[gaurav.kokra]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Congratulations on the Vento!

Modern cars are extremely capable and with proper care and maintenance, 2 lakh km is easy peasy. I owned a maruti ciaz for 5 years, clocking 1.34 lakh km and it was good as new when I sold it. That, by Maruti standards is amazing. So a Volkswagen will serve you even better.

All the best to clock the 2 lakh km milestone!

I had read your ownership review of the Ciaz very thoroughly back then. But yes it doesn't make a great financial decision to keep a car sitting in the garage with no use. I have this itch to upgrade to the Jetta whilst keeping the Vento. Would be a financial disaster, keeping 2 costly VAG cars in your Garage!

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Congrats for your first post and an excellent, confidence inspiring write-up

I have seldom come across a Vento owner who is disgruntled, this car is a keeper for sure!

330G Plus at just 3500 bucks! Wow, that's a steal!

Thank you and Yes, even I have not come across an owner who is fed up of the Vento lineup even after maintaining it diligently.

Originally Posted by eyeman

Very well written thread. Such a pleasure to read and it is obvious that it has been written by someone with good knowledge. Enjoy your car well past the 2 lakh mark.

Thank you eyeman! Actually there are tons of videos on youtube on the 1.6 and 1.5 TDI engines. Dedicated youtube channels too and from there I have formed a basic idea of the working and functionalities of the car. Nothing too deep though.

Originally Posted by car_guy1998

What a well-written review on your used Vento, Gaurav!

Even though the car has run 1.45L Kms, the car still looks good as new! Well, we used to own the same colored Vento TDI, which is of 2012 version(which didn't have blackened headlights and 6 spoke alloys) and was bought pre-owned in 2013 when the car was almost a year old and 13000 Kms run during its purchase! We had clocked 1L Kms in that Vento before we sold it off in the year 2017 when the odo was at 1.12L Kms and had good memories with that car and did 1000 Kms trips for more than a couple of times in this car without any fuss!

Thank you and Yes, the Vento TDI is a great mile muncher and has proven to be reliable too.

Originally Posted by adamkathy23

I have special place in my heart for people who drive a VW. Why, I was a VW(Polo) owner myself till December 2020! You have made a brilliant choice, It is a 10/10 car, Lesson i learnt during my ownership was that as long as you pamper your VW & maintain it properly, it will never leave you stranded. Hope you have loads of fun with this one.

I say the same thing to people who stay away from VWs. Pamper your VW and it will deliver more than what you expect.

Originally Posted by 4nd3r50n

A really exhaustive and heartfelt review. I think that's the thing about VWs or maybe all German cars. I think that after you've driven a VW, you'd not want to go for anything else.

The Tiggy does all the highway duties and city duties too, at times, and there is not one time that it has not put a smile on my face when I pushed the accelerator. That car has a soul!
I wish you many more miles and experiences with your VW that you'll cherish for life. Have a good one!

Yes, Once a VAG owner always a VAG owner.

I really drool over the Tiguan. Really loved the subtle styling and yet so elegant. This is with all the VW cars.

Originally Posted by vDragon3

Excellent review for a pre-owned car. The thread itself denotes the amount of research you have done before purchasing the car and diligently doing the maintenance regularly post purchase. Wish manufacturers produce cars that have such drivability and a reliability of a Toyota indeed. Looking forward to read your 2L kms update.

Well, I did the research about the technicalities after I bought the car so that if I encounter a problem on a lone road, at least I should have some idea where to look at in the engine bay!

Will surely take it to the 2 lakh mark!

[1985Darkkid85]

What a smashing write-up, enjoyed the full description!

When are the free days of delivery on Boodmo? I’m curious on the dates!
I am not aware of them, so please elucidate!

[gaurav.kokra]

Originally Posted by 1985Darkkid85

What a smashing write-up, enjoyed the full description!

When are the free days of delivery on Boodmo? I’m curious on the dates!
I am not aware of them, so please elucidate!

Thank you for your kind words!

Just download the app and stay aware during the time your car needs service. You'll get a notification as well as an email. I'd advise you to stock it before hand as it takes time to deliver due to non availability sometimes.

As far as I have observed they do it every quarter. Not sure though.

[TDIRaghav]

Hey guys - sorry to bring this thread back from the dead. I am a newbie as a Team-BHP member so not entirely sure if this is the right thread to ask this question. However, here goes - I have a Volkswagen Vento highline TDI DSG (2017) which I call Mr. Brown.

