[greenh0rn]

Great review Ragesh! Your love for your car really shines through. One quick question- your experience of using Turanza 165/65 on stock rims sounds a bit alarming. I have read many reviews of similar config here but nowhere did I read wobbling and bad steering feedback. Can you please elaborate a little more?

Originally Posted by gpa

I drive a Santro too with a MT and have clocked ~56,000 kms in little over 4 and half years. Still run on the OEM Bridgestones (not a single puncture yet-touchwood) and Exide battery.

Wow man, it's not just OEM battery, even OEM tyres are common to our cars (did you get yours in late March/early April 2005?) I have done ~52,000 km and the car still feels great- fantastic engine and no problem with suspension so far. I am thinking of a tire change early next month (tires are still good for another 5k km, but I intend to drive to the hills so just want to be sure). There are few rattles and squeaks but I bet they'll be easily taken care of in the next service.

Maintenance wise, except for 1-2 services that were in the range of 6-7k (engine flushing/decarb, plus a broken headlight included), my typical service costs 3-3.5k every six months. Touch wood- this is indeed a great car to keep!

[rageshgr]

Originally Posted by greenh0rn

Great review Ragesh! Your love for your car really shines through. One quick question- your experience of using Turanza 165/65 on stock rims sounds a bit alarming. I have read many reviews of similar config here but nowhere did I read wobbling and bad steering feedback. Can you please elaborate a little more?

Thanks dude! as far the tyres, yes, it was a problem in 2 phase:

Bridgestone Turanza 165/65 R13 on 4" stock wheels. The obvious increase in tyre width meant it was not as quick to change directions. And the increase side-wall flex meant the wheels took more time to respond to my steering. And although you may be fit even 175/60 R13 on stock wheels without danger, typically you need atleast 4.5 " and optimally 5" wheels for 165/65 tyres. So I felt ( i really experienced) the tyre was a bit too wide for the wheels, so highway stability was decreased. During crosswinds I could feel the car wobble sideways like a Bhartha Natym dancers head . And even the pick up was sometimes sluggish. Softer ride that's there

Same Bridgestone Turanza on 5" Alloys: With the increased width the wheel was optimal for the tyres. Looked good too. But now it meant the tyres were more flattended and even greater are of contact. Good thing for the grip and stability and braking. But steering effort obviously increased much beyond my liking. Although I believe a car should try straighten itself, this was too much. On a medium speed corner, it tries to sraighten itself too much. Do I had pains in my arms. I felt for the size, dynamics, steering and power of a small car like Santro, 155/70 R13 was enough. Although I would recommned a tyre compound upgrade from the tube-type MRF to a tubeless and softer compound Turanza.

I know many BHPians might find this odd. I am saying all these not just by deriving from theories. I really experienced these personally

[GTO]

Originally Posted by rageshgr

On August 19, 2007, we brought home my dream, my first car, a Hyundai Santro XL Automatic. Yesterday she turned 2! Can't believe its been 2 years and 55000 km. I feel likse just having bought it.

Says a lot about the car! The Santro A/T is the perfect urban companion.

Satisfied with Kun Hyundai ( Anna Nagar ).

The Service is very good, with prompt delivery and polite staffs, who explain all the problems and the solutions.

I'm not surprised. Hyundai does a fantastic job of taking care of its customers.

My dad and I learnt driving for the fisrt time in our lives, in this car directly, in one day, no driving school, no instructor, nothing, we just took it and drove and practiced in an empty football ground , by evening we were really confident about the car.

LOL! That's an interesting way to learn how to drive. Thank God you started off with an automatic.

Once my driver accidentally put it into "P" while driving, still no problemo!

IIRC, the Santro's gearbox does have a mechanism to prevent position "P" when the car is in motion. How did you driver manage to do this?

so you can't use another car to tow), we felt a bit adventurous and drove to Service Center, but suddenly the engine temperature shot up and had to replace the engine heads as well , costing 37,000.

Ouch, bad decision. You won't repeat the mistake now that you are a Team-BHP

Have changed the front brake pads twice and brake discs once.

AT's wear through brake pads rather quickly in our driving conditions, due to obvious reasons. At what KM mark did you change the pads?

Great review + pictures, thanks for sharing!

[Dippy]

Thats a very well written review of your AT Santro. She seems to have served you well. The Santro AT is a great city run about and now the i10 AT takes it only forward.

How often do you change the AT transmission oil? And I still surprised at how your driver managed the 'P' goof up. About the FE 10 kpl inclusive of spirited driving is not bad at all. Why dont you try a little easy footed driving and see the FE then?

Nice colour and happy to see you are enjoying your car. Hope she gives you many more years of happy motoring.

[rageshgr]

Originally Posted by GTO

LOL! That's an interesting way to learn how to drive. Thank God you started off with an automatic.

IIRC, the Santro's gearbox does have a mechanism to prevent position "P" when the car is in motion. How did you driver manage to do this?

AT's wear through brake pads rather quickly in our driving conditions, due to obvious reasons. At what KM mark did you change the pads?

Thanks for the compliments GTO. To come from a stalwart like you I am glad.

