[abhinavinc]

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

Paying $3840 per year on a car that is worth $15k is more than 25% of the cost of the car (every year). It may also make sense to have just liability coverage, and stash the rest of the money saved in an emergency fund. (self insurance)

You're right about having just the liability coverage, but assuming that he has a DL address of Mississauga or Brampton will still attract higher costs, which is the sad part. If any Indian driving history gets accepted, i think the lowest he may still look at is $1500 every month!!

I got lucky, in the sense that i have a corporate discount with TD insurance and I'm paying $275 for my GLE and Corolla combined with me and my wife added as drivers. For reference I've been a G license holder since Feb 2017 and had an eight year old Indian driving license.

I'm pretty sure you guys in the States have much lower insurance costs, but hey we have free healthcare.

[RevJ]

Attachment 1909526
They have even covered up the battery, not sure if its functional

In the Indian Jetta Comfortline variant has same fabric battery covers and Highline and all Passat variants have plastic closed battery cover.

Ride & Handling
The ride is pretty compliant and the potholes especially the uneven manholes do not bother the car. The car comes with independent suspension on all corners with the rear being multi-link with stabilizers. What this ensures is the passengers are not jerked around on bad roads. In terms of handling, I would say it is not the best but not the worst as well. It certainly isn't in the same league as the Fiat Linea but its not bad as my previous Manza. Sweeping curves can be taken at higher than indicated speeds easily though the car loses composure on wavy roads when the rear bouncing more than I would have liked.

VW Passat and Linea or Manza is not in the same league, actually a whole big size sedan. This is an almost 5M car weighing in around 1.5 tonnes! So corner carving, well if you know how to respect the car's length. From owning a Punto for more than 7 years and 125000KM , and now a Jetta 40,000KM later- Jetta triumphs over Linea or Punto anytime. Like i said earlier watch out for the length.

For engaging the auto wipers, just leave the stalk at INT and it will work as designed. Just pour some water over the sensors, outside the front window where the IRVM is attached.

[gauravdgr8]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Hello all, it's been many many months that I have posted anything in Team-bhp. There are a couple of reasons for that and the biggest was our migration to the Maple country i.e. Canada at the beginning of this year.

Congratulations on the buy. Happy miles ahead

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by Vikram Arya

Congratulation for the car & a belated welcome to Canada.

A very well written initial ownership report I must say.

Please do get a good set of winter tire/wheels combo by the end of October as winter weather can be fairly nasty especially for the folks located in and around Great Lakes region. Though it is not a legal requirement in Ontario, believe me it is worth much more than what you would end up paying for those wheels/tires.

Dive safe & enjoy the new ride!

Yes, winter tires is definitely on the buy list, have been told start looking at the end of this month and Oct beginning but unless the temp goes below 7 deg there isnt any point in putting the winter tires. I guess it also makes sense to buy steel rims so that the alloys arent damaged in any way.

Originally Posted by abhinavinc

Your purchase brings me back memories of when I first drove the 2017 Passat Comfortline about two and a half years ago. The car was a daily rental from Budget and had just clocked 4500 Kms when I took it for a long weekend to Ottawa via Lindsey from Toronto.
I remember being in love with the car as I loved its timeless design, powerful 1.8 TSI engine which doesnt stop pulling along with the classy timeless interiors. I had a dream to buy this car as my first vehicle in Canada, and remember drooling about it whenever i saw it on the road. Little did I know better things were awaiting me in the next 2 years though, but to this day I still remember the joy on my face when I took it out on the 401 East.

And you are very right, this car surely can keep up with most cars on the highway all day and masks speed excellently

I am not too sure about your mileage figures and how you got them, the best I have seen on my 2017 Corolla is 5.3 L/100Km.

Originally Posted by abhinavinc

You're right about having just the liability coverage, but assuming that he has a DL address of Mississauga or Brampton will still attract higher costs, which is the sad part. If any Indian driving history gets accepted, i think the lowest he may still look at is $1500 every month!!

I got lucky, in the sense that i have a corporate discount with TD insurance and I'm paying $275 for my GLE and Corolla combined with me and my wife added as drivers. For reference I've been a G license holder since Feb 2017 and had an eight year old Indian driving license.

I'm pretty sure you guys in the States have much lower insurance costs, but hey we have free healthcare.

German cars are drivers cars, period. I dont think anyone would argue about that. My daily commute is on the 401 from Mississauga to North York and its brings a smile to drive on the highway (of course when the traffic eases )

With regards to the insurance, I got a latest quote from my current provider and brought it down to CAD 280 a month. I guess next year it can be further down.

Is there any season to search for insurance quotes like low season or something? I wouldn't mind searching again in December.