I understand that this has a DQ200 gearbox which is dry clutch and is capable of handling torque up to 250nm. I was planning on getting a stage 1 remap and wanted to know:
1. If it would affect the long term reliability of the gearbox in any way?
2. Would it be able to handle a 10-12% increase in power?
3. It is currently under extended warranty, so is there a way that ASC would know if there's a remap as I also plan on taking the additional warranty for the 6th year as well.

Thanks

[gaurav.kokra]

Hello again everyone!

The current odometer right now is around 157500 kms.

Post the last service in Mar 2021, the car was driven around 8000 kms. Although, the recommended interval is 15000kms for this VAG diesel, but I don't like stretching more than 10000 kms or more than 1.5 years in time interval. Therefore, in 2022 I did the service in the month of May. Since then, I have driven only 3500 kms which is very brutal for these diesels as they are meant to be a daily workhorse and not to be sitting around at home.

I am saying this because whenever I drive her on a daily basis, she is butter smooth, peppy and the typical VW clatter and crudeness is gone. But when she is driven, let's say even on a regular gap of 2 days, she is grumpy, crude, clattery and needs at least 20-25 mins to somewhere get back in that mushy and smooth zone. This might also be because the first 15 mins I drive her very sedately.

I have given up going to the service center for basic servicing because of the following reasons:

1. Their labor charges are through the roof.
2. They fill the engine oil only till half the dipstick level. On asking to top it up to the max, they say that is what is company recommended.
3. On asking for an extra 1 LTR bottle of engine oil, they refuse and ask to visit the service center for the same.
4. They frown upon asking to stand near the vehicle when being serviced.
5. My friends Polo was making a humming noise on full turn. When this was replicated in front on the technician, he refused to acknowledge there was any sound as he was deaf.

Even after facing all of the above, I went again to them as my suspension was clunking. A BIG MISTAKE! More on that later.

So, for the 2022 service I ordered the following parts. As in my previous post, I always order when there is a free delivery on boodmo on OEM parts and filters. So far, my servicing schedule and their free delivery offer period have been in sync.

1. Air Filter
2. Oil Filter
3. AC Filter (charcoal based)
4. Fuel Filter
5. OEM VAG Gear oil
6. OEM VAG DOT 4 Brake oil
7. OE Drain nut (as I had not changed this for the past 2 services I guess)
8. Maruti OE Caliper grease (Orange color)

8. Motul 5w40 8100 X-Cess (from Amazon)

Attaching pic for viewing pleasure.



Air filter, AC filter and fuel filter were changed by me. But the oil filter housing requires a 32mm HEX nut to open. Also, previously when I tried to open the drain nut while the car was jacked up, the car was swinging left and right. Me being a healthy person would surely act as a great mattress for the car if the jack somehow slipped. I'll be buying a proper jack stand then only be attempting this next.

I had a list of stuff to be done at the NG (neighborhood garage not FNG).

1. Brake caliper pins cleaning and greasing.
2. Brake pads rubbing on sandpaper.
3. Engine oil and filter change.
4. Cleaning the calipers and other area with a wire brush.
5. Gear oil change.

The guy did not clean the calipers well and was using a very dirty cloth for doing the same. I had to be on his head all the time to do the job properly.

Then, he did not have the sandpaper to sand down the brake pads. I had to go and buy them from 4 kms away.

Also, he did not have the tool to open the gear box drain nut.

And the worst thing I don't like is when they leave the caliper hanging lose with all the weight on the brake hose. I myself had to particularly ask them to not do that. This is done even at good and renowned service centers. That thing is very heavy man!

Anyways, after paying a freaking 800 bucks for this shoddy job and a heated argument with the owner, I left his place and telling him that he lost great business with me as I had a lot of work to be done on the car down the line. His defense for the high labor charge was that the car was a VW and not some Maruti. I said "bhai bolt to saari gaadi me same aate hai. Us se kya farak padega ?" But I realized it was my mistake to not confirm the prices before going ahead with the work.



Got the alignment done too. Skipped the wheel balancing as I did not feel the need for it.



Gear Oil change

Later in the week I went to some other guy to get the gear oil changed. He too did not have a nut dedicated for this purpose, but he used some bolt to do the job. Charged me 120 bucks for it. Took almost 1 hour as I wanted to drain every single drop of the gear oil.

