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Old 13th May 2010, 15:40   #1
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Ikon petrol still buyable and registerable?

BS IV has been enforced in major cities including Chennai. I read in some newspaper that Ikon petrol with the rocam engine is one of the affected cars.

I checked with MPL Ford, they informed me that Ikon petrol is still buyable and registerable. It seems the BS IV is implemented in phases and there is no particular instruction from RTO "yet" that Ikon has to be stopped, and that there is a waiting period of max 1.5 months.

My question is, is it safe to book the car? What will happen if RTO announces that it should no longer be registered, after my car gets alloted i.e just before registration? Will I be stranded with an un-registerable car?

I am asking this question because Ikon petrol is the only car that meets my needs. For me steering is the most important aspect, I am not satisfied with the steering of Swift/i20, personally dont like Punto, Figo only diesel is good and I want a petrol, and Fiesta is out of reach. Ikon is just perfect for me... but I am hesitating because of BS 4.

What do you suggest... go and book it before its too late? Or, stay safe and avoid it?
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Old 13th May 2010, 16:59   #2
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Ikon 1.3 petrol is not available for registration in the metros and the other cities where BS-IV norms are implemented. And considering the low sales, Ford dealers in these cities may not even stock this model (they are focussing a lot on the Figo).

What ever few 1.3's are available would be there in the non BS-IV cities. Ford will, if it has not already done so - stop production of the petrol variant, though the 1.4 TDCi will continue.
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Old 13th May 2010, 17:05   #3
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AKAIK, If the Euro-III car was manufactured before April,2010 you will be able to register the car in a Euro IV city.
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Old 13th May 2010, 17:05   #4
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my 2 cents- Ford may be looking at phasing out the Ikon soon since they did not bother to re engine (not re-engineer) the Ikon.

I am also speculating that the Ikon unlike the Figo will still be a high maintainence car since they did not engineer the car like the Figo ( which was engineered to be a low on maintain cost ) car. It might take advantage of a few parts (If any) of the Figo but overall i think it will still be expensive to Maintain than a Figo or a swift
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Old 13th May 2010, 17:19   #5
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I was at Chennai Ford's service center recently and the SAs there told me that Ikon production has been completely stopped as there would hardly be any takers for the petrol in BS3 areas. They might as well as focus on producing more Figos where demand is outstripping supply at the moment. If MPL says its still available, it must have been produced earlier this year before the BS4 cut off date. They can still be registered. You may also want to take a look at a 2 year old Fiesta 1.6.

Last edited by Gilead : 13th May 2010 at 17:21.
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:11   #6
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Thanks much. If they are clearing the stock of existing Ikons, I wonder why the 1.5 months waiting period. Also, the sales person informed me that there is no plan of discontinuing the Ikon, and that once RTO refuses to register the Ikons then Ford will bring a new BS4 compliant engine.

I wonder if it is a case of the sales person being uninformed. Considering all the points, I have decided to either stretch to an impossible budget (thru 7 year loan) and look for Fiesta or settle for a Figo diesel.
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:19   #7
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^^^ You could get a IKON TDCi, Same Steering with added fuel efficiency . TDCi's are BS4 compliant.
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:26   #8
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Well, I found the Figo's steering superb too. The reason I want a petrol engine is because it is more fun and probably more reliable, can climb hills easily etc.. and I want to keep the car for 5 years, so I am not sure how effective the turbo will be down the line. Not much experience with diesels except a few short drives.

It has to be a Ford, and if it has to be the diesel then I guess Figo makes more sense because of the safety in numbers (spare parts) and resale values.

Only thing stopping me from going for a 7 year loan and getting a Fiesta petrol is, wonder what it will be worth at that time (resale)? Will it be like what an Opel Astra is worth today? Any comments on this?

Fiesta? Figo?
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:28   #9
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Hello Rajushank: Ikon steering is one among many things where Ikon stands out and attracts fan followings. Yesterday I saw a new Ikon on road being taken from MPL yard to MPL showroom, which indicates they are still selling it. Even if Ford discontinues it, you will not have problems with maintenance as there are tons of Ikons on the road. You may even get hefty discounts. Check with our Ford ambassador Mustang for more info.
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:34   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rajushank84 View Post
Thanks much. If they are clearing the stock of existing Ikons, I wonder why the 1.5 months waiting period. Also, the sales person informed me that there is no plan of discontinuing the Ikon, and that once RTO refuses to register the Ikons then Ford will bring a new BS4 compliant engine.

I wonder if it is a case of the sales person being uninformed. Considering all the points, I have decided to either stretch to an impossible budget (thru 7 year loan) and look for Fiesta or settle for a Figo diesel.
Ford has no plans to release a BS4 Ikon petrol. The sales person has no idea what he/she is talking about. Check with Chennai Ford whether they have any Ikon petrols standing in their yard ready for delivery. I don't know why MPL said there is a 1.5 month waiting period. Something does not sound right there. Who is your sales person at MPL? And I would sincerely advice against pushing your budget to an impossible level and getting a 7 year loan etc to get a Fiesta. Not worth it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2theMax View Post
^^^ You could get a IKON TDCi, Same Steering with added fuel efficiency . TDCi's are BS4 compliant.
Good suggestion. But I would recommend the Figo TDCi as its more modern if getting an Ikon petrol is ruled out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by joshdrive View Post
Yesterday I saw a new Ikon on road being taken from MPL yard to MPL showroom, which indicates they are still selling it.
It would have most probably been an Ikon TDCi. You sure it was a petrol?

Last edited by Gilead : 13th May 2010 at 19:36.
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:42   #11
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Thanks Gilead.

Is it true that turbos become ineffective after a few years?
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:47   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rajushank84 View Post
Thanks Gilead.

Is it true that turbos become ineffective after a few years?
No, just like any other part, it will be reliable and work fine if you maintain it well and follow the instructions in the manual with respect to idling for 30-60 secs before stopping the engine.
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Old 13th May 2010, 19:48   #13
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I second Chennai ford, But would go with Gilead on the Fiesta bit. FIGO would be it if it's your first car and would'nt want to look dated after a couple of years.

You shouldn't be worrying about the TURBO, as it would be covered under warranty for 3 (?) years.

Last edited by 2theMax : 13th May 2010 at 19:53.
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Old 13th May 2010, 21:00   #14
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Hi Raju,
I think Figo TDCI makes the best sense for you unless you want only a sedan. You get the fiesta engine in Figo diesel at a very resonable price and with airbags, etc which Ikon doesn't have.
Its not advisable to buy a vehicle which is going to be phased out for sure as Ikon petrol sales is dismal now. Also, nowadays, the diesel engines are very refined and not so difficult to maintain plus the resale of diesel car will always be very good. Lastly, with so many Figos on the road in the future, A.S.S. will be cheap and easy.
And if you are not convinced about the Figo, then buy the limited edition Fiesta as though it will cost a lakh more than Ikon, but will be a better buy in the long run.

Last edited by sharadmumbai : 13th May 2010 at 21:02. Reason: added few more lines
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Old 13th May 2010, 21:01   #15
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It is not my first car but my third. The Fiesta 1.6 idea came out of sheer frustration that my ability to buy a decent car comes at a time when the Palio 1.6, OHC, Baleno, Ikon 1.6 are all gone . For all I know, Fiesta 1.6 may be gone too and the market filled with three-cylinder mileage champions with electric power steering wheels in the near future.

But you are right. This kind of thinking doesnt help the wallet, and Figo makes the most sense. Thanks!
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