1st March 2009, 07:39
| #1 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 5,975
Thanked: 4,675 Times
| My ka Laal: Swift - Oye VDi, VDi Oye! - 12 months, 29.3k km UPDATE 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  Last edited by Rehaan : 2nd March 2009 at 03:32. Reason: Text added on request. |
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1st March 2009, 08:26
| #2 |
| Distinguished - BHPian   | |
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1st March 2009, 09:49
| #3 | |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 4,145
Thanked: 571 Times
| Good report, Phamilyman! To the point!  Quote:
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1st March 2009, 10:00
| #4 | |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Delhi
Posts: 3,095
Thanked: 311 Times
| Quote:
wonderful surprises and an exciting voyage of discovery! Enjoy your ride! Chitkul and Kalpa beckon!  | |
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1st March 2009, 11:33
| #5 |
| Team-BHP Support   Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Singapore
Posts: 9,575
Thanked: 14,582 Times
| Typing a report at 7:30 am on a Sunday ?  Crazy fellow !!!! You didn't mention the headlight upgrade ? |
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1st March 2009, 12:00
| #6 |
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| 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! |
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1st March 2009, 12:14
| #7 |
| BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne
Posts: 4,461
Thanked: 5,535 Times
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1st March 2009, 12:42
| #8 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ghaziabad, U. P
Posts: 1,363
Thanked: 783 Times
| 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. |
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1st March 2009, 12:47
| #9 |
| Senior - BHPian  | |
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1st March 2009, 13:09
| #10 | |||||||
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 5,975
Thanked: 4,675 Times
| Thanks everyone! Quote:
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! Quote:
btw, i think cars are like offspring. No matter how ugly, people find something to drool over!! Quote:
Well, alot beckons. Now only to get full 2 day weekends without opening the laptop, then 4-5 day leaves for the above!! Quote:
The headlight upgrade isn't much of a significant upgrade to wax eloquent about. Its useful - but thats it. Quote:
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! Quote:
PS: Who notices sounds while in the "DRIIIIIIIIIIVE" mode when the turbo's kicking in?!! Quote:
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 Last edited by phamilyman : 1st March 2009 at 13:18. | |||||||
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1st March 2009, 13:32
| #11 |
| Newbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Delhi
Posts: 16
Thanked: 0 Times
| Short & Crisp ride report Tau. Rattling sound.. umm a Music System will help I guess  Cheers, DJ |
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1st March 2009, 16:23
| #12 | |
| Newbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Delhi
Posts: 16
Thanked: 0 Times
| Quote:
So i cant even edit my posts as of now. It was not supposed to be RR written up there | |
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1st March 2009, 18:12
| #13 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 5,975
Thanked: 4,675 Times
| 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 |
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1st March 2009, 21:22
| #14 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 5,975
Thanked: 4,675 Times
| and here's pics from today Condor, as instructed - here's pics from today.   Last edited by phamilyman : 1st March 2009 at 21:28. |
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1st March 2009, 21:41
| #15 |
| Team-BHP Support  | |
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