[Torquedo]

Hello Poitive -

You had mentioned about some visual irregularities while doing a minor PDI, would be thankful if you may throw some light on it and how did you reassure that things were fine with VVS.

Happy Motoring !!

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by Poitive

The part I visually like best in the car's looks is yet to come up in a proper proper way. And will have more than one picture of it. May just bore a few with the near repetition.

Originally Posted by C300

My guess is

Originally Posted by C300

Never noticed that curve. Thanks for pointing it out, looks exquisite. Its all in the details.

This is the part I was referring to mate. It sets the Optra aside for me. Me too thinks that it is exquisite

I have mixed feelings about the front of the old Optra design. Not sure which one I would have preferred, if one had a choice.

Originally Posted by Torquedo

Hello Poitive -

You had mentioned about some visual irregularities while doing a minor PDI, would be thankful if you may throw some light on it and how did you reassure that things were fine with VVS.

Happy Motoring !!

Good to see you back Torquedo! The visual irregularity was about a small difference in a panel gap. Thought that I was probably being overly critical and cautions after Sreeji incident. Checked for any obvious signs of it being tampered with after being shipped from the factory - found none. So let it go, hoping for the best. My big concern was to pick up a fresh piece and to pick it up right after it reached the dealer. It is the dealers (not the company) that I am more wary of.

[anandjha]

Finally... Congratulations. What I had most liked is the detailed review of the cars you had test driven. One request, and sorry, if it sounds hideous to you. Would you please take a TD of Swift Diesel and let us know of its hits and misses in your own inimitable style. I am sure many people in this forum would thank you for it. I know it is asking too much but please. Sorry once again if I have offended you in any way.

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by anandjha

Finally... Congratulations. What I had most liked is the detailed review of the cars you had test driven. One request, and sorry, if it sounds hideous to you. Would you please take a TD of Swift Diesel and let us know of its hits and misses in your own inimitable style. I am sure many people in this forum would thank you for it. I know it is asking too much but please. Sorry once again if I have offended you in any way.

Thank you Anand. You may also like the discussions on the Driven! and Choosing a Spacious Diesel Sedan threads (links in the first page).

You are so polite with your request mate. Firstly, I am not at all offended. Please don't worry about that. I am just not being able to spend enough free time away from the computer. Not even enough to get some decent mats for The VVS! (The VVS is already complaining about that

Now, at times, I get those odd unexpected time slots which are free. If possible, will TD the car. I think we should discuss this further on the Driven! thread. But please be warned, I have no claims of being an expert on automobiles. Am just someone who has been enjoying them for a long time (Will PM you).

[Poitive]

.

EXPERIENCING THE VVS MAGNUM
.



.

Over the Top!
( Just what this car makes me feel )

.

Nothing special or different about the roof
No ridges etc, to save weight
.

[Poitive]

.

EXPERIENCING THE VVS MAGNUM
.



.

Poise
(a balanced view of The VVS)
.

Really liked this one, after the one on page 4.
Guys, the photos are almost done. Just one more to go, IIRC.
Will resume the proper Experiencing posts after that
.

[C300]

Originally Posted by Poitive

.

Guys, the photos are almost done. Just one more to go, IIRC.
Will resume the proper Experiencing posts after that
.

Dude..VVS would love if you post some interior pics too . The VVS experience is incomplete without those.

[nitinralli]

Hey Positive, one feedback for you (As you like real Feedback). Stop being "Negative" and be "Positive" with your pictures as well
Well what i wanted to say is can we have some pics in real colors Oh and of course some detailed pics of the interiors too. I have been in love with this car from day one Magnum was released. But somehow i went for economy and bought Fiesta instead. Now after 5 years and 1 lakh kms, i am planning to buy a new car and hell, i am back to square. I am again in love with Magnum specially with the price tag it comes with now.
By the way, i like the way you write and explain things in detail even if some people don't like it that way, but i do so keep on doing it the way you do it.

[MAS]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Thanks MAS mate. Any change of heart from the NFF you are going for? LOL

Not sure what you meant by smoking the tail lamps. Nothing done to the tail lamps of The VVS - not physically and not in the picture.

BTW, there is no area specific editing that has been done to the pictures till now (don't think I'll get down to doing it later as well), except the number plate.

"Smoking" the tail lamps is to tint the tail lamps into a darker (black) shade either by spray paint or film. Your car pictures showed a dark shade of your tail lights and hence the question.

