ARTICLE: Must-have Accessories for your new car

[sabret00the]

got ur pm...thnx for the info though

[carboy]

Originally Posted by GTO

High quality Sun film: This helps to protect the interiors and occupants from the extreme climatic conditions.

Is this really neccessary? How fragile are we? Isn't an A/C good enough
for most places?

Originally Posted by GTO

Steering Grip lock / Gear Lock: Great way of theft prevention.

Where do you get either of these & how much do they cost?

Originally Posted by GTO

Mirror Lock: Some cars require this to prevent theft of standard wing mirrors.

Does Swift Vxi require this? How much does it cost?

Originally Posted by GTO

Fire Extinguisher: Can save you and your car in the event of an electrical short-circuit etc.

This is one thing I don't believe in. If there is a fire in my car, I am going
to get out & run rather than fighting it.

Originally Posted by GTO

Tyre / Puncture repair kit: A must for highway travelers.

What's this? How much does it cost?

Originally Posted by GTO

Comprehensive Tool Kit: Standard tool kits are always minimalistic, so get one that is as comprehensive as a swiss army knife.

What's this? Is this useful for someone who is very bad at DIY & also
not inclined.
Don't even know how to change tyres.

Talking about tyres, in a tubeless tyre how does one know if there is
a puncture - this is a serious Q, not a joke.

[GTO]

Is this really neccessary? How fragile are we? Isn't an A/C good enough
for most places?

Not only a question of being fragile, but also of convenience. The Bombay / Delhi heats are killer and sun-control film is a boon. It also enhances the air-cons effectiveness.

Where do you get either of these & how much do they cost?

Grip-locks can be had at your neighbourhood auto store. Go for the brands; average cost = Rs. 500.

Does Swift Vxi require this? How much does it cost?

Not aware if the Swift requires it. Check with fellow swift owners if the mirror glass is prone to theft. Cost is anywhere from 200 - 400 bucks.

This is one thing I don't believe in. If there is a fire in my car, I am going
to get out & run rather than fighting it.

It can help to eliminate a smaller fire. And stop it from destroying the entire car.

What's this? How much does it cost?

Several options here. Do a search on Team-BHP as this has been discussed in many threads.

What's this? Is this useful for someone who is very bad at DIY & also
not inclined.

Surely is. Say you are stranded on the highway and a knowledgeable truck guy / mechanic is willing to help you out. But he doesnt have any tools?

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by carboy

This is one thing I don't believe in. If there is a fire in my car, I am going
to get out & run rather than fighting it.

Talking about tyres, in a tubeless tyre how does one know if there is
a puncture - this is a serious Q, not a joke.

Fire extinguishers are useful when there is a small fire & you want to stop that. If there is a fire in your car & you are trapped, what are you going to do ? these will certainly help.

Tubeless tyres will lose pressure gradually, so even if you top up the next day, it will be down the next, so get it checked with a competent tyre wallah.

[black12rr]

OT :Instead of Art leather , are there any good know brands for synthetic leather ?

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Discovering puncture in a tubeless is quite a tricky thing. You have to know when the air pressure is down. If you fail to understand this, you may have to junk the tyre when it finally goes flat. I had to go through this once. One safety precaution is to check the pressure every week. But tubeless has so many advantages that I feel safer with it. Recently I drove with a nail in my tyre from Darjeeling to Kolkata.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Discovering puncture in a tubeless is quite a tricky thing. You have to know when the air pressure is down. If you fail to understand this, you may have to junk the tyre when it finally goes flat. I had to go through this once. One safety precaution is to check the pressure every week. But tubeless has so many advantages that I feel safer with it. Recently I drove with a nail in my tyre from Darjeeling to Kolkata.

So after checking air pressure every week, how do I know if there is
a puncture? What kind of pressure decrease in 1 week indicates a
puncture?

[V-16]

Originally Posted by black12rr

OT :Instead of Art leather , are there any good know brands for synthetic leather ?

Black, are'nt art leather and synthetic leather the same? Art is short for Artificial leather. There are many companies that manufacture art leather. Just pick up any auto magazine and you'll find a dozen ads for these things in there.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Carboy
The pressure loss will depend on the kind of puncture you have and the size of the hole. But it will be obvious when you find that it is considerably lower in one tyre than the other three tyres. Fill it up with more air and see if it goes down again. If it does, then you have to get it fixed. Otherwise one fine morning you will find the tyre is absolutely flat and then you have to just throw it and get a new one. I had to throw one out which was totally damaged. I was slightly lucky with the other where the repair guys said I should put a tube inside for more strength. I use that as my spare now.
Keep a tubeless tyre repair kit always in the glove compartment. Not for you to do it but for the mechanic who may know how to do it but not have the materials. Not every repair shop may know how to fix a tubeless tyre, but things are improving pretty fast.
Don't be overawed by all this. Enjoy your drive.
Sudipto

[amit mohan]

Hello,

In my opinion a hammer with which safety glass can be broken shud be kept inside the cabin of the car (one which is kept in train bogey's) in view of the doors and windows jamming up in the rains. Last year and maybe earlier as well, people have been trapped and asphyxiated inside expensive cars when all the electricals failed during the torrential rains and they could not get out of the vehicle.

[sabret00the]

Originally Posted by amit mohan

Hello,

In my opinion a hammer with which safety glass can be broken shud be kept inside the cabin of the car (one which is kept in train bogey's) in view of the doors and windows jamming up in the rains. Last year and maybe earlier as well, people have been trapped and asphyxiated inside expensive cars when all the electricals failed during the torrential rains and they could not get out of the vehicle.

^^^ absolutely agree with u...I think that's a very intelligent point put forward by u.

[EatMyDust]

I plan to get my Aveo UVA within this week. Wondering what are your opinions on the under-body or under chassis protective paint.

Is this necessary? Does it help to protect the chassis? If yes, in what way? Is it advisable to get this done at the dealer itself?

I plan to get the foll. things from the dealer.
Central locking, Maybe this chassis paint, sun film and maybe seat covers (art. leather)

[mobike008]

@eatdust, congratulations on your new car. Look forward to a initial feel report of the car and its pictures soon here.

It is a must that you get your car the anti-rust treatment under the body as it certainely protects your car. CL get it done from dealer if he is providing it free of cost, unless you may get the same from outside cheaper. Same goes for Art leather ( and, you may also have a huge choice to select from too) as dealers provide very less choice.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

EatMyDust
All new cars come with a good under body protection from the factory. It's a waste of money to do this in the first two years. You will be spoiling the OE protection by doing something on top of what they have given.
Sudipto

[lancer80]

Which sun film do you recommend if the car has leather interiors? (something not with a steep price tag) Please let me know the cost too.

Do we need to put sun film on the windshield ? Does it help?