[RedOne]

My wife's car is a 2011 i20 Auto but with the 1.4L engine. It's been largely problem free and have crossed 70K kms, so with some TLC, yours should be too.

As others suggested,
Mileage of ~6 is the norm in congested cities, though on the highways, it have returned 14.
Your suspension seems due for replacement; mine is also weak and replacement is due.
A/C probably needs a service and gas recharge
General rule with buying used is to change all fluids, as you can not be sure what previous owner put in and when.

You wrote that car overheated and was driven in L. L is first gear and it will not shift up if L is selected. Probably why it overheated.
Though not the same engine, I have never felt it struggled to accelerate. In fact it drops a gear smartly and revs up quite nicely when pushed.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by RedOne

My wife's car is a 2011 i20 Auto but with the 1.4L engine.

The original and i-gen i20(2008-2013) came with TC auto on 1.4L petrol engine only.

[anjan_c2007]

The car aged ten plus has done 57 K kms (not sure if more). Reading about its niggles, I believe you should have not invested so much to try and make it more than "OK".

Unless a car has a known, genuine ownership history and a clean bodyline, it is better to avoid buying cars that are so old. Some buyers get a bargain deal on old cars that should be ok. A second hand car these days need to be not more than five years old. Model changes are too rapid these days and spares for the discontinued generations get scarcer every year.

But since you are now to endure with your i20 for sometime, try to keep it in running condition with all essential checks in place. Replacement of only essential and critical components that wear out is desired at this juncture.

One need not expect more than perfection from a 10 plus year old car that has spent its youth elsewhere. Hence, do not invest too much on your car, but just invest so much as to keep it as a reliable machine for your commutes.

[montsa007]

Originally Posted by AntPaul

Hello,

Most of what you said point to a very poorly maintained car. My first own-car was a used one(I was the 5th owner!). It was a 2006 Maruti Esteem that I purchased in 2016 and sold in 2022. The car was in my ownership from its 9th year till its 16th year. I sold it after doing it re-registration for almost the same price I purchased it for, after using it for 50K kilometers(from 70K to 120K in odo). Replaced it with an AMT automatic. In said ownership period, I did a lot a maintenance and wear and tear replacement. The car was bullet proof in terms of reliability.

Lucky you got what you invested in terms of buying the car haha. The beauty of buying used cars is that they have already taken a heavy depreciation hit, but on the other side its a gamble you may end up with a lemon.

Coming to your car, 1) and 4) can both happen if your radiator fan(or its thermostat controller) is not working/ not working at all speeds. Normally these fans run at low and high speeds, depending on AC usage/engine temperature. If the AC cools well if the car is moving above 40 kmph, but poorly when stationary or at low speed, I would suspect the radiator fan. Also please check if the coolant has any oily film, indicating oil getting mixed in coolant.

Coolant was completely changed recently, altough not in my presence, but initially it was "Abro" brand coolant (I have no idea if its good or bad), but I asked the checking mechanic to change it to a good one, he put in Castrol, the color difference was day and night as Abro felt watery, I said absolutely no water just put in pure coolant, I do open the coolant valve & also the dipstick thing (Excess coolant tank) to check the color, don't see any oil deposits or traces in it.

6) and 10) could be related and be caused by a lot of things. If a regular oil/filter/spark plug change is not improving both, you needs to dig deeper.
Since your car has done only 57K in odo, lets assume this is not wear and tear of piston/valves.

You see, a non turbo petrol engine is quite simple mechanically. There is fuel/air metering(maintaining correct air-fuel ratio AFR), and then there is the ignition system(providing a good high voltage spark at the correct time to burn the air fuel mixture). Power and fuel efficiency both suffer if AFR is wrong.

I am hoping the servicing will take care of it, yesterday came to know that I've to get the throttle body cleaned as well, added it to the maintenance list. My only concern is I don't end up spending a bomb for nothing as the dealer has given 6 months warranty on Engine and Gearbox (in case of breakdown) which is valid till April & has advised not to do any work related to Engine or Gearbox, instead take it to him to get it fixed, his warranty meant breakdown, since nothing has broken down I've to fix the stuff with the help of a mechanic.

