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Old 15th December 2009, 13:34   #511
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I have spotted pretty good number of owners of cruz. Why none has come up wit their initial experience (except few) as separate threads ?
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Old 15th December 2009, 13:39   #512
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Could you tell us how much you spent for the tyres and the alloys.. Looks really nice..

[quote=sameer sultan;1628545]Here some pictures of my black Cruze after upsizing the tires to Good Year F1 225/45ZR17 and Flying Eagle 17" Alloys. After the change I noticed that there is a wobble in the steering between 100KMPH to 120KMPH. After crossing 120KMPH it subsides. I checked with the person whom I purchased the tires and alloys he said there is a slight gap in the center hub between the alloy and the disc, hence he needs to fix a ring there in order to avoid the Air passing thro the gap in high speeds which is causing the wobble. I have done balancing twice. Hope to get this sorted out. The shop guy was saying that these alloys are universal and not specific for Cruze hence the gap.
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Old 16th December 2009, 12:33   #513
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nik1982 View Post
Could you tell us how much you spent for the tyres and the alloys.. Looks really nice..
the tires costed 6500 each and the alloys costed 25000 for a set of 4.
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Old 16th December 2009, 12:38   #514
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Originally Posted by cosmopolitan View Post
Nice to see the 17 inch alloys. its really superb. I think it can cause a huge difference in your GC. It can cause a 9mm drop in GC compared to the stock vehicle.
Thanks the alloys are a head turner in the Cruze. Yes you are right the GC has come down. I need to compromise for good looks

Quote:
Originally Posted by cosmopolitan View Post
I have spotted pretty good number of owners of cruz. Why none has come up wit their initial experience (except few) as separate threads ?
I will come up shortly with my initial ownership report.

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Originally Posted by nag20in View Post
Hi,
i might be replying late for this, an inside story for these low sales is all the cars that are manufacured are sold.....
Yes I agree thats what I heard from GM. They have production constraints.
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Old 17th December 2009, 15:05   #515
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Originally Posted by blackasta View Post
even I think so. But door sil guards are easy to rip and refit with double sided tape I guess.
Whats the power source for the lights in the door sil guard?

I have never really thought of them as being of any purpose apart from "Oh , they look so cool". The sill plates are illuminated only for the 2 front doors. The rear doors get non-illuminated plates. Cost = Rs 7k approx.

I think they look perfectly fine where they are. The grey wouldn't really go well with the metal portion. And I'm not gonna rip them out and put them on the metal portion in any case

