[Nagesh]

Congrats on your buy!! A choice that only passionate few make.

Even after seeing so many polos, the pics are really worth a drool.. esp when you know its a hot hatch

Agree with most of the others - even i almost thought it's an official review. You got talent mate!!

[sawnilrules]

Congratulations on the car Gannu!!! Polo looks smashing in any color. I expected VW would launch the GT TDi with DSG gearbox, but alias, they launched it with MT. That would have made them segment first. But what surprises me more is, why they didn't launch the car with at-least a 6 speed manual gearbox as the petrol GT sibling comes with state of the art 7 speed gearbox, to give it a linear power delivery.

Meanwhile, amazingly clicked photographs mate. Loved them. Enjoy your drive for years to come, and do update the thread regularly with your ownership experience.

[prakhar1998]

Sir,
If your monthly running's less than a 1000 km, there is no point in buying a Diesel engined car. With more expensive maintenance, more tax and a more expensive car which damages the environment more, it is a lose-lose situation. While some would say that Diesel engine torque is unbeatable, I believe, excellent engines like the one in the TSI are far more superior. I fail to understand the ever so desperate shift to the oil burner. GOVERNMENT is losing so much due to subsidies, our carbon footprint is much larger, Diesel prices are rising, leading to a rise in price for everything because trucks use Diesel. The government should totally de-motivate the diesel buyer. People have started avoiding Petrol models of Diesel engined cars because of horrible resale value.

[ironager]

Originally Posted by prakhar1998

Sir,
If your monthly running's less than a 1000 km, there is no point in buying a Diesel engined car. With more expensive maintenance, more tax and a more expensive car which damages the environment more, it is a lose-lose situation. While some would say that Diesel engine torque is unbeatable, I believe, excellent engines like the one in the TSI are far more superior. I fail to understand the ever so desperate shift to the oil burner. GOVERNMENT is losing so much due to subsidies, our carbon footprint is much larger, Diesel prices are rising, leading to a rise in price for everything because trucks use Diesel. The government should totally de-motivate the diesel buyer. People have started avoiding Petrol models of Diesel engined cars because of horrible resale value.

On a lighter note in support of the Humble Diesel engine, Nothing beats the Low end torque of a Turbo Diesel...Skoda Laura....Chevy Cruz...etc etc.

[KSH7777]

Originally Posted by prakhar1998

Sir,
If your monthly running's less than a 1000 km, there is no point in buying a Diesel engined car. With more expensive maintenance, more tax and a more expensive car which damages the environment more, it is a lose-lose situation. While some would say that Diesel engine torque is unbeatable, I believe, excellent engines like the one in the TSI are far more superior. I fail to understand the ever so desperate shift to the oil burner. GOVERNMENT is losing so much due to subsidies, our carbon footprint is much larger, Diesel prices are rising, leading to a rise in price for everything because trucks use Diesel. The government should totally de-motivate the diesel buyer. People have started avoiding Petrol models of Diesel engined cars because of horrible resale value.

You should have considered the 1.2 Tsi, i personally find it a better drive than the 1.6 Tdi. The first reason is turbo petrol engine, the grunt cannot be matched with a turbo diesel. The second reason is the amazing 7 speed DSG gearbox which makes the drive effortless. In the coming future as per the news, government is reducing subsidies on diesel and the price difference between diesel and petrol will be highly reduced, so maybe after a year u might regret buying the GT Tdi but for now Congratulations for the amazing ride

[prakhar1998]

No way sir. You struck the wrong note. Skoda Laura-TSI. I don't need to say anything further. It's actually the opposite. Low end grunt in the Cruze is not very great. That's what has kept many people from buying this gem of a car for city use. No doubt the Cruze has excellent high end grunt, its a pain in stop go situations.

[Gannu_1]

The RTO agent had called me last Friday for the receipt of the HSRP installation. I am yet to receive the SMS from the RTO intimating the registration number. I was asked by the agent to approach the RTO office with this receipt 10 days after I receive the SMS and queue up for the HSRP installation. It may take a whole day but that's alright.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Now that you got your new ride, that too a performance diesel, there should be a drive to Palakkad lined up around the corner right?

Thanks for the feedback Sandeep! Appreciate it.

As for the Palakkad trip, I am afraid there may not be one happening very soon because it takes at least 2n-3d for a trip from Surat to Palakkad around the coastal area. A friend's parents had driven down from Calicut to Surat to deliver his Corsa back in 2008 and they were of the opinion that it was a tiresome trip with bad patches of roads but the intention was to deliver the car to their son so it did not matter much. The car will be driven down ultimately when I make the switch - may be in a year or two. That is for sure but before that we intend to do a trip to Leh next year via Amritsar and Manali. Let us see how that pans out.