For the NFF, I have written to the Mr. Micheal Boneham to consider working on improving the below par interiors for all future Fiesta's (mine is two months away and wish i get better interiors ). No heart transplant for the NFF, but if the itch becomes larger, i might go in for a Pete's box or performance mods (similar to what Keyur plans) at a later stage.

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by C300

Dude..VVS would love if you post some interior pics too . The VVS experience is incomplete without those.

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Hey Positive, one feedback for you (As you like real Feedback). Stop being "Negative" and be "Positive" with your pictures as well
Well what i wanted to say is can we have some pics in real colors Oh and of course some detailed pics of the interiors too.

Ah yes, The VVS too would like it's interiors to be flaunted, even though the dash looks dated. I have only a part of the interiors covered as of now. The plan was to add pictures to the "Experiencing" posts when that part was being talked about. The other option was to just post them all together and not have them when the area is being talked about. I was inclined towards the first option. What do you guys think?

PS: Most of the good exterior pics are already up. Will add a pic or two from those in colour too, at the end of the series - then you can call me a 'colourful' personality

I have been in love with this car from day one Magnum was released. But somehow i went for economy and bought Fiesta instead. Now after 5 years and 1 lakh kms, i am planning to buy a new car and hell, i am back to square. I am again in love with Magnum specially with the price tag it comes with now.

Mate, despite starting the series of posts with it's 'bad' points, let me tell you, this car does feel wonderful, if you enjoy the 'car' bit of the car! (wonder if it makes enough sense). What I really mean is, if you get your joy from gadgets and the like, you may not enjoy it as much, but if you enjoy the driving experience, barring the suspension feeling a tad soft, it is a lovely driving experience. This one feels special (but I guess many of us love our cars).

By the way, i like the way you write and explain things in detail even if some people don't like it that way, but i do so keep on doing it the way you do it.

Ah, thanks! If one doesn't follow the commonly taken path, it often results in some hating it. Did intend carrying on with the detailed talk, and your comments only reaffirm my approach.

Originally Posted by MAS

"Smoking" the tail lamps is to tint the tail lamps into a darker (black) shade either by spray paint or film. Your car pictures showed a dark shade of your tail lights and hence the question.

This is the one area which seemed poorer in b/w pics. The red part of the colour pics seemed a lot darker than it actually was. Impressed that you noticed the pictures in as much detail.

For the NFF, I have written to the Mr. Micheal Boneham to consider working on improving the below par interiors for all future Fiesta's (mine is two months away and wish i get better interiors ). No heart transplant for the NFF, but if the itch becomes larger, i might go in for a Pete's box or performance mods (similar to what Keyur plans) at a later stage.

Here, I was just joking about if you liked the pictures enough for you to have a change of heart from the NFF to the Magnum .

A tuning box should make this one work very well. If the cabin works for someone, lack of enough engine power is the other major sore point. With a tuning box, we even have that area checked! Now that sounds good.

[anandjha]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Now, at times, I get those odd unexpected time slots which are free. If possible, will TD the car. I think we should discuss this further on the Driven! thread. But please be warned, I have no claims of being an expert on automobiles. Am just someone who has been enjoying them for a long time (Will PM you).

Thank you sir. To let you know I have been a keen follower of your thread 'Driven! and Choosing a Spacious Diesel Sedan' and we've had a one or two interactions there as well.

Have PMed you every detail you had asked me for. Looking forward to your yet another interestingly interactive thread.

[Redface]

I have been glued to your thread since the day i TD the Vento.
Your experience is so convincing.
Always thought of it as a junk car and now I am forced to be in love with the imagination i have set for it after reading your thread.
In fact I dreaming about how spacious i will feel and the power it will deliver and everything when i own the machine, even before doing a TD.
I have booked for a TD tomorrow.
Have been trying to get inputs from people very close about what they think of me owning a OPTRA will be like.
Not very encouraging, mostly from the wife.
So lets see whether the car wins over their critical thinking,

Never actually seen the optra as a car worth living with till yesterday, infact never even noticed such a car existed on the roads. Its like a dead man walking (sorry totally my opinion).
No more imaginations/ high standards set before TD.

Congrats on your awesome looking car.
All the initial flirting was worth it for you cheers for that and the HELP.
The OPTRA MAN with his OPTRA MAGUM

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by anandjha

Thank you sir. To let you know I have been a keen follower of your thread 'Driven! and Choosing a Spacious Diesel Sedan' and we've had a one or two interactions there as well.

Have PMed you every detail you had asked me for.

