[nairrk]

nice photographs and the car looks like new( except those minor scratches) with good shining!.
However, imo, the dealer name pasted just down below the number plate should have been removed?

[vnabhi]

Fabulous pics---can't believe it is a 4 year old car! I cannot easily see the scratch on the right side of the grill---that is the advantage of a light colour.

Great pics and thanks for posting! How is the interior---is the upholstery still holding good? Mine is fine so far.

[suman]

Thanks guys

Originally Posted by nairrk

However, imo, the dealer name pasted just down below the number plate should have been removed?

This has been a common practice in the NCR & I've just left it the way it came. Did read recently though that cops are on a fining spree for the rear number plates.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

How is the interior---is the upholstery still holding good? Mine is fine so far.

Upholstery is holding up very well but a good cleaning is long overdue. I plan to send it across to my accessory guy for a comprehensive detailing job - seats & ceiling both!

[unni.ak]

How did I manage to miss this update! Congrats. It is a milestone indeed.

Originally Posted by suman

Thanks guys! As I keep saying, those who haven't experienced the Fiesta 1.6 will never know what they've missed in this life

I'm one of those who are smitten by the 1.6 Duratec. Shaju has been kind enough to let me drive his car for a couple of hundred kms. The way it revs, the way it sounds. I'm at times confused as to which I love more, the 1.4 TDCI or the 1.6 Duratec.

[lamborghini]

Suman,

congrats on reaching the 100K mark.
IIRC, you are actually the first Fiesta owner to cross the 100K mark.

The twin has barely done 64,500kms till date. I am planning on updating our LTR thread once she has completed 65K.
Maintainance costs are quite low, which is good.
We have paid around Rs 55,000 on our fiesta till date, due to some gearbox issues and the fact that we switched to synthetic oil for the last two services which cost a bomb! A clip and bush broke, and it was either due to incorrect slotting of gears, or a hit the car took. However, given some of the roads I am made to travel on, and that we have had 3 new drivers + some relatives driving the car in the last 4.5 years + that I learnt to drive on that car, could have resulted in the gearbox giving away early.
However, nothing else has been touched, and the car is performing flawlessly! Plan to pamper her this weekend, and have already started working on getting her done up for her 5th birthday.
An engine flush, as well as a switch to synthetic oil has been done. In addition to that, a new music system has been installed.
Next step is a good detailing, followed by new tyres, and a touch up for the bumpers.

Pics and a detailed report should be up in the next 1-2 weeks!

Cheers on a beautiful journey with the fiesta!
I know for a fact that the fiesta is one of the best sedans to drive, and even learn on. Mainly due to the beautiful driveability, and superb visibility it offers.
Whenever my sister is in town, we both fight over the keys of the fiesta.

Edit: Just saw your comment on the 1.6 duratec. We had two Ikon 1.6's earlier. Would you say the duratec is better than the rocam engine?
Very tempted to trade her in for a 1.6S, but too attached to her.

[nairrk]

Originally Posted by unni.ak

I'm one of those who are smitten by the 1.6 Duratec. Shaju has been kind enough to let me drive his car for a couple of hundred kms. The way it revs, the way it sounds. I'm at times confused as to which I love more, the 1.4 TDCI or the 1.6 Duratec.

++
@Unni - Why worry, you can now buy one Duratec also so that you have both the cars with you to get mixed experience/driving pleasure- and love Both!

[suman]

Thanks Unni & Sanjay!

Originally Posted by unni.ak

I'm at times confused as to which I love more, the 1.4 TDCI or the 1.6 Duratec.

Live with the 1.6 for a while Unni, convince Shaju to do a 6 months exchange - who knows, you may be hooked permanently

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Plan to pamper her this weekend, and have already started working on getting her done up for her 5th birthday.

Pics and a detailed report should be up in the next 1-2 weeks!

Yup, that's the way to do it, give her a treat for all the good times that she's given you - look forward to your updated thread!

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Just saw your comment on the 1.6 duratec. We had two Ikon 1.6's earlier. Would you say the duratec is better than the rocam engine?

Way better, way more refined I'd say. The Rocam made you feel that you were going faster than you were but the Duratec (apart from that snarl when you floor the pedal) is more silent and quick.

[unni.ak]

Originally Posted by nairrk

++
@Unni - Why worry, you can now buy one Duratec also so that you have both the cars with you to get mixed experience/driving pleasure- and love Both!

OT, still, if I had the money to, I would have actually bought a Safari!

Originally Posted by suman

T
Live with the 1.6 for a while Unni, convince Shaju to do a 6 months exchange - who knows, you may be hooked permanently

With the kind of mileage I put on, Shaju will not be too excited!! And, I love the TDCI when I go to fuel up!!

Last of the OT SumanDa!

[suman]

Shortly after my last update & pics, on the way back from school one hot afternoon in the last week of July, the kids complained that the AC just wasn't cooling! Keeping my fingers crossed, I spoke to a FNG in Gurgaon & sent the car across to him to check out. The driver called back shortly after reaching there & the guy came on line to inform me that the Gas had leaked. He was pretty sure it was the Compressor & told me to send it to the Ford workshop since, like all other Ford spares, the Compressor wasn't available in the open market. And he told me that it was an extremely cumbersome & complicated process opening up the dashboard & the compressor etc so he would not take the risk on my car! Damn!

