[optimist]

Originally Posted by Torquedo

I did post in the "What Car" section about my booking.

Now that I have clocked close to about 400 odd Kms here are my findings:

1) My Clarion HU has gone for a toss, the very moment I took the car out of the showroom. I was trying to connect my I-Pod & the system went bust. I can connect the I-Pod but the other controls don't work, like the volume and stuff.

2) My front passenger seat is neither moving forward nor backwards. This is stopping me from going for the seat covers. Don't know how the guys at the accessory shop would handle the seat, I don't want to take any chances.

3) Ok now the first two problems are minor irritants that can be handled at the 1K service (guys if you have any suggestions please chip in), there 3rd niggle that I am facing is small for the time being but might get bloated over a period of time, which I fear !

Here is the problem statement- on a standstill when I rotate my steering wheel in an anti clockwise direction it makes a hissing noise, ok to make it more clear it's like the same sound when gas is leaking through a small hole or another example - same sound as if you try to deflate a tyre, though the sound from the steering is less pronounced.

Guys please chip in if you have any insights on the niggles reported above.

My experience with the Optra thus Far -

1) Ride is GOOD, not in the leagues of the Laura though, might be because of the tyre pressure, haven't got it checked since I took the delivery.

2) I have not stretched beyond the 100 mark, 100 on the Optra is like, do this speed 365*24 hrs a year, effortless to say the least.

3) HPS is a bliss, for a car with a heavy front the EPS would have been an utter failure.

4) The reason I bought <text cut> Optra owners please drop in a couple of lines how the turbo feels


6) FE on the 1st tankful so cannot comment.

Congratulations! I don't know what gave me the impression that you already had an Optra.

Answer for:

1. Did something go wrong in the connection? What do you view it as? An opportunity to change the unit for a 2 DIN GPS/DVD or a solid waste of money?

2. Are you using the right handle ? (Now please don't come after me ) I'm sure it would be very minor. Try another optra or the demo car.

3. That would be the HPS. Have seen the horrible noise the pump made when the fluid leaked from my steering rack on day 1. Get it checked and bleed any air trapped by the ASC if necessary. I will try and post a comparison video by tomorrow evening.

Other points:
It's not the speed. Warm up properly and then maintain rpm below 2000 for the first 3000 km. I'm still around 3k km and it's just getting smoother now. Have not crossed 2500 rpm till now.

I maintain around 33 in the front because I have seen the tyre sidewall bend abnormally at 29 psi because of the front weight and the roads that i drive are choked with infrastructure constructions with gaping pits and very uneven surface .

HPS is a good feeling and one of the primary reasons i ditched the i10.

Enjoy a teaser of the turbo. accelerate gently till 2000 rpm. It should start rocketing around 1800 BUT don't get carried away. It's addictive. My family shouts at me when i accelerate to 80, where the 5th gear is comfortable. I'm not speeding but they do not know the capability of the Optra Magnum. I've no road available to cross that speed without having to stop for a signal or a choke point. : (

I'm averaging 11.5 on potholed and breaker infested roads.

Hope your niggles get sorted out fast. Have a great time!

Drive safe.

Optimist

[DeKay]

Originally Posted by Torquedo

Thanks Keyur Bhai for the wishes, you have been a BIG help all this while.

I did post in the "What Car" section about my booking.

Now that I have clocked close to about 400 odd Kms here are my findings:

1) My Clarion HU has gone for a toss, the very moment I took the car out of the showroom. I was trying to connect my I-Pod & the system went bust. I can connect the I-Pod but the other controls don't work, like the volume and stuff.

2) My front passenger seat is neither moving forward nor backwards. This is stopping me from going for the seat covers. Don't know how the guys at the accessory shop would handle the seat, I don't want to take any chances.

3) Ok now the first two problems are minor irritants that can be handled at the 1K service (guys if you have any suggestions please chip in), there 3rd niggle that I am facing is small for the time being but might get bloated over a period of time, which I fear !

Here is the problem statement- on a standstill when I rotate my steering wheel in an anti clockwise direction it makes a hissing noise, ok to make it more clear it's like the same sound when gas is leaking through a small hole or another example - same sound as if you try to deflate a tyre, though the sound from the steering is less pronounced.

Another thing that I have observed is - the steering column makes some noise when I pass through an undulating roads, not a BIG irritant as of now but should not have been the case for a vehicle that has done 400 kms.

My Swift, rattled a lot but there were no complains from the steering assembly.

Guys please chip in if you have any insights on the niggles reported above.

