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Old 19th March 2012, 17:32   #2566
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

[quote=superutp;2718678]Would you mind telling me how exactly you calculated the FE here? As in how did you calculate 100 and 104 kms exactly on Rs 500 of fuel?

I memorize the reading and reset the trip-meter when the low-fuel-indicator comes on. Re-fuel for 500 shortly before running the tank dry. This way, I can calculate the mileage for the Rs.500 fuel till the next time the low-fuel-indicator turns on.
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Old 19th March 2012, 17:44   #2567
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by ani_meher View Post
Can anyone tell how to open up the Beat interior light dome? The light is too inferior, and would love to pop in some LEDs. But can't get the dome open.
Just yesterday fitted the antenna, so for that we had to open the light dome. This is nothing but a snap fit, so we just used a screw driver to open it. Place the screw driver between the headliner and the plastic part, and apply pressure, it would open. If you are not comfortable, just take them to a accessories shop, they will open it with ease.
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Old 19th March 2012, 21:59   #2568
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by thoma View Post

I memorize the reading and reset the trip-meter when the low-fuel-indicator comes on. Re-fuel for 500 shortly before running the tank dry. This way, I can calculate the mileage for the Rs.500 fuel till the next time the low-fuel-indicator turns on.
I am not sure if relying on the low-fuel indicator is an accurate measurement since whenever I re-fuel its immediately after the yellow light turns on. Sometimes my Beat drinks slightly above 30ltrs while sometimes slightly above 29. Its possible that your FE may be better than the calculations you did.
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Old 20th March 2012, 10:26   #2569
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Sometimes my Beat drinks slightly above 30ltrs while sometimes slightly above 29.
This is one reason why I have always felt the top up method is less accurate. Here, we assume /depend on the accuracy of the cut-off sensor on the fuel pump nozzle, to be a constant on different occasions of fueling.

You might be interested in some more reads on this - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2711814 [one of my posts on the topic] and http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...al-method.html

Quote:
Its possible that your FE may be better than the calculations you did.
But, no way. My calculations are not over a single instance. I take consecutive averages, which level out any inaccuracies of the low-fuel-indicator method of checking the FE. It is true that depending on the low-fuel-indicator method for a one off instance, and filling in too low a fuel, can be misleading. I've got 14 kmpl and 12 kmpl on the following fills, moreover over the same route, where the 12 kmpl is when the traffic density got worse.
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Old 20th March 2012, 14:40   #2570
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

Guys,I broke the antenna.
My father pulled the Beat's cover from rear to front.This broke the antenna.I heard it will cost around 600/-.I tried to glue it,didnt work.Any idea?

Last edited by white-rabbit : 20th March 2012 at 14:43.
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Old 20th March 2012, 20:33   #2571
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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This is one reason why I have always felt the top up method is less accurate. Here, we assume /depend on the accuracy of the cut-off sensor on the fuel pump nozzle, to be a constant on different occasions of fueling.

But, no way. My calculations are not over a single instance. I take consecutive averages, which level out any inaccuracies of the low-fuel-indicator method of checking the FE. It is true that depending on the low-fuel-indicator method for a one off instance, and filling in too low a fuel, can be misleading. I've got 14 kmpl and 12 kmpl on the following fills, moreover over the same route, where the 12 kmpl is when the traffic density got worse.
thanks, will probably try the other method as well.

For now let me present before everyone my latest FE figures in 100% city, 60% a/c, around 60% B2B traffic. With the increasing bangalore temperatures my Beat is feeling thirstier and for 318 kms she drank up 29.1 ltrs giving an FE of 10.92 Well the actual reason was my spirited driving for a change.

The result is mixed bag because the horrible low-end torque becomes much less of an issue when you rev-her a bit but the FE suffers from the 11.8ish I was getting driving under 2.5k RPM.

One issue is a slight sound, something like shrill 'tinggg' coming from somewhere in my Beat especially when I switch on the ignition, sometimes when I brake to standstill and sometimes when I open/close my power windows. Its a continuous sound which stops after 5-10 secs, sometimes loud while other times faily silent. This has started after I fitted DRL's(cheap chinese DRLs unfortunately) and LED sill plates on my Beat . The guys who fixed it, connected the wires to the Autocop unit on the car (I now fear my autocop warranty is dead even after I strictly told them not to mess around with anything with a warranty in the car). Being a major car electrical noobie , I had no clue what they were upto until I saw the Autocop unit outside, which is located above the Glove compartment.
Any idea on what this sound could be? It hasnt changed anything about anything on the car, its just a tad irritating (& worrying) for a whining sound coming from a 3 month old car.

Last edited by superutp : 20th March 2012 at 20:43.
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Old 20th March 2012, 22:45   #2572
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

Guys, I don't know what to do? I am getting around 9-10.5 kmpl in B2B traffic with 50-60% A/C (average reading). I try not to cross 2.2-2.5K rpm while shifting and drive at a sedate pace.

But I got around 15-17 kmpl in highways with 100% A/C and driving around 80-130 kmph.

What can I do to improve my FE? The running cost is slowly turning into a headache. Please help with your suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by Joy : 20th March 2012 at 22:46.
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Old 20th March 2012, 23:24   #2573
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by Joy View Post
What can I do to improve my FE? The running cost is slowly turning into a headache. Please help with your suggestions.
Though I don't own Beat but a petrol Figo but I can try to help. Please tell me the speeds and RPMs at which you upshift. Tell me figures for both in city and on highway.

