My First Diesel Car. Review on Maruti Suzuki Zen - Diesel

Zen Di is my first Diesel car . This is my 17th Car indeed, but first of Diesel variant. Started from Old Model 800 ( 1985 model).

I feel this is Best Diesel Car in this segment.Hard luck Maruthi stopped this model. Might be due to the higher Road Tax & Insurance amount. Its displacement is 1527cc apart from all other diesel model of this segment comes below 1500cc.So there is no tax saving & Insurance saving. When the cc goes beyond 1500 there is a lot difference in Tax & insurance. Tata well understood this early & put their cc below 1500. These all are technical.

Regarding Performance. I give full mark. Mileage . With A/c running 95% the maximum Mileage I got on Highway is 31km/L & the minimum on City is 19Km/L

Front Tyre a bit more wears than back due to the heavy Engine. Presently I am running on Appolo Amazer. Ran 28000 km. Still there are studs for another 10-15000 kms.

A/c is Perfect as in petrol Variant

Idle speed in the cold start is very high. Should be very careful about that , it slows down wgen engine gets warm.

There is no A/c idle up.So always rpm is set much higher than needed, otherwise when we put A/c on engine will shut down.

Regarding Works .

Its running on 63000 km

No major Works till date ( touch wood)

Timing Belt should be changed with next service ( 70K), though company says it shud be changed in 80k. Feeling Clutch a bit hard now a days (compared when I drove a new Indica ), plate & relasing bearing might have started to show old age symptoms. That too might have to be changed with next service.

I am cleaning diesel Nozle every 20, 000 kms ( costs 250/- ) apart from normal service ( I dont think during service they clean Nozle).

Maruthi could have continued this car

May 2010

It touched 70K reading. I have done some works with the service. Changed the timing Belt ( Its same as that of Indica V2), cost around 800/- , Diesel pump refurbished, ( It is of TVS , that too same of Indica, no problem for getting its kit.Changed all 'O' rings & washers, diaphragm & strider( All together cost 3000/-),

Tappets were noisy, so adjusted that too, changed oil, oil filters, air filter. All works came under Rs.7000/- Frankly speaking all these works done under a local mechanic ( Luckily I have got one, unless these works would cost around 18K at Maruthi dealer ).

Now it is just like a new car. Pulling marginally increased. As read in another review, 3rd gear pulling is fantastic.

March 2011

Its running on 83k reading now !

Had a problem with pulling in the middle. The problem with the bunjo bolt in the diesel pump.( Diesel input through this valve like Bolt). Changed that Bolt costs only 300/-. after that pulling ok.

AC gas top up done along with Cleaning of the vents.. cost 700/-

Luckily going with out any other major works !!