Brake flushing

I went ahead with the brake flushing myself because my experience with VW Vapi was very bad (back in 2019). After charging me 1100 bucks with only flushing fluid from the front tyres and leaving the rear Tyres and the clutch fluid line untouched really got on my nerve. Again, gave my feedback and left the place to never return until 2022. More and that later!

So, I bought 2 nos OE VW DOT 4 brake fluid 1 LTR for 526 bucks each. Really wanted to flush it well including the clutch line.

All went well. Removed the fluid from the reservoir. Used the hand wash pump for this cause. The fluid was completely black.



Did the flushing on all the 4 tyres. Now was the time for the clutch line. It is situated just above the gearbox. It is NOT easily accessible. For comfortable access one has to remove the air filter completely.

I did not remove the assembly, but I only removed the piping the leads from the front to the air filter box.

I just used both my hands with the spaces the arrows indicate and my wife pumping the clutch up and down.



But I would suggest you remove the air filter housing and then proceed because this procedure does take time and is really back breaking.

Post this procedure my heart sank along with the clutch pedal! It was not coming back up automatically. I tried fiddling around here and there. Tried searching on the internet with nothing to be found to help my situation.

This is where Gannu Sir came to the rescue. I generally keep texting him about my small doubts and stuff. I really did not want to bother him more, but I was in a bad situation. I texted him and the first thing he told me is not worry about it. It will be fixed easily.



In his words, if someone else might also need help:

1. Pump the clutch pedal several times to build up the pressure.
2. Keep the clutch pedal depressed.
3. Open the valve.
4. Drain Fluid. The pedal will sink during this process.
5. Close the valve.
6. Raise the pedal by hand manually.

And yes, I was saved. I had thought what not about getting the vehicle towed and all. Thanks again Gannu Sir!

ABS ISSUE SOLVED!!!

As you might have read that I was plagued with the ABS issue even after getting all the sensors changed and did not want to give my vehicle to the mechanic as he was asking to let him keep the vehicle for 2-3 days.

One day, I decided enough is enough and sat down with my small tool box.

The wiring issue could have been anywhere with a very high probability of not being able to solve the problem myself.

Still I went ahead and opened the front right wheel first along with the fender lining.

To my luck, I found the mistake in my first attempt itself. I am really sorry to not have the before pic.

It was a rat bite and was found just as the wires enter the cowl area below the windshield.

I wanted to do repairing the nice way but using 2-way connectors and crimping tools and stuff, but time and availability of the same did not allow me and I went the old-fashioned way of making the joint and taping it up nicely. I used ample amount of FeviBond inside around the joint as well as outside to make it completely fool proof and waterproof.

It has been almost a year now and have driven 12000 kms since then. I had done this in November 2021, and it has done its job well. Survived the rains too. So, no issues! Touchwood!

Attaching pics for viewing pleasure.







Attachment 2375489



Finally, ABS Light free!!!



EGR Pipe Cleaning!

Diesel engines are known to eat their own gunk. The EGR sends the waste gases back into the intake while the crank case ventilation sends the engine oil vapors also into the intake. These two gel together and make gooey mixture which clogs up the intake manifold. Since, opening the EGR pipe was a simple process of opening 3 screws only. I did the job myself and to my horror found this:

This is the attachment which routes the EGR exhaust gases from the EGR pipe and into the intake manifold. It's location is also inside the intake manifold only.

Sooo clogged! Not for the light hearted!







EGR Pipe:

Attachment 2375501



Post cleaning the attachment and pipe.



The intake manifolds condition is poor too. Sadly, that does not have camera access, but my fingers could feel atleast a 2-3 mm of gunk on the intakes.

Really wanted to take this job up by myself. It involves a special type of star screw to remove the fuel lines from top of it. Therefore, the lack of availability of the tool and the fear of getting the injectors locked if the air is not bled out properly is keeping me away from it. I'll let the intake manifold be choked for a while.

Post cleaning, there is no change in performance but have some sort of satisfaction in my head.

Important parts that need to be taped below the engine cover

It might just be me being overprotective. But the engine cover due to the vibrations is rubbing off some parts below it which it is coming in contact with. So, I used the electrical tape to protect them from wearing them off further. I would advise fellow 1.6, 1.5, 1.2 TDI owners to do the same if you find this practical.









My tubing from the vacuum pump on the right side of the engine was the most worn off.





Exterior Detailing

I tried to change the detailer I usually went to and went to Ride in Styl Vapi. It was ok. I was charged 3500 rupees.

