[Anoop_SG]

There are times in life when you do things instinctively without giving it much thought - the decision to buy a new car was one of them. I already had a trusty little friend which had served me and my family well for the past 4 years. He had brought my wife to our home after marriage and my little boy for the first time after his birth. So you could say that there was a lot of emotional value attached to him. Then what made me take the plunge to get rid of him and buy a new car - that's something which I am not sure even now, as I type in this post.

So before I start off with the review of my new friend, I want to pay tribute to my dearest Fred in the first post - I feel it most appropriate that I remember and acknowledge him, for he has been a truly wonderful and remarkable companion for 4 years of my life.

Fred

Model ------------------- Ford Figo TDCi ZXi
Year of Manufacture ----- 2010
Registration date -------- 12-April-2010
Colour ------------------ Colorado Red
KMs covered ------------ ~ 42,000
Avg Mileage ------------- 16-17 kmpl (85% city with AC on most of the time)
On Road price ----------- 5.7 Lakhs

Positives :

- Great handling.
- Pure value for money.
- Low running / maintainance costs.
- Chilling A/C.
- Great sound system.
- Reasonably roomy interiors.

Negatives :

- Low ground clearance.
- Rear windows don't roll down fully.
- Noisy engine.

Accessories and mods added :

- Front fog lamps (OEM)
- USB cable (OEM)
- Universal Arm rest
- Art. leather seat covers
- 3M paint protection
- 3M underbody protection
- Upsized Yoko A Drives (185/65/R14), upgraded at 38,000 KM
- Bosch Wiper blades

Major incidents :

- Replaced rear axle and suspension as part of company recall
- Replaced steering mounting as part of company recall
- Front right fender replaced
- Front right OVRM replaced (both as part of an accident when parked)

Some snaps of Fred (taken over the years that he was with me)

This was the first sight of Fred - at the yard when I went for PDI.



On the day of delivery.



He traveled with me all along without any complaints / problem, during the 4 years.



Dressed up on the day of my marriage - and happily brought the couple home.



One of the last snaps of Fred.



You will be missed - but I am sure you are in safe hands.

As I part with my friend, I remember with fondness the wonderful times that we shared and the numerous incidents that we both went through. I truly thank him, for being alongside me. I hope and believe that he will serve as a great companion to his new owner and that he will be loved and taken care of, as much as I did.

[Anoop_SG]

Contrary to the high level of interest the Ecosport had since it's revealing at the auto expo, it was a relatively unknown quantity for me until Ford announced plans for it's production. From that point on, I began to take interest in this car and was waiting to the see how Ford priced it in Indian market. As soon as it was launched and the price details announced, I was surprised and delighted that Ford had the guts to present this car to Indian buyers at that price bracket - suddenly we had a game changer, something which the Figo was, when it was launched. And slowly, the thought of owning an Ecosport began creeping in my mind.

First face to face and Test drive

Went to Kairali Ford, TVM to check out the vehicle and do a test drive. They had an Ecoboost version as the test drive vehicle, which was sufficient for me. I was reasonably comfortable about the diesel mill from Ford (due to my experience with Fred), and was more looking forward to the dynamics and seating/driving feel of the vehicle. First impressions were :

- Road presence felt great.
- Ingress / egress were a breeze.
- Seating position was brilliant.
- Great interiors and dashboard design.
- Creature comforts and feature list were impressive.
- Streeing was light; would have liked it to be similar to that a Figo, which I felt was brilliant.

After the drive, I was impressed and decided that this would be top of my list if I finally decide to buy a new car. Then came the waiting period saga - was quoted a waiting period of 6 months. I felt that the most sensible option would be to wait for some more time, so that the demand would come down. This would also help to gather inputs and reviews from actual users. So the plan of booking was dropped - for the time being at least.

