My Ford FIGO TDCI Titanium...now rolling! HI All,
After owning a Ford Sierra for around 1.5 years. I am sure that they are good cars, it doesn’t matter that I like JC and his FORD kept breaking down all the time. I like Fords.
Till last year I had a little Japanese "cute" car a Little ZEN. Loved to drive it around but it was burning a massive hole in my pocket cause of the fuel consumption. I was driving too much and almost had spent more than what I bought it for just on fuel.
In August 2010 my younger brother made a decision to sell off his 2003 model Wagon R just because of the same reason. And some added reasons like uncomfortable ride and all sorts of other things. He went for the Ritz VDi. I loved to drive around the car. I like the performance of the Diesel engine. I like the Turbo Kick. I like the AC and every thing the best thing that I like is that in this part of the country from where I hail. The Diesel today costs around 25 RS less than a litre of petrol. And it burns less over the KM's Driven. I mean to say that the VDI is more efficient than the VXI.
Every one in the town knows that there is a new Suzuki Swift that is going to be launched God knows some time this year. I don’t want to wait by booking for a Swift and then get the delivery of the car after around 3 months and then realise that oh there is a new one that has been launched just after two days of my cars delivery.
And guess what with the current trend I am not even sure if I am going to get the Safety Features like ABS, Air bags and things.
So other nice cars like an i20 and Punto fail drastically on one of the points. They don’t match my budget. Ford FIGO TDCI TITANIUM is all that I want I think. After couple of test drives I have realised that it is not as refined as a RITZ or any other with the 1.3 FIAT units. In terms of the engine. But still I find the engine to be nice and the over all ride quality feels smooth when compared to Ritz.
I want a car on which I don’t have to spend much latter. Especially I don’t want to spend on an after market ICE rite now.
So as per my need the FIGO is going to deliver all the little things that I need,
POWER
EFFICIENCY
Basic but nice Music system to keep the boredom away.
ABS, Airbags to keep me safe. - Complete booking & delivery experience from the dealership
I had plan to get the car in December when the price was less almost 10K less than today, and added to that i was being offered a car in Delhi with a Punjab billing that was going to save me another 10 K as the price in Punjab was 10 K more than Delhi. Now that has been stopped and ford has stopped selling inter territory vehicles from Jan.
In December i was offered 15K off on the car and free insurance that calculates to around 30K.
And now the registration charges in Punjab have gone up from 2% to 4% from march 1st that make it 12 K more.
So that means as I am buying a car almost 2.5 months when I initially thought off, it is costing me around 60K more. Any ways that was all fine for me cause I really wanted to get an car.
I have booked the car with BHAGAT FORD in Bathinda. The booking amount was 5000 Rs only. it was booked on the 25th Feb and the dilivery was promissed for the 11th as i wanted. From the 25th of Feb I had changed the color of my car for around 3 time and then settled to White the color of my least liking.
I was informed on 1st march that the cars have arived and i can come and check them.The car that we are buying is a White Color (there is a long story for the color.) the car that has come in is with MRF tyres. I had enquired about the buy backs and the new tyres. The tyres would be bought at 12000 for 4 tyres. The new tyres options are
1 Continental Premium contact 195/60/14 at 4600 Each.
2 Appolo Aceleres same size as above at 4100 Each.
---------------------------- On-road price, discounts etc.
The car cost me on road 5.90 Aprox, Discounts of just 2000 Rs. But gave the basic kit, Included the Mats, Mud Flaps, I was informed that the lower body was already coated. Did not want to get the Teflon done.
I got the delivery of the car on the 11th as planned. On the 10th afternoon went to Bhagat ford Bathinda and got the car prepared for the delivery so that it does not take long on the 11th morning as I had plans to come to Gurgaon the same day. Got the USB cable fitted, The Mats and the mud flaps came with the car.