My experience with the Optra thus Far -

1) Ride is GOOD, not in the leagues of the Laura though, might be because of the tyre pressure, haven't got it checked since I took the delivery.

2) I have not stretched beyond the 100 mark, 100 on the Optra is like, do this speed 365*24 hrs a year, effortless to say the least.

3) HPS is a bliss, for a car with a heavy front the EPS would have been an utter failure.

4) The reason I bought the Optra (Keyur, Poitive you guys know this well), the TURBO FEEL has not been experienced yet as I'm not pushing on the new vehicle. Optra owners please drop in a couple of lines how the turbo feels

5) When I drive my Figo back to back after a drive on the Optra, the Figo feels like a TOY, light and simple to maneuver. If I was to draw an analogy it'll go like comparing a Royal Enfield to a Splendor.

6) FE on the 1st tankful so cannot comment.

7) The steering wheel on the LS is too too thin, I must admit, my palms are bigger than an average Indian but still for a vehicle this big and bulky the steering wheel should have been a bit chunkier.

Would be reporting my entire findings once through with the 1K Kms mark.

Thanks to one and all for all the support !!!!

Happy Motoring !!

Well, the problem where your passenger seat isn't moving forward not backward looks like a very small niggle. Like optimist said, you can always check out another optra.

And what i would highly recommend is getting your tyre pressure checked. Since you haven't checked it after delivery, I am sure it would be higher than the recommended level which in turn would affect the ride quality of your optra

Another question which I want to ask all the magnum owners, is how is the plastic and build quality of the car when you compare it to the vento? Any rattles or squeaking noises?

[Poitive]

I truly appreciate the concern showed by fellow-members, whether on this thread or by various other means. Even though I have individually replied, I thank you all once again.

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Bump. Poitive, where are you? Please share more updates on the car.

Sorry for just vanishing Prabhu. Updates coming up soon.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Yes, even I am a bit perplexed as to where is Poitive hiding all these days. Hope everything is fine with him. Until his last post there wouldn't have been a single day when he has not posted a message. Come on Poitive we want to hear more @ your VVS.Are you listening?

Sorry AutoIndian. Yes, I was posting almost everyday from April to September. Around the time I stopped, was very surprised to see that I was amongst the top posters - had never really focused on that.

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Poitive mate, where are you? I hope everything is fine with you and the VVS. All of us here are waiting for updates from you.

Sorry Ajay. Hope to update frequently now. Lots to update.

Originally Posted by Sugeeta

Poitive; this is not a good or a wonderful thread started by you, this is simply a FANTASTIC thread !

I just came across it as I was trying to point the link to your previous decision making threads to a colleague who is interested in buying an Optra Diesel from the GM stables, but not the Cruze.

It is wonderful to see that you have included extensive details of your test drives during the decision making process.

I am glued for more updates.

And yes, finally Congratulations on the car.

Thanks Sugeeta, for the appreciation. I have tried quite hard to share observations, thoughts, ideas and information on the forum. Hope to resume. Sorry for the delay in acknowledging this. Hope the Fiesta is doing well.

Originally Posted by optimist

About Poitive: Yes! He is the single biggest proponent for the Optra Magnum but he has been missing for a while. We really miss him. Does anyone know him personally or has spoken to him?

Oh Optimist! Never saw myself as such! Just shared what I felt about this wonderful piece of design. Hope to post more frequently and to see you around as well. Will PM you.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

In the following posts, I'll share what I understood and thought in some of the following posts.

A brief road-map of what is there to share
(a bit like reminder notes for myself as well):

• Why opinions on the Optra vary so much - this can be rather extended.
• Why I think this car is so well designed. Just my personal opinions.
• Some figures about this car.
• 5k Service report
• 10k Service report
• Parts situations and some talks I had about it with the Chevy guys.
• Engine repairs frequency.
• A breakdown and the experience with how (well) it was handled.
• ICE, or shall we call it Audio setup.
• Short note on how it handled somewhat desperate situations on the road.
• Tyres etc.
• Fuel Efficiency (Extended report); Good RPM to use it in for fun and FE.
• Possible change in ECU mapping and getting that pinned-to-the seat feeling.
  (@Torquedo - hope you started getting that now ;-) )
• Edit: Pictures! Yet to post the final few of the exteriors and some interiors as well.
• Observations and thoughts on other points discussed on this thread while I was away.
• I am sure I forget other points now. Will share more things, as I remember them.

Originally Posted by Torquedo

I picked up my Optra on the 20th

Formal congrats @Torquedo!