Decision to let go of Fred and buy a new car

Come January, during Fred's service, I happen to enquire about the current waiting period for Ecosport. The SA quoted that the waiting period was 3 months now and that there have been instances were in the delivery had been made within 1.5 months. This was an acceptable period and the idea of booking a new car rushed back into my mind. The reviews from actual users and also from the subject experts (read auto magazines, TV shows, online communities and of course TBHP) were also postitive. The next few days were spent deliberating whether to go for it or not and finally decided that it was time to get a new car. Next up was convincing parents and wifey. To my surprise, they were quick to accept the same, under one condition - that I should try out other options as well; not just the Ecosport. That was something which I felt was valid and thus began the hunt.

Contenders :

My requirements were simple

- wanted an upgrade from a hatchback.
- a slightly 'bigger' car in terms of looks / space.
- well equipped.
- airbags and ABS (these were absent in Fred and I didn't want to take any chances)
- 10 L budget.
- diesel powertrain, considering my usage.

Following were the contenders :

1. Duster

Likes :

- Looks.
- Ride quality.
- No waiting period.

Dislikes :

- Severely under equipped for the price.
- Interiors felt cheap.
- Renault, still wasn't an attractive preposition in terms of dealership network and A.S.S.
- The drive lacked refinement (which I doubt was the problem with the TD vehicle they had)

2. New Honda City

Likes :

- Diesel power train for a Honda !
- Nice interiors. (especially the touch screen climate control panel)
- Honda brand and it's famed customer support.
- Very good seats.
- Very good colour options.

Dislikes :

- Drive didn't feel too good.
- Noisy engine.
- The body felt 'tinny'.
- Didn't get the premium feel that the previous version offered.
- Looks. (I prefer the looks of the previous version)
- Waiting period of 2-3 months.

3. Verna

Likes :

- Looks.
- Felt premium.
- Equipment levels were good.
- The refinement and drive were very good.
- Waiting period of 1 week.

Dislikes :

- Feather light steering.
- Ingress / egress were a bit difficult.
- My inclination towards Ecosport.

My Father preferred the City and my Wife preferred Verna. I was vouching strongly for Ecosport and to seal the deal, I took them to see Ecosport in flesh. After careful examination, they also agreed that the Ecosport was just as impressive as their choices - which was more than enough for me. So it was finalized - the next car was to be an Ecosport. Next task was to decide on the variant and colour. Diesel Titanium was an automatic choice considering my requirement of a Diesel powertrain and the need for a model with ABS and airbag. This meant that we had to stretch the budget a bit, which was OK for me. My parents wanted the White colour and nothing else. Me and my wife preferred Mars Red / White. Since all of us had a liking for white, decided on white. Finally, on 10-Feb-2014, went ahead and booked a Diamond White Diesel Titanium Ecosport.

At the same time, advertised in OLX for finding a new home for Fred. The very next day of posting the ad, I got a call from an interested party, who agreed to see the car first. After careful inspection, he intimated that he was interested in buying. I had advertised the car for 4L, and after negotiation, the final offer was fixed at 3.8L. Took an advance of 5K from him and signed an agreement of sale, with the condition that the car will be handed over once I receive my new car.

PDI, Delivery and Dealership experience

On March 15, 2014, I got a call from my SA to convey that I could do PDI of the car on Monday (17th). Armed with the PDI checklist, went to the yard to do the PDI. Took down the VIN number of the car they showed me and did the PDI on the same. I was pretty happy with the car and gave my go ahead to the SA to proceed with the registration. As I was busy with some other commitments during the week, I decided to take delivery of the car on 26-Mar-2014, Wednesday. The very next day, paid the rest of the amount and selected the accessories/add-ons etc. I decided to go only for the front bumper applique and 3M underbody coating. To avoid any hassles, decided go with the insurance provided by the dealer. So I was all set for the 26th of March - but boy was I in for a shock. Just to give you guys an idea of what happened on 26th, here's my FB post on the same day :



To cut the long story short - they allotted the car that I inspected to Kottayam showroom > allotted another car to me > without intimating me, they registered the new car against my name > readied it for delivery, until I noticed it. I immediately highlighted this to my SA and also the Sales Manager, who were shocked (or seemed shocked) at the predicament. I decided to proceed with the delivery considering the following :

