[procrj]

Last few weeks have been very quiet and it has been mostly office and back apart from a few trips to the airport. Dwarf is ambling along quietly and the odo stands at 71.5K kms. F.E is hovering in the 14-15 kmpl range in both city as well as highway driving. Looking forward to a couple of drives over the next few weeks.

[procrj]

Found some time today to look at the F.E stats in detail and here are the highlights

• City and Highway FE doesn’t seem very different. Primarily because my city runs are not in the b2b sections of BLR and hence I am often in 3rd/4th gear.
• Climb in FE over the last few months is primarily because of the change in driving style. Post the turbo replacement, I have ensured that I rarely cross 2.5K rpm on the tacho and hence the better FE
• Interesting to see that FE has actually increased over the years, even before the turbo replacement. Hope this trend continues and I get to drive more!

Over the years


City vs Highway


QoQ

[procrj]

4 Years and still going strong

It's been 4 years since I got the dwarf home and on the whole its been an awesome journey. Apart from a few hiccups last year, the ownership experience has been relatively stress free and enjoyable. Odo stands at 73.5K kms as I haven't managed to drive much over the last couple of months. Next few months will also be slow going and I don't see any trips in the foreseeable future.

What I would want to change - given the option

• Transmission - add a 6 speed transmission that allows for very relaxed high way cruising as well as better FE
• 3rd Row seats - front facing 3rd row seats would have been perfect for highway runs with 7 people onboard
• 2nd row AC to share the load and deliver more effective cooling
• Larger discs on all 4 wheels would really up the confidence

Otherwise, the car is a no nonsense drive that manages all kinds of surfaces with aplomb. The suspension works well when the car is loaded and ensures that the drive experience is very comfortable. Feels very planted at highway speeds and doesn’t feel jittery during sudden lane changes. Braking does need some planning. On the whole, its quiet easy to spend the entire day behind the wheel and not feel very tired. Every time I hit the highway, I have a smile on face and enjoy driving the dwarf. Hoping that things continue as is for the next 75K kms

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by procrj

4 Years and still going strong

It's been 4 years since I got the dwarf home and on the whole its been an awesome journey. Apart from a few hiccups last year, the ownership experience has been relatively stress free and enjoyable. Odo stands at 73.5K kms as I haven't managed to drive much over the last couple of months.

Great going Ravinder, keep it up. Your Red Dwarf still looks fresh out of the oven. I absolutely agree with all you points.

My tank is still shy of the 50K mark by 1K. I will plan the 50K service somewhere in March and will then write my experience with the tank for the last 4.4 years, but it won't be much different that that of yours

[procrj]

A quick 400 km drive yesterday ensured that the dwarf finally hits the 75K odo mark. It had been 8 months since the last long drive and I was itching to hit the highway. After some searching, zeroed in on mavanur temple, which supposedly has a great view of windmills. Decided to start late, drive easy and enjoy the simple pleasure of open roads and fresh air. Started at 7.30 am from home and after a longish breakfast stop, reached mavanur temple at 11 am. The view from top is definitely worth the drive and I ended up spending more than an hour enjoying the view. Decided to head towards mavinkere temple, which I have been to many times. Gmaps lead me to this small storage dam enroute mavinkere , where we spent 30 min enjoying the breeze and taking a few pics. Mavinkere was the usual, some time on the seat watching rain clouds roll in and sometime walking around the temple.

Monsoon played hide and seek with small spells of fine rain. Overall it was a much much needed break and the feeling of driving down open roads cloaked in monsoon green was just awesome. The drive back from mavinkere was via SH121 to CR Patna, and this road still remains a personal favorite! Dwarf was is its usual self, ambling along without any problems. Hope I get to do a couple of more day trips this month and enjoy the monsoon. A few pics from the drive.

Mavanur Windmills





Pics around the dam

[chetans]

Thanks for sharing the details.

I have a generic question related to the amt flag.
How often do we see the yellow amt flag ?

