[meremortal]

Hello,

The red hatch has completed her 2nd service and done 7000 kms.

2nd service: Green Tracks, Hosur road, Bangalore.
Service Advisor: Mr. Babu (sooper man to work with)
Verdict: Good job done!

Let me get down to business.

The car: As beautiful as ever. Try to keep her polished almost every weekend. After this odo reading I expected some bells and whistles to go off. Well they actually did, in a way. I am starting to hear some vibrations near the wind shield while on lower gears. Will get some extra damping done during 3rd service. Also the windows rattle sometimes on rough roads. The boot lock secured with an alen key type nut, becomse loose. It has become a monthly drill to keep it tight. Well thats it!

Engine: Getting smooth as ever. Sometimes I dont know if its running. The double crank prevention system comes in handy here!
Pushed her till 4500 rpm, fully loaded. Managed 140 KMPH at about 3500 rpm. Haven't got the guts to push her yet. Maybe will do it after I fill in a good synthetic oil during the 3rd service. Overall this has to be the best under 5 lakh car engine. Still too early but this is my opinion.
All aware, you will not ask for power from this engine. It is always offering you more and more. You need to have the guts and the knack to use it.

FE in city (2k rpm shifts) - 13.3 KMPL
FE in HW (heck to rpm shifts) - 15 to 16 KMPL (80-100 KMPH)
Make sure tyre pressures are uniform. Make it a mania.

Suspension: Just a case in point.
70 KMPH near Blore Intl airport. 03:00 AM. 4 persons on board.
Unmarked or faded road hump. Did not have time to hit the brakes. Flew on.
Landed after about 10ft. No injuries on-board nor the car suffered any damage. Got it checked next day at A.S.S. No issues were found. Was advised a wheel alignment. Said nah. Still do 140 KMPH.

That said, the suspensions can handle the worst of roads. I dunno about preagnant women in other cars, but my car is preagnancy approved!

Speed run: Best record: Bellary to Blore (300 KMS)
Me + 1 bag in the car
Full tank
5.3 hours
Top speed 145 KMPH

Torque: Gotta admit. Still learning to use it everyday. Its a deep understandig which you will master over a long time. A hint that I am not gonna part with her very soon.
There is lots of it for city cruising. Try and practice in different situations.
On HW's if looking for speed, release clutch as soon as you shift up, and do not loose too many rpm's. Trust me you will be pushed back in your seats!

Well can't think of anything else to write. Ask questions and you shall receive answers!

Thanks for reading !

[fidaford]

Great review meremortal, I think that you are in love with your car, even I was am fond of the palio 1.6. 7000kms seems to be a fascinating experience. Palio is a very strong built car, do take care of it.Please post pics of the car if time permits.

[eclectix 1st]

Good review.

The rattles are a bit worrying, get it checked.

I've done 13K with atleast 3K in bad roads, but no rattles.

Very good FE.... which part of BLR do you drive normally?

cheers
cheers:

[gemithomas]

13 in city seems too good..!! ANy secrets.

[ms001]

great review ..
1 question
are you on the original tyres ?
13 in bangalore is awesome...

[jerish666]

That's an awesome mileage.May be you are too careful in kicking ur pedal.General reports are 9-10kml.Anyway nice review.

[sabnavis]

My father is planning on buying one, he said either a palio or an AVEO, he is very strongly inclined to go for the palio but he feels that the mileage will be very low, and being a retired person will not be able to afford it, He had been test driving the palio 1.1 and tell me that it's acceleration is poorer than the maruti 800 we have had for many many years now.

Keeping mileage in perspective should be pickup a 1.6 or should be get something like an AVEO. by the way he simply hates the Japanese and Korean cars, says that they do not feel or drive like cars. The 800 was a nesecity and he lived with it but now he wants a better car.

For city driving will there be any differance in the mileage of the 1.1 vs the 1.6?

I have had a palio 1.2 for the last 7 years and i have been getting between 11 - 12, where as some of my friends with the 1.6 have told me of horror stories of 4 and 5 mileage. Has the FE issue been resolved in the new stile.

[yatin]

Originally Posted by sabnavis

.... by the way he simply hates the Japanese and Korean cars, says that they do not feel or drive like cars. The 800 was a nesecity and he lived with it but now he wants a better car.

This is just perception. The Aveo is Korean by birth - it is a Daewoo car that GM brands as Chevrolet and sells here. By your own admission, he likes it.

[shantyrocks]

nice rewiew dude..
liked the pregnancy appreoved thing
couple of months back when my wife was pregnant i always dropped her to office and picked her up in my petra and never once did she complain abt any rough road.it was monsoon and the roads were in a terrible state.the re inforced suspension though a bit noisy nicely soaks up all the bumps..
are u really getting a mileage of 13??
my brother in laws alto gives that much in city!!

happy driving!

[Vinaygv]

The best mileage I got in my 1.6 was 12 in the city and around 16 on the hw at constant 100 to 110 with AC on, I am getting my second 1.6 by the end of the week, had to part with my previous one formula red due to unavoidable circunstances. drove it for 10k, not a sound, got side swiped by a truck (one of them Car transporter thingees that are so long the drive would need to take a telegram to inform him that some one was behind) near KR puram bridge, the car just shuddered, the front bumper cracked and the right quater panel bent. that was it. Never felt safer in any other car. Miss it, hope the replacement (this time black) would be just as good, heard some stories about the difference in quality over the last year.
Sorry for rambling, I really miss her.

[meremortal]

Mostly its south blore.

Originally Posted by eclectix 1st

Good review.

The rattles are a bit worrying, get it checked.

I've done 13K with atleast 3K in bad roads, but no rattles.

Very good FE.... which part of BLR do you drive normally?

cheers
cheers:

[meremortal]

Well there aren't any secrets to the 13KMPL. Infact I am lucky to have a couple of reputed fuel pumps in Blore near my house.

I always fill up in either of these places. Ones an IOC pump (Rajiv, near Jain college) and the other is a Bharat P (Cauvery, near Lalbhag).

These guys have a reputation for selling good petrol (not that i know of adulteration else where).

Plus I maintain my tyre pressure at 28-30 psi. Infact I run on Nitrogen (no actual benefit) but still check pressure levels regularly.

Most important of all is the gear shift (learnt from TBHP). Shift up at 2000 rpm across gear ratios. Its slow but good speed. Now this is only in cities. Also I try and shift up to 5th where ever possible. Ex: ring roads, night driving in city etc.

Refrain from over shifting. The 1.6 has tonnes of torque to pull you through any traffic situation.

Well thats my nuts & bolts about the 1.6. Will post more as I learn more.

Thanks