[mobike008]

30,000kms Service Update

After a whirlwind trip to Bangalore and Mysore last weekend during which WA crossed the 30,00kms mark, it was time to give her for the all important 30K kms service. I visited the A.S.S yesterday and was greeted by the friendly Service Manager (Sampath Reddy) who treats me like iam the ONLY customer of KUN

Btw, there is only one SM and rest of the folks are Service Advisors and report into SM. He is a young guy and has great knowledge and whatever he promises he delivers more than that and that's happening ever since I bought the Cruze.

I first told him the brakes are a bit woozy and there is a bit of play in pedal so could be they need to change the brake pads. He instantly examines the brake pads and shows me the distance between the pad and disc and says front pads will easily last for another 5000kms and rear brake pads for another 10,000kms. I could possibly the only Cruze owner on the forum still running on stock brake pads

However, he said that he will remove them check and replace if required. But, it was not required. They just overhauled the front pads, cleaned and put it back and charged Rs.575 for the labour.

Before parting he estimated the bill to be Rs.9000 but, when I picked up the car today it came to Rs.12,138

In this service they changed :-

Oil (ELF TOTAL Synthetic Oil); Quantity is 6.25 Litres

Just for sake of comparison, i checked what they charged me during 15,000kms and was happy to note they charged exactly the same price even at 30,000kms meaning two things. They are consistent in their charge to customer and prices of oil hasnt risen over the last one year.

Oil Filter
Air Filter
Alternator Belt (Next will be at 60K kms along with Timing belt)
Reprogrammed the AC unit for better effect as he mentioned LT has a problem when ice formation happens due to which the cooling effect reduces during highway/long runs

When the bill was presented to me. I casually asked him with a sheepish grin " No Discount"?

He immediately wrote on the bill " 5% discount on Parts and 10% on Labour" amounting to a reduction of Rs.608 making the final bill to Rs.11,530

Note to fellow Cruze owners : Please ask for a discount !!!

Kun Chevrolet continues to amaze me with their awesome customer service. Had it been some other A.S.S, they would have changed the pads long back citing its mandatory.

Sampath checked the tyres and said "looking at the tread depth, they are good for another 20K kms" After all the mad dashes the car has gone through this again was a surprise.

Other small things to note was excellent cleaning of car inside and outside and they even retained my Blackberry pouch which i forgot inside the car when i left it. Nitrogen top-up is free as usual

I specifically told them not to do wheel alignment and balance as I was not happy with that service in the past. Will get it done from a known outlet over the weekend.

Will try to write a detailed 30,000kms report in a few days for benefit of all other owners.

I sign off by repeating myself " I am so glad that I bought the Cruze and getting such outstanding service from KUN Chevrolet. Hats off to them"

30,000kms Service Bill



Pleasantly surprised to see a free pollution check slip in the glove box



Your's truly during the Bangalore/Mysore drive last weekend where needless to say, WA performed flawlessly

[Eminenttismo]

Originally Posted by mobike008

30,000kms Service Update
Kun Chevrolet continues to amaze me with their awesome customer service. Had it been some other A.S.S, they would have changed the pads long back citing its mandatory.

Other small things to note was excellent cleaning of car inside and outside and they even retained my Blackberry pouch which i forgot inside the car when i left it. Nitrogen top-up is free as usual

I sign off by repeating myself " I am so glad that I bought the Cruze and getting such outstanding service from KUN Chevrolet. Hats off to them"

Pleasantly surprised to see a free pollution check slip in the glove box

Attachment 974079

Glad to know you are very satisfied with their service. We have the same dealer in Warangal, KUN Chevrolet. I've similar incidents with them. Hope they keep it up. Pollution check certificate in you glove box is terrific, I must say.

[F150]

Avinash bhai,
You are a lucky man ! This level of service is unheard of. Kudos to KUN dealership.
Could you please elaborate on the alternator belt ? Was it replaced ?
Is this applicable to all diesel cars ?

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by F150

Avinash bhai,
You are a lucky man ! This level of service is unheard of. Kudos to KUN dealership.
Could you please elaborate on the alternator belt ? Was it replaced ?
Is this applicable to all diesel cars ?