I had parked my tank for last 2 days and today I am seeing the amt flag.
Did not try to drive although I was able to slot the first gear in auto mode.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by chetans

I had parked my tank for last 2 days and today I am seeing the amt flag.

Do you mean the amt warning sign? That can come up for a lot or reasons, including wiring problems due to rat bites etc. Would suggest you ask A.S.S to check.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by procrj

A quick 400 km drive yesterday ensured that the dwarf finally hits the 75K odo mark. It had been 8 months since the last long drive

It's good that you got an opportunity to stretch the legs of your Red Dwarf Wonderful pictures there. The odo of my Orange Tank is stuck at 50K since the last 5 months, when the lockdown began. I don't think I will be able to make even any short trips till the end of this year. Dec-2020 is my best hope.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by procrj

A quick 400 km drive yesterday ensured that the dwarf finally hits the 75K odo mark. It had been 8 months since the last long drive and I was itching to hit the highway. After some searching, zeroed in on mavanur temple, which supposedly has a great view of windmills. Decided to start late, drive easy and enjoy the simple pleasure of open roads and fresh air.

Thank you for sharing the details of this place, it does look stunning! Just one query: are vehicles allowed all the way to the temple parking or do we have to climb?
Planning to take my parents just to visit this one place as it'll be a welcome change for them as well as for the car!

Also, unfortunately we'll not be eating out so i guess we just pack food from home. Did you happen to visit any restaurants on the way?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

Just one query: are vehicles allowed all the way to the temple parking or do we have to climb?

top of the temple is a 100 step climb from the parking area.

unfortunately we'll not be eating out so i guess we just pack food from home. Did you happen to visit any restaurants on the way?

We had packed lunch from home but ended up having dosa at Swati delicacy. Most resturants on that route are taking standard measures to deal with current scenario. With elders, I'd think packed food is a better option.

[procrj]

There is something about effervescent green fields and hills that makes me want to stop, take a long break and enjoy the smell of the place. I believe that smell of rain bouncing off green leaves and trees, shattering into finer drops, and landing onto the soil has a very unique smell. Wet roads have a lovely satiated but inviting aura to them, promising to take you to a world filled with heavy clouds and swollen rivers. The wind howls its way through the gaps in the hills and forests, and casts a spell on you that seeps deep into the core of your body. Like the armies of Gondor, endless lines of grey clouds keep marching deeper, conquering parched lands and wet sands alike. Brown rivers swirl and eddy around bridges, crash their way through rocky lands and plunge down cliffs where one can only stare at the spectacle in awe. Such is the magic of monsoon!

After a lot of debating and mulling over, 4 families (CSK, PCR, SSG and yours truly) decided to head out to Coorg to put our feet up and enjoy the monsoon. We had booked our stay at Coorg Cliffs pre covid and finally decided to enjoy their hospitality during the independence weekend. The plan was to just put our feet up, enjoy the monsoon and spend some time together.

14th Morning was a 6 am start for Kadamba on mysore road. We made good time and reached Thotada Mane for breakfast at 7.45 am. We had ordered breakfast in advance the previous day and we devoured the akki rotti, ragi rotti and shavige bath that was served. After some hot coffee we headed out to explore around backwaters of KRS. Our first point of call was KRS dam view point, from where we could see that few of the dam gates were open. CSK knew of a mud road that would take us close to the dam and we decided to drive there to get a closer look at the dam.

View from an empty KRS parking lot



Closer view from the other side


After spending some time enjoying the beauty of KRS, we headed towards Sagarkatte bridge but decided to take the smaller roads that edge around the dam backwaters. Words cant describe the beauty of green fields on one side and blue grey waters of KRS on the other. We stopped many many times to enjoy the beauty around and click a few pics for posterity. We ended up at Sagarkatte bridge after a long winding, peaceful drive through some bad and worse roads. After enjoying the intermingling of brown monsoon fed Cauvery waters with steel grey waters of lakshmana teertha we decided to head to the hills and settle down for some quiet time. All this while, swollen monsoon clouds kept drifting through the skies and the cold wind from the hills swirled around us and welcomed us with its effervescent embrace.

