My ka Laal: Swift - Oye VDi, VDi Oye! - 12 months, 29.3k km UPDATE

[phamilyman]

ji jesh. 4 months and a week later, my VDi completes 10,000km.

Its been a great awesome time, and things have been way better than I expected - so even though its (YET another) VDi report - need to record the experience so far.

First up, in terms of stats. I've spent 5.4 on purchase, ~17000 on fuel so far (plus half a tank yet to go), 3479 on servicing, 7556 on accesories (NO ICE!) and its been FUN every moment!

Background:
I still remember one of my very first threads being about the touring gaddi. Just that my calculations are woefully wrong. Instead of 1500km/month - its done 2500km/month despite some insane work schedules and delivery delays else i should've crossed 17k by now

Anyways, cutting to the chase, in July, despite jugaad with Competent Motors, I decided to go ahead and source it myself. AAA Vehicleades was the final dealer who promised a quick turnaround. (read 1.5-2 months)

Quick lowdown on the dealer, located in Savitri Nagar:
a. Honest guys - Pradeep my salesman has been forthright in his dealings. Turned down my efforts to bribe as well (was just testing but he passed!)
b. Great management - Mr Chibber is extremely frank, open and helpful. Perfect lead
c. Zero discounts - I was a dolt as well, so didn't try to bargain on the insurance itself either. But then we know how a Swift purchase is like!
d. Lovely PDI - I had zilch complaints.
e. Zero clue of Diesel engines - No serious. Turbo idling is for aliens! Au contraire, the expertise shown by Mr Chauhan, DGM-Works Apra has been exemplary. For any paid works, i would wholeheartedly recommend Apra just for him and him only.
f. Painful if you are going to get it registered in Haryana. Their "registration expert" Pankaj is a faff god who only gets in your way.
g. Overpriced accesories - I mean - who'll buy a gearlock/stereo that costs 20% lesser from outside dealers WITH b/w!!

I got it in 80 days despite trying hard through direct Maruti jugaad - because I was arrogant to book ABS in the sunlight copper color! Had I booked some boring color, I may have got it earlier :P

Coming to the service - mostly done at Competent Auto Gurgaon. Key points:
a. Lovely deal - 3 free services from them and you get the fourth one free.
b. Awesome workshop - great it is. No madness like Dhingra motors.h
c. Overpriced on alignment - 1000 bucks for a swift that's done just 5000km.
d. Not bothered in getting the car dry dented - will just fully change. Apra is slightly more open in that respect

Service expenses:
Engine Oil Change - Mobil delvac super1300 15 w 40, Oil filter 1155
"Dry denting (fender) Touchup paint" 700
Second free service as per Manual 0
Wheel rotation and balancing 250
Bumper bracket post accident 104
Engine Oil Change - GTX Diesel 15 w 40, Oil filter 1270

Similarly breakup of accesories expenses(7556):
Brand Price
Seat Covers Elegant 1737
Autocop gearlock Autocop 1200
Llumar sunfilm Llumar 2100
Cellmate phone mount Cellmate 119
Assorted shampoo/waxes. Assorted 290
Mico +30% lamps Mico 190
ERD cellphone charger ERD 120
Floormats Taiwanese 550
Mudflaps NA 250
Antirust treatment at Rakesh Auto 3M 1000

What I have not yet done for want of Vitamin M: Alloys, Tyres, ICE :P

What I do religiously weekly is to wax the car every week.

Now that the sundry data is out of the way, onto more experiential stuff.
a. NVH - Noticeable only at startup like all SwiftDs - just as smooth as the first day
b. Gearbox - its a Maruti - ie using the first gear while moving is tough to engage
c. Rattling - Quite low. Very less on city roads - horribly boomy interiors though and on bad hill roads, the noise has come from every corner of the car
d. FE has been awesome.
e. The steering has what I would've called a videogame feeling - totally disconnected esp with those tyres. This car's steering begs for some feedback.
f. I've pushed her to 140 kph enroute to Jaipur but that's about it. regular cruising is 100-120.
g. This car has redefined my understanding of handling - simply awesome.
h. The midrange is maddening. Its replaced the daily ride to office because I reach non-sweaty and save 10 mins too!
i. Rear visibility is horrible but one manages. Over the palio, I ABSOLUTELY love the ultra short turning radius - VERY useful.
j. Surprisingly, the driver's seat has been very comfortable for my poor back and I like it lots.Its quite a good car to drive loong hours!