- the car that I inspected was already in Kottayam - didn't want to have the same car, which might have been driven (possibly recklessly) by someone at the dealership. There was also a chance that it would have been delivered to some one else.
- the car was already registered in my name - so reversing the paper works for that, as well as the insurance would be "Mission impossible 5".
- didn't want to spoil the excitement of taking delivery of a new car, especially with family members present at the dealership, by entering into a confrontation with them.
- had arranged for handing over Fred to its new owner the very next day - didn't want to spoil their plans as well.
- did a quick check of the car and found it to be fine in all aspects. (though without PDI checklist)

So with a slight disappointment and a great deal of hope, took delivery of the vehicle. I intimated the SA and Sales Manager that I would formally register a complaint with Ford, just to be on the safe side in the unlikely event that the new car threw up any issues in future. They were OK with that and apologised for the issue. So you could say that we signed off in a positive manner.

So I was finally A PROUD OWNER OF AN ECOSPORT. And when it came to naming my new friend, the first name that came to mind was Ted, which was similar to Fred. So TED it was !! It was almost 7.30pm when we reached home, so the customary Key Pooja was postponed to the next morning.

Ted driven for the first time, by my Father. Note the 'lemons under the tyres' that is customary while taking delivery.

Next morning, went to the temple and did the pooja. By 9 am, the guy came with his family to take delivery of Fred. He handed over the remaining amount and we signed on all the relevant papers (mentioned in GTO's article on selling a used car). With a lump in my throat, took him for a short drive for one last time and bid fair well to my companion for the past 4 years.

One comes in, the other goes out.

Some teasers of what lies ahead !

[Anoop_SG]

Now for the actual ownership experience part of the thread. First of all, the total on-road cost (with break up) incurred.

- Vehicle cost --------- 9,13,394
- Insurance------------ 32,422 (B2B, Royal Sundaram)
- L&H charges---------- 7,800
- Road tax------------- 73,180
- Essential pack-------- 5,900
- Extended Warranty--- 17,822
_____________________________

- Total-------------- 10,46,518

Next, I will list down what I like and dislike about the Ecosport, based on my short journey of 2 weeks with Ted.

What I like :

- Looks - it's a head turner where ever it goes.
- For it's size, it's nimble to handle and easy to drive in traffic.
- Seating position is commanding and the view of the road is brilliant.
- Tackles pot holes and bad roads with ease.
- Ground clearance.
- Noise inside cabin is very very low
- Great A/C.
- Great sound system for an OEM.
- Easy ingress and egress.
- Cornering in this car is engaging and fun.
- The ability to drive the car at low speeds in 3rd and 4th gear without straining the engine.
- Loads of useful features.
- Good brakes.
- Roomy interiors.
- Spacious boot.

What I don't like :

- Noisy engine
- The doors are sometimes difficult to close with normal force.
- Lack of multistage opening for boot door.
- Clutch felt a bit heavy.
- Exorbitant accessories price.
- Thick A pillars causes blindspots.

Smaller yet significant things :

- One touch driver window function is a boon.
- Placement of power window switches causes the rear windows to be rolled down/up unintentionally most of the time.
- Great to see that Ford provided alloys for spare wheel as well.
- Sync needs syncing - it calls "UK Number" every time I ask it to call "Amma".(mom)
- The reading light at the rear is actually bright and is a very useful feature.
- Dedicated vanity mirror lamps, which turns off when the mirror is closed, is a nice touch.
- Lack of engine cover and engine gaurd is an unwarranted concern that plays on your mind constantly.
- Steering wheel is too thin for my liking. It should have been a bit meaty.
- Would have loved a master reset to reset all the MID settings in one go.
- Ford should also have allowed the user to choose the interior trim colour as well as the colour of the front grille, roof rails, OVRMs and door handles. I personally would have liked the dark interior option, the seat covers of Trend version, the matte silver trim for the front grille and black roof rails, OVRMs and door handles.

Some snaps of Ted.

[Anoop_SG]

Modifications and Accessories

1. Front bumper applique :

I felt that the front bumper applique would add to the looks of the front end by breaking the monotony of full black bumper. The silver colour also compliments the white colour of the car.

