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Old 9th September 2010, 12:35   #436
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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
The petrol costs you see are for petrol which was filled in TN as well as in KL. As you can imagine, the cost for petrol in Bangalore is way more than that in any other place in India.
I thought so, that's why was in doubt.

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What i maintained here was between 80-100 kmph, with 80% A/C usage, on a four laned highway. It was only occassionally when i clicked about 120kmph. Since we werent in a hurry to get back home to Bangalore, the drive back was quite relaxed and leisurely.
Ah!! I need to get such patience. Generally I keep between 110-120kmph on 4-laned highways, with only sometimes going below 100kmph.

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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
EDIT : Tyres seem fine as of now, and these being MRFs should hold well easily for another 5000 kms if not more! Will take a call depending on how it holds up over this period.
Good to know, my flair came with Goodyear GPS 2, lets see how much long it lasts.Though sometimes I really feel like upgrading
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Old 14th September 2010, 19:39   #437
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My Ikon (5 yrs and 94000 kms)

Guys, am amazed at the fan following and workship for Ford Ikon. I am a proud owner of Ikon Flair bought fresh from the MPL chennai dealership in Sept'05 (recently celebrated 5th yr anniversary), my boy has clocked 94000 kms till date!!!

Utterly reliable car, never once deserted me on any highway and always stood by me when the need arises, truly awesome and I am in love with my car, dont want to part with this despite continued high mileage.

Kept the car in stock condition from the date of purchase, came with fog lamps, leather vinyl seats, remote lock, replaced the factory fitted Blaupunkt casette player for a good JVC music system thrown in along with fabulous JVC Amplifier, Kenwood woofer and Sony Oval speakers... it has done its second set of tyres & rim change at 90,000 kms (first did in 45000 kms), stayed with factory size rims and MRF tyres. Also changed the large steering wheel to the 1.6 cars' steering set at a cost of Rs.2400.

Fuel consumption is consistent, have been getting 10.5 to 12 Kmpl in city and 14.5 to 16 kmpls in highways, always with full AC on. Coming to AC, have changed the Heat Control Valve the third time :-), agree with the concerns of other owners.

My boy has gone to all places motorable in South India, especially since i love driving on the hills, he is my constant company apart from my wife. I was contemplating between an Esteem and Ikon at the time of purchase, sold my long term Zen (1L kms) and was not in a right mood to decide, and it was my wife who made the decision on Ikon and I havent regretted it a single day.

One of the key ingredients towards a happier ownership experience is because of the service quality, thanks to MPL Chennai, i am one of those truly happy customers.

This car has seen the growth of myself professionally and personally; still holds closer to my heart. I intend to keep the car for long, hope to have the same levels of service quality from MPL Ford to keep my boy running...

Have added some of the good pictures taken recently in my trips to Ooty, Yelagiri, etc... hope you enjoy too..

Regards,

PRIYAN
Attached Thumbnails
The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-ikon2009western-ghat-roads.jpg  

The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-ikon2009namakal.jpg  

The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-ikonself-son.jpg  

The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-ikon4.jpg  

The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-ikonson-his-cars-collections.jpg  

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Old 15th September 2010, 13:18   #438
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Originally Posted by Fordmanchau View Post
Ah!! I need to get such patience. Generally I keep between 110-120kmph on 4-laned highways, with only sometimes going below 100kmph.
When i keep at constant speeds exceeding 100kmph, the mileage drops. Also, keeping in mind the used life of the tyres, i try to avoid such speeds, except when i can see the road way beyond. Even 4 land highways arent safe these days, with morons coming up on the wrong side of the road.

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Originally Posted by Priyan View Post
Guys, am amazed at the fan following and workship for Ford Ikon. I am a proud owner of Ikon Flair bought fresh from the MPL chennai dealership in Sept'05 (recently celebrated 5th yr anniversary), my boy has clocked 94000 kms till date!!!

