[procrj]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

What about your battery? Is it still going strong? I haven't had any issues with the battery so far (knock-on-wood).

Battery is fine as engine cranks up at first turn and i dont see any issues with headlights when i am using the music system + mobile charger as well. This is probably because on an avg. i am still running about 260-280 kms every week even though its only city runs.

Originally Posted by ambujlal

Try Abro DI-502 Diesel Injector Cleaner. I have the same issue even after changing modulator twice. After using this, the response did improve in second gear.

Just used the liqui molly diesel purge during my last tank fill. Need to check how that changes things. But I still think the crappy sponge based air filter will tend to clog up after 6-7k kms of driving in our dusty conditions and there is no easy way to remove the filter and clean it!

Originally Posted by vivekgk

The discussions I have are mostly about lighting, or tuning boxes (which I decided to do without for now).

If you have to choose between a box and remap, I think a remap is a better option as the box typically is a one size fits all kind of solution. I have been on the fence when it comes to boxes/remap and dont think I will invest in one for a couple of more years.

While I do enjoy the Ecosport, I don't seem to have the relationship I had with my last car with it. I don't even want to write up the ownership report that I started, as it seems too Vanilla.

Niggles are a 2 edged sword. While it does give you a chance to get better acquainted with your ride, spending a lot of time to sort out something very simple can be frustrating at times

BTW, the paint finish on your car is totally droolmaal.

Thanks. A lot of elbow grease + some professional help has ensured that it remain as close to Day 1 as possible.

AFAIK, the bumpers on the TUV aren't as full gloss finished as the body, from factory.

True. The bumper paint quality is something that leaves one wanting for something better. Look at new gen Tata cars, they seem to have done a fabulous job with their quality and finish.

[procrj]

50K Service Updates

50K service was done yesterday for the dwarf (Odo stands at 49.7k kms). As usual I requested only for mechanical service (no wash, interior cleaning etc) and since it was routine service, all requested work was completed within 90 min – left me very surprised! Still ended up spending 2.5 hrs at the service center because the QC folks took their own sweet time for test driving and the SA as usual had to be reminded a couple of times to generate my bill.

Bill details


Significant updates:

• Front brake pads replaced as my first set was worn out. The QC guys were surprised that my first set lasted 50K kms
  
• Air filter changed – was tired of not having an option to clean the air filter and hence took the plunge and picked up this K&N filter. Did have any other options and I am aware that it wont result in the increased power etc. as advertised by K&N. Primary reason for picking up a paper filter is so that I can clean it every 5k kms, which I couldnt do with the foam filter that M&M uses.
  
  

Had some time today and hence decided to break down my Usage patterns and costs

• Significant drop in highway usage over the years. 2018 has been a very busy year personally and at work. Hence haven’t had a chance to take the dwarf out much. Hoping to correct that in the next few months
  
• F.E bumps up post service, clear trend. Post service, my highway usage increases which could also be bumping up F.E
  
• Not a lot of difference between city and highway F.E, that could be because a lot of my highway drives have been on 4/6L where I am doing 100-110 kmph, which is not really in the economy zone of the dwarf
  
• Breakup of service costs shows that the most significant cost is Material cost, which is primarily 6L of engine oil + oil filter. Apart from 5th service where I was charged 3.6K for labor, for all other services, labor hasn’t been a large component of cost. Requesting only for Mechanical service is probably the reason why I am not being charged full service labor
  
  
  
• Other costs include:
  Exterior – paints, dips etc.
  Interior – deep cleaning primarily
  Mechanical – WA/WB and Other small upgrades
  TLC - wash, wax, paint protection etc.
  
