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Old 22nd April 2011, 16:18   #1966
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by el lobo 6061 View Post
Made a list of things to get done.
  1. Wheel alignment.
  2. Coolant to be topped up with coolant only, skeptical about it(will the works manager part with the coolant or give some other theory of his).
  3. Get the RC card of the car.
  4. Get the headlamps adjusted again, not upto the mark after the adjustment.
  5. Get the extended warranty for Vento
Any inputs from you all BHPians will be helpful.
Coolant that you see in the radiator + reservoir bottle is a mix of 1/3 parts of Ethyl Glycol (antifreeze) + de-scaling agent and 2/3 parts water. There is nothing wrong if the proportion of the water increases beyond the given ratio. In fact in a given situation even 100% water would do no harm to the system, water is the actual coolant. On the flip side excess proportion of the anti freeze + de-scaling agent mix could be harmful.

What you should be worried about is the decreasing levels of the coolant mix in general. There is a drop over a given period of time but if the period is too short, then the system needs to be looked at very closely for possible leaks.
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Old 23rd April 2011, 07:59   #1967
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by naveen.raju View Post
I swear. I actually dont remember whether it was me who stopped the alarm. Might be my dad with the remote. Maybe this button is to deactivate the alarm while towing. My mistake maybe.
The alarm can only be switched off with the remote only and not from inside.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Svis View Post
There is an "Off" button with a car symbol at the bottom of the driver side seat belt holder. Checked the manual but couldn't find anything about it. Does anybody know what this button is all about?
It is given in the manual, i dont remember the page no, but i myself have gone through it on the manual.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselFan View Post
this is really dumb. Why did VW provide a passive switch which anyone (Evena thief) can use to shut of the interior surveillance and rob the car at his convinience.

An active feature like Valet mode that can be enabled by an authorised person (Person with remote) could have been provided.
It i hope that is cleared now
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Old 23rd April 2011, 11:18   #1968
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by JJames View Post
...Has anyone in this forum of Vento owners, found an alternate solution for the central Locking Dud? ...opened the front (left) door from inside, while I was cruising @100+kmph...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ACM View Post
...Well James I guess it was entirely your fault not that of VW...
@ACM: You're extremely harsh on JJames and very, very generous to VW. I'm a Vento owner, too and I know what JJames is talking about. After reading about this design flaw, I asked my wife to check if her side of door opened in spite of "engaging" the central lock. To her horror, it did. My wife is not a kid and she's justifiably feeling insecure. The door latch can open accidentally due to many unforeseen reasons. For example, a part of her clothing can get stuck in the latch and while pulling, the door may get opened.

Kids in front seats and flaws in central locking are two entirely different risk factors. Just because JJames happened to mention both in the same post, don't let VW get away with a design flaw.

A simple mechanical lock (like the one given below) would have given a high level of security.
It's a design flaw and I'm sure VW won't deny or divert attention the way ACM does.
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Old 23rd April 2011, 22:57   #1969
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

I agree the locking solution is lousy but this is not that big a deal. In our Zen that was used for the last 14 years, no-one (excluding my mom) used to lock the doors. It did not have central locking. Needless to say nothing ever happened. And as far as little kids are concerned, please use child locks.

I personally dislike the locking mechanism sticking out.
Infact central locking should have 3 options
1) Doors unlocked from both inside and outside.
2) Doors locked from outside. But rear passengers can choose whether to lock it from inside or not.
3) All doors locked. Rear passengers cant open even if they want to.
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Old 24th April 2011, 11:00   #1970
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

