[powertrain]

APRIL 2011

Following is the conversation that I had with my wifey over the phone :-

Wife – “So you cancelled the Scorpio booking?”

Me – “Yes”

Wife –“ Without telling me?”

Me – (Silence)

Wife –“ Are you out of your mind?”

Me – (Silence)

Wife –“ I am bringing you a big bundle of joy & all you are giving me is a cancellation receipt?!”
(The “Big bundle of joy” she’s referring to is that at that time she was preggers. )

Me – (Silence)

Wife –“ How can you do this to yourself ? Was it not your dream car?”

Me – (Silence now with a dash of remorse.)

Believe me fellows, if speech is silver & silence is golden then, at this moment I’m a gold mine!!

If you are wondering why my wife is whacking me left, right & center without me uttering a word, I had made the grave mistake of breaking the cancellation news when she was in the middle of her mood swings, that’s common at these times!!!

To be honest, it is a decision that I still regret sometimes. From the time that the Scorpio was launched in 2003,I have had the hots for her. Never has it happened that a Scorpio goes by & I don’t give it a look. Specially if it’s black with silver cladding. God knows how much I wanted a Scorpio!! I saved,saved & saved some more,just to get her home. But that was not the case!!!

To cut the long story short, I had to cancel the booking because Dad had decided to jump from Ritz VDi to SX4 ZDi & there was no way we could afford two 10L cars.

[powertrain]

MY BUDGET -
We had initially decided on an upper limit of 16L for 2 cars. One 6L hatch & one 10L Scorpio.As with India's Budget, our Budget too went for a toss. With Dad going for an SX4, all I could afford was the Scorpio Coffee Table Book!!,which by the way, I do possess!! We later revised it to 18L max.

MY REQUIREMENTS
- Reliablity - This is my #1 priority. I do not not wish to be somebody's lab rat.
- ABS & AIRBAGS. I did not want to save money here. So no stinting on safety features.
- Comfortable Seats.
- Good A.S.S.
- Reasonable spare prices.
- Spacious Cabin.
- Good resale values
- Certain Snob appeal will be great.

MY USAGE
- 10000 to 12000 km's per year.
- 2 adults & a kid for 80 % of the time
- Light to medium luggage - With a toddler in tow even mall hopping seems like house shifting!!
- Ownership period - About 3-4 years.

SELECTION ROUND I -

With 8L in hand, I knew I could not buy a new Scorpio(new Scorpio Lx costes about 8.7 L OTR Mumbai). Next I checked out some 2nd hand Scorpio's. My family was dead against me buying a used Scorpio. This sentiment was mirrored by my wife too. But as a saying in hindi goes - DIL AAYA GHADI PE TO GHODI KYA CHEEZ HAI!! I wanted a Scorpio too badly.

I checked out some Scorpio's with nearby dealers. But all of them were abused to their last bolt.Paid a vist to Mahindra First Choice at Thane. They did have an Mhawk Vls of 2008 make. Although it had done 45,000 kms it felt as if had done atleast 85,000 kms. Did not feel right so dropped the idea altogether.
In hindsight, I belive I did the right thing, with a thread in our forum about about Mahindra First Choice's inablity to check about the authenticity to check for odometer tampering!!

[powertrain]

SELECTION ROUND II -
Considering my requirements & usage I started with the procedure of elimination rather that selection. These are the cars that fit into my budget,requirements & usage:-

DZIRE ZDi Vs MANZA AURA ABS DIESEL Vs FIESTA CLASSIC CLXi DIESEL

Since none of the cars listed above new to the market I will concentrate on the positive/ negative aspects of it.

FORD FIESTA CLASSIC DURATORQ CLXi
Price - 8.15 OTR Mumbai

I made a big blunder by test driving this car first.
Why??
Cause any car I drove after this seemed like a step down when it comes to driving pleasure. I now know why people like ghodlur swear by it. It's simply the sweetest handling car this side of 10L. It could be called as the poor man's beemer. The way in turns into corners was awesome!!! I test drove the diesel first & then,just for the heck of it also drove the 1.6 petrol Fiesta S(which coincidentally was discontinued a week back).

Sadly I could not buy the Fiesta cause the CLXi did not meet my basic requirement of safety features. And the SXi with safety features,at around 9.5L was way out of my budget. Also interior space was at a premium for a car carrying a 8L tag.
If only had I been a Bachelor...

