[amalji]

Originally Posted by amalji

For me, the best films continues to be 3m CR70 ( TSER - 50%, VLT - 70% ), V-Kool 70 ( TSER - 55%, VLT - 70% ) and V-Kool 75 ( TSER - 45.45% & VLT - 77% ). And if you plan to use it for a long time, throwing all the abuse at it, I would remove 3m from that list. V-Kool is the most durable sun films I have ever used regardless of the amount of time you park it under the sun.

I missed a recent release of V-Kool which seems very much impressive as well. - V-Kool 70+. This seems to be the best of the best with a VLT of 75% and TSER of 52% , ideally suited for front windshield. I might soon replace my front windshield 3m CR70 ( it has developed a lot of tiny wrinkles which are distracting during night drives after having to park my car in the sun for a year or so in office. Total years of good performance from 3m CR70 for me - 4 years ) and V-Kool 70+ stays right at the top of my wish list.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by amalji

... if you plan to use it for a long time, throwing all the abuse at it, I would remove 3m from that list. V-Kool is the most durable sun films I have ever used regardless of the amount of time you park it under the sun.

PS:
I have the V-Kool 70 on my Etios side...

Whats the price of V-Kool 70 Vs the CR 70? I had CR 70 on the front windhsield in my Swift and 2-3 years later, it had quite a few scratches (may be it happened at the car washing centre where the guys use the same cloth with which they wash the tyres & running board too).

I read somewhere that the V-Kool resists the reception for navigation, when fit on the front windshield - is there any truth in that?

Originally Posted by amalji

I missed a recent release of V-Kool which seems very much impressive as well. - V-Kool 70+. This seems to be the best of the best with a VLT of 75% and TSER of 52% , ideally suited for front windshield....

Any idea on the prices for this?

[amalji]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Whats the price of V-Kool 70 Vs the CR 70?

When I last enquired a few years back, the CR70 used to cost 7000 INR and V-Kool 70 used to cost close to 10k for the Etios front windshield.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

I had CR 70 on the front windhsield in my Swift and 2-3 years later, it had quite a few scratches (may be it happened at the car washing centre where the guys use the same cloth with which they wash the tyres & running board too).

In my case, it was not scratches. But, minute wrinkles. On first look, it might look like scratches. But, if you closely check it out, it's wrinkles caused due to expansion of the film.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

I read somewhere that the V-Kool resists the reception for navigation, when fit on the front windshield - is there any truth in that?

Yes, it does block some of the GPS signal and that's the reason why I opted for 3m CR70 on the windshield of my Etios. The technical reason is that V-Kool is a metallic film which interferes with GPS signals whereas the 3m is ceramic film which doesn't cause any interference. I had first hand experience of this on my Esteem with mapmyindia GPS where it used to take a lot of time to connect to GPS. I had to keep the device outside for a few minutes for the GPS to lock and then take it inside.

But, with the GPS on a typical android device these days, it doesn't seem to create much problems. I tested this out by asking my wife to sit behind ( where she is enclosed by V-Kool 70 on the rear and sides ) and it worked fine. So, yes, there is some cut of the GPS as evidenced when using the old mapmyindia devices. But, with the GPS technology in mobiles these days, the experience is much better.

Even my friend, who took my old Esteem with V-Kool 70 didn't face any issues with GPS reception, when he used his mobile for navigation.

And with regards to the price of V-Kool 70+, no idea as of now. But, will let you know when I have info on this. I'm planning to change my 5 year old 3m CR70 soon as it has become very distracting during night drives.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by amalji

The reason for that is very simple. The TSER is much lower for the CR90.
for eg:-, if you compare CR70 vs CR40, the TSER gain is just 10% for 30% compromise in VLT. But, for CR90 vs CR70, you lose out on 16% TSER for a VLT gain of 20%. So, it doesn't seem to be great spectral rejection technology.

I agree that TSER is lower for CR90, but we shouldn't forget the fact that it also lets in 22% more light compared to CR70, which makes the film almost transparent. And that was one of key decision points for me as I didn't want to be stopped on road by cops due to the windows being too dark. If there was no rule, I would have made the easier choice of going with CR70.

Unlike most other places, the cops over here do check the films on cars from time to time. And like with all things in life, its not as easy to move from 70% to 90% transparency like from 40% to 70% with the same realizations. As you move towards 100% VLT, the gains are going to be that much more difficult to achieve with what is a thin layer of film. Besides, the UV rating which is the most harmful of all Sun' radiations is at par for CR70 and 90.