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

Do you have any driving history in India? Can you prove that by means of license, insurance/registration? I would recommend that you shop around.
Find out if they have defensive driver discount?
Find out if you can increase the deductible to $1000

$320 is crazy high most probably because of lack of driving history. I pay around $1600 per year for 2 cars and a bike, for 2 drivers, that is worth $100k in all (granted with good driving history). I still think you can do better, if you keep trying. Every month of driving history should make it better. All the payments you make are pro rated. Keep getting quotes every 3 months, till you drop it to around $1k per year. You can relax after that.

Yeah CAD 320 is crazy but Ontario generally has higher insurance rates I guess somewhere we need to pay the cost of free health care. But now just last month I got it down to 280 which is still high almost 22% of the car cost.

Originally Posted by RevJ

Attachment 1909526
They have even covered up the battery, not sure if its functional

In the Indian Jetta Comfortline variant has same fabric battery covers and Highline and all Passat variants have plastic closed battery cover.

Ride & Handling
The ride is pretty compliant and the potholes especially the uneven manholes do not bother the car. The car comes with independent suspension on all corners with the rear being multi-link with stabilizers. What this ensures is the passengers are not jerked around on bad roads. In terms of handling, I would say it is not the best but not the worst as well. It certainly isn't in the same league as the Fiat Linea but its not bad as my previous Manza. Sweeping curves can be taken at higher than indicated speeds easily though the car loses composure on wavy roads when the rear bouncing more than I would have liked.

VW Passat and Linea or Manza is not in the same league, actually a whole big size sedan. This is an almost 5M car weighing in around 1.5 tonnes! So corner carving, well if you know how to respect the car's length. From owning a Punto for more than 7 years and 125000KM , and now a Jetta 40,000KM later- Jetta triumphs over Linea or Punto anytime. Like i said earlier watch out for the length.

For engaging the auto wipers, just leave the stalk at INT and it will work as designed. Just pour some water over the sensors, outside the front window where the IRVM is attached.

Ok so Indian Passat has plastic housing, thats nice. Never ventured into those segments in India. Well, the stalk is in the INT mode with the INT switch completely to the right i.e. I am assuming max speed. But whenever it starts to rain the wiper doesn't start automatically. It needs to be kick-started (literally) but once the wipers start it is able to speed up or slow down based on the speed of the car.

Originally Posted by gauravdgr8

Congratulations on the buy. Happy miles ahead

Thanks Gaurav, hope your adventures with the Brezza are going great.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

With regards to the insurance, I got a latest quote from my current provider and brought it down to CAD 280 a month. I guess next year it can be further down.

Congrats! Welcome to Canada. I have the same exact car (blue though) and I can vouch how well the thing drives. It is a pleasure to drive it on the highways (not the 401).

Cars are priced typically around the odo reading. What was yours? I am guessing it should be over 60k?

I pay around 320 for insurance (corporate discount included) but it also covers my Renters Insurance (which is typically around ~30 bucks)
How did you bring it down if I may ask? I am also on a G2 - Looking at a G1 in December this year.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Congrats! Welcome to Canada. I have the same exact car (blue though) and I can vouch how well the thing drives. It is a pleasure to drive it on the highways (not the 401).

Cars are priced typically around the odo reading. What was yours? I am guessing it should be over 60k?

I pay around 320 for insurance (corporate discount included) but it also covers my Renters Insurance (which is typically around ~30 bucks)
How did you bring it down if I may ask? I am also on a G2 - Looking at a G1 in December this year.

Congrats to you as well Well I somehow got an online quote of 208 from Aviva's Raptor Insurance and I approached my current insurance provider, they obliged and pushed it down to 280. But when I went back to Aviva their quote went up to 500 so I just went with what my current provider gave. I guess you meant G. Once you have that on file it should go down.


Update: Sep-13-2019

So just crossed to 9000 kms in 2 and half months. I guess travelling from Mississauga to North York is adding up kms like crazy!!

Need to get in for an oil change. Holding back on alignment as will need to put the winter tires soon.

Question: Is it advisable to put the winter tires on steel rims or put on the OEM alloys? In terms of cost-effectiveness.

Here is a picture was taken of the car at night. Trying out my other new toy the Note 10+

[devil_klm]

Congrats motomaverick on your purchase. Wishing you many more happy miles ahead.
"Jetta sold here is as spacious as the Vento and I didn't want to buy a compact car". Is Jetta sold in Canada/USA are not same in dimensions as jetta sold in india? I felt my neighbours Civic is very much cramped and one a friend who owned a ritz in india was saying civic is not at all spacious here. But Civic was a spacious sedan in india. Is it just that we feel these cars as comparitively smaller because most of the cars in these countries are bigger in size.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by devil_klm

Congrats motomaverick on your purchase. Wishing you many more happy miles ahead.
"Jetta sold here is as spacious as the Vento and I didn't want to buy a compact car". Is Jetta sold in Canada/USA are not same in dimensions as jetta sold in india? I felt my neighbours Civic is very much cramped and one a friend who owned a ritz in india was saying civic is not at all spacious here. But Civic was a spacious sedan in india. Is it just that we feel these cars as comparitively smaller because most of the cars in these countries are bigger in size.

