Complete package!. Review on Maruti Suzuki Zen - Petrol

This review may be useful for all those who want to purchase a second hand budget car. I am a motor bike enthusiast. Going long trips on bikes is a thrilling experience. However I needed a car when my mother decided to stay with me. It was 2002 January and I was busy with CAR RESEARCH. Since and that time I had booked a flat in Noida, I decided to go for a second hand Zen. I thought a second hand zen will serve the purpose temporarily and when I am better off financially I will go for a new one. The zen I purchased was of 98 model, VX version and had done 50000kms. At that time I did not know car driving, so joined a training school. After completion of training, when I first drove my old zen it was really a wonderful experience.( condition of driving school maruti 800 was so bad perhaps). Any way, since then I have driven this car for 30000 kms, including frequent trips to Haridwar and Kurushetra etc. It has given me satisfactory performance. I do not remember any major maintenance requirement except regular service. Still it runs as smoothly as it was when I purchased it.

However I have one complain of this model. Driving this car in the city with AC ON is depressing due to lack of power. Similar problem I face on the highways while overtaking. Some times I have to switch-off the AC to overtake a nagging DTC bus. I think arrival of Santro with MPFI engine was a real boon for Indian customers. Maruti subsequently replaced the carburetor version with MPFI. The MPFI version zen is really powerful. It gives hassle free city as well as high way driving with AC. So I made one critical mistake while purchasing a second hand car. Hardly 25000 Rs more would have fetched me an MPFI version. Second problem with this model is cold start. An MPFI engine won’t give you starting problem in the winters.

The very special features of Zen are following:

1-Exceptional handling and seating comfort. 2-Quite comfortable for five adults. 3-Very reliable 4-Wide service net work and Cheap spares 5- Good mileage 6- Long life. I have driven cars like santro and wagon-R and these are no match to zen from handling, stability and driving comfort point of view. Zen does not have good luggage space and its ground clearance is smaller too. Still it is a small BIG car! Hence I would recommend zen to all those who want a complete package in a limited budget.