This was done in Nov 2021.

They did not heavily compound the exterior and used 3M perfect-it or some one step polisher. Is this how the exterior paint detailing is done? Just polish it away. Also, not every nook and corner were cleaned. The black trims of the car were not restored. In the end, I felt it was my mistake to expect, big players/industry level outcome. Anyways, the paint was taken care off for some time.

In Nov 2022, I wanted to go back to the previous detailer but a bit of research on the internet, I thought every year thorough detailing is overdoing and killing the paint. This is because on compounding, you are slowly removing the clear coat level by level. Hence, I thought of skipping it this year and just waxing the car myself.

Just to record it, I don't get my vehicle cleaned on a daily basis. I use a waterless wash solution for those occasions where the car has to be neat and clean. Other than that, I get the car washed only once in two months because the water here in Silvassa is hard and is prone to scaling.

AC Compressor Control Valve Change

Around September 2021, the AC's cooling effectiveness was slowly decreasing. It was becoming difficult for the family to stay inside the car with the windows closed.

I got the AC gas checked and all was fine. But the person was knowledgeable enough to know the issue. He immediately told that the control valve needs to be changed.

The AC Compressor is of Sanden make with clutch and magnet type mechanism. I had read this on Gannu Sir's thread also. Hence, went ahead with the same.

It has been a year and cooling is back to normal.

For 2 people in the front, I keep the temperature at 25 or 26 with Fan speed at 1 or 2.

At peak times during the afternoon, fan speed is 3-4. I have no window tints or any kind of sun blinds in my car.

Intercooler Leak Issue

The intercooler outlet pipe had to be removed, while removing the AC compressor. He did not install it back properly because of which air was leaking. Although there was no drop in performance, but the pipe was fully soiled with oil and dirt.



I removed it myself cleaned it thoroughly and installed in nicely and tightly again. No leakage now.

Post Shocker Change Observations

I did not want to go for the after market dampers like Monroe or Gabriel. I wanted only OEM.

Post the change, the car has been so so stable!

Initially where I used to drive around 60 kmph, now I drive at 80 without even realizing.

But the shockers are so stiff, that they are bone jarring on bad roads. I literally have to slow down till around 5 kpmh so that we dont get thrown around inside the car.

It is a big trade off but I am very happy with the stability.

The VW VAPI ASC saga is in the next post.

CONCLUSION

All in All, with all the experiences, I am very happy with the vehicle.

I take good care of her, and she rewards me in better ways.

Even at the ODO standing at 157000 kms, I cannot think of replacing this. The maddening torque surge, the high FE figures for a 1600 CC diesel mill is just great combination.

The exterior paint and the interior have lasted so well. Attaching a video for a look at the interiors.

You can skip to the last part where I have shown the interiors post a DIY detailing session of the interior.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNW43eABy80&t=532s

Also, for a change, I got a steering cover installed with red stitching. Feels great to hold but makes noise when you rub hand on it while steering. Did not happen on the OE leather. Will change the OE leather too.



Attaching some pics of the car.

[gaurav.kokra]

VW Vapi ASC Suspension clunking issue

I really wanted to make this as a separate post and not disturb the main long term review.

Please bear with me as I have to let it out.

You can skip this part as my emotions have come out a bit harsh in this matter.

Rant Starts!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So since, the start of March 2022, there was this clunking sound coming from the front left side suspension.

As I previously mentioned in the post that, other than the front shock absorbers and the lower ball joint (which connects the lower arm to the wheel) I had pretty much changed everything. Also, my vehicle was mostly highway driven so was not expecting this noise to come so soon.

So, my natural response was to go for the shock absorbers and get the lower ball joints checked. Here, in Silvassa, I have not found a competent mechanic who takes care of the car well. Also, they get offended if you advise them to do the job according to you. I guess they don't like the fact that the customer might have more knowledge than them about their own vehicle.

I did not want to go for the After Market dampers from Monroe and Gabriel. I wanted all OEM. Therefore, decided to try VW Vapi ASC which is around 30 kms from my place.

I drove there. The test drive by the technician was done. It was a half an hour test drive.

AAaaannnddd as expected, they gave me a quotation of about Rs. 50-60k which included the rear suspension work too. Don't remember the exact number. I had this in my mind that this exorbitant number is going to be given to me.

