Team-BHP > Team-BHP Advice > On owning a car


Reply
  Search this Thread
707,754 views
Old 19th December 2009, 21:17   #376
Distinguished - BHPian
 
.anshuman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Good-Gaon
Posts: 7,763
Thanked: 11,054 Times

@dinkiedonk- Which Version are you talking about, Diesel or Petrol?
.anshuman is offline  
Old 19th December 2009, 21:25   #377
Senior - BHPian
 
frankmehta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 3,996
Thanked: 3,573 Times

FANTASTIC information. No doubt about it. ABsolutely brilliant!
frankmehta is offline  
Old 19th December 2009, 21:43   #378
BHPian
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 952
Thanked: 8 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by dinkiedonk
11) Priodically conduct all mechanical and electrical checks yourself. Rats mice can play havoc.. My personal experience-a rat chewed off the wires to my Auto shut off of the Fuel tank.
Those are great tips. Thanks. Keep 'em coming.

Would be great if you could share/explain with photos the actual electrical checks that should be carried out..no idea about the various electrical wires and what they are meant for.
sanjayc is offline  
Old 19th December 2009, 22:58   #379
Senior - BHPian
 
Gilead's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 2,142
Thanked: 60 Times

Good information. 800-900 on a full tank HAS to be the diesel. Best I have seen on my petrol Fiesta is 450 till now.
Gilead is offline  
Old 19th December 2009, 23:21   #380
BHPian
 
kumar7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 320
Thanked: 28 Times

Last week I managed to get 750 when I did tank full, its diesel obviously otherwise till date I got 650 - 680 DTE reading. This time I told attendant to keep it on auto cut off mode
kumar7 is offline  
Old 20th December 2009, 00:55   #381
BHPian
 
Off Roadie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 280
Thanked: 127 Times

ahem if it is a diesel car in question please do note that for optimum combustion which is essential to keep your engine in prime condition you should ensure that the turbo is kept spooling at a healthy rpm hence shifting gears early will give you a good fuel figure but a noisier engine at a later date. my scorpio and swift engine are almost as good as new at 65,000 + kms and 30,000+ kms respectively. dont over rev and dont under rev and strike a good balance between engine smoothness, fuel economy and time spent on the road. edit: speed
as a tyre pressure fanatic i found no major advantage in using nitrogen except a higher price. in case any of you want to use nitrogen please note that the tyre should be under vacuum (partial) and only after that should you fill nitrogen for max (so called gain). as a tourer who adjusts tyre pressure whne on the high way or punting in the other city/town i cant afford to look for a nitrogen filling station which will charge me a bomb for top up. its cool if you are going to the same bunk on a regular basis coz then any top up is free.
dear i twenty let me reassure you that you can let go of the clutch completely in a lot more circumstances than you may be doing currently in mumbai traffic. my dad would half clutch at times due to the proximity of the car ahead but i just coaxed him into leaving it completely and letting the engine pull without any throttle input and it can make a lot of difference not in fuel efficiency but towards clutch life as well.
Off Roadie is offline  
Old 20th December 2009, 01:05   #382
BHPian
 
Roy.S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 706
Thanked: 936 Times

Useful tips for any car. And in my opinion the best advice is:
Quote:
Originally Posted by dinkiedonk View Post
........Lastly do not think of any car as a public transport. Drive it for pleasure.If you are looking too much at economy, then there is no point wasting 7-8 lacs on buying a car. You might be well off with the thook-thook or the state buses......

Good one dinkie.
Roy.S is offline  
Old 20th December 2009, 08:44   #383
BHPian
 
netarchie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Navi Mumbai
Posts: 397
Thanked: 10 Times

Good write up. Most of the points apply to all cars.
I have driven my fusion P 1.6 706 kms on a single tank and still about 3 liters remaining when I filled her up!
netarchie is offline  
Old 21st December 2009, 19:51   #384
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: bangalore
Posts: 42
Thanked: 3 Times

Hi!! Useful tips. I would like to share some experiences of mine as well. I have a swift petrol and i don't need to tell about bangalore traffic
  • To first get an idea of your FE, fill in for an amount that is easy for you to remember. I fill in for 1000 bucks b/w refills and i get about 250 kms at Rs50.45 / lite. Thats about 12.5 kms/ litre in city driving conditions. AC on and off 50 % of the time.You will get an average by the third refill ,which is an accurate indication of the FE/ condition of your car / How you drive. Also, try and figure out which fuelling station is good. I fill in at shell as they don't cheat on quantity. Sounds stupid but if the guy has filled in less fuel than the FE goes for a toss
  • Switch off the engine at lengthy signals. It does do its bit to save fuel
  • There is a false notion that driving in lower gears reduces FE. It does at higher speeds, not if you are in bumber to bumber traffic. I have seen some people who keep half clutching in the third gear at 20kmph. Thats bad for your FE / Clutch and the engine. Try and get into 2nd or even first gear if u are snailing at 1o to 15kmph.
  • Try to park the car in a shade as much as possible. If you can't then don't switch on the AC immediately after getting into the car. U will burn fuel. Open the windows, turn the blower on and turn the knob that directs the went to the feet. The logic is the colder heavier air displaces the hotter, lighter air and then you can switch on the AC. Remember to turn on the circulation button. The cooling is faster. If u can get hold of windscreen and windows visors with the suction caps, use them. The interior will be lot less hotter.
  • Get your vehicle serviced regularly
  • If you want to be the fastest off the block at signals, then kiss the FE good bye.
  • At speeds above 60 or 80 close the windows, it helps the aero dynamics and the FE also. I know this sounds crazy , but it is logical
Quote:
Originally Posted by netarchie View Post
Good write up. Most of the points apply to all cars.
I have driven my fusion P 1.6 706 kms on a single tank and still about 3 liters remaining when I filled her up!
prats is offline  
Old 28th December 2009, 17:27   #385
BHPian
 
abishek2222's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 355
Thanked: 166 Times

