08 Apr 2007 update - Have done more than 2500 KMS with first service done at 1000 KM in Mandovi motors (JP Nagar workshop). I had a problem with the ECM (The controller chip of the negine) after the first service. The engine was hunting on idle below 900 RPM when the engine was hot and there was no load on the car. I noticed this while cooling down my turbo on idle for 1 min while I was shutting down my car after a long ride. This was fixed after 2 weeks when Maruti sent out a set of ECMs to the dealer. I believe this is a comon problem across Swift Diesel cars. Otherwise the car runs like a well oiled machine already. The noise levels have come down. The fuel efficiency is about 20KMPL with primary highway driving. This reduces to about 16 KMPL for city conditions. Without effort car easily does 140 KMPH. I have not pushed the car beyond this mark yet. Pickup on 3rd and 4th gear is excellent.
Mandovi has been really good. They have not been overly enthusiastic to delight the customer nor have they been uncaring. They have been giving me right /professional service whenever needed.
22 Feb 2007 update - I have taken the delivery of Swift Diesel VDI yesterday. So far the experience has been real good with the new car. The important aspect of the car is its torque and the Zip the engine has. One will never feel the sluggishness you experience in a Normal Diesel car. The only giveaway of the diesel engine is the engine sound which is higher than the normal petrol engine.
This weekend I was in Maruti Showroom for a test drive of Swift Diesel VDI. This is the top end model of Swift Diesel. This has similar features of VXI (Petrol versionof Swift) except for the Tubeless tires that come in VDI. Maruti is yet to introduce its top end model of Swift petrol -ZXI in its Diesel version. Hence you would not be getting Alloy Wheels, Air bags, ABS, Automatic Climate cotnrol for AC, Car Security system and other goodies that come with the top end fully loaded petrol version.
Looks - The looks of VDI is similar to VXI.
Interior furnishings - SImilar to VXI
Test Drive - I started the car with Windows down and I could hea r a Distint sound of the Diesel engine (more than Petrol but lowest among other diesel engines including Accent CRDI).
I put the car into 1st gear and took off. Clutch and Gear handling is very smooth compaed to Tata cars. Gear Ratios are well designed but I felt they were a bit on the lower side for Gears 4 and 5. Hence in any City Driving condition one will never cross Gear 3. Gears have been redesigned in VDI vis-a-vis the petrol version and the response from the transmission is great. Turbocharger Kicksoff at about 1500 RPM and the impact is just great. The High torque VDI has a much greater pickup after 30KMPH than even its petrol variant.
Suspension - Good. Both front and Rear seat passengers are very comfortable even on bad roads.
Ground clearance - Good. Never felt the nead to slow down on Humps.
Handling - Good. takes turn very well on high speeds. Emergency breaking is great. Steering response seems to be OK.
Negatives - On a rogh road I could hear huge rattles from the 5th door. I was told this was because of the loose spring of the 5th door which needs to be fixed once the vehicle is sent for service but the demo vehice was booked for demos so much so that it couldn’t be taken in for servicing even for 30 min. This was difficult to digest. No accessories bundled with the car hence one needs to spend 30-40 K on accessories over and above the price. Hence overall the prioce of the diesel car is about 100000 to 110000 more than its petrol variant. The car is expensive and the returns can come only if you clock about 2000 - 2500 KM a month.