The rough estimate (inclusive of labor) only for the front suspension is as follows:

1) Steering Rack: Rs. 16000
2) Caliper Pins left side: Rs. 2500
3) Front link rods: Rs. 6000
4) Front shocker dust cover: Rs. 4000
5) Front shocker Stopper – Rs. 1100
6) Front Shock Absorber – Rs. 6000
7) Front Shocker mount bearing – Rs. 1500

Total Estimate: Rs 37,100 rupees. (This excluded the estimate given for the rear suspension and to again point out, I came only with the complaint of my front left clunking in the suspension).

So, according to VW trained technicians and SAs, for a suspension component clunking on the left side they will need to replace very single suspension component to resolve the problem. (I was lucky enough to not have the lower arms included in the estimate list too which would be another 4-5k which would have made the estimate till 42k).

If my whole front suspension was shattered and my car was wobbling on driving at highway speeds, I would have at the least somewhat agreed to this alien estimate given by the VW technicians.

I was about to leave without getting anything touched in my car. But I had come 30 kms from my house and would have to go back 30 kms again. The outcome would have come nothing.

I called my friend who was not in India at the time, Dhillon Saab. He also knew that this was going to happen. We came to a solution to only replace the front shocker and its related components because they were already 9 years and 155000 kms old. Also, the stability of the car was lost. Decided not to touch anything else.

The work started and my left side shocker was removed.

- AT THIS POINT THE SA OR THE TECHNICIAN SPECIFICALLY TELLS ME THAT CHANGING THE SHOCKER AND COMPONENTS WILL NOT RESOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.

THEN WHY IN GODS NAME WAS I BEING ASKED TO REPLACE THE SHOCKER COMPONENTS IF THEY ARE NOT THE PROBLEM??

At this point too they were sticking to their original diagnosis of replacing the whole front suspension components of the car.

I still went ahead with my theory of getting the shockers changed.

The shockers and its components like the bearing, top mount, shock coverwere brought.

My old shocks were removed, and the old coils were installed on the new ones.

This is where I noticed the link rods.

New link rod ball joints cannot be moved by hand/thumb. But here is my link rod dangling here and there like hanging string.

This is where I realized that the problem was not in the shockers but in the link rods. But now, the old coils, new shock rubber boot and mount bearing were already installed onto the new damper. So, I did not have any other option but to install the new one. I thought of getting the link rods changed too but I was so pissed off at the SAs and technicians that I wanted to leave the place as early as possible. Also, the last time I changed the link rod it only lasted for 25000 kms. So, it did not make sense to change the part by paying another 6000 bucks.

The work was over, and the SA/TECHNICIAN took my car for test drive and the clunking sound STILL PERSISTED. There was no change/ reduction in the sound and MY CAR WAS CLUNKING JUST LIKE BEFORE.

The total bill came to be Rs. 12311.


Therefore, I left VW service center swearing to myself that I will never come to a VW service center ever again.

- Now, I went after market and got the link rods for Rs. 950 rupees and paid Rs. 200 as labor.




THE SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM WAS SOLVED IN RS. 1150 by a roadside mechanic which the VW TECHNICIANS gave me an estimate for Rs. 37100 rupees.

I would have happily spent the Rs. 6000 which was the estimate for link rod replacement had VW given the correct diagnosis and not try to milk the customer.

It is because of the inability of the VW service center to diagnose my problem that I had to spend Rs. 12311 unnecessarily.











THE RUST CLEANER AND PASTE BILLING ISSUE

Now, for the billing, I was billed for rust cleaner and a paste which was for approximately Rs. 170 and Rs. 130 respectively. Ideally, after charging so much in terms of labor to the customer, it looks very cheap on VWs front to charge for such small components.

Well, if the whole can and paste was used on my vehicle I would have happily paid for the same. But, for the rust cleaner he just sprayed the can ONCE in both hubs for cleaning and that also very sparingly.

Now, VW wants to charge me for the whole can while the technician only sprayed twice from the can.

Similarly, for the paste, I saw the amount of paste used was just a bit on the fingertip twice.

I was baffled and astonished that VW wants to play such cheap tricks to make money.

The amount for the rust cleaner and paste was deducted after questioning the same.

But why does the customer have to haggle so much??


Intake Manifold, Intercooler Cleaning refusal BY VW Vapi ASC

- As it is known that the air intake system (mainly intake manifold, EGR pipe and intercooler) get clogged due to carbon buildup and needs to be maintained/cleaned. I wanted it to be cleaned beforehand.