The simplest(and cheapest) way to see if fuel metering is good is to get a PUC check done. Costs 100-200 bucks I guess and is legally required to be done once every six months anyway. The PUC result will show unburned HC, CO2, CO, O2 levels. If both the above systems are functioning as they should, unburned HC and CO(carbon monoxide) should be significantly below the max limit. O2 levels should not be too high. Any deviation indicates the car is running too rich or too lean air fuel ratio. Unburned HC could indicate issues with ignition system(spark plug, distributor). If possible, post the PUC result here.

I did get a PUC done as it was valid for about a month after purchasing the car, the first things I saw was till when was the PUC & Insurance valid, here is the report and next is due in April end. I have no idea what these numbers mean to be honest as I got the PUC done simply due to it being a legal requirement.

For an old car, a stitch in time saves nine. As a corollary, prolonged neglect will make diagnosing issues a pain, as you would have too many small problems(insignificant) covering up the real culprit. You may want to consider the possibility of selling the car and replacing it with another pre-owned one with service records, preferably at the authorized service station if you are not satisfied with the car's performance even after multiple rounds of service/diagnostics/repair.

Thanks.

I've made a list of all the things that need to be checked/replaced (Sharing at the end of this post) but as some members are saying don't go overboard and spend on unnecessary things, I do have a tail light with a crack (had water) but it works which am not working on, very minor repainting & denting work which do not hamper the running of the car. Unfortunately, I do not have the option of selling off the car right now, atleast for the next couple of years so altough what you said is true but I cannot go that route right now.

Cheers,
-m007

Originally Posted by RedOne

My wife's car is a 2011 i20 Auto but with the 1.4L engine. It's been largely problem free and have crossed 70K kms, so with some TLC, yours should be too.

As others suggested,
Mileage of ~6 is the norm in congested cities, though on the highways, it have returned 14.
Your suspension seems due for replacement; mine is also weak and replacement is due.
A/C probably needs a service and gas recharge
General rule with buying used is to change all fluids, as you can not be sure what previous owner put in and when.

You wrote that car overheated and was driven in L. L is first gear and it will not shift up if L is selected. Probably why it overheated.
Though not the same engine, I have never felt it struggled to accelerate. In fact it drops a gear smartly and revs up quite nicely when pushed.

I think my i20 shares the same engine as is 1396cc/1.4, the manual had a 1.2. I was sitting in the rear seat while the hired driver was driving, it was merely day 3 of ownership in stop and go traffic route, am not sure if he accidentally or purposely put the car in "L" instead of "D", being a new owner I didn't feel right to ask him to shift to "D" thinking, that day the fuel tank dropped 25% in a 26 kilometer journey, my heart sank thinking am getting 1 km/l mileage , and when I rode on the same route I was able to cover it with a mere 4-5%% drop in the fuel needle, which re-assured me that it was probably his driving and a combination of "L" gear which caused the drop.

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

The car aged ten plus has done 57 K kms (not sure if more). Reading about its niggles, I believe you should have not invested so much to try and make it more than "OK".

Unless a car has a known, genuine ownership history and a clean bodyline, it is better to avoid buying cars that are so old. Some buyers get a bargain deal on old cars that should be ok. A second hand car these days need to be not more than five years old. Model changes are too rapid these days and spares for the discontinued generations get scarcer every year.

But since you are now to endure with your i20 for sometime, try to keep it in running condition with all essential checks in place. Replacement of only essential and critical components that wear out is desired at this juncture.

One need not expect more than perfection from a 10 plus year old car that has spent its youth elsewhere. Hence, do not invest too much on your car, but just invest so much as to keep it as a reliable machine for your commutes.

What I did was asked the mechanic who checked it to perform a basic repair for anything essential, he only did a test drive & I went by his word. Having completed 500 kilometers on the road I can understand the issues and have to work on them one by one based on their priority.