I expect some of members with whom one was in active discussions, would have bought their cars. Congrats to them. Please be kind enough to send me the links to your ownership reports by pm - would be much appreciated. There is much to catch up on the forum. Will do so, bit by bit.

-----------------

OT:

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. Looking forward to your yet another interestingly interactive thread.

@Anandjha: Hope you found that "short-review" useful. Did you make up your mind on anything. Sorry that the thread was never started.

(Had taken a TD of the New Swift and updated Anand on the same).

[charthom]

Poitive,

I had been away for a while too. So was not fully tuned with the situation. But of course one of the first names I searched anxiously was yours. I had a faint feeling that you had left. Glad to see you again. Welcome back mate. You are far too precious to lose.

Btw, How's VVS doing?

regards,

charthom

[optimist]

At last. Update whatever you want but we still do not know the color of your ride. Color snaps please.

[MAS]

Hi Poitive

Welcome back. Good to see you live and kicking.

Update us on what happened in the 18 odd weeks you were gone. I picked up a New Ford Fiesta after a lot of confusion. The car is an amazing piece of engineering. Sorry for hijacking your thread a bit. Please take centre stage and UPDATE...

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Sorry AutoIndian. Yes, I was posting almost everyday from April to September. Around the time I stopped, was very surprised to see that I was amongst the top posters - had never really focused on that.

Welcome back, I knew you would be back here some day or the other, better late than never. This is one such forum, you can't live without if you are a true auto enthusiast & love your vehicle.

Originally Posted by Poitive

A brief road-map of what is there to share
(a bit like reminder notes for myself as well):

• Why opinions on the Optra vary so much - this can be rather extended.
• Why I think this car is so well designed. Just my personal opinions.
• Some figures about this car.
• 5k Service report
• 10k Service report
• Parts situations and some talks I had about it with the Chevy guys.
• Engine repairs frequency.
• A breakdown and the experience with how (well) it was handled.
• ICE, or shall we call it Audio setup.
• Short note on how it handled somewhat desperate situations on the road.
• Tyres etc.
• Fuel Efficiency (Extended report); Good RPM to use it in for fun and FE.
• Possible change in ECU mapping and getting that pinned-to-the seat feeling.
  (@Torquedo - hope you started getting that now ;-) )
• Edit: Pictures! Yet to post the final few of the exteriors and some interiors as well.
• Observations and thoughts on other points discussed on this thread while I was away.
• I am sure I forget other points now. Will share more things, as I remember them.

I believe there would be a separate message on each of the above points. Looking forward to hear your experience & learn from it. Last but not the least, as Optimist has pointed out, please share a lot of snaps, both exteriors & interiors (& yes coloured ones)

[Torquedo]

Aah, so my friend Poitive is back and he is with a bang, his task has been cut out, waiting on all the updates.

Poitive, the pronounced pin down feeling is not there in the BS4 Optra's so has the lag reduced, I've done just 1700 odd Kms on my machine in the 3 months of ownership and here I stand planning for a RD Box or an original BS3 map from the Chevy guys.

Poitive do you have any insight on a remap that can be done by the local Chevy Guys ?

Anyways, welcome back on board after the loong hiatus, wishing you many a happy miles with your beauty and looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Happy Motoring !!

[anandjha]

Hi Poitive, good to have you back. Yours is one of the best threads here. Though Optra is one car that will never be on my radar but your extolling its virtue makes me take second look whenever an Optra passes by and I wonder what is holding me against it. On a formal note thank you for taking the test drive of the New Swift for me. I booked it in September and awaiting its delivery by March/April.

[Poitive]

I have reason to think that my posts have been found to be biased. IMO, It really is a difference of opinion. And one needs to try this car enough to form an opinion. I had done about 2,000+ kms on the VVS, when I went on that break from the forum. Have done over 10,000+ during that break (total of 12k+). Also, will try to give enough basis for what I am saying, when time allows.

Given how enthusiastic I have been about this car (Optra Magnum), some may have assumed me to be some kid who got overexcited about his car. Just in case the following sounds pompous, it really isn't intended to be. It is just to put things back in perspective:

Some background about my driving experience
I really really didn't want to get into this. Still will not go into details, even if provoked. Briefly -
Cars run in - If I really count, it should be into double digits. Typically almost totally run-in by me. Most were used in the family for a lakh odd kms. There were some used (pre-worshipped) ones too.
How much have I driven? - Didn't bother to really count after a while. My guess is that it should be about half a million kms. Most of it in urban India (which IMO counts for more than the huge distances one may cover a lot more simply than western highways).

