[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by DieselLover

My car has done 33k in 25 months. I was forced to get new battery today as service lights came on again and cranking took a long time. Since I regularly do highway drives with family, I did not want to take any chances with a dying battery.
Took a quick look at battery thread and decided to go for ameron. Called their dealer at Kochi and they quoted 6500/- and 3 yr warranty. They also offered to buy back the old battery for 500/-. Confirmed the deal and their service person came down to my office and replaced the battery. Paid 6000/- in total.

Good choice. I also wanted to go for amaron but had to stick with SF sonic. Anyways, a good deal you got. Good that you didnt get it from MASS.

[mtnrajdeep]

I was able to source the ac filter from MGP parts store on Airport Road. I got the SGP version and it cost me Rs.582/. I fitted it in the car today. After removing the glovebox, there is a plastic cover that needs to be removed and the ac filter slides into place. The attached image shows the cover. (I have reused jaggu's pic of cleaning the ac fan to show this). Part Number is 95860-63J10.

[Jaggu]

Its been a while, life has been busy and snowie was neglected big time. So much so that car was not even washed for almost 1.5 months, almost out in the rain all the while, under the trees. So one can imagine how it would have been, meanwhile did few weekend trips and last one was to Linger@Balur Estate.

Car took pretty good beating thanks to the direct route i took by mistake while returning from Mudigere. Snowie never complained and was serving me well and she inched to 55,000 kms. So it was time for an oil change and general service check up. Nothing much apart from usual consumable, surprisingly the brake pad is still going strong at 56k kms! I had specifically asked Gangadhar at Mandovi to check, but he said they have plenty of life left.

It was 20k kms since intercooler cleaning, and i was getting slightly irritated with the injector sound. Both were cleaned, washed and delivered in a day. Total bill including interior cleaning 2590/- (Oil separate).

I collected her back when i returned back yesterday from an official trip. Something was missing?!

Then i remembered, the neglect part. Last time she had a wax coat was atleast a year plus back. Called up Sidhu of 3M HSR and asked him if i could get a slot for sunday morning. OTR was ruled out since i had to be home for lunch, so 10 am slot it is. Sidhu had sms'ed late night that he would not be there due to some personal emergency.

Went in at 955 am and after a lil wait, job card was done and car went in for washing. Jet spray first and then foam spray.

Some rubbing down of the shampoo and then pressure wash again. Though the mats were all clean (Mandovi interior job), the boys washed it again. Car was dried and taken to the work area.





One of the technician took time to remove all the hard water mark and grime at the hidden nooks and corners with a tooth brush.



The other guy was busy using solvent removing the tar. Believe me the Mudigere trip converted snowie into a dalmatian pup! I took the second pic to capture the dots, hope you would also once you zoom it lol.





Once the clean up was done, few of the deeper scratches were papered down. Some effective, some not so effective, as expected, since few of the cuts were some what deep.

Claying starts and ends soon.



They decided to cover up the greenhouse area ext with paper. I am not that finicky about all this. As long as they remove the spray over



Next is rubbing with 3M paste and machine. My dicky door was almost dull with all the muck, hard water and neglect. Made the technician do it 2 times. The area above the handle and below the glass on the sides also had loads of swirls, so this also took an additional run of the machine.

Let's wax it baby, 3M liquid wax and run of the machine. By now most of the swirls have kinda disappeared.



I thought this was the final step, but was surprised to see the boy take paste wax and spreading it on the body. Run of the wet micro fiber to remove the spray over of machine job and she was almost ready.







One more microfiber mop and we are ready to go home. Paid up 3195/- and a dubba of tech wax 1405/- (now on i wont neglect snowie). I had an appointment at 1.30 pm and on dot they finished.



By then the tyre and the beadings were attended to also. A final rub down with micro fiber also i guess.





So how was it? hmmm.. well i am not obsessive, but not that chalta hein type also, and i would say i am very happy today.

Don't know how long the shine will last with all my open door parking at office! I gave an excellent rating at shop and a happy feedback post it.

Let picture do the talking.

[F150]

So Jaggu, when did you replace the front bumper ? The cars is shining after the 3M treatment. Weren't there any scratches on your car ? The headlights are also shining like brand new.

I see now you have A drives, so you come back to 185 from 195.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by F150

So Jaggu, when did you replace the front bumper ? The cars is shining after the 3M treatment. Weren't there any scratches on your car ? The headlights are also shining like brand new.

I see now you have A drives, so you come back to 185 from 195.

I had these new bumpers since couple of years and lights too and tyres too and they still are 195/65/14 size. Thanks secret to long lasting shine body, lens etc is less frequent wash, and am serious.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

...and she inched to 55,000 kms.

Your car is at 55,000 kms? I remember the initial days you were running it quite high. Dont you take her out now a days? Because I bought mine long after you did & I am close to 60K kms in 3 years ! Now is that I am driving much more?

The car looks good after the treatment. When did you re-paint the alloy wheels? Looks like I have not visited your thread for quite some time.

Originally Posted by sachinj12

What mileage do you folks get? I get anywhere between 14-15-16 in city and between 17-20 on the highway. Few folks are getting around 23-25kmpl,

I usually get 23 kmpl on my highway trip driving between 100-120 kmph, A/C ON for 80% of the drive, 38 & 35 psi for front & rear respectively & just me in the car.