Thanks! Iam totally blessed that's for sure and hope this smooth run continues

Alternator belt is nothing but the fan belt and is on left side of the engine bay. Sampath showed be the condition of that belt and it was just wee bit frayed but he recommend replacement as its not a costly component (Rs.1900) and should be changed every 30K kms. Yes, its there for all diesel cars and logically should be there even for petrol cars but, iam not really sure

[anb]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Alternator belt is nothing but the fan belt and is on left side of the engine bay. Sampath showed be the condition of that belt and it was just wee bit frayed but he recommend replacement as its not a costly component (Rs.1900) and should be changed every 30K kms.

There is another belt which needed replacement at 60K intervals. The timing belt. It costs Rs.13000

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Alternator belt is nothing but the fan belt and is on left side of the engine bay. ....
Yes, its there for all diesel cars and logically should be there even for petrol cars but, iam not really sure

It is there for petrol cars as well, but lasts much longer. My WagonR's AC fan belt and water pump belts were changed at 59K kms last year.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by anb

There is another belt which needed replacement at 60K intervals. The timing belt. It costs Rs.13000

Yeah, I am aware about the timing belt replacement interval as mentioned in my 30K kms report. However, going by how major component replacement are getting delayed in my case ( due to luck or my driving style or maybe a little bit of both) hope to get the timing belt changed not at the exact interval recommened

Infact, the alternator belt was in good condition but, Sampath recommended a replacement as its an inexpensive component.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

It is there for petrol cars as well, but lasts much longer. My WagonR's AC fan belt and water pump belts were changed at 59K kms last year.

Thanks. I thought so too

Waggie is roughly 1/5th the cost of Cruze and its alternator belt last just twice the amount of kms. Tsk, Tsk, it ain't good

[Cyberdoctorind]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Yeah, I am aware about the timing belt replacement interval as mentioned in my 30K kms report. However, going by how major component replacement are getting delayed in my case ( due to luck or my driving style or maybe a little bit of both) hope to get the timing belt changed not at the exact interval recommened

May be it's not that great an Idea. I am now looking at a very costly repair of my Palio 1.9 D because of the timing belt which decided to prematurely kick the bucket due to a water pump failure. My new Cruze is helping me smile and making me forget the costly repair of my Palio in the near future

[mobike008]

30,000kms Cruze Detailed Report

As promised, here is a quick take on major features of the Cruze after it has completed 30,00kms.

Performance
Cruze is a seriously fast car. It's performance continues to dazzle me as even after completing 30,000kms I am still not in a hurry to upgrade WA with a powerbox (Otherwise, i am inherently impatient by nature and quickly upgrade to a powerbox or any such thing that can boost up the power ratings of a car. But, with Cruze, the stock power is plenty. I would like to term myself as a decently fast driver. I normally drive faster than an average motorist

Here is a simple example of my rev range usage pattern

80% (Stage 1)
1500RPM to 2300RPM

15% (Stage 2)
2300rpm to 3000rpm

2%-5% (Stage 3)
3000rpm to 4500rpm

The reason I use Stage 1 so often is because the Cruze does approximately 120kmph at around 2000rpm so majority of time there is NO need to cross this range as Cruze will be in its nascent stage of it's power band with humungous amount of power still on tap when your at this power band.

Please note, its peak power of 150bhp comes at 4000rpm

Besides, it comes into powerband as early as 1300rpm (in any gear) and turbo kicks in at 1800rpm and beyond that all objects in front and sides quickly and miraculously appear in your rear (when viewed from your rear view mirror)

In short, anyone who likes to drive reasonably fast. Choosing a Cruze would be a no-brainer

Ride
Ride has been a perfect balance till date and it's suspension set-up is quite decent. It's neither too stiff nor too soft. It aids a bit more towards a cushy ride than performanced oriented ride. I wouldnt have hated Chevy if they had firmed up the suspension a bit more to aid handling than provide a cushy ride.

Handling
Handling has been really awesome on the Cruze. I would rate the handling of Cruze 8/10 while I will give the T-jet or FiestaS 9/10 as I have personally experienced a Fiesta S and Punto take corners with much more aplomb then the Cruze. Well, you can still corner as well as the Fiesta and Punto but, then it wont be the safest feeling inside for the Cruze driver.

However, much of this can be negated by opting for a wider and better tyres that will help you retain some of that safer feelings while taking a corner at a high speed.