Source : Kairali Ford
Cost : Rs 5200 (approximate figure)
Installation : Done by the dealership at the time of delivery.

2. 3M underbody coating :

An absolute necessity these days. This was also done at the dealership at the time of delivery as there are no authorized 3M dealerships in Trivandrum. But as I found out the next day, the coating was not done properly and in some places the white paint of the body was visible.

Inconsistant underbody coating.

Called up the SA and requested him to arrange for another coat to be applied to the car in my presence. He asked me to bring the car in for inspection and after being convinced that the job was not done properly, he allotted a time for the same. I took the car at the time allotted to me and another layer of 3M coat was applied to the car in my presence.

That's Ted loaded into the ramp for applying the coat.


3M undershield coating used for the same.

Source : Kairali Ford
Cost : Rs 3200 (approximate figure)
Installation : Done by the dealership at the time of delivery and re-done based on my complaint.

3. Scandisk micro USB for ICE :

The USB devices that had were obstructing the cubby holes near to the USB port area. To solve this problem, decided to order a micro USB online.

Source : http://www.shopclues.com/sandisk-cz1...rive-16gb.html
Cost : Rs 568 (after applying a 10% discount coupon)

Item received from Shopclues. (pardon the quality)


The USB acts like a cover for the USB slot and hardly causes any obstruction.

4. Door Lock cap :

This was a nice accessory which I came across in Aliexpress. Decided to order one to check the service from Aliexpress. Considering the cost of the item, free shipping and potentially vast number of options available, I would recommend Aliexpress to all. The item was delivered in about 3-4 weeks.

Source : http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2013-...562497315.html
Cost : 5.69 USD
Installation : DIY

Package as delivered by Aliexpress.


After installation in car. (note that the package includes cap for 4 doors and boot door)

5. White Tyre marking :

Decided to mark the brand in white for all the tyres to make it bit more sportier. It also complements the overall black and white theme of the car. Went for the white tyre marker pens as it was easier to paint the raised brand names in the tyre using the pen, rather than the paint and brush technique. The item that I ordered was not upto the mark and after a few strokes, the tip of the pen came off. I then had to empty the contents of the pen into a mixing plate and painted the tyres using a brush. For the first time, I was glad that Ted had MRF's. I cannot or I should say do not want to imagine how I would have completed this job had the tyres been Goodyears. I am not happy with the finish of the job in some of the tyres, but it looks OK when viewed from distance. Planning to reapply another coat once the current layer fades out.

Source : http://www.ebay.in/itm/231184676020?...84.m1497.l2649
Cost : Rs 375
Installation : DIY

6. Carbon fibre border for the number plates :

The border in the number plates were too thin for my liking. To improve the appearance, thought of adding a strip of carbon fibre textured sticker on all sides. Sourced a sheet of the sticker from a local shop and did the borders of both the number plates. I will post the picture of Ted with the modified number plates later.

Source : Local sticker shop.
Cost : Rs 15 for 4 X 1 feet sheet.
Installation : DIY

7. Bottle holder mats :

This is one area that could potentially cause rattles (especially with coins inside) and also where dust could accumulate. For solving this, decided to do a DIY using mouse pad (inspired by fellow BHPian Naveen's DIY).

Source : 2 mouse pads from local computer shop.
Cost : Rs 50 for 2 mouse pads.
Installation : DIY

1. Created templates for each holder using news paper.
2. Transferred the templates onto mouse pad.
3. Cut out the shapes based on templates from the mouse pad.


Final outcome.

I had also ordered the vinyl films for smoking headlamps and tail lamps, from Aliexpress. I have decided to park this for later as I want to maintain the stock looks for some more time. For those who are interested in the details :

Source : http://www.aliexpress.com/item/30x12...053016756.html
Cost : USD 3.51 / roll. 1 roll is light black + 1 roll matte black.

There are still more mods/accessories planned and which are on the way. Will keep this thread updated as and when they are added to Ted.