Have you also tried driving with your hood partially open? Asking since you said that you get good mileage on highway. This is quite possible that your Beat is not getting enough air to burn fuel resulting in wastage of fuel. I've noticed that newer Beat has slightly different grill design. If they wanted to make a facelift, the newer design should have been distinct from old one. And hence my theory that it was kept subtle to avoid people noticing that Chevy fixed a certain problem (breathing problem of engine).
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Old 21st March 2012, 00:56   #2574
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by DevilsCry View Post
Have you also tried driving with your hood partially open? Asking since you said that you get good mileage on highway. This is quite possible that your Beat is not getting enough air to burn fuel resulting in wastage of fuel.
Though I do not advice on running with the hood partially opened, here is a similar person reporting the same - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2631216

Quote:
I've noticed that newer Beat has slightly different grill design. If they wanted to make a facelift, the newer design should have been distinct from old one. And hence my theory that it was kept subtle to avoid people noticing that Chevy fixed a certain problem (breathing problem of engine).
Can you or anyone please provide us with some pictures of the modified grill?

Last edited by thoma : 21st March 2012 at 00:59.
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Old 21st March 2012, 01:30   #2575
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Can you or anyone please provide us with some pictures of the modified grill?
I didn't have pics with me so I googled. Looks like I was mistaken. I think I saw some Beats with chrome around grill and some without. That explains why some Beat's grill looked bigger to me (the ones without chrome) than some Beat's grill (the ones with chrome).

I'm very sorry for misinformation caused by my confusion.
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Old 21st March 2012, 11:22   #2576
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by DevilsCry View Post
Though I don't own Beat but a petrol Figo but I can try to help. Please tell me the speeds and RPMs at which you upshift. Tell me figures for both in city and on highway.

Have you also tried driving with your hood partially open? ......
Thanks for the input. I generally upshift/downshift as follows:

1st Gear - 0-15/20 kmph
2nd Gear - 15/20-30/35 kmph
3rd Gear - 30/35-40/45 kmph
4th Gear - 40/45-50/55 kmph
5th Gear - Above 50/55 kmph (Rarely in city)

But I keep an eye mostly at rpm, trying to upshift/downshift at around 1.8-2.5 rpm band.

Regarding driving with my hood partially open, I have a very bad experience with my Dad's Premier Padmini. During a journey, I had opened the hood for the engine to cool down. Somehow didn't check properly while shutting and while overtaking a truck my hood flung open obstructing my view completely and missed by a whisker from a frontal collision with an oncoming truck. From that day, I double check my hood before driving.

Anyway, now thinking of soft ecu resetting as explained by some members here as soon as I get some time to do a free run after resetting (as explained).
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Old 21st March 2012, 11:51   #2577
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Regarding driving with my hood partially open, I have a very bad experience with my Dad's Premier Padmini.
That's quite scary. Try to see if you can still pick courage to open hood again, given that you'll be driving in city and with care that hood is partially open.

Given that you get best mileage in 5th gear at 80kph, how about trying the following pattern?

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If RPM, speed and gear matches the above figure and mileage improves then it might mean that your engine needs to be at higher RPM at a given speed + gear than what you expect it to be, and that your engine had been straining because of too low RPM. In this case you can drive at changed RPM range. Reset ECU if still not satisfied.

Last edited by DevilsCry : 21st March 2012 at 11:55.
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Old 21st March 2012, 12:10   #2578
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by DevilsCry View Post
That's quite scary. Try to see if you can still pick courage to open hood again, given that you'll be driving in city and with care that hood is partially open.

Given that you get best mileage in 5th gear at 80kph, how about trying the following pattern?
...

If RPM, speed and gear matches the above figure and mileage improves then it might mean that your engine needs to be at higher RPM at a given speed + gear than what you expect it to be, and that your engine had been straining because of too low RPM. In this case you can drive at changed RPM range. Reset ECU if still not satisfied.
Thanks. Will try to follow your instructions and get back.
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Old 21st March 2012, 15:48   #2579
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by DevilsCry View Post
If RPM, speed and gear matches the above figure and mileage improves then it might mean that your engine needs to be at higher RPM at a given speed + gear than what you expect it to be, and that your engine had been straining because of too low RPM. In this case you can drive at changed RPM range. Reset ECU if still not satisfied.

I think thats a very very valid point for Beat, here we are trying to keep the rpms as low as possible to get the best out of each drop of fuel and effectively its lugging the engine. I think Beat has got a rev happy engine which can take care of the low end torque with a lil more pressure on the gas pedal without affecting the FE. If we try to upshift in slightly higher rpms on 1st & 2nd where the low end torque is too low and the car needs to attain the momentum from stand still, this thing can be tackled.

Last week onwards am also in this track and the signs are positive too. I used to up shift almost all the gears before 2k and was keen on not exceeding this limit and its lugging hence waste of fuel on 1st and 2nd gears. Few weeks back my FE was 12Kpl (50:50 AC) last week onwards am trying this method I got a better figure 16Kpl without much AC usage. But I guess 3rd gear onwards its better be less than 2k on all shifts as the FE masters like Salbin and Rajan are following this pattern. Will update my figures next week.

Last edited by sajjt : 21st March 2012 at 15:49.
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Old 22nd March 2012, 11:34   #2580
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Re: Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review

I am thoroughly happy with current interior/dash of my Beat. But I can't resist the interior/dash of upcoming Beat/Spark which will be launched later this year in US.

Look the Key fob, center console (need Auto AC), placement of USB port, etc. WOW! Though bit ambitious about Automatic here in India.

Chevrolet Beat : Test Drive & Review-beat.jpg

Cheers!

Last edited by myavu : 22nd March 2012 at 11:35.
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