Coming back - was pretty confused, about where to start from. So am just starting with adding views on what was discussed in my absence. It may take a few posts. Then back to the road-map etc.

Originally Posted by Redface

Here I am a couple of days after the much awaited TD.
After reading all the review and the new life Poitive have given the Optra Magnum with his command-able and unbelievable researching of the machine I had to take the TD as I was fallen for the cars capabilities.

I booked for the TD and they responded quickly to schedule one within 2 days from KLM motors Chennai.
It was a Olympic white Diesel 2.0 LT TCDi which was brought to my work for the TD.
2 Well dressed men who knew enough about the car welcomed me and took me for the TD.
Was told they had plans of shutting down this car, but due to the newly found interest for diesel cars its sale has gone up and they no more plan to discontinue this model.
It takes just 5 days for delivery.

First thought from outside, yeah the car looks big but very much an old model
The doors were heavy and closed with a good thud.
The car was indeed very spacious, in fact the biggest sedan of this price bracket.
I fitted very well on the seat with good leg room.
Head room was nice.
Completely impressed by the space, i sit on the co-passenger seat for some distance.

Switching on to the driver seat.
What a comfortable place to be.
Adjustable to choice.
Just a plain simple console.
The CD player did not match with the dash board - wood finish. Was an odd sight.
Gear lever comfortably positioned
I slip into the first gear and accelerate, the car slowly starts responding to the gas after a slight lag.
It feels like a well floored machine, heavy to be precise.
Steering gels with the overall feel of the car, not like the Vento which had a heavy wheel for a light body.
Horn placed uncomfortably for Indian road usage.
It drives like a boat on a silent sea even on rough roads.
Enjoyed the drive of about 5-6 km on rough patches at speed of about 50-60.
Did not feel any discomfort
The engine noise was comparatively higher than the Vento and Verna but very much quieter from inside.
The lag on acceleration is good for a smooth ride, but not for quick maneuverability inside city.
Picks up fast and ready to provide remarkable high speeds on highway.

Moved on to the back seat and what a spacious place to be.
The boot was comparatively smaller.

My Final take (My personal opinion, no offense)

Very spacious, comfortable car.
Smaller boot
Very old model - External looks don't get you any head on the road, could make a wrong statement of your personality, the dash board is not encouraging, you feel old inside this car. No scope for improvement/remodeling by yourself
I was taken back to my travel in a Van during my school days.
The engine lacks to make a statement in city traffic.

Its a highway machine which I may rent for that purpose.
Would have chose this if I was peaceful, silent, sober and older.
Driver driven car, with smooth acceleration, helps sailing inside the city on the back seat with no possibility for sudden heart aching moves.
Expensive on the pocket- Running cost, future maintenance. (owned an opel astra during its end of days)

Decided it is not for me to own but would love to travel on it.

Exteriors' Looks - It surely doesn't look modern. But has a classic timeless sort of appeal. It is not a "I am here - see me" sort of a design. More like a "feel my presence" soft of a design. I wasn't too fond of the looks of this car to start with, but that was partly due to most examples on the road being pretty old and poorly maintained. With time, and on seeing new examples (including dear VVS), the design has grown on me. So prospective buyers may want to keep that in mind.

Interiors' looks - The dash really could look a lot lot better. Well, primarily the wooden bulge in the centre and the Head unit. The rest is in line with the car. More on this, when we get to the interiors pictures.

Old Man's Car? - Well, in the white shades, particularly the Diamond white, it really does look like an old executive's car, even to me. Ideal for someone who wants to give that polished executive look and is chauffeur driven. Like most cars, colour makes ample difference to how it looks. Maybe even more of a difference than other cars. Try Red or Sandrift grey. Or even Black (it eeks out for a "laal batti" in black though!)

Engine noise - We need to bear in mind that, very often one would be comparing a new Vento/Verna/Fiesta TD car to an old Optra Magnum - one which has done more miles. IMO, it is about as silent as a Fluidic Verna on the inside, if not more. Partly due to it's good sound dampening (one needs to see the inside of the door for that - more when we get to ICE discussions).

City Driving - Before buying, I was a bit skeptical about how easy it may be to drive in stop and go traffic. To my pleasant surprise, it is very easy. The reduction in turbo-lag in the present model may be a big reason. (more on this/related subject coming up).

Maintenance cost - From what I understand, the routine maintenance is pretty cheap. Especially for a car of this size. For out of the ordinary expenses, am not too sure, but it is no Skoda for sure.

Drive for a sober, peaceful, silent person? - I am not sure if we are even talking about the same car. Or was the "wolf" in the "sheep's" clothing not seen at all?

