[ashis89]

This Saturday was a long one. I had to go to several places and ended up covering 115 kms, all within the Bangalore city.

Good was the MID displaying a trip FE of 15 kmpl.
Bad was a drive time of 5.5 hrs!
Ugly was me scraping the car thrice!


All thanks to Google Maps for directing me through some excellent roads when I was traversing through new areas and three cheers to BWSSB for proactively digging up sewerage lines during peak monsoon and 5 people in the car helping it touch the ground. All this while passing through a densely populated residential area near KR Puram.

I felt scraping what seemed like the front air deflector and maybe the underbody too (once). It was slippery soft mud and slush. After coming home, I gave a cursory glance at the underbody but could find mud traces only on the front deflector. Being soft mud, there shouldn't be any damage too.



I did check with an autorickshaw that came that way and he suggested to proceed but with caution and keep to the right. Half way through, two boys on bike told me the car can't make it at all. It was too late to return and the Coyote soldered on

https://youtu.be/Ss8-RWGmT48

Sometimes I wonder, how much worse can the roads be...

[ashis89]

With most of Karnataka receiving heavy rainfalls, the rivers, waterfalls and dams are swelling. Took this opportunity and paid a visit to Gundal dam and Barachukki falls.

Started around 10AM from Bellandur and took the Kanakapura road. Reached Gundal dam by 2PM. After spending an hour walking across the length of the dam, we sat down for some home cooked lunch.

Next we had option of moving towards BR hills or return to visit the falls. Since it was close to 4 already, we went back to Barachukki first. After spending ~30 mins in traffic just to reach the fall's parking lot, I must say these falls are a hot tourist destination. I could see at least 10 KSRTC lined up among the horde of vehicles. Even after a heavy downpour, people were visiting the falls with or without umbrellas/ponchos.

By the time, we were done seeing Barachukki, it was almost 5:45PM and the cops were closing the entry to the falls. We knew Gaganchukki would have been closed too. So we focused on eating some fried fish instead!

Return was again via Kanakapura road. Horrible with all that traffic and numerous unmarked diversions! The alternative was Mysore highway but I hear it is not ready yet.

The last visit to these places was in Aug 2020. Back then, these waterfalls were in spate. But we put our learnings from the previous trip to good use and avoided the smart suggestions by Google around Gundal dam
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post4869741

[ashis89]

As the car approaches the 3 year mark, some changes were in order. So I got new seat covers and while at it, I got a new set of floor mats as well (current ones were difficult to clean). Got a leather steering cover too. The gray color was chosen to compliment the gray elements on the dashboard and yes, the gray Coyote





I posted the details here (Seat Covers: Imperial INC (Bangalore)).



A look of those stripped down interiors made me rethink my decision for seat covers so I didn't look further until the seats were back. Since the 7D mats were to be installed, I had to get the interiors vacuumed nearby. I had requested for full body water wash but had to bail out due to the waiting time.



I was very happy with the seats and started driving back home. But Google maps had other plans. Not too familiar with the roads in South Bangalore, I was blindly following my guide. And that bugger, instead of taking me through good wide roads, chose a lane where 2 autos can cross each other only when ridden carefully. And that bugger probably found many gullible guys like me - the lane had bikers, cars, pick-ups, mini-bus and what not. Spent good 30 minutes stuck in the deadlock. And to get things moving, I crawled through some very tight situations, had to climb onto the footpath, door step and more to come out of it.





Now need to find time to get the car washed properly.

I wanted the door pads to be cushioned as well but Shiva confirmed that it is not possible as KIA doesn't provide any "gap" in the panels for them to insert the fabric. That was a big disappointment for me. I had already checked at the dealership if those pads are available separately but it isn't. I need to replace the whole door panels - expensive and an overkill. Let's see if I can find any other solution for this.

[s.sriram1989@gm]

Just wanted to confirm if the seats have any airbags fitted, because the covers may hinder the airbag operation.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by s.sriram1989@gm

Just wanted to confirm if the seats have any airbags fitted, because the covers may hinder the airbag operation.

No, mine is a 2 airbag variant without side airbags. Although Shiva claims they do seat covers which are side airbag compliant.

[palsaumik]

Originally Posted by ashis89

...Got a leather steering cover too. The gray color was chosen to compliment the gray elements on the dashboard and yes, the gray Coyote

Looks excellent in terms of overall fit and finish. Quick Q - where did you get the steering cover hand-stitched from in Bengaluru?