TATA MANZA AURA ABS QUADRAJET
Price - Around 8.1L OTR Mumbai

You want a own a house on 4 wheels? Buy a Manza!!!! I got no better words to describe it. If there's any car that was made inside out,this is it. Out of all the above cars that we tested, this was the car my family was most comfortable in.Legroom & Headroom was more than in abundance. Also it was pretty well loaded for the price. I was particularly sold on the hands free bluetooth stereo.Also the MID feature was a nice addition.

Everything said and done I could not buy the Manza. Reason being that, the one thing I wanted as standard fitment in my car was- Reliablity. Sadly,I'm yet to come across a Manza thread in Tbhp were the owners have not come across the infamous Tata niggles. It's about time Q.A/Q.C people pull up their socks. Also the Aura ABS model lacked Airbags.The other irritant I came across was that the beige dash reflected badly on the windscreen. Although Tata did address the problem on newer versions.The Elan version at 8.8L was above my budget.Their A.S.S experience was, in general opinion, nothing to write about.

MARUTI DZIRE ZDi
Price - Around 8.2L OTR Mumbai

This car ticked most of my boxes. It was reliable, had comfortable front seats, great A.S.S experience, cheap spare prices & to top it up,had ABS & AIRBAGS. The only thing that worked against it was that it had the least amount of rear seat space. So there were only 2 things I had to compromise on -
-Lack of rear seat space
-The fact that it might me discontinued soon.
But then,I believe, no car's perfect. You gotta compromise somewhere. But it should be a compromise you are happy to live with

So finally on 1st Sept 2011(Ganesh Chaturti), I booked a Black Dzire Zdi.

That day I also signed a Peace Treaty with My Home Minister !!!
No doubt, Ganeshji is called as VIGNA HARTA!!

[powertrain]

SELECTION ROUND III -

“The only thing constant in life is change”
- François de la Rochefoucauld

What I didn't know how fast I would change!! And change I did, from Dzire ZDi to Etios VD.
I was actually quite happy with booking the Dzire. That's when two things happened in quick succession:-
- Strike at MSIL
- Launch of Etios Diesel on 10th Sept 2011!!

I was assured delivery of Dzire by first week of November. The dealer later informed me that due to the strike,I may get my car only in December 2011 or Jan 2012 !! So the launch of Etios D was god sent to me!! I immediately went for a test drive of Etios D.

Dzire ZDi Vs Etios VD

Since I have already listed the +'ves & -'ves of Dzire I'll concentrate on the advantages /disadvantages of Etios over the Dzire.

Advantages of Etios over the Dzire -

+ 2 times the interior space.
+ Cooled Glovebox.
+ Better storage space.
+ Toyota Badge.
+ Biggest boot in it's class,and a class above it too !!!
+ Better mileage as claimed by many.
+ Longer service intervals

Disadvantages of Etios over the Dzire -

- Reliability unknown when compared to Dzire. Although this argument doesn't hold much water.
- More engine & road noise.
- Cheap plastic quality.
- Toyota A.S.S not as widespread as Maruti's
- Comparatively less features. No ACC, no steering controls, no outside temp display,no clock,no auto up function for driver's window.

Although I dont care too much of any other feature, what I did want was ACC. I spoke to many auto gurus about advantages of ACC. All of them were of the opinion that although it was a nice feature to have, ACC does not improve the cooling efficiency in any way. All it helps is that you can set the desired temperature you want.
So that is 1 compromise I had to make in Etios.

I was still unsure about which car to buy. So I did the next best thing - Share my dilemma with the brotherhood of TBHP. Here's the link to my thread - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/sedans...d-etios-d.html

To say that TBHP solved my problem would be an understatement!! I take this opportunity to thank all the members who posted on my thread & clear all my apprehensions. Thank you again TBHP !!

So on 28th Sept 2011,I booked an Black Etios VD!!

This time I did not repeat the mistake of telling my wife about cancelling the Dzire. I first showed the booking reciept of Etios & then the cancellation reciept of Dzire!!!!!

[powertrain]

SELECTION ROUND IV

"Your confusion is directly proportional to the choices you have"
- Philosopher Varun Nair

Now what is this man confused about, you may ask??
I got 3 words for you - Nissan Sunny Diesel.

To be frank, I test drove the Sunny just before I paid the full amount of Etios. I checked out the Sunny to see if it was substantially better than the Etios.Following are my observations:-

Positives of Sunny D
Price - 10.2L (XV Diesel)

+ Long list of features
+ Spacious Interiors
+ Silent Engine
+ Mileage from 1.5 dci

Negatives of Sunny D

- Wafer thin dealer network.
- Reliablity unknown.

Would I go for a Sunny Diesel if I had the Vitamin M ??