Build and Quality
It is built like a TANK. Period

Close the door and it "THUDS" and not closes. My wife and mom have a tough time opening and closing the door and keep complaining and say they feel like doors of "Tihar Jail" Not that I or they have ever been to Tihar Jail.....lol!

Not a single piece of metal, plastic or anything else rattles. At high speeds, you can hear only one sound and that is of "Deathly Silence" which sometimes overwhelms you.

Ah, I forgot to mention, there is one noise and that comes from where i rest my elbow on driver side door which has kind of got slightly depressed due to my elbow being there constantly and it ever so slightly squeaks and this sound comes only when i remove my elbow from that position.

Exterior
I havent paid much attention to the Cruze's exterior till date and got teflon coated twice and polished only once in last 2 years. But, the shine and its continous glow makes me super proud and car looks as if its 6 months old.

Interiors
Well, except for a few awesome bits like the gearshift, indicator chalks, steering wheel which are top-notch quality the remaining parts look a wee bit dull but, then iam used to it now. I have got the interiors cleaned professionally only once till date. I plan to get it done once again soon not that they need it but, i am a cleanliness freak and like my car spic-and-span from both inside and outside.

Sometimes I wince during day-time but, when it gets dark the entire cabin is turned into a fighter plane cockpit and i then immediately get into roleplay. Yeah, that of "Maverick" (Tom Cruise from Top Gun)

Tyres
After completing 30,00kms on my Continental Premium Contact 2 (CPC2), I would highly recommend these tyres to other Cruze owners as I have had a blissful run till date. Only 2 punctures and tread depth is still phenomenal and expect them to last another 20,000kms easily.

Tyres Performance

• Pin-drop Silence is the key-word
• Sticks to the road like a leech
• Wet and Gravelly road performance is too be experienced to appreciate

Brake Pads
Many Cruze owners have been complaining about their brake pads not lasting too long. I really dont understand what's happening. If there is a symptom (screehing sound) then i can understand but, if the A.S.S is just recommending change during a service visit means in my humble opinion they are just fleecing the customer.

Mine even after completing 30,000kms is running on stock brake pads
During the 30K kms service update i was briefed that front brake pads will last another 5000kms and rear brake pads easily for another 10,000kms

Either, Iam blessed OR iam just a smart cookie.

Other comments:

•AC was never a strong feature of the Cruze. I was briefed by A.S.S that all Cruze LT have a problem with AC but, during the 30,000kms service they re-programmed the AC unit and from last one week its so chilly that Iam at a different temp level which never used before. But, the real test for it will come during afternoons and on long highway runs.

• I keep 32psi of Nitrogen in all 4 tyres and normally re-top up every 2 months and notice a loss of 3-6psi in each tyre

• My city FE has been a consistent 11.50kmpl right from the time i bought the Cruze. Highway FE ranges from 13.5kmpl-15kmpl depending on how you drive. Dont expect to cross 15kmpl. If you expect more than 15kmpl then expect to go through a torture trade-off of "Driving your Cruze at a deathly slow 120kmph on highways"

• Stock headlamps are sufficiently good and i never felt the need to upgrade though most of the Cruze owners are complaining the light spread isnt enough. I just switch the light throw switch to "0" when on highway and back to "3" when I am in city and i am happy with the results.

• Cruze can comfortably seat 4 people and will be a tight fix for an additional passenger. I may have sat in the rear seat for very short time during an epic 10 state epic 5500kms trip but, after that trip. Never!

•OE sound system sounds quite good for a non-audiophile but, for me it leaves a lot to be desired.

• Driver seat is extremely comfortable and provides sufficient lumbar support and provides a great view of the horizon. I dont like to constantly change my seating position and till date have given my car for valet parking just twice and when they changed the seating position ( iam 6ft. 1in) I gave them a piece of my mind.

In short, i dont like my driving seat position changed. Wish they offer memory seats in future for customers like me

• Ground Clearance. As apposed to what people think, I hardly scraped the bottom on speed breakers more than 3-4 times till date and is more than sufficient for most type of roads

Finally, after driving the Cruze in almost all terrain ( Highways, State Roads, Bad Terrain and Really Really Bad Terrain) it still has come out unscathed and everything about it still feels unsullied and uncontaminated.

