Experience With Indian Alto

[thusi]

I have been reading many comments in Auto Lanka discussion forums about Indian Alto - from those I saw, most were against it. With my experience of one year with an Alto, I thought of sharing my own experience.

My last car was a Toyota Corolla KE74 (1984), which I used for 8 years, and in 2008 I bought a Maruti Suzuki Alto (brand new basic model).

The main reasons I went for an Alto were:

1. I wanted to go for a brand new car so that I could use it for sometime without worrying about any major repairs

2. Fuel efficiency

3. Price

4. Ease of handling in city traffic

5. Small/easy enough so that my wife could also use it

I was fully aware of the features/benefits/disadvantages of the Alto, so after buying I never had any regrets. I have done 13,500km in 12 months now, which doesn't look strange. But considering that my daily office trip is less than 10km, that means that I have done lot of additional trips.

I would also like to give some fuel usage measurements I did. These were accurately measured from 'full tank' to 'full tank'

1. To Matara :20.2 km/l

2. To Polonnaruwa : 20 km/l

3. To Ella/Badulla/Wellawaya and back : 16.5 km/l

4. To Kataragama and back : 18 km/l

For other trips and Colombo running I have not done exact measurements.

Overall I would say from personal experience that it is not a bad car as some say. Even though I was not much worried about the re-sale value, I can now see that it does have a good re-sale value also. (The price of a brand new model has risen by 110,000 within the last year).

Edited September 17, 2009 by thusi

[JadeyBlitzen]

nice write up mate!

Even i would say the alto is "not a bad car"

...if i lived in the 80s

[virensti]

I have been reading many comments in Auto Lanka discussion forums about Indian Alto - from those I saw, most were against it. With my experience of one year with an Alto, I thought of sharing my own experience.

My last car was a Toyota Corolla KE74 (1984), which I used for 8 years, and in 2008 I bought a Maruti Suzuki Alto (brand new basic model).

The main reasons I went for an Alto were:

1. I wanted to go for a brand new car so that I could use it for sometime without worrying about any major repairs

2. Fuel efficiency

3. Price

4. Ease of handling in city traffic

5. Small/easy enough so that my wife could also use it

I was fully aware of the features/benefits/disadvantages of the Alto, so after buying I never had any regrets. I have done 13,500km in 12 months now, which doesn't look strange. But considering that my daily office trip is less than 10km, that means that I have done lot of additional trips.

I would also like to give some fuel usage measurements I did. These were accurately measured from 'full tank' to 'full tank'

1. To Matara :20.2 km/l

2. To Polonnaruwa : 20 km/l

3. To Ella/Badulla/Wellawaya and back : 16.5 km/l

4. To Kataragama and back : 18 km/l

For other trips and Colombo running I have not done exact measurements.

Overall I would say from personal experience that it is not a bad car as some say. Even though I was not much worried about the re-sale value, I can now see that it does have a good re-sale value also. (The price of a brand new model has risen by 110,000 within the last year).

okay. firstly, i'd like to say Congratulations!!!! ...... your alto has lasted you over a year!!

secondly, you wait till your alto comes towards the end of its 2nd year. or pass over the 35k 50k mark on the clock. I haven't got personal hatred towards them mate, its just that never have I seen such appaling build quality, performance (i mean lack of it) nor comfort. The alto nor any of the indian vehicles, can be trusted, purely because they're good only at the start!

You're fuel figures are amazing.. But if you didn't get that much from a 800cc 3 cylinder engine. and a car that weighs about 600 grams. i mean kilograms, it should be sent to the crusher! And also I don't want to even start on the safety factor. (again I mean lack of it!) If you meet with an accident.. God help you.

All in all, a good detailed description. But.. as Jadeyblitzen says, back in the 80's. super car. for modern 21st centuary technology and development. its desperate. (boy oh boy i'm gonna get it from the maruti/indian fans now)

[charitha19]

i say it has served his needs very well... he wants fuel ecnomy, monuverbility/parking... and from the looks of it doesnt mind the outdated technology, and discomfort... but yes lets see how it does on the 2nd and third year... maybe you can post that too mate.. after u use it for a couple of more years.

[samishka]

............The alto nor any of the indian vehicles, can be trusted, purely because they're good only at the start!...................

Have you ever seen a Geely?

[Ripper]

Have you ever seen a Geely?

that's not in the topic now is it?

and i wonder how tall the topic starter is and whether he can carry 4 people in that car comfortably through all those long distance trips

forget 4, at lest himself

and one truly wonders why these maruti fan boys keep on trying to up their rides when it's quite evident the cars have "issues"...

we all know it's good on fuel, cheap to buy and maintain etc etc... but that comes with a lot of other important factors been put into the garbage bin...

[ferrarif50]

Maruti sales going down again ?