I was at Kodaikanal over the weekend and the liberty they have at TN on sun films is to be seen to be believed. I literally couldn't see anything inside many a cars parked under the sun.


So, Kodaikanal then! Took a circuit as we really didn't want to drive back on NH47 on a Sunday afternoon. And I have never driven through the Theni - Bodi route. And it turned out to be spectacular. Roads are good throughout except for the stretches between Mannuthy - Vadakkencherry during the onward journey and Poopara - Rajakkad on return. Came back via Kodanad as we had to visit a relative.


And Kodaikanal was really cold. The picture below will give you a sense of what happened. That's Fiesta entering the town at around 2 PM in the afternoon. No, we didn't see the sun at all in the first 2 days. But it was very different to our usual escapades and we had the means to enjoy the cold climate.


The ghat roads after Bodi is really nice and with very light traffic.


We also passed a very narrow steel bridge at Vellathooval on return and it was a bit scary.




We didn't use the Fiesta at Kodaikanal and the Ford did the entire trip on a single tank of fuel. I always tank up from the BP bunk at Irumpanam when the Range shows 100 KM and the Fiesta was showing 98 KM when we reached back.

And this is what I saw after the next fill.


So, the Fiesta really likes open roads and its a good show as I was having fun and not looking to stretch the range.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

I agree that TSER is lower for CR90, but we shouldn't forget the fact that it also lets in 22% more light compared to CR70, which makes the film almost transparent. And that was one of key decision points for me as I didn't want to be stopped on road by cops due to the windows being too dark. If there was no rule, I would have made the easier choice of going with CR70.

Yes, I did understand the logic why you choose the CR90 over the CR70. What I wanted to let people know was the reason why CR90 is cheaper compared to CR70. Films get costly when they are designed to permit as much light in without compromising on the TSER. CR70 is the best of the 3m series in that regard. And in V-Kool, the V-Kool 70 and V-Kool 70+ does the best jobs and that's exactly why they are the costliest films in the market regardless of the stupid blanket ban on sun films in India. 16% loss in TSER for 20% increase in VLT is considered costly in spectral rejection.

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Unlike most other places, the cops over here do check the films on cars from time to time. And like with all things in life, its not as easy to move from 70% to 90% transparency like from 40% to 70% with the same realizations. As you move towards 100% VLT, the gains are going to be that much more difficult to achieve with what is a thin layer of film.

Besides, the UV rating which is the most harmful of all Sun' radiations is at par for CR70 and 90.

These films are not necessarily thin. The V-Kool 70 for example is a very thick film even though it admits that much light in.

And with regards to the TSER maintenance with increased VLT, end of the day, these films have a purpose and that's to considerably reduce the heat that comes in. 55% TSER vs 60% TSER doesn't make much difference. But, 34% vs 50% does make a difference. It's as good as letting in more heat and more light in. So, instead of doing better R & D for better heat rejection, 3m took the easy way out by letting more light and more heat in.

With regards to UV, if my memory is correct, every single film sold in the market rejects 99% UV. We don't really need a V-Kool or 3m to achieve that benchmark.

[deetjohn]

Its two years today. The mileage is 36722 KM.

Renewed the insurance with United India. For the past 6 years or so, I am their customer and dealing with same agent. Picked zero depreciation along with Return to Invoice as always. The premium of INR 11821 including a service tax of 1541 was paid online yesterday evening.

Some titbits now.
1) The toy that I have used the least is probably cruise control. Maybe five or six times all of last 24 months. Its of no use in Kerala. I just use it for kicks rather than a utility. One thing I have found though is that, its better to keep the right foot on the A pedal than the brake when cruise control is engaged. The whole 'lift the foot off accelerator and brake' is faster and more involuntary during emergency braking. Not sure how this is for others.

2) Cruise control is followed by voice recognition and auto mirror fold to make up the podium positions. I don't fold my mirrors that much and I have disabled the auto fold on locking the car. I would have left them open always had it been manual fold. Sometimes, I do fold due to fear of someone knocking the mirror and breaking the auto fold mechanism.

3) The thing I miss the most is all black interiors. To me, it is superior in both form and function.

4) Part that has failed - left more rear sensor. I need to get it replaced under warranty when I take the car to Kairali Cheranallur for the service at 40k. The last few services were done at the fast lane near Kakkanad.

5) That brings us to the fact that the Fiesta is entering its last year of warranty support. I am still not fully convinced whether I should extend it for one more year paying a whopping 24k. I would have happily paid if it was for the 4th and 5th year. I got 11 more months to sit on this for the time being.

