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Old 11th September 2012, 07:32   #5161
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Alignment and balancing are two separate things altogether. Once the wheels are balanced, they stay balanced and you don't have to bother about it unless you have a puncture and remounting the tyre.

Most people don't understand this and the service center would be more than happy to fleece the unsuspecting customer. Weights for the alloy wheels are the stick on types and are twice as expensive as the weights for steel rims.

There is simply no need to check balancing at frequent intervals as posted above.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ninjatalli
Guys,
When do you generally do wheel balancing; rather how frequently do you do it? My practice was getting it done during the service schedules.

To be frank the posts on this thread is the reason for this post/query. Do correct me if my understanding/methodology is wrong.
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Old 11th September 2012, 07:39   #5162
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolboy007 View Post
2. Change to 90/100 setup with relays - there would be a big difference in the lighting but i have a few doubts regarding it :
a. Could it lead to blackening of headlamp lens like we see in a few cars due to excessive heat produced inside or any other damage?

b. Do i need to remove it before every service or just let it be until i need a warranty claim?

What should i do, would prefer a little whiter light than stock and would also replace fog lamps (read the size is H8, if anyone could confirm that)
I have been using this option (Philips) for the last 25000+ kms / 15 months and my replies to your queries are -
a. No, it doesn't lead to blackening of headlamp lens - it has not happened in the last 15 months and I do a fair amount of night driving. Heat produced is more than the stock but there has been no effect of it
b. I keep it as is when my car goes for servicing - done 2 servicing and there is no problem

Use separate relays and cutouts and please get it done at a good place so that there are no wires cut and naked ends
cheers
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Old 11th September 2012, 08:01   #5163
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Here is the add

Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review-image322907834.jpg

Also visit makingofvolkswagen.com

Amazing site

POLO gets STYLE alloys (yummy) and vento gets lakeside alloys

Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review-screen-shot-20120911-8.16.35-am.png

Last edited by newtonMeter : 11th September 2012 at 08:19.
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Old 11th September 2012, 09:24   #5164
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

The eBrochure is updated on VW India website. Am attaching today's download. (Tomorrow's may be different.)

Black Headlamps - Highline only
Garmin + Reverse Camera - Comfortline & Highline (Camera view auto activated when Reverse gear in engaged).
Also - the earlier 'audible parking sensors' still remain (as per brochure).

No mention of Bluetooth in the brochure. From the pictures looks like a 'plug-on' if I can call it so. Looks like the 'updates' are similar to aftermarket offerings.

Considering that VW saved a little in the Alloy 'update', they should be incurring some costs in the Garmin, Reverse Camera & Blackened head lamps.

Still they managed to cut down the price. Food for thought !
Attached Files
File Type: zip vento_ebrochure_11_Sep_2012.zip (2.93 MB, 414 views)

Last edited by DieselDon : 11th September 2012 at 09:42.
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Old 11th September 2012, 09:51   #5165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselDon
The eBrochure is updated on VW India website. Am attaching today's download. (Tomorrow's may be different.)

Black Headlamps - Highline only
Garmin + Reverse Camera - Comfortline & Highline (Camera view auto activated when Reverse gear in engaged).
Also - the earlier 'audible parking sensors' still remain (as per brochure).

No mention of Bluetooth in the brochure. From the pictures looks like a 'plug-on' if I can call it so. Looks like the 'updates' are similar to aftermarket offerings.

Considering that VW saved a little in the Alloy 'update', they should be incurring some costs in the Garmin, Reverse Camera & Blackened head lamps.

Still they managed to cut down the price. Food for thought !
Was thinking of checking with the dealer if the Bluetooth phone thingy is available for the older ventos, then can probably pick one.
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Old 11th September 2012, 10:03   #5166
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by evilshantanu View Post
Was thinking of checking with the dealer if the Bluetooth phone thingy is available for the older ventos, then can probably pick one.
@evilshantanu
Easily done for older ventos or for that matter for any car. This is after all a aftermarket device. It is a simple speaker phone device which attached to your sun visor. You should be able to get one easily in the market. Jabra has good devices. This one seems to be a parrot device. Parrot Minikit+.
http://www.parrot.net.nz/minikit-plus.html