Once again thanks a lot mate, the bold part is re-assuring. I went by mechanic's word that the car is mechanically fit, few minor niggles here and there which can be fixed but not immediately.
---------------
Once again thank you everyone for your inputs, I am not sure where I would be without you guys.
---------------

Here is a list of things I've compiled so far for maintenance (For ATF Fluid change it'll be along with filter change)

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

1. Get the AC condensor cleaned. You will see huge improvement in AC performance provided the refrigerant is available in the required quantity. Do this before opening the dashboard for cleaning the evaporator coil. IMO, it is not needed if the cabin air filter/AC filter was cleaned when needed.l

Yes, opening up the dashboard should be the very last option after ruling out all other a/c components under the hood. Opening the dashboard is a very time/effort/cost intensive task.

[montsa007]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Yes, opening up the dashboard should be the very last option after ruling out all other a/c components under the hood. Opening the dashboard is a very time/effort/cost intensive task.

Since I have no idea of the service history, and given the poor cooling am sure the condenser? inside the dashboard is jammed with dirt, dust and other particles. Have found a place who deal exclusively in car ac repairs, will be paying them a visit this week. The price quoted for a basic service is 2800, includes dashboard opening, compressor oil change, gas charging. If any leaks or component failures, then its extra.

I have received the AC Filter & Engine filter from Boodmo, earlier than expected, will be getting the complete AC servicing done tomorrow.

Had researched a few providers & zeroed in upon one, they have quoted 2800 for the service, compressor oil change/topup, dashboard opening & cleaning, gas filling for a complete service. If any other issues/leaks/bad parts are found those will be extra.

[Mortis]

Originally Posted by montsa007

Since I have no idea of the service history, and given the poor cooling am sure the condenser? inside the dashboard is jammed with dirt, dust and other particles. Have found a place who deal exclusively in car ac repairs, will be paying them a visit this week. The price quoted for a basic service is 2800, includes dashboard opening, compressor oil change, gas charging. If any leaks or component failures, then its extra.

I have received the AC Filter & Engine filter from Boodmo, earlier than expected, will be getting the complete AC servicing done tomorrow.

Had researched a few providers & zeroed in upon one, they have quoted 2800 for the service, compressor oil change/topup, dashboard opening & cleaning, gas filling for a complete service. If any other issues/leaks/bad parts are found those will be extra.

Whereare you based in Mumbai ? Is Santacruz W convenient enough for you ? I have a good AC technician and Mechanic in the area of you want to give it a shot. There is also a Mobis dealer in the area for spares.

[montsa007]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Whereare you based in Mumbai ? Is Santacruz W convenient enough for you ? I have a good AC technician and Mechanic in the area of you want to give it a shot. There is also a Mobis dealer in the area for spares.

I actually had a complete AC service scheduled for today, however I accidentally left the dashboard lights (the one which shows on the gear, music player, instrument cluster) on overnight, which drained the battery, it'll be going for a charge today & will be coming back tomorrow, so will be visiting the shortlisted guy on Wednesday.

[chinmaypillay]

Congrats on the vehicle! Now since the vehicle is over 10 years old, do ensure all the fluids, pads and filters are changed. 10 year in our climate is a good enough reason to change it irrespective of the kms clocked.

Transmission oil change would also be recommended if not done yet due to age again.

Once the basics are covered, drive the car for sometime and then rectify only the critical issues when required. As GTO said, don't tend to throw too much money on it as the resale you will get will be more or less the same even if you change the whole car.

Happy kms ahead!

[montsa007]

Dropped the car at an AC servicing shop today around 10 am.

They first checked for leaks, none were found, so a basic complete service will do the job.

They opened the bonnet & dashboard, disgusting state.

As suspected the condenser? thing is badly messed up with leaves & accumulated dirt & dust over the years. I'm happy that it will be cleaned up.



The area under windshield where dried leaves were accumulated, it was looking like spoilt pickle , had asked the shop guy to clean it. Now I know why I had loads of dried leaves in the AC filter, as they were being sucked in through the rectangle hole.

Informed them that fresh AC filters are kept in the boot, do install them.

They started around 10.30 or so and said will be ready by 2-3 pm today itself.

Will be leaving a detailed review once service is done & I experience the AC.

[montsa007]

Went to another workshop (Autospace, Malad) post AC servicing, to service the oils and stuff.