As for the scratches, yeah - needs to be put down as well:
a. 4000km - reversed onto a barricade in a parking - so that a car can fit in next to mine WITHOUT scratching
Result: Fender dry denting - touchup on bumper
b. 6000km(?) Tavera that came up next to mine on a U turn - I was looking left for traffic to clear - eased off the clutch and got a hickie on the car - but its not much prominent.

Here's some pics of the car:
Attachment 96708
Trying to click long-exposure pics of waterbodies. But tsk can't be replicated!!






ranthambore:



PS: I am philosophically against any long term report before 30-40k but 10k is when I decided to put my thoughts down. I somehow find it amusing that people start a running report in 300km

[condor]

Crisp write-up there .. looks like you wanted to get done with this, and get back to making good those remaining 7000km !

Will better rubber improve the steering experience ? Come to think of it, hasn't our tyre-guru come after you for not having upgraded yet ?

And a lovely color that. Congrats !

p.s: More pics please.

[HappyWheels]

Good report, Phamilyman! To the point!

Originally Posted by phamilyman

... I somehow find it amusing that people start a running report in 300km

Add reports, that talk about 'looks so beautiful / drool / blah blah' but lack any photos, to that!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Its been a great awesome time, and things have been way better than I expected -
...
Its replaced the daily ride to office because I reach non-sweaty and save 10 mins too!

That's all that matters, isn't it?!
wonderful surprises and an exciting voyage of discovery!

Enjoy your ride!
Chitkul and Kalpa beckon!

[Eddy]

Typing a report at 7:30 am on a Sunday ?

Crazy fellow !!!!

You didn't mention the headlight upgrade ?

[rippergeo]

Congrats on 10k.
I just got back from a 200km drive with some other mad bhpians, with a car like this, how can you not want to tear up the tarmac on a sunday morning?I've never had this strong an urge to drive just for the heck of driving, till I got this one.Every day is a long wait till the next sunday morning. That doesent mean my daily commute is boring, no sir! not by a long shot. Sometimes, the commute is the only reason I go to work

Sorry for the long fanboy style post, but everytime I come back after a drive in this car, I feel I have to write something about it.

Do you get much oppurtunity to see twisties frequently? thats where this car really shines.

Like you said- cruising at 100-120 is the best.
185/70/r14s and you'll have even more fun cornering. of course- nothing like 195/65/r15 if the money is there.

Please watch out for oversteer/tailslides on corners if you're on stock tyres.

Why would you want to shift to 1st gear on the move? Turbo lag in 2nd making you do that?
The mid range is maddening! Yes it is!

[extreme_torque]

A report in the usual HITA style... good you are enjoying your VDi. Have you thought of doing something about the boomy sounds on bad roads... some sort of damping?

[architect]

Some confusion here: you booked the VDi with ABS but finally managed one without it, right?

Well maintained ride (all that waxing). And I had accumulated so many more scratches in the same time period, with no blame on the Palio's visibility, more on my luck and neighbours.

Except for the steering feel, I loved every moment of driving your My ka Laal. Interesting that for "phamilyman", the somewhat restricted backseat of the Swift doesn't figure in the gripes.

P.S. Let's meet up after your 10,000 km service (that's where you are sitting right now, ain't it?). Let the Multijets cruise the roads. Amen.

[hydrashok]

Nice report, Hitanshu! 10K in 4 months? *gulp*

I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think waxing the car every week may not be a good idea on a long-term basis for the paint job. A bi-monthly waxing, or at the most a monthly waxing would be a better idea. I hope the experts can comment on this.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by condor

Crisp write-up there .. looks like you wanted to get done with this, and get back to making good those remaining 7000km !

Will better rubber improve the steering experience ? Come to think of it, hasn't our tyre-guru come after you for not having upgraded yet ?

And a lovely color that. Congrats !

p.s: More pics please.

remaining 7000km? Didn't get you. I just realized i'm getting busier with work and if I waited till 40-50k km for the report, I'd be forgetting some details - so here it is!

Better rubber - will help it stay on track even if the feel is videogame like!

More pics coming. Currently in the service station for the service only. Pics soon after!

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Good report, Phamilyman! To the point!

Thanks!

btw, i think cars are like offspring. No matter how ugly, people find something to drool over!!

