[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by joslicx

Your argument still isint convincing enough to explain why Alto so very "comprehensively" outsells Spark (when you can get similarly spec'd Spark for about the same price and there is not much difference in their mileages as well).

Try something more before slagging Maruti off like that. It is the most profitable car company in India!

Do you really expect me to answer that? In anycase that wasnt the point of the argument.

[arsenik]

Maruti = peace of mind, period. i don't think anything can stop the A-Star from selling like hot-cakes. Come on, it ain't that bad to look at! :P

[sudipt123]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Brilliant logic... hats off! That ways we will 'feel' safest sitting inside a post box with wheels on it... what say?

Ha ha, well said extreme_torque!
Seriously guys, Let people decide whether they like the A* or not. What we want here are serious test drive reviews. I have not test driven the A*, but the point is when I test drove the swift Diesel, I found it to be very claustrophobic compared to my Indica V2. I stopped at a signal, and was nervous due to the low visibility on the sides.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

A young average income professional in India can't afford taking a car to work everyday.

If he can afford to buy a car, he should be able to drive to work as well. If your logic were true, there would be no cars in our parking lot, including mine

[harry10]

Originally Posted by arsenik

Maruti = peace of mind, period. i don't think anything can stop the A-Star from selling like hot-cakes. Come on, it ain't that bad to look at! :P

More assumptions! Lets wait for some numbers and initial sales reports before jumping around singing praises of maruti. I dont understand why people are more obsessed with brand name then the quality of product which is offered. And i can bet you havent driven it yet!

[carboy]

Originally Posted by joslicx

It is more expansive than Alto but it is for a reason!!!

But as per all reviews (including yours), it's more expansive than Alto
only in the front seat & not the rear seat.

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by carboy

But as per all reviews (including yours), it's more expansive than Alto
only in the front seat & not the rear seat.

Yes it definitely is not the car for you if you plan to hire a driver and enjoy your newspaper at the back!

[mxx]

Hey guys, can we stop the brand politics here.

I never understood the point in brand politics when it comes to small cars. Small cars in most of the cases(but not in all cases) are a compromise. Lets face it, its true. Is there many people here who would go to buy a small car, if they can easily afford an accord, or outlander or even a civic. I doubt so, except if you need a second car for city run, in which case his priorities will be lot different from the person who is buying a small family car.
So, let us cut the brand politics. If you happen to do a TD, tell the pros and cons of the vehicle, and if you happen to compare, be realistic in which cars you choose to compare, dont compare with cars above its class.

[vinayasurya]

I too feel there is too much brand politics here. And I am also sure that most of people who are supporting or bashing A * haven't driven it yet!!!

[mxx]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Yes we do Atleast I was when I bought my first car.

That is not a good statement.
I dont think the Indian car buyers are stupid. But I agree that a majority among them lack awareness. That is the reason why we find many manufacturers comfortably selling decade old stuff here

[enter]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

A young average income professional in India can't afford taking a car to work everyday. If he can then 1-2 kmpl here and there wont make much difference unless you have given in to the marketing blitzkreig and really think A-Star is going to give you 19 kmpl in city.
Besides from all the points you have listed above, the A-Star looks more like a compromise, than a car!
If they so cared for the average earning India professional they wouldnt have launched it at that price... I cant belive that it costs them so much to make that car in India.... another piece of Crap from Maruti if you ask me.

Dude.. lets apply some basic math over here. Assume you drive 40 kms a day, or 1200 kms a month. i10 will cost you around 5000 rs a month. A* or Alto would cost around 4000 rs a month for that. Saving of 1000 rs a month.. Besides, the insurance will cost 400 rs a month less, that means.

Assuming most of us take loans to purchase items who cost 6 digits..

Its the same as buying a car worth 300,000 rs (assuming you have the same mileage as santro, i10 1.1, wagonr,..etc). Now does A* really look a compromise?

Wow..

[carboy]

Originally Posted by mxx

Is there many people here who would go to buy a small car, if they can easily afford an accord, or outlander or even a civic. I doubt so, except if you need a second car for city run, in which case his priorities will be lot different from the person who is buying a small family car.

Yes. Me. I bought a SwiftVXIABS when I had a budget for much more without a loan. This is my only car. I am still not happy with the price
I paid though - I think I should have been able to get these features
atleast 50K cheaper. Also the body is too wide for me - I almost didn't
buy it for that reason.

It was the cheapest car which had all the stuff I needed.
My only regret is that at the time of buying, I didn't think about the
need for rear window defogger & a rear window wiper.

I started my search with Wagon R & Santro, but ended up with a Swift.

[VeluM]

Good review, but I think a lot of things are relative. For example, I have driven an Alto (in Nagpur) with the AC on and found it to accelerate pretty well. The alto engine also revvs better, which is noticeable on the roads where Altos beat many other (similar sized) cars off the block, initially.
If peak power is almost 20bhp more, and is developed at the same RPM as the Alto (as mentioned by another), then is the A Star so much heavier that it's performance in the city is so poor?

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by enter

Dude.. lets apply some basic math over here. Assume you drive 40 kms a day, or 1200 kms a month. i10 will cost you around 5000 rs a month. A* or Alto would cost around 4000 rs a month for that. Saving of 1000 rs a month.. Besides, the insurance will cost 400 rs a month less, that means.

Assuming most of us take loans to purchase items who cost 6 digits..

Its the same as buying a car worth 300,000 rs (assuming you have the same mileage as santro, i10 1.1, wagonr,..etc). Now does A* really look a compromise?

Wow..

Admittedly though this Maths makes sense only in cities like Delhi etc.
In smaller towns people probably either dont drive to work (although they have cars - I see it in my hometown) or workplaces also are not that far. Cars in smaller cities are really a family vehicle.

We actually have two very different sort of buyers here. I live in Delhi and can easily afford a city but I drive a much smaller car coz it is more practical, easy to drive and park and also very economical. I am single so space is not at all a parameter for me. In Delhi there are thousands of guys like me owning cars (thats why we see cars with single drivers all around all the time!!)

One more problem is in smaller towns where there is actually need for roomier cars, often the likes of GM, Honda, Fiat etc have little or no presence! People are forced to choose from Hyundai or Maruti only.

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

If he can afford to buy a car, he should be able to drive to work as well. If your logic were true, there would be no cars in our parking lot, including mine

Exactly, greenhorn!

If one is planning to buy a car, he should make himself sure that he is financially sound enough to drive that car at his will. Otherwise, why you need a car only to park it in your car-shed? Just for a show? Yes, you can, but then you should not talk about space / mileage / build quality etc.

"Extreme-torque" has such a car in his car-shed, I think!