[n.devdath]

A few things which come to mind immediately are:

1. Raised suspension.
2. Under tyred to allow higher suspension travel.
3. De tuned engines
4. Comfort features go under the knife.
5. Safety features suffer a de toning at different levels. Reduction in the number of airbags, off road aids, on road safety systems etc etc.
6. Chrome sees an increase. They know that we love the bling factor.
7. Beige sees an increase too. It makes the interiors look airy and we associate a premium feel to it.

OT: I too am of the opinion that if other websites are copying the info on TBHP illegaly, we must take requisite action.

[HammerHead]

In the name of excise benefit:

• Fiat reduced GP's length from 4065mm to 3987mm.
• Jazz came with 1.2ltr petrol engine.

[fz_rider]

I think , I read this somewhere ( can't remember ) : SWIFT'S rear bench was modified for India !

[libranof1987]

Well, the centre console on my Corsa Sail shows warning lights for everything under the sun : ABS, Driver Seat-belt alarm etc. But none of them work. The European version had all these functionalities.

It shows just the standard ones : Hand Brake, Engine Malfunction, Water Check lights come on on ignition, Left/Right Indicator, High-beam.

[Joe-Ker]

I fell its also worth mentioning what all are not changed when cars come to India, but should have been 'adapted'.

1) Indicator stalks on the wrong side (left). Its a safety hazard.
2) Wiper not adapted for right hand drive (the passenger has clear view while wipers throw water directly in front of the driver)
3) Boot/hood release lever on the passenger side. harmless though annoying.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by Joe-Ker

1) Indicator stalks on the wrong side (left). Its a safety hazard.

Am I dim witted?. Could you please elaborate?. How can indicators stalks on the wrong side be a safety hazard?

[Joe-Ker]

Am i the only person who faced a shortage of limbs when forced to brake suddenly and change lanes, or take a sudden turn which requires a downshift (for better control) and turn indication?

I face this regularly as i have to drive a ford sometimes. The 800 and Palio handles above mentioned situations with ease because they are controlled by different hands but in the the Ikon, its a struggle.

Another hazard because of this non standard stalk positioning is that i get a nice spray and wipe whenever i want to flash my hi-beams to pass, temporarily blinding me right when i am gathering speed on the wrong side of a two lane highway.

I do not know what else to call it if not a safety hazard. The only reason the company is not placing properly is that its aves a few bucks (for rerouting the wires). I even had an argument with one of the design heads at M&M 3years ago about the stalk position in the logan. (He flatly refused to admit it was a cost based decision and justified citing the example of ford and even suggested that it was world class).If the accelerator and brake pedals were reversed in the foreign models, would they release it here that way saying its world class?

This may not be a problem for those who use one car regularly, but people who use different cars will have a problem.

Nowadays I find myself using the indicators less often than i should as the thought process goes like this

Switch on Indicator--wait! am i driving a ford? or is it maruti or fiat--if ford reach for the wiper stalk---else reach for indicator stalk..
This is too much distraction i feel.

[dhanushs]

Thanks for the clarification Joe-Ker .

But then, in that case, even the switches for headlights, hazard warning lights et al, which are used whilst driving, and emergency situations also differ in different cars.

Actually, as a safe driving practice, before starting the car(a different one), apart from the regular precautionary safety measures like seatbelts, I familiarize myself with all the switches/controls of the car, pedals, gears etc.

[thedreamcatcher]

There are many features which either get added or deleted for our standards. For instance, the Beat gets an MID is some countries, in the slot that we have vacant above the ac vent. Many engines are down powered.

Look at the Indica abroad. It looks much better and finished in its City Rover disguise in the UK

[Joe-Ker]

@Dhanush

You are right and i do check before starting (even repeat it to myself when driving lest i forget), but because 90% of the time i get to drive vehicles with normal stalks, when needed in an emergency, my hands automatically reach for the right side if i need lights and left for wipers.

Hence the hazard for me
I feel it should be standrdized as a rule. No offence to ford owners, i love the way fords drive.
Sorry guys, for going off topic but i wanted to know if i was the only one having this problem.

Another adaptation when cars are released in India:
The smaller limp home stepnys in most models are replaced by full size tyres

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Joe-Ker

@Dhanush

You are right and i do check before starting (even repeat it to myself when driving lest i forget), but because 90% of the time i get to drive vehicles with normal stalks, when needed in an emergency, my hands automatically reach for the right side if i need lights and left for wipers.

Hence the hazard for me
I feel it should be standrdized as a rule. No offence to ford owners, i love the way fords drive.
Sorry guys, for going off topic but i wanted to know if i was the only one having this problem.

Another adaptation when cars are released in India:
The smaller limp home stepnys in most models are replaced by full size tyres

I do agree that the stalks should be standardised across all cars sold in Inida, but I too drive a Ford and a WagonR every other day. I have not fumbled so far.