6) The only after market part in the car is the horn. That too is a bespoke Ford unit made by Hella. Guess I am still not bored with the stock specifications. Yes, I also got the 'Made in Germany' GoodYear replaced with Michelin P3ST.

7) Most fun - Any well paved B roads of Kerala with its quick turns and elevation changes and light traffic around. The Fiesta is built for that and its a pure joy to drive. Sometimes, I do wish I had a petrol motor under the hood though. Needn't be all that powerful, but it will be glorious to rev all the way to the redline when you are having fun. But I also appreciate the range that the TDCi gives me even while having a fun. And engine is feeling good now, I think the frequent oil changes are lending a big hand here.

8) Guess that brings us to my other fickleness - the colour of choice. I do love the white but I have a feeling the Fiesta has turned a bit yellow. Very evident when I park close to those bluish white Hyundai and VAG cars. And it is also not helped by the fact that I haven't detailed the car for long now. Maybe I should have taken the black. The Fiesta looks stunning in Panther black and it also masks the big panel gaps the car has. But I do love the freedom white gives me to prioritize cleaning the of interior and the windows instead of the exterior.

9) The one design element which looks the best will be the humble mud flap at the rear. Love the way it sticks out from the bumper, so much attitude given the utility. LOL The worst built is the plastic piece above the radio followed by the hood atop the instrument cluster. They creak every time I bring my hand anywhere close to it. Its so annoying. Wish there was a choice for interior plastic quality in our cars.

10) And oh yeah, people do wonder what car is it even now. I do notice the glances from time to time. The latest being a senior bloke who was staying in the same resort as us at Kodaikanal. While we appreciated his B class at the parking, he was confused by the Fiesta. I also saw him going behind the Ford to read the badge on the day of our return. I was loading the boot and he was walking through the garden and parking early in the morning. LOL

PS: I started this post thinking I will stop after mentioning about the toys and soon it became a bigger list.

[deetjohn]

It is the forum' birthday! So, what better way to give a treat than add some good content. Had washed the car on Saturday at DBS, Edapally and as usual they did a great job.

[deepfreak15]

Congrats on completing 2 years T John. Thanks for your wonderful review, feels like we have shared your experiences

[gkoneti]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Its two years today. The mileage is 36722 KM.

Renewed the insurance with United India. For the past 6 years or so, I am their customer and dealing with same agent. Picked zero depreciation along with Return to Invoice as always. The premium of INR 11821 including a service tax of 1541 was paid online yesterday evening.

Some titbits now.
1) The toy that I have used the least is probably cruise control. Maybe five or six times all of last 24 months. Its of no use in Kerala. I just use it for kicks rather than a utility. One thing I have found though is that, its better to keep the right foot on the A pedal than the brake when cruise control is engaged. The whole 'lift the foot off accelerator and brake' is faster and more involuntary during emergency braking. Not sure how this is for others.

2) Cruise control is followed by voice recognition and auto mirror fold to make up the podium positions. I don't fold my mirrors that much and I have disabled the auto fold on locking the car. I would have left them open always had it been manual fold. Sometimes, I do fold due to fear of someone knocking the mirror and breaking the auto fold mechanism.

Hi John

1. I frequnt hyderabad bengaluru highway once in two months and hyderabad airport three to four times in a month. Cruise control is such a relaxing thing to free your legs on those trips. Moreover i observed that your km range steadily increases by using this option.

2. My view is that you should leave autofold function as it is. Of course, fancy folding aside, this greatly saves the mirrors from bikes and other random guys like apartment watchmen manually pushing it to fold back. They are so delicate and it is always best to fold them.

Please get the waxoyl treatment offered at Ford dealership. I have got it done and now one year later, the glossy ness still there. After five years i am planning to paint it with non metallic red color.

I am currently using dashmat sourced from Aliexpress that is so great for avoiding reflection and making the car look decent too. I purchased it for about 1500 and totally worth it. I will upload pictures shortly.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by gkoneti

1. I frequnt hyderabad bengaluru highway once in two months and hyderabad airport three to four times in a month. Cruise control is such a relaxing thing to free your legs on those trips. Moreover i observed that your km range steadily increases by using this option.

We don't have roads for that over here. Kerala is one large city rather than a state.

And what I have seen is that the car sips a bit more with cruise control on unless the road is really flat. Say climbing a very gradual incline at 80 kmph in 4th gear shows better reading on the MID compared to doing it in 5th.

