Ownership review: 20 years and 93000 kms with my Daewoo Matiz

I can still say that it was the most underrated car to have hit Indian roads and of course, the troubled history of Daewoo Motors India did not help.

BHPian sheelRP recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Ownership review of my Daewoo Matiz: Almost 20 years and 93000 kms later:

Hello BHPians! I have been following this fantastic forum over the years and consider myself lucky to be a member of this vibrant and knowledgeable community with a great passion for cars. This is my first ownership post on this forum, and I would like to share the experience with my cute little steed and one of the perfect city cars of its time (and I dare say, it is still so even after more than 20 years) to be sold in the Indian market and one of the rare cars seen on the streets now: It’s my Daewoo Matiz SD 1999 model. Have a look at my lovable bug-bear Matiz:

The car is still going strong after more than 93000 km and 20 years of ownership. And yes, some naysayers say, why not replace this old city car and purchase today's BS-VI hatchbacks. But take my word, I have never felt the need to replace this wonderful car as it has been a trouble-free experience so far (yes! just take care of it and it will never surprise you). I can still say that it was the most underrated car to have hit Indian roads and of course, the troubled history of Daewoo Motors India did not help. So, let’s begin.

Prelude:

Way back in 2002, I was looking for a small hatchback for my city errands and occasional outstation highway trips. Back then in the market, we had omnipresent M-800, jelly bean Zen, a relatively odd-looking Hyundai Santro (1998), and this cute little Daewoo Matiz (1998-), a car that was slowly gaining popularity. However, by the early 2000s, soon there was news of financial troubles with Daewoo Motors in India, and huge discounts were slowly being offered on its products (both new and pre-owned and new). Technically, I feel all Daewoo cars (Cielo-Nexia, Matiz) were well-engineered but for their parent company troubles, it could have given its Korean counterpart a tough competition.

Anyway, in Nov 2002, me and my father (also a car enthusiast who has meticulously maintained his Premier President 1973 model and also owns a Fiat Linea), saw a well maintained Matiz (SD model,1999 make) in a pre-owned market in Kolkata with odo reading of about 13000 km going for a price which may not be enough to buy a 350 cc bike today. We bought this car and initially, planned that maybe after 2-3 years, I would later upgrade to a higher segment car. But it was not to be as I am still enjoying this cute steed (later in 2011, I also bought 3rd gen arrowhead Honda City and yes! even that car is going strong > 95000 km of blissful motoring and running on stock brake pads even till now). In my opinion, the ride quality and stability at >100 kmph would put even current hatchbacks to shame. Some more pictures of my car.

Live to Drive: Rear view and front cabin of my Matiz:

A. Front view and odo (inset). B. Engine compartment and C. User manual:

Now, I have driven this car for almost 20 years after I purchased it in Kolkata (always serviced at ASC which was Topaz Motors then), driven for almost 8 years on Kolkata roads before I traveled to North East for 2 years, and finally now, living in Ahmedabad for more than 10 years now. The car has never given me any reason to complain, and after ASC, routine services were either done by me or by an FNG. Yes! few spares like the water pump, fuel pump, and the plastic intake manifold were a little difficult to find but nothing more than that.

Matiz: Technical specifications and basic service chart from user manual:

Ownership experiences:

Parts replaced: Routine consumables like oil (Shell/Castrol Magnatec-15W/40), oil filter, air filter (Purolator, Mahle, Zip), coolant, transmission oil/brake fluid, belts (alternator and AC belts) were done strictly as per service manual. Batteries and tyres have lasted for more than 6 years and 40000 km respectively. Major parts which had to be replaced include a water pump, plastic intake manifold, and fuel pump which were issues in this car, but again had to do it only once so it is still not a surprise considering the period and km driven so far. Availability of spares has never been a cause of major worry. Yes, a few weeks back I had to purchase a tyre (145/70 R13 but with tube) and I finally got it with some effort as almost every vehicle now runs on tubeless. I must also acknowledge that most of the dealers are more than ready to help me out after they see my car and my passion.