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

1. Heavy machine (1370 kilos), how easy/difficult would it be to manouver on the congested city roads.
2. Serviceability (availability of spares)

Another one though not so critical, cannot be neglected. A 2 litres engine (though powerful & torquey) compared to the 1.6, would definitely be more thirsty. This can however be compensated by the spacious interiors

1. Am finding it very easy, after getting a bit used to it.
2. More on spares in one of the Experiencing posts.

FE is surprisingly good. Needs some explanation than just a figure.

Originally Posted by Qondor

Need help in few things though:
1) I have the red color in mind, but open to suggestion which would suit this car better.
2) I am also looking for suggestions on upsizing the tyres to 205/R/15 (will it enhance looks and performance significantly)- price (post exchange of stock tyres) & brand (currently use yokos 195/R/14 on my Baleno, and they look awesome...all thanx to T-BHP).
3) Which is the best dealer I can approach in Blr (need to get the ex-showroom price down to Rs.9lacs, ok to forgo other freebees)

Did you go for it, Qondor? Please update us.

1) Colour - IMO - Consider Black if you can maintain it. Red if you like the attention and young look! Whites/Beige if you are going to be driven. Grey-A bit of all the above.

2) The Optra seems to be very very sensitive to tyres. Try and do a few kms (also with about 32-33psi on warm tyres) before you commit, even if it costs you a few hundred rupees extra.

3) No idea of BLR dealers. But I presume the price has been reduced further.

Originally Posted by C300

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.

Yes, that was the plan mate. Will get to it slowly. Too much on mind to update. It may be a lot lesser organized than I had initially envisaged though.

-------------------------------

Originally Posted by charthom

Poitive,

I had been away for a while too. So was not fully tuned with the situation. But of course one of the first names I searched anxiously was yours. I had a faint feeling that you had left. Glad to see you again. Welcome back mate. You are far too precious to lose.

Btw, How's VVS doing?

regards,

charthom

You are too kind Charthom. It is warmth like this, which makes it difficult to keep away from the forum. Thank you for the welcome. The VVS is a delight!

Originally Posted by optimist

At last. Update whatever you want but we still do not know the color of your ride. Color snaps please.

Glad to be back amongst friends! In a way you already know it. Colour coming up soon mate.

Originally Posted by MAS

Hi Poitive

Welcome back. Good to see you live and kicking.

Update us on what happened in the 18 odd weeks you were gone. I picked up a New Ford Fiesta after a lot of confusion. The car is an amazing piece of engineering. Sorry for hijacking your thread a bit. Please take centre stage and UPDATE...

Thanks MAS and congrats on the Fiesta. Ford surely has loyalty! You and Sugeeta are proof. More on your thread.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Welcome back, I knew you would be back here some day or the other, better late than never. This is one such forum, you can't live without if you are a true auto enthusiast & love your vehicle.[/list]I believe there would be a separate message on each of the above points. Looking forward to hear your experience & learn from it. Last but not the least, as Optimist has pointed out, please share a lot of snaps, both exteriors & interiors (& yes coloured ones)

Being back was to do with the auto-enthuaist in me, but a lot lot more to do with the community and the warmth expressed. Snaps coming up, but may be a bit slow. Please bear with me. Am not being able to spend as much time on it, as I would like to. And there is lots to update.

Originally Posted by Torquedo

Aah, so my friend Poitive is back and he is with a bang, his task has been cut out, waiting on all the updates.

Poitive, the pronounced pin down feeling is not there in the BS4 Optra's so has the lag reduced, I've done just 1700 odd Kms on my machine in the 3 months of ownership and here I stand planning for a RD Box or an original BS3 map from the Chevy guys.

Poitive do you have any insight on a remap that can be done by the local Chevy Guys ?

Anyways, welcome back on board after the loong hiatus, wishing you many a happy miles with your beauty and looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Happy Motoring !!

Thanks Torquedo! It really is a beauty and just tirelessly pastes a smile on my face, especially in late night drives.

The pinned down effect you miss - It may not be totally due to the BS4 changes. If you may remember, I clearly reported a change in feel within the same BS4 car we tried - between the second and third TD's, IIRC. It could be a remap. Will cover this in a bit more detail later, but before you spend any money or go in for a remap, you need to really try out the car after a proper run in. Say after 3,000 kms. Or maybe spend time in the VVS, after an oil change. I doubt you would be disappointed.