Hell No !! If I had 10.2L, I would have closed my eyes & gone for an Scorpio Sle & you guys would be reading a completely different ownership report!!!

[powertrain]

DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Dealer - Millennium Toyota [Vile Parle]

Contrary to expectations,my dealership experience has been a mixed bag.
To cut the long story short, I first booked the car through Millennium Toyota Thane. I was promised delivery within 30-45 days, which they did not honor. So after a month of booking the car, I started enquiring with other dealership.Nobody committed me a delivery date before new year. So just for the heck of it, I called up Millennium Toyota Vile Parle & surprisingly I was committed delivery before New Year!!

The S.E I interacted with was far more cordial than in Thane. So on the 1st week of Nov, I immediately cancelled my booking with Thane & shifted it to Vile Parle. My S.E Mr.Pratik Vaghani had informed me that the car will leave the factory on the last week of Nov or the first week of Dec.
True to his word, the car left on 4th Dec & reached the stockyard on 11th Dec. My S.E coordinated with me & stockyard Manager,so that when I went to the stockyard,the car was washed for me to do the PDI.

The S.E was ready to deliver me the car by 20th Dec. But my mother insisted that we rather wait for 10 days & take the car in the New Year!!

So I instructed them to go in for the registration on 2nd Jan 2012 & we finally took delivery on 9th Jan 2012.

PRICE
The total OTR price came to about Rs.8,22,862/- I was told by my S.E that Toyota were increasing the prices by 10-15,000 w.e.f 1st Jan 2012, so I paid them the full amount in Dec 2011,to avoid any hassles.

FREEBIES
Absolutely None.

ACCESSORIES
From Dealer:-
# Floor Mats - 644.00
# Trunk Mat - 515.00
# Mud Guards - 620.00
# Rear Door Garnish - 1346.00
# Gear Shift Chrome - 959.00
# USB & AUX In cable - 1404.00
# Sun Visor Organiser - 300.00
# Reverse Parking Sensor - 3500.00

From Accessory Shops:-
# Seat Covers - 5,200.00
# Carpet Lamination - 2,000.00
# Garware Sun Control Films - 1,800.00
# Universal Steering Remote - 1,000.00

Accessories Planned:-
# MMI GPS Navigation- Vx140
# Autocop

[powertrain]

DRIVING EXPERIENCE
I've been driving the Etios for about 10 odd days now. So my experience is rather limited at this time. I'm just getting to know her comfort zone, her reservations etc. Following are my brief observations :-

PERFORMANCE
If you are looking for driving thrills, this is not the car for you.Period. Performance is adequate. Nothing more,nothing less. You do miss the punch of the 1.3 MJD(We also own an SX4 D.) In other words,if you're always in a hurry,go for a Dzire. A certain amount of planning is required to overtake slower moving traffic, especially on single lane highways

DRIVEABLITY
In a word - Fantastic!! Although this engine does not have a very wide powerband, power is available from as low as 1500 rpm.So you tend to upshift early,which is great for efficiency. Just tap the accelerator & and you're off.

SPACE & COMFORT
If the Etios has a USP,its, SPACE SPACE & more SPACE !!! A perfect family car. 5 adults will have no problems travelling together.Although the seats look thin,comfort is exemplary. In fact , this car has more space than our SX4.The pedal positioning is also perfect.
Although, a rear seat armrest would have enhanced rear seat comfort. Also the adjustable steering feature is just a marketing gimmick. With just about a inch of travel,I found it useless for all practical purposes!!

RIDE & HANDLING
This car has mainly seen city driving as of now. I did not get a chance to stretch her legs. But of what I've driven, I can say that the ride & handling is sorted clean. The ride is a little firm at low speeds but its not bone jarring & at speeds above 60, it feels comfy. The handling does not spring any nasty surprises either. I haven't taken her above 80 & at these speeds she seems stable. I guess the Birdgestone Turanza helps a lot in this matter. More on ride & handling after the run-in period.

MILEAGE
I did a tankful to tankful method of mileage testing. Filled her to the brim, drove her for 306 kms & tanked up again. She took in 21.39 Ltrs. So the Avg comes to about 14.3 kmpl. This was done at 100% A/c with City:Highway ratio of 90:10.
So what do you guys think, is it OK or do I need to impove my driving technique?

THINGS I LIKE ABOUT ETIOS

# The rich black color.
# Great steering wheel design. Very Comfy.
# Cooled Glovebox.
# Space.
# Comfort.
# Mileage.
# Low end response of the engine.
# Alloy wheel design.
# Decent sound quality from stock ICE.