Major likes:

Design and comfort: Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro had designed the Matiz initially as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento but Fiat rejected this design and Daewoo bought it and made it a commercial success worldwide. Sloping bonnet, bug-eyed headlamps, roof antenna, contoured side mirrors, and winged rear tail lamps gave it a classy European looks. More than compact in length (L-3495mm, W-1495 mm), very aerodynamic (drag Coeff. <0.4), and though small from outside but very spacious for 4-5 in a family inside, it was a great balance in proportions. Ergonomics were spot-on. Foot pedal-steering wheel-gear knobs are perfectly positioned with no fatigue even after hours of driving. However, my SD-1999 model did not come up with power steering, windows which were available in higher models, and hence I feel would have offered even better convenience.

Power and fuel efficiency: The Matiz has a M-tec MPFI 6-valves 796 cc (3-cylinder) engine with an output of 52 hp which was enough (though not peppy) for city runabouts. It has given me almost 16-18 kmpl over the years. Yes! it feels a bit sluggish with powerful AC put on but you learn to extract max power with correct gear shifts. In fact, compared to tallboys and jelly beans of that time beyond 90 kmph, the Maximum Technique (M-Tec) engine has enough juice and does not run out of breath. It can comfortably cruise at near 3-digit speeds. I must mention, that on the “Kitna deti hai” aspect, the Matiz gasoline engine probably held the Guinness world record for being the most fuel efficient in its class in that period.

Ride quality and stability: For city use and even on highways, the ride quality is pretty good with exceptional stability. Higher gross weight (1135 kgs) and with independent Mc Pherson struts and isolated trailing links at the rear, the vehicle stability is fantastic even at triple-digit speeds.

Build quality and interiors: Metal sheet and corrosion resistance is good (though not excellent) as I have not had any major issues so far. Seats are very good and comfortable with good lumbar and back support (even after 2 decades of use, the foam has not sagged and its cushioning is perfect). The dashboard is airy and I love the instrument cluster and good quality stalks and buttons. HVAC control knobs are stylish and easy to use. It has a built-in radio (FM/AM) and a cassette player with 2 speakers on its door which is beautifully finished in the dashboard console. Audio quality is good but not exceptional. More importantly, all of them work as they should even after so many years of use and I call this quality. Interior space was much better compared to its peers though boot space was quite similar to other compact hatchbacks.

Air conditioner: It’s a chiller and though it used to come up with R12 refrigerant which later got banned because of environmental safety reasons. After my research, I used Mo49 from DuPont for re-fills which is compatible with old refrigerants and I would say that in older cars, never use R134A (as used now) as seals of AC would start showing signs of failure. AC has not given me any complaints to date and chills even in the hotter climate of Ahmedabad.

Safety: Forget GNCAP, ANCAP, 3-4-5 stars, etc. which are screamed by a few manufacturers today as its USP (all cars need to be safe as nothing is more precious than human life). But, please note that way back in 1998, Matiz was designed to comply with Euro 1998 legislation. It came with side impact beams, child locks, collapsible steering column, Anti-submarine seats (probably, most folks may not know this), 2 stage bumper set-up, double channel brakes, pre-tensioner seat belts, safety bars on roof, thick A-pillar (though it did restrict visibility) and hence, its safety was never in question (again compared to cars in India on the road then). However, with safety elements, all this contributed to its higher curb weight of 800 kgs (of course, heavier than its counterparts in the Indian market) and even after 52 horses, the engine would feel a bit sluggish but slowly with higher RPMs became more responsive. With all these safety features in the hatchback in the late 1990s, have we really progressed much with times?

Technology: Euro-1 emission compliant in India in 1998 with lambda oxygen sensors (Mercs had it then) it was way ahead of its time. With power and fuel efficiency, the M-Tec engine never got its due.

Major dislikes:

Gearshifts: 5-speed, cable-operated gearshifts are extremely notchy, especially from 1st to 2nd gear.