I don't have any idea about their power source.
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Old 18th December 2009, 15:38   #516
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So i test drove the Cruze LTZ on wednesday and have finalized on it as well. The only reason i'm booking this car is because of the looks, features and the engine. This engine although a nightmare to drive in city traffic will give oodles of torque and driving pleasure on highways. And this is the reason i'm buying this car. Its going to be used solely as a highway cruiser and for my long drives.
I guess an excellent equation of fuel economy+performance+looks+features just forced me to make this decision. Its more of a heart's decision rather then the mind one.
Now as far as the review of TD is concerned i'm bound to compare it with the vRS which i currently use as a daily drive. After having driven the vRS i'm obviously spoilt by its performance and thus was looking for a diesel car which is capable of similar performance within 15 lacs. And after the launch of cruze and looking at its performance figures and features i already knew that this is the one for me. It was just the matter of dragging myself to the dealership and driving one. Now this is the closest i can get to vRS in terms of performance and features in a diesel car and thus the decision was already made. Cars likes Laura, Jetta and linea were already out of the consideration because of the above said reasons. And i was never really looking at petrol cars since vRS is already drinking lots of it and thus never thought about civic, altis or the TSI.
Now coming to the actual TD of the car, it has been a mix of positives and negatives. First the dealership. Apex auto, Gurgaon did not even have the TD vehicle of cruze and when i told these guys that i need to book one this week itself but will not do it before i test drive it they promised to arrange the car within 3 days. However i've not recieved any call form them yet. Meanwhile there's another dealership in gurgaon near to the iffco chowk with the name of 'aravali automobiles'. Guys at aravali were really curteous and prompt with their responses and they had a TD vehicle readily available.
Coming to the actualy drive, Cruze is not a perfect car by any stretch of the imagination and IMHO anyone buying a cruze will be absoultely sure of why he/she is buying it. If someone is looking for diesel+comfort+build quality+lots of city driving then just forget the cruze. You are better off with the jetta or the laura. In terms of the acceleration cruze felt definately slower then the vRS but not by much. You never really feel the torque wave hitting you and its more of a linear incline towards the acceleration. The car is a dead meat till 2K rpm and after that it becomes lively and very responsive and surges ahead really well. One thing is for sure, this engine revs just like petrol and you dont really feel loss of power till the red line. However i've found this engine to be less refined and gruffy at higher rpms in comparison to vRS but definately more refined and less noisy then other diesel engines. The low end torque really kills the driveability of this car and in city even altos and 800s can leave you for dead in a drag if you are not in the right power band. On highways its a different story all together and it can outdrag just about any diesel car this side of 30 lacs including almost most of the petrol sedans. Its fitting to call it a 'Highway king' and 'City Pauper'. This car definately has a dual personality as far as the driveability is concerned.
Coming to the interiors of the car well what can i say its a huge disappointment. After being spoilt by the tank like build quality of vRS i must say that this car pales in comparison. The plastics and quality of the interiors can put tata to shame. The glovebox and door pockets feel so cheap that you wonder how can this be a entry luxury saloon car. Also you have to be really careful with the controls and knobs for seat adjustment as they feel really light and cheap to operate. The front facia has a 'in your face' kind of a placement and my fiance had an immediate dislike for it and felt it to be to too full and obstrusive. The facia is definately nice to look at but thats just about it. Its functionality and utility is yet to be seen and felt in order to make any comments on it.
OEM sound quality is very optra like which is good but definately could have been better. I guess audiophiles will definately have to make a trip to their fav stores in order to quench their thirst for SQ.
Coming to the comfort i found the front seats to be really good and snugs the occupants really well. It also gives a sporty feel to the driver as well as the front passenger. Coming to the rear its definately more spacious then the vRS but yet its worse then a 'C' segment car. The optra is anyday more comfortable and spacious then the cruze so one can imagine how mismatched the cruze is. Rear space is a joke and even ANHC provides much better comfort and space to the rear passengers. Its a car which is meant to be driven not to be driven in.
The exterior is where this car scores again and scores big time. I found the front and side profile of this car to be really attractive and rear is also decent. The only reason rear looses out is because it looks a copy of civic rear lights. If you keep civic lights aside then you might just find the rear decent to look at. IMHO the car will look best in black and white. However i'm booking a black one (though i wanted white) as my fiance is hell bent on that color Having said that cruze really looks like a beast in black and thats a good thing!
I'm taking the delivery of black cruze LTZ on 22nd Jan which is my Birthday and thus it would be really special to have it on that day.
Salesman at aravali adviced me to do the billing before 31st Dec as after that the price of cruze is expected to rise by 20-25K and he also showed me the formal letter sent to all the dealers by GM motors.
So friends you can expect the initial ownership report after 22nd jan and till then i'm keeping my fingures crossed and waiting for my black beauty. Soon i'll have a diesel rocket to give company to my petrol rocket
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Old 18th December 2009, 16:04   #517
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@ashish22- Unlike you my experience with Aravali auto was not as good, the staff though courteous but was unwilling to handle a customer. The TD car which was not available suddenly was ready for TD within 2mins, Reason: Some exchange of words and feedback about the dealership.
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Old 21st December 2009, 12:50   #518
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I did a 400KM drive yesterday in the Cruze on NH 4 and NH 46. All four laned roads. Traffic was sparse in the morning. I was able to do 210KMPH at one stretch. My personal top speed. This car is really a rocket on the highway. If I had pushed more I guess I could have done 215KMPH as the car was still accelerating. At that speed the Cruze was very stable and planted on the road. I was astonished at the speeds this car develops. I have drive the Jetta 1.9TDi which hits a road block after 190KMPH and it took almost 25 second to reach 198KMPH and by that time I had to slow down. But the Cruze was touching 200KMPH in no time after 180KMPH and I was able to peddle upto 210KMPH!!!!!
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Old 21st December 2009, 14:25   #519
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[quote=ashish22;1640370]So i test drove the Cruze LTZ on wednesday and have finalized on it as well.

Very precise review from a person who did a test drive maybe for a few mins. Good One. I m sure your initial ownership report of the Cruze is going to be a post to wait for.

My thoughts on your thoughts!!!

1) You have taken a right decision by opting for the Cruze as this is a car for Young Couples like yourself!! Unlike the Laura and Jetta which have the serious type looks and suited more for the elderly.

2).Its certainly a highway Cruzer. Refer my post just before this one.

3). In city if you can change gears often you wont have a problem. I m used to it now and I dont find much of a difference from the Octavia 1.9 which I drove for 7 years. I read in TBHP that an AT Cruze is coming in January. If you can get this confirmed from your dealer and are willing to stretch your budget then the AT Cruze is the one to go for as in city bumper to bumper traffic the AT box will be very comfortable.

4).It will give the vRS a run for the money in the highway and at all times you will get a respectable FE of12 KPL.(High Speeds of 160KMPH +). If you drive between 100-120KMPH you will get 15KPL. In city driving 12KPL at all times.