On the 11th the whole procedure was done quickly and got the car in under 30 minutes and with my Mother I was off to the Temple. My mother who loves a ZEN was very happy to be in the ford and she commented that the Ford seems to be more comfortable if she compares it to the RITZ VDi that we have. She liked the interior colour which I have taken Coral IP. She also mentioned that she was apprehensive about the interior color when I told her that it would be red in colour. And then started the whole thing about the color that its not even close to RED. Hey mum I am a MAN and I just under stand RGBYW only I don’t understand the MOOVE color. Anyways after the visit to the temple, I headed straight to the Tire shop and got the Conti’s for the car. The Conti’s look really nice and also that I got a very good buy back on the Goodyear that came with the car.
The car has done more thank 7000 KM in under 2 months today I have completed 2 months with the car and the odo reads 7132 . My usage till date has just been more of commuting in Delhi. Apart from this I have done a 650 KM trip to Rajasthan. And two trips of Bathinda where so that makes another 1750 KM and a small trip to UK that was around 500 KM. So that means I did more than 4000 Km just in delhi.
Till now have had no problems with the car, apart from the Squeaky sound from the rear end and a little noise from the right side of the drivers seat where the seat belt is. And some other parts like the rear end when I get off a ramp or things like that.
Till now I have been getting an millage of 16 in city with AC on. And on my highway runs I am getting around 18. Thought the car is not as fast as the RITZ but still it manages an easy 130 to cruise at. I think that I would be able to do better with the millage with speed between 90-110. Recent trip to Rajasthan was quite nice, The AC did the Job very well. It was nice to see the suspension working every bit. And the handling is amazing if I would compare it with the RITZ and the SWIFT . - The good and / or bad about its equipment levels.
I did not want to consider the ZXI because it was 30K cheaper than the TITANIUM, but the list of the equipment was big and was difficult to resist off. The main thing was that I was sure that the AIRBAGS, EBD, ABS cannot be fitted in the car for just 30K. - Comments on the exterior styling & design.
I am a Fan of Fords, and I know that this car is based on the FIESTA (The international model). The only thing that I feel is that the original desighn of the front looked better than the CAR sort of looks. But over all the car feels big from exterior. I have started to like the curves in the front but straight lines may have made it a better car when we look at the rear end. - Overall build quality and fit & finish.
The over all Build quality is way better than the Suzuki and the Fiat. I have not checked out the I20 yet. The plastic on the black interior felt bit dull and this is my personal view that the Coral IP seems of better quality when compared to the black interior. I had read on the TBHP it self that the coral Ip reflects less and that’s what I have experienced.
There are some points near the Bumper mounts where the gaps are uneven and the windows where the Rubber seems uneven when compared to the front and the rear of both the sides. But then again this is a budget car. And I know that with this kinda equipment this is way better build quality when compared to the SWIFT but not the RITZ. - Interior design & quality. - Interior space and comfort. - Air conditioner, seat support, ergonomics and other noteworthy interior points.
Speaking of the interior Design and quality I think that I almost praised the interior material quality. Regarding the space. I feel that the car is very comfy specially the seats they are not the typical soft stuff that you get in the RITZ. But they are comfy. I think too soft seats add to the pain in the lower side of the body (can I use the BUM OR BUTT word?).
Air Conditioner on my trip to Rajasthan on a hot day for initial 30 minutes the car was on 2 position of the blower and then it was at 1 till 5 PM and then kept it toggling on and off cause I would feel Cold. And same was the situation when I travelled to Bathinda this Saturday. The only thing that is noticeable is that the car would give periodical jerks when steady if the AC is on.. and to be true with you I have stopped noticing it. - Engine performance & driveability in the city. - Engine performance & driveability on the highway.
The engine has enough power for the CITY, what I have not been liking is the missing low end torque. In the second gear it some times is unable to move from the speeds like 10 KMPH. Otherwise the performance is ample to keep me happy. The best thing is the TURBO it starts working from such a low RPM that there is almost no turbo lag.
I feel that this makes the car smoother when compared to my other car Ritz.