[Ripper]

Maruti sales going down again ?

heh heh...doubt it machang!

with the type of fellas we have in SL...it'll be in demand forever! well into the next millennium

but it's quite shocking how maruti fan boys keep on ranting about this

for example...corollas have been bashed by so many here for it's lack of personality, handling etc etc etc... Hell supra natural has a quote on his signature stating the same...

i didn't see corolla owners here getting rattled and started yapping? I drive a damn corolla...

i know what it's good at and what it isn't good at...

simple as that..

each car has it's place.... why can't people accept things as they are and just bloody let it rest...

maruti...pros---cheap-good on petrol-easy to drive in city traffic

cons---bad safety-bad comfort-no power-bad ac-not enuf boot space etc

for some the pros are the only important thing and they dont mind the cons... we're happy for you but we dont like the cons...

so we will critique it...

shall we please move on... enough of this bloody maruti rubbish already

[Supra_Natural]

heh heh...doubt it machang!

with the type of fellas we have in SL...it'll be in demand forever! well into the next millennium

but it's quite shocking how maruti fan boys keep on ranting about this

for example...corollas have been bashed by so many here for it's lack of personality, handling etc etc etc... Hell supra natural has a quote on his signature stating the same...

i didn't see corolla owners here getting rattled and started yapping? I drive a damn corolla...

i know what it's good at and what it isn't good at...

simple as that..

each car has it's place.... why can't people accept things as they are and just bloody let it rest...

maruti...pros---cheap-good on petrol-easy to drive in city traffic

cons---bad safety-bad comfort-no power-bad ac-not enuf boot space etc

for some the pros are the only important thing and they dont mind the cons... we're happy for you but we dont like the cons...

so we will critique it...

shall we please move on... enough of this bloody maruti rubbish already

No no, you drive a SPRINTER! there is a difference!!

Couldnt agree more though, We've seen a decrease in the Toyota bashing as of late, but even when the discussion was at it's highest level, no Ccorolla owners made this much of a racket extolling the virtues of their rides. Maruti fanboys appear to be almost as bad as English Football supporters in their vehemence!

I'll say this much though, as a city hop about, the alto is ok.... if driven foot down its quite peppy as well, although naturally that sorta driving (which to be honest you do need if you ever want to get anywhere in this lifetime) wont give you the magical fuel figures claimed here.

As to Corollas, I really need to change my signature now.... that was a Jeremy Clarkson quote that I found amusing at the time, but I've been in and driven several corollas and honestly have respect for them as sensible trouble free transportation, especially the 121's. I probably would not buy a corolla as my first choice, but neither will i complain much if circumstances dictated that I had to drive one. If it was a maruti on the other hand, especially if i had to do the sort of trips my work sometimes requires... I'd rather go down to pettah and hop on an Intercity bus.

[mazdaspeed]

My last car was a Toyota Corolla KE74 (1984), which I used for 8 years, and in 2008 I bought a Maruti Suzuki Alto (brand new basic model).

4. Ease of handling in city traffic

5. Small/easy enough so that my wife could also use it

1. To Matara :20.2 km/l

Soo would you be the kind of guy that tries to creep in when there’s a long queue of traffic coming from the right/left side ?????

OK NO car will generally have trouble in the 1^st year – like the others have said try Year 2/3+ and wait till you see what comes …….

A corolla – well will keep going and going with out any issues – My family owned a KE 72 – and the biggest replacement was a gasket

I take it that your relationship with your wife is not that good – I certainly would not my wife drive a maruti – It’s only natural that most females are clumsy behind the wheel hence the safety factor is important.

How were u able to get that kind of figures on fuel ???? By driving at abt 20Kmph – If you are please don’t do it in the middle of the road – let other by .

Oh … YES I’ve had the displeasure of driving the CRAPPY thing

[teejay]

Soo would you be the kind of guy that tries to creep in when there’s a long queue of traffic coming from the right/left side ?????

OK NO car will generally have trouble in the 1^st year – like the others have said try Year 2/3+ and wait till you see what comes …….

A corolla – well will keep going and going with out any issues – My family owned a KE 72 – and the biggest replacement was a gasket

I take it that your relationship with your wife is not that good – I certainly would not my wife drive a maruti – It’s only natural that most females are clumsy behind the wheel hence the safety factor is important.

How were u able to get that kind of figures on fuel ???? By driving at abt 20Kmph – If you are please don’t do it in the middle of the road – let other by .

Oh … YES I’ve had the displeasure of driving the CRAPPY thing

I was thinking of using this link to convince my wife that we don't need to sell my Subaru and buy an Alto instead. But then you go and say something like "most females are clumsy behind the wheel hence the safety factor is important."!!!