Around KRS backwaters




Around Sagarkatte Bridge



From Sagarkatte, we quickly got onto Madikeri roads and took the deviation towards Gonikoppa after Hunsur. We crossed the small section of Nagarhole forest and took the right at Thithimati to head towards Polibetta. The twisting winding sections through coffee plantations was a welcome change after the urban confines of home and we enjoyed our drive to Coorg Cliffs.

Plantation en-route Polibetta



We had zeroed in on Coorg Cliffs because of its locations and views, and it did not disappoint. Added bonus was the food, which was absolutely lip smacking. As we had gone in for the all-inclusive plan, we really did not have to worry about food and I am pretty sure that I have put on a couple of kgs over the weekend. The standout dish for me was the Shahi tukada, which was crisp, sweet and perfect!
Over the next two days the sound of birds, frogs and cicadas battled with our banter and ribbing. Wave after wave of Monsoon clouds buffeted our rooms and we ended up wrapping ourselves in many layers of warm clothes and lots of liquid courage. There is nothing better than good food, great company and amazing views to make one relax and enjoy the small things in life. Most of us ended up doing nothing on 15th Aug, except for CSK and family, who did visit Harangi and Chiklihole dam.

View from Coorg Cliffs resort



Few pics around Coorg Cliffs resort



Timelapse shot from the room

https://youtu.be/V7xJmjRVNY0

After a heavy breakfast yesterday, we bid adieu to Coorg Cliffs at 12.30 pm and reached Thotada Mane for lunch at 2.30 pm. South indian meals and gobi parathas were polished off by 4 hungry families and we bid adieu. I decided to take my usual Nagamangala - Nelamangala route home as the traffic on Mysore road seemed close to pre covid level weekend traffic. All the others headed back home via mysore road. Thotada Mane to Swati delicacy was an hour and after a quick pit stop for coffee, we headed home. Thus ended the first weekend getaway of 2020 and I am hoping for a few more over the next few months.

Quick note on precautions - Given the current situation, all resort staff were wearing gloves and face masks. Sanitizers were used in abundance and the rule followed by the resort is to keep a room empty for 24 hours post occupancy, clean and sanitize and then leave idle for another 24 hours before allowing guests to occupy. Registrations and all other formalities were completed the day before we traveled and contact was minimal. Food menu was shared on a whatsapp group and we had to place order 30 min in advance, post which food would be prepared and served. On the whole, the entire experience was great and we did feel safe but at the same time pampered.

The dwarf was is its usual self and was eager to drive through the twisties. Odo stands at 76K as of today and I'm still loving it

[procrj]

Niruttara Trip

There are small pockets of peace and quiet, hidden away amidst the din and clamour of human existence. From the outside, they seem to be just another place but once you enter the space, you can feel yourself reacting to the careful assembly of various elements that lead to a distinct experience. The thought, attention and care that has gone into creating these pockets of quiet needs to be appreciated. Niruttara is one such pocket of peace and quiet, that is hidden on the banks of harangi river, just a few kms from Suntikoppa.

unwind


The view from the parking area ensures that all your attention is focused on the small stretch of river that is seen through the doorway. A few steps into the lounge area and viola, blue of the pool contrasts against lush green on the river banks. The well placed sit-out area ensured that almost all of our waking moments were spent lounging around the pool.

First look


Sit-out




On the whole, food is tasty local coorgi cusine that is served. Appu the cook ensures that food is served hot, standout dish was the puri and alu sagu that we ate. They do ask you for your inputs on spice levels, dish preferences etc. and you need to be very clear if you want specific dishes at specific times. Would also recommend the black tea if you are not a coffee fan.

Sitting by the river, sipping hot coffee and listening to the chirps and twitter from different birds was the perfect start to the day. Idyllic - would be the word that I would use to describe the experience and even that doesn't capture the essence of the experience. We did nothing but unwind and relax for 48 hours that we had at our disposal. Mother nature decided to treat us with exceptional sunset hues on 3rd Oct and we just lapped it up.