5). If you compare the interiors quality wise to the German cars, they are a pale shadow in the Cruze quality wise. But look wise the cockpit like front panel is way ahead from the Germans autos.

6). At high speeds the Cruze is stable on staright stretch. In turnings it is not advisable to cross 140KMPH as the car moves a bit unlike the Jetta or the Linea for that matter which are planted to the road even in sharp turnings. The solid tank like build of the German cars is missing in the Cruze.

7) The rear space is much better than the Octavia and Jetta. But less than Altis. I have a family to drive around and they feel its more comfy than the Octavia in the rear.

8). You will not regret your decision of going for the Cruze as this is a VFM this side of 15 Lacs.

9) Its a head turner on the roads with its amazing front looks.

10) Yes black is a rocking color on the Cruze. Do go for dark tint and upsize the tires and the alloys and people will mistake the Cruze for a BMW!!!!
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Old 23rd December 2009, 13:52   #520
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first service

Gave the Cruze for first service yesterday. Also added sun film to the glass, but they said they couldn't put it on the front windscreen cos it would void warranty (don't know why, but not like we wanted it on the front anyway).

We gave it at 750km itself, mainly because we are going on a 1300km+ drive starting tomorrow. They said they'd give it by 5pm but delayed till 6.30pm. Whatever they've done, the engine's typical diesel clatter has reduced. There was a bit more engine noise (from the outside, when you're inside you don't hear anything) after our last long drive but now its OK.

Servicing was done well apart from the fact that they haven't filled up the windshield wiper fluid. :/

Saw a Red Cruze there, also there I think for the first service. However there were 2 other car owners who were arguing with the Sundaram motors people. Apparently, they'd left the cars for servicing and when they got their cars back, there were some major scratches on them. So this morning we parked the cruze well in the sun and gave it a thorough look top to bottom. There weren't any scratches or dents. Phew !!

Getting to drive it a bit more, and I can safely say that there won't be any problem driving in city as long as you downshift more while accelerating. You can't expect it to start from standstill in 2nd gear. And be mindful with the clutch. It releases towards the bottom itself. You can't have it half pressed and change gears like you can in an Accent or a Baleno. Had to sit in the rear for a few hours, and if you're used to sitting a bit more erect, there's absolutely no problem. And I see a lot of people complaining about bad legroom. Seriously, what kind of legroom do you want?? It compares quite favourably to other cars in the segment, unless the person in the front wants to be really cruel and pushes the seat all the way back.

The plastics aren't bad. Still feel good. Maybe the glossy black plastic alone feels a little cheap to the touch but it adds to the looks. Its still giving more than 12 kmpl easily in city.

And like Sameer said, its definitely a looker. We're enjoying the glances the car gets.
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Old 23rd December 2009, 14:54   #521
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Checked my tire pressure. Sundaram buggers have left it 26, whereas its supposed to be 30. Somebody gonna get hurt real bad about now...
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Old 25th December 2009, 09:32   #522
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The reason they refused to put sun film in the front windscreen is because the rain sensor is on top and hence the sun film might interfere with it and void the warranty
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Old 25th December 2009, 12:09   #523
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grajasekar View Post
Checked my tire pressure. Sundaram buggers have left it 26, whereas its supposed to be 30. Somebody gonna get hurt real bad about now...
I've noticed that with quite a few car dealerships, who always send the car back with incorrect tyre pressures after service. ( almost 30 to 50% higher than the recommended standard ).
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Old 27th December 2009, 00:25   #524
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Vindu Dara Singh wins bigg boss season 3 and gets an Atlantis blue Chevrolet Cruze as prize apart from 1CR
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Old 30th December 2009, 01:21   #525
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back from a LONG drive with the cruze

Got back home two days ago from a 1500km+ roadtrip from Chennai to a few places in Kerala with the new car and back.

Wonderful drive. Now feel a lack of power whenever I drive the Baleno thanks to my getting used to the Cruze. This baby is an awesome highway car. Touches high speeds effortlessly even though we stay below 140 almost all the time on highways. Amazes me how most people with Santros and Zens just zoom past at 150+ speeds, I guess they have no idea what will happen to their cars with just 1 small mistake, or one idiot crossing the road at the wrong place (happens all to often in our country).



Cleaned the car for an hour today before applying the special Diamondbrite shampoo that the Diamondbrite treatment for the car requires monthly. Rinsed it off and wiped it again. Then let it dry while drying it with a cloth too. End result is the 2nd picture.


3rd one shows what happened just 20 minutes later
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Chevrolet Cruze LTZ 2.0 Diesel : Test Drive & Review-27122009456.jpg  

Chevrolet Cruze LTZ 2.0 Diesel : Test Drive & Review-29122009460.jpg  

Chevrolet Cruze LTZ 2.0 Diesel : Test Drive & Review-29122009462.jpg  

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