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by palsaumik

Looks excellent in terms of overall fit and finish. Quick Q - where did you get the steering cover hand-stitched from in Bengaluru?

Same place where I got the seat covers done - Imperial Leathers. Details in the post below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/banga...ml#post5374418 (Seat Covers: Imperial INC (Bangalore))

[ajaiD]

Very nicely fitted specially the steering wheel what would the price of all these be including any fitting charges.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by ajaiD

Very nicely fitted specially the steering wheel what would the price of all these be including any fitting charges.

For the seat covers and steering cover, I paid 18k. Mats were extra.

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by ashis89

I wanted the door pads to be cushioned as well but Shiva confirmed that it is not possible as KIA doesn't provide any "gap" in the panels for them to insert the fabric. That was a big disappointment for me. I had already checked at the dealership if those pads are available separately but it isn't. I need to replace the whole door panels - expensive and an overkill. Let's see if I can find any other solution for this.

I have seen some seat upholstery shops put the leather soft touch material on the door pads for the Seltos.







https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg_3_1PN...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[ashis89]

Completed a trip to Goa over the long weekend - 4 adults + 1 kid + boot full of luggage. The route updates can be found here (Bangalore - Goa : Route Queries)and here (Bangalore - Goa : Route Queries).

Given the sorry state of NH48 and NH52, around Tumkur and Yellapur respectively, we got several craters to jump which couldn't be avoided anyhow. The new high profile Conti's did their job well.

Post Chitradurga, we kept getting rains throughout the trip all through 4 days. As such, the craters/potholes in Anmod were overflowing, Goa rural roads and approach to view points were full of slush. Couple of places which looked very tricky had to be skipped (Jenukallu Gudda was one such spot).

Odo stands at 46,500 kms and the car desperately needs a deep clean.


Start of the trip



Sunflower fields near Chitradurga






Rains


more rains...


Long pileup near Dharwad


Because they don't like tags


and some more rains


Stopped at Tambadi Surla temple


which is located deep in the jungle


Green Goa


The approach to Canaguinim beach view point is a slush field and has to be negotiated carefully










The view is a treat to the eyes


My friend had come down from Hyderabad in his Mk1 Octavia. Took it for a spin around the winding roads of Agonda. This 18 year old lady is a hoot around corners!








Found numerous seasonal waterfalls during the trip. Some were conveniently located beside the road and hence, we could stop. The whole waterfall was available for us


Some others like the Bamanbudo waterfall were super crowded


What started as a clean gray car turned different shades of brown over the days

[Artyom]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Next best but expensive option was Morimoto kit, costing about 19500 which I was ready to pay. Contacted the dealer Anton but he strongly recommended FE Retrofit kit though he had the 5500k bulbs only. He said he has been installing both but people have been happier with FE Retrofit due to better performance.

Hey wanted to check how is the HID kit you installed from Automotive Experts holding up? I have a Creta 19 model with projector headlamps and halogens in them which again are not sufficient. I was planning to get an upgrade and came across your post so thought of checking.I have a few questions if you can answer:-

1. Did the installation require any cutting of wires or drilling a hole in the dust cap?If Yes how did they manage to cover the dust cap to ensure no dust enters the assembly.

2. Can you share the specific model of the HID they installed so that i am aware if they are installing the same thing or not.

3.Any issues you have faced so far post installation and any other suggestions you have for me would be appreciated.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by Artyom

Hey wanted to check how is the HID kit you installed from Automotive Experts holding up? I have a Creta 19 model with projector headlamps and halogens in them which again are not sufficient. I was planning to get an upgrade and came across your post so thought of checking.I have a few questions if you can answer:-

1. Did the installation require any cutting of wires or drilling a hole in the dust cap?If Yes how did they manage to cover the dust cap to ensure no dust enters the assembly.

Yes, a hole has to be drilled on the dust cap. To reverse the installation, you can buy 2 spare caps from the dealer and replaced the drilled ones.

The HID kit comes with rubber caps on the wires which plug the holes and keep it water tight.

Rubber caps on my car as of today


Rubber caps seen on the OSRAM kit that I had ordered. The two end of the rubber cap lie on either side of the dust cap which goes into the groove seen in-between.