- Now, after asking the VW service center Vapi’s manager and SA and asking him to clean my intake manifold and intercooler and other required components, they simply refused to do so.

I was ready to pay the requisite labor charges for the same, but VW does not believe in cleaning. They only believe in replacing!

- SA told that only when the issue arises the service center would replace the requisite components.

- Therefore, VW wants the customer to have a problem or a breakdown while driving and then only would they address this issue.

Also, I noticed other customers firing the SAs for doing the jobs before taking confirmation from them.

Anyways, I already had not any high expectations from VW ASC. But this seals the deal now. Never going to VW ASC for any job.

Boodmo is my best friend.

I am not posting this to defame anybody. My sole and single intention is to point out the fact that for a single part change why is the ASC asking the customer to rip out the whole suspension and go for a new one. As it is VW is known for its high maintenance.

I don't know what will happen with their premium models like the Virtus and Taigun 1.5 L engines come for service when on high mileage.

It is simply because VAG vehicles are so beautifully engineered that one wants to keep them even after 9 years and 157000 kms and cannot find its worthy replacement in today’s date.

Me being mechanically inclined will surely maintain my vehicle anyhow, what about others? They will surely shift from VW to a better after sales support brand.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rant ends!

[gururajrv]

Omg, you are a true mechanic of your own car! I say this with utmost respect for the work you've carried out so precisely. DIYs are fun until you mess things up. But, you were lucky enough to get yourself some help from our moderator Gannu to take care of a hurdle you encountered.

It is true what you've mentioned. VW / Skoda cars are built to last at factory, but it's their incompetent/ inefficient service network who forces the end upon the ownership of their cars. They make a nice car but also break it in no time. Sad, but true!

Nevertheless, you are so inclined to keeping this car for years together and I wish you lakhs and lakhs of kms with it

[AdvanceStarter]

Originally Posted by gaurav.kokra

THE SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM WAS SOLVED IN RS. 1150 by a roadside mechanic which the VW TECHNICIANS gave me an estimate for Rs. 37100 rupees.

I would have happily spent the Rs. 6000 which was the estimate for link rod replacement had VW given the correct diagnosis and not try to milk the customer.

It is because of the inability of the VW service center to diagnose my problem that I had to spend Rs. 12311 unnecessarily.

Diagnosis is a word that doesn't exist in VW ASC's dictionary.

Originally Posted by gaurav.kokra

I was ready to pay the requisite labor charges for the same, but VW does not believe in cleaning. They only believe in replacing!

SA told that only when the issue arises the service center would replace the requisite components.

Don't repair, replace is the mantra that they live by.

Unfortunately, far too many instances of the same all over the country now. I too have had the same experience with VW ASC in Goa for my VW Vento 1.6 TDi. The most recent incident was when my AC Evaporator coil had a leak which I had managed to diagnose with the help of 3rd party service centres. Since the labour charges of getting the evaporator coil replaced were almost the same in 3rd party service centres and VW ASC, I thought of giving the VW ASC a try despite my previous bad experiences with them. But when I took the car to them, they gave me an absolutely ridiculous estimate which involved replacing all the components of the AC. I escaped from there swearing to never visit them again and got the work done outside.

It is a sad fact that unless one has a fair knowledge of car repairs and some competent 3rd party service centres nearby, it is hard to keep a VW past its warranty period.

[gaurav.kokra]

Originally Posted by gururajrv

Omg, you are a true mechanic of your own car! I say this with utmost respect for the work you've carried out so precisely. DIYs are fun until you mess things up. But, you were lucky enough to get yourself some help from our moderator Gannu to take care of a hurdle you encountered.

Nevertheless, you are so inclined to keeping this car for years together and I wish you lakhs and lakhs of kms with it

It is not very hard to maintain your car once you know even the basic stuffs from the surface. I am thankful enough that there is enough information on Youtube posted by Indians which really help out in spreading the knowledge.

Yes, I am inclined to keep it for another 10 years from now because buying a new vehicle doesn't make much sense. The only upgrade from this engine in the diesel segment is the 2.0 LTR engine from the FIAT.

I might plan to repaint the car, slap on some new alloys, wider tyres and get a Stage 1 remap. It is a complete package. Only issue is the ground clearance which really limits its ability to reach locations.

Originally Posted by AdvanceStarter

Diagnosis is a word that doesn't exist in VW ASC's dictionary.

