[vivekgk]

Hi folks,

It's been a while since my last update. I've been busy and so was the car. The odo currently stands at 6500-odd kms, and had its second free service at 5000km, last month, at Kulathunkal Motors.

I had a nasty shock a couple of months back. I had parked my car and went shopping. When I came back, the right rear door and some of the quarter panel was smashed in! The side beading was missing some paint and there were marks on the front door as well. There were black smuges and smudged black plastic on the door beading, so I suspect a van or a car. There was a Tata Winger parked nearby and it was now missing. I think he smashed into the car as he was pulling out. I was sooo angry, but there was nothing I could do. I decided to wait until second service to get it fixed as there was no scratches in the paint to rust. I had to park with the scratched side next to the wall for the next couple of months so my mum wouldn't see it!

The engine has freed up a lot by now. Still makes a horrid clatter in cold mornings, but then, so does my neighbour's new VW Vento. I religiously adhere to the following procedure.

1. Turn ignition on, wait for ten seconds after glow-plug light goes off. Turn off, Repeat.
2. Crank engine. It always starts at half-crank after two glow plug cycles.
3. Idle for at least 30 seconds, sometimes while backing out of the driveway. Idle some more while I get out to close the gate.
4. Keep the revs low for the first couple of kms.
5. No matter what, idle the car or drive it at sub-1500rpm for at least 30 secs before I stop the engine. Easily achieved by slowing down and coasting on idle when I near my destination.

I've also been using System-D at a mildly lower than recommended dosage of 10ml per Rs. 500 worth diesel. In the last 1000 km, I tried Xtramile diesel (w/o System-D), and found that there was no difference between regular+System-D. In fact, Xtramile might just be smoother.

I still haven't got seat covers. This is partly due to lack of time, and partly due to confusion on the material to be used. I like the looks and ease of cleaning art leather, bur fabric seats are much more comfortable because they let you slide around without your pants getting stuck to the seat.

5000km Service at Kulathunkal Motors: I had got an appointment the day before, but I still had to wait for a while because of the sheer volume of cars that they had to handle. For this reason alone, I will not be going back to Kulathunkal for the next services. I'm considering Mohandas Motors because they have a pickup and drop-off facility.

The body-shop guy told me that the damage could be fixed in a three days. The service would take two, because of overcrowding. I told them to take the time and do the job well. I had complaints about the sound from rear suspension which started when I went over a speedbreaker a couple months before, as well as small squeaks from the front. The FE had also dropped to below 15 in the traffic heavy NH route. The boot was refusing to close properly for a week then. Also, the headlamps were badly focused, which I hadn't noticed at all since I rarely drove at night except in traffic. I forgot to mention the gearshift vibes to them at the time, and didn't remember until I got the car back. I reminded him to rotate the tyres, but he told me that it was not needed? Acc. to him, if the alignment was correct, the tyres didn't need to be rotated as it was all-independent suspension.

The body shop SA called me and said that entire right side might need to be repainted to properly match the color, and to be firm with the insurance guy. I was a bit skeptical, but did as advised. A couple of days later, I was told that the painting was done and the car handed over to the service people.

The service took longer than expected. The SA called me up and told me that the rear strut was being replaced under warranty. They had replaced it once, but the replacement part had also turned out to be faulty, and a new part was being ordered. That took the better part of three days. I gave the car on Monday and got it back on Friday.

On inspecting the car before taking delivery, I was shocked to see that the paintjob was badly done. It was badly finished, and there was overspray on the beadings and even on the driver-side blower vent inside the car! I pointed it out, and I was assured that they would fix it whenever I had the time. As I really needed the car, I agreed.

I drove the car, rode in the back, and was pleased that there were absolutely no unwanted noises. They told me that improving the FE would involve changing the fuel pump settings, and recommended that I not do it until at least 10K kms. Any thoughts on this?

The service was great so far, but the bodyshop work left much to be desired. On inspecting the car all around, I found overspray on the boot as well, and not even my shade! There was also some patches that felt rough on the other side of the car, on the left front q-panel! How the heck did they manage that?