Having bought the Cruze on a quick whim with no real though behind the buying process. In retrospect, I am really happy with my decision and hope to enjoy this car atleast for another 3 years (which is going to be the longest ever car that I will own till date)

P.S: White Annihilator will certainly go through a power upgrade in next few months. Thanks for reading my story and keep tuned to this thread

[mobike008]

Ever since I bought the Cruze (2 years ago), I have been toying with ideas and researching various means to bump up the stock power of the Cruze which itself is maddening in the first place. I resisted this constant temptation and like how everything happens in my life I took the plunge last saturday just like that (Thought re-entered my mind a couple of days earlier)

After installing the box, Yesterday went for a Team-BHP Drive meet which involved a total of 350kms of driving on beautiful 4-lane highway which was the perfect opportunity to test out the box. Below feedback is after i have thoroughly tested the box.

What you'll like about Racedynamics Box :-

1. Indian company who made the box for Indian conditions

2. Excellent quality of the box and remote key

3. Terrific surge of power in P1. Let's not even talk about P2 as the car feels simply too fast in this mode

4. Four different modes ( E, S, P1 and P2) depending on your mood and style of driving

5. 2 Years replacement Warranty

6. No smoke while accelaration in P1 & P2 ( Same amount of smoke emission as on stock settings)

What you'll not like about Racedynamics Box

1. While the car is now extremely fast, I somehow feel the top speed "may" have come down. Earlier you can reach high speeds with very gentle/effortless push to the accelarator pedal. Now after it crosses a certain kmph, I felt the ed to push the pedal more. Not sure its my pyschological feeling or it's for real.

Any other RD box owners feel the same?

E-Mode
Didnt even try this mode yet. Supposed to boost FE by 40%. But, Heck, someone owning a Cruze will ever be interested in saving fuel? I will most probably not be using this mode 99.99% of the time. They should have dropped this mode for Cruze RD box...lol!

S-Stock
Pressing this button will revert the ECM to return to stock setting. This is the sole reason for me to buy the RD box. I used the Pete's Box for 35,000kms in my previous car and it was a permanent fixture ( until you manual disconnect the plugs from the engine). Will be used whenever i am sick of too much power ( Does that ever happen? )

P1
As other RD owners mentioned in their reviews. I too feel P1 is the best mode. When you switch from S to P1, there is an ever so slight jerk which can be felt and suddenly the car surges forward at the slightest tap of the accelarator. This mode has improved the in-gear accelaration tremendously and now there is more power in all gears irrespective of which RPM range. I didnt test exact in-gear accelarations or turbo spool feel but, below are some basic figures :-

Stock : Cruze pulls easily in 4th gear at 40kmph
P1 : Cruze pulls effortlessly in 5th gear at 40kmph
Pulls effortlessly from 800rpm in 3rd gear at 20kmph...Etc

This mode really increases the power by 15% and reduces the turbo lag to a large extent. And, I am now quite sure it does as the difference is almost tangible. I am thinking the Cruze BHP is bumped up to approximately 175BHP in this mode.

P2
I call this as the "Insane Mode". Most of the times this mode is a bit scary as the car goes blindingly fast and FEELS also very fast. I didnt experience wheelspins or any such dramatic situation as I dont shift gear at the highest RPM spectrum. I normally shift gears 1 and 2 at 2000rpm and 3, 4 and 5 at 2500rpm and sometimes when i am in mood to rip then between 3000rpm-3500rpm.

In my opinion, changing gears at higher than above RPM's is absolutely not required as the car is well in torque and turbo zone and takes off super fast. However, people who drive petrol cars drive the Cruze in similar manner is not the right way. 1st gear-4000rpm, 2nd gear-4500rpm, 3rd gear 4500 rpm. It's not really required. This mode perhaps boost the power to approximately 190-195BHP.

I dont think it will boost the power to 40% as claimed by RD as then it would be 210BHP.

Essentially, If you value your life, please DO NOT slot P2 while driving in city. This mode has tendencies to make you feel like a "Rally Driver"

Installation
AP Distributor of RaceDynamics personally came over to monitor the installation which was done at a dealer " Fast Tracks" on the popular automobile dealers stretch of Ministers Road.

Installation process like any power box was simply and straightforward. Remove the original connectors from the engine and connect the RD connector to it. Affix the box at any corner of the engine bay where there is some space for this small box. It took them approximately 20 minutes to finish the installation.

