[Frontosa]

I'm going to scribble as things come to my mind, and let me warn you, my decisions with Cars as with other things are emotional - no matter how much research you do on t-bhp or other places, there is nothing more satisfying than making some instant mental decision that rings in your own heart. Now that you know how decisions are made, I become a loyalist, and I will try to find what is good in my car over others, funny? think again, maybe you do that as well. And why not? I love it, so bring it on.

This thread is not just for Polo/Vento owners but for all those who critique it or simply hate it or simply love it. I'll allow you to put your thoughts if you treat my Black Stallion with respect, because he respects you as well. Dont mind if he tells you what is true & he doesnt mind being told as well, he can improve.

Now many will really call me a mad-man for paying 8 lacs OTR for a Hatch with 1.2 liter, 3 pot engine ? Correct? You could have gotten a fully loaded Ford, Hyundai, Fabia etc etc.. Now lets leave the Price thing aside and get on with the car, shall we? because on this Stallion cannot improve.

Well now let me tell you that I myself call myself a mad-man, because I detest VW for having removed auto window roll-up/down feature, for removing those chrome tints, (chindigiri) & for giving a manual which seems to tease us, press this and this activates, but what? not on the car you sold, give me a break, make a simple 5 page manual to be car specific? Dont tell me you dont have budget. I was irritated with the Sales lady who was serving me at Tornado Motors Mumbai, but there were others that were good there, anyway lets concentrate on Stallion

Now that I'm driving the Polo TDi for 6500 kms already since past 2.5 months, I step into other showrooms to see other Hatchbacks. No, before that into my friends newly purchased Linea Petrol Fire Engine (not the T-Jet), oops, the car is a bullock cart, just doesnt move, yea the engine seems off as well (silent).. confused I took the Linea to Fiat showroom at Fortune, Nerul, and T-Jet, (lets not talk plasticky feel inside, and silver console and orange lights, just not my taste) but the car has good power.. love it, but only at 1st and 2nd gear.. at 3rd gear my Stallion seems more robust, its been long I took the test drive, cant recall everything clearly. One thing that left impression - it just doesnt have premium feel, the gear stick is really long, like that on a BEST bus, and seems to have some sort of rubber padding, seemed similiar to my Indigo? Maybe better, but now I cant drive the Indigo at all.

Well you will tell me that I should have tried MJD, but then the interiors and Gear shift wont change, do they? Pat my Stallion

Another friend, another brand new i20 Asta. Ultrasmooth gear shifts , doesnt seem to slot well, again the power is so less, well I know I know, i have learned that Petrol engines just dont have the grunt, not the 1.2 liter ones, as I'm comparing only those with my 1.2 TDi. Lets hurry up on Hyundais once and for all - Funky interiors, suited for teenager wannabes, with discotheque feel at night, lot of features on offer (actually which? bluetooth (joke), foldable mirrors (thats the only good one I like)), driving car or playing video games - yea lot of people are buying it, I told you people like me are retards. Well does it feel any good to drive on Mumbai roads, not at all AFTER you have been spoilt by the Stallion - heard suspensions are soft, they maybe, but neither the car absorbs the road undulations any better nor does it handle any better - it for sure is not a cosy place to be.. and AC, its just no match to the Stallion. I know there is big brother 1.4 CRDI which could beat my Stallion on a race track? Well I'll be foolish trying to buy a sub 10 lac car with a 1.2 liter engine and thinking of speed, and should I call the 1.4 wala smart? So over Hyundai.

Is there any other car available which rings something? yea Punto MJD, I admit I didnt test drive it, but sat inside it at the showroom that day. Both Linea and Punto are # 1 on my List for Sub 15 lac cars, in Beauty contest. But they seem to ooze out a femi-masculine feel and not a total Macho feel unlike the VWs or the Skodas or the Beemers - dont you agree? I know you are biased, but honestly ? Should we discuss other cars on looks?

Another thing I have noticed as Priority # 1 amongst most in general, legroom and space inside the car. Common again, how many times have you seen cars in the city (I believe you drive everyday or atleast are on roads everyday) that cars have 5 people sitting ? 5 is optimistic - so lets assume 4 or 3? Lets say 0.16% cars have 5 people on board, 1.83% have 4 on board, 4.67% have 3 and 25.19% have 2 and rest? Well you get the message right? Practicality - That seems to be missing, dont get me wrong, let me rephrase it to "commonsense" - which is so uncommon. No not on space, thats wonderful to have, but bluetooth? How many people you know buy cars because of bluetooth? I know tons - how many of them use it - I dont have an answer. If you do a search with "bluetooth" in car forums worldwide, tbhp will be # 1.

Well time to show some pics, but sorry, I will click them in a day or two and upload.

Oops - Did I mention what i love about Stallion?