I had to go on a 1000km trip shortly after that, and found no problems at all. But the horrible roads did manage to get the suspension squeaking and rattling again by the return trip. I'm planning on taking the car to them again next week, to get the paint finish cut and polished, take care of the overspray issues all around, and have them look at the suspension again.

Weird issue with the car, I don't know if it's an issue or not. The car will easily go up the incline to my parking space at idling speed (AC on) in first gear or reverse, but I am almost sure to stall it if I touch the throttle or use half-clutch. Is there some kind of flat spot right off idle? Is this a trait of the 475TCIC engine or unique to my car?

Also, I drove an Indica rental car extensively (500km), and found it's engine much more free-revving. Oh, it had no power at all, but I still found it pleasant because it was so eager compared to mine. The gearbox was smooth and vibe-free. The car had covered 60K kms. At what point can I expect my car's engine and gearbox to free up like that?

Another strange problem cropped up and resolved itself on a long drive. The Indigo has an electric switch rather than a dial or slider to switch between recirculate and fresh-air modes for the blower. I usually never use the fresh-air option other than to get the diesel smell out of the cabin after refilling. I'd switched off the recirculate button, and forgotten to turn it back on. After a really fast (140kph+) drive on the MC Road to Kottayam, I found that the blower was not working at all, even at full speed there was little air movement. I was dismayed, as it was a Sunday and there were no ASCs open. I concluded that somehow, the recirculate flap had got stuck, because there was a slight difference when I turned it on and off. But, it somehow resolved itself after I switched it on and off a couple of times. By the time we left Kottayam for Thodupuzha, it was working fine, thank God.

I have to admit that our experience with the M800 was even more trouble free. I never had to call them back even once with a service related issue. The sales and service were like clockwork. It had no AC, so the windows were open and blower was always on recirculate for maximum effect, from where it would slide down to fresh air mode on its own as the speeds went up. At least I could pull it back right, since it was a simple slider connected to a cable.

In the Indigo's case, I was able to figure out that it had gotten stuck halfway or something, because I'd read on this forum that the HVAC strings/cables getting stuck was a common trouble with the Indica/go. What if I were an uninformed layman? I'd likely have concluded that the AC had packed up and been exploited by some shady roadside workshop guy.

Is this the problem with Tata vehicles? That they use too much tech? Is it the independent suspension that makes the ride so good that's responsible for the suspension noises? Are the low-profile tyres that improve the handling transmitting too much load onto the suspension? The Swift Dzire uses high profile (165/80R14 or 185/70R14) tyres and non-independent rear suspension, and I feel that it does ride a bit better on really bad roads, and is also a lot less prone to rims bending or suspension rattle. I'm seriously considering switching to 185/70R13 tyres and alloy wheels. The higher profile and lower unsprung weight should load the suspension less. Thoughts on this?

Summing it up, the car is performing as well as expected. Not that I had great expectations in the first place. At least, there were no major electrical problems, no issues with the engine, the central locking and power windows work perfectly, tyres show no abnormal wear. Everything seems to be fine. Well, except for the suspension noise, which is only audible when the music is off or turned down, a rare occurrence.

[greenhorn]

I drove the car, rode in the back, and was pleased that there were absolutely no unwanted noises. They told me that improving the FE would involve changing the fuel pump settings, and recommended that I not do it until at least 10K kms. Any thoughts on this?

DO NOT TRY TO FIX WHAT IS NOT BROKEN. I tried , and with lots of headaches, and nothing to show for it.