Well, although I had n't actually driven a car before my car. I knew driving a car inside out before ( theoretically ) , had charted everything in my head. So I could have handled even an MT well. But it being AT made it even simpler.

Well if you depress the button on the right side of the selector lever, you still can go to "P". Atleast at the speeds when this occured, like 5-10 kph. Now I myself I am doubting it, actually I was standing outside, and I heard a sound. I suspect if he put it into reverse, but that's not this dramatic. Anyways I don't want try it out.

I changed the pads at around 23 K and disc and pad at about 45 K

Originally Posted by Dippy

Thats a very well written review of your AT Santro. She seems to have served you well. The Santro AT is a great city run about and now the i10 AT takes it only forward.

How often do you change the AT transmission oil? And I still surprised at how your driver managed the 'P' goof up. About the FE 10 kpl inclusive of spirited driving is not bad at all. Why dont you try a little easy footed driving and see the FE then?

Nice colour and happy to see you are enjoying your car. Hope she gives you many more years of happy motoring.

Thanks Dippy, ya it has been wonderful. About the "P" goof, please read above lines replied to GTO. I changed AT oil about twice during regular service I guess. I don't remember actually.

Ya nowadays I am a bit light on the throttle. But have'nt checked the FE. But seems its still hovering around the 10 kpl mark. Possibly it was 9 kpl during initial scorching days. Since you asked. I am gonna do the tank full to tank full test. But even then, I think "tank full is a relative term", I don't know if the operators will cut off correctly and I don't trust the auto cut off too. Anyways I will try.

[MAS]

Originally Posted by rageshgr

Hi MAS, thanks a lot dude! Hope you are enjoying your Santro as well.

Ya I too was surprised! In fact 1st tyre change was at 22k, one reason about the 31 K was that , my alignment had taken a toll, and the tyres started wearing unevenly. Another reason may be, 100 km up and down ( 50 + 50) journey everyday at consistent speeds of 100-120 on the ECR most of the times, and braking at such speeds, may be the tyres get overheated. 8 years in one tyre? wow!

About Iridium plugs, I read in TBHP's modifying section that Iridium plugs on a stock engine does n't make any difference. That's why did not venture. You find any performance gains after you fit Iridium plugs?

About M3! In my dreams dude, in my dreams! not in another 15 years!

Happy Driving u too!

Your Santro seems to be very hungry for new shoes. I was waiting when my tyres would get worn off. They just did not, but due to the age of the tyres, i changed to Yokohama A359 (175/60/R13). The new footwear transformed the ride to a comfortable one (Nitrogen in tyres added to the comfort). I believe these would run for another 50 K kms.

I changed the sparks to OWS Iridium about a month back. The car has really transformed. Believe me, it is easier to drive now and is very quick. You should try them out and i am sure you would see a big difference.

[rageshgr]

Originally Posted by MAS

Your Santro seems to be very hungry for new shoes. I was waiting when my tyres would get worn off. They just did not, but due to the age of the tyres, i changed to Yokohama A359 (175/60/R13). The new footwear transformed the ride to a comfortable one (Nitrogen in tyres added to the comfort). I believe these would run for another 50 K kms.

I changed the sparks to OWS Iridium about a month back. The car has really transformed. Believe me, it is easier to drive now and is very quick. You should try them out and i am sure you would see a big difference.

Ya my car is like me, hungry for new shoes every year May be your hard compound tyres was the reason. 175/60 on stock wheels?? If your Yoko is soft compound, chances are they might not endure as much as the OEM tyres.

Wow man you are tempting me more and more with Iridum plugs

[KeepItSimple]

dear rageshgr,

thanks for a fantastic review and sharing your experience. Must say you have really pushed the autobox and the car to the limit.

I think you have probably the widest experience with the hyundai autobox in india. This autobox is also the most widely used doing duty in the santro, i10, 120 and verna.


quote 'Once my driver accidentally put it into "P" while driving, still no problemo! '


You need to go 'D' 'N' 'R' 'P' for that ! I wonder whether the autobox has any interlock to prevent engagement of the 'R' mode from drive as that could seriously damage the transmission.


quote 'One thing is if you floor the throttle from stand still, it takes some time to build up speed. You gotta be a gentle at low speeds I mean till 5 kph. After that you can floor the car and the kick down is awesome, slotting it into a lower gear and giving a power surge. But the kick down is a bit late off late, so you better floor the throttle a bit earlier than you want. '


The autobox appears sluggish at low speeds as you have mentioned. It is the autobox responding slowly or is it the engine modulating the autobox response slowly to the throttle inputs.

thanks again for a fantastic review

[rageshgr]

HI KeepItSimple. Thanks for your compliments. Ya pretty much explored everything about the autobox. It does have an Interlock mechanism. But if you depress the button, you can unlock the interlock and go to "R" while driving, just like it is possible in a manual. By accidentally what happened is he was a new driver, not my usual driver. I think he was new to autobox. So he slotted it as far it would go, just as you would engage 1st gear on an MT. lol!

As far sluggilshness is concerned, I think it is due to the lag in gaining momentum in the torque converter, and also ECU kicking down a bit slow. Or may be flooding of the cylinders due to open throttkle.