[Harbir]

I am new to the forum, and I am struck by how much interest there is in auto modification, but really how much of that is realy cosmetic or basic ICE type stuff. I am thinking that a lot of it has to do with the fact that there isnt much availability of serious customized tuning in India. But I am also wondering if the Indian market has much stomach for paying the cost that comes with serious tuning.

For example, if you really want to improve your car's handling, my guess is that a set of performance springs, shocks, anti roll bars, wheels and tyres will cost atleast Rs 1lac. How many people driving an alto or a swift really are interested in paying that kind of money for this?

or for example, a decent turbocharger set up, with intercooler, turbo, plumbing, exhaust, injectors, ECU upgrade, etc would run may be Rs 2lacs, not counting any import duties and taxes, nor counting labor.

If you did a suspension, engine, brake, wheel tyre, and cosmetics job on it, it would easily cross Rs 5lacs for a solid job that rivals the best of the west.

Is there any appetite for this kind of tuning in India?

I am guessing not.

I am asking because I am looking at my Elise and I find that a supercharger would run about Rs 3lacs installed, on top of what I paid for the car and I find that too high. I can't imagine that I would spend 3 lacs on a swift or a Civic if I lived in India.

what are your thoughts?

[gemballa]

well reading all the post it does seem to have a large appetite.... and of course people will spend money if they see results....power cost money but here labour is cheap so the cost is far less than the west cause those dudes charge stupid money for labour intallin ur supercharger will cost as much as the charger thts the difference .... as for parts standard price world wide plus little duty we can stomach tht no prob.... plus jap parts are much cheaper than elise parts or bmw etc so big advantage there too. and finally if i had a swift tht could destroy a car thtt was far more expensive then spendin the cash is a bargain
eg. spend 6lac for a turbo honda city (car included) and destroy a 3.0 accord(18-20 lac) for fun... now spendin the money makes sence....BUT depends where u spend it

[gemballa]

[quote=Harbir;636861]

For example, if you really want to improve your car's handling, my guess is that a set of performance springs, shocks, anti roll bars, wheels and tyres will cost atleast Rs 1lac. How many people driving a swift really are interested in paying that kind of money for this?

I am asking because I am looking at my Elise and I find that a supercharger would run about Rs 3lacs installed, on top of what I paid for the car and I find that too high. I can't imagine that I would spend 3 lacs on a swift or a Civic if I lived in India.

what are your thoughts?




already spent way more than tht on my swift

[Ricky_63]

@ Harbir

It may surprise you to know that there are people who spend more on mods, than the value of the car. Seems you've been away too long :-)

Having said that, there is definately a market for SERIOUS mods, but few people with REAL expertise to do the needful. Sourcing of parts being a constraint among many others.

Cheers & welcome aboard

[snaronikar]

Hi and welcome abroad. Hope you might have gone through the rules section in this forum.

Currently we are handicapped with the no. of expert people and parts available. As far as my experience goes, those available have little knowledge on the SERIOUS mods that can be done on the vehicle and it costs a hell lot of money here.

[Shan2nu]

Depends on what you mean by serious tuning. U could have the most powerful street car and yet have your butt kicked on track by a 1.5 ltr racing machine.

The race esteems in Chennai (with a 1.3 ltr engine and less than 100bhp) lap the circuit in around 1:14 and i've seen a 350bhp or so....Porsche 911 Carrera (driven by a professional driver) clock a 1:15.

Moreover, i think in the recent touring car race in Kari, the Indian Fiestas (with 150-170bhp) were just 3 secs off the race prepd Evos n other imports that were tuned outside of India.

And then there was the case of a Baleno-Zen being just 1 sec off a 850bhp Supra's 1/4 mile time, at a recent speed run.

It's not the serious tuning, but the serious performance you can achieve from tuning.......which matters most.

Shan2nu

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Moreover, i think in the recent touring car race in Kari, the Indian Fiestas (with 150-170bhp) were just 3 secs off the race prepd Evos n other imports that were tuned outside of India.


Shan2nu

@shan2nu care to elaborate on those fiestas? sounds interesting

[doomsday]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

@shan2nu care to elaborate on those fiestas? sounds interesting

Those Fiestas are Frankensteins (if I may use that term outside Honda terminology). Which essentially mean that they use a imported bottom half (Focus in this case IIRC) and the head of the Indian Fiesta. Of course a completely stock Indian Fiesta engine block cannot be expected to churn out a 170 ponies, irrespective of the level of tune up (being restricted to NA)

All these mods are allowed only in the Group N category.