But why blame Ford alone? The Linea and Punto have stalks similar to Ford, though the Palio has it like Jap cars. Add Skoda and VW cars also to the list.

However, as regards the dog bar in the Fiesta, I was told that it is there only in the cars prior to 2006. Mustang can clarify this point.

This apart, if Ford was really that concerned about adapting the Fiesta for Indian conditions, why the heck did they not shift the boot release lever to the driver's side, not to mention the sticker on the door sill for air pressure recommendation?

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Joe-Ker

I fell its also worth mentioning what all are not changed when cars come to India, but should have been 'adapted'.

1) Indicator stalks on the wrong side (left). Its a safety hazard.
2) Wiper not adapted for right hand drive (the passenger has clear view while wipers throw water directly in front of the driver)
3) Boot/hood release lever on the passenger side. harmless though annoying.

1) European cars have the indicator on the left side. Forgot to mention that about my Corsa. There are many cars with that configuration, right? Guess the manufacturers don't think it's that big a deal

2) Now, this I do not understand. IIRC, Indica (at least the first ones) has the wiper like you have mentioned, and that is in an Indian car.

Any idea what the criterion for which side the wipers turn is?

3) Which car has that?!

Oh, one last thing..

The Corsa (and other cars eg. Figo) have a different set up for switching on the headlights. It has the A/c type of switch which is on the right of the steering wheel (on the dash) next to the headlamp positioning switch.

[Daewood]

Originally Posted by Joe-Ker

1) Indicator stalks on the wrong side (left). Its a safety hazard.

Actually 'wrong' is 'right'.
The left hand is the one that is mostly free in a 'right-hand drive' and vice versa for a 'left-hand drive'. If you count the number of instances you are required to use the indicator stalk and wiper stalk you will notice that the indicator/headlight stalk is the oft-used one. Since our left hands are mostly free due to the presence of the gear lever on the left and the other hand on the steering, the often used indicator stalk should be on the left side.
Indian manufacturers have constantly given us wrong sided stalks and led us into believing 'wrong' is 'right'.

[Mustang.101]

Originally Posted by Daewood

Actually 'wrong' is 'right'.
The left hand is the one that is mostly free in a 'right-hand drive' and vice versa for a 'left-hand drive'. If you count the number of instances you are required to use the indicator stalk and wiper stalk you will notice that the indicator/headlight stalk is the oft-used one. Since our left hands are mostly free due to the presence of the gear lever on the left and the other hand on the steering, the often used indicator stalk should be on the left side.
Indian manufacturers have constantly given us wrong sided stalks and led us into believing 'wrong' is 'right'.

+1 to this

I was actually going to write the same thing. In our LHT(also known as RHD) system, The indicator stalks on the left are actually better suited to us. Most of us have owned a maruti 800/ alto or any other car as our first car, that is the reason we keep saying that brands like VW, Ford, BMW, Opel etc. etc. have indicator stalks on the wrong side. However i find the indicator stalks on the left more comfortable and so do many of the people here who have owned both type of cars. eg: members like Daewood and Gilead, i can recall.

[Joe-Ker]

Originally Posted by Daewood

Actually 'wrong' is 'right'.
The left hand is the one that is mostly free in a 'right-hand drive' and vice versa for a 'left-hand drive'. If you count the number of instances you are required to use the indicator stalk and wiper stalk you will notice that the indicator/headlight stalk is the oft-used one. Since our left hands are mostly free due to the presence of the gear lever on the left and the other hand on the steering, the often used indicator stalk should be on the left side.
Indian manufacturers have constantly given us wrong sided stalks and led us into believing 'wrong' is 'right'.

I find it a little didficult to digest that Daewood.

How can one hand be more free than another when holdinng a round (symmetrical) steering wheel. Ideally the car should be driven with two hand on the wheel but hand can be taken off in case of need. Driving while resting one hand on the gear is wrong. I have seen people driving with just one hand resting at the bottom of the wheel (this is dangerous, try a quick flick next time with only one hand resting at the bottom, you will be powerless to stop the car from zigsagging for sometime). Morover the stalks are designed to be used without taking your hands off the wheel. So if the left hand is busy on the gear knob, how can it be using the stalks at the same time.

If it were an automatic, the positioning would have mattered much less as the hand need not be taken off the wheel.

World over cars have light stalks on the other side of gear for this reason. It is in India that this anomaly exists.

Just because more manufacturers are doing it wrong does not make it right IMO.

@Libran of 1986

The headlight swithces may be ac type but pass flashers are still on the stalk i believe.

I have seen the wiper probs in lots of cars, wil have to get back to you on specifics. or wait for the monsoon