The service was great so far, but the bodyshop work left much to be desired. On inspecting the car all around, I found overspray on the boot as well, and not even my shade! There was also some patches that felt rough on the other side of the car, on the left front q-panel! How the heck did they manage that?

happened to me too. Did you give their feedback? threaten to raise hell and give them zeros in the form and when the call from pune comes, and with customer support. The bad news is that the damage is not 100% undoable, but at least some of the more obvious areas will be taken care of. take an exhaustive written/printed list of areas which has been painted over. here's my experience
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...g-18-a-15.html

In the Indigo's case, I was able to figure out that it had gotten stuck halfway or something, because I'd read on this forum that the HVAC strings/cables getting stuck was a common trouble with the Indica/go.

not really. I think it was just me and I've whined all over tbhp about it . I dont recall finding anyone else who had that issue. almost every indica/indigo has its own set of unique and unsolveable problems. I suppose these character flaws add to the personality of these cars. I imagine you must be thinking, why did I not by the damn swift instead by now. Everyone of us does at some point

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

DO NOT TRY TO FIX WHAT IS NOT BROKEN. I tried , and with lots of headaches, and nothing to show for it.

I expected that response. Not doing anything about it right now. The car runs fine, and the fuel costs are far lower than I'm used to. Why mess with it, rt?

Originally Posted by greenhorn

happened to me too. Did you give their feedback? threaten to raise hell and give them zeros in the form and when the call from pune comes, and with customer support. The bad news is that the damage is not 100% undoable, but at least some of the more obvious areas will be taken care of. take an exhaustive written/printed list of areas which has been painted over. here's my experience
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...g-18-a-15.html

I forgot to mention that bit. They called up dad and begged him to give a positive feedback, which is how we got the assurance of fixing up any and all issues at our convenience. We just haven't had the time to take the car in. I've got the list, even took photos with the date in the corner and in the EXIF.

I read about your paintjob issue, greenhorn, and I am selfishly thankful that mine is nowhere near as bad as yours. I'm more concerned about the finish of the paintjob rather than the overspray, to be frank. But I've had these kind of issues when I had my 800 painted, and the painter assured me that it's always best to have the paint cut and polished a couple of months after. And he was right too. I'm waiting till the rainy season ends to take it in for the paint job correction. I'll keep reminding the SA about me til then.

[

Originally Posted by greenhorn

]not really. I think it was just me and I've whined all over tbhp about it . I dont recall finding anyone else who had that issue. almost every indica/indigo has its own set of unique and unsolveable problems. I suppose these character flaws add to the personality of these cars.

Yeah, so much character, most customers choke on it! But I think I did read about someone else having trouble with the AC vents. In fact, the old Indica that I drove around had some issue with it. The direction knob had no effect at all, but thankfully, it was stuck at the face-level vents and not anywhere less convenient.

My car's character trait seems to be a painfully vibrating gearshift and the recuring squeak/muffled thuds from the suspension.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

I imagine you must be thinking, why did I not by the damn swift instead by now. Everyone of us does at some point

I did think that a couple of times, but a drive in a 4 year old Swift Vxi usually cures that. Oh god the rattles! I do sometimes think, "Why didn't I push more strongly for the Vista?" though. I seem to have an aversion to 'default' choices in general.

[swiftnfurious]

I know its a bit late - but Congrats on your car. Your ownership thread is really good and detailed writing helps a lot of guys !

Originally Posted by ambujlal

Recently I had gone for my car servicing at about 22K kms and the bill was about 10 thousand. Major part was oil change, as I went for synthetic oil. The car feels lighter and smoother to drive. There were issues with braking which was later diagnosed to brake oil cylinder leakage. This was replaced. Also, the rear wheel ball bearing had cut, that was also replaced. Apparently both the parts were not covered in extended warranty! Rest was wheel rotation and balancing.

10K for a 20,000 km service ? ! Thats on a higher side I believe. My Swift D had only a 6K bill with some extra work being done. Also whats the warranty period for the car? How did it expire before 20K kms ? the time had passed already ?

Originally Posted by WindRide

vivekgk - is it really necessary to change oil/etc before the 10000kms service?
i remember going thru a heated discussion on this in the manza thread, with lots of people saying its totally unncessary.

Its not a mandate - but will be good to change the engine oil. This is because of small particles that might fall into the oil during run-in period. All our cars undergo this treatment; we dont change the filter though!

Originally Posted by vivekgk

I only lifted off because this idiot in a grey Swift VDi, who was presumably upset that I passed him, was pulling all kinds of crazy stunts to get past me, including attempting to overtake on a blind corner. Sheesh!