Originally Posted by anandjha

Hi Poitive, good to have you back. Yours is one of the best threads here. Though Optra is one car that will never be on my radar but your extolling its virtue makes me take second look whenever an Optra passes by and I wonder what is holding me against it. On a formal note thank you for taking the test drive of the New Swift for me. I booked it in September and awaiting its delivery by March/April.

Thank you Anand. I too would rarely bother about this car till the time I really drove and experienced it. And congrats on the booking the New Swift - it has it's fair share of virtues. Do keep us updated.

@Amit1234Singla and @drmohitg - I was briefly able to see your posts on the phone before they were deleted. Thank you for the cordiality mates.

[DeKay]

Great to have you back Poitive. Was a regular visitor of your thread(s). I really admire the Magnum. Since I will be buying a car in the month of May, it is a strong contender for my purchase as well. But, the only thing keeping me away from it is the possibility of it being discontinued soon. But, you never know. Heart might triumph over mind!

I would love if I can stretch my budget and get the New Jetta. But if I cannot, the Magnum will be the car to look for. I hope you keep updating this thread regularly now that you're back as me, and many more look up to it!

Just a general question - Any rattles from the VVS?

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by krish82

2. Parts are on higher side, for older cars, just in case the model gets discontinued you will have hard time getting the parts, forget about the money.

Since you have had it for much longer, you would know better, krish82. My impression has been that the regular maintenance is equivalent or lesser than comparable cars. Failures or breakages may be a different story though. Even for breakages, it seems comparable, as the newer cars anyway don't really seem to be cheap either.

4. My car met with an accident and its rear quarter panel had to be replaced, they said it will take 1 month to acquire and will costs 30k +. i told them i cant wait for 1 month with my car in garage and asked them to repair instead.

That doesn't sound good at all. Do you think it could be the dealer's mischief? Especially considering NoRules' experience? I am often suspicious of the dealers, who may project things based on where they make more money.

5. Ingress/out very hard for older parents.

Agree! It is quite a low car. Makes it more fun to drive, however the ingress/egress is not as good as the newer higher cars. However, it is way better than cars like the Accent or Esteem. Or even the Vento, for a tall biggish person like me. The wide door openings help a lot.

5. Brand image is not as good as Honda or some other.

True. Though some oldsters do look fondly towards the Chevy name (It reminds them of the Impala!!)

I see your budget as 12 lakhs, you could try XUV 500, verna, vento or even stretch to cruze.

Haven't had significant direct experience of the XUV, but is quite a stunner in it's looks.

I am very happy with my petrol model, but i have to be prepared for these kind of expenses. But if i am in the market to buy a new car today, i wouldn't buy it just for the sake of engine.

In petrol we have good choices like the Honda City. In diesel, it is a different story, IMO.

3.Parts are expensive, for example if some one broke your left or right rear view mirrors its going to cost Rs 6000. AC Cooling coil costs 17k, compressor 50k. 60k. service timing belt service costs 22k+, these are the prices of petrol variant.

Originally Posted by optimist

Someone on the fluidic threads has confirmed that the orvm costs 6k where as the entire mirror assy of the optra is 2200. Also the indicator insert can be changed for Rs. 1200 + 150 labour and is available individually as a left or right. Go figure which is cheaper.

(For the benefit of those who did not know, the ORVM of the Magnum does not fold electrically but it is fully adjustable electrically. For the past 2 months that I have had the Magnum, I had needed to fold only the right ORVM a few times manually which is not a problem at all)

The discrepancy in the OVRM costs is because, strangely, the Diesel models do not come with internally foldable ones, where as the Petrol one does. So, both Krish and Optimist seem to be correct.

From what I hear, internally foldable OVRM's are quite expensive in other cars too. About 10k or so, IIRC for the Corolla. A lot more for the Octavia/Laura.

Originally Posted by optimist

Try finding a Magnum and then post. I will not sell for any reason for the next 8-10 years. It's whatever I wanted and much more. I took delivery of the Magnum after booking and cancelling the fluidic first and then the fiesta titanium.

That is a lot of booking, cancellation and also eventual satisfaction, Optimist!

Originally Posted by NoRules

Krish,

At 10.5 lakhs odd for LT Optra, it is by far the best VFM car. Even Zdi leather SX4 costs more than LT Magnum and all other cars like Vento, new Fiesta and Verna cost atleast a lakh more.

And also to keep in mind that, even though a generation older, the car is about a segment higher than the above. A refined 2litre engine.

Originally Posted by phenomonstar

Nice to see so many Optra proponents.

I am a very happy owner of a new Optra LT. 1000km will be up in the ODO in a couple of days...
I shall be posting my ownership experience with pics soon; hopefully over the holidays.