On the Highway it handles well not too wobbly but it lacks the top end of the 1.3 Fiat engine. But it still manages easy 145 and little bit above. But can cruise all day long on 130 but the fuel efficiency with drop like any thing. - Overall opinion on the engine.
I am sure I will end up selling my car if there was a FIGO launched with the 1.6 TDCI. I am sure this make my opinion clear. - Comments on the steering, braking, high speed stability etc.
Steering size is small, but that makes it quite responsive, for braking I have to say that it was a good decision to buy the car with the ABS. but I feel that when you are stopping from a slow speed at the end rite around the standstill time the brakes are applied really hard. I don’t know if you get the drift. - Any particular likes (damped ashtrays, powerful headlights, music system etc.)
Ashtrays are not of my use anyways, I don’t smoke and don’t let others smoke in my car. Also then I like ford for not giving any ashtrays it seems that the designer was a strong opposee of smoking as well.
The head lights look good but the work done by them is not ample. I have a set of Phillips extream with me. And guess what this is the first time in life that I have moved from the Holonix to better bulbs and not be happy. The Philips bulbs perform amazing in my Bullet and the Pulsar. But I have been feeling that the Helonix was amazing and I may reuse them.
I really bow down to the person who sourced the music system. Though it may not be the best what money can buy, but is better than all that I have heard whish are factory fitted ( Not the ones that are fitted by the dealer ships. The ones that come fitted rite from factory.). the speakers are enough for a basic listener, the clip feature is really good. The only missing part is the mid range clearity with the speakers. For the first 1 and half month I was unable to use the Bluetooth feature. But this Monday I found out that this is really easy to use, and the clearity of the music through the Nokia phones is way better when compared to the Samsung phone that I have. I have still to check it with my Mrs’s IPOD that we have hardly used after owning it for almost an year. - Any particular dislikes (small mirrors, weak wipers, weak foglamps etc.)
I am not liking the stupid headlights, the squeaky sound that I hear from the rear end. Apart from that the Mats provide are not so good quality. I feel that If I would not have got the Pekky Podas the mats would have gone by now. The ground clearance is a problem aswell. I was thinking of taking the car to Chander Tal and may be Leh but seems that if any thingmore than two people I would keep on scraping the floor. -Review on overall practicality (luggage room, ease of ingress/egress, cubby holes etc.)
Talk about the luggage room I have many friends and famlity who live abroad. And they come with big massive luggages. My Bua was leaving for Australia and that was when I realised that the car could eat up two big suitcases and couple of small hand bags. The bottles holders are good in the doors. But the cubby holes in front of the gear leaver seems point less. One big one is but the other two are no good. - Quality of after-sales service (if experienced).
The first service experience was nightmare I think it was just cause of one person and guess what that he was my SA. But I did escalate it to the Workshop and I have been promised a better experience the next time I go. But to be true I don’t think that I want to go to the Harpreet Ford Gurgaon again.
On the 29th of march a small stone hit the wind screen leaving it with a big crack. Now Harpreet ford wanted to keep the car for 5 days to change the windscreen if I had to process a cash less and at least 3 days for self paid. I think that this is not justified. I called up Bhagat ford Bathinda, they booked an appoint ment and promised that they will deliver the car in 4 hours max provided that I was at the body shop at rite 9 AM. - Cost of upkeep & maintenance.
All that I have spent on the upkeep an
d maintenance is when I had to pay for the consumables on the first service. And that was around 1200 RS. I think its good enough and I have also been advised that the paid service would be around 2600 rs including the basic consumables and the labour. Which I think is good enough after ever 10000 KM.
Rest I think that this was a lot to write while in the office. And I would be waiting for all the comment and feed back and also on tips so that I can make my experience better.
You would be able to enjoy the Photos taken after a week of the ownerhip. i am sure this is nothing new but still . Thanks
Last edited by desideep : 11th May 2011 at 17:33.
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