I don't understand what it is about the Swift diesel that brings out the absolute worst in road manners. They take anyone overtaking them as a personal insult, and act like they own the road. Sure, it's a great car to drive, but the Swift petrol is even better, and yet you never see them driving as irresponsibly.

Its not the car - its the morons who drive it - you can find these happening with many other cars not only with Swift Ds!

Anyway wish you many many happy & safe miles of motoring ! Good job - please keep updating your thread!

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

I know its a bit late - but Congrats on your car. Your ownership thread is really good and detailed writing helps a lot of guys !
....
Anyway wish you many many happy & safe miles of motoring ! Good job - please keep updating your thread!

Thanks. Expect continued detailed posts as long as we own this car!

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Its not the car - its the morons who drive it - you can find these happening with many other cars not only with Swift Ds!

True. But I'm just talking from my experience in the highways. The most rashly driven hatches are invariably Swifts and i20s. I guess it has to do with the quick handling that inspires a lot of confidence. But to quote from Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. Having a great handling car doesn't doesn't grant them the right to scare the crap out of everyone else on the road, nor does it ensure that there won't be a disaster waiting around the corner. Of course, I don't mean that everyone who owns or drives a Swift is the same way, or that it is only Swift drivers who are careless.

Regarding ambujlal's bill, getting a huge bill during warranty doesn't mean that you have to pay it. I got a bill of about 7.5K for my second service, including strut replacement and get this, a clutch plate replacement! I immediately contacted the works manager and was informed that the item was billed wrongly, and that there was no replacement of anything but the strut assembly. 20K service does have a transaxle oil change, which would be chargeable. It also has brake pad inspection/replacement which comes under consumables I believe. That said, 10K is on the higher side but it does include 5.5L of synthetic oil and 3.3L of transaxle oil. Synth oil costs nearly 900/L which would mean Almost 5K for that alone, compared to about 330/L for mineral oil.

I did the oil/filter change at first service. Cost me under 2K. I believe they do the 1K oil change for free on Suzuki diesel cars.

[greenhorn]

ps. the indica/indigo has a rugged feel which might tempt you to take it over potholes without giving much of a damn. Don't - You'll end up with lots of suspension repairs and uneven tyre wear.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by vivekgk

The most rashly driven hatches are invariably Swifts and i20s. I guess it has to do with the quick handling that inspires a lot of confidence. But to quote from Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. Having a great handling car doesn't doesn't grant them the right to scare the crap out of everyone else on the road, nor does it ensure that there won't be a disaster waiting around the corner.

I did the oil/filter change at first service. Cost me under 2K. I believe they do the 1K oil change for free on Suzuki diesel cars.

For the underlined portion, completely agree with you. the crisp handling nature is what gets people excited to drive that way, but then it should not be rash and dangerous. I usually slow down when some one drives in front of me like that! You never know who is going to be at the receiving end of some stupid fun - could be a passerby also.

No oil changes are free for Suzuki! In fact there is no mandate oil change at 1K service [The first oil change is at 10K kms and then for every subsequent 10K kms] . Its what usually enthusiasts prefer [oil change at 1K kms] ! Even the service guys try to make the point that its not even required. But then we, the car lovers just don't budge right?

Off topic: In my last drive to native, there was this Alto guy who was trying all different stunts to get me racing! It was fun to see him getting desperate and finally letting it go - I was seriously put off by a crappy spoiler job done on the car. But I think he had some performance mode done on his car - was quite sporty in acceleration !

[vivekgk]

Hi All,

Can't seem to get to sleep, so I thought I'd update this thread!

Our work-mule has now covered 11K kms. I had the third free service done at 9500km, because we had to attend my cousin's wedding at Idukki. Anyway, this included an oil change and some other stuff. They used Castrol GTX (5.5L) and the total bill came to less than 2500 bucks. I'm sorry but I don't have the bill with me right now. This is the fastest we have hit the 10K mark in any of the vehicles we've owned. We didn't expect to hit 10K until next year at least. But the fuel costs haven't gone up, because we find ourselves using the scooter and the bike a lot less. Unless the distance is too short, the car is now always the first choice.