  
  
• Rising fuel costs driving up the TCO over time. Service spends (10%) and TLC + Maintenance (7%) are a fraction of the fuel spends
  
  

Niggles

• Door and dashboard rattles seem to have sorted themselves out
• The new 42T seatbelts – need to clean them and get them sorted
• Increased road noise due to tyre aging. Need to change them in the next 5-6K kms as they don’t have a lot of life left

Ownership

• Still enjoying the drive. Take the dwarf out and find some quiet 2L state highway, roll down the windows and feel the breeze, amble your way through any kind of surface – perfect recipe for recharging myself!
• Need to get paint correction + ceramic – loads of swirls all over the body

Couple of pics of the tank

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by procrj

50K Service Updates

50K service was done yesterday for the dwarf (Odo stands at 49.7k kms).

Many thanks Ravinder for sharing your 50K service details

Bill details
Attachment 1805811

Have few queries

1. Did you replace only one wiper blade (asking because quantity mentioned is only 1)?
2. What is the item#3 in the bill, "NYLON FILTER"? Is this the AC filter?
3. Kit pad assembly at almost Rs 3K seem costly, but if it is lasting 50K kms, then it's worth it.
4. 50K service labor charges @ Rs 1652 seem quite reasonable

Air filter changed – was tired of not having an option to clean the air filter and hence took the plunge and picked up this K&N filter. Did have any other options and I am aware that it wont result in the increased power etc. as advertised by K&N. Primary reason for picking up a paper filter is so that I can clean it every 5k kms, which I couldnt do with the foam filter that M&M uses.

Wonderful, all of us TUV owners are looking forward to your experience with K&N. The OEM filter costs Rs 625, whereas this one is almost 12 times costlier (@7.32K). Let us know if it is worth it.

Hey Ravinder, from the last picture of your Red Dwarf, I noticed one thing. The alloys are back to their original shining silver color. I remember you had experimented with coating your alloy wheels with black color. What happened to that?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Did you replace only one wiper blade (asking because quantity mentioned is only 1)?

Yes. only rear wiper as I had recently changed the front wiper set to bosch eco

What is the item#3 in the bill, "NYLON FILTER"? Is this the AC filter?

Yes its the cabin AC filter. Needs to replaced at 40k kms but I didnt because it was still clean enough.

Kit pad assembly at almost Rs 3K seem costly, but if it is lasting 50K kms, then it's worth it.

Agreed. Did explore other options but I think it was safer to stick to OEM one given that they lasted 50k kms

50K service labor charges @ Rs 1652 seem quite reasonable

that is probably because I do not ask for full service. Else the labor cost is around 3500 if I am not mistaken

The OEM filter costs Rs 625, whereas this one is almost 12 times costlier (@7.32K). Let us know if it is worth it.

For me it was a simple cost benefit equation



I know that I will be using the tank for a minimum of 50K kms over the next few years and hence this investment made total sense. I effectively paid ~5.5K for the filter as it was on lightning deal + got some cashback on card. Hence I would suggest you do the math and be smart about it before you invest. Havent had a chance to take the car out for a spin yet, will be doing that next week over the long weekend but in the short office drives post filter change, there is a small increase in torque delivery and the car pulls well with minimum A pedal input. Feels almost like when the dwarf was new. Almost being the operative word.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

I remember you had experimented with coating your alloy wheels with black color. What happened to that?

Just a big waste of time and money. The plastic coating started peeling off and late last year I decided to remove all of it and get the alloys back to original condition instead of it looking like a zebra

[procrj]

Just got back from a short vacation with family friends in Chikmagalur. Highlights of the trip were the half day trip to devaramane and the drive through muthodi forest. The tank was fully loaded with 5 adults + 3 kids and some luggage and manged to negotiate the narrow twisty sections without a hitch.

On the way to Chikmagalur, the dwarf crossed the 50k mark on Odo


After some inputs from folks on watsapp, decided to take the mudigere - flameback - guthi - devaramane route on the way to the top and drive back down via Banakal route. The plan was to also drive to Kanive view point but rain and needs of the kids ensured that we drive back to chikmagalur after a quick stop at Fresh Bean Cafe.

