Team-BHP - Review: 2nd-gen Maruti Swift (2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPARKled (Post 2773716)

If we come to steering and view from the drivers seat, Figo is still better IMHO. I am not a Maruti basher coz I own the Ritz Vdi myself. But dated looks and interiors and a leisurly highway performance are the only major turn offs for a Figo.

I also TD Figo before deciding on Swift. Agree with you that Figo has better view from driver seat (larger windows and all). Also seems to have thicker sheet metal, more of the "thud" feeling and in general seems well built :thumbs up

However, i was quite skeptical of the service - spoke to couple of ikon/figo owners in my area and their review of Ford service was average. There is just one service center in our area (JP Nagar), while Maruti has a bunch. Service is a very important consideration when buying a car, considering atleast I like to keep my cars for long. It's also good to have a wider network for any problems that may occur when on the highways. This is the reason i didnt event TD Polo, which otherwise i believe is a very good car.

Secondly, please check out the figo thread (yes it's huge, i spent lot of time then going over some of the older pages). There are plenty of posts on naggling issues figo owners have had over the years - some fixed, some not yet fixed.

There's even a separate thread on the figo diesel, related to engine shutting down while downshifting. That's very very scary, and can lead to bad accidents. There was some talk of ECU updates that may fix it, dont know what's current status - but since it's an issue which randomly occurs, i dont know how one can be sure it's fixed.

Lastly, we dont know what kind of crash testing figo has undergone. Some people claim it is similar to an earlier fiesta platform, and so NCAP 4* equivalent, but we dont really know. Atleast for Swift's european version we know it's 5*. For me safety was a big factor in the purchase, so this was one more reason to not select the figo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by akj123 (Post 2773734)

Totally agree with allyour views. The ecu and other niggling problems which supposedly are taken care of now are still iffy and that is what is preventing me from going for a Figo. But my major concern right now is that the Zdi is almost 8L where I stay compared to 6.9L for the fully loaded niggle/problem rectified titanium TDCI.
Even the Vdi is more than the Titanium at 6.94 with no equipment and discount or freebies. I don't believe the Swift is that much better than the Figo especially when the Figo has much much better braking than the swift Vdi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPARKled (Post 2773761)

I understand, definitely swift (and i20) are more expensive (i paid 6.8L for ZXi, partly thanks to b'lore taxes). Maruti has also been making hay while the sun shines, ie, hiking prices for the diesel variants.

Unfortunately that's what the situation is and we all have to make a decision based on this data. I also spent many months deciding (jazz / swift / figo / beat, petrol or diesel), till my family almost beat me up :D. I'm sure you'll enjoy whichever car you pick up, and these differences will be forgotten once you're on the NH* :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPARKled (Post 2773761)

8L for the ZDi makes no sense to me, it is highly overpriced, the Swift does not deserve the 8L price tag.

On the braking part, me being a current Figo P owner and a previous (2009, 1.3) Swift P owner would vouch that the Swift brakes were leagues ahead of the Figo P.

I don't have much of an insight on the current Swift and Figo D brakes, don't know how different the brakes would be on the Diesel when compared to the Petrol, the petrol has PATHETIC brakes for sure, they do not inspire any confidence.

Note from the Team-BHP Support : Please avoid typing with excessive dots.........like................this. Thanks

Guys i have been facing more and more harrasment from the dealership Vishnucars in chromepet. The car has come and is in the yard . They have not even done a PDI yet . they are delaying the registration too inspite me settling the full financial obligations. They are saying i cannot do a PDI before registration too. Is there anyone some sort of a customer care head of chennai whom i can contact in maruti give him my piece of mind and make him speed up things?

You can either contact 1800 1800 180 or this address

7th Floor, Capital Towers,
180, Kodambakkam High Road
Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034
Tel: (044) 28233051-3

Most likely your dealer should fall in line after 1-2 calls. MSIL is very prompt in following up the customer problems
or you can call up head office and get the direct contact numbers of the person concerned, I have done this in the past since I too had some niggles during the delivery.