The car has now become much smoother, and is more eager to rev. I have finally started to take her beyond 4K rpm, though only occasionally. The only trouble I have with this car is the continuing noise from the left rear suspension. It disappears after every service, but reappears whenever I hit a bad patch of road. To be fair, it's only if I hit the rough patch faster than I should that this starts to occur. But the car should still handle it better, I feel.

Otherwise everything seems to be working fine. The left front power window makes a clicking noise when winding up, which the ASC did not resolve. They also didn't solve the issue of the gearshift vibes, claiming that it is common of not normal in Indigos. The trouble is, the car is in use every day, and I just don't have the time to take it in and leave it with them till it is resolved. Moreover, these aren't really troubling issues. The suspension doesn't make a peep on highways and regular roads, and the AC is always on, glasses always up.

The car has obtained a number of battle scars on the front and rear bumpers, and one on the left front door as well. Since the new-ness has worn off, I don't feel compelled to fix it in a hurry. For now, the plan is to get every scratch worked on after a year.

It wasn't until Pramod (pramod.kumar) told me about it that I realized that the new car smell hasn't worn off yet. I must have got used to it. Anyway, I'm planning to get one of those tree-perfumes with a leather scent, since that is about the only car-scent I can stand. For now, I keep a baggie of fresh-ground coffee in the glovebox. This has the additional advantage of being very useful to ward off sleep during long drives. Just hold it up to the AC vents!

I'll post again once I get hold of some pics!

[greenhorn]

IMO I havent felt the need for sustained 4K+ revs. I've felt the torque falls off after the 3.5k region. In fact there was this time i was overtaking a superfast on an incline in 2nd, and I didnt have time to upshift. I hit 4k plus on the revs, and I actually felt the car felt going slower. And then I saw someone coming the other way, and then I realized that it was time I upshifted. switched to 3rd and zipped off

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

IMO I havent felt the need for sustained 4K+ revs. I've felt the torque falls off after the 3.5k region. In fact there was this time i was overtaking a superfast on an incline in 2nd, and I didnt have time to upshift. I hit 4k plus on the revs, and I actually felt the car felt going slower. And then I saw someone coming the other way, and then I realized that it was time I upshifted. switched to 3rd and zipped off

I hit 4K+ when I was overtaking an Innova in third. I didn't notice what the speed was, but it was quite high. I'd passed it already, so I shifted up just after that. But it did feel as if I could go just a bit higher. Of course, about ten seconds later, the Innova came at me horn blaring, and bullied me out of the way before zooming off. They all have a point to prove, and can't bear to have an Indigo pass them.

You're right, the TDi never needs to rev that high for speed alone. It does 90 at about 2.5K rpm in 5th, and pulls strongly till almost 140. The point is, I don't feel too bad about occasionally revving it to 4K if the occasion demands it. Like when you have to break for a speed breaker and have to shift down to second or even first to get back up to speed.

[MudMover]

Nice ownership thread Vivek! Yesterday I exchanged my Bolero Vlx for my father-in-law's Indigo CS Lx. Though anyone shifting from a Bolero would instantly fall in love with a car's handling and comfort, I still feel that the Indigo CS has a much better ride than even the Logan DLX that my f-in-law had. I must say I'm pretty much impressed by the build quality as well. The TDI engine feels sluggish compared to the Bolero's Crde engine, but very much suited to my usual 80-90 kmph speeds and I had no trouble overtaking anyone who was within my speed range.

The problem is that this was pre-owned car with about 11k on the odo when my f-in-law bought it and afterwards it was being used as his company's staff car. So, many drivers have driven this vehicle and I'm suspecting that there may be issues waiting to strike. It's done about 22K till now. Currently, the only problem is of the engine check light coming on whenever I rev beyond 3.2K or go above 100 kmph. This might be an air filter issue I think. Somehow the mileage feels somewhere around the 10-11 kmpl range going by just the fuel gauge meter movement, but I've topped it yesterday and will know for certain only at the next top-up.

