I bought this Spice red car on 11/7/2012 from Auto matrix, Mangalore, with exchange offer to my 7 years old Tata Indica V2.The purchase process was good experience.Our family was happy to get this car delivered on our daughters 4th birthday.Before deciding to buy I took an year to study, market survey, etc& finally bought it.As I drive around 20-25000 km per year for marketing.
I wanted more powerful, FE, spacious, safe, comfortable car for long drives.For 6.6 lakhs with original fiat engine, system with Bluetooth, adjustable steering& seat, double barrel head light, fog lamps, it was value for money for sure.I had to fit extra fitting only parking sensor, costed me rs.5500/=
I like comfortable drive, pickup & power is superb(driven up to 140 Kmph), ABS with EBD, high torque which makes city driving at 3rd or 4th gear is very smooth with out any jerk.Also Music system with blue tooth is amazing(Only while call the person on the other side feels like I am far away from the mouth piece).Shocks are very smooth, ordinary potholes are nothing for this.Cabin noise is too low, nobody can feel diesel engine is under the hood.I don’t get leg pain by pressing accelerator(Indica was hard), nor back pain for long drive(adjustable lumbar support is nice).
With double barrel headlight & fog lamp night driving at heavy rain is comfortable.Special features like door locking after 10kmph speed, top light switches on as door unlocked, Fog lamp will switch off the moment ignition off, (doesn’t switch on again when you switch on head light), etc are some good ones.Rear seat is very comfortable, of course I can’t sit, since I drive. When small accident repair was supposed to be done they did it very fast & I got the car back in 4 days with full job done.It was indeed a great experience.
I always fill tank full diesel & check FE, Best was only once 24kmpl & worst at city drives with Ac was15.14 kmpl.I normally drive at 80-100 kmph & up to 130-140 in highways always with AC on.So average FE is17.27 kmpl till now.I have driven around 47, 500 km till date.
Maintenance cost is including timely service, 4 tires changed at 26, 300 km(damaged bit early because of Good year tires given by Tata), with Silver AMC contract(up to 60, 000km), costed me rs.40000/=till now.Approx Re.1/km is O.K.I think.
I don’t like the A pillar thickness, which blocks drivers vision for vehicles coming from RHS especially in curves & city traffic.Quality of chrome lining on steering(T symbol gone & it irritates to hand) & on handles are weak & comes out.Another thing, quality of floor mats, & mud flaps are very poor, all have gone already.In rainy season with Mangalore rains keeping car engine compartment clean is not at all possible, since water splashes till the bonnet, even though splash guard & engine guard are there.Ground clearance could be increased.
I enjoyed even driving upto 850 km driving on a single day alone & family(full car).5 adults & 2 kids can be accommodated comfortably.