En-route to Devaramane Viewpoint


View from the top


On the way down towards Banakal



A quick video of the drive to Devaramane

https://youtu.be/lPn77O15fxA

We had planned to drive to the coffee estate, which is located bang in the middle of Muthodi reserve forest. Narrow winding roads through lush green vegetation is always welcome and I thoroughly enjoyed the drive into the heart of the hills of chikmagalur.

View of the hills from the coffee estate


Sunset at the estate


The plan was to spend a couple of days exploring the area around the estate and the relatively unknown waterfalls near by but we ended up driving back to chikmagalur in 24 hours as one of the kids fell ill.

Drove back home yesterday and managed to avoid most of the traffic that will be headed to Bangalore today. The TUV is meant for the hills and broken roads and even when fully loaded, doesn't break a sweat while climbing up those steep inclines. Didnt face a single instance of wheel spin while driving up those narrow inclines.

The Odo stands at 50.6k kms and will pretty soon need to change shoes as the tires are starting to look their age.

[procrj]

A quick 200 kms day trip to Guidbande fort with a few BHPians and similar minded, travel obsessed folks. Do check quick meets thread for details.

The fort is a good place to head with friends or family. Its surprisingly clean, easy to reach (gmaps takes you right to the foothills) and easy to climb if you are moderately fit. Kids will have a good time exploring the place and in general it looks like a safe place to spend some time. Do take lots of water plus some snacks but dont leave behind any plastic or wrappers!

Some more pics

hazy sunrise


Lake view


the hazy horizon


View from the top of the fort


Living precariously


Byrasagara lake - will be beautiful at sunset


Dwarf at the Lake


Mahindra Rise


Eagerly awaiting 18th Nov - planning to drive up 70 hairpins to Kolli hills.

[procrj]

Kolli Hills drive

There is nothing better than spending an entire day behind the wheel.
What's even better is if you get to

• drive through 160 odd hairpin bends
• drive through some quiet, peaceful and beautiful places
• spend time with like minded folks - 5 other cars + 1 bike
• drive 650 kms during the day

5 cars started at 3.45 am from Attibele toll (R3 & vRS started later and caught up with us crawlers) and stopped at Salem for breakfast. After a quick regroup at the foothills, we climbed up the 70 hairpins without much ado and were on the top of the hills by 9.45 am. The roads are really good and most sections are pretty wide (as compared to Kalhatty or devaramane) and not really a challenge. You climb up 600 meters over the 70 hairpins and the view only gets better after every loop.

Spot the hill


onwards & upwards


tunnels of green



Blue hues


NKP zipping by


If you look at gmaps, you will realize that Kolli hills as such is not a small hill, it's actually a pretty large set of interconnected hills. Hence you will end up driving quite a bit from one point to another. Roads are again mostly good with minimal traffic. It gets interesting as you can stop where every you want and experiment be it behind the wheel or behind the camera.

follow the leader


convoy mode



We spent time driving to Seeku Parai view point, Valappurnadu viewpoint, Aagaya Gangai falls, Maasilai falls over the next 4 hours. Seeku Parai viewpoint was fully clouded out and all we could see was experience was being in the clouds. Valappurnadu viewpoint was a much better experience and we spent quite some time trying to get the best shots.

Seeku Parai view point

PC: Chandrashekar

Valappurnadu viewpoint


View from Valappurnadu viewpoint

PC: Chandrashekar

Line them up

PC: Chandrashekar

Aagaya Gangai falls is the mona lisa of Kolli Hills and you just can't view this maiden without paying the price. The price in this case is 1200 steps downhill to view this maiden plummet down the rocks and then a stiff climb up, so I was told, as I decided to skip the same and head to the other falls. Maasilai falls is a small 10 feet falls where you get to stand under the same and take a cold shower. Sunday afternoon ensured that the place was packed with well-oiled bodies (there is a guy there waiting with an oil bottle & massage service) waiting to wet themselves. Hence no pics of the falls.

Aagaya Gangai falls


PC: Chandrashekar

Here are a few pics that were taken while driving around Kolli hills.