Originally Posted by anupmathur

That's all that matters, isn't it?!
wonderful surprises and an exciting voyage of discovery!

Enjoy your ride!
Chitkul and Kalpa beckon!

Danke.

Well, alot beckons. Now only to get full 2 day weekends without opening the laptop, then 4-5 day leaves for the above!!

Originally Posted by Eddy

Typing a report at 7:30 am on a Sunday ?

Crazy fellow !!!!

You didn't mention the headlight upgrade ?

LOL. I typed it late last night in gmail, and dozed off!

The headlight upgrade isn't much of a significant upgrade to wax eloquent about. Its useful - but thats it.

Originally Posted by rippergeo

Congrats on 10k.
I just got back from a 200km drive with some other mad bhpians, with a car like this, how can you not want to tear up the tarmac on a sunday morning?I've never had this strong an urge to drive just for the heck of driving, till I got this one.Every day is a long wait till the next sunday morning. That doesent mean my daily commute is boring, no sir! not by a long shot. Sometimes, the commute is the only reason I go to work

Sorry for the long fanboy style post, but everytime I come back after a drive in this car, I feel I have to write something about it.

Do you get much oppurtunity to see twisties frequently? thats where this car really shines.

Like you said- cruising at 100-120 is the best.
185/70/r14s and you'll have even more fun cornering. of course- nothing like 195/65/r15 if the money is there.

Please watch out for oversteer/tailslides on corners if you're on stock tyres.

Why would you want to shift to 1st gear on the move? Turbo lag in 2nd making you do that?
The mid range is maddening! Yes it is!

LOL.

No yaar. First gear only because the commute sometimes needs crawling bumper-bumper !!

And yes, its good fun. No two ways about it. It was simply amazing on the twisties. BUT - forget leaves, when Sundays are spent working - then what's one to do. Else the odo would've been 12-13k!

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

A report in the usual HITA style... good you are enjoying your VDi. Have you thought of doing something about the boomy sounds on bad roads... some sort of damping?

Nope. Turn up the music on the phone speakers!

PS: Who notices sounds while in the "DRIIIIIIIIIIVE" mode when the turbo's kicking in?!!

Originally Posted by hydrashok

Nice report, Hitanshu! 10K in 4 months? *gulp*

I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think waxing the car every week may not be a good idea on a long-term basis for the paint job. A bi-monthly waxing, or at the most a monthly waxing would be a better idea. I hope the experts can comment on this.

Boss. If I'd had the palio bought in July last week. Let's see - the odo would've been at 22-23k now!

My job's been tight and the recession strong - else even this should've been 2-3k more!

And doh!! i've been more religious with weekly waxing the car than anything else ever! Don't tell me! What do other junta think??

@architect: I buy life insurance as well. Doesn't mean i can't live happily if I don't get it - do I? I completely hated that.

btw, I got pics of the new ABS Motors service station - I'm again suffering from Palio-lust!!

As for the scratches, yeah - needs to be put down as well:
a. 4000km - reversed onto a barricade in a parking - so that a car can fit in next to mine WITHOUT scratching
Result: Fender dry denting - touchup on bumper
b. 6000km(?) Tavera that came up next to mine on a U turn - I was looking left for traffic to clear - eased off the clutch and got a hickie on the car - but its not much prominent.

On a side note, every fortnight it goes to sadar bazar gurgaon etc but no problems there ever!

And yes, I must appreciate MSIL, AAA vehicleades and Competent that I've never had to bother about ANYTHING - its just been fill it shut it and forget it. No tensions, no niggles to put up with. Touchwood

[Devil.DJ]

Short & Crisp ride report Tau.

Rattling sound.. umm a Music System will help I guess


Cheers,
DJ

[Devil.DJ]

Originally Posted by Devil.DJ

Short & Crisp ride report Tau.

Rattling sound.. umm a Music System will help I guess


Cheers,
DJ

*cough*

So i cant even edit my posts as of now.

It was not supposed to be RR written up there

[phamilyman]

nai be - you know those sounds - in retrospect, thoda background music waala action sequence sa feeling aata hai. So I'll stay without the music system

....... For now!

PS: aadat wahi hai - this ain't a ride report

[phamilyman]

Condor, as instructed - here's pics from today.

[tsk1979]

Can you post the names of the places in first post and how to go there?