Team-BHP - Volkswagen Polo 1.6L GT TDI : Official Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 4261413)

I have too, and I very much hope to keep it for a decade! After this current final extended-warranty year, it is likely that I would go independent rather than dealer.
There is at least one good thread on how much more we can get for our money by buying a used car. Without buying used, I might still have a Polo, but it absolutely could not have been a GT.

Parts in my opinion are not a problem. I have a 2013 Gt which has done over 72k kms. For the last 2 years, i procure the parts and take it to a FNG. The results- am all smiles.

As mentioned earlier, the engines are rock steady. Parts are easily available right from the local market to performance parts, which ones you choose will decide how your car behaves.

I went to Elite motors, Bangalore, today to test drive GT TDI. The sales guy promptly told that the GT TDI doesn't get a TD vehicle and gave me an Ameo TDI instead. He said VW doesn't provide one because the engine, suspension and dynamics of GT TDI are same as that of Ameo. Personally, I'm not convinced. Yet, I took a short test drive. So far, I have driven mostly my cousin's swift diesel. While I found the power, pickup and suspension better than the swift (obviously!) I also found the steering comparatively(!) harder. Although, I must mention that it isn't too hard and I could still easily make U-turns with one hand itself.
The one thing that I didn't like in the Ameo is that I felt it rather louder than the Swift. Now that I think of it, it is probably due to the blower being kept at nearly full speed or may be the TD vehicle is an abused one. I'm not very sure.
What are your thoughts about the following?
. Is the engine refinement better/worse than Swift?
. Is the NVH controlled better/worse than Swift?
. How true is it that the GT TDI and Ameo TDI are virtually same except the boot?
PS 1: During the TD, I asked the sales guy, "the Polo gets a high performance setup and deserves a GT tag; if the same is reproduced in an Ameo, then wouldn't the Polo GT lose it's niche market?" He just replied that "people who like the Polo take the Polo, people who like the sedan take the Ameo."
PS 2: The sales rep told me that the GT TDI doesn't come with android auto, apple car play and reverse camera. Regular Polo and Ameo get some of these. He also told me that fitting these in GT TDI will void warranty claims. Is this a standard dialogue given by the sales reps?

Polo GT has everything that the Polo Highline has plus a better tune in the engine.
My vehicle is a 2013 model, then I felt that the dampening used was better than both the Polo and the Vento. As a result the vehicle was a tad bit more silent in the cabin.

Rest of the things would be pretty much the same, apart from the alloys. I guess now GT comes with 16 inches standard. Have they upgraded the suspension because of it, the sales guys are clueless.

Warranty at VW works on the relationship between the customer and the Service station.
So upgrading a HU is a game where aligning someone from the dealership works in your favor.

I would strongly recommend that you try to get a TD. That would really assure you what you are buying.

VW website does state that the engine tune for Polo GT and the Ameo are the same. The engine of the Ameo is actually 5PS more powerful than that of the Polo GT.
I guess the Polo GT TDI has become a vehicle that the company is not too keen on focusing because the TSI gives them the numbers.
Now even I am wondering if the GT badge really means something in the new pedigree.

Guys, on Sep 26th night (2:00am), under the heavy rainfall, my cousin and I were returning to home from attending a private function at Koramangala and took Silkboard service road to drop my cousin at Teachers colony.

I was driving my Polo GT TDI (1.6) which clocked 68k kms in 3.5 years and maintained very well so far.

That night I was completely tired and started to drive back home under the pouring rainfall and took alternative routes to avoid roads filled with rainy water.
Finally, we have ended up at the silkboard service road where the rainwater was flooding not less than 1.5ft deep and could see no vehicle being taken that route.

Waited for a couple of seconds, observed the depth of the water with reference to the heavy vehicles parked nearby and then I was confident enough that the car can be driven through it.

Slotted the gear into 1st, prayed to God and pushed the gas pedal.
Engine is revving at 2.5k rpm in 1st gear.

Car was easily cutting through the flood (thanks to its torque) and within few seconds, to my shock I've realized that the depth is more than 2 feet and can see the water splashing over the bonnet of my car.
I couldn't recollect what has exactly happend, but the car started to loose its power and I was shocked when the engine gave a weird noise (Thak Thak) and coming to a halt. But I revved it hard such that the engine didn't stop (3.5-4K rpm).

Luckily, the engine didn't stop so continued my drive and dropping my cousin at his home. Have parked the car in the safe place, opened the bonnet, I was lucky that the water hasn't reached anywhere closer to the alternator also.
I revved it very hard for few seconds and continued my journey.

No problem has been encountered since then except that the one of the dual horn setup has blown out.

Luckily, my cousin brother sitting at the co-driver seat, recorded the entire scene with the phone camera.

Please watch the video uploaded and help me understand the source of the noise that I was talking about which can be heard at 0:09 - 0:10 sec (Thak Thak)
Watch it with the headphones plugged in for better clarity.