@msprabhakar:
Although the vento/polo locking mechanism is different from that of japs, it is not a flow. German cars (atleast mercs) used to have one pull door open mechanism for decades. Long back my dad used to have W123, at that time there was no central locking, the door had to be locked by a mechanical lock as shown in the pic you posted. Once locked, the door cannot be opened from outside, but one pull on door lever, the lock disengages, the mechanical stalk moves up and the door opens. Same was with my uncles early W124. I dont remmber the mechanism in newers mercs as I have only driven them on short drives. Anyway, merc had such a locking mechanism for atleast 2 generations, if it was a flaw it would have been fixed on the next year model itself, wouldnt it? I was very young when my dad had this car- around 10yrs- and I or anyone who travelled in the car never opened the doors accidently. And if kids are younger, you always have child lock on rear doors.
Here we are more familiar with jap cars and their locking mechanisms, hence feel it out of place.
I am not being generous or defending vw, I have not need to, i dont even own one. Just mentioning that some german cars had such locking emchanisms for long, so this is certainly not a "design flaw". Why these cars have such locking mechanisms? I have no idea.
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Old 24th April 2011, 15:47   #1971
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Hello all! this is my FIRST POST!
I took delivery of BLACK Vento TDi Highline two weeks back & have clocked around 600k. And am really enjoying the car!

I was closely following all the posts in this thread. I have couple of queries to Vento owners:
- Do you see the seat belt symbol coming on in the dashboard if you dont wear the seat belt? Am not seeing it!
- I too feel the little grinding noise while depressing the clutch during first & second gear. I think @windsurfer had similar issue & was told by the Service guys that it is fine. My question is: have you all finding the same issue or it is there in few cars?
- In city conditions & while driving alone, is it better to use the "Auto" setting of Climatronix or to use a fixed setting?

A quick snap of my Vento:
Attached Thumbnails
Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review-vento1.jpg  

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Old 25th April 2011, 06:53   #1972
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackdiesel View Post
Hello all! this is my FIRST POST!
I took delivery of BLACK Vento TDi Highline two weeks back & have clocked around 600k. And am really enjoying the car!

I was closely following all the posts in this thread. I have couple of queries to Vento owners:
- Do you see the seat belt symbol coming on in the dashboard if you dont wear the seat belt? Am not seeing it!
- I too feel the little grinding noise while depressing the clutch during first & second gear. I think @windsurfer had similar issue & was told by the Service guys that it is fine. My question is: have you all finding the same issue or it is there in few cars?
- In city conditions & while driving alone, is it better to use the "Auto" setting of Climatronix or to use a fixed setting?

A quick snap of my Vento:
First of all congratulations and welcome to the club!

- The seat belt symbol never comes
- There is a slight grinding noise after you press the clutch, I too got it checked and the dealer said that this is not a problem
- I would say that dont use the "AUTO" setting in the city, as you would end up with a lot of smoke and dust inside the cabin , further your AC filters would be blocked..
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Old 25th April 2011, 13:13   #1973
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

@blackdiesel- Congrats! do post an ownership thread.

Agree with evilS- the damn seatbelt indicator never comes on. It is *supposed* to kick in at 25 kmph if the driver seatbelt is unfastened, according to the manual. Have never seen it, but then am not one to leave my seatbelt off however short a distance I travel!
"Auto" is a decent setting if you have high-speed stretches, but if your daily commute is urban crawl, you may find yourself gagging on the "fresh" air emissions, so please switch it to Recycle mode every now and then.
Can't advise on teh clutch since I don't have one hehe.
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Old 25th April 2011, 15:57   #1974
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Took my Vento to check out the boot problem last week. Service guy replaced the boot lock as he said the motor had failed. He mentioned that this has been the problem with quite a few Ventos. While there, I myself saw three Ventos with the same issue.

Btw the service guys clarified that the Off button at the sdriver seat belt bottom is in fact to switch off the interior surveillance. Which begs the question again, what prevents thieves from switching it off once inside?
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Old 25th April 2011, 16:23   #1975
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by Svis View Post
Took my Vento to check out the boot problem last week. Service guy replaced the boot lock as he said the motor had failed. He mentioned that this has been the problem with quite a few Ventos. While there, I myself saw three Ventos with the same issue.