Excellent Ride Quality, handling (I dont make him go above 160 and take a 90 deg turn) - nor that I'm a trained rally driver .. but I say this AFTER getting used to him and then checking other cars - all thoroughly

I'm bored to write the positives, you all probably know it, but just in points:

- get mileage of nothing less than 15 kmpl in bumper to bumper
- get 18 kmpl on moving traffic
- 23 kmpl on expresshighway while not exceeding 140kmph speed, avg speed of 90-100, and slowdowns to 0kmph, including ghats, 300 kms drive to Pune and back, including 50 km of Pune traffic within city and not even half tank gone
- more later

What all have I added to Stallion"

1. Shoes - got Yoko S drive - 205/55 - for exchange price 10K
2. Got Filmpro Nano Shield Sun Films - these are the best, do thorough research, very next best to V-Kool, check out properly, 3M doest provide all the specs - very slight greenish tinge, looks great
3. Art Leather seat covers
4. Changed Music system - OEM one - pathetic - when they fool us by saying they are trying hard for localization, the OEM speakers in the car are crap - and guess what? they are made in Belgium? Why ? Are dharavi ones inferior?
5. Ok what did I change to? JVC XR-816, has complete bluetooth, mp3, usb blah blah, but most imp - a handsfree external good quality MIC - very necessary, very useful..
6. Focal Amplifier, Focal component speakers and Illusion Audio rear parcel tray speakers

Now Stallion was named only after all the above was done? Now tell me if I'm crazy?

I'll come back with more

[AvonA7]

Congratulations!

Fantastic review, honest feedback, however, won't be surprised if you receive some strong replies to some of your comments about popular cars

Some interesting stats, it would be good to know some -ve points though, in terms of practicality - eg. headlights ?

enjoy your ride, wish you many happy miles

edit : pics plz

[Frontosa]

Thanks Avon!!!

To be honest I didn't wish my first ownership thread on a staunch note.. I had few friends with whom there were debates on why one should not buy VW.. Theses people didn't know what they were looking for in the car, anyway let's not discuss them.

Negatives - there are many, I ll describe in another way

If I'm in the market looking for a hatch and my priorities are: (in the order of priority)

Premium feel
Space
Loaded with features that one can count and show off
Looks
Tension free service
Quick availability
Price
It is the HYUNDAI i20

Price
Space
Great mileage
Cheap spares
Not so bad service
Quick availability
Welcome the car of last year -- FORD FIGO

Stand out looks from outside
Great ride quality and handling
Strong build
Modest pricing
Lot of handy features
Not so bad servicing
Don't mind the interior layout and uneven panels
Quick availability
It's my 2nd favorite -- The Punto MJD

Maruti swift and ritz were not in my contention as I had an esteem and my dad has zen, it will fall between FIGO and PUNTO


Premium feel inside, No nonsense design
Great ride quality and handling
Strong build, the music of the doors when they shut, the car assures that you are safe in
Stand out looks from outside
Ergonomically correct
Seating posture and leg room especially for front seats, well you know why back is not so imp
VW snob value maybe? Not sure , I don't feel anything about that

No other points in consideration
Then welcome the POLO


Now you shuffle those priorities in the order your needs are or what attracts you, the car will choose you.
All that is not present which is so basic in other cars are absolutely negatives on the POLO.

This thread is unbiased, trust me or not, maybe my logic above explains it.

I changed the headlights to Philiphs extreme power for 800 bucks on the 2nd day, and I can see they are much better. Honestly the way I like cars are -- give me a great skeleton and let me customize it, rather take it to the tailor. hence Bluetooth and music system didn't matter. I haven't purchased a segment D car that I make so much a fuss about not changing the HU and worry about steering controls etc.

Other absolute negatives on Polo:
Engine noise on idle - not bad for me but Chevrolet are superior, not at all a bother when you drive
And I have a neat ICE, so really doesn't matter

Turbo lag, 99.015% of the times doesn't bother my driving, but it does, and when it does - I dream Vento or even better a Jetta maybe. And when does it show it's ugly head? When I m at a good speed and I bring the car to a sudden halt for a speed breaker, and rev it --- time for coffee

Service center stuff - I dread all those stories on the forum, but I was called for summer check up and now for monsoon check, I have visited 2 diff service stations, and those guys seem good, I know back of my mind I pray nothing happens to my car, probably Hyundai and Maruti don't do such prayers, touch wood not a single squeak, no rattle, nothing in the car. Absolute bliss. And when I go over this beautiful helped by monsoon freshly laid out potholed roads in the city, I only smile, Car gives immense confidence.

More later

[Nicky]

Absolute beauty and intelligent german machine. congratulations for ownership. yes, it's TDi engine is revv happy which can be explored only on highways. bumper to bumper traffic thing is also manageable.
some pics would be appreciated.
i think it was good decision going for tyre and HU upgrade.