Seasons Greetings to everyone!

Congrats phenomonstar! You must have done a lot more by now. How do you feel about the car now? Have you put up your ownership report? Just in case you are feeling too lazy to go through the whole process, feel free share your experiences here itself.

Originally Posted by Torquedo

1) My Clarion HU has gone for a toss,
~~~~~~~
2) My front passenger seat is neither moving forward nor backwards.
~~~~~
3)~~~~
Here is the problem statement- on a standstill when I rotate my steering wheel in an anti clockwise direction it makes a hissing noise, ok to make it more clear it's like the same sound when gas is leaking through a small hole or another example - same sound as if you try to deflate a tyre, though the sound from the steering is less pronounced.

Another thing that I have observed is - the steering column makes some noise when I pass through an undulating roads, not a BIG irritant as of now but should not have been the case for a vehicle that has done 400 kms.

How are things now?
Resolved?
Please update, Torquedo mate. It may help others too.

Originally Posted by Torquedo

My experience with the Optra thus Far -

1) Ride is GOOD, not in the leagues of the Laura though, might be because of the tyre pressure, haven't got it checked since I took the delivery.

Would almost surely be the tyre pressure. Stockyards almost always over-inflate. Is risky, as the tyres skid very easily. Makes a BIG difference to the ride quality also. Ride is the last thing, one would expect anyone to complain about the Optra. I presume the tyre pressure would have been corrected. How do you feel about the ride now, Torquedo?

4) The reason I bought the Optra (Keyur, Poitive you guys know this well), the TURBO FEEL has not been experienced yet as I'm not pushing on the new vehicle. Optra owners please drop in a couple of lines how the turbo feels

Instead of saying how the turbo feels, let me say that the surge in power is and absolute wower! It wows me, even after 12k+ on the odo.

Would be reporting my entire findings once through with the 1K Kms mark.

Waiting!

Originally Posted by nileshch

Hey, Poitive, back to your thread after quite a few days. The B/W photos look great! The one thing I have most liked about the Optra are the Escalade/Cadillac-inspired killer tail lights. Your photos have brought the design out very well. But would love to see some colour photos too.

Just a matter of personal liking -- I loved the pre-SRV angular frontal design of the Optra more than the current curvy one.

How I love the looks of these lights! *Sigh*

About the front - the more I see a well maintained older model, the more I like it. Except for the shape of the lights on those.

Originally Posted by optimist

1. Did something go wrong in the connection? What do you view it as? An opportunity to change the unit for a 2 DIN GPS/DVD or a solid waste of money?

Hey! They should be repairing it without charging. The warranty is valid on this too.

Other points:
It's not the speed. Warm up properly and then maintain rpm below 2000 for the first 3000 km. I'm still around 3k km and it's just getting smoother now. Have not crossed 2500 rpm till now.

Golden words there, Optimist.The role of warming up is often not appreciated enough.

Originally Posted by DeKay

Another question which I want to ask all the magnum owners, is how is the plastic and build quality of the car when you compare it to the vento? Any rattles or squeaking noises?

Originally Posted by DeKay

Great to have you back Poitive. Was a regular visitor of your thread(s). I really admire the Magnum. Since I will be buying a car in the month of May, it is a strong contender for my purchase as well. But, the only thing keeping me away from it is the possibility of it being discontinued soon. But, you never know. Heart might triumph over mind!

I would love if I can stretch my budget and get the New Jetta. But if I cannot, the Magnum will be the car to look for. I hope you keep updating this thread regularly now that you're back as me, and many more look up to it!

Just a general question - Any rattles from the VVS?

Thanks DeKay! I hope I can provide unbiased feedback about this car.

Rattles and creaks etc - If not nitpicking, then I'd say no sounds.

But since I am nitpicking:

• Very minor creaking from the underbody/suspension was there in some specific situations. Not easily reproduceable. Was minor and may have easily been missed. Went away on it's own.
• Had the doors opened to check for speaker options. It left some resonance sound which would come up on certain portions of music. It was clearly an issue with the door not being attached perfectly. But within a few days, I could not hear that wither.

Overall, based on how it feels over bad roads at various speeds, it seems to be a very well put together car. But such things are better found out over a longer time/distance.

Anyone who has had the car for a long time, may be able to answer this better.

Plastic Quality - Excellent in almost all parts. Overall better than most (if not all) cars in the price segment. The part which has the digital clock is sad though. Overall interiors' design is not snazzy. Had found it too boring when I got the car, but quite like it now. Rather, find it classy now. But that is just a very subjective personal opinion.