So that's the story till now - please feel free to drop in a note with what you think about the Fred-Ted story. Will be more than happy to hear you out.

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[amansanc]

Let me be the first one to congratulate you Anoop! You made a great choice by choosing ecosport. Even i don't like the looks of The all new Honda City. Somehow can't digest the front look and the front fender integration with the bumper.
The car looks elegant in white and not as aggresive as it looks in Mars red or Blue colour. Keep updating us with your DIY projects.

Wishing you a trouble free and enjoyable journey with TED

Cheers!
amansanc

[ampere]

Ecosport is one product which I see has played on to many people's imaginations. Its a perfect blend of a lifestyle product and at the same time, a nice compact utility. All the best to your drive. Hope you clock many a mile on this one.

[Chitta Pradhan]

Hi Anoop,

Many congrats for your ES. Yaday talked to Ford for knowing about the price & waiting period. Can t know that it is 3 months. Did you get any offer for your new car. Among Figo & ES which one is easier to drive. How stiff is the ride of ES. You have also mentioned that one of the -ves of ES is engine noise, is it more than your Figo diesel.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Kairali Ford (TVM) informed my parents yesterday that the waiting periods for Ecosport AT is 8 months , and that they weren't planning on taking any bookings!

I'm surprised that the same dealer was able to deliver your car in 1 1/2 months. Is it because the diesel variant is more popular?

Congrats on the purchase. I had an eye on the ES too (AT only though!) and I feel its a brilliant overall package. However, looks like Ford is driving us away from a purchase.

[Anoop_SG]

Originally Posted by amansanc

Let me be the first one to congratulate you Anoop! You made a great choice by choosing ecosport. Even i don't like the looks of The all new Honda City. Somehow can't digest the front look and the front fender integration with the bumper.
The car looks elegant in white and not as aggresive as it looks in Mars red or Blue colour. Keep updating us with your DIY projects.

Wishing you a trouble free and enjoyable journey with TED

Cheers!
amansanc

Thank you amansanc.

To be honest with you - I had a high degree of inclination towards ES, which swayed the decision in it's favour. But as you said, the new city is half as impressive as the previous version in terms of looks and fit and finish.

There are a lot more DIY's on the way. Will post them over the week end.

Originally Posted by ampere

Ecosport is one product which I see has played on to many people's imaginations. Its a perfect blend of a lifestyle product and at the same time, a nice compact utility. All the best to your drive. Hope you clock many a mile on this one.

Thank you ampere. You are right on spot there - I was looking for a slightly bigger, meatier SUVish car, which was nimble and compact at the same time and loaded with features. ES perfectly fitted that bill.

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Hi Anoop,

Many congrats for your ES. Yaday talked to Ford for knowing about the price & waiting period. Can t know that it is 3 months. Did you get any offer for your new car. Among Figo & ES which one is easier to drive. How stiff is the ride of ES. You have also mentioned that one of the -ves of ES is engine noise, is it more than your Figo diesel.

Thanks for the wishes Chitta Pradhan.

The waiting period of diesel was 3 months when I booked the same (around Feb 2014) in TVM. No I didn't get any offers from the dealer (not even the corporate discount). And I haven't opted for any accessories from them either except for the front bumper applique and underbody coating.

I haven't had a chance to enjoy the driving dynamics of ES fully till now. But from my limited experience the ride is not stiff - its pretty smooth and comfortable. I would say both ES and Figo are fun to drive, but the Figo might edge it due to its low stance. Engine noise is almost same for both. Ford could have improved on that aspect in ES by providing the engine cover and better insulation in engine bay. But sadly they missed that chance.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Kairali Ford (TVM) informed my parents yesterday that the waiting periods for Ecosport AT is 8 months , and that they weren't planning on taking any bookings!

I'm surprised that the same dealer was able to deliver your car in 1 1/2 months. Is it because the diesel variant is more popular?

Congrats on the purchase. I had an eye on the ES too (AT only though!) and I feel its a brilliant overall package. However, looks like Ford is driving us away from a purchase.

Thank you CrAzY dRiVeR.