Well, Jetta is comparatively cramped than the one sold in India, I guess they might reduce the length as it falls under compact sedan here. Same for Civic, it falls under compact sedan but its definitely spacious as my friend has the 2019 Civic. Of course, space is not so much as the Passat. Passat, Camry, Accord all fall under full-size sedan. But increasingly just like India compact SUVs are gaining ground with the likes of Nissan Rogue, VW Tiguan, and Honda CRV.

[venkyhere]

my understanding is that within VW group, multiple brands/products share the same base platforms, which in turn are derivates from the MQB architecture.

polo platform - polo/up/indian vento/indian rapid
golf platform - golf, jetta, octavia, A1, A3
full sedan platform - passat, superb

Unless the jetta moniker is placed on vastly different cars, any 'jetta' all over the world should be of same size, shouldn't it ? (except maybe boot length, bumper overhang etc)

[mohit]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Question: Is it advisable to put the winter tires on steel rims or put on the OEM alloys? In terms of cost-effectiveness.
Attachment 1914969

Steel rims are typically approximately 200-250 per set. You will have to pay extra if your car has TPMS sensors (AFAIK VW cars have rotational sensors and not in-rim versions).

Cost of a change over (twice a year) is double for off rim tires and the salt on roads will eat your rims eventually. Definitely more cost effective to go steel in the long run if you are planning on keeping the car for more than two years.

Another option is to look for a used set of alloy rims on Kijiji for winter use if you want to maintain the look.

[fiatlover7]

Hi Motomaverick, good to see a BHPian here in Canada. Hopefully we can someday have our own chapter in GTA.
On a side note, if you ever need any help here, feel free to drop a line

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

my understanding is that within VW group, multiple brands/products share the same base platforms, which in turn are derivates from the MQB architecture.

polo platform - polo/up/indian vento/indian rapid
golf platform - golf, jetta, octavia, A1, A3
full sedan platform - passat, superb

Unless the jetta moniker is placed on vastly different cars, any 'jetta' all over the world should be of same size, shouldn't it ? (except maybe boot length, bumper overhang etc)

Yes you right with the MQB platform maybe my perception of space in the Canadian Jetta is off.

Originally Posted by mohit

Steel rims are typically approximately 200-250 per set. You will have to pay extra if your car has TPMS sensors (AFAIK VW cars have rotational sensors and not in-rim versions).

Cost of a change over (twice a year) is double for off rim tires and the salt on roads will eat your rims eventually. Definitely more cost effective to go steel in the long run if you are planning on keeping the car for more than two years.

Another option is to look for a used set of alloy rims on Kijiji for winter use if you want to maintain the look.

Yeah, plan is to definitely keep the car for more than 2 years, eventually, it will become the 2nd car. I am not sure about sensors on the car, but right now the alloy rims are 17inch 112 PCD 5 lug nut. Will need to check Kijiji or Letgo for the steel rims. I guess even the tire folks advertising on FB marketing might have a set.

Originally Posted by fiatlover7

Hi Motomaverick, good to see a BHPian here in Canada. Hopefully we can someday have our own chapter in GTA.
On a side note, if you ever need any help here, feel free to drop a line

I am sure there are lots in GTA. I recently met up with Deepak, he recently came to Canada and we met over some samosa's in Brampton. He drives a Subaru Legacy. If you are in GTA we 3 can maybe meet sometime.

[mohit]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Yeah, plan is to definitely keep the car for more than 2 years, eventually, it will become the 2nd car. I am not sure about sensors on the car, but right now the alloy rims are 17inch 112 PCD 5 lug nut. Will need to check Kijiji or Letgo for the steel rims. I guess even the tire folks advertising on FB marketing might have a set.

I recommend you buy steel rims new as old ones will definitely be rusted. You can call Tires23 (https://www.tires23.com/) for a quote on rims and winters. Costco can be another option. Kijiji is good for used alloys. Cgeck if your car will take 16'' rims. That way you will save some money on winter tires.

[motomaverick]

Update

Kms Driven: 12600
Time: 3.5 months

Oil change was done at 10k kms. It came as complimentary by the dealer.

No issues to report as of now except for some noise thats coming from the back seat when going over bad roads. Will get it checked in the coming few days.