First of all I bluntly told them that I will sign on the RTO form only after i conduct a PDI on the vehicle. The dealer had recieved the vehicle on sunday and was told by the sales advisor that PDI by them will be done on monday / tuesday. I told him specifically that i would like to do a PDI myself before signing on the dotted line on RTO form on wednesday so that they can send the car for registration on thursday. since thursday and friday are auspicious i told them that i will take the delivery on either of the two days which is feasible On wednesdaywhen i called them they told me to visit the yard , i visited the yard and to my shock the vehicle was all in dust and no PDI had been performed and it was in a state as if the car has been just dropped in transit. there were a few scratches on the bumper and rear window right side was wobbling. I called them and gave them a piece of my mind and told them to buck up. The SA told me that he will keep the car ready on friday morning and i can do a pdi and send the car for registration. Today morning when i went there to my shock the car is still not ready, the car was not even in the list of cars to be sent for registration today. Tomorrow being saturday and then sunday RTO is holiday. On monday tuesday too since it is inauspicious i cannot take delivery of the car. so only on wednesday i can take the car for delivery. Now they are saying it is not rule to allow me to do a PDI before registration.....they are saying that i can see the car only after it is registered in my name.......

Launched a complaint against vishnu cars with MSIL.

Complaints about....

1. saying it was a rule of MSIL that i must take insurance with the dealer

2. Not doing PDI and registering My car even after 5 days since it has come to dealers yard.

3. Not allowing me to inspect the vehicle before registration saying they dont allow customers to do a PDI

Waiting for them to take some action. Because of all this fiasco The car is still in dealers yard and would go for registration only on wednesday :deadhorse Now i have to cancel all my touring and appointments for the delivery of the car. feeling frustrated and All the joy of owning the Swift is gone :Frustrati

I TDed the new Swift today, the test drive vehicle was a ZXI. To be honest except for the good front seat i didn't like it much. I mean coming from the AStar the waterfall cabin, the gearknob, dash area etc failed to generate a feel good factor in me. And like GTO pointed out in this review my shin kept banging against the lower part of the dashboard and the knee was banging against the waterfall console. My Astar has similar issues. So except for the good seat i didn't like it much. Clutch pedal had a kind off ON/OFF feel to it with very less travel. The sales executive said it this issue is only with the TD car. The initial pulling power seemed much less compared to the Older Swift with non VVT, my cousin who owns the prev gen K Series Swift confirmed this. Overall i find my cousin's 2010 Swift with the K Series engine better - in driver ergonomics and low end pulling.

I was thinking about booking it, now have to check out other options. Honda Brio is the next choice. But Brio's wheel base is lesser than my Astar's it worries me if i am getting a smaller car :(

Hey Swift owners, with the summers already at its peak how would you rate your AC/ACCs performance ?

Last 2 days in Delhi were too hot, ambient temperature as shown by MID was 40~43 degrees and it took more than 15 minutes to cool the cabin with the car parked which was parked in the sun.
I do keep my windows rolled down for 2-3 mins so that hot air can escape. I had set my ACC to 18 degrees (which is a notch above the lowest possible "LO" in new swift) and the blower was running at full blast throught my 1 hour joururney. Even in the lowest temperature setting which is "LO" the cabin is never chilled but is just about comfortable one of the reason being that I got my 3M sunfilms removed recently.I would rate ACCs performance as average

Also if I put my hand just outside the aircon vents so as to try to feel the temperature of the air coming out before it gets mixed with the warm cabin air; even this cool air is not that "cool" as compared to that you get during cloudy or night driving for initial 5-6 minutes. I guess the AC ducts and evaporator fins also get heated up due to hot cabin air and hence this issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beast_within

Hey Swift owners, with the summers already at its peak how would you rate your AC/ACCs performance ?

Last 2 days in Delhi were too hot, ambient temperature as shown by MID was 40~43 degrees and it took more than 15 minutes to cool the cabin with the car parked which was parked in the sun.
I do keep my windows rolled down for 2-3 mins so that hot air can escape. I had set my ACC to 18 degrees (which is a notch above the lowest possible "LO" in new swift) and the blower was running at full blast throught my 1 hour joururney. Even in the lowest temperature setting which is "LO" the cabin is never chilled but is just about comfortable one of the reason being that I got my 3M sunfilms removed recently.I would rate ACCs performance as average

Also if I put my hand just outside the aircon vents so as to try to feel the temperature of the air coming out before it gets mixed with the warm cabin air; even this cool air is not that "cool" as compared to that you get during cloudy or night driving for initial 5-6 minutes. I guess the AC ducts and evaporator fins also get heated up due to hot cabin air and hence this issue.

about a couple of weeks ago, the temperature here in Mumbai went up to the early forties. However I didn't have any issues with the AC. It cooled the cabin quite normally and maintained it as well. mind you, my car is black.

Was the AC in recirculate mode? If not, it could be a reason why it did not cool well. No sun films will definitely compound the problem