Jan 15, 2010 09:00 PM
7690 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 stability.
Milage: 16 kmpl in city and 18 kmpl on highway.(Use of A/c is minimal in Bangalore but when the conditions are hot, I use it and the milage drops).
Enjoying the drives in A-star. After Pondicherry and Mahabalipuram, I drove to Yercaud(hill drive was good) and then to Madurai(on the fast lane on NH7). The car performed quite well.
http://www.amitkanthamukherjee.blogspot.com
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Time for second update:
A-star VXI(White) -> 8800 km -> Third servicing due shortly -> not yet decided whether to go to the jungles with third service pending or have peace of mind by taking it for third service before going to the jungles.
This review would focus on some of the issues that are being asked time and again about A-star and after having driven A-star for more than 8800 km in city and highway, I would qualify as an expert or so I would guess.
Frequently asked Question about A-star:
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- Space: How big it is? Does it have boot space at all? Does it have lot of leg room in the rear seat? Does it feel cramped inside? etc, etc, etc.
Ans: A-star is a small hatchback. Smaller than Swift. It has boot-space but a small one at that. But a suite case and a soft back like a kit bag will fit in the space. Two suite cases. no way. Two big side-bags. absolutely.
Leg space in the rear is just good enough. The seats in A-star is bigger than any hatch back, it will come almost to your calf(I am 5 feet 8 inches). Even if you push your front seat as back as you can, you will have space for your leg. Is it like a sedan? NO. Much less than a sedan.
However, it does not feel cramped inside. Roll down the window or switch on the A/c and you will love the ride. The rear window is very well positioned and you will have a good view of outside.
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- Driving quality: Issues like high dashboard obstructing view, thick A pillar obstructing the view when turning right, position of steering wheel, position of foot levers, position of driver's seat, etc. etc.
Ans: The dash is as high as any other normal sports car. You will get a low dash and high seating posture if you ride an SUV or an out and out jeep. Other than that the dash is perfectly fine. You will have to come out of the "bicycle mentality" where you can actually see the front wheel from your seat. In any car, you will not be able to see the nose, however high you seat or tall you are.
A piller is thick. Yes it obstruct view a little when you are turning right but that is the price you pay for safety. Now a days all the cars have a thick A piller to prevent reduction in passenger area in case of a head-on collission.
Position of the steering and drivers seat looks fine(to me), do not pull the seat near the steering, you will wake up to a very painful lower spine as you will have no thigh support and all the weight will fall on the spine. Hence push the seat back and stretch the hands and legs forward as you drive. You will enjoy it.
For ladies who are like my wife(5 feet 1 inch), it might be a problem with the dash and foot levers as you might have to stretch a little, but I dont think guys will have any problem.
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- Maintenance: Would I get spare parts? Is it selling well in the market? How expensive is the maintenence? Would maruti roll back the product?
Ans: You would get spare part, that can be guaranteed. It is selling well in the market. Per month A-star is doing around 3k in domestic market and 4k as export. I would say that is very good because it is competing with established players like Alto, Santro, i10, Spark, Estillo, etc. in domestic market and it has taken Europe by storm as far as Indian export is concerned.
Very inexpensive. In 7 months I have not spent a penny. No maintenance till now.
Technically Maruti can roll back any product any time. But then what are the chances of the roll back? I would say that the chances of Santro being rolled back or Swift or Alto being rolled back is much higher. These models are old, where as A-star is a new technology. People trust the same old sun rather than the unknown star which might be better than the sun, but once the sun sinks, they start trusting the star. Dont worry about this . every car owner lives through this issue.
Summary:
In the end, look atthe priorities:
When you buy a car, you look at engine, safety, and handling. Without engine you cannot have a car, without good handling capability, you will not feel comfortable driving and without safety motorvehicle will kill you.A-star's engine is the best in the class. No doubt about it. Handling is excellent because of the ultra-light power steering and precise gear slots, aero-dyanamic shape, low center of gravity and wide body. It is safe because it has incorporated lot of safety features like a crumple zone and pillars that deflect the effect of a collission from the passenger compartment.
Comfort: Ride quality is excellent. Tube less tyres= no tension of puncture, high ground clearance= no tension of potholes and bumpers, good suspension= comfortable ride, good a/c= relaxed comfortable interior, good music system= good entertainment.
Value for money: Go to any car website like carwale or zigwheels or whatever and see if you can get these criteria at the price of A-star. a> Power-steering; b> all 4 power window; c> factory fitted music system at the price of A-star.
I would quote from McDonalds and say about my driving experience in A-star as: I'm loving it.
Cheers.
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For more Bangalore to Pondicherry and Bangalore to Yercaud travel guide and road I took, visit my blog:
https://amitkanthamukherjee.blogspot.com/