A tent is all you need


Green ways


Lonely Lanes


30 minutes is all it took to drive down 70 hairpins and we stopped to grab a bite at A2B after rasipuram. A nice leisurely drive back home with a lot of coffee breaks ensured that the fatigue did not kick in. On the whole it was a Sunday well spent!

Dwarf was here


Going up or coming down?


Points to note while heading to Kolli Hills

• Not a lot of stay option on the hills. Even those that are there, don’t have great reviews online
• Food available is only basic south Indian fare
• Apart from one very badly maintained restroom near Aagaya gangai falls, I didn’t see any others
• Didn’t see any petrol pumps on the hills. Do tank up before the climb
• Easily doable as a day trip from bangalore or can be combined with a Yercaud/Salem trip if needed

The tank managed to climb up and down the hills pretty well and got us home safe. Home to home was ~650 kms and the F.E was 15.6 kmpl, which is probably the best that I have got in a long long time. Its an 18% jump over my avg F.E for the last 10 fills. Looks like the paper filter is starting to make a difference in power delivery as well as F.E as I can clearly feel an increase in torque delivery as well as slightly better throttle response after changing the air filter.

Odo stands at 52k kms and I think I definitely need to change the tires asap as ride quality is not as great as it was before.

[iamsai_iyer]

Hey Procrj,

Tried to PM wasnt able to. Was also busy at work, hence wasnt able to update. However, I managed to drive the TUV a couple of times more, alongside the Ecosport, since I had narrowed my choice to these two. I did enjoy it, baring one ride which I had taken from Ananth cars Mysore road. The car was badly maintained, no words at all.

I did notice, that the turbo lag was lesser in the TUV & was more driveable.

Needed your final take, consdering below points..

1. Second row seats comfort, for long hauls, would definitely being doing quite a few. Also I would have some elderly occupants.

2. The absence of DRLs, Projector Head lamps, autofolding headlamps. Deal breakers? At this price point these being not available on the TUv.

3. Power Steering. HPS vs EPS. Debateable, but your take. Since TUv comes with HPs.

4. Overall reliability,. I would be on to my 5 car & would like to hold on to my purchase 5 to 6 years minimum. Considering also BS6 kicking in.

My heart seems to be tugging me & saying TUV
My brain, however, wants the Ecosport. The reason, overall reliabity, ease in service, since Ford ASS have definitely improved considering I would also be shelling out 11 LACS.

Your take ?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by iamsai_iyer

1. Second row seats comfort, for long hauls, would definitely being doing quite a few. Also I would have some elderly occupants.

Here for me the TUV outscores the Ecosport just because of the space available. I have had 3 adults sit here very comfortably for many hours and haven't had any complaints.

2. The absence of DRLs, Projector Head lamps, autofolding headlamps. Deal breakers? At this price point these being not available on the TUv.

I'm and old school guy and all this is just side dressings for me. You will need to judge what is more important. The headlight reflectors of the TUV are very very good and a simple upgrade to a 90/100 setup works wonders.

3. Power Steering. HPS vs EPS. Debateable, but your take. Since TUv comes with HPs.

HPS for me any-day. If you ignore the tech, the steering feels right to me. Not very heavy in city traffic and weighs up very nicely at highway speeds. No under/over steering in corners. Its just about right IMHO.

4. Overall reliability,. I would be on to my 5 car & would like to hold on to my purchase 5 to 6 years minimum. Considering also BS6 kicking in.

I dont think BS6 should be a worry. Do check this thread for more details.

My heart seems to be tugging me & saying TUV
My brain, however, wants the Ecosport. The reason, overall reliabity, ease in service, since Ford ASS have definitely improved considering I would also be shelling out 11 LACS.

In the end I think it boils down to space and usage. If its primarily for ~4 adults + mostly 4/6L usage then the Ecosport should be your choice because a)Frugal engine b)Safe c)Fully loaded d)Better reliability e)slightly lower maintenance costs.

