* I did another weekend Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore trip last weekend. Left my Basaveswaranagar [Bangalore] home at 7 am on 11 June 2011 and reached my Royapettah home [Chennai] by 1:35 pm. This includes one hour break at BP Ghar Dhaba at Chinnar on NH 7 [between Hosur&Krishnagiri] for fuel+breakfast and 20 minutes in traffic jam at Porur junction. We returned to Bangalore back last night.

* The following are the details of toll paid between Bangalore and Chennai for single entry:


* Potholes on NH 7 have not been patched up between Bangalore and Krishnagiri in spite of increasing the toll on this stretch.

* As usual, BP GharDhaba A2B was overflowing with cars and people on weekend. While going to Chennai, we had breakfasted there, and while returning back, we had our evening coffee there.

* Cara Mia Fiat Linea returned a FE of 13.6 kmpl for spirited driving on NH7/46/4 and intra city driving in Bangalore/Chennai.

My Linea is getting new gadgets!

Today, I received the following gadgets for my Linea:

1. Solar-powered tyre pressure gauge from ebay.in. 3in1 Solar Powered Digital Tire/Tyre Pressure Gauge | eBay

2. White LED flashlight from DealExtreme. $32.80 - UltraFire KH-T60 HA-II XM-LT60 5-Mode 1200-Lumen White LED Flashlight (1 x 18650) - 18650 Cree Flashlights

3. Portable air compressor from amazon is in transit. Amazon.com: VIAIR 85P Portable Air Compressor: Automotive

My Linea is getting physically fit to take us to a mammoth 8 k long trip in another couple of months from now!

Now, my Linea adorns new smart registration number plates embedded in plastic frames. These smart plates sans screws are really cute.

For details, see my post#360&362 here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...-india-24.html

Here are some pics:


My Linea's old acrylic number plates - resting in the attic!

[bhunu AMG]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

My Linea is getting new gadgets!

Today, I received the following gadgets for my Linea:

1. Solar-powered tyre pressure gauge from ebay.in. 3in1 Solar Powered Digital Tire/Tyre Pressure Gauge | eBay

2. White LED flashlight from DealExtreme. $32.80 - UltraFire KH-T60 HA-II XM-LT60 5-Mode 1200-Lumen White LED Flashlight (1 x 18650) - 18650 Cree Flashlights

3. Portable air compressor from amazon is in transit. Amazon.com: VIAIR 85P Portable Air Compressor: Automotive

My Linea is getting physically fit to take us to a mammoth 8 k long trip in another couple of months from now!

Hi ravi, shall we know which trip you are talking about or what is your plan(8k!!!)...pls

[h14]

Hi J.Ravi, I'm a bit confused with your toll figures. You have mentioned Vaniyambadi and Pallikonda toll fee as Rs.60 each! I remember it being far less when I last did Chennai-Coimbatore last month. One more thing, there is something fishy about Chennaisamudiram and SriPerembudur toll's, if you examine them, both these toll plaza's do not have the automatic gates and also unlike the others, there are no personnel seated outside the toll booth involved in writing down you vehicle's number.

What I mean to say is that you need not pay in these as they never try to stop you if you deny. I have never paid in these two toll plazas for the past 4 months. Try it the next time, just look straight and drive ahead, no one will bother to stop you.

Originally Posted by bhunu AMG

Hi ravi, shall we know which trip you are talking about or what is your plan(8k!!!)...pls

Sure, bhunu AMG. The dates are tentative. See here for more details: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...handigarh.html

Originally Posted by h14

there is something fishy about Chennaisamudiram and SriPerembudur toll's, if you examine them, both these toll plaza's do not have the automatic gates and also unlike the others, there are no personnel seated outside the toll booth involved in writing down you vehicle's number.

Try it the next time, just look straight and drive ahead, no one will bother to stop you.

Some of the tolls have been revised and they have put a board there. I also understand that now one of the toll revision has been stayed. For more details, see here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...galore-32.html
Thanks for alerting me on Chennasamudram and Sriperumbudur toll plazas. Next time, I will definitely experiment!

Today, I bought Black&Decker high pressure washer PW1570TD with angular nozzle and brush for Rs 6499 as against total MRP of Rs 10,069 at Metro, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, to keep my Linea clean. The details are here:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...ml#post2396763

I did another Bangalore-Pondicherry-Bangalore quickie in less than 18 hours on 21/22 June 2011.

Self and wife left my Basaveswaranagar home by 9:50 am on 21 June 2011.


I took Bangalore>Krishnagiri>Arcot>Cheyyar>Vandavasi>Tind ivanam>Pondy route on NH7/46/MDR/SH5/NH66. We lunched at BP Ghar Dhaba A2B and continued our journey. The toll plazas at Krishnagiri, Vaniyambadi and Pallikonda have started collecting the old tolls due to court stay order on the new enhanced tolls.


SH 5 was decent with a blend of very good, good, not-so-good and bad stretches, but driveable. The advantage is very less vehicular traffic. The disadvantages are drive through Vandavasi and Tindivanam market areas and no decent eateries en route. At Tindivanam, the bypass road to NH 45/66 was closed due to construction of bridge over railway line. They have erected a sign board on NH 45 announcing 'Road Closed' but not on SH 5. So, I went up to the bridge construction site and took another village road to reach Tindivanam and crossed through the existing flyover after wading through the busy market area.


My Linea's MID was showing external temperature at 40 deg C from Vellore that continued up to Tindivanam.

