[Newtown]

I had been meaning to update this thread for a while but sometimes life just has other plans. The last 5 months have been hard on many fronts. Three major surgeries in the past few months had knocked me off rhythm completely. While I am ok, there is some road left to traverse to get back into high gear.

So, here goes from where I last left off this thread:

July 2022, Mileage - 7,474 km. This was one heck of a rainy day

I had mentioned on a couple of other threads about my decision to do an oil change every 7,500 km of 6 months whichever came earlier. Booked in the car and had the oil change done.

Her highness on the ramp. I wish the workshops had fender protectors that went along the complete side of the car. These look so tiny and will not always be able to prevent scratching. You can see how worried I was about the PPF.



4.7L of SAE 0W-20 going in. I like to check the manufacturing date of everything I buy. This is a very thin and quick flowing oil. The lower the number before W (Winter), the better the oil performs at lower temperatures. The 20 is how your oil flows at higher temperatures. Thinner the oil is, easier it flows around your engine. So an oil that has a 20 after the W, flows easier and faster than an oil with a grade that ends in 30, 40, 50,etc



Took this picture from below the ramp. This positively scares me. Look at how exposed the oil filter is. Such a setup up devoid of any kind of protection does not augur well for the road conditions we drive on.



There was also a recall for the rear wheel hubs. This is a picture of the rear wheels opened waiting for a hit change



Customary picture to check manufacturing date



Customary picture TWO to check if what is printed on the box also comes from within the box when opened



Firing order of the DADA 1.5 is the same as used by most manufacturers which is 1 - 3 - 4 - 2. Research has shown that this order gives the smoothest power output and the highest running efficiency.

Observations of the oil that came out of the engine. A strong magnet did not attract/reveal any metal shavings or particles. I could not take a picture as from collecting the oil in a container and then checking it with the magnet gets messy.

A point of caution for those of you that will have a hub change. Note that the hub for the Taigun is exactly the same shape and size of the Polo/Vento. But its specifications are different. They can very easily be mistakenly interchanged so ensure the correct part number goes in.



First year Service in October 2022 Mileage - 8,495 km

This was the actual yearly service that was done under the Service Contract. I did not have the oil changed at that point. The Air filter & Pollen Filters were changed. Sun roof rails lubricated, Winshield Washer Fluid topped up. Balance Roof Rails lubrcant and washer flud was handed back to me. The Engine & Brake Oil level and quality was checked and did not need topping up. Air Pressure was checked and updated to 35 PSI. VAS Scanning was done. Some error codes were cleared but not sure which ones.

The battery was tested and found to be fine. Specifications for the battery are 320 DIN 59 kWh. I am concerned that this battery is a of the standard flooded types. Stop - Start systems need an AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery in my opinion. Perhaps because there are fewer electronics (no power seat, no active TPMS, etc) there will be lesser modules to feed power to. I recall my Vento TDIs having VARTA batteries as replacements. Now I see a VW battery made in Korea. This battery is just about adequate for the job and at the time of replacement I will consider an AGM battery.



1.5 Year service April 2023. Mileage - 10,575 km

Oil change service again. My schedule to change the oil going forward will be October during yearly service and then in April for the 6 monthly oil change.

Yes I have loose covers that I put on all seats including the headrest before the cars enter the workshop. This time took a picture especially to remind me of my nutty obsession with such things.



Her royal highness once again with a small tiny fender protector. Note - Still NO bonnet lining available for the Taigun where as I got one for the Virtus!. Why VW? It is not the noise dampening that I need, it's the heat when the bonnet is touched. Without exaggeration it can fry some ham and eggs on it.



What is an oil change without checking the dates on the can eh ?



The battery tester refused to work for sometime, erroring out each time.



Hurrah - we have a good battery. I have been held hostage on many a previous occasion by my previous VWs because of the battery being too low for the car electronics. They modules just loose it totally when they don't get enough power.



There was an update for the one touch up and down of the driver side glass. What was surprising was that they removed the module from the door and updated it directly and not through the OBD port. First time I saw this being done.