If you will be needing space for 5 adults + kids and will be driving a mix of different roads (good, bad & no roads), then the TUV fits the bill.

Note: you can PM only after you have made 25 posts on the forum

[iamsai_iyer]

Originally Posted by procrj

In the end I think it boils down to space and usage. If its primarily for ~4 adults + mostly 4/6L usage then the Ecosport should be your choice because a)Frugal engine b)Safe c)Fully loaded d)Better reliability e)slightly lower maintenance costs.

If you will be needing space for 5 adults + kids and will be driving a mix of different roads (good, bad & no roads), then the TUV fits the bill.

Hey Procrj,

Thank you for the final words. I was waiting for your reply. After lot of contemplation & arguments within myself, I went ahead & booked the Ecosport TDCI Titanium trend. Colour of choice was lightning blue.

I had taken my time to consider & your point simply nailed it for me.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by iamsai_iyer

I went ahead & booked the Ecosport TDCI Titanium trend. Colour of choice was lightning blue.

Congrats and hope you have many many miles of pain free and joyful ownership. Some tips before you bring the car home:

• Do check this thread (The "I Booked my Car" Thread) for recent BLR Ecosport posts and share details of your cost break up.
• Please buy insurance from third party and not the dealer. Do read up on how to transfer NCB from existing car insurance if you plan to exchange your current ride.
• Don't opt for coatings etc. from the dealer. Do check outside and choose wisely. Else you can PM me and I can share details
• Do a PDI before you pay in full. Take a print out of the TBHP PDI checklist
• Spend some time reading up this thread - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buyin...car-india.html (ARTICLE: How to buy a *NEW* car in India)
• If you are taking a loan, check this thread (The Cheap Loan or the Smart Loan - SBI Advantage Car Loan) and understand how it works.

[iamsai_iyer]

Hey Procrj,

The Blue Lightning (Ecosport) TDCI MT finally came home. Variant opted was Titanium. I will share the details soon, with photos.

[procrj]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

4.8K kms over the last 2 months thanks to multiple weekend drives and trips. Odo stands at 54.5K kms and with another trip planned for this weekend, I think I will close the year with 55K+ kms on the Odo.

Performance Update
Quick comparison of FE pre and post service broken down into 5K kms intervals. My hypothesis was that mileage drops quite a bit after hitting the 5K kms mark after service. What data shows is that there is 4-5% drop in F.E post the 5K kms mark. Some key points:

• 10K-30K kms can see the clear spike and dip pattern for first 5K after service vs Next 5K kms
• FE has been bad 35-50K kms. Probably because of the crappy modulator
• Last few highways runs have been consistently above 15.5 kmpl even when the engine has been chugging along in the 2750-3000 RPM range for long time periods

Overall, still too early to say if changing to K&N has had a lot of impact. What it has done is ensured that there is a little more torque when needed and the tank feel a little more sprightly, especially during the highway runs.

Trip Updates
Last weekend(15/16th Dec) was a quick weekend trip to Chikmagalur with a bunch of friends. This was just a chill-out and put your feet up trip as we did nothing but chit chat and have some fun reminiscing about old times.

Hit the road again on 21st Dec and headed towards Chikmagalur once again. Quick visit to Deviramma temple on the same day was a great way to end the day.

Picturesque Deviramma Temple


Plan was to drive to Hornadu on 22nd and the figure out what to do the next few days. On 22nd Dec we visited:

• Annapurnashewari Temple, Hornadu
• Kalaseshwara Temple, Kalasa
• Amba Teertha, Kalasa
• Vasishta Teertha, Kalasa

Roads in general are good and if you are driving a fast hatch, you will really enjoy the twisties from Kottigehara to Kalasa .Thanks to inputs from ThilakNex and the videos he had shared, We managed to cover Amba & Vasishta teertha in Kalasa. Vasishta teertha is not very hard to locate and you can just follow gmaps all the way. Apart from a small section which might need some careful driving, the rest is doable in any car. Amba teertha is a different story altogether. Its almost 3 km of nonexistent to very bad roads and doable only in a hatchback or SUV. Sedans will find it very difficult to negotiate the furrowed surface as large stretches are hardened mud tracks littered with loose gravel and large stones. Directions, just follow the track shown below, which is a gmaps screenshot.