Originally Posted by DieselLover

Took a quick look at battery thread and decided to go for ameron. Called their dealer at Kochi and they quoted 6500/- and 3 yr warranty. They also offered to buy back the old battery for 500/-. Confirmed the deal and their service person came down to my office and replaced the battery. Paid 6000/- in total.

Guess you struck a really good deal. Mine was replaced in AVG motors Kottayam & they charged me 9000/- for SF ! I wish I could have come to Cochin & changed it and I would still have saved 2.5K ! And if you ask me why didn't I get it from outside, all the guys I tried [7-8] were giving different power ratings for the battery. So much that I decided to get it from MASS spending those extra bucks for peace of mind!

[goandude]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

I had these new bumpers since couple of years and lights too and tyres too and they still are 195/65/14 size. Thanks secret to long lasting shine body, lens etc is less frequent wash, and am serious.

Super write up on the 55k service and 3M shine. She looks brand new. The alloys look great. Where did you source these Z version alloys? and how much did it put you back.

[archat68]

I envy your car Jaggu. Hard to believe it ran 55K .

I have to drive 35 KM each way daily through roads filled with craters (it will be unjustified for them to call potholes :( ) and roads filled with mud/debris resulting from flyover construction. The freshly washed white car turns brown when I reach office.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

I had these new bumpers since couple of years and lights too and tyres too and they still are 195/65/14 size. Thanks secret to long lasting shine body, lens etc is less frequent wash, and am serious.

[F150]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Thanks secret to long lasting shine body, lens etc is less frequent wash, and am serious.

Thanks for sharing the tip. I also do the same. I ask my watchman to wash my car only twice a week, instead of every day.
I thought 195's come out of the bumpers slightly and thought they were 185. No impact on the FE between 185 and 195, I guess.

Jaggu, I had a question, when ever I run my fans with re-circulation ON for the first few 100 meters before I switch the AC ON, I getting a damp or moist smell from the aircon vent. I have opened the glove-box and checked the re-circulation flap,nothing is stuck there.

What should be solution ?

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Your car is at 55,000 kms?
========
The car looks good after the treatment. When did you re-paint the alloy wheels? Looks like I have not visited your thread for quite some time.

Thank you, it was painted about 2 years back when i changed the tyres to A drive. I stay quite close to the office so my daily running has gone down from 40 plus to 20 minus kms. Also running is shared between 3 vehicles now

Originally Posted by goandude

Super write up on the 55k service and 3M shine. She looks brand new. The alloys look great. Where did you source these Z version alloys? and how much did it put you back.

I bought it on first day of my car purchase, only the color change happened about 2 years back.

Originally Posted by archat68

I have to drive 35 KM each way daily through roads filled with craters (it will be unjustified for them to call potholes :( ) and roads filled with mud/debris resulting from flyover construction. The freshly washed white car turns brown when I reach office.

Same fate with me, i park in the open on a main road. Car changes color in a day. Plus flyover constructions means drive also takes a toll. Trust me, my car is usually in a very bad state and thats the only reason i took the pics before it turns brown.

Originally Posted by F150

I thought 195's come out of the bumpers slightly and thought they were 185. No impact on the FE between 185 and 195, I guess.

Jaggu, I had a question, when ever I run my fans with re-circulation ON for the first few 100 meters before I switch the AC ON, I getting a damp or moist smell from the aircon vent.

I have no idea of 185s mileage since i have never tried them. WRT the smell nothing much can be done since its the dampness inside the blower. Though keeping it clean, a strip of pine fresh and never downing the glass has helped me to an extent.

[anandkumargb]

Hi jaggi,

Need your advice...

My VDI has done 44k Kms and I see the service light and one more light at the right bottom of the cluster "ON" always. When I got it checked by Bosch car service, he mentioned that "if these both lights are on together, it means that battery is weak". But then I do not have problems starting the car at 1st crank. He suggested that I carry on using like this till there I experience weak battery and then get the battery changed.

please advise what shd I do?

[archat68]

^^ How old is the battery? SVS indicator and Diesel filter indicator both glowing together in Swift D which is more than 2.5 years old is quite a confirmatory indicator for battery replacement.
BTW Bosch has two types of instrument available with them for testing battery. One is a microprocessor controlled battery health tester and another is an actual load tester. These two will surely give you the correct info regarding the health of the battery.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by anandkumargb

Hi jaggi,

Need your advice...

My VDI has done 44k Kms and I see the service light and one more light at the right bottom of the cluster "ON" always. When I got it checked by Bosch car service, he mentioned that "if these both lights are on together, it means that battery is weak". But then I do not have problems starting the car at 1st crank. He suggested that I carry on using like this till there I experience weak battery and then get the battery changed.

please advise what shd I do?

This is definitely caused due to weak battery. I experienced the same few months and I changed the battery. Dont wait till the battery dies. Get it changed asap.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by anandkumargb

Hi jaggi,

Need your advice...
===========
please advise what shd I do?

Carry on using the battery, one of the cells is going weak. When you feel there is hesitation to crank, its time to change also. Should run for anything between a week to 2 months depending on your luck.

If you want to take a safe way out, change it now

[Thad E Ginathom]

Water in Diesel Filter is the standard Swift low-battery indicator

Who knows? Maybe all the indicators mean the same!