The engine is also definitely noisier and since my driving style involves early gear changes & engine braking I'm thinking that I should shift to synthetic engine oil. There are a couple of things to be bought though: SUNFILM,AUTO COP,ICE.

[greenhorn]

mudmover, there is absolutely no need for synth. In fact , even the newfangled API CH and higher oils dont seem to get along well with it. It's usually happiest with regular refills of castrol GTD
And do use system D. The difference will be obvious after a few tankfulls. And make sure that the check engine light goes away, it will harm the engine in the long run, and its probably a loose/malfunctioning sensor, which will make your engine perform worse.

[AutoIndian]

Hi Vivek,
It's been more than a month now since you last updated this thread. I hope your CS is simply rocking & you are too busy with it, so as to spare time to update this thread. Very nice write-up & I enjoyed reading every bit of it. Tata cars are really VFM if one can live with the niggling issues that crop up every now & then.

In the next couple of months or a year I am planning to upgrade from my Indica. The big question in front of me is whether to go for a Tata car again or not. Manza is definitely one of the options, only for its bland side profile & miniscule engine, else I would have gone for it by now. No other car can match the acres of space that it has to offer.

[vivekgk]

Sorry for not updating, guys. I've been really busy with work.

The workhorse has now covered 15K. No real issues at all. It has been highly reliable day in, day out. And with the kind of driving I have one over the last two months, involving mostly highway driving in mid traffic and at 4am in the morning, now it is giving a very steady mileage of 18-19 kmpl or more, mainly because I keep the engine below 3K rpm at all times, using torque rather than revs to maintain steady pace. But she responds eagerly when given the stick.

The suspension noise when hitting bumps is still there, only because I haven't had time to take it to the ASC to fix it. Strange thing is, it is now quieter! But the tyre wear is normal and minimal. Looks like these will go another 40K at least. There has been some squeaks from the front as well. The power windows make clicking noises when rolled down. I really should take it in for a checkup one of these days.

The gearshift is now much, much better. The vibes are sill there, but shift quality has improved. Overall, the driveline is much better now and smoother.

We recently had the insurance renewed. I had been using Royal Sundaram, but switched to New India Assurance now because 1)They have cashless facility at all the major Tata workshops in Kerala, and 2) because their agent is known to me for ten years plus. It cost around 10.3K, mainly because there was no no-claim bonus. I was approached by HDFC with a quote of 9K, but they had seriously undervalued my car, and minimum claim amount was 7K.

More updates soon after I give it for a checkup to attend to all these niggling issues.

Originally Posted by MudMover

Currently, the only problem is of the engine check light coming on whenever I rev beyond 3.2K or go above 100 kmph. This might be an air filter issue I think. Somehow the mileage feels somewhere around the 10-11 kmpl range going by just the fuel gauge meter movement, but I've topped it yesterday and will know for certain only at the next top-up.

The engine is also definitely noisier and since my driving style involves early gear changes & engine braking I'm thinking that I should shift to synthetic engine oil. There are a couple of things to be bought though: SUNFILM,AUTO COP,ICE.

Mudmover, is your car a DiCOR by any chance? They used to have this issue with engine check light coming on. If it is a DiCOR, then it is likely that the diesel filter or the water trap is blocked. DiCOR has a complex multi-stage filtration system for fuel, since its Delphi common rail FI system is so sensitive to fuel quality and water in fuel.

And don't pamper a Tata with synthetic oil till much later in life. I use Castrol GTX filled by the ASC guys.

Make sure that whatever security system you install has local service to repair/replace remote keyfobs. It might be a good idea to get it done at a Tata ASC, because they might blame anything that goes wrong on an outside installation.

When you're putting on sunfilm, get it installed at the dealership, because your car (LX) has a defogger at rear. Make sure to get a receipt. There is a chance that defogger strips on the glass will be damaged when film is installed. If you have receipt, then you can ask them to have it repaired.

[AutoIndian]

Hi Vivek, good to know that your CS has been highly reliable day in, day out & you are enjoying the ride. Hope you can get all the niggling issues settled very soon.