[Poitive]

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EXPERIENCING THE VVS MAGNUM
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Putting aside the cynicism which had crept in, one decided to look at why opinions on the Optra varied so much (it seems to be more for this car, than for others). Some introspection and focusing on how the VVS was being experienced lead to some answers. Am sharing the same. Some will get covered over time. Some more specifically below.

Why Opinions on the Optra Vary so much

• Have seen that a lot of people form opinions based on the Optra petrol, without considering enough that they are pretty different. More on the types of Optras in the subsequent post.
  .
• Opinions are formed without a proper test drive of this car across various surfaces and speeds and situations. It really starts to reveal itself properly after, say, 80kmph - often not easy to test in the city.
  .
• There are a lot of second-hand/hearsay based opinions floating around, with people only to eager to have an opinion. Also the primary opinions in this case may anyway have been formed with experiences with the older Optras.
  .
• Poorly maintained and older cars being used for TDs.
  .
• The softer suspension being equated to poor handling - the role of a well tuned suspension not being appreciated enough.
  .
• It not being a Ford/Fiat/etc. and having it's roots as a Daewoo may bias some people. Getting a good thing working, at times needs getting the right people working on the project. (eg. The Mayawati government and Japyee group working with the right professionals got us the fantastic F1 track and event). The people who worked on this car can be found in the beginning of this thread. One needs to look beyond Daewoo/GM-Chevrolet.
  .
• The car is seen as a poor purchase and mentally written off, without even really trying it, partly due to (incorrect?) perceptions about it's poor resale value (again a carry forward from the Petrol version) and perceived high maintenance (from what I understand, the maintenance has been rationalized quite some time back).

There are many points about how this car is experienced,which may lead people not misunderstand this car. Had initially though of making that as a part of this list, but it seems more appropriate to deal with them more generally in subsequent posts - more as a part of a general experience.


(@Mods, am breaking the post for a better and more logical structure, and to make it easier to quote, if needed. Please merge in case deemed fit).

[Poitive]

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EXPERIENCING THE VVS MAGNUM
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Types of Optras

1. Petrol Optra 1.8 - Introduced in July 2003
   .
2. Petrol Optra 1.6 - Introduced in 2004
   (introduced to come out with a model with better FE)
   .
3. Petrol 1.6 Optra Magnum - Introduced sometime in 2007?
   .
4. Diesel Optra Magnum (2.0) - Introduced in June 2007
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5. Diesel Optra Magnum (2.0) with BS IV changes - April 2010
   (Currently being sold)

Primary differences

1 to 2 - Introduced a model with better FE and smaller engine.


3 and 4 were the Optra 'Magnums'

• Interiors from the premium hatch SRV.
• Front of the exteriors also picked up from the SRV.
• Changes in suspension, which was originally tuned by the famed Lotus.
• The chassis was reinforced (probably only for the diesel model, as it had a heavier engine). This is something, which a lot of people seem to miss out on. Was even brought to light by @Khoj in the Choosing thread.
• The Diesel model uses a different gearbox, which is supposed to be a lot better than the petrol version's.

Some quotes from Autocar's review of the Optra below
(link: Chevrolet Optra Magnum TCDi - Review - Autocar India )

Chevrolet has beefed up the Optra’s chassis so that it can take the extra weight of the diesel motor. The front MacPherson struts with its solidly-mounted lower control arm has been beefed up. The independent rear suspension uses variable rate coil springs and was originally validated by Lotus in the UK. For the diesel, the springs used are softer for a comfortable ride and a lot of work has gone into insulating the cabin from the clatter of the diesel. Most of the Magnum’s fine-tuning was done in India and these improvements will be carried over to Optra diesels in markets all over the world.

5 - Changes made to Exhaust and ECU/ECM. As we know these can potentially make a big difference to the much talked about Turbolag. It is very very less now (much to the annoyance of some guys who buy it for that surge - @Torquedo ).

[NoRules]

Originally Posted by Poitive

.

• Opinions are formed without a proper test drive of this car across various surfaces and speeds and situations. It really starts to reveal itself properly after, say, 80kmph - often not easy to test in the city.
  .
• There are a lot of second-hand/hearsay based opinions floating around, with people only to eager to have an opinion. Also the primary opinions in this case may anyway have been formed with experiences with the older Optras.
  .

Welcome back, Poitive

Forget opinions formed without proper test drive - I have had my close friend telling me 'Optra? Waste car' without even driving it once. And when I cornered him with pointed questions, he lamely tells me his opinion is based on 'popular perception'. Sad but that is how it is about Optra.