Coffee by the river


Just go with the flow


Sunset hues


On the whole, the entire experience at Niruttara is a big thumbs up and when we were walking back to our cars, we were already contemplating the best time to return here

https://youtu.be/tfebCReZRGY

Onward Journey was Nelamangala - CR Patna - Arkalgud - Somwarpete - Niruttara. We managed to start at 6.30 am and the traffic till CR Patna was pretty heavy. Post that it was a different world and we managed to make good time. Return was via Suntikoppa - Srirangapatna - Nagamangala - Nelamanga and once again we made good time and reached home before sunset, after a couple of breaks for lunch and coffee.

Car Updates

• It had been close to a year since my last service and hence decided to get my service done at Krithi Car care
• Engine oil, Oil filter, Air filter and Brake oil was replaced. Brake pads were checked and brake bleeding was also done. Will mostly get the diesel filter replaced in a few days.
• Finally replaced the OEM HU with a 9" android HU, which has ensured that music quality has improved drastically and easy display of maps. Still getting used to using new HU and at times, find it to be a distraction.
• The dwarf is rumbling along and odo stands at 78.6K kms. Average FE is around the 14 kmpl mark. Still loving it

[chetans]

Can share details of the android HU?

[chetans]

Have given the tank for 50k servicing (odo shows 49.6k) to pps-mahindra service station at sarjapur.
Service engineer pointed that battery has gone weak.
I do occasionally see a delay in fuel pump starting up, specially in morning.
So this looks like good time to change battery after 4.5yrs.
The guy quoted 6.5k with exchange. I am not sure if its too pricey.

He also pointed to tyres, since its 50k on odo.
quoted 6.5k for apollo tyres.

Also looking at tyres, should i get it changed?



will it be good option to change both at service station or get it done outside?

I am travelling to pune over this weekend.
so if i get any pointers for nearby centers, I can manage this on my own.

[procrj]

Happy new year! Hope 2021 manages to deliver more miles and smiles for everyone.

Its exactly 5 years since I brought the Red Dwarf home and if I have to summarize the last 5 years in one word, that word would be Contentment. While there have been many niggles/issues with the car over the years, on the whole, I am quiet happy with the decision to buy a TUV and am still enjoying the car. Even after 5 years, I still have a smile on my face when I am on the road - be it a 4L highway or a 2L highway/ghat road.



Here is how I would rate the TUV on the following parameters based on my 5 years of experience with the car:

Comfort and Ease of Use - 4/5
City or Highway, 4L or Steep inclines, Smooth tarmac or broken roads, the dwarf has managed to take everything in its stride and get us to the destination safely. The seats are extremely comfortable and the AC is good and can handle 38-40C exterior temperatures with ease. Long distances are not a problem as you do not feel the fatigue as long as you take breaks every couple of hours.

Mechanical Reliability - 3/5
This is primarily because of all the repeated niggles and issues over the years (vacuum modulator issues, clamps leading to leakage of fluids etc.). The car has never left me stranded on the road, but that is probably because I always had an eye on the engine bay as well as the handling/performance of the vehicle.

Ride, Handling and Suspension - 3.5/5
While the ride does get bumpy on uneven surfaces at very low (<30 kmph) or very high (>100 kmph) speeds, we need to remember that this is a body on frame vehicle. I have never been stuck because of a) wheel spin - RWD vehicle with no LSD/MLD b) Insufficient power/torque. I have driven up steep inclines with no roads and the car just climbs up without any issues. RWD also ensures that you don’t have to worry too much about maintaining momentum and if you are forced to stop on an incline, you can get going again with no drama. While the Power/Weight and Torque/Weight ratio of the vehicle are nothing to boast about, the tuning ensures that you have ample torque at low RPMs and enough power in the mid range to cruise easily at 80-100 kmph. Anything over 100 kmph, you are really pushing the car and it takes a long long time to do very high triple digit speeds.

NVH - 3.5/5
There is a lot of tire and wind noise that seeps into the car when you are cruising at 90+ kmph, which is primarily because of a) Almost zero damping on the floor b) Very large OVRMs + gaps, which tend to generate a lot of wind noise.

