[deepak_bajaj]

Being a Maruti user for over 14 years, I can fully relate to this. My first Maruti was 2007 Swift Zxi and after 11 years, I bought Baleno RS (premium Nexa car ). I can feel the degradation. Swift was solidly built (this is relative) with respect to current versions of Swift.

My Baleno RS is not even 4 years old and < 30k km. However, I'm lucky not to have faced issues with gear knob and steering leather (touch wood). I faced only trivial issues such as replacement of steering rack, shockers pins, reverse parking sensors (twice) and few others. The body is really "Tin Can" and flexes on the slightest touch. Rattles are, correctly named, "free accessories". So have become used to it but my next car would not be Maruti.

I feel Maruti has completely failed to upgrade itself. Leave aside premium, they lack in basic quality. The old cars were more robust than current generation. But in my opinion, fault lies with me and with us who still buy these cars. For majority of us, price matters the most rather than quality and that is what we are subjected to. This is true across all manufacturers and products. To lower the prices, manufacturers resort to cost cutting. 3 star rating of Seltos is a recent example. We don't want to pay for quality and service. So, few people like me, who want service and quality, even by paying premium, are also denied the same. Market is governed by majority and people like me are in minority.

I'm trying to change myself and move away from such products.

[kamilharis]

Sad but LOL, those cracked gear knobs look really pathetic to my eyes. I have never seen any gear knobs with cracks, the maximum I have seen is a torn leather wrap around the gear knob.

Regarding the chrome around push start button, the same thing happens with external chrome accessories as well. Over a period of time, the chrome finish either comes off or turns into a greenish color plastic with black spots on it.

[Simha13]

My experience has been different here. I have a 5 year old Baleno, Interiors have held up really well, except for few scratches near door arm rest. There are no rattles or any other complaints. However, the exterior is another story. completely covered with small dents and waviness thanks to pathetic quality.

[royalbeat]

My worry is that seeing the success that most of Maruti's models enjoy despite poor quality control, other mass manufacturers might get tempted to go down this route. Of course, not considering other factors like A.S.S, service costs, etc.

[ArTigor]

Although I have been left with a sour taste with MASS as well as the current build quality, none of the Maruti cars we have owned (Alto 2006, Estilo 2007, Esteem 2006, Ritz 2011, Ertiga 2014 & K10 2016) have ever had issues of deteriorating interiors. Our current Maruti the Alto K 10 interiors have held up very well and the rattles are there because of our rural runs.
Here is the picture of our 4.5 years old alto which has run 60000 km in the last 4 years.-

Believe me, from a pool of all vehicles in our family, this car is the most abused and interiors are least pampered, yet not a single part has ever fallen loose.

From most of the pics on this thread what I can see is that the complaints are with the Premium products and that is where things are going bad with interior quality in long run. While on the lower spectrum products like Alto, Wagon R etc. interiors hold up good, considering the price point.
This shows that Maruti has many things to be worked upon in premium offerings quality wise.

Slightly off topic- this is the external pic of my K 10, even after 4.5 years the paint has retained its luster and looks just same as when it was new.



Now my car is parked in open always and no polishing what so ever is done on it till date, only alternate day washing. I have seen many new Balenos and Dzires which are hardly 1 year old with dull paint and luster/shine, is the paint quality of Maruti degrading too?

[DieselAnna]

I currently own a Scross 1.3 FL Alpha and looking at the pictures shared here, I know what to expect in the future from my Interiors.

But let me tell you that these aren't specific to Marutis only. We had Fluidic i20 2012 model before this. Same problem was observed in that car before we sold it in 2019.

The deteriorated parts were:
1. Steering Leather scratched completely
2. Gear knob leather had become powdery
3. Driver Door Armrest had scratches
4. The Auto folding mirror button mark had disappeared.

I'll not speak about the current Gen of Hyundais because of no experience.

[Dr.Naren]

Originally Posted by ArTigor

From most of the pics on this thread what I can see is that the complaints are with the Premium products and that is where things are going bad with interior quality in long run. While on the lower spectrum products like Alto, Wagon R etc. interiors hold up good, considering the price point.
This shows that Maruti has many things to be worked upon in premium offerings quality wise.

Leather steering, door pad clothing, chrome linings etc are present only in so called premium Maruti / Nexa cars. Both the Nexa cars in my garage faced these issues.

Our 1 lakh kms / 8 year old Grand I10 is used by dad and more abused as he even transports the farm products in it. Happy to report that no interior quality issues till date.

