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Originally Posted by mohan41 - Had a overhead roof carrier with bags on it this time which could have caused more air drag
- Much hotter weather. Had to keep running both ACs with blowers in 2nd position
- Bangalore - Mysore route passes through many towns and throughout the stretch there are road humps and also heavy weekend traffic
Other than this I definitely notice the engine has become much smoother after the service (I opted for fully synthetic oil).
Another observation is that clutch seems to get slightly harder after driving for sometime, compared to when cold start at morning. |
Hi mohan41, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed my posts.
Regarding your mileage, I think it's good enough given the conditions you've mentioned. Also, constant stop-go traffic and ghat sections tell upon the mileage. Why not buy Thule box instead of your overhead rack? Thule is a Swedish product designed keeping aerodynamics in mind. It's pear shape offers the least drag when driven at speed, translating into lesser strain on the engine and improved mileage. Our fellow Ertigan, Rajain has a Thule box on his baby and he's just back from an interstate north south corridor trip.
Post 20k kms, the engine has suddenly turned extremely smooth and every time I drive I try finding out why! Partly, it could be the synthetic oil but I still cannot attribute all that smoothness to just the oil. It's not just smoothness, but the engine's extremely drivable. During the first 10k kms I vividly remember the kind of turbo-lag I experienced at low city speeds but now I hardly experience any. Unfortunately, I have no technical explanation to back up my facts, so I've decided to enjoy it.
The rear AC is one feature my family keeps praising about on all of our long trips. After experiencing the comfort of 3 rows and a rear AC, I've decided all my future cars will be 7 seater or 8 seater MPVs. Why not a 7 seater SUV, you may ask. Here's why. SUVs tend to have a long bonnet, to give you the feel of ruggedness. But that long bonnet is designed at the cost of cramped interiors. This is where cars like the Innova and Ertiga trump, thanks to their MPV DNA. Short stubby bonnets with a sloping design to aid aerodynamics. Man maximum, machine minimum (sorry Honda!).
The reclinable and movable middle row is another nifty feature. The permutations and combinations possible through their adjustments is unimaginable. For instance, if you check Rajain's travelogue, he's made a full sized bed for his dad, with a pillow, blanket and the works! Now that's getting into Indian Railways territory. The Ertiga is capable of becoming a travel motorhome if need be.
If you notice the centre console that goes all the way down to the gear lever, you'll see the passenger side has a deeper curve than the driver's side. In essence both ends are asymmetric to carve out more passenger space.
Man I love this! You know I do most of my outstation trips through the night. What I love about the cabin is the faint orange glow that's cast on the doors and sidewalls from the instrument panel. Very much like lounge lighting but without the electricals and their complexities. I know the Honda Civic has a faint blue light for the night. The Ertiga's instrument cluster does that job. Especially from my seat, while I drive through the dark night, I often glance at this faint orange glow on my door and enjoy it. Even the steering mounted controls are backlit which I thought is cool.
Have you seen the overhead grab handle on each corner? They have a soft spring action that lets it rest back in its position when not used. Ahem, premium, ahem! The only other car this feature was also highlighted by the sales person is a Merc C Class.
It's surprising to find the amount of baggage the little storage space can take in with all 3 rows up. On my last trip I had 3 full sized travel bags, a food bag, 2 big jackfruits, a mosquito bat and a couple of other little bags stowed into that space. If looks can be deceiving, here is one. I never like to pull down the last row so I cram as much as possible into all the space that's available. And the Ertiga has me surprised in this department.
Boy does the car love a full load! In fact, I've enjoyed my car more with a full load than with 2 or 3 on board. With 4 or more people, this is a different beast altogether. The closest analogy I could think of is a Scania Metrolink multi-axle. The MPV just hugs the road and rides like an Arabian chariot. I followed a fully loaded Ertiga on the highway just to check its road manners and I liked what I saw. From the rear, this vehicle on a full load sits on the road like Usain Bolt crouching before a take-off. The vehicle is so planted that it can earn the title "Ertiga on rails".
Here is a point which many won't agree but I don't care because I've been there and done that. Yes, I'm talking about the comfort of the last row. It's bench seating at its best with an airline like window to see the outside world. The arm-rest is so ergonomically perfect and it also serves as your bottle holder. In fact, in my family there's always a scramble for the last row. My folks just couldn't have enough of that business class like seating experience. They want more and they push, pull or do whatever to get there before anyone does. The only complain I get sometimes is when I take a bump at speed. That's when it gets a little uncomfortable but with care and caution, it can well be avoided.
The rear fog lamp is a nifty addition that turns very useful in rainy and foggy conditions. Unlike fog lamps that are integrated in the tail lamp cluster, MSIL put them way down on the bumper. Two good reasons why this is the best place:
1. When the lamp is in your tail lamp cluster, its at eye level for the rear driver and he's going to be blinded by your super bright red lamps. You can imagine the expletives he'll be mouthing at you as he passes by. Totally uncalled for! It's just that your fog lamps are in the wrong place.
2. When the fog lamp is down there, like the Ertiga, its below the eye level of the rear driver, hence won't blind him. Moreover, fog and mist usually stay way above the ground hampering visibility. The ingenious boys at MSIL know this since they eat, sleep and drive in Gurgaon, a foggy place. In foggy conditions, the rear fogs on the Ertiga will be noticed quicker than any other fog lamps because of its position. And since its at the bottom centre, it's easier to be cognizant of the car's dimensions for the following driver. In other cars, where one side of the tail lamp is a rear fog, it's easier to miss the dimensions of the car on a dark foggy night.
Regarding the clutch getting hard, I haven't experienced it in my Ertiga. But I remember in my old Swift, the clutch becomes slightly hard at very hot driving conditions. Using your rear AC will NOT hamper your mileage as it's just a cooling coil and fan there. There is one compressor which runs if you turn on the front AC and whether you turn on the rear AC or not doesn't matter with regards to mileage.