Important and Interesting Points of the Race Dynamics Box :-
a) It can withstand 400'C of temparature. While a heated engine bay can only generate 150'C
b) RD box is water-proof and can withstand high pressure washing used during car wash.
c) RD box DOES NOT reset when you switch off the ignition. If you were running on P1 and switch off. When you re-start the engine. It will still be in P1.
d) Modes can be changed on the fly. A simple press to button and you can actually feel a slight jerk and new mode is applied instantaneously. Only an Innova cannot be changed on the fly. You need to stop the Innova, change mode, kill the engine and restart for new mode to take effect.
e) Remote key is of good quality build but,like others I too think they should have made it dashboard mountable. I reckon need to DIY on it.
f) I didnt notice any visible indicator to tell me which mode i am on. Some other RD owners mentioned in their thread, it blinks once/twice etc depending on the mode. I didnt notice it. Maybe i didn't want to risk taking my eyes of the blurring landscape of the highway.
g) Wireless range of the remote is 100 meters. As against some reviews here, I found the remote respond instantenously.

Exact Feel
Let me jot down a few lines of the exact feel or change to engine when you install the RD box. When you first start the engine after the installation and move out in P1 mode, the engine feels "tight" and the accelaration pedal also feels tightened ( In stock setting, the pedal seems to have some play and requires some depression to get the car moving) and requires just a very light tap for the car to surge forward.

Above feel multiplies to some extent when in P2 mode. The Pedal feel is almost upright. There is almost no need to depress the accelarator to move out.

As you keep changing from 1st-2nd then 3rd to 4th. The effort (actual pressure applied by the right foot to accelarator pedal) to give gas to car keeps reducing.

Final Words: Racedynamics is a great investment for an enthusiastic driver and worth each and every penny spent. The reason for choosing RD box was purely for the reason that its "Made in India" & for " Indian Conditions". Dealing with Anirudha (AP Distributor) who himself is an enthusiast and owns a number of vehicles including an Innova,RS, Suzuki Intruder ( 1600cc Bike which he offered me to ride next weekend). The dealer Fast Track owner (Rakesh) was pleasant and informative and he too has an RD box in his Cruze from last 4 months and he is extremely happy.

Additional Information :-

RD is coming up with couple more variants to target a different set of customers :-

RD Lite will have Only 1 modes (P1)
RD Eco will only have 1 mode (E)

Ofcourse, both will be priced lower than the present Rs.19,999 MRP for the Pro Version.

Now time for some pictures to tell their own story.....

[Motoringlover]

Thanks for the review Avi - Can i also request you try the Eco mode once, i am especially interested in its effect on the turbo lag, in other words do you really feel linear power delivery.

Thanks - ML

[traveloholic]

Amazing Review of the RD Box Avi Anna. I am dying for a test drive in your Cruze now. I think it's time for another Chai Bandi'ts Meet at Financial District :P

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Motoringlover

Thanks for the review Avi - Can i also request you try the Eco mode once, i am especially interested in its effect on the turbo lag, in other words do you really feel linear power delivery.

You really want me to go through this acid test? Alright, will test it soon and post my feelings back soon

Originally Posted by traveloholic

Amazing Review of the RD Box Avi Anna. I am dying for a test drive in your Cruze now. I think it's time for another Chai Bandi'ts Meet at Financial District :P

Sure Nikhil. Bandits can meet again soon and create some havoc in financial district

WA is now adorned with a clear cut message " Stay away unless you want to get smoked"...lol

[Motoringlover]

Originally Posted by mobike008

You really want me to go through this acid test? Alright, will test it soon and post my feelings back soon

Thanks avi - if at all we have any success this could be a cure to the drivability issue. I know you are not someone who would ever want to use it, but think of it, you may able to achieve your long distance drivability goal - what say ?

Well in all honesty it is very easy for me ask, but tough to try myself. Thanks pal.

Best - ML

[himanshugoswami]

Avi, once again- congrats! Now your Cruze should carry a public health safety warning, because the already deadly combo of you and WA has now become lethal!!

funnily enough, Race Dynamics call the Cruze engine "2.0 TCDi", whereas it is vCDI since it is a variable geometry turbo. kinda ironic, since you would expect the company to at least know what engine they were working on