P.S. The group N Cedia also churns out similar outputs. It uses the 4G92 or the 4G11 bottom half (not sure). Can someone clarify this?

[gemballa]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

The race esteems in Chennai (with a 1.3 ltr engine and less than 100bhp) lap the circuit in around 1:14 and i've seen a 350bhp or so....Porsche 911 Carrera (driven by a professional driver) clock a 1:15.
Shan2nu

hahhhaaha was the 911 goin in reverse

[doomsday]

Originally Posted by gemballa

hahhhaaha was the 911 goin in reverse

I'm sure you said that in a jest, but the 911 was indeed facing the right direction. 911 doing a 1:15 doesn't mean that it is not capable of faster times, but it is seriously limited by the skill of the driver (and fear associated with going all out with a car costing close to 70 L) and also the twisty nature of the circuit (the MMSC short loop) where a race esteem is much nimbler. Obviously the only straight that the 911 can stretch its legs is not very long (the start-finish), before being encountered by a series of twisty corners again. So a race esteem with its low weight and perfect suspension setup will have the edge in the hands of a good driver.

[Shan2nu]

hahhhaaha was the 911 goin in reverse

LOL, no it wasn't. 1:15 is infact a really good time on that track. The fastest Superbikes were clocking in the region of 1:17 that day.

Like Doomsdays said, it's the twisty nature of the short loop that favours the lighter nimbler cars.

I'm not saying that the 911 is slower than the Race Esteem. I was merely trying to point out the fact that serious tuning does not always relate to spending on expensive mods or squeezing out huge amounts of torque/power from an engine.

The first thing one needs to consider is how much of the effort/money you put into modifying your car actually translates into performance.

When i heard the Blore Supra was running close to 850bhp, i was expecting a sub 11sec run from it (which that car is claimed to have been capable of doin). But the best it could do that day was a 12.8 or so (thats the 1/4 mile time of a bone stock 290bhp NSX-R). The Baleno-Zen on the other hand did a 13.9 on the same piece or tarmac inspite of it being a FWD.

It's anybody's guess as to who's spent more money on getting his car modified but when you look at the results, you know who's got the better "tune to performance" ratio.

Shan2nu

[theexister]

I believe the need for performance tune-up is the important factor. Tune-up appetite would only grow if there is a maturing racing scene across the country.
The only racing tracks I have heard of India are in & around Chennai & Delhi so this makes if difficult for serious drivers to have a track day in short lead time. It requires careful planning & there is the cost factor.

I am pretty sure that there could be geometric increases in tune-up requests once we see racing developing across various cities in India.

[Harbir]

I am hearing that serious aftermarket tuning would be desired by the Indian enthusiast only for racing or track purposes, but perhaps not even then because modestly powerful Indian cars are quite competitive anyway. Is that correct?

[Shan2nu]

I am hearing that serious aftermarket tuning would be desired by the Indian enthusiast only for racing or track purposes, but perhaps not even then because modestly powerful Indian cars are quite competitive anyway. Is that correct?

To a certain extent, yes.

Almost 99% of the modified cars in India are FWDs which means that no matter what you do, you are always going to be limited by that factor alone.

So there isn't really a need for a 600+bhp Swift, OHC, Baleno etc when all it's gonna do is spin it's wheels and waste all that power.

Shan2nu

[Harbir]

While I don't disagree with you, because I do not understand the Indian enthusiast very well, I do have some reservations about what you say.

If your civic could put down 200hp at the front wheels (compared to perhaps 85hp now), and could have handling and braking to match, you would not be interested? You would not even say "depends on the price"?

I have trouble imagining that nobody at all in India would want a 150hp Swift or a 200hp Civic unless they were going racing. I understand that 99.999% of the people would not, but are you saying that not even .001% of the public has interest in boosting up their cars? Even if not forced induction and/or bore/stroke/head jobs, not even mild performance tuningd?

I just have trouble believing that because it would mean that Indian enthusiasts are just interested in nice rims, fancy ICE, K&N filters, and other superficial stuff.

But like I said, I've been removed from it too long and have a very different perspective on things so I am not saying at all that my view is right.

I ask respectfully since its not my intention to barge in here and start talking like I know it all.

cheers!