[amitayu]

Originally Posted by deepak_bajaj

Being a Maruti user for over 14 years, I can fully relate to this. My first Maruti was 2007 Swift Zxi and after 11 years, I bought Baleno RS (premium Nexa car ). I can feel the degradation. Swift was solidly built (this is relative) with respect to current versions of Swift.

We had a Ritz, and for our second car NEXA was our obvious first port of call. Given our insistence for a hatchback, we were shown both the Ignis and the Baleno.

Both cars felt frail compared to our 7 year old Ritz. Even after a test drive in the Baleno, when we were driving back in our Ritz, my wife commented the Ritz felt better than the Baleno.

That is when we decided to part ways with Maruti and look for other manufacturers.

[jeetumg27]

To my knowledge, the gear knob & the ac vents crack issue are not restricted to Maruti alone. I had the same issue in my Skoda Rapid at around 68k. Though the rubbery gear knob covering was intact, the chrome garnished covering with the shift pattern came off because of the glue drying up and the soft interlock becoming loose.

And the ac vents - lesser said about them - the better. I have seen innumerable examples of broken ac vents in Rapids & Ventos. They were on the expensive side to replace and the worst part (pun intended), they were available only in PAIRS!

Before buying the Rapid, I had also test driven the Fabia and noticed it had more luxurious & better quality interiors than the Rapid. So I guess the cost-cutting by VAG had begun with Rapid & Vento and likely to be carried forward to Kushaq too where Mr G Boparai (MD) has already hinted at 95%+ localisation

[Ashdel]

I would say its a mix blend of both Maruti and their so called "Faithful" customers, who believe in buying the cheapest 4 wheeler available in the market and u bet, no other option than "Maruti".

Things like low quality plastic, seat fabrics, puny tyres and what not. Maruti has a upper edge when it comes to making cheapest possible vehicle and targeting the right "Indian" customer.

Having said this, i still own a 2017 Brezza Zdi which i think will be my last car from this brand unless things change drastically in coming years which personally i dont foresee.

[Kln]

I 100% relate with this thread. My 2017 Ignis has had the following problems, many of them within 1 or 2 years of purchase -

1. IRVM squeaking/rattling on uneven roads despite multiple attempts to tighten it by MASS.

2. The center console being wobbly and nearly getting dislodged by a kid who was merely playing inside a parked, switched off car.

3. AC vents broke off, like in the case of many in this thread.

4. Scratching noise from the tailgate due to improper greasing of the tailgate panel screws. I had a really tough time figuring this noise out.

5. Speedometer console cover rattling due to tiny gaps between the console and cover.

6. Side body cladding rattling and coming off. Had to ask the MASS to screw it in externally.

The Ignis is a beautiful car and incredibly fun to drive - probably the only reason why I can tolerate the extremely shoddy body quality and God awful MASS.

[giri1.8]

Originally Posted by DieselAnna

I

But let me tell you that these aren't specific to Marutis only. We had Fluidic i20 2012 model before this. Same problem was observed in that car before we sold it in 2019.

My Tigor's steering had textured material, shocking started to peel off in just one and half years and 20K km of use. Looks like our market is yet to master soft touch materials.

[StarBoard]

The first time I happened to sit inside a new Baleno belonging to a friend, I was appalled to feel the feather-weight front passenger door. The same feeling came back when I was checking out the third generation Swift kept on display at a shopping center. I don't remember seeing any car (even previous Maruti models) with such flimsy built quality. The car door is the first point of contact of a potential customer and the least Maruti could have done is to ensure that it is better built. Agreed that Maruti cars are otherwise extremely reliable but quality of materials is steadily going downhill.

[deepak_bajaj]

Originally Posted by jeetumg27

So I guess the cost-cutting by VAG had begun with Rapid & Vento and likely to be carried forward to Kushaq too where Mr G Boparai (MD) has already hinted at 95%+ localisation

Besides above post, I have read in several posts that quality of cars have deteriorated after localization. If this is true, I'm wondering if we, Indians, are to be blamed for this? Are we unable to manufacture quality parts (parts manufacturer) or we intentionally go for additional cost cutting (car manufacturers)? Localization will reduce the cost but do manufacturers become more greedy and given our mindset of "Cheap is Best", they cut additional costs in parts too? In my view, it is very important to find out that do we intentionally do it or we do not have the capability to produce?

[ankitsharma]

I feel it is more of the standards/quality checks by the government that are responsible for these issues. The check is probably set too low and then the penalization process is just too lean here.
But then being part of a developing economy, these process/SOPs take time to be matured. Though they should have been by now but then lets take it with a pinch of salt at the moment.

Good thing with Maruti is that it is relatively easier and cheaper to replace.