I understood that most of the ES produced these days are the diesel variants. I was told that Diesel + White would be the best bet to get an early delivery. I believe manufacturing of petrol + AT would be very very minimal which explains the waiting period. But that's some thing Ford needs to take notice.

[Chitta Pradhan]

Originally Posted by Anoop_SG

I haven't had a chance to enjoy the driving dynamics of ES fully till now. But from my limited experience the ride is not stiff - its pretty smooth and comfortable. I would say both ES and Figo are fun to drive, but the Figo might edge it due to its low stance. Engine noise is almost same for both. Ford could have improved on that aspect in ES by providing the engine cover and better insulation in engine bay. But sadly they missed that chance.

Thanks for the info. Had visited Ford showroom yesterday & took a TD of ecoboost version. Power was very good & the refinement is as good as a refined 4 cylinder petrol. Did not feel it to be a 3 cylinder engine. The interior quality did not impress me. Every thing else was fine. Could not test the low speed ride which many have felt to be very stiff & bone jarring.

Sales guy told that waiting period of diesel is three months which seems to be reasonable. But we can not trust Ford eyes closed. After booking, waiting period may extend to 6 months or even more and another price hike by the time you take delivery.

Had a short TD of diesel ES couple of months back. Agree with you that that the engine noise creeping inside is more than expected. Have also driven Duster 85 & 110 bhp cars, which are miles ahead than ES diesel in this regard. Both the dusters felt more refined than my Verna CRDI, which is one of the best in the segment as regards refinement.

Keep updating the thread & enjoy the ES. Do come back with your long drive & high speed experience & of course the most important Indian question, KITNA DEHIHE ?

[Mahesh Prasad]

Congrats Anoop on your latest acquisition. Loved the neat and crisp review. Regarding Fred, it always feels sad to let go off one's trusted friend with so many memories. But we have to move on and I hope that Ted gives you more happy and cheerful memories in future.
Pleased to know that the dealership experience was hassle free (almost) except during the delivery process .
Loved the mods and DIY jobs you have done on your car. The front bumper appliqué surely looks smashing.
Congrats again and wishing you a happy mile crunching. As in true T-BHP terms - "Keep Revvin!!"


Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP

[Anoop_SG]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Keep updating the thread & enjoy the ES. Do come back with your long drive & high speed experience & of course the most important Indian question, KITNA DEHIHE ?

Will definitely keep you posted on the long drive and high speed experience soon. I am getting a mileage of around 15 KMPL at the moment (from the instantaneous mileage reading). Will do a tankful this week and check if that matches.


Modifications and Accessories Cont.

8. Short Antenna :

Two reasons why I decided to change the OEM antenna :
1. they are prone to hitting low lying wires and tree branches on the roads. I have had a couple of hits already.
2. better aesthetic appeal.
Ordered a short antenna from Aliexpress and got it delivered after 45 days. It came with multiple screws and adapters (as you can see in the picture). The antenna seems to be of good quality and it has improved the looks (IMHO). The reception is also good - I don't listen to FM much, but when I checked the reception quality, I didn't notice much change from the stock ones.

Source : http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2013-...443031488.html
Cost : USD 8.98
Installation : DIY.

Packaging and item details


After installation.

9. Silicon Key Cover :

It's only been 3 weeks since I have taken the car and I have already dropped the key 4 times . So the reason for ordering a key cover was obvious. The key cover is top notch, fits perfectly and has great finish. I would recommend this to all ES owners. It even comes with the boot release key button picture, which turned out to be useful (as you will find in the next mod)

Source : http://www.ebay.in/itm/271429433473?...84.m1439.l2649
Cost : Rs 299
Installation : DIY.

10. Remote boot lock :

This is a very simple and highly recommended mod for any ES owners. Ford has actually included this option in the ES titanium version, but chose to hide it from it's customers. I don't understand what Ford looses by giving this feature. The procedure is explained in detail in http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3399621. Thanks to fellow BHPians for sharing this info. To any ES owners who are in doubt to proceed with this mod - please go ahead, it's dead simple and well worth it. I would suggest to use a gel pen refill stub to fill the empty slot of the boot release button (highlighted in the below image). Once this is done, you can use your remote to open the boot door. First unlock the car using the unlock button and then press the 3rd button on the key twice to open the boot door. My new key cover has this third button clearly marked, so now it all fits perfectly.

