Commented on madh764's review
Apr 30, 2011 07:54 PM
I completely agree... A-star has been my first car... and I have done almost 20,000 km across south India... not a single mechanical problem except one flat tyre at 18,000 km. Hardy, extremely fuel efficient and very sporty....
The way it turns, the way it zooms in the highways, it gives big ca...rs a run for the money... 150 kmph is easily achivable and it still is very stable at these speeds.
You can look at www.amitkanthamukherjee.blogspot.com to see me and my family going around different places around Bangalore and even upto Kanyakumari.Read More
Commented on own review
Dec 03, 2010 11:47 AM
Hello gegonbones, the brakes work fine without ABS. There are two things to braking. 1. If you are using the brake for a long time, the brakes get heated up. If you dont allow it to cool down, the effictiveness of braking will go down. So unless you have a ceramic brake, you will have to be carefull... about braking when you are on a long journey. 2. For any car, the more the speed, the greater the distance it will take for it to come to complete stop.
Let me give two examples (from my personal experience):
1. On my way to Madurai from Bangalore sometimes in September, I was on NH7 and was doing around 120 kmph on my A-star VXI. I was on the fastest lane and on my right was the divider. Suddenly, hardly 100 meters away, I saw a young body coming out of the divider bushes with some 30 lambs!! I thumped on the brakes... there was a screeching sound but the car thankfully did not skid. It stopped just about 5 meter away from the closest lamb. So I managed to stop the car in less than 3 seconds!! Ofcourse there was a huge jolt but that would happen if you apply brake that hard and at that speed.
2. On another drive to Kanyakumari, sometimes in November, we were again on NH7, had passed Madurai and I was doing some 130 kmph on A-star VXI. The construction of the road was complete but workers were doing up the divider. I saw one Tata Indigo overtake me and started to drive in front of me. Since I was blinded, I slowed down to increase the gap between my bonnet and his boot. Even as I slowed down, I saw the tail light of the Indigo flash. Evidently it was braking. I braked as well and moved slightly left to look ahead. To my horror, I found my car driving straight towards a woman construction worker standing right at the middle of the road. I braked, steered right, there was a piercing screeching sound and a huge horizontal lurch, then another screech and another horizontal lurch as I compensated the drift by steering left... thankfully the brakes worked.Read More
Commented on uskonkankar's review
Jun 25, 2010 03:50 PM
(Updated Jun 25, 2010 05:07 PM)
I have one A-star VXI and have driven for 8800 km. Let me try to help you out with some tips:
1. Front Gear and Reverse Gear: If you are not pressing clutch enough, the shaft will not go in the slot for First gear. About Reverse, make sure you pull the gear shaft towards your knees completely ...before you pull it back. If you do not pull it completely to the right, you will get that ’’karrrrrr’’ sound.
2. Don’t suffer from inferiority complex when an Auto speeds ahead of you. It is on rent and the driver is not bothered about economy or engine. Heck, its not his auto anyway. Always acclerate gently. When you are going for 400 km you can talk about speed. Let’s see where the auto stand when A-star zips at 140 km/h on highway.
3. Probably because of you tendency to acclerate fast, you are getting poor milage. Remember, when you acclerate, you allow more fuel to enter the combustion area. In a one liter engine you can only acclerate that much. Even if you press the gas, the car will not go faster and you will end up losing huge amount of fuel. I was initially getting about 12 km/L but now it has increased to 16.6 km/L in city and 22 km/L on highway.
4. Drive intelligently and not like a auto or cab driver. When you see a signal in front of you, release the gas pedal to slow down much before everybody else slows down. Or you will drive like a cab driver, zoom to the signal and then brake hard. That is absolutely foolish. You will only probably reach the destination 5 mins ahead of me but end up burning 2 liters of petrol at Rs. 54.15 a liter. Do the math and find out what you want to save? 5 mins or Rs. 110.Read More
Commented on SSSArmah's review
Jun 25, 2010 01:52 PM
A-star is often considered a city car. But let's add another dimension to it. I can tell you from 8500 km driving in A-star VXI that it is one for the best that you have got in highway. I stay in Bangalore and I have been to:
1. Hogenakkal Falls: 220 km from Bangalore on NH 7.
2. Shravanabelagol...a: 140 km from Bangalore.
3. Bheemeshwari: 110 km from Bangalore.
4. Pondicherry & Mahabalipuram: 360 km Bangalore and another 97 km from Pondicherry.
5. Yercaud: 240 km from Bangalore.
A-star just excelled. No mechanical problem, no puncture, excellent milage of 22 km with AC on (regulator set at 2).
It has a low center of gravity, wide body and excellent aero dyanamic shape. Result is excellent stability at high speed (120+ km/h), no vibration because of minimum drag and of course excellent milage. If you drive sensibly on highway, you will get 24 km/L.
After 8500 km and 7 months, I am yet to spend a paisa on maintenance.
A-star has the largest number of 'haters' probably. But remember it is the leader in export of any car to Europe in the automobile history. It meets very high safety specification, has good engine, and very stable at high speed.
And in India we argue on all the wrong point like rear leg space, boot space, headlights, and what not. Those who complain about boot space should ask themselves how many times they have received some-one at the airport in their own car that has lot of boot space. Come on ... this is a hatchback dear!!Read More
Commented on own review
Apr 08, 2010 09:40 AM
Thanks for your comments but I thought it would just be a cluttering the web with content that is already available if I would put in the same content in this review. In the past I have written reviews exclusively for thie site but since this one was already done on the blog, I thought a URL should ...be enough.Read More
Reviewed Pondicherry
Apr 07, 2010 06:01 PM
19394 Views
(Updated Apr 07, 2010 06:22 PM)
Pondicherry is a wonderful place to be. Especially if you are staying in Bangalore, this city can provide you a good excuse for a long drive. I have put down the information about driving to Pondicherry form Bangalore and sight seeing info in detail so that next time you drive to Pondy, you will...Read more
Commented on own review
Feb 13, 2010 01:29 PM
Hi Harsh, I would say that three large adults can fit in the back seat. Do keep in mind that A-star has a wide body, wider than santro, alto, estillo, waganR and spark. Amit.
Reviewed Maruti Suzuki A Star
Jan 15, 2010 09:00 PM
7689 Views
(Updated Sep 14, 2010 11:59 AM)
Time for Third Update:
A-star has gone 10991 km. Third Servicing done. Spent 5000 INR (Synthetic engine oil+ body polish, upholstery cleaning+ inside cleaning+ water gun, etc.)
Top speed I have taken it to: 155 kmph. There was still some space between the pedal and the floor. Good stabilit...Read more
Commented on anurag_andore's review
Sep 11, 2009 07:13 PM
This is car BS lV? Or is it like A-star... BS III but BS lV ready? can anybody please find out?