Cost should be around 6500/-
Attached Thumbnails
Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review-minikitplus5.jpg  

Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review-parrot_minikit_insitu_28.jpg  


Last edited by surd_biker : 11th September 2012 at 10:12.
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Old 11th September 2012, 10:25   #5167
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Well first things first Kudos to VW India for reducing the price and ADDING more features instead of reducing them. But Come on VW so many updates in such less time

On the other had most of these updates are not something that the current Highline owners should be disappointed about. Some how the Lakeside alloys look all to familiar to the ones on the Rapid. Yes the GPS and the Bluetooth and the Reverse camera are welcome features, but unless the the Button on the steering wheel is linked to the Bluetooth unit (Which appears to be a Parrot one http://www.amazon.com/Parrot-Minikit...339012&sr=1-19) I don't think existing owners loose much.

The only thing I really like is the darkened headlamps they look yummy esp on the White Vento . And the 'Style" alloys on the Polo, though from a distance they do look like (to me) like the one on the Honda City.

P.S. Any idea on how the rear camera is connected to the Navi Unit? is there a wire running if yes wouldn't it be unsightly when we remove the Navi unit for storage.
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Old 11th September 2012, 10:31   #5168
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by surd_biker View Post
@evilshantanu
Easily done for older ventos or for that matter for any car. This is after all a aftermarket device. It is a simple speaker phone device which attached to your sun visor. You should be able to get one easily in the market. Jabra has good devices. This one seems to be a parrot device. Parrot Minikit+.
http://www.parrot.net.nz/minikit-plus.html

Cost should be around 6500/-


My Thoughts too. Actually i currently use this Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review-51yffp0kcfl._sl500_aa300_.jpghttp://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Bluet...7339575&sr=1-6


You beat me to it by around 10 Minutes, from the point of typing to submitting it.

And apologies for the back to back posts

Last edited by siddharthdeb : 11th September 2012 at 10:35. Reason: Apologies
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Old 11th September 2012, 10:37   #5169
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by siddharthdeb View Post
P.S. Any idea on how the rear camera is connected to the Navi Unit? is there a wire running if yes wouldn't it be unsightly when we remove the Navi unit for storage.
IF that is a Garmin 2565 unit, then the connection to the rear view camera would be wireless which would mean no wires running on the dashboard.
http://www.garmin.co.in/news/pressroom/news20120103/

Wireless Rear View Camera
Are you afraid of not seeing backward while parking? Garmin presents wireless rear view camera, which supports reverse images, providing saver experience for driver. The rear view camera is very easy to install. The wireless transmission is 2.4GHz. All you need to do is to connect power cable but no more extra wires required above dashboard. Besides, the wireless rear view camera receiving module is built in Garmin GPS mount, making it neat ands tidy as integration of receiving. * Wireless rear view camera supports nüvi 2565LM only.


But as of now we do not know the model no of the garmin device.


I think the Parrot Bluetooth device option would be for the polo. (EDIT: Confirmed the polo e-brochure has the bluetooth device while the vento e-brochure has only the garmin navigation unit shown although no mention of bluetooth)
The Garmin 2565 already has bluetooth handsfree integrated.
That is IF it is a 2565.

Last edited by surd_biker : 11th September 2012 at 10:52. Reason: add more info
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Old 11th September 2012, 10:51   #5170
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by evilshantanu View Post
Was thinking of checking with the dealer if the Bluetooth phone thingy is available for the older ventos, then can probably pick one.
Worth checking if the darkened headlights are available for the earlier Vento's/Polo's.

Cheers!

Last edited by volkman10 : 11th September 2012 at 11:18.
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Old 11th September 2012, 11:19   #5171
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by surd_biker View Post
IF that is a Garmin 2565 unit, then the connection to the rear view camera would be wireless which would mean no wires running on the dashboard.
http://www.garmin.co.in/news/pressroom/news20120103/

Wireless Rear View Camera
Are you afraid of not seeing backward while parking? Garmin presents wireless rear view camera, which supports reverse images, providing saver experience for driver. The rear view camera is very easy to install. The wireless transmission is 2.4GHz. All you need to do is to connect power cable but no more extra wires required above dashboard. Besides, the wireless rear view camera receiving module is built in Garmin GPS mount, making it neat ands tidy as integration of receiving. * Wireless rear view camera supports nüvi 2565LM only.