Spoke to Harpreet Ford in Gurgaon, they were in the middle of moving their workshop & told me that I couuld send the car for "diagnosis" the next morning but they wouldn't be able to attend to the fault before another 3 or 4 days. 3 or 4 days without the AC in that heat?? No way! Question was, next is what? I had never dealt with Harpreet Ford Okhla & didn't know anyone there but there didn't seem to be any other options available.

Gingerly picked up the phone & dialled HF Okhla & spoke to the lady at the reception. She gave me a couple of names, including the Works Manager (who was ex HF Vasant Kunj). I made a couple of calls to an Advisor & the WM & got a committment from them that they would take the car in the next morning & do their best to turn it around by evening. Likely diagnosis was the Compressor & the estimated cost kinda knocked me over - around 12k including Gas. I was ready to sell the car, LOL!

Anyway, sent it over the next morning and, true to their committment, they diagnosed, replaced & handed over the car by around 5 pm - I was impressed because had it been HF Gurgaon, they would have not even attended to the fault on Day One, let alone fix it! The following components were replaced -

• Tube Assembly
• Evaporator Core Assembly
• Evaporator Valve Assembly

I'm not sure if the Evaporator Valve also needed replacement but, like other Ford policies, they tend to replace in tandem! At the end of the day, I was Rs 12.9k poorer!

Its a bloody complicated process involving dismantling the dashboard completely & they did a good job of putting everything back without any glitches! So the only bright spark on the horizon was that I had found an alternative to HF Gurgaon - I had never liked their overall way of handling things, they would always keep the vehicle waiting for 3 to 4 hours before commencing work, even when one made a booking in advance & sent the car bright & early!

With this, the cost of ownership stood at Rs 65,902 - at current mileage of 106.4 k kms, this translates to 62 paise per km.

(Coming up next......How I discovered an excellent Body workshop in Gurgaon)

[Rastapopoulos]

Suman,
I dont know how on earth did I miss out your post. Anyway better too late than NEVER

Just walked in at work and logged in to see whats happening on Tbhp and saw your post.
Quickly read a few pages and saw the beautiful pics. I actually did not read what scratches you were describing as I can see a beautiful car which looks not more than a year old. So the little bruises should be ignored.

I did not know which particular post to reply as I am reading all of it . . -

So thought to compliment you for maintaining the beast so well and also compliment the car for still standing with all its grace. by the time I finish reading your ownership expereince completely.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by suman

So the only bright spark on the horizon was that I had found an alternative to HF Gurgaon - I had never liked their overall way of handling things, they would always keep the vehicle waiting for 3 to 4 hours before commencing work, even when one made a booking in advance & sent the car bright & early!

Suman, i guess this is the same at other Ford service centers i have come across as well. Despite booking early, and reaching there early, work on the car always started after a delay of a few hours.

Since i usually prefer to wait till the servive is done, and i can take the car home, it means that an entire day is wasted. That i cannot hang around near the car makes the wait even more difficult. I had mentioned the same on my ownership thread as well.

[sanjayc]

Suman, is this the first hiccup with A/c during your long ownership? During my first service, I asked these guys to clean up the a/c filter...they are reluctant to do so becos of the complicated nature of removing the dashboard etc...I was point blank told that it will only be done in case of specific complaints about the a/c functioning.

Enjoy the new a/c smell and coolness!

[kpzen]

Authorised service centers are expensive but mostly reliable in a long run than some jugaad work. You did a thing by going to HF for AC work but yes workmanship is also important.

Are you still running on the 2nd set of tires or did you get a new set ?

[suman]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Suman, i guess this is the same at other Ford service centers i have come across as well. Despite booking early, and reaching there early, work on the car always started after a delay of a few hours.

Ya, the only diff with HF Okhla is that they attend strictly on first come first served basis so if you're in there bright & early, they start work first on your car. HR Gurgaon would give you the first slot & then leave the car lying around till 1.30-2 each time!

Originally Posted by sanjayc

Suman, is this the first hiccup with A/c during your long ownership?

Yup Sanjay, the first hiccup so far. I can understand their reluctance to open up the dashboard & perhaps its best to let sleeping dogs lie

Originally Posted by kpzen

Are you still running on the 2nd set of tires or did you get a new set ?

Still on the 2nd set, time to get new ones now - 195x60x14s in ER60 or A drives, right?

Originally Posted by Rastapopoulos

I actually did not read what scratches you were describing as I can see a beautiful car which looks not more than a year old. So the little bruises should be ignored.

Thanks man, but there's more to come later.....

[vnabhi]

Good to know that your problem was solved in a day. 62 paise per km is still an enviable figure!

In my case, whenever I book a service appointment, the car is inspected and taken over by them in max 20 minutes of reaching the centre. But I am not sure when they commence working on it as i prefer to go back and visit them again in the evening after I get a call.