Suzuki Alto (2003 - 2005) 1.1 GL 5d (2003/53) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

boring middle aged! But I do not care.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

I get the impression "what is that!". But I could get 2 Altos for the price of their cars which also are proberbly costing more to run than mine.

Would you buy this car again and why?

If my circumstances were the same yes but different colour.

What are you likely to buy next?

No idea.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£5,300

When did you buy the car?

October 2003

Did you get a good deal and why?

We thought it good value for money and comparable with competition but reading over reviews I wonder if we got done by dealer? Would have liked another colour but were told weeks wait for other than red. See re servicing for more on this.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

As a run around for wife, solely work and back and very limited mileage. But for various reasons soon after car was promoted to my only car.

What was the dealer like?

The dealer was very friendly. There was no problem taking car out for a test drive on our own. They are always pleasent on the service desk.

What's it like to drive?

Well it gets me from A-B with no fuss. It is limited on long journeys (of which I have done a lot of motorways including abroad)and struggles up hills. The hills are my main gripe as recently this is getting worse. Comfort and noise ok for what I paid. You have to respect the car and be wary that you are not driving a sportscar - it does have handling limitations i.e corning at speeds, braking distance etc.

What's it like to park?

Easy - nice and small.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Manufacturer recall on rear brakes - dealt with quickly and no hassel. When parked up for 4 week period brakes (front and back) all were seized. AA came out, fixed and advised this was due to rust. Wear on front discs and pads - need second set now at 48k.

What's most practical about your car?

Mileage per gallon - I get 47 - 51 mpg. I see in another review the person gets 70 mpg - tell me how please. Cheap purchase price. Small size - easy to park etc. Controls my driving sense - cannot go speeding around everywhere. Compared to other reviews I am not to happy about servicing costs. I return to dealer bought from and last service (45k and no extra works) was £220, not to sure where other revieweesare getting £100 from.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

CD player. Everything else is basic and simple.