Don't repair, replace is the mantra that they live by.

It is a sad fact that unless one has a fair knowledge of car repairs and some competent 3rd party service centers nearby, it is hard to keep a VW past its warranty period.

Fortunately, I bought this vehicle when the warranty period was over, and my experience has been great.

Me being somewhat mechanically inclined has helped me in keeping the vehicle in top shape, but I can imagine what normal people would be going through with no option but to only pay it up and let the parts be replaced by VW ASC.

[100Kmphormore]

Don’t repair, replace and bill the customer even if it isn’t needed. This is the motto of service stations of almost all brands these days. Will need to have a repository of good FNGs for different brands here on teambhp.

[Atharva4545]

My 1.6 tdi completed 1.6lakh kms this month and is due for suspension change. I will mostly go with TRW or Schaeffler.

Originally Posted by gaurav.kokra

VW Vapi ASC Suspension clunking issue
THE SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM WAS SOLVED IN RS. 1150 by a roadside mechanic which the VW TECHNICIANS gave me an estimate for Rs. 37100 rupees.

Last month during my regular service I was given an approximate quotation of 1lakh for my regular service, clutch + pressure plate, master cylinder, rear suspension, ac compressor (30k), both horns and an abs sensor(11k). I only got the clutch change from VW for 32k.

Did the servicing myself(except for oil and oil filter)approx 7k. Replaced the control valve of the ac compressor for 5k. Got the horn and abs sensor for 2.5k. I am still confused with the suspension shall I go with TRW or Schaeffler (got a quotation of 4-6k for rear and 14k for all 4sides with schaeffler).

Will write a more detailed post once I get the suspension changed.

So all in all I saved almost 40-50k by getting all this done from outside.

We can say that our cars are on the same page as both have the same color, have completed equal kms and almost had the same issues.

Heres a pic after 1.6 lakh kms.

[gaurav.kokra]

Originally Posted by Atharva4545

I am still confused with the suspension shall I go with TRW or Schaeffler (got a quotation of 4-6k for rear and 14k for all 4sides with schaeffler).

Will write a more detailed post once I get the suspension changed.

So all in all I saved almost 40-50k by getting all this done from outside.

We can say that our cars are on the same page as both have the same color, have completed equal kms and almost had the same issues.

Heres a pic after 1.6 lakh kms.

If all what is looking for is high speed stability, then you can go for the OEM dampers. They provide good stability and the steering feedback has been more precise post change. Can cruise all day in triple digit speeds without even knowing it.

They are cost effective too. I guess, the front single damper costed around 1750 rupees while the rear dampers are for around 2000 bucks.

Love the tasteful mods you have done on the car. I also plan to do some mods down the line.

[shibujp]

Love your updates and keep them coming.

You epitomise what it takes to be a happy VW customer in India. In my book there are two types of people who will be happy with VW
1. People like you who take the time and effort to educate themselves on the car and resort to DIY or supervised FNGs.
2. The other are owners who are okay shelling out insane sums at the service center with now questions.

Your link rod issue particularly resonates with me. I reported a similar clunking noise and I was quoted 30k for a suspension overall when my Polo had barely done 30k kms. I did some investigation of my own and found that the issue was a loose link rod. Tightened it and problem was sorted.

VWs are well engineered cars and almost all problems are solved without a replacement. It has to be since this is essentially a budget brand in Europe. Our service centers either do not know or don't care and take customers for a ride.

Till I sold the Polo at 90k i was just carrying out basic DIY services and it never gave me any problem.

Drive on,
Shibu

[TopLiveCentre]

The tragedy is the rant never ends. Since we all have this drilled into us that only a dealer ws can give you original spares, we always find ourselves flogged by these people. Is there a way out? How is Bodmo? Some say with them, you are into the flames from the pan.I do my polo with an FNG but when I need a major replacement I am with the flogger again. The wounds and more importantly,the scars are indelible.

[parth_enzo]

Originally Posted by gaurav.kokra

VW Vapi ASC Suspension clunking issue

I really wanted to make this as a separate post and not disturb the main long term review.

I live in Valsad and the ASC's in our area really suck. When it comes to FNG's, after years of hunt, I've finally found one who runs a workshop in Valsad. He's an Automobile Engineer by profession and he really knows what he does. My Honda City I-Dtec has been extensively pampered by him.

Also when it comes to VW Vapi, they really suck at doing their job. Their job quality is very poor and they hardly know what they do.