Utterly reliable car, never once deserted me on any highway and always stood by me when the need arises, truly awesome and I am in love with my car, dont want to part with this despite continued high mileage.
Priyan, glad to see you put up your ownership experience here for the benefit of other members. For a car which many percieve to be low on the reliability index, its good to see long term user feedback.

Since yours is a 2005 model, you seem to have bought your car about the same time as sammyboy on our forum.

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Originally Posted by Priyan View Post
it has done its second set of tyres & rim change at 90,000 kms (first did in 45000 kms), stayed with factory size rims and MRF tyres. Also changed the large steering wheel to the 1.6 cars' steering set at a cost of Rs.2400.
Did the rims have any bends that you planned to replace them? Also, what are the kind of roads you do on a frequent basis? I am surprised to see the MRFs give in at the 45k mark. At 48k on my car, they still seem to have quite some life in them. They are however, really noisy!

Steering change - Samarth, are you listening?

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Originally Posted by Priyan View Post
Fuel consumption is consistent, have been getting 10.5 to 12 Kmpl in city and 14.5 to 16 kmpls in highways, always with full AC on. Coming to AC, have changed the Heat Control Valve the third time :-), agree with the concerns of other owners.
FE on our cars seem to be on similar lines.

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Originally Posted by Priyan View Post
One of the key ingredients towards a happier ownership experience is because of the service quality, thanks to MPL Chennai, i am one of those truly happy customers.
Totally agree! The dealership experience being the link of the company with the customer can totally enrich or ruin the experience.

Looking forward to reading on more of your experiences.
Also, how about pics in better resolution? Your ikon doesnt look like a car with so much of mileage!
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Old 15th September 2010, 14:47   #439
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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
Since yours is a 2005 model, you seem to have bought your car about the same time as sammyboy on our forum.
Steering change - Samarth, are you listening?
Ya ya . How u doin man? Long time.

I never knew the steering upgrade was for Rs2400 only.
Never really bothered to find out but now that I know, thats one upgrade thats possible (if I can stop being so lazy). The tri phase is still powering the drawers of the almirah

BTW dude, change the tyres. I got Yoko A Drives and they really make a hell of a difference. My tyres also still had some life left but went for a tyre change for a better ride, as time makes the tyres even harder. Dont expect a big change on the road noise though, its there but not too much. The ride for sure is much better.

@Priyan : Great to see the Ikon still going strong at over 90K kms. It looks like you have the anniversary edition with the leather seats etc. I am still around 50K (got my car in June 05) so I guess I shouldnt worry about having to upgrade for a looong time.

Last edited by sammyboy : 15th September 2010 at 14:52.
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Old 17th September 2010, 18:19   #440
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Quote:
Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
When i keep at constant speeds exceeding 100kmph, the mileage drops. Also, keeping in mind the used life of the tyres, i try to avoid such speeds, except when i can see the road way beyond. Even 4 land highways arent safe these days, with morons coming up on the wrong side of the road.

Anyday it is safe not exceed 100 kmph, though very tough with good cars... otherwise either morons or animals would be on our path! I hope one day we will have a road in India meant for good driving pleasure and not constantly being worried about who is going to jump in the middle of the road.

Priyan, glad to see you put up your ownership experience here for the benefit of other members. For a car which many percieve to be low on the reliability index, its good to see long term user feedback.
Thanks for the compliment about the car. Except for a change of bumpers due to one case of dog crossing & pileup, rest of the car is intact.

Last edited by mobike008 : 17th September 2010 at 20:18. Reason: Please do not quote a large post as it inconveniences our mobile and other users. Thanks !
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Old 17th September 2010, 18:41   #441
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Ya ya . How u doin man? Long time.

I never knew the steering upgrade was for Rs2400 only.
Never really bothered to find out but now that I know, thats one upgrade thats possible (if I can stop being so lazy). The tri phase is still powering the drawers of the almirah

BTW dude, change the tyres. I got Yoko A Drives and they really make a hell of a difference. My tyres also still had some life left but went for a tyre change for a better ride, as time makes the tyres even harder. Dont expect a big change on the road noise though, its there but not too much. The ride for sure is much better.