Guys, please tell me if I need to take it to service station for any checkup?
So far, No warnings have lit up on the Instrument Cluster and the car has already been driven more than 500 kms post this incident.

Thank you,

https://youtu.be/9STqlPsnNIw

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3380156)

You guys came across as lifesavers! Checked the oil level today morn. before departing for work and here it is:

Attachment 1213119

Thanks. I thought the Indian cars came with the DPF.

Thanks guys for all the clarification here - you guys saved my TDI's life. I happen to visit the VW service center a month back to replace the broken reflector which was rear ended by a cab and i that is when i asked the technician to check the oil level - he checked and said that it is perfectly fine.

Few days back after reading this post here, i decided to DIY the oil check and i was shocked. The oil level was far below the minimum level, at the bottom tip of the stick. called up all three VW service centers and they asked me to bring the vehicle to them as they do not do a counter sales. Finally i took it to VW Mount road (where i service regularly) and topped up with Castrol Magnetac professional OE 5w 40. I wanted to purchase 1 more litre as stock for me but they were not inclined to - i insisted on the purchase and finally got one at home so that i can do a tip up at the time of need.

Thanks again guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astonite (Post 4656436)

All,

I'm being offered a 10/2018 new gt tdi for 10L otr. Is it a good buy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoBlue (Post 4656499)

If cost of TDI Highline + remap is significantly lower than the discount which you are getting on a 2018 GT TDI, it may be worth deliberation.

Hey Astonite, I agree with GoBlue's suggestion here :thumbs up

For a moment, I actually got excited that one my favorite threads on the forum was revived and I was hoping there was some 1.6 TDI news!! lol:
Jokes aside, the 1.5 GT TDI lacks the soul of the original 1.6 GT, and in the current scenario, it probably makes sense to go in for the 1.5 TDI Highline Plus and remap it.

Also, I would not put my hard earned money on a Car that has been at the yard for nearly a year now. My recent purchase of a GT TDI was only because I was particular about the Lapiz Blue shade, and could not find this on any available TDI Highline Plus variants.

It is your money and your call buddy, just ensure you don't make any decisions that may come back to haunt you later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoBlue (Post 4656499)

What is the OTR of the Polo TDI Highline with discounts?

The TDI high-line can be remapped to the GT TDI tune with just a ECU flash.

If cost of TDI Highline + remap is significantly lower than the discount which you are getting on a 2018 GT TDI, it may be worth deliberation.

Not much of a difference. Doesn't make sense to me to get the car, posted here to see if I'm missing something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vik0728 (Post 4656517)

.....
Also, I would not put my hard earned money on a Car that has been at the yard for nearly a year now. My recent purchase of a GT TDI was only because I was particular about the Lapiz Blue shade, and could not find this on any available TDI Highline Plus variants.

It is your money and your call buddy, just ensure you don't make any decisions that may come back to haunt you later.

This one is Lapiz Blue as well lol:

I don't know where else to post this so I'm putting it here.

With plans for a remap + oiled filter in the horizon, I was thinking up all the mods I would do to the car, along with trying new stuff out.

I already had the Euro Spec Air Guide. The car didn't perform any better(as expected) but I kept it as the turbo whine was audibly louder. I also tried removing the MAF Flow Straightener(from the emissions scandal) which yielded no positive results, attested to by both my butt dyno and logged MAF values.

But I digress, the next point of optimization was the air trumpet that connected Air Guide from the grille to the Air box, the distal part of which had an uncharacteristically narrow constriction :Frustrati near the adapter plate. It appeared to be some form of resonant device judging from the shape, put in place to silence the intake and that is honestly not what I'm about. stupid:

A couple of days of looking through the ol' Internet and I come upon this bad boy: 6R0129618D - the massive intake from the 180PS 1.4 vRS, which, is a plug and play fit! But alas it was too expensive and I had to settle for the smaller: 6R0129618F the trumpet used on the 1.2TSi and some of the weaker 1.4TSi engines which was still larger than stock. I also cut out the horizontal baffles placed internally on the Euro air guide, placing the orifice on the trumpet almost directly inline with the incident outside air. Correct me if I am wrong this is basically a ram air setup now, right?

Then I slap this puppy on expecting absolutely nothing till the remap is done, save for a louder turbo whine. But my expectations were pleasantly subverted. On testing there was a small but noticeable improvement in response. Before, with mild throttle input there was a wall just below 2000 rpm, now its mostly gone and the engine kind of revs faster too. On the acoustic front, the top end sounds a bit more throaty , the idle is bit more tractor-y and disappointingly, the cruising range of 1000-2000 rpm is a bit quieter. Overall I'm happy with the outcome.

On another note, boodmo really seems to have stepped up their game as I got the part in 3 days flat.

Volkswagen Polo 1.6L GT TDI : Official Review-img_20200115_231219.jpg

Volkswagen Polo 1.6L GT TDI : Official Review-img_20200115_231142.jpg

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