But as of now we do not know the model no of the garmin device.
If this is the Garmin 2565 model, the street price of the same is around INR 18,900/- (for lifetime maps) and INR 6,500 for the camera. This lines up with an earlier post mentioning the kit price to be around 26K. However I did speak to the sales guy at VW downtown here and so far they have no clue on the pricing of this kit.

Sid
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Old 11th September 2012, 11:35   #5172
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by bala80 View Post
.......Once the wheels are balanced, they stay balanced and you don't have to bother about it unless you have a puncture and remounting the tyre........
I would like to disagree there. Wheel balancing is done to correct for the uneven mass distribution of the tyre and also the wheel to some extent. This mass distribution changes with tyre wear, and tyre creep.

A wheel that is balanced will loose its balancing with running. Imagine hard braking, or if there was 1-2 inches of wheel spin when starting off. More rubber was worn off one part of the tyre. These were extreme cases, but normal running has the same effect, but in a reduced magnitude.

Also, the uneven mass distribution of the new tyre was caused by different parts of it having slightly different overall densities, caused during manufacturing. So when, during running and wear, a part with higher density is worn off, the mass distribution is changed and the balance is lost.

If the wheel was checked for balance after 5 to 6k km of running, it would most likely be out of balance.

Balancing has little direct effect on tyre wear. Out of balance wheels will only cause vibrations in the vehicle, which may in the long run damage and alter bearings, suspension and alignment, which in turn may cause uneven tyre wear. Correct me if i'm wrong.
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Old 11th September 2012, 12:18   #5173
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by siddharthdeb View Post
If this is the Garmin 2565 model, the street price of the same is around INR 18,900/- (for lifetime maps) and INR 6,500 for the camera. This lines up with an earlier post mentioning the kit price to be around 26K. However I did speak to the sales guy at VW downtown here and so far they have no clue on the pricing of this kit.

Sid
I am not sure why VW has tried this weird complicated route of giving features when all they could have done is plonked the Blaupunkt New York 800 with reverse camera for a price of Rs 35,800 the same one which TBHP member Anil Kalvani has done http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post2542804.

Through some separate cost adjustments I am sure the price could have been managed to enable the overall price reduction and integrating this one with the bluetooth button in the steering should not have been a huge challenge as VW uses Blaupunkt OEMs. This piecemeal approach is totally weird in my view . An integrated system should have been the way to go given their are options available.

Last edited by samarjitdhar : 11th September 2012 at 12:20.
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Old 11th September 2012, 14:41   #5174
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

From the latest brochure of Polo/Vento ( CL/HL)

Quote:
Heat reducing tinted windows minimise sunlight, helping to ensure a pleasant temperature for rear passengers and enhance the exterior’s sporty appeal.
Cheers!
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Old 11th September 2012, 14:53   #5175
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolboy007 View Post
Am having difficulty in driving at night with the stock set up, could be due to poor fog lamp design or just that the Vento has a weak light setup so this is my first car wherein i want to go in for an headlight upgrade within 2 months, do a lot of night driving so need to upgrade.
I read a few threads and my 2 options were :

1. Change to Osram NB+ or Philips Xtreme vision 55/60 bulbs which wont require any relay or harness, just a bolt on and wont affect warranty too - the safest option but the output is still a big question mark. I read that for Vento this route isnt very sucessful as the output is low and not very confidence inspiring.

2. Change to 90/100 setup with relays - there would be a big difference in the lighting but i have a few doubts regarding it :
a. Could it lead to blackening of headlamp lens like we see in a few cars due to excessive heat produced inside or any other damage?

b. Do i need to remove it before every service or just let it be until i need a warranty claim?

What should i do, would prefer a little whiter light than stock and would also replace fog lamps (read the size is H8, if anyone could confirm that)

Dont go with the 1st option. I am using Osram Night Breakers 55/60. Costed around 1300 Rs. Not a significant improvement in light. Forget significant I would say not even percievable improvement in light. For better lights as some of the members are using I would also suggest 100/90 setup.
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