@Priyan : Great to see the Ikon still going strong at over 90K kms. It looks like you have the anniversary edition with the leather seats etc. I am still around 50K (got my car in June 05) so I guess I shouldnt worry about having to upgrade for a looong time.
Sammy: Was contemplating between Yoko, Michelin and MRF before sticking with conventional MRF, plus had to stay with tube type tyre as the car goes to country roads/ hilly terrain and punctures can be managed, this is my second change of tyres&rims, have been sticking to MRF since its purchase, hard tyres, it does have an impact on ride quality and noise above 35000 kms. Not sure how things will be in the next tyre change probably at 1.3L kms ...

Picked up the Josh100 edition, came after anniversary editions got closed, same set of leather seats... not to worry about keeping the car for long... but be prepared to change suspension set-ups around 80-90k apart from regular ones like clutch plates, brake pads, belt, battery, etc. And change the foam pack behind the dash board, worth it as it will not fog in the windshield at nights/during winter...]

Last edited by aah78 : 17th September 2010 at 22:24. Reason: Quote fixed.
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Old 20th September 2010, 11:31   #442
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Insurance renewed- Bajaj Allianz rocks!

With the 4 year mark coming up pretty soon, the insurance was due for renewal. Since the time i bought the car, it was always insured with Bajaj Allianz who have given me exeptional service in terms of service as well as claims approval.

It was no surprise then that i would continue with them for the renewal. I initiated the renewal process online, and the payment was made using my online account. However, during the transfer of data back to the sender at the payment gateway, the session expired without a confirmation. When i checked my account, the amount had been debited.

I contacted the highly responsive customer care with the debit details, and in 2 days, the renewal was approved, and i was initially sent a soft copy of the renewed policy. In another 2 days, the hard copy was also sent to my mailing address.

Highly efficient service, and super-responsive customer care from Bajaj Allianz. I highly recommend them to everyone.
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Old 20th September 2010, 11:53   #443
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Hey Ben,

This year Feb, I also renewed it with BA. It came with ICICI Lombard insurance from the dealer. But I feel, BA provides more value when the car is out of warranty. What's your take?Moreover, after I got the policy,I found that my dealer's service centre was not mentioned in their cashless service centre's list :(
What is the IDV value they quoted for you ?and what is the premium amount, if you can share.
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Old 20th September 2010, 12:18   #444
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I found that my dealer's service centre was not mentioned in their cashless service centre's list :(
A better way is to check with your service center.

I had taken Chola a couple of years back. Their brochures had listed Lathangi, but that was for Mitsu's not for Ford's.
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Old 20th September 2010, 14:03   #445
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But I feel, BA provides more value when the car is out of warranty. What's your take?
I am not sure about the valuation they provide after warranty. In the case of my car, its been close to a year since the extended warranty expired. Someone with a similar car, and with the policy from some other insurance provider can help compare.

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What is the IDV value they quoted for you ?and what is the premium amount, if you can share.
Nothing secretive about the figures. They are as follows:
IDV of the car : 3,42,000/-
Premium with breakup including the NCB of 25% :
Total Own damage premium : 6737/-
Basic third party liability : 800/-
PA cover for Owner/Driver of Rs. 2,00,000/- = 100/-
LL to employee : 25/-

Net Premium : 7662/-
Service Tax : 766/-
Education Cess : 23/-

FINAL Premium : 8451/-

Hope that helps.

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A better way is to check with your service center.

I had taken Chola a couple of years back. Their brochures had listed Lathangi, but that was for Mitsu's not for Ford's.
Interestingly, when Lathangi Ford first started out, they were not on BA's cashless list. Got added later on. I remember i had to wait for the cheque to come for one of my claims. However, BA was prompt with no unwanted delays incurred.
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Old 20th September 2010, 16:44   #446
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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
I am not sure about the valuation they provide after warranty.
hi Ben, I meant that the schemes and facilities provided by the BA policy suits more to the car which is out of warranty .Offers like discount on repiars, free wheel alignment on servicing , free wash, discount on repair, etc suits more to the car which is out of warranty and would choose independent garage listed in the policy rather than going to the A.S.S.

