Quote:
Originally Posted by AltoHoncho FE: highway 23
bumper to bumper 21-23 Diet: -ol from anywhere which serves it Service: Usual 3 free ones, now every 10k Kms Costs: Varies between 750/- to 3000/- depending on the work involved Drivers: ME only History: One front-right-side indicator bulb replacement Additional tyre: Still unused Future plan, still to keep it stock and want to see the limit to which it can not only sustain but rather keep me in trust that it will take me from Point A to Point B. |
@Alto Honcho; Your experience is nice and Happy, good to see you enjoying it as much as you can.
First Alto of our family is going to come this month for my Grandpaa, he is changing over from his 1988 M800!!, though I personally have been through (in and out of) M800, 2 of them, learnt on it, and almost lived on/by it, from the age of 13 to 29. Nonetheless I do not want to presume much is the same between them.
You have been very brief about the technical details specific to what you have come across. There are a few details that I wanted from your experiences.
1. Your petrol consumption figures are amazing, it is very subjective to generalize on my part since it is highly sensitive to individual driving style. And how is your driving style, do you rev a little hard lets say 2 to 3 times in one drive, etc, things like that. I am sure you checked the mileage 'tank full to tank full' way, any other process that you may have adopted let me know.
2. Cost of service - 750 - 3000, what all types of works have been carried out, cos 3000 means some major work / change of parts is done, 3000 on 1 service for Alto is big money. Was it periodic change of parts that normally MASS does. Give me all the details, as much as you can.
My opinion;
1. The unused spare tyre is not correct, for you should rotate all 5 tyres every 5000kms. Not many know that the tyre ages with time even if it is not used at all. You will not gain anything by not using it (like saving 1 tyre in the set), you will need to change the set of 4 much earlier than the set of 5. Like you said the tyres do not show age, that is because a set of 4 (4 tyre rotation) will last for at least 40000 kms, but a set of 5 will last for 50000kms. A unused 5 year old tyre will start cracking (rubber) and wear-out in no time once it is used and is dangerous for you (could burst in sustained high speed driving on the highway). Even now you can start rotating the 5th tyre its not too late.
2. It will take you from point A to B even if it has done 2,00,000 kms on the odo, I have seen many M800s do that. The first major spending for you will be tyres at about 45 - 50k kms, second on battery 4+ yrs, 3rd clutch assembly (depends on how you drive) 40 - 60 or even 80k kms. And electrical parts have no age, something might work in your car for even 1 lakh kms, and just 5k kms in some others. The major parts change will occur at 70 to 80k kms. Your spending between 45k to 80k, majority of it will go towards tyres, battery, clutch, suspension overhaul, arms, ball-joints (suspension & steering related parts). Engine will never trouble you for sure.
IMHO you should keep it for at least 70 - 80k kms, AND ALWAYS KEEP IT STOCK, (K&N filter will not harm, but nothing more than that), in-fact you should have installed the stock K&N filter (which fits in the original air filter box of the car) from the beginning, its not a car for performance and do not expect it to be one, (you will be better off taking an Ikon 1.6 for 1.5 to 1.25 lakhs, for lesser value than your Alto at any given point of time and do all that you can to it), instead pass it one to someone in your family who need a reliable no nonsense point A to B car, it will serve you better and longer.