Same place where I brought the Trak-n-tell device (Review here, alongwith workshop/contact details) : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modif...ry-review.html (Trak N Tell Car Tracking Accessory | Review) not to forget they saved me twice from buying lemon cars, same workshop helped me get my car's battery back on its feet as it was discharged 2 days back.

After an initial test ride, following things were found.

Spark plugs weren't in good condition, seems the old mechanic re-fitted the existing spark plugs after maybe wiping/cleaning them, the gaps were also not set properly, possibly messed up my mileage. 1 of the ignition coils also had an issue, some spring was bent, Mihir showed the coil & the exact issue the coil had (Nope, not taking me for a ride, instead showing the exact problem & the problem part), now I know the other mechanic took me for a ride as he showed me some spark plugs and an ignition coil & told me he replaced those, never going back to that guy. Mihir even showed the existing Spark Plugs and the issue, seeing them side by side with a new spark plug I knew mine were all messed up. Throttle body was cleaned, however it was not that dirty.

Upon taking the trial, it was found that "Pickup khatam" (No pickup), even when accelerator was fully pressed car struggled hard.

So far the spark plugs were changed, 1 ignition coil was changed alongwith headlights, the performance of these headlights blew my mind, so much so that it gave me the confidence to drive after sunset, which was not the case with the existing lights. Noise in the doors was taken care of with greasing.

Also following things will be done most of which I requested as I have no idea of the cars history,

-Replacement of front tyre bearings (Sound was found, Lalit Sir advised to replace both & left the decision to me)
-Brake Oil Change (I requested this, considering the car is 11 years old)
-Brake Inspection, Greasing where required
-Transmission Fluid Replacement alongwith Transmission Filter (I requested this, considering car age)
-Radiator Flush alongwith Fresh Coolant Topup (I requested this)
-Air Filter Change (I had given them the one I purchased from Boodmo)
-Installation of JBL Stage 1 Speakers (I requested this for all 4 doors, since the existing speakers am sure have aged)
-Driver side Parking light flickers & instrument panel lights lose power
-Inspection of Rubber Parts
-Oil Filter Change
-Engine oil change, flush if required (Lalit Sir advised this, since am already going in for other oil changes why leave the Engine oil behind)

I'll be leaving a detailed review alongwith directory listing once the servicing work is completed (So far am impressed with the work, did not take me for a ride & advised to do the essential components only). The doubt of wobbling was also solved, the suspensions/shocks are fine and can last till next servicing, need not spend on those for now.

I entered the workshop around 2.30 PM and left around 7 PM, did not bother them with questions only shared the issues I found while using the car which were isolated & noted for resolution, was chatting with Pratik, Lalit Sir & Mihir, all of them have extensive knowledge and won't push you for any service, no corner cutting or half hearted work (They fitted & re-fitted the spark plugs thrice to check if its a spark plug issue or not, took 2 trials post changing spark plugs & ignition coil, even asked me to drive during second trial to ensure the pickup related issue was resolved). I stayed at the workshop out of curiosity only. Lalit Sir also provided me some tips to increase the mileage slightly, rest he said you'll have to live with it, since he owns (or owned) the same vehicle (Manual version).

Informed Lalit Sir that I'm in no rush to get the car ready, they can take a few days to have the car ready as I got no plans to commute anywhere. Lalit Sir ensured that not to worry.

I may not be able to visit the workshop tomorrow, however have requested Lalit Sir & Pratik to inform their team to take photos of oils/components while changing so that old condition can be seen (Yeah, its my first vehicle, I want to know what kind of sludge/gunk is there in it haha).

Below are some photos I took of the workshop while car was being serviced, there were a few other cars being worked upon which included an i20 Magna, Swift, Chevy Aveo (We had a good chat about how they manage to service Chevy's), Honda City.

[montsa007]

Moku is ready to rule the roads, with full energy, freshy oiled joints & super silent engine.

Service center details & review : https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/mumba...servicing.html (Autospace | Malad Link Road, Mumbai | Complete Car Servicing)

Thank you everyone for your inputs, I'm extremely happy with the output of undergoing a major service & the new life given to our vehicle by these guys.