Originally Posted by gkoneti

My view is that you should leave autofold function as it is....They are so delicate and it is always best to fold them.

I fold them by pushing the button when required - but those situations are few and far between. Usually, I don't park the car in tight spaces where it feels a bit vulnerable and am willing to walk a bit for a better spot, though my wife doesn't appreciate it one bit. LOL

Originally Posted by gkoneti

Please get the waxoyl treatment offered at Ford dealership. I have got it done and now one year later, the glossy ness still there.

Yes, a detailing is due. But don't think I will trust the dealer with it.

[gkoneti]

Don't trust the dealer. But please talk to local Waxoyl dealer directly and see if they can do it at your home. Proper foam washing is must before they do it. I have used 3M surface refinement products before but this seemed long lasting to me. The product is known to last for at least 100 washes.

[PratikPatel]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

We didn't use the Fiesta at Kodaikanal and the Ford did the entire trip on a single tank of fuel. I always tank up from the BP bunk at Irumpanam when the Range shows 100 KM and the Fiesta was showing 98 KM when we reached back.

And this is what I saw after the next fill.
Attachment 1602737

So, the Fiesta really likes open roads and its a good show as I was having fun and not looking to stretch the range.

Congrats for the 2 years @deetjohn. Having completed one year with mine, I completely agree with you that this is one heck of a car that just loves open roads. After my recent trip to Gujrat when I filled up again it showed 830 kms to empty. For a moment I was , I just could not process what I was looking at. I was not looking to stretch the range, but it seems the TDCi is a bit of miser and sipper of fuel on open roads and just wants to extend the range. One heck of a well built car and one heck of engine. While it will not burn the roads, it has admirable ability to just cruise and munch miles away as effortlessly as a whale eating krill.

The handling is so impressive in the twists and turns that I had a Merc and Skoda tailing and shadowing me for quite few kilometres to see what the car can do. I got a bit nervous when one of them started to yo-yo back and forth to see the car. The final straw was when he started slip streaming. I just pulled into the first lane, slowed down and got out of the stupid game.

[prasathlr]

Pardon my ignorance, why was this car discontinued and what was the on road price for this Model?

I loved the look of it, currently in the market for a car and would have blindly bought this just for the looks of it.

[Vipin Kumar]

When we expected that Ford would discontinue the aging Figo and Fiesta Classic when Aspire was about to come, Ford indeed went a mile ahead and stopped the production of the new Fiesta also. They were manufacturing this Fiesta anyway only on orders, with no-profit no-loss proposition, I guess. No reason was however provided for stopping that too.

Whenever Ford people ring me up to ask me if I plan to buy another or new car, I remind them about this Fiesta and ask them to show me a similar option from Ford. I ask them, where does Ford have anymore cars like that?

Ford should at least begin again this 'on order' process at least.

Vip.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by PratikPatel

Congrats for the 2 years @deetjohn. Having completed one year with mine, I completely agree with you that this is one heck of a car that just loves open roads....While it will not burn the roads, it has admirable ability to just cruise and munch miles away as effortlessly as a whale eating krill.

Thank You for the wishes and really glad that you are having a lot of fun on your machine.

I went to Kovalam beach last week and it was another good drive. Completed the trip and realized that I didn't take a single picture. LOL.

Originally Posted by prasathlr

Pardon my ignorance, why was this car discontinued and what was the on road price for this Model?

The Titanium variant was selling for about 11 lakhs and thereabouts depending on the road tax for each state. And Fiesta represented amazing value for money in the segment. But it still didn't sell.

Ford didn't make enough units to sell when Fiesta opened the account in 2014. Ford was severely limited with capacity constraints at Chennai and they prioritized the production of the super hit EcoSport for both domestic market and exports. Thus, Fiesta was limited to about 2 cars per dealer per month - this was the stat given to me by the dealer. That resulted in a very limited number of cars being sold. It was only bought only by people who wanted it very badly. And that again caused further drop in demand in the market. In India, the best way to sell more cars is to sell more in the first place. LOL

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

They were manufacturing this Fiesta anyway only on orders, with no-profit no-loss proposition, I guess. No reason was however provided for stopping that too.

What I heard from the dealer is that Ford was selling it at a loss and that's the reason why they limited the output. Don't know how much of that is true. Fiesta didn't enjoy excise benefits of the 'smaller' EcoSport, but it was almost the same price with more kit. So, maybe there is some truth in that.

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Ford should at least begin again this 'on order' process at least.

I am not sure how many will be willing to buy it. My guess is not that many.