We reached Navarkulam, Pondy, at 5:30 pm, visited our relatives, freshened up, had coffee there, later had a darshan at Manakula Vinayakar temple, filled up my Linea's tank with petrol [costs Rs 61.49/litre] at the Ashram BP pump, attended and dined at a marriage reception at Ananda Kalyana Mandapam, left at 8:35 pm and reached home, sweet home, at 3:20 am today after a hectic trip of 797.8 km. I had a FE of 16.1 kmpl for inter and intra city driving with ACC set at 20 deg C and sedate driving at 80-90 kmph on NH/MDR/SH.

[ajay_satpute]

@J.Ravi: I must say that you really love your car and take a very good care of it. Every now and then you keep upgrading/adding something in your Linea and make it better day by day. Kudos!

16.1 KMPL is a GREAT FE IMO. You can't ask for more. Your utmost care for the car must be translating into good FE figures, "give and take". OT: How come the petrol costs ONLY 61 Rs/litre in Pondy? Is it out of Octroi limits?

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Kudos!

Thanks for the compliments, ajay_satpute.

How come the petrol costs ONLY 61 Rs/litre in Pondy? Is it out of Octroi limits?

Pondicherry [officially, Puducherry] is a UT where VAT is less than most of the states. Octroi is not in force in the southern states/UT.

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Yesterday [21 Nov 2010], cara mia Fiat Linea had her second free servicing done at Concorde Motors [India] Limited, Mysore Road, Bangalore. I gave a rating of 9 out 10 in the response form, deducting 1 point towards delay due to washing and cleaning.

* Today, my Linea had her third free servicing done at Concorde Motors, Mysore Road, Bangalore. This time, I have given 10 out of 10 in the initial feedback form given to me as there was no excuse to deduct rating.

* I found a total change in the approach of Concorde Motors. They are taking our feedback really serious. As soon I reported there in my Linea, the SA greeted me and showed me the feedback given by me in November 2010 during the second free service. He explained to me the about reasons for the delay caused for washing.

* Concorde Motors/Tata Motors are also following our ownership threads in Team-BHP. The SA referred to my photographs taken during AC upgradation [which were taken with their permission only, anyway] published in this thread and requested me not to take photographs within the service centre as the service team was directed to follow the rules. I assured him that was a special occasion and no more photographs.

* I insisted on 4-litre can of Selenia K engine oil instead of loose oil, but it was not available in cans. Only loose engine oil was available. So, I told the SA to go ahead and settled down at the customer lounge browsing through today's newspapers. Later, the SA came and requested me to witness the oil change as I did last time. I was hesitant, but he encouraged me to go to the service bay and watch the engine oil replacement, which I did.

* The mechanic and SA confirmed that the brake pads would last for another 10,000 km and nothing to worry.

* Here are the details of work done and consumables/parts replaced:


* The SA and self went for a trial drive and I found my Linea better. Later, my Linea was sent for wash. It was ready by 2:30 pm. I paid the bill, completed the initial feedback form, thanked the service team [Somu and Chetan] and drove out in my Linea at 2:50 pm.

* I am fully satisfied with the servicing rendered by Concorde Motors, Mysore Road, Bangalore.

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Today, I bought Black&Decker high pressure washer PW1570TD

Today, I returned the Black&Decker Pressure Washer back to Metro as I was not satisfied with the product. See here for details.

After the third free servicing that my Linea had undergone yesterday, I checked today the service reminder in the MID, which has been reset by the SA, it seemed. It is a nice feature.

[Soccerfan]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

* Today, my Linea had her third free servicing done at Concorde Motors, Mysore Road, Bangalore. This time, I have given 10 out of 10 in the initial feedback form given to me as there was no excuse to deduct rating.

* I found a total change in the approach of Concorde Motors. They are taking our feedback really serious. As soon I reported there in my Linea, the SA greeted me and showed me the feedback given by me in November 2010 during the second free service. He explained to me the about reasons for the delay caused for washing.

* Concorde Motors/Tata Motors are also following our ownership threads in Team-BHP. The SA referred to my photographs taken during AC upgradation [which were taken with their permission only, anyway] published in this thread and requested me not to take photographs within the service centre as the service team was directed to follow the rules. I assured him that was a special occasion and no more photographs.

* I insisted on 4-litre can of Selenia K engine oil instead of loose oil, but it was not available in cans. Only loose engine oil was available. So, I told the SA to go ahead and settled down at the customer lounge browsing through today's newspapers. Later, the SA came and requested me to witness the oil change as I did last time. I was hesitant, but he encouraged me to go to the service bay and watch the engine oil replacement, which I did.

* The mechanic and SA confirmed that the brake pads would last for another 10,000 km and nothing to worry.

* Here are the details of work done and consumables/parts replaced:
Attachment 565337

* The SA and self went for a trial drive and I found my Linea better. Later, my Linea was sent for wash. It was ready by 2:30 pm. I paid the bill, completed the initial feedback form, thanked the service team [Somu and Chetan] and drove out in my Linea at 2:50 pm.

* I am fully satisfied with the servicing rendered by Concorde Motors, Mysore Road, Bangalore.

It seems the pollen filter was not replaced. Please check

Originally Posted by Soccerfan

It seems the pollen filter was not replaced. Please check

Thanks, Soccerfan. The OE pollen filter was replaced with a new wire-mesh filter during the second servicing of my Linea. When I specifically asked for replacement of wire-mesh filter in the third servicing, the SA said frequent replacement applies to pollen filters [which have been discontinued now] and not for wire-mesh filters, which can be cleaned and reused. Now, the same wire-mesh filter was cleaned with air jet and refitted. See the wire-mesh filter included in this second free servicing bill: