I sold the Wagon R for Rs. 2.5 lacs after 84000 kms to buy a Fiat Linea(review of Fiat will be put up after some time).
So what was the final tally? I have kept records of all costs and they are as follows
Spares - total - Rs. 47000/- with tyres
Tie rod - approx Rs. 3000
Lower arms(suspension) - approx 6000 for the front pair with labour
Bumper - Rs. 6000/ - with paint and labour(this was a minor collison from behind)
Tyres - Rs 13000 @ 43000kms(OEM tyres - Apollo, Incoming Bridgestone
Bushes, mounts etc - engine and suspension(this is going to be done shortly) - Rs. 7000/-
Clutch plates at 70000kms - Rs 6000/-
- Bushes and other suspension work - 6000/-
Fuel - Rs. 1.75 lacs(both petrol and CNG @ Mumbai rate which was 31 in 2011 Jan and Rs. 39 when I sold it in 2014 Jan) - Rs. 2.10/km
Total capital value eroded
Cost of car - Rs. 464000
Accessories -Rs. 30000
Total - 494000
Sale proceeds - 250000
Net erosion of value - Rs.244000
Cost per km - Rs. 2.90
Total Cost - 5.56/km
My user experience - I would give it a . It has been the most economical vehicle that I have ever owned. And quite reliable. But not a vehicle that I liked to drive, not one that made driving a pleasure. Purely a marriage of convenience. It is like a boiled egg - not too good, not too bad. Definitely nutritious. No passion.
Best memories with the Wagon R - At the pumps - shell out less than Rs. 300/- to top up.
Worst memories -
Seeing a bad patch of road and knowing that in a few seconds you will have to slow down or get your spine jarred and your neck jolted and feel the steering wheel kick around in agony
Once for two weeks she would not start if parked in the sun for a long time. I showed her to 4 different mechanics. A mysterious malady that would strike out of nowhere. Then I went to the dealer who also could not find anything. He serviced it and cleaned the contacts of the fuses. And lo and behold it was fine. But it was like the final stages of pregnancy, never knowing when the labour pains would strilke. Thanks to that episode I came to know of 4 mechanics in my area.
Earlier Review @ 67000 kms
I bought the Wagon R CNG by accident. I was shopping for another car when the dealer told me to check a WagonR. I laughed at him but he told me to take a test drive. I did and was quite surprized as I had driven the old model and found it painful to drive. The interiors were much better, the steering felt like a bigger cars. It also felt airy and more spacious than many sedans or premium hatchbacks.easy to get into and out of, a necessity for my aged parents.
Engine: The 3 cylinder engine is a gem. It runs smoothly and roars quite robustly when you floor the accelerator. There is a slight lag before it picks up. Since the CNG Lxi does not have a tacho(one of my complaints) I cannot say at what RPM the speed increases. My guess is that it would be above 3000 rpm. The engine runs out of breath at about 125 on a flat road but I have taken it upto 135 on CNG. It pulls marginally slower on CNG as power is 10 bhp less.
There are two grouses against the engine
If there are four people in the car then going up the ghats is a problem, especially on CNG. The engine has to be revved really hard.
The lag in 2nd gear is a pain while overtaking
Fuel costs: I have now had the car for nearly 2.5 years and done 67000 kms. I have maintained records and the cost savings are humongous. Combined CNG and petrol costs come to about Rs. 2/- a km in Mumbai. My frequent Mumbai - Pune trips cost Rs. 200/- per side plus toll, which is as much as a volvo. Plus I save on local transport.
The Wagon gives 20 km per kilo and 28 kmpl on the highway at 3 figure speeds. I have even got 33 km per kg if I drove at 80 which is Re 1 per km! I have calculated that I have saved nearly 2 lacs over a pure petrol version over 67000 kms.
The factory fitted kit is outstanding and there has been no cost at all on it.
Maintenance costs:. These have been also reasonable - the parts that had to be replaced are -
Tie rod - approx Rs. 3000
Lower arms(suspension) - approx 6000 for the front pair with labour
Bumper - Rs. 6000/ - with paint and labour(this was a minor collison from behind)
Bushes, mounts etc - engine and suspension(this is going to be done shortly) - Rs. 7000/-
Small problems like a sensor blowing and causing strange warning lights to light up and starting problems have cropped up, but they are not serious nor expensive.
The car has a dozen censors and any blowing makes the lights behave strangely. One warning, these electronic problems can be solved only by a dealer.not even an authorized service station.
Handling: As I have said above, the steering is much better than the older version. However it is a small car that is too tall and it does not like energetic driving on the ghats. If you want to maintain a friendly relationship with it, do not throw it around corners. I have cornered it at 90 while coming down the ghats, and I vowed never to do so again as I would like to meet my, as yet unborn, grandchildren.
That said the straight line is not bad at all.I regularly drive at 110 to 120. You have to be careful from 90 onwards as the car feels very light and you need to be alert that it is going straight.
In the city at low speeds the handling is good.
I would not put ride and handling as a strong point for this car.it is merely adequate.
Ride in the front is comfortable. In both areas the leg and head space is good so sitting is quite comfortable. But the back seat is quite an uncomfortable place to be in while driving on bad roads. The car pitches and wallows on the creatively designed Mumbai roads. On the back seat I have had people groaning and yelping at high speeds as every bump is translated into bone jarring knocks.
So is it worth buying? A resounding yes if you are on a budget. This is the best car for a 5 lac budget and it is sturdy. It may be just OK to drive but the space, service, economy and engine are outstanding.
I would like to mention here that the service that I got at Vitesse in South mumbai was always better than expected. They never overcharged or changed what was not required. They addressed each doubt and took me into the workshop to show me what was required and the damaged part. So if you are buying in Mumbai Vitesse is the one. Unfortunately I have not had the same experience at the dealer in Pune where I bought the car. I once had to wait 3 hours to get an oil change! Many times I had to return as they could not manage the lines of cars coming in for servicing.