How about Speed 97 FE 's going to be better or worse?
abishek2222 is offline  
Old 28th December 2009, 20:56   #386
Senior - BHPian
 
Gansan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 4,510
Thanked: 5,338 Times

I don't use my car regularly, so I do two mileage checks immediately after a service - one for city and one for highway - and will not bother until the next service. My method is as follows; I will select a Sunday on which I will do an extensive trip of 70 - 80 KM. Then go to the Shell pump, fill up to auto cut off from a particular dispenser, and once it cuts off, continue to fill manually up to an inch below the fuel lid. Then set the trip meter to zero and drive off. While returning visit the same pump/dispenser and again fill as described. Divide distance covered by qty filled for an (almost) accurate FE figure. The above method yielded a city FE of 18.69 KMPL yesterday, with 25% A/C usage!

I will follow the same method for highway drives too. A drive to Pondy is planned for the next week-end for this. The last check was during a drive to Vellore on October 2nd which yielded 23 KMPL.

Car was serviced on 24th (second service). As soon as I do the highway test, I will not bother till next June when car will go for third service!

Last edited by Gansan : 28th December 2009 at 20:58.
Gansan is offline  
Old 18th January 2010, 00:31   #387
Senior - BHPian
 
navan49's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: CHENNAI
Posts: 1,000
Thanked: 73 Times

Hi friends,

I always fill the tank till the brim. I calculate the lilage every fill. Some times mixed trips in city and high way. Some times onlly in High way. Some times only in city.

The Ritz VDi gives
18kms/ltr in city.
Mixed city Highway use 18 to 19.
High way in a speed between 80-140. gives 20 to 21 kms/ltr

Third service is over on 10050kms. Present odo is 11771. Age 4 months.
navan49 is offline  
Old 18th January 2010, 09:32   #388
Senior - BHPian
 
Gansan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 4,510
Thanked: 5,338 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gansan View Post
I don't use my car regularly, so I do two mileage checks immediately after a service - one for city and one for highway - and will not bother until the next service. My method is as follows; I will select a Sunday on which I will do an extensive trip of 70 - 80 KM. Then go to the Shell pump, fill up to auto cut off from a particular dispenser, and once it cuts off, continue to fill manually up to an inch below the fuel lid. Then set the trip meter to zero and drive off. While returning visit the same pump/dispenser and again fill as described. Divide distance covered by qty filled for an (almost) accurate FE figure. The above method yielded a city FE of 18.69 KMPL yesterday, with 25% A/C usage!

I will follow the same method for highway drives too. A drive to Pondy is planned for the next week-end for this. The last check was during a drive to Vellore on October 2nd which yielded 23 KMPL.

Car was serviced on 24th (second service). As soon as I do the highway test, I will not bother till next June when car will go for third service!
Did the check on 2nd Jan when we went to Pondy. The mileage with 50% A/C usage was 22.35 KMPL. Speed maintained was 70 - 90 KMPH.

Quote:
Originally Posted by navan49 View Post
Hi friends,

I always fill the tank till the brim. I calculate the lilage every fill. Some times mixed trips in city and high way. Some times onlly in High way. Some times only in city.

The Ritz VDi gives
18kms/ltr in city.
Mixed city Highway use 18 to 19.
High way in a speed between 80-140. gives 20 to 21 kms/ltr

Third service is over on 10050kms. Present odo is 11771. Age 4 months.
That is some driving!

And your mileage figures are excellent, I must say.
Gansan is offline  
Old 3rd February 2010, 08:50   #389
Senior - BHPian
 
navan49's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: CHENNAI
Posts: 1,000
Thanked: 73 Times

Hi gansanji,

It is a great mileage for the alto. It is like two wheeler driving with your Alto. One query is that any idea about the best fuel station around Meenambakkam,Tambaram Velachery.
navan49 is offline  
Old 3rd February 2010, 10:08   #390
Senior - BHPian
 
Gansan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 4,510
Thanked: 5,338 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by navan49 View Post
Hi gansanji,

It is a great mileage for the alto. It is like two wheeler driving with your Alto. One query is that any idea about the best fuel station around Meenambakkam,Tambaram Velachery.
I would state them in my order of preference:

1. The Shell station on GST road at Chromepet.

2. The HP station near Radisson hotel,GST Road,Meenambakkam. This will be the first bunk on your left side as you proceed from the OTA.

3. The BP station adjacent to the aforementioned HP one.

4. The IOC station (Shanthi Petroleum) immediately after Trident hotel.

5. The HP station (Mahalaxmi agencies) at R.P Road, Nehru Nagar, Chromepet. To access this you will have to climb on the MIT Flyover and enter Nehru Nagar. As soon as you come down the bridge on Chitlapakkam Main Road, you have to turn left opposite to a tall multi lamp mast to enter R.P.Road (that leads to Hastinapuram). This bunk will be to your left as soon as you enter this road. From there you can again cross the flyover in a jiffy to access GST Road and continue your journey.

Apart from these, there is a BP station (Paramasivan & sons) adjacent to Spic building at Guindy, Which is supposed to be good. All our office vehicles fuel up here. And there is another BP station owned by Lorry owners' association at Kadaperi, Tambaram. I am referring these two from anecdotal evidence only, I have not filled personally.

Hope the above is sufficient. I have no idea about good bunks at Velacheri.

Last edited by Gansan : 3rd February 2010 at 10:09.
Gansan is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks