[rahulsingh007]

Our Chevy Aveo had starting aging, not by the performance, but by lack of spares and pathetic service !.. to be honest, many won’t agree, but it was an amazing car, comfortable, spacious reliable and hydraulic steering was oh-so-good

So our search started, way back in November- 2012.
the contenders were:

Ford Ecosport TDCi (Initial Choice)
Pros: Awesome to look at , awesome to drive , a compact SUV, what more do you want ?
Cons: Rear seat is small, no boot space either, Cost cutting is crazily evident, Too Over-hyped.

Toyota Altis Diesel
Pros: Toyota, Design is good to look at
Cons: Underpowered and Underfeatured, it’s better off chauffer driven, not at all sporty !

Skoda Rapid TDI
Pros: Understated; Smart
Cons: Calculator like backligting, Stereo system and Aircon,
Showroom was a one room affair, as if it will shut shop the next day and one would hardly even notice !

Honda Amaze i-DTEC
Pros: Honda reliability; Engine
Cons: Looks, both inside and out , can’t really compare the Vento with it, segment apart. Fixed headrests , problem for turbaned drivers !

Honda City i-VTEC
Pros: Refined engine; costs less; drives good though engine isn’t exactly a ’hoot’ !
Cons: Petrol; too many on the road ; I am not a fan of the rear design ; Funny-moody suspension setup !

New Ford Fiesta TDCi
Pros: Features; drive and suspension.
Cons: overpriced (but was offered a 2lakh discount on a 2012 model) ; stupid rear

Nissan Sunny Diesel / Renault Scala
Pros: Space and nothing else
Cons: Poor quality; diesel engine ‘OK’ ; ‘Pregnant’ Look, The dealership is owned by the worst business men of my city (Nissan , do your homework first)

Renault Duster Diesel
Pros: Presence and Image, nice ride quality
Cons: Side bulges hit everywhere, engine isn’t powerful enough, not a true SUV, I’ve had the experience of scraping it’s bottom on a speed breaker once

Hyundai Verna 1.6 CRDi
Pros: Fluidic; Silent engine; loads of features on offer.
Cons: boat like ride quality; crazy dynamics, a video-game controller has more feedback on the steering wheel !

Toyota Etios 1.4 D4D
Pros: Reliable, and Toyota
Cons: Interiors, and Exteriors , engine isn’t that great either

Fiat Linea
Pros : Fiat has always been my dad’s favorite (we had a Palio once, he loved it) , Looks good, drives well
Cons: We did not know where to get one ! TATA guys were hesitant and wanted to sell us a Manza or Indica D90 instead ..C’mon!

So it starts like this :
Dad and Me have been planning to buy a car since November 2012 ..
The delay of the car purchase was largely due to me waiting for the Ecosport launch and felt it will be wise for us to wait till June .

Then the Ecosport is shown at various malls and people are asked to drive it and stuff.
So finally Ecosport seems like a wait that will finally get over !
Then we see fellow member posting pictures of Ecosport from Infinity Mall, Mumbai .
I call my brother , ask him to see the car in flesh and report back.

He calls me the next day and says “brother, this may dishearten you, but this car is not for you!” ..and goes on to explain the cost cutting level and the dull interiors ..

Now , the Ecosport is out of equation !

Then in around mid-march , temperatures rising in our city, we needed the Aircon !
Aircon of our Aveo had always been a weak spot, numerous visits to the service centers could not solve the problem either .
So as usual the GM quotes me around 5k to repair the zircon .

I asked dad, he says buy a new car already , don’t waste money on something that is soon going to be sold..!

My hunt begins !!

We decide on the budget of 10-15lakhs, 10 being the most comfortable and 15 being a bit of a stretch .
I make a list of the options .
Test drive each and every car and ask my friends to bring their own cars as well !
Call the previous car owners and ask them their experiences with the product and service .
Read ownership reviews, long term reviews…from almost everywhere on the internet .

Finally zero in on the Altis, Vento, Rapid
Go one day again, test drove the three cars again!

Rapid is nice but absolutely loathed the displays and suspension was a bit stiff for my liking as the roads here are not very welcoming to a stiff setup

Then the Vento, it was like a love at first site, the blacked out headlamps, the red Audi-like back lighting in the interior, the build quality was amazing.

Toyota was a major contender, but dad sternly asked me not to compare Japanese and Germans , and he was right, after the Vento I did not like altis even 1% , the ride though plush was not as involving as the Vento.

Finally, Volkswagen Vento was narrowed down and my almost brother-like-friend, and a car enthusiastic himself runs a VW showroom in UP
I call him up tell him that I need the Vento in the shortest amount of time.
He gives me a good deal on the Aveo + Exchange Bonus + Other Discounts and delivers a specially ordered fresh stock car (Manufactured: 15th March 2013) on 1st April 2013 and she comes home!



It's already been 5 days with the car and I am absolutely loving every piece of the ..right from the understated design to the roary engine !
Here is the list of initial pros and cons that I have observed since the last 5 days. and would also like to break some myth that I found while researching the car here and elsewhere on the internet.

PROS :

• Power, power and more power ...very enthusiastic engine turbo kicks in after around 1.5k-ish rpm and then it's speedometer needle rises like crazy !
  
• Handling , though my Aveo had a Hydraulic Power Steering, the Jeep I ride have great feedback as well..this EPS is not at all bad, rather it's better than the Aveo on low speeds ...effortless and direct , I've done a 160kmph in straightline found the steering to be good as the best I've driven in cars of 2013
• Design : Flawless and Understated, clean-crisp lines, silver colour and a layer of collinite make it even more better !
• Interior Quality is the best I've seen in the sub-20lakh territory , I have driven many cars..though the dashboard may seem a little vanilla to some , but for me plain designs will look fresh for years whereas trendy and funky (read:Hyundai) may feel old after a certain period
  
• Parking sensors in the rear are a big plus , very responsive and accurate (no display on the MID/HU though..!)
• Everything inside the car feels built to last ...rubber dampeners and good plastic quality that only germans can provide !
• OVRM have sufficient range and easily adjustable
• Seat Adjustments are great as well ..especially the height adjustment , I am 5'4" and still can achieve a commanding view of the road
• Head Unit is great ...has all the features I need , the sound has been improved (VW introduced new speakers in Feb'13 as far as I have been told) ..overall an 8/10
  
• Turning Radius is small and perfect for the City
• Blacked out headlamps look teriffic and demand attention !
• Interior lighting (red) is very uniform and gives a premium feel to the whole car
  
• Climatronic is super intelligent, aircon an absolute chiller too !
  
• 15000 km service , though I will get the car checked at 5000 and 10000 kms , but still ...

CONS:

• Diesel Clatter is audible , though music completely nullifies it..but coming from a petrol , I am just over expecting !
• The engine isn't as linear as I want it to be , turbo is amazing, ecu may need a remap to make the engine more linear
• Rear View Mirror has insufficient range, ...I can barely see anything out of it , combine it with the headrests and the high rear , it makes matters even worse
• Headlight intensity could have been better , no complains in the city (but do feel weak) ,I need to see how they perform on the highway
• Wiper design is funny, while washing you cannot lift the driver side wiper up ,you need to get into the service mode to do that !
• No dead pedal

MYTHS BUSTED

• Vento Does have Bluetooth and the call button is not a dummy but is used to pair , and receive calls . One can also play music via Bluetooth so it does have A2DP as well
  
• The HU is RCD320 and speakers are excellent as well (SA said VW replaced the speakers in feb'13) and now finally no booming (my friend who owns a 2011 Vento says there is definitely a major improvement in this area) !
  
• Apollo Aceleres don't need an upgrade, they are good ..err..great tyres and can withstand our roads better than CPC2s and Michelins . 185/60 is ample too !
• Thud sound from the rear was due to faulty mudflap design , has been addressed in the new mudflap design by VW
• Braking is good , and boosts confidence and by no means feels that it lacks bite
• Vento now has the same damping as its cousin Rapid since Sep'12 ..(9wwc-something) so now the NVH is nearly 99% the same !
• Clutch Vibration has nearly been got rid, tiny amount left helps me get rid of the bad habit of resting my foot on it , the clutch does not feel very tight too .
  

Other things to notice !
Key Fob

Made by Hella, solid and uses floating code.
VW logo on back is monochome .

Skoda-like features- depress lock to roll windows up and depress unlock to roll them down if you are away from your car .

FM Radio


Headlamp/Rear Foglamp adjustment knob . . .rotate to pilot lights/ low beam .. pull to engage front fog light , pull further for rear fog light !


Steering remote . . . center button to pair phone / receive calls .


Music player with repeat / shuffle feature !

[Batfreak]

Congrats on the buy! Can't wait for the rest of the report.
Wish you many happy miles on this one.
Cheers!

[Loud]

Let me be the first to congratulate you for your latest acquisition: The VW Vento! Which variant did you purchased?
I think its raining Ventos and Rapids on TBHP! I have been through 3 ownership reports since I've joined here!
Do post some pics of the beauty in the coming posts.
Drive Safe!

[aajohn]

Congratulations. Wish you a great experience. Did you go in for any offer? I believe Volkswagen is running many promo campaigns for the car.

[khoj]

Oh I will agree to the bit about amazing car.....hydraulic steering etc. Having had a 2006 Aveo 1.6LT in the house, I have experienced this gem of a car first hand. Changed it with a turbo charged Gasoline vehicle last year but that is another story. GM's service in NCR, at least in my experience was quite good and availability of parts too was never an issue. Tier II cities like Amritsar though could be a very different story.

Congratulations on the Reflex Silver and look forward to the rest of your story. Am curious to know how the Amaze figured on your list in 2012!!

Originally Posted by rahulsingh007

Our Chevy Aveo had starting aging, not by the performance, but by lack of spares and pathetic service !.. to be honest, many won’t agree, but it was an amazing car, comfortable, spacious reliable and hydraulic steering was oh-so-good


Rest of the report coming soon !

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[nitinbose]

Congratulations and wish you many happy miles on the Vento! The new Vento does have better alloys and RCD head unit!

[mikon]

Congratulations!!
Welcome to the vento family.
Wish you happy miles.

Few Points:

• Wasn't Skoda Laura TSI, Chevy Cruze LT, Mahindra XUV 500 included in your hunt-list? (I suppose both fall in sub 15 L category, might be couple of thousands over)
• Any plans for modifications or upgrades? Consider upgrading the head-lights. The stocks are pathetic.
• Are you happy with the stock audio equipment?
• Any paint-protection scheme taken? (Vento is prone to paint chipping due to small-stones)

• Apollo Aceleres don't need an upgrade, they are good ..err..great tyres and can withstand our roads better than CPC2s and Michelins . 185/60 is ample too !

I had Apollo Aceleres when I bought the car. I changed them to CPC2 from day 2. I'm running the car with 2nd set of CPC2s now (58000 kms). There is a lot of difference between Acelere and CPC2 in terms of ride comfort, noise, handling abuse. There are lot of members who have upgraded the tyres like me. Have a look at their ownership threads.

Originally Posted by rahulsingh007

Nissan Sunny Diesel / Renault Scala
‘Pregnant’ Look,

[rahulsingh007]

Originally Posted by Loud

Let me be the first to congratulate you for your latest acquisition: The VW Vento! Which variant did you purchased?
I think its raining Ventos and Rapids on TBHP! I have been through 3 ownership reports since I've joined here!
Do post some pics of the beauty in the coming posts.
Drive Safe!

Thank You, the model is The TDI 1.6 Highline Diesel . It's an enthusiastic's car, no wonder its found home at team-bhp !

Originally Posted by aajohn

Congratulations. Wish you a great experience. Did you go in for any offer? I believe Volkswagen is running many promo campaigns for the car.

Though the promos were tempting but did not make much sense for a long term car buyer, not for me atleast .!

Originally Posted by khoj

Oh I will agree to the bit about amazing car.....hydraulic steering etc. Having had a 2006 Aveo 1.6LT in the house, I have experienced this gem of a car first hand. Changed it with a turbo charged Gasoline vehicle last year but that is another story. GM's service in NCR, at least in my experience was quite good and availability of parts too was never an issue. Tier II cities like Amritsar though could be a very different story.

Congratulations on the Reflex Silver and look forward to the rest of your story. Am curious to know how the Amaze figured on your list in 2012!!

Amaze was added to the list just recently (march 2013) , It was just a contender..I never felt it as a strong contender to the vento, amaze is a segment lower !

Originally Posted by nitinbose

Congratulations and wish you many happy miles on the Vento! The new Vento does have better alloys and RCD head unit!

Thanks a ton, I love the the HU, I find Polo's alloys are better than these (in hunt for a replacement ) !

Originally Posted by mikon

Congratulations!!
Welcome to the vento family.
Wish you happy miles.

Few Points:
[*]Wasn't Skoda Laura TSI, Chevy Cruze LT, Mahindra XUV 500 included in your hunt-list? (I suppose both fall in sub 15 L category, might be couple of thousands over)[*]Any plans for modifications or upgrades? Consider upgrading the head-lights. The stocks are pathetic.[*]Are you happy with the stock audio equipment?[*]Any paint-protection scheme taken? (Vento is prone to paint chipping due to small-stones)

I had Apollo Aceleres when I bought the car. I changed them to CPC2 from day 2. I'm running the car with 2nd set of CPC2s now (58000 kms). There is a lot of difference between Acelere and CPC2 in terms of ride comfort, noise, handling abuse. There are lot of members who have upgraded the tyres like me. Have a look at their ownership threads.

Thank you ! I hope your Vento is serving you well !

Laura TSI, a petrol car, shifting to diesel was my primary reason to buy a new car .

XUV5OO, flogged by problems (rusting and brakes to name a few), I can't spend 10lakh+ on a Mahindra.

Chevy Cruze was never considerd owing to its low mileage and A.S.S , the resale value wasn't motivating either !

As for the headlights, which bulbs do you suggest ? . I dont want to go into modifications to the relay . .Other modificatons (perhaps a remap ) may follow soon enough .!

Stock audio is good..better than what I have heard in other cars at this price, being an edm and dubstep fan, update of the speaks in eminent , I am thinking to upgrade JUST the speakers to Polk maybe, no AMP for now.
HU is amazing, feature wise and UI is very intuitive to use too .

Are there any paint protection schemes available ?, if yes please let me know, I'll get it done ..right now it's just a layer or two of collinite 845 on it !

As for the tyres, I was completely flummoxed ! I consulted tyre guru nikhil who advised me to keep the tires, and I am satisfied with their performance, nothing drastically noisy or uncomfortable !

[mikon]

Originally Posted by rahulsingh007

As for the headlights, which bulbs do you suggest ? . I dont want to go into modifications to the relay .. .....

I straightway went in for HIDs. There are some members who have also gone for HIDs with projectors.
There are high wattage bulbs too. But beware, they can melt the holders.

[rahulsingh007]

Originally Posted by mikon

I straightway went in for HIDs. There are some members who have also gone for HIDs with projectors.
There are high wattage bulbs too. But beware, they can melt the holders.

:O , that will be to drastic a change which I can't afford both monetarily or regarding loss in reliability..can you suggest a cheaper and safer option ?

[Loud]

@rahulsingh007 :

As for the headlights, which bulbs do you suggest ? . I dont want to go into modifications to the relay

Since you do not want to change relay, getting 'Projector with HID' setup will be great.
The other option is to get bulbs of higher wattage, for which a new relay would be required. Else, the complete setup of projectors would be good in terms of quality and will offer superior view at night.
Suggestion: Go to VW dealership and ask for VW Vento's more powerful bulbs. Get the relay changed if they want, since quality would be maintained at VW.

Cheers.

[rahulsingh007]

Originally Posted by Loud

@rahulsingh007 :

Since you do not want to change relay, getting 'Projector with HID' setup will be great.
The other option is to get bulbs of higher wattage, for which a new relay would be required. Else, the complete setup of projectors would be good in terms of quality and will offer superior view at night.
Suggestion: Go to VW dealership and ask for VW Vento's more powerful bulbs. Get the relay changed if they want, since quality would be maintained at VW.

Cheers.

how about the philips ultra vision or osram nightbreaker..will they make a difference ?

[premc44]

First of all let me congratulate you on making a considered decision to buy a VW Vento HL diesel. I am new to this forum, but has been using a black Vento HL diesel for the last 16 months and have enjoyed every minute of driving.

As regards the mods that you are planning, yes, the stock headlamps are pathetic and recently I changed them to Philips extreme vision 55-60 W bulbs, which makes a substantial difference, without the need for a relay. I would recommend them , unless you want to go for costlier upgrades. Many people in this forum have suggested going for 100 W bulbs like Philips essential vision with relay. They are right, but I don't want to get my warranty nullified, that too an extended warranty

I have been going on with the Apollo accelers and do not find any problem with it. I have not been bothered by the tyre noise, which is attributed to these tyres and find no problem in handling. They have served me now for 16000Kms and expect to get trouble free service for at least another 20K Kms. Again, go through these forums on tyre upgrade, you see even pictures of torn sidewalls of so called upgrades, which have hardly done 2000Kms. See for yourself how you feel with Apollos and if you feel thay are not good enough, do go for a change. You are the man behind the wheel. Personally, I do not feel it should be taken as a priority.

The only other mod I got done on my Vento was to get the seats changed to leather seats from Karlssons, Bangalore. I got a light beige scandinavian leather seats for my black Vento. For your Silver, go for black Nappa leather. Only a suggestion. Again, not on priority list

Have a great time and enjoy many more miles of driving with your Vento. All the best

[Loud]

Originally Posted by rahulsingh007

how about the philips ultra vision or osram nightbreaker..will they make a difference ?

Yes. Philips Extreme Vision or Osram NB will surely be better than stock headlamps, but all you will get is the same boring yellow light, brighter than before!
As Premc44 said, he is using 55/60w bulbs on his Vento, and didn't need to change the relay. But, I think 100w bulb would be a great upgrade from stock halogens, even if you need to change the relay. But, it may void your warranty.
So the best option is to Visit a VW dealership (maybe during service/check-up) and ask them if changing relay from thier dealership will also void warranty. If they say that 'It will NOT', then get powerful bulbs available at the dealership and get the work done there itself. Else, you will have to live with 55/60W ones. BTW, I have heard about the Osram NB+, they are fairly bright and reliable.