Back to India end of 2005 and after getting used to the comforts of Corolla and Audi A6 for 5 years, I never wanted to compromise on few things before buying my first new car in India below the 5 lak segment. Unlike many other car buyers, I considered only the tall-boy category cars Santro and Wagon R seriously. Comparing every technical and practical points many times, I had no doubt it should be a WagonR by all means, until I get hold of a real SUV as I get experience on the indian roads.
Points that I didnt want to compromise and what made me chose Wagon R;
Head space( you will never complain on this)
Leg space (sufficient for two 6 feet and three 5.5 feet individuals)
Decent boot space(enough to dump 1 week survival stuff of 5 persons)
Decently powered engine for the city, and sometimes highways(satisfactory)
Ease of city driving and parking(best in the 4-5 lak segment)
Better mileage(if driven well, it equals the figures of 800, alto)
Best service back up(maruti as always the leaders in services)
Decent resale value(always best resale)
Cost of maintenance(cheapest possible)
Road visibility(best in all cars upto 10 laks according to me)
With the points above and many more little things to add, there was no doubt about my choice. I wanted to stick to the 4-5 lak segment at any cost. I was very new to the indian roads, therefore couldnt think of a car with less visibility from the driver’s seat.
I took the delivery on 31 March 2007, drove the car only 4500 kms so far( 16 months), as I am not on road everyday. Within the first 3 months, I made up my mind for few accessories as judged and observed that would enhance the driving comforts and style. These are;
Bridgestone Potenza GIII tubeless tyres(165/R13) with League alloys(stock was 145/R13)
3M sunfilms
Pioneer Head Unit(IB 6950)
JBL front speakers
Pioneer rear speakers
JBL 4.0 amplifier
Pioneer 12" subwoofer
Dynamat Xtreme damping on all doors and hatch
Philips Crystalvision white headlights
Although the additions came close to half a lak, every cent of it proved worthy in the coming months. Increased tyre size proved strong grip on the road even at speeds above 100kmph. Headlight change gave a luxury feeling and presence on road in the night. Dynamat damping made the cabin super quiet like a Merc, with the doors closing with an assuring thud(same as in luxury cars). The amplified music and subwoofer gave crystal clear music with good punch, wanting to drive places only to listen to music. Sunfilms cooled the cabin faster and effectively. So, spenting an extra buck on a well thought product will never go waste!
To summarise, I have got a WagonR, which is a real mini SUV, and turned it into a luxury feeling that can only come at a cost of 15 lak or above. I would recomend this car to everyone.