Some pics from the trip to Hornadu/Kalasa.

Extremely foggy roads on the way to Kalasa


Quiet flows bhadra


Vasishta Teertha


Vasishta Teertha - Suspension bridge


Amba Teertha



Yours truly contemplating the beauty around


Tea estate around Kelagur


Next couple of days were spent mostly relaxing at Chikmagalur. In between all the resting, managed to visit:

• Mallikarjuna Temple, Hirenallur
• Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebeedu
• Veeranarayana Temple, Belavadi

Hirenallur has been on the to do list for a while now and finally managed to find some time on Sunday evening to drive down to the temple. Chikmagalur - Sakrepatna - Kadur is ok roads with some bad sections after Sakrepatna. Kadur - Hirenallur is beautiful tarmac with fields and trees all around. This section of the road is so good that at one point I was doing 110 kmph and I didn’t realize I was going that fast on a 2L road for many minutes. The temple as such is a relatively small but decently maintained example of Hoysala architecture. More details can be found here.

Hirenallur Temple



No introductions needed to the Halebeedu temple. This again was on of the temples that has been on the list for a while but we stayed away because of the crowd. 24th Dec morning wasn’t really a good time to visit as the temple was jam packed with bus loads of school kids and tourists. Somehow managed to distance myself from the chaos around me and soak in some of the beautiful carvings engraved on the walls and ceilings. Someday I plan to get there before sunrise and spend a lot of time with all these beauties frozen in time.

Stories in stone


Awe inspiring facade



There is more work on the ceiling than on the all the walls put together!




Massive platform and base by Hoysala standards


Chakravyuh - Very unique carving that still is almost intact


On the way back to Chikmagalur from Halebeedu, we decided to drop into Belavadi again to gaze upon the beautiful saligrama idols of Veeranarayana, Krishna and Yoga Narasimha. While the walls and ceilings on this temple don’t really have a lot of the detail, the 3 idols more than make up for it. These probably are one of the best idols that I have seen in my lifetime. That and relative quiet of the temple makes it a great place to just sit down and collect your thoughts for a while. Definitely a must visit for those visiting Belur/Halebeedu.

Some pics of the temple.

Road to belavadi is littered with these beautiful giants


Belavadi Temple





Happy holidays!

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by procrj

No introductions needed to the Halebeedu temple.

Wonderful travelogue and lovely pictures, thanks for sharing them Ravinder. The Halebeedu temple pics took me back 15 years down the memory lane when me along with one of my Bangalore based close friends had done a trip to Belur, Halebeedu & Sravanabelagola in his humble Maruti 800 (non power steering version). Even I was not satisfied spending only few of hours at the Halebeedu temple. If possible I could spend days and weeks together just staring at those intricately carved masterpieces.


All your pictures are class apart. Keep traveling and sharing with us.

[procrj]

Happy new year folks



After a nice and relaxing trip to Chennai over the last few days, the Odo stands at 55.7K kms. Did some serious speeds both ways as the roads were quite empty and dwarf was just itching to be pushed. End result is F.E took a hit but I am not complaining!

I have seriously started looking at replacements for the Apollo Apteras. Will mostly end up picking the Goodyear Wrangler AT Silent Armor 215/75/R15 unless I get a very good deal on the Conti Cross or Yoko Geo. The price differential between the Wrangler and Conti/Yoko is about 1K per tire and I am not sure if Conti/Yoko worth the 1K extra over the Wrangler.

With the 3 year mark coming up in the next few weeks, I will need to plan a dash somewhere to celebrate the same.