger to hold the speakers in his hand but not part with them..

 

[Varun560061]

Hi Mumbaikar, pls let me know the cost of the power window kit..

 

[mumbaikar]

@Varun
The power windows are Piranha. Its all 4 doors with auto up module.
I paid 8000 for it. That was almost 3 yrs back.
Hope it helps.