[Vik0728]

Yup, just the title of this thread may sound amusing enough to many, but allow me some write-up to explain my hysteria and how this changed...




...to this!!



To stay in line with the norm here, I'd like to classify this decision into the following sections:

1. The original GT TDI and introduction to German Engineering

2. Relocation Opportunity

3. Destiny

4. Magnetic German Engineering known as the GT TDI

[Vik0728]

The original GT TDI and introduction to German Engineering

As many of the Bhpians know, I was one of those lucky few who got to own the elusive and adrenaline pumping Volkswagen Polo 1.6 GT TDI.

For ones who can't quite remember that saga and for those who just want to read through the content anyways, please follow the link:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...ml#post3460993 (From 'G'e'T'z to VW Polo GT TDI! 3.5 years, 50,000 km up + Yokohama S drive tires! EDIT: Sold!)


I had bought this car purely from heart, and although the after sales was not even close to satisfactory, I never once regretted buying this machine. I learnt a lot about the cliched and almost comical thought:
With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

[Vik0728]

Relocation Opportunity

I was on the verge of a 5 year relationship with this German beauty when things changed. My spouse was offered an overseas opportunity to head an entire region. Although this opportunity was quite enticing, it was also a tiny bit unnerving as we had to relocate. With this decision came the inevitable, which was to let go of everything "perishable" that we had bought, acquired and had for nearly a decade. Just the thought of relinquishing one of my priced possessions (GT TDI) was painful. But we had to look at the bigger picture, and I decided to put my GT up for sale.

There was a point when we really had to rush into selling this machine, and I had posted an advert on pretty much every available classifieds. Although the interested parties grew every day, I never really got the offer I was looking at. There was also this added factor of finding an owner who would take good care of my priced possession, but then again, this was just the emotional side that was baring its head. Eventually, I did find one buyer who appreciated the real worth of the 1.6 TDI and offered a respectable price. I had to let go of my beloved GT in February.
Incidentally, the Visa process started rolling, and we got busy planning our relocation. As fate would have it, the Visa stamping was delayed, and for some strange reason, it felt excruciatingly laborious soon after my GT was gone!! This delay only made me regret my decision of of letting go my GT in a hurry, and the frustration got me thinking of owning this car again in my life if I got half a chance.

[Vik0728]

Destiny

With an eventual relocation looming on the horizon, I withdrew myself from any critical or active projects on the professional front. Our personal life had almost certainly disappeared, as all we could really do was wait. What started off as a month, turned into 3, and before we knew we were nearly 5 months into it.

This could just not go on as it was affecting us quite badly, and we decided to set ourselves a deadline. I guess this was destiny, as just around this set deadline, we got an affirmative update that we had to wait it out for few more months if we had to move together. This was the final draw, and we decided to let go of this eventful and most certainly forgetful relocation saga.

[Vik0728]

Magnetic German Engineering known as the GT TDI

With our feet firmly on Indian soil, we started thinking about getting our life back on track. It was quite a challenge as the relocation episode had literally reduced us to couple of big cases and few cabin luggage . We set out with a plan to start building our lives from an absolute desolation. And the first thing (probably the only thing) that I could think of was getting myself a commuter vehicle.
I had missed out on driving a car for nearly 6 months, and the itch had turned into gangrene!! No matter how I evaluated this, I could not convince myself to get a two wheeler. Thus started my quest.

Although I have only owned one diesel car in my life, I am just addicted to that wave of torque when I put the foot down, and could never convince myself to consider a petrol car.

Back in 2014 when I was on such a shopping spree, I seldom looked elsewhere, and just the 1.6 GT TDI was the only hot oil burner around. But in 2019, Indian automotive industry had plethora of options to choose from.

Here is the list of cars I considered and rejected, before moving on to the next one. The images that I have below were carefully chosen as I was particularly interested in only these shades from the company's palette.

Ford Figo TDCI


LIKES

• One of the best diesel hatches under 20 lakh.
• Truly Maximum Fun for Minimum Fund machine if performance is your pick.
• Not that it matters to me, but great ground clearance.
• Huge visual improvement over the weird looking (IMO) first-gen car.
• Extremely competitive after sales.
• Quite well kitted for the price.

DISLIKES

• Many dated components on a modern hatch such as exposed windshield wiper nozzles, front mounted roof antenna, conventional headlamps, and so on.
• Not many options in the after market scene.
• Did not offer any sporty shades.

Suzuki Swift ZDI+ MT


LIKES

• Visually, the closest thing that comes to the legendary BMW Mini.
• Considering how lethargic Maruti can be, this car is quite well kitted.
• The Red shade is unlike anything that Maruti has ever offered, and looks lovely.
• Impeccable road manners.
• Almost endless supply of aftermarket accessories.
• Design elements are quirky, but not whacky.

DISLIKES

• At over 1 million INR, it is ridiculously priced for what's under the hood.
• I used to think that Polo is designed for 3, until I sat in Swift, which seems to be designed for 2 + 0.5 & 0.5!!
• Body panels & parts may have improved, but they are nowhere close to Koreans, let alone Germans.
• I could not convince myself to step down from 1.6 to 1.3.
• My wife did not even get into the TD car.

Ford Ecosport Diesel S


LIKES

• I am not a big fan of SUVs, UVs, CUVs, etc, but Ecosport looks like no other, especially in the S guise.
• Extremely well kitted, and offers some of the most unique features in the 15 lakhs bracket.
• Commanding view from the driver's seat.
• Quite a VFM product, and Ford seems to have knocked off the likes of Maruti & Tata when it comes to ownership cost.
• For such a tall stance, handling is amazingly composed.
• Serious build quality. Easily compares to and probably betters the Germans in some aspects.

DISLIKES

• Coming from the free revving and adrenaline pumping 1.6 TDI, linear power delivery was not something I enjoyed.
• That sunroof is a joke, PERIOD.
• Although the interior panels are designed nicely, they are not consistently well put together.
• That boot opening needs some serious planning during parking.
• Those stunning 17" rims look smashing, but give you some bad ride quality. I was constantly worried about damaging those rims even on the TD car during my drive.

XUV 300 Diesel


LIKES

• I had not driven any Mahindra until XUV 300, and was pleasantly surprised by some of the attention to detail aspects.
• CUVs such as Ecosport and Brezza must offer performance like XUV 300 at least.
• Commanding view from the driver's seat.
• Awesome equipment list on offer.
• Can seat 5 adults in earnest, and still pull like a freight train on an open road.
• The ONLY CUV to offer all round disc brakes.
• Just the right size for a CUV.

DISLIKES

• Not the most handsome looking CUV out there.
• Mahindra have the idea, but probably the execution will take a while.
• I am not sure if it was the German aspect of my car ownership, but I could not stop myself from comparing this to the former, and fell short on build & quality counts.
• In a modern day CUV, those AC control panels look like an after thought.
• Although Red color was good, it did not induce that sporty flare.

Hyundai Verna 1.6 CRDI


LIKES

• Arguably, the best looking C segment sedan in the country.
• This is one of those rare cars which looks fast and goes faster.
• As with all Hyundai cars, it is very well kitted, almost overloaded.
• Low seating position is just what I love.
• Having influenced many to buy Hyundai cars, I had managed a close association with many pre-sales and after sales folks.
• Being a global product, aftermarket accessories are numerous.

DISLIKES

• At almost 17 lakhs OTR Bangalore, this is a pricey aspiration.
• I hated the fact that Hyundai deleted the all round disc brakes.
• Although the new gen Hyundai cars are way matured to their predecessors, they still lack the finesse of a German/Japanese machine.
• Having no sporty colors did not help.
• Got some insider tip off that modern Hyundai diesels were a bit expensive to maintain.

Skoda Rapid X


LIKES

• Second chance at owning that exclusive Red colored German.
• Rapid X looks smashing inside out.
• Could only manage to TD a regular Rapid TDI, but that was enough to cement my belief.
• Although its much lower on engine capacity and power in comparison to Verna, the way it made me feel was more enjoyable on the Rapid.
• Dealers were offering some great deals on some of the existing stocks.
• Skoda's lucrative warranty and maintenance plans.

DISLIKES

• Although it does loose out on loads of features in comparison to Verna, it commands quite a premium that rivals the Korean.
• If I were to go in for a sedan, it had to be an AT. Rapid X DSG commanded a huge premium, despite that notorious 7-Speed DSG gearbox.
• I generally do not roll on hearsay, but some very recent and obvious disasters by Skoda's pre-sales and after sales could not be ignored.

Personally, I could not really find any major deal-breakers in the Rapid X, and had almost decided to live with the shortcomings. Ironically, a TD in the Skoda Rapid actually sealed the deal for a VW, when I saw the newly launched Lapiz Blue Polo whiz by. In fact, Skoda actually introduced the Lapiz Blue shade with the Rapid Onyx Edition. Somehow, this shade looked a tad bit better on Polo for me, and I decided to investigate the latter.

I was invariably drawn to my routes, and every single car that I saw/drove/imagined was mentally pitted against my 1.6 GT. Just an inquisitive call to the nearby VW showroom sealed the deal for me. I learnt that VW had apparently stopped producing the Lapiz Blue GTs, and there were very limited stocks with most of the showroom inventories. What seemed all the more strange was that almost no showroom in Bangalore had a TD of the 1.5 GT TDI. They readily offered GT TSI or would propose a lame alternative by providing an Ameo MT TDi. Folks were willing to offer huge discount on 2018 models, which I was not too excited about. This situation seemed eerily familiar to my 1.6 GT TDI purchase. But this time, I knew how to play my cards. With the BS6 norms round the corner, bigger capacity petrol engines are feeling the heat. So its almost certain that performance diesels may not be the most preferred investment option for many manufacturers. So I started quite cynical negotiations and started presenting corresponding quotes from other VW showrooms. Finally, after a lot of research and run around, I finally got hold of a Lapiz Blue GT TDI and was offered a pretty decent deal on.

This was March 2019 manufactured...my 1.6 GT was March 2014 manufactured!! If this is not destiny, I don't know what is.


Final Deal

Ex Showroom - 972000/-
RTO - 155520/-
Insurance - 46759/-
On Road - 1180994/-
Discounts - 30000/- (which is just about what I managed to squeeze out)

Final Price - 1150994/- INR

So fellow BHPians, I present the most recent and probably the last iteration of the GT TDI.

[Vik0728]

Owning & Driving Experience So Far

In all earnest, it is way too early to really share some true ownership experience as things have probably changed (hopefully for better) since my last VW tryst. However, I will try to put down my views of the driving experience so far, which is mostly pitted against my 1.6 GT.

Engine performance & driveability
The power delivery on the 1.5 GT TDI is quite linear in comparison to the 1.6 GT, and although the "Push into the Seat" feeling is very much felt, it just isn’t as crazy as before. The torque seems to come in a tiny bit earlier than the 1.6, and feels way bit more tactile. Even the gear change indicator does not prompt the downshift as eagerly as it used to before. Use-able push comes in from as low as 1,600 rpm and even when the turbo spools at about 2,000 rpm, the engine pulls very leniently. This engine apparently still revs very un-diesel-like to 5,500 rpm limiter, which I have not yet tried it out myself.
Whatever little open road experience I have suggests that this would still be an awesome mile-muncher like its predecessor, but may be not quite induce such an adrenaline pumping experience. Don't get me wrong, 1.5 GT is still one of the quickest diesel hatches in the country, but its not quite mental like the 1.6 GT.
I am just going extremely easy on the throttle to enable bedding in. But I will update this thread diligently as and when I clock some considerable miles.

Clutch & Transmission
One vital element that personally makes GT TDI more VFM is the MT gearbox. It may not be the most convenient when compared to DSG, but I don't have to sleep every night fearing a mechatronics failure one morning. However, the clutch still remains a bit hard, but I have no real complaints against this.
The MT gearbox on VW is just as good as their DSGs, and Germans are the masters at providing immaculate gear ratios. The 1st & 2nd seem shorter to the 1.6 TDI engine, and the 3, 4 & 5 are tall for those highway runs. Gears just slot into the right gate almost always, and only when the clutch pedal is not depressed correctly does the gear slotting resist a bit.

Noise Vibration Harshness
The 1.5 TDI engine seems to be more refined and noticeable smoother when compared to the 1.6 TDI. No, it still is nowhere close to Hyundai Refined, but probably it now sounds more like a truck than a tractor!!
The car does create some racket when I crank it up, but then it just settles down into a smooth vibe free idle. This engine also seems to settle down much faster after a cold startup.

Fuel efficiency
I have just about hit 500 kms as I type, and a careful solo drive this morning turned out some crazy FE numbers on the MID. I was just so excited about the drive that I did not even stop to snap a MID display of 25.5 Km/l. However, in the city driving, I have just about managed 14-16 Km/l.

Brakes
If there was one big flaw in the 1.6 GT, they were those pathetic anchors. That car always deserved all round disk brakes. But VW may probably introduce this in the Polo facelift that is coming in 2043!!
I am yet to hit highway speeds to test out these brakes, which I really don't think has changed a lot. So with experience, I am looking at upgrading the pads and rotors at around 20-25K kms.

As I probably represent a very puny section (if not the only one) of maniacs who would sell and buy a car that is essentially the same one, I will list out my observations to the following aspects of the 2019 GT TDI in comparison to the 2014 GT TDI.

Improvements

• VW finally realized that their Polo is no Porsche. Auto-dimming IRVM, electrically folding ORVM, cooled glove box with light, dead pedal are some stuff the GT variants must have had from the beginning for the pricing it commanded.
• Although the current model rides on bigger 16" rims, VW seem to have softened up the suspensions a bit, as the rides seems to be lot more cushioned and compliant.
• With some gizmos such as the GT grill up ahead, painted wing mirrors and rear spoilers, there is some bit of visual distinctions between this and a Highline Polo trim.
• Active cornering lights, which are not dynamic, but are there.
• Darker seat fabrics, which does help a bit when it comes to maintenance.

Downers

• Still too early to say this with conviction, but the 1.5 GT TDI does seem a mellowed down version of its predecessor, the 1.6 GT. Although VW claims that it now produces 110 BHP and 250NM torque, somehow, it just does not feel "Scary" as the 1.6 GT did.
• That single horn is cheap and pathetic at the same time!!
• The overall quality of the interior panels seem to have gone down a notch or two.
• Though the flat bottom steering is a visual delight, it is a bit too slippery to grip. I have to get used to this.
• Clutch pedal remains hard, which I think VW should have really worked upon as their bread-winning model is over a 1000 iterations old now.
• Dual barrel headlights are visually better, but remain functionally lame. It may take another 100 iterations for VW to bring in the LED/Projector setup I guess
• I still cannot believe that VW have not considered offering a boot light in a car that costs well over a million rupees.

Thoughtful updates

• Co-driver seat has a sensor which is triggered when anybody sits. If this person does not fasten the seat belt, and alarm goes off soon after the car crosses 20 Km/hr.
• MID now displays the engine temperature.
• Foot-well lights are a great inclusion.
• There is an option to turn off AC airflow to the glove compartment.
• Inclusion of cruise control is a bliss. Have not really used it extensively but gave it a shot once and it was quite enjoyable.
• Automatic wipers, which essentially alter the wipe speed based on the intensity of the downpour.

Please allow me to share some eye candies, many of which are a comparison between my previous and current GT.

Dual tone interior on the 1.6 GT


All Black interior on the 1.5 GT



Clean and classy rear on the 1.6 GT


A bit cluttered for my liking, with those reflectors at the bottom



Premium 15" Estrada rims


Glossy Black 15" Tosa rims that I had swapped into


Updated 16" Estrada rims



Classy Front


Glossy Front



Badge on the left (Close to Heart)


Badge that is the 'right' one for me now



Red MID


White MID



Conventional headlight assembly


Double barrel headlight assembly



Pretty decent steering


Lovely flat-bottom steering



Custom 7.5" HUD


OEM 6.5" HUD



Aggressive stance


Purposeful Stance


If there was one thing that VW could really pride on about entering India, it has to be POLO. Ironically, their FIRST car remains their BEST car as far as the sales chart goes.

Over 100 iterations of this variant has enabled VW to offer some good amount of kit:

Auto-dimming IRVM


Cruise Control (Probably the only diesel hatch to offer this?)


Footwell lights (swapped to LED)


Cooled Glove box with light (swapped to LED)


Rain sensor for Automatic wipers

[Vik0728]

I have not planned a lot of swaps on my GT TDI for now. However, here is a list of few cosmetic stuff I had to have:

OEM Armrest


Protective Key Fob


Shark-fin antenna


Door ajar LED warning light


The first time I saw this Lapiz Blue, I knew that I really wanted something in this shade on my next car. Red shade on my previous GT sort of grew on me. But this shade was love at first thought.











I really wonder how some manufacturers come up with names for certain colors. Just for reference, this is the other "Blue" shade from VW's palette:

Blue Silk


Night Blue


With just under 300 Kms, it is too early to really report any substantial ownership experience. However, I assure you folks that I will keep sharing my inputs after every considerable event/milestone. I am really looking forward to loads of road trips and long drives on my Lapiz Blue beauty, and really hope it keeps up the high ownership experience and standards that my 1.6 GT has set.


Finally, I just could not resist sharing the evolution of my car collection!!

My Very First Car



Car I Bought at First Sight



Car I Bought after First Drive

Car I Bought after First Thought

[GTO]

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

[nikhilthegunner]

I have to ask. If the Ecosport and XUV300 was under consideration, why didn't you bring the Nexon into the fold? The Diesel engine in it is simply fantastic!

[NTO]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Don't get me wrong, 1.5 GT is still one of the quickest diesel hatches in the country, but its not quite mental like the 1.6 GT.

Congratulations on your sexy blue GT. Great example of how life can take us for a ride and how in a composed manner you handled everything.

I still remember test driving the Vento 1.6 TDi and GT 1.6 TDi back to back, back in 2014 when we bought the Vento, upgrade to our '08 WagonR. Even though both these motors are the same, the GT was really a mental car. The acceleration was pure brutal compared to the Vento. The only thing that went negative for the GT was the rear seat space, which was the only reason for us to upgrade from the Wagon R. I still remember sitting on the showroom floor, looking at the GT and just wishing for some miraculous increase in the rear seat space so that I could buy it.... GT 1.6 TDi was a gem and will never be forgotten for what it offered.

I too had the same feeling about the part quality deterioration over time. I also got to know that, many of the vital mechanical components such as the turbo, suspension struts, brakes, rotors and a lot many have been localized and overall part replacement costs have come down in VW ownership. Longevity of these parts are a question though.

Nonetheless, this is the best performance hatch at this price point and here's wishing you many many happy miles.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by nikhilthegunner

I have to ask. If the Ecosport and XUV300 was under consideration, why didn't you bring the Nexon into the fold?

I actually did consider Nexon briefly Nikhil, until I happened to see one from up close. I have never been a fan of quirky/flashy design elements on a car, and Nexon almost seemed quite eccentric to me.

I even imagined ignoring the design to test out that awesome diesel engine, but I just could not convince myself to get into this car for TD. Ironically, when I got the the TATA showroom, I ended up driving the Tata Tiago JTP instead .

If my requirement was a Petrol car, Tiago JTP would have surely been one of the top picks.

Originally Posted by NTO

Congratulations on your sexy blue GT. Great example of how life can take us for a ride and how in a composed manner you handled everything..

Thank you NTO

The 1.6 GT was probably the most exclusive hatch after the GTI from VW stable in India. It is very difficult to explain the thrill of putting your foot down and experiencing so much adrenaline in a mass market hatch. It truly was a mental hatch, which actually drove me head over heels!!

With a lot of parts on the current Polos being localized, I can already feel that glitch in some aspects off the quality. These are not very glaring, and had it not been for my 1.6 GT ownership, I may have not even realized them.

Hoping these hold up through my ownership, and I assure to regularly update this thread with any/every thing that comes by.

[Porschefire]

Many many congratulations, Vikrama!!! I very well know how much you loved your GT1.6 and I was really surprised when you told me the plan of selling it until you told me the reason. I'm sorry that your relocation plans didn't work out (or are they on hold for the moment?) but look at that silver lining! You got one of the best hatchbacks in India in that exclusive blue shade! Trust me, I couldn't help but ogle every time I saw one on the road. I wish you a lot of happy miles on the 1.5 and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as the 1.6.

PS: I have to mention this. Our destinies are sort of aligned. Both of us have bought cars and bikes at the very end of their model cycles! Me with the Getz Prime, Fiesta 1.5, Karizma ZMR, N250 and you with the Santro, Getz, Polo 1.6 and now the Polo 1.5! Coincidence? Well, here's one more for you. In the beginning of 2019, you told me your plan of relocating. Guess what? I got my order for relocating in April!!! Our stars are aligned, methinks.

[Tpsdhiraj]

Congratulations on your new ride. It has made me fall in love with polo's all over again.

The blue shade is really nice and I think more companies should offer the color.

Wishing you many more happy miles with your car.

[Turbohead]

Vik0728! Congrats on the groovy blue GT TDI!
Honestly, most VW owners end up with another VW after all the fights they have with the SC. My uncle is on his 3rd VW in 9 years while I'm waiting for 2021.

I hope you'll truly do justice to that blue shade!

Cheers

[51morris]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Yup, just the title of this thread may sound amusing enough to many, but allow me some write-up to explain my hysteria and how this changed...

Congratulations on the new ride! The VW Polo has been one of my favorite cars, I used to own the 1.5 TDi years ago. Rock solid build and handling.

The 1.5 GT TDI has terrific performance as well, something you will enjoy for years to come! Drive safe and enjoy the ride.