Exterior quality - 4/5
While other owners who have suffered from rusting panels/doorframes etc., I haven't had any issue with paint quality, which could be a result of the relatively long intervals between wash as well as the additional investment on paint protection. Doors and bonnet still feels very solid and have no complaints with them.

Interior quality - 4/5
Plastic trims, switches, stalks, gear lever - everything is working fine and looks almost new. The hard plastics on the doors and dashboard have a few scratches on them but no cracks or fissures. There are no rattles (touch wood!) from the plastics and the interior is like a nice little cocoon once you have the AC running and the music system on. The beige door panels haven't been very hard to maintain and on the whole, the interior of the car still looks great. Even the rubber door beadings have held up well and still are quiet soft and responsive to touch. A lot of this could be a result of covered parking - both at home and work, I have covered parking and the car hasn’t really baked in sunlight for extended periods of time.

Overall rating - 3.75/5
As I mentioned earlier, I am content with the car as it does its job and is value for money. If only M&M got their act together and improved a)mechanical reliability of the vehicle and b)service expereince, I would have been very happy






Breakdown of Distance and F.E
As expected, 2020 has been a slow year and I only managed to travel about 8.7K kms in the last 5 months of the year. Hopefully, 2021 is better and I get to visit some of the parks in central India and spend some time in the wild.




List of issues till date:

• Jan 2016 - Battery Sensor issue, replaced under warranty
• Feb 2016 - Vacuum modulator changed under warranty
• June 2016 - Alternator replaced under warranty
• Dec 2016 - Driver side seat belts changed under warranty
• April 2017 - Oil leakage near intake manifold, O rings replaced under warranty
• Oct 2017 - Vacuum modulators replaced under warranty
• Feb 2018 - Seatbelts replaced under warranty
• April 2018 - Coolant leakage near radiator outlet pipe. Clamp changed and leakage fixed
• June 2019 -Oil leak near turbo hose, Clamp replaced and leakage fixed
• July 2019 - Oil leakage near Turbo seal, Turbocharger replaced under warranty
• Nov 2020 - Drop in power delivery, MAF sensor checked and replaced under warranty

Quick summary of Part replacements


Cost of Ownership
I am numbers guy hence I do tend to track costs in detail. Here is a quick summary based on 5 years of ownership.


Points to Note:

• Wash - I never get the car washed at MASS, hence the additional cost for washing the car once in 60-75 days depending on dirt levels
• Replacements - Spends on replacement of wear and tear parts like battery, tires, break pads etc.
• Service - General service related costs, which includes both parts, consumables and labor
• Upkeep - General maintenance spends on the vehicle like WA/WB, Injector cleaners etc.

Now that the 5 year warranty period has ended, I expect an increase in Replacement spends as I might have to replace parts of the suspension or pay for recurring issues like vacuum modulator replacement.

Modifications and Upgrades
The car is mostly stock and doesn’t have a lot of Mods or upgrades.

• Oct 2016 - OEM speakers replaced with Kicker Coaxial speakers
• Sep 2016 - Headlamps upgraded to Philips 90/100 H4
• Sep 2016 - Alloys coated with rubber spray, bad investment that lasted less than a year
• Sep 2020 - HU replaced with a touch screen android HU + Rear camera installed as OEM sensors do not work with Android HU

Planned Replacements and Upgrades

• Front Windshield - I have been driving around for the last 18 months with a long crack in the passenger side top corner. Have been reluctant to replace the windshield as I will also need to replace the CR90 film on the windscreen, which has been doing a great job of reducing heat for the last 5 years!
• 5th tire - I have never used the 5th tire, which has been sitting pretty inside the cover for the last 5 years. Plan on replacing it before the next long trip.
• Driver side seat base - I am on the heavy side and hence the driver side seat base has been slowly compressed over the last 5 years. Plan to get this replaced with similar or maybe even slightly harder foam.

A few pics of the car various drives over the last few months. It has been an awesome 5 years and I hope to add 5 more years of relatively trouble free ownership.