Buying process - Ritz ZXi

Congrats Anand.

Just a query which I cant stop from asking - I understand that i20 was not in your budget this time and hence you did not zeroed down on it. But if you had to compare i20 with Ritz - in terms of driving exp - how did you find both?

I know, i know its a bit unfair now to ask as you own your babe (Ritz)

Congrats Anand. You made the wise decision. In fact i went through the same process to decide on my buy. Post a detailed running experience and some cool pics too.

Did you check the tyre pressure after taking delivery? There is a good chance of getting over inflated tyres. For me all the tyres were around 40 psi against the recommended 29 psi.

@Jey Thanks for remembering me and my Ritz I found this thread today only.

@Bijs, If i remember correctly, my reply to your Review was my 2nd or 3rd reply in Carwale. So it got fixed in my Mind

@ Gouri Shankar Yadav

I had a very bad experience with the Maruti Dealer from whom I took delivery of my Ritz. I booked my car with Marketing Times, near C. R. Park on 10th October, 2009 and got a verbal commitment that I would receive my car by 26th of October. However, a week later the marketing executive who was handling my case, informed me that it would not be possible for me to get my car by the 26th and that I would probably get the car by the 7th of next month i.e., November.

At the starting of next month (November) I called him up to enquire about the status of my car. He kept ducking the question and was noncommittal. Anyway, 7th of November came and went and I still didn't get my car and now the executive started to avoid my calls, which enraged me enough to talk to his supervisor.

When I spoke to the supervisor, informing him of my plight: 1) it had been nearly a month and I was still to get the delivery of my car. 2) When I was booking, I was told that the Ritz had a waiting period of 2 - 3 weeks and not a month! In his defense the executive had the cheek to tell the supervisor that he had made no such commitments and he had informed me that the car would take over a month to be delivered (at the time of booking) and he had from time to time updated me of the car's status.

I just blew it. I gave the executive (I feel) a much deserved tongue lashing - accusing him of misleading customers, lying and being unprofessional. I then went and asked the supervisor to look into the matter himself, check the status of my car and give me a commitment on the delivery date. Only then did I get a tentative delivery date from Marketing Times and I soon got delivery of my car.

I paid Rs. 5,26,695 on-road, New Delhi for my car. At the time of booking I was informed that there were no discounts on the Ritz as it was a hot seller without any discounts. I persisted and got the dealer to agree to give me complementary floor mats, mud flaps, steering cover and a body cover.

Here is another story. I am still to get that body cover that the executive had promised me. In our initial deal-making prior to booking, I had made the executive promise to me that he would give me a GENUINE MARUTI ACCESSORY CAR BODY COVER and not a LOCAL-MADE CAR BODY COVER. He had told me at that time that only one type of genuine body cover was available and there was no chance that I would get a spurious local-made body cover. He even informed that this genuine car body cover had a market sticker price of Rs. 1,000 - 1,200.

On the day I took delivery of my car from Marketing Times' delivery office in Okhla Industrial Area, I forgot to take the cover from the executive. After taking the delivery I was driving to my office when I remembered, but by then I was too far to turn back. I called up the executive and reminded him that he was to give me the promised car body cover, which I had not received as I had forgotten to remind him. The executive agreed, and said that I could pick it up from the showroom, whenever I wanted.

It was decided that I would call him before showing up at the showroom (on Sunday) to take my car body cover so that he could keep it with him and I would not have to wait. But when I reached the showroom he was not there (as I had predicted), and only showed up after an hour's of waiting. Luckily before that I enquired at the accessories desk of the showroom about a body cover for a Ritz and was informed that two body covers were available - one genuine and the other local. The genuine one cost Rs. 1,200 and the local one retailed for Rs. 700.

I realised right away that the executive had lied to me again. I was now interested to see which cover he would hand over to me. When the executive arrived, he called me out of the showroom to his car from where he produced a polythene bag with a car cover inside. Handing it to me, he apologised for making me wait. When I took out the car body cover I immediately noticed that it was a local-made car body cover, same as the one I was shown inside the showroom a little earlier.

When I brought this point to the executive’s notice, he insisted that there was only one body cover available and that it was not possible to give me anything else. He said that THIS WAS the body cover he had promised and that he was keeping his commitment. I then told him that I had already asked around at the showroom and I knew that there were 2 body covers available, their respective costs and I was aware that he was trying to dupe me again.

Eventually both of us stuck to our guns. He kept insisting that he had not done anything wrong and had kept his word. I on the other hand refused to accept the body cover he was palming off, and went back home angry, without it.

Since I am writing this down, I’ll like to take this opportunity to tell everyone who is interested in buying a Maruti Suzuki car and is considering of taking it from Marketing Times, DON’T!!! STAY AWAY FROM MARKETING TIMES! THEY ARE UNPROFESSIONAL LIARS WHO DON’T KEEP THEIR COMMITMENTS AND TRY AND CHEAT THEIR CUSTOMERS! Bottom line is that there are better dealers out there, so go to them.

I hope all the above information is useful! J

@ Designer

Yaar since I realised that the Hyundai i20 was out of my budget quite early on, I never went in for a test drive. Sorry. But since it has a bigger engine and more features I am sure it would offer better driving pleasure. But I would also like to add that I am extremely happy with my car, and I am not second guessing my decision.

@ Bijs

Thanks mate! Its nice to meet a fellow Ritz owner! Between you and me, we both made a wise decision buying the Ritz ;D I'll post a detailed running experience and pictures soon.

And thanks for the tip: I didn't check the tyre pressure after taking delivery, I'll get them checked and corrected if needed.

Is 5,26,695 inclusive of third year warranty? Did you get any cash discount? Can you please tell me the break up?

@ Gouri Shankar Yadav

Rs. 5,26,695 is inclusive of not only the 3rd year but the 4th year warantee as well!

Well, I don't recall the break-up right now, I'll check and post them. No I didn't get any cash discounts what-so-ever.

@Anand, even i faced issue on delivery date from my first dealer. So i booked and got the car from a second dealer and cancelled the first one. But regarding the freebies offered what you can do is pressurizing them. Try to contact with some sales manager and explain him. Tell them you will report this issue to Maruti. You will get a feedback form from Maruti regarding your buying experience, threaten them saying you would give all least points on the form and send to Maruti. Also tell them you will not service the car from them. I guess these things can make them run after you. Actually it worked for me. They were after me to fill the feedback form with good points. And for every service, or every job card created on your car, you would get a feedback form Maruti, sent to your postal address asking about the service quality done by the dealer. This is actually one thing which help us to insist the dealer to do a quality job to our satisfaction.

And go ask for MGA (Maruti Genuine Accessory) body cover. It costs Rs. 900 only. 

Yes I am aware of what I can still do. I am still to send that feedback form back to Maruti and I have decided to give the dealer poor marks. I don't care about going back to Marketing Times (dealer) to get the promised MGA car body cover anymore, I have decided to buy it from Maruti Service Masters (MSM). As far as servicing my car is concerned, I have been a loyal customer of MSM, Okhla, New Delhi for the last 11 years and I intend to continue with that, because I am very happy with their service.

I will only take a MGA car body cover, that also I have decided but MSM was telling me that it is for Rs. 1,300 (and not Rs. 900 as you inform me). Have you bought the cover for Rs. 900? if so, let me know and I will talk to MSM about this. Thanks for your advise.