Btw the service guys clarified that the Off button at the sdriver seat belt bottom is in fact to switch off the interior surveillance. Which begs the question again, what prevents thieves from switching it off once inside?
I read it somewhere that "OFF" switch is to switch off the surveilence alarm in case you are leaving you kids inside the car and locking it. Didnt check how true it is
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Old 25th April 2011, 17:04   #1976
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by Svis View Post
Btw the service guys clarified that the Off button at the sdriver seat belt bottom is in fact to switch off the interior surveillance. Which begs the question again, what prevents thieves from switching it off once inside?
Its there to switch off the alarm/horn from starting in the first place not for switching it off after it has started. You can try it.

If you switch it off from that button the alarm won't go off in any case - towing, body sensors, movement inside locked car etc.
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Old 26th April 2011, 02:23   #1977
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Water/coolant; coolant/water --- usual confusion!
Quote:
Originally Posted by khoj View Post
water is the actual coolant.
Quite!
Quote:
even 100% water would do no harm to the system,
Unless it freezes!

Well? It's raining in Chennai in April: Anything's possible!

My view: there will be quite a lot of expansion and contraction in the "coolant". That is what that plastic tank is there for. At all times and all temperatures, the level should be somewhere between the MIN and MAX levels.

That's my theory: feel free to disagree...
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Old 26th April 2011, 09:45   #1978
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evilshantanu View Post
I read it somewhere that "OFF" switch is to switch off the surveilence alarm in case you are leaving you kids inside the car and locking it. Didnt check how true it is
Yup. As per the manual, this button is supposed to be used when you want to lock the car while a "moveable" persons or pets are in the back seat. Further more, you can lower the rear window glass a little so as to allow air circulation. And this button works as a one-time-setting, which means, after engaging this, if you unlock the car & lock again, the surveillance is engaged.

Quote:
Originally Posted by evilshantanu View Post
First of all congratulations and welcome to the club!

- The seat belt symbol never comes
- There is a slight grinding noise after you press the clutch, I too got it checked and the dealer said that this is not a problem
- I would say that dont use the "AUTO" setting in the city, as you would end up with a lot of smoke and dust inside the cabin , further your AC filters would be blocked..
Thanks.
I tried few combinations; however, didnt feel AUTO setting bringing in smoke! I generally close other vents except the two vents to the left & right of the steering wheel.
Btw, there is no vent closing wheel for the rear seat vent

Quote:
Originally Posted by noopster View Post
@blackdiesel- Congrats! do post an ownership thread.

Agree with evilS- the damn seatbelt indicator never comes on. It is *supposed* to kick in at 25 kmph if the driver seatbelt is unfastened, according to the manual. Have never seen it, but then am not one to leave my seatbelt off however short a distance I travel!
"Auto" is a decent setting if you have high-speed stretches, but if your daily commute is urban crawl, you may find yourself gagging on the "fresh" air emissions, so please switch it to Recycle mode every now and then.
Can't advise on teh clutch since I don't have one hehe.
Thanks! Will take out some time in the weekend to post an ownership thread. I had enough experience with VW service center

I will try using AC one-bar & using the recycle mode frequently.

Last edited by Jaggu : 26th April 2011 at 10:28. Reason: Back to back posts. Thanks
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Old 26th April 2011, 19:29   #1979
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

Was curious to know how much a paid service for the Vento is expected to cost. I have heard rumors that it is pretty high - same with the parts. Can anyone throw any light on their experiences? How much will a typical oil change cost?
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Old 26th April 2011, 23:04   #1980
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Re: Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by vista_qjd View Post
Was curious to know how much a paid service for the Vento is expected to cost. I have heard rumors that it is pretty high - same with the parts. Can anyone throw any light on their experiences? How much will a typical oil change cost?
I think the first service costs around 10K with 5K just for oil change. Its synthetic.

Now coming to accidental parts price.
Before booking-
Salesman: The headlights cost 5K slightls less than Swifts.

After booking and on having a conversation on taking insurance from outside-
Salesman: Each bumper costs 40K. So better get 0depriciation from here. (Although he was polite and courteous)

Last edited by oxyzen : 26th April 2011 at 23:05.
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