2. Can you share the specific model of the HID they installed so that i am aware if they are installing the same thing or not.

It was a kit called FE Retrofit Z-Vision 2020 series (there could be a 2022 series now, probably).

3.Any issues you have faced so far post installation and any other suggestions you have for me would be appreciated.

I have faced issue with a loose connector almost a year after installation, which recurred a couple of times even after refitting the connector. I have shared the experience on the following posts.

Aug 2021
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5133673

Dec 2021
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5207874

Finally, the seller changed the ballast saying the connector is causing issue. I had to pay for it as the warranty was over. This ballast went bad in 2 months time.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5276763

They changed the ballast FOC. No further problems since the past 4 months.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5304778


Whenever I reach out to Anton/Automotive Lighting Experts, I get a prompt response. If I had an issue, they have asked me to come down immediately for a resolution. On one occasion, I was traveling and was far from Bangalore. Anton, I get the connection checked at any good electrical shop and he can guide the technician. If any component is faulty, he can ship the component to wherever I was. I appreciate this timely support from him/his team.

I have been to their workshop and seen their work on other cars where they have retrofit projectors into cars. Their work is neat and I haven't come across any complaints online about them.

On the negative side, unlike a halogen bulb, the HID setup is complex with multiple components. If something goes bad, you have to order/arrange/wait for the part. In case of a fused halogen, you walk in to a store, buy a new bulb and replace it yourself (done that several times on my previous car).


PS: You can order an OSRAM kit and install it yourself or get it installed at some accessory shop. I had tried this but faced two challenges:

- It was not an easy DIY job for me due to the drilling involved.

- I looked for a shop for installation and after multiple tries, found one guy willing to install it. However, the kit didn't fire up and the guy was clueless what could be wrong. Later I got to know that we should have tried after reversing the polarity but it was too late as I had returned the OSRAM kit by then.

If you go with the above route, look for a shop/guy who is familiar with HID setup and installations.

[ashis89]

The odo crossed 47k kms today. The past 30 days have been very busy and I barely got any time to step out of home. Next 3 weeks seem to be no different either. So tried to sneak in some small stress busters instead.




A drive, for me, has been an excellent stress buster. Last weekend, woke up early to pay a visit to Kalkere lake and complete a brisk walk along its circumference while there. The weather was cool and the roads were relatively empty. A 5.5km walk and a 40 km drive was a welcome break for me.
























Today, I wanted to repeat it but woke up late. So, post lunch, we drove down to Woody's Mulbagal for a change. While last Saturday was a cool windy day, today was a bright warm day. Both have their own charm.

[ashis89]

Been busy with work, the car barely saw any road in the last 3 weeks. Used the Dasara holiday as an excuse to plan a trip to Sakleshpur. As my in-laws are visiting us, we took my Seltos and my co-brother's City for this trip.

While out sight-seeing, we realized the approach road to the Hetthur grassland was in bad shape. So we left the low slung City on the main road, 6 adults +1 kid squeezed into the high strung Coyote and trudged along. The extra ground clearance gives a false sense of assurance and I think less before going down the beaten path or parking it over a rock, ditch, step...


While visiting a Puja pandal, I realized the parking was full. There was a spot with a concrete slab and some small rocks. That was enough for me to perch the car up. By the time we returned, the other cars had left and this thing was found standing alone



Checked in to Unlock by 1PM and spent the afternoon.



In the evening, we headed to Hetthur. Lush green fields and small streams greeted us on the way



























Next morning, I explored the coffee plantation, the river flowing behind and of course the variety of birds chirping their way around the tree tops












After checking out, we headed to Bisle ghat view point (I was busy exploring the peaks and forgot to click pics except for the car on the road!).




Then to Patla Betta view point (unlike last time when we hiked to the top, this time we took a jeep ride)





Can you see the fall?





And finally a glimpse of Mallali falls from close quarters (can be seen from Patla Betta top as well)






While returning from Mallali, I found this beautiful stream


....and immediately stopped beside it for our lunch break (had got it packed from the resort)



It was a brisk drive both ways and the car idled for long time whenever we stopped anywhere (shows in the 8 hr drive time for just 330 kms on the day of return). MID shows 15+ and I got 14+ kmpl T2T. Advantage of diesel was that Seltos managed in a single tankful of fuel where the City needed 2