Pick-up and acceleration: Power delivery peaks near 6000 rpm and it becomes an issue in stop-and-go traffic and leapfrogging at traffic lights. With AC on, it is even worse. However again, with good 3rd gear acceleration (up to 60 kmph), it becomes a better cruiser on highways and can easily maintain speeds of 80-90 kmph all day long.

Stalks configuration: It follows the European configuration of light/indicator and wash/wipe on left and right respectively which still causes confusion sometimes (especially when I drive my 3rd gen Honda City and Matiz on the same day).

Mechanicals: I had to change my plastic intake manifold, water pump and fuel pump though once only over so many years. Nothing more than this which I feel is still trouble-free when compared to so many issues seen in new cars these days. I doubt whether the new “connected” cars will remain connected to roads after 15 years from now.

Some maintenance tips:

Also, before I close, I would like to share a few tips which I have strictly followed over so many years for both cars which I own (and holds true for my 3rd gen Honda City as well) and driven them for almost 2 lakh km. Anyways a few pointers:

• Always follow routine maintenance as per the car manual (oil changes, coolant, brake fluids, transmission fluids, tyre rotation etc.) and it is better to have good knowledge about them as I feel that service centers do not pay so much attention to the correct procedures (say, oil flush in a warm engine, etc.) or the lubricants (grade, etc.). In case the km is less, then follow the time period for change intervals in case of lubricants as because of our road /traffic conditions and hot climates, it degrades faster with time.
• Always wait for your check light (in Matiz it is there and the fuel pump gets activated) to go off before you crank and wait for 30 seconds before you drive off. Maintain lower RPMs till the engine reaches its optimum temperature and if possible, do not switch on AC in a cold engine.
• Maintain at least ¼ full petrol in your tank for better fuel pump health. Also, maintain stipulated cold tyre pressure and check at least once a month if you drive regularly.
• Always drive in correct gear and maintain steady rpm. Never slug or rev the engine. While using brakes, anticipate the traffic (my Honda city is still running on stock brake pads) for less wear and tear.
• Do not unnecessarily wash your car with water (especially, in areas where hard water is there) as they always hasten rust and leave white spots. We all use Jopasu duster and it works well for daily use. Also in areas like wheels, water causes rusting of brake calipers/discs. After washing, it is always better to take your car for a spin to dry it off. Also, use a microfibre cloth or chamois to dry the water and never air dry it. Lastly, never wash a car under direct sun. Of course, regular waxing helps to retain paint gloss and gives water beading capability to paint surface.
• Use distilled water for your wiper fluid as it helps to avoid corrosion and blockages of small pinholes. This water can be used for coolant top-up also and it does not cost much.
• Be always proactive to change belts (like alternator belts and even timing belts though it lasts really long) as it is quite cheap to replace but critical for safe running of the car.
• Keep your batteries top clean as even dust can cause electric currents to dissipate. Of course, use petroleum jelly (never grease) on terminals to avoid corrosion and proper electrical contact.
• In winter months, switch on your AC for a few minutes for proper lubrication and more life.
• Try to avoid using the car for very short runs (less than 3-5 km) as it shortens engine life.

Of course, there is a separate detailed thread on the forum, but I thought I will share a few tips which have helped me over the years.

In short, it has been a great journey with my compact Matiz for almost 2 decades, and I still feel it was a wonderfully engineered and affordable compact car for the Indian market in its segment, but support (or maybe marketing) let it down and of course, the collapse of its manufacturer was the final nail.

Probably, it has been a long write-up but I could not resist sharing my experience with this Team BHP family. Also, sometimes it makes me feel anxious that in case I have to relocate to some other part of India and I may have to part with this vehicle which has given me so much pleasure, it will probably be one of my saddest days. Anyway, let’s see what happens in the future. Now I close and many thanks to all Team BHPians who had the patience to go through this write-up. Very happy motoring to all.

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