THINGS I HATE ABOUT ETIOS

# Cheap Interiors.
# No auto up/down function for windows.
# No rear center armrest.
# Spare wheel not an alloy.
# Rear view mirror a tad small. No good for highways.
# No extended warranty option. Would have given a bit more peace of mind.
# Noise levels a tad higher than my SX4.

# No adjustable rear headrests - This is my main grouse with the Etios. In this day & age,adjustable head rests are as important as seat belts. It does prevent your neck from snapping in case of an rear end shunt. Toyota being a responsible car company should not have overlooked such a basic safety parameter.
But why just blame Toyota, there are many manufacturers who dont provide this feature, in the name of "Value Engineering"!!

I do plan to buy some 2nd hand head rests from Kurla & try to install them in the Etios. It's worth giving a shot. Can someone guide me on this??

[powertrain]

Now for some pics!
First, The "Bundle of Joy" that my wife gifted me!


My Car, with 3 of the most important women in my life- my sis,my mom & my wife!!


Our Q Class


My S.E, Mr.Pratik Vagani


The journey of thousand miles begins with a smile!!


Q Class Logo!




Looks Aggressive in this shot,what say?!







The best angle ,in my view








Seat Cover Pics.








Nice design for an OEM Alloy


EXPOSED SCREWS !!! WHY TOYOTA WHY!!!!




The boot carpet is a thin cardboard type thing - CHEAP,CHEAP,CHEAP

[powertrain]

Accessories:-
Reverse Parking Sensor


Universal Steering Remote


Sunfilms


Space below A/C controls wasted.


Rear view mirror a touch too small.


Rear windows dont go fully down.


Head lamp leveller & Hood lever feels like it's from a 1980's Truck!!!


Jack placed under front passenger seat


Notice thermocol packing between panels, in a bid to bring down NVH!!


Tyre Info


Exposed internals below dashboard. Notice thick blue carpets.


Serene Moonlit lightning for the dials - I LOVE IT !!!

[powertrain]

THE CURIOUS CASE OF MISSING DOOR RUBBER GASKETS.

I guess this is one aspect of Etios that has been talked about more than the car itself!!Everybody & their mother in law have given their opinion about it. So here are my 2 cents:-
First of all, I do not believe that Toyota will overlook such a serious shortcoming. I'm sure that Toyota & all other manufacturers have a leak test facility at their plant. But after their recall episode & the more recent Etios fuel hose replacement saga, I did not want to take any chance. So I did a very basic & crude "Water Test" at my end.

You decide if it's good enough!!!!

Here's the link -

ETIOS WATER TEST.AVI - YouTube

I hope this video finds itself useful to all !!

Thanks & Regards
Varun

[Amartya]

Thread moved from Assembly Line. Thanks Varun for the wonderfully detailed review.

[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by powertrain

MILEAGE
I did a tankful to tankful method of mileage testing. Filled her to the brim, drove her for 306 kms & tanked up again. She took in 21.39 Ltrs. So the Avg comes to about 14.3 kmpl. This was done at 100% A/c with City:Highway ratio of 90:10.
So what do you guys think, is it OK or do I need to impove my driving technique?

Congrats on your vehicle. Hope it provides a hassle free ownership for you. I am sure you will experience the wonderful Toyota A.S.S yourself and you wont be let down.

You must be joking about your driving technique . 14.3 Kmpl before 1st service is considered very good
As far as the mileage is concerned, it will improve after your 2nd service. Until that time no need to worry at all.

Are they going to use synthetic oil for Etios? Or is it ok to use mineral oil? What is service interval?

[Furebo]

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post one-liners that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the overall quality of this forum.

Please read our rules before proceeding any further.

[el lobo 6061]

Varun congrats on the ownership of Etios and thanks for the very detailed report that you have put up. Do keep us posted with the after sales experience and the ownership cost.

It really takes guts to own a black color car keeping in mind the dust conditions that are present in Mumbai. A small advice, wash your car only with micro fiber towels because using normal cloth will result in swirls and they look real bad on a black color car. This advice is coming from a user who actually owns a black Vento.

On a side note where in Mumbai do you reside the traffic with all that honking in that video is terrible.

[drmohitg]

Hey congrats on your new car. It looks fantastic in Black and you made the right decision IMO to buy the Etios over the Dzire. Yes I am a Toyota Fan.

Nice choice of Seat covers. They really gel well with the overall interiors of the car and combined with the black exteriors look awesome.

And thanks for that detailed "WATERGATE" analysis report .