My Maruti WagonR: 11 years & 90,000 km update

I don't think there's any need to change the car. Recently, we did a 600 km road trip and it performed quite well.

BHPian freakmuzik recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

After a long break, yet again, I thought of updating here with all details of Service Costs and how it is running right now! I can’t believe it’s been 11 years since this car joined our family!

Positives

• Ease of driving
• Ride height
• Regular service costs
• Engine is pretty nice in high revs
• Underthigh is way better than the new W-R
• Overall reliability and access to service

Negatives

• Premature wear of certain components
• Space (compared to our needs)
• Lack of enough boot space (180L is a joke)
• Few rattles and the general feel of light build (though the doors are way heavier than the new W-R)
• Fuel efficiency is just average
• 3-cyl engine vibrations

Total service cost - 125000 (Maintenance + upgrades + Accidents + Battery + Tyres)

Odometer - 90000

Age - 11 Years, 1 month

Upcoming repairs

Front axle is making weird noise while turning the steering. Also, the rear suspension makes a heavy thud for even the smallest undulation and bumps. I would appreciate it if anyone can point out possible problems if they know better.

Right now, we did a roundtrip of 600 kms and the car performed very well after some of the repairs like replacing two engine mounts, etc. 90 kmph is a sweet spot in this car, AC performed well and overall, there was nothing much to complain about. I don’t think there’s any need to change the car as it is mostly used for city drives. Also, I realised that a Tiago or Celerio costs 7.5L on-road, it’s easy to decide not to change when the car is doing alright.

Also, since 2018, the running has reduced drastically due to me shifting to Chennai and also majorly due to Covid.

Do feel free to ask me any questions.

I need to refurbish the headlamps.

Looks pretty good with bumper worked and new tail lamps.

Good to note the dashboard hasn't gotten that aged considering so much exposure to the Sun.

Seat covers starting to show their age.

Decent under-thigh support especially when compared to the new W-R.

Apollo Accelere 4G life at 21,000 kms

Here's what BHPian Tony2298 had to say about the matter:

A heartfelt congratulations on completing such a long time with your WagonR. Your white car still looks very decent and I actually like this design more than the current one.

The WagonR is a very decent package and is pretty good for what it offers for its very affordable price tag. The only thing is the boxy image which can put some potential buyers off but once you get past that you realise how good this car genuinely is. My dad owns a similar car as yours albeit, in the shade of Breeze Blue. We have driven it for more than 1 Lakh kilometres but my dad is still pretty reluctant to change it and for his daily city usage scenario it still serves its purpose well.

When I drive it sometimes I also realise that it does have a sporty side as well and can give you some fun when kept within limits. For one, that engine is actually quite rev-happy and does reward you with some brisk acceleration, especially after around 2500rpm or so this motor does pull cleanly to around 5800rpm redline or so and while doing that it does sound sporty. The 3rd gear especially is quite energetic and can catapult this car till around 120kph. The only thing which I found sorely lacking which is, to be honest, to be very much expected is its unpredictable dynamic behaviour and especially once you cross beyond 80kph you do feel that twitchiness creeping in and once you hit triple-digit the steering and the body are too much sensitive to cross-winds. At those speeds, its lighter build also starts to show its ugly face which is why the best thing that one can do is to drive her at sane speeds and preferably within city limits.

Another point that is a downer is the ridiculously low boot space which is just enough for a couple of soft bags. The engine though sporty at high revs lacks the bottom-end and the gearing is also a bit weird, the 1st lacks power and 2nd lacks torque which is why you constantly need to shift gears while negotiating traffic. Also, the sparse equipment levels are making their absence felt, may not be for my dad but certainly for me. Man, come on, it's 2022 and there isn't even a USB connection forget Bluetooth and IIRC. During that time cars like i20 offered USB, Bluetooth, Auto Headlamps and whatnot for not so much premium which is why, to be very honest, I don't prefer driving it that much. Still, at the end of the day, it's a very good and practical car and absolutely perfect for town running.

As you said, this car still serves its purpose very well and those cons are actually aren't dealbreakers. For the mature ones, there is absolutely no need to change this car. Wish you many more happy miles with your beloved machine, stay safe and happy motoring!

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