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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
Nothing secretive about the figures. They are as follows:
IDV of the car : 3,42,000/-
Premium with breakup including the NCB of 25% :
Total Own damage premium : 6737/-
FINAL Premium : 8451/-
Hope that helps.
Thanks, Ben!!
I have worked out a little comparative sheet to see if the premium charged to us have been on equal terms. Not required though, but just for understanding.
Name:  pic.bmp
Views: 654
Size:  414.0 KB
The difference in the premium amount is more owing to the additional 5% NCB that you get. Also, both our premiums are approximately 2.6% of the IDV. Rest everything like Basic third party liability ,PA cover for Owner/Driver and LL to employee are same for both of us.
My final premium worked out to be Rs. 10,776/-

P.S: just a lame attempt on comparison!!
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Old 21st September 2010, 10:22   #447
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Manish, i had lost out on the NCB on 2 occassions, since i had made claims. Else, i believe i should have had lower premiums in the past.

I didnt check the list of approved independent garages which BA has listed. Is the link there somewhere on their site?
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Old 27th September 2010, 11:58   #448
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Servicing done @ 48600 kms

With the car doing its duty on almost 7 days of the week, it was increasingly difficult to devote a day to the much needed service which was due.

I got a call from the dealer - Lathangi Ford asking me to come in for service, but i didnt book a slot there, since i had made up my mind to get the service done at an independent garage. The place i had in mind was Sejal Motors, located near Marathalli. I had earlier posted a review on the same place in the TBHP Directory. Link to the review is here : Link

I called up the owner Suresh to confirm the place was open and took the car in for service.

The odo read at 48630 kms, and there were no problems to be looked into going in.

I had asked for the car to be delivered at the earliest since i didnt want to go all the way back home and then come back later to pick up the car. Suresh arranged for the same, and work was started on it at the earliest.

Following are the tasks which were performed along with the charges as applicable :

Spares :
Oil filter : Rs. 380/-
Engine Oil : Rs. 850/- (4 litres- Shell)
-----------------------
Total : Rs. 1230/-

Labor :
Paid service done : Rs. 400/-
Cleaning of brake pads and caliper greasing : Rs. 150/-
Cleaning of front brakes : Rs. 150/-
------------------------
Total : Rs. 700/-

GRAND TOTAL : Rs. 1930/-

All works were carried out in front of me, and i had no complaints. Since there was no power, the washing couldnt be carried out, but i was fine with that since there is someone who is entrusted to clean the car on a daily basis in my apartment.

No power also meant i couldnt pay by card. Suresh and myself went for a test drive of the car following the service, and i withdrew the money from an ATM along the way.

All in all, the car feels much smoother now, and i highly recommend Sejal Motors as an independent garage for service.

Here are some recent pics of the car :

The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-img_9276.jpg

The Story of MIKE - My Ikon Flair 2006 EDIT : The story concludes-img_9176-copy.jpg
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Old 27th September 2010, 13:03   #449
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@Benny, hopefully you have found a suitable service center for your Ikon now. instead of having to come across all the way. The costs / billing look to be bare essentials without any of the other stupid charges (like consumables, car wash shampoo pouch etc that the A.S.S's charge).


@Sammy, what size tyres did you go for ? What pressure are you maintaining ?


@Priyan, loved the last pic in your post - with your son inside the car & those toy cars there. It's Cute ! And good to see you rolling closer to the magical 1L mark. Keep going !
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Old 27th September 2010, 13:12   #450
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Hey Ben,

She is looking as gorgeous as she was the 1st day. congrats and kudos to you for keeping her that way.

My fiesta is doing good. I shifted to bombay,She has clocked around 36,000 on the ODO. Going strong.

Cheers.
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