Mar 03, 2011 10:04 PM
17261 Views
(Updated May 29, 2011 12:42 PM)
Suzuki in India seems to be best option in terms of economy and performance. The fact that 2/3rd of your cost is borne by maintenance of the vehicle is highlighted in the website for cautioning the buyers. Under this circumstance one has to be careful in choosing a vehicle depending on ones needs. We were in a dilemma whether to go in for a car which had recently been recalled for defect in one of the oil seal or gasket. Secondly the waiting period on Wagon R, Swift, Echo, put me off totally. I am always convinced that if one has to wait than he will get a shoddy deal.
After test riding various options, I found A Star stood out for its design, it looked close to a formula car, no wonder it is the highest exported car from India. The aluminum body gives one a creep that it is easily prone to denting. This vehicle also is Euro 5 complaint which is a huge plus, which is not highlighted in their advts. The ABS version is quite risky for city drive, but can be life saving in long drives. We compromised on VXI since we did not want the risk of getting bumped from the back by a biker with powerful brake.*
The initial haggling over the exchange of old vehicle for which we got only 65 k was a downer. But the greatest shock lay before us to get the RTO clearance for transfer. Guys never migrate your vehicle to another state and try to sell your vehicle, you will get a shocker, with additional taxes. You may never get back your refund from the previous state. It is surprising none of the car dealers or mfg educate their customers on this aspect.
After this our experience to check on the features, we were slightly misguided by some trainee that A Star VXI had defogger and fog lamp, which was misleading. Next when we confirmed the booking, we wanted the best offer, in terms of freebies. This was not properly explained so we checked out with Garuda who confirmed a host of freebies. So we came back to our dealer and he had to offer the same to match with the competitor after gr8 reluctance. Transparency regarding freebies need to be ensured by the principal I suppose.
K Series Engine : This engine seems to be powerful, we can flog it to the maximum. I found that in second gear it is little sluggish. Third gear is powerful. Overdrive is a beauty but we rarely get to use it in city like Bangalore.
Milege : The milege with AC is anywhere between 10 to 12 kms per litre, with AC on and off we can get 13 kms to 14 kms too, on highway one can expect upto 19.7 and 20 with ac on, kms as against the claim of 21 kms to 25km. But it will depend on the load. Next time around with four passengers we got a milege of 17 km without AC. I am convinced that milege depends on the load factor.
Extended Warranty : 2 additional years of warranty is a great feature. Guys one should subscribe to this feature since one can burn a hole in their pocket since higher end cars will involve higher cost of spares.
Customer Meet : Recently I attended the customer meet, for educating the customer. This seemed to gr8 way of linking with the customer. The GM clarified a certain doubts, but yet to clear in writing regarding servicing intervals, which is supposed to be once 10 k. On 20 K oil changes are supposed to be undertaken.
Pick up and Drop : Lady owners will be given special additional facility of the vehicle being picked from their residence for servicing. Males are eligible provided they pay up. Drop facility within 5 kms is gr8 idea. So guys buy your vehicle with 5 km range.
AC : The cooling effect of the AC is gr8 is understatement. Heater too works absolutely fine, particularly when you get wet in the rain. It acts as a blower which is a boon. So you can just walk in the rain and yet get dried with a powerful heater.
Audio : This is part of the original fitting which is gr8, plus antenna is fitted for FM radio. The speakers are quite powerful. The fittings on the dashboard is neatly undertaken.
The negatives are :
While reversing one has to be careful, Brakes are off when you switch off in signals, Fog light is not part of OEM, Defogger cannot be fitted later in VXI, Airbags is not part of VXI model. Milege of 21 km is only under ideal test condition. It also depends on the purity and quantity received at your bunk.
Overall I would rate A Star as a good vehicle, with a Caveat, that buyer has to be clear on his or her requirement. If one is looking for a cute car with an average milege with AC on, than A STAR is the right car. It s tubeless tyre is a real surprise package, I was able to drive the vehicle even though it was punctured after 24 hours. It is so easy to get the puncture repaired a tubeless tyre, but nitrogen air is not available everywhere. RNS is equipped one of the best servicing facilities. For me A STAR is a real bargain because of exchange bonus of 25 k and 25 k discount. This review is written after 8 months of purchase so guys I have tried a honest review, because you can t judge service or performance in a month or two. The contours of seating is absolute beauty, one has to just sit and feel the absolute pleasure of driving a STAR on road. You can ZIP, ZAP & ZOOM on your A Star guys. Go for it, since it is the largest exported car from India and Euro V compliant.
Caution : Those who are short are advised not to go for this car, with regard to space in the rear seat is physchological front seat adjuster will take care of it. one has to be careful about reversing and getting used to space clearance is an issue because of the bonnet shape.