Edited September 18, 2009 by teejay

[SHAI]

]I take it that your relationship with your wife is not that good – I certainly would not my wife drive a maruti – It’s only natural that most females are clumsy behind the wheel hence the safety factor is important.

Its a good thing ther aren't many...errr or any female members on this forum

Ok I know now that I'm gonna get blasted a bit on this, but I went to Habarana in one.....

(yes it made it all the way & back ) and the ride for me ( riding shotgun) wasn't all that bad....

better than I had expected actually, especially considering I refused to go in it at first........

Scared the shit outta me with oncoming busses an all...but ride wise not too shabby.

Oh and incidentally it was driven by a female co-worker, who usually drives a land cruiser 75

All in all best used in the city me thinks.....

[Ripper]

Ahem.... you didn't think the ride was good cos it was with a female co-worker who usually drives a LC 75 eh?

as far as i heard, lotsa ladies are reading these pages daily but aren't too bothered about commenting and stuff

[MkX]

I think if Maruti owners happy with their ride and they are ok with comfort and safety levels in their cars we shouldn't be bother about it.

[MkX]

.

Edited September 18, 2009 by MkX

[samishka]

nice write up mate!

Even i would say the alto is "not a bad car"

...if i lived in the 80s

Alto is not a car from the 80s

[samishka]

that's not in the topic now is it?

Let Virensti answer my question.

[SpEeD FrEak]

Indian cars are Crudely built and Lacks safety.I must admit that my Mum has a Maruti 800 and had it for 2 years.still no probs.It has some simple modifications too.

But if you are a Car enthusiast you could go for something Like a Honda or Subaru for that price(Brandnew maruti 800 and Alto price).The only thing would be that Those cars will need Little bit more attention than the Marutis.

But they will Perform far more better than the Marutis and give you driving pleasure......

So just dont Buy a Car cause of its fuel consumption.

Edited September 18, 2009 by SpEeD FrEak

[SpEeD FrEak]

No no, you drive a SPRINTER! there is a difference!!

Couldnt agree more though, We've seen a decrease in the Toyota bashing as of late, but even when the discussion was at it's highest level, no Ccorolla owners made this much of a racket extolling the virtues of their rides. Maruti fanboys appear to be almost as bad as English Football supporters in their vehemence!

I'll say this much though, as a city hop about, the alto is ok.... if driven foot down its quite peppy as well, although naturally that sorta driving (which to be honest you do need if you ever want to get anywhere in this lifetime) wont give you the magical fuel figures claimed here.

As to Corollas, I really need to change my signature now.... that was a Jeremy Clarkson quote that I found amusing at the time, but I've been in and driven several corollas and honestly have respect for them as sensible trouble free transportation, especially the 121's. I probably would not buy a corolla as my first choice, but neither will i complain much if circumstances dictated that I had to drive one. If it was a maruti on the other hand, especially if i had to do the sort of trips my work sometimes requires... I'd rather go down to pettah and hop on an Intercity bus.

yes Bro.Those figures can only be achieved if driven with a Light foot.These cars come Detuned from the factory so that they do more on fuel.

Got my Mothers 800s ECU retuned cause that crappy thing had Horrible Pickup. Now it has little bit more pickup But the damn thing dont give those fuel figures.Best is 17.5kmpl.These Marutis are of no use.

[ajwad]

yes Bro.Those figures can only be achieved if driven with a Light foot.These cars come Detuned from the factory so that they do more on fuel.

Got my Mothers 800s ECU retuned cause that crappy thing had Horrible Pickup. Now it has little bit more pickup But the damn thing dont give those fuel figures.Best is 17.5kmpl.These Marutis are of no use.

well, what ever it is, paying so much for a maruti s too much

Edited September 18, 2009 by ajwad

[Ripper]

well, what ever it is, paying so much for a maruti s too much

machang don't say stuff like that... Maruti fan boys will come after you with a vengeance!

or worse, start another thread a few days down the road and make us all go through this rubbish all over again!

[SpEeD FrEak]

Yes dude Not worth.

[virensti]

Have you ever seen a Geely?

what the? lol okay since you wanna switch from Indian to Chinese! Lol sure. Yes I've seen the "geely" (original name I must say) so what about it mate?

your saying its worse than maruti? or are you saying its better? or that they're both utter crap? (Cause I agree with the 3rd) lol or the fact the geely are lovely copy cats? (refer to top gear and news if you dont know what I'm talking about hehe) but I will say this. lol that Geely is a super fake. Must've learnt from our guys in pettah. "Original badu sir!"

[virensti]

Alto is not a car from the 80s

lol. sarcasm is a foreign language to you isn't it?

[JadeyBlitzen]

lol. sarcasm is a foreign language to you isn't it?

seems to be something associated with people who drive maruti's or the ones who try desperately to defend them