[Frontosa]

Originally Posted by Nicky

Absolute beauty and intelligent german machine. congratulations for ownership. yes, it's TDi engine is revv happy which can be explored only on highways. bumper to bumper traffic thing is also manageable.
some pics would be appreciated.
i think it was good decision going for tyre and HU upgrade.

Thanks Nicky, going down now as didn't go to office to get the car cleaned and will take some pics.

[Chethan B G]

Congratulations!

Nice and refreshing review - I am waiting for the pictures.

I agree with AvonA7 - I am interested too.

[bluevolt]

Congratulations for your black stallion. Nice review.

Please do add some pictures of your ride as any ownership thread is incomplete without pictures.

Wishing you happy and safe driving.

[Frontosa]

Thank you Chetan and bluevolt !!!

It's been raining non stop last 72 hours I guess so couldn't take my SLR to snap him.

I have few videos for all to watch. Hope you all like them.
They are basic

Black stallion captured on video from a ford willys from world war 2*

‪Ford willy following the VW Polo‬‏ - YouTube

Now a piece of being inside the stallion and playing Polo, was alone so this video from my iPhone while driving, so extra careful through the ghats , but a car like this can only multiply the feeling of great climate, roads and nature outside

‪VW polo (my black stallion) on express highway‬‏ - YouTube

After the ghat ends, had to just take it on the side and soak in the wonderful feeling

Check out this video on YouTube:

‪VW polo after the beautiful ghat drive‬‏ - YouTube

[Frontosa]

Hello Again dear friends! I'm sorry for taking this long to upload pictures on the forum. Was tied up with various stuff. Now that I actually took pics, I should have ensured that the car is properly cleaned, but sorry just no time. I will surely get some better pics next time around.

For now below are some snapshots. Do let me know what you think Thanks for viewing

The first 3 pics are to show the Yokohoma S-Drive 205/55/15 tyres that I've put. Others are some interior pics, some from engine bay. The Cadpase attachment on the back seat is to hold my iPad especially for the baby to keep her entertained on long drives. BTW, it seamlessly integrates with my HU and I can control the iPad (from my steering remote) to keep her entertained as she is usually alone at the back seat. - and yes it charges the iPad as well simultaneously.

I'll get some more pics, Thank you for watching and commenting/critiques to improve on anything

[sachinj12]

Belated wishes on your new steed! Congratulations and drive safe

[ghodlur]

@Frontosa,

A Big congratulations on the black stallion. Nice crisp and an honest review, thanks for that. Happy mile crunching and drive safely.

What was the OTR cost and was it an outright purchase?

BTW whats the device on the pic 4710?

[Frontosa]

Some more pics. The first few ones are those of the external MIC which came along with JVC XR-816, works really well with my iPhone and clarity is good for the other party hearing it. I spend atleast 30 minutes on the phone while driving and this was a must to have feature.

The MIC can be folded in position or be pointing towards yourself. The other ones are focal component system tweeters. Then there is steering remote which I have fixed on the right side of the steering and its so effective and joy to use with your right thumb. I dont have to look at it while changing folders, browsing, picking up phone, volume, mute etc.

Then there is another pic of JVC HU, and I have matched the colours of the screen to gel with that of the rest of the car, and it works wonderfully well. Two pics for comparison below.

I will talk about ICE in another post later in detail. BTW it was "Ramie" (Soundfactor) Installation, so no chip-chop of wires, professional installation, warranty intact and sound quality +10/10 for the budget I had in mind.

[ajay_satpute]

Hey Frontosa

Congrats mate! Thats my favorite diesel hatch in India too. Considering all parameters, even I feel Polo TDi makes a lot of sense.

I totally agree with all your views, yes I do. Only company that you gave a miss was Tata looks like. But thats OK. After owning a Tata product for over 2.5 years, I am gonna give it a miss myself next time I am in the market to buy a car. Not because they are problematic, but want to try something better, in most aspects, except the 3 BHK space inside my vehicle. You just cant beat Tata vehicles for space.

Black Stallion is the most apt name. I would name my Black Polo the same. Nothing else comes to mind.

Bro, we need many more pics. Take some time out and give us the pleasure of admiring this beauty in full.

Wishing you a very long and happy relationship with the Stallion.

Cheers!

Edit: Before i posted my post, you already added more pics. Great!

[Frontosa]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

@Frontosa,

A Big congratulations on the black stallion. Nice crisp and an honest review, thanks for that. Happy mile crunching and drive safely.

What was the OTR cost and was it an outright purchase?

BTW whats the device on the pic 4710?

The OTR was 8 lacs, 20 thousand something, dont remember exactly. However this is a company purchased car for me. Corp registration was 50K more expensive than individual registration, otherwise OTR in Mumbai would have been 7.7 lacs. In Navi Mumbai 4% lesser than 7.7 due to no octroi.

[rtm_8055]

Could you please comment on your Yokos?