Source : Team BHP
Cost : 0
Installation : DIY.

WIP pictures.

[Samfromindia]

Congratulations for your Ted ! ES looks classy in white. Your speedy delivery is giving me hope, waiting almost a month now. Any reasons for not opting the Titanium Option? For a fraction of cost you get more safety features, dark interior plastics although i feel the white seat fabric and interiors of Titanium will gel with the white color of car. The leather seat cover will cost at least 10k i believe, so i guess its was a better value proposition along with the push button start which completes the keyless experience.

Originally Posted by Anoop_SG

I haven't had a chance to enjoy the driving dynamics of ES fully till now. But from my limited experience the ride is not stiff - its pretty smooth and comfortable.

Well i am surprised that you don't find the ride to be stiff. Did you manage to drive on uneven roads yet ? This is the only reason why i am not fully happy with ES. I had 2 TD and on both the instances the ride was very bumpy, both for me and my parents. Ford should really soften the suspension for Indian conditions. I don't think ride should necessarily be inversely proportional to handling, there are many cars which offers best of both worlds.

[Anoop_SG]

Originally Posted by Mahesh Prasad

Congrats Anoop on your latest acquisition. Loved the neat and crisp review. Regarding Fred, it always feels sad to let go off one's trusted friend with so many memories. But we have to move on and I hope that Ted gives you more happy and cheerful memories in future.
Pleased to know that the dealership experience was hassle free (almost) except during the delivery process .
Loved the mods and DIY jobs you have done on your car. The front bumper appliqué surely looks smashing.
Congrats again and wishing you a happy mile crunching. As in true T-BHP terms - "Keep Revvin!!"

Thank you Mahesh,

It was very hard to let go of Fred, but as you said we have to move on. And from what I have seen so far, Ted is making up for the loss.

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

Congratulations for your Ted ! ES looks classy in white. Your speedy delivery is giving me hope, waiting almost a month now. Any reasons for not opting the Titanium Option? For a fraction of cost you get more safety features, dark interior plastics although i feel the white seat fabric and interiors of Titanium will gel with the white color of car. The leather seat cover will cost at least 10k i believe, so i guess its was a better value proposition along with the push button start which completes the keyless experience.

Thanks Sam. I was not very keen on the additional airbags and the push button start and key less entry . And I already had to stretch my budget a bit to get to Titanium. And honestly, I didn't notice that Tit O came with dark interior plastics !

By the way which variant have you opted for ? And which colour ?

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

Well i am surprised that you don't find the ride to be stiff. Did you manage to drive on uneven roads yet ? This is the only reason why i am not fully happy with ES. I had 2 TD and on both the instances the ride was very bumpy, both for me and my parents. Ford should really soften the suspension for Indian conditions. I don't think ride should necessarily be inversely proportional to handling, there are many cars which offers best of both worlds.

I did travel on uneven roads; there is some amount of body roll I agree, but it's not too severe in my opinion. May be because I am comparing it to the ride quality of smaller cars like Figo which I am familiar with.

Accessories and Mod Update

I had ordered for some accessories from China and they arrived last night. I will have my hands full this weekend to get them installed in my car. Following are the items purchased :

- Seat Covers
- 3D mats
- Trunk mat
- Spare wheel cover (PU type)
- Steering wheel cover
- Aluminium Number plate frames
- Sporty pedals
- Scuff plates
- Bottle holder and door pocket mats
- Door edge protector
- Full side body graphics
- Rear bumper guard
- Tyre valve caps

All these cost me just Rs 8.4 K

Will update the thread with details of each item soon - meanwhile here is a sneak peek of what's coming up.

Yes - my friend had to bring all these items in a separate suitcase.


Now begins the task of installing them to the car - good that its a long weekend !