Hey anand mate! No "Sirs" here. Come on! We all interact like friends, even if one is half the age of the other. And yes, like friends, we even "fight" once in a while (see the last 2-3 pages of the official Vento thread, for example!)

Now more seriously - yes, the interactions were about a possibility of some new engines on the SX4. Sorry. Got your PM, will reply to the same. Let us keep this talk on the "Driven!" thread mate. I am surely subscribed to it and will not miss a post to it.

Looking forward to your yet another interestingly interactive thread.

Not sure if you are talking about this thread here or about a prospective Swift one!

For those considering a Magnum as their next car, the following may be of use

Originally Posted by Redface

I have been glued to your thread since the day i TD the Vento.
Your experience is so convincing.
Always thought of it as a junk car and now I am forced to be in love with the imagination i have set for it after reading your thread.
In fact I dreaming about how spacious i will feel and the power it will deliver and everything when i own the machine, even before doing a TD.
I have booked for a TD tomorrow.

Wow! I take the above as a big compliment to the thread. The VVS should already be fond of you! And you seem to be getting into that dreamy state even before the TD. One up on me!! LOL

But let us keep things in perspective. Whenever we expect more, we bring ourselves closer to being disappointed. So I'd suggest you to keep expectations neutral. Go with your other TDs as the benchmark.

Have been trying to get inputs from people very close about what they think of me owning a OPTRA will be like.
Not very encouraging, mostly from the wife.
So lets see whether the car wins over their critical thinking,

Ah! This is the most difficult one. The perception of the car is pretty poor in a lot of peoples mind. Which is one reason it sells for as less. It drives like a car of say 12-14L and sells at 9-10L (with the maintenance cost of a say 7-8L car). Good for buyers like me! Also be warned, that it has the dash of a car from, say 10 years back.

My experience has been that if you talk to someone who doesn't know about the ca,r or only knows it from it's Petrol or Pre-BS4 avatars, they will think you got to be crazy to even consider this car. Talk to people who own this car (and consequently really know this car) and most will be gaga over it (am not talking only about owners on the forum). One owner (not on the forum) had used it for 80k, wanted to change his car, and guess what? He wanted to buy an Optra Magnum AGAIN!

Never actually seen the optra as a car worth living with till yesterday, infact never even noticed such a car existed on the roads. Its like a dead man walking (sorry totally my opinion).
No more imaginations/ high standards set before TD.

Well, I too didn't really consider it seriously till the TD. Just had this vague idea that it used to be selling at about 12L but now was made much cheaper, so thought I'd go for a TD and see it. Went for the TD without any real expectations. The rest is already there in the thread.

Also, after really considering it, I realized that most examples we see on the road are pretty old. The average Optra you see on the road is poorly maintained. The average new car, of course is more recent and better maintained. This further adds to the perception issues. A new Optra still looks pretty decent IMO, though there aren't many on the road.

Congrats on your awesome looking car.

Ah! Thanks. But the car is looking better in these b/w pics than in reality.

All the initial flirting was worth it for you cheers for that and the HELP.
The OPTRA MAN with his OPTRA MAGUM

Help? What help?

And oh! Am not an Optra Man, despite how some on the forum may see me. I see merit (and lack of it) in various aspects of most cars. This one just seemed to have a lot of relevant merit for me and the compromises were ones I could live with with relative ease.

All the best for your TD. Would love to hear your report. You may use the Driven thread for putting up your TD report. (I think you have the link - also on first page of this thread). We would love a long detailed one, but if you don't feel like it, even a small one would be welcome by forum members.

Edit: In case you aren't used to driving diesel engines, do allow yourself some time to get used to this car. Also, this one has taller gearing, which really means that you need to change gears at a higher speed. Also, there have been reports of poor quality TD cars around. Hope yours is a post BS4 one and is well maintained. As in any TD, it is always a good idea to get tyre pressure checked (I usually add 2-3psi to the recommended pressure, to compensate for the tyre being warm after some use).

[C300]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Ah yes, The VVS too would like it's interiors to be flaunted, even though the dash looks dated. I have only a part of the interiors covered as of now. The plan was to add pictures to the "Experiencing" posts when that part was being talked about. The other option was to just post them all together and not have them when the area is being talked about. I was inclined towards the first option. What do you guys think?

Sounds like a plan. As long we see the interiors through your eyes we are fine . A detailed experience along with interior pics will be the icing on the cake.

[anandjha]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Not sure if you are talking about this thread here or about a prospective Swift one!

Thanks once again. I had in the prospective new thread.