Late April this year, when I was in India for a short visit I happened to have test driven the i20 - without having the thought of buying a car at this point of time.
Fast forward to 5th June - My brother took the delivery of the car and I was expecting him to do a bit of the running in and the few basic stuff I wanted done - films, debadging the car, not to get plates for the front and just a sticker with the number etc. However, as he went in for an operation nothing was done and the car just went from the showroom to the garage till I arrived India on 10th.
I was sitting at the back seat all the way from the airport to my place and I felt the tire pressure was a little high. Wanted to get that checked ASAP.
Next day - the first few scratches:
It was raining. I was approaching a cross section to take a right turn while the signal was still on my favour, I realised an A-Star crossing from right to left. Fair enough. I was doing lets say about 40-50kmph. While entering the turn, the A-Star suddenly decided to stop right in the middle of the road, that is something I had absolutely not calculated which made me do a panic braking - Wheels locked :O. Yes, they locked, and I went straight into the LHS front wheel of the A-Star. Bang. Got of the car, the first thing I noticed was the A-Star and I did not even have the courage of looking at my car front with the scare the damage which might have happened. All I had were few scratches while the A-Star had a lot of damage - Axle, body etc.
Case open, Case closed. I drove back thinking HOW could the wheels lock and how did I lose traction with ABS. After a while I came to the conclusion that - it might be the probability of high tire pressure and wet road which led to the tires locking ? With this in mind I went and got the tire pressure checked - all were at 42.5 :O. Reduced them immediately to 30 for all 5 of them.
The three days I managed to drive the car I clocked in all about a little over 500 kms.
What I like ?
1) The space the car has to offer - did not even realise during the very short test drive I had taken in April that this is actually quite a BIG hatch.
2) The retractable mirrors - cool !
3) The car has adequate power for city use, and its OK for the highways. The CRDi I bet is one of a rocket !
4) The stability - you do not feel when you are driving at about 100.
And some stuff I dont like :
1) NO Lighter !
2) NO Ashtray !
3) NO cabin light in the front :( - Only one in the centre.
4) I would have liked the retractable mirrors closing automatically while locking the door - guess I am asking for too much ?
I am driving mostly at about 2000 rpm, occasionally going upto 2500. During the run in is it safe to "cruise" at 3000 rpm ?
- IF I do exceed the km limit for the first service by about a 100-150 kms would it be a problem ? I am thinking of driving down to Puri and that would mean I would exceed 1500kms which is the limit for the first service.
More pictures (better ones) when I am back in India.
I am loving the car - so far !