Originally Posted by prakhar1998

Sir,
If your monthly running's less than a 1000 km, there is no point in buying a Diesel engined car. With more expensive maintenance, more tax and a more expensive car which damages the environment more, it is a lose-lose situation. While some would say that Diesel engine torque is unbeatable, I believe, excellent engines like the one in the TSI are far more superior. I fail to understand the ever so desperate shift to the oil burner. GOVERNMENT is losing so much due to subsidies, our carbon footprint is much larger, Diesel prices are rising, leading to a rise in price for everything because trucks use Diesel. The government should totally de-motivate the diesel buyer. People have started avoiding Petrol models of Diesel engined cars because of horrible resale value.

First off, no 'Sir' thingy please - Gannu fits much better. And honestly, fuel efficiency, resale values and carbon emissions were the least of my priorities when I finalised on the ride. If those were in consideration, I would have opted for the ever popular Swift. But performance of the 1.6L engine and mod-ability of the ride took the priority here.

Originally Posted by ironager

On a lighter note in support of the Humble Diesel engine, Nothing beats the Low end torque of a Turbo Diesel...Skoda Laura....Chevy Cruz...etc etc.

Indeed. The turbo is so addictive! When I test drove the TDI, this was the lone thing that left me greatly impressed with the car.

Originally Posted by KSH7777

You should have considered the 1.2 Tsi, i personally find it a better drive than the 1.6 Tdi. The first reason is turbo petrol engine, the grunt cannot be matched with a turbo diesel. The second reason is the amazing 7 speed DSG gearbox which makes the drive effortless. In the coming future as per the news, government is reducing subsidies on diesel and the price difference between diesel and petrol will be highly reduced, so maybe after a year u might regret buying the GT Tdi but for now Congratulations for the amazing ride

Like I mentioned before, the GT TSI wasn't available for the test drive here and the waiting periods shot up. And having read the horrors of the DQ200 DSG from several sources, I was a bit skeptical to invest in one. I believe the DSG is best suited for metros wherein bumper-to-bumper traffic is prominent. Here at Surat, we barely come across a few (none during our daily commutes actually!) and those are located at the major junctions.

I am pretty sure there's no looking back now. I have settled for a ride I've wanted since long in a hatchback. I would only worry about the after sales-service from VW now. I shall post the findings in the log.

[prakhar1998]

Good point Gannu. DSG's are really difficult to maintain, especially them often getting busted and then the horrific replacement costs. I am glad that you bought what you like. Good luck and drive safe

[Gannu_1]

Got an SMS from the Surat RTO this morn:

Greetings from RTO SURAT.

Dear GANESH ; your LMVCAR L.M.V. (CAR) with Chassis No. WVWJ13609ET024233 is allotted Registration No. GJ05JD9759.

I need to approach the nearest RTO in 10 days from now for the HSRP installation.

[MH01BK0676]

Congratulations are in order, Gannu. Both on the car and an extremely detailed and well-written review. I'm part of the GT TDI club, too. Got myself a white one though.

Quick question. Are you planning on going in for an ECU remap? Been mulling that over ever since I drove it out of the showroom. What do you reckon?

I hear it'll take the overall BHP figure to about 120. Kind of puts it in the Ecoboost engine league, doesn't it?

Tempting...

[Dhrubo]

Hey Gannu, congratulations! You have got a great first car. Coming to your review skills, I never had a doubt since I have been reading your reviews and posts in techenclave for quite a long time now. This one's even better and you might have just taken it a notch up.
If only I had not felt so claustrophobic when I had first put a foot in the drivers' seat of a Polo some years back, I would have seriously considered this or the GT TSI for my purchase. I am 6 feet and weighed some 100 odd kilos back then. I have since reduced quite a chunk of weight but the feeling is etched so much that I did not even get a test drive

[Raneeth]

Originally Posted by shetty_rohan

Congratulation on your new ride, and thanks for the great review.
I have two questions
1) Have you got the extended warranty?
2) In Bangalore VW does not have Polo GT TDi test drive, instead they offered me a test drive in Vento TDi. I felt the clutch to be very hard(may be because it is a test drive vehicle). How is the Polo clutch?

Hey Rohan, Did you manage to get the TD. It was available at Volkswagen, Hosur Road. I did a TD on 10th I guess. You may check it out there if you havent yet.

[shetty_rohan]

Originally Posted by Raneeth

Hey Rohan, Did you manage to get the TD. It was available at Volkswagen, Hosur Road. I did a TD on 10th I guess. You may check it out there if you havent yet.

Thanks Raneeth. I will plan for the TD on the coming weekend.

[Safeer]

Belated Congratulations Gannu for acquiring one of most hot hatches of the season. Also kudos to the DIY stuff you have done on the same -minor ones, but gives a personal touch.

Awesome review along with associated pictures, which has almost all answers that a potential GT TDI buyer may have.

The GT TDI ticks almost all the boxes of my wishlist as well, incase going for one. Only downer being 'steering lacks feedback'. IMHO these fun-to-drive cars need to have the hydraulic steering instead of an EPS.

Wishing you miles of driving pleasure, and hopefully you'll clock atleast a Lac on the odo before thinking of a switch, if at all!

[blurust]

Any update on the fuel efficiency gannu ?
VW dealer in Guwahati is quoting two months of wait time to get the car. Is it the same everywhere?