While I was waiting for the job card to close I took a picture of the Service Contract Costs. Just look at the 1.0 L cars. Especially the Virtus! It is the highest! Why would the totally India built model have the highest cost in Service Contract? Baffles me.



13-April-23: A Maruti S-Presso climbs on the footpath and hits the Taigun while parked.

Luckily the car was covered and PPF really saved the day. It self healed at the point of impact but there are multiple scratches on it. The paint is intact and there was no other damage thankfully.

What was more unfortunate was the reason given to me by the driver. The CCTV did its job and showed a completely different picture. Such was the intensity that both the front rims of the Maruti looked like sunflower petals.



And that my fellow BHP ians is the update on the Taigun. I have used unleaded ordinary fuel so far. I am now on my first tank of 95 octane. I have begin to appreciate the wonders of cruise control. Throttle response is done so delicately by the computer that the fuel efficiency immediately jumps up.

Look out for my next post on a different subject. I shall put it up by this weekend. Cheers!

[kns008]

I hope you are doing well @Newtown! Look forward to further updates from you on your little monster. I have been considering it as well and your posts have painted a much clearer picture of the ownership. Interested in knowing how's it going these days.

[Newtown]

• The odometer now reads 12,000+ kms.
• The change to 95 octane has been a revelation. It has become even more fun to drive.
• The km/l has improved ever so slightly. About 12 in the city and 17 to 18 on freeway drive
• The PPF has saved me about approximately 40 to 50 thousand rupees so far.
• I haven't had any of the PPF pieces yet.

About a year into ownership, I started to notice microscopic cracks propagating from within the tail lamps and the light bar. Over time it started increasing.

Below is a video that I shot a couple of months back.

https://youtu.be/HWjzQJV8ECg?si=ysIxQ1a3_WT9K2Vg

I had shown this to the workshop at the time of my services. They were very kind to try and get it done under warranty but VW rejected the claim on two different occasions. The reason cited was that it was not a manufacturing defect and happened because some chemical was applied.

Not thinking much about it at the time I left it as is. I decided to take this up again with a better outcome. VW paid 80% of the cost of the two taillamps and the lightbar.

It was interesting to see the electrical components used when they opened up the tailgate and the lights.

Connector to the taillamp





License plate lights



Rear wiper motor



Wiring harness



Many of the components have been sourced from abroad. Possibly due to COVID they were unable to localize it at that time.

This also gave me the opportunity to see the gauge and quality of the body panels. Glad I kept the faith and did not let reports about the modulus of elasticity of the steel used, get to me and sway me off this purchase.

[Newtown]

The Taigun completed 2.5 years and I took it for its 6-month oil change.

Let me preempt questions on my self-imposed oil scheduled for those who have not read my previous posts on this subject. Manufacturers suggested oil change schedules are based on ideal conditions for factors such as pollution, environment, temperatures, the percentage of highway to city driving and some more. In Mumbai, my opinion is that we drive in very testing conditions - Traffic congestion, pollution & extreme heat & moisture during the monsoons. My drive after the oil change always brings me a smile as even at that early interval, the engine feels so much more refined. For something that costs just slightly more than half a tank of 95 octane, I find that it just makes sense.


Works carried out:

• Oil & filter change
• Key fob battery was weak. Battery changed for both fobs.
• Lubricated doors
• Blew out dust from the air filter
• Boot struts are weak. Parts ordered to be changed under warranty

A very rare occurrence - Three yellow Taigun's in one frame



Both struts are weak and some rubber fittings sticky



I made some changes using one touch apps:

• Tear drop wiping - Surprisingly it does not work on the Taigun but works when activated for the Virtus.
• Activated the rev counter for the instrument cluster display
• Refuel quantity
• Dubbed as "Off-Road Mode" this screen shows angle of steering wheel and altitude. Activated this for the altitude but not sure its correct.
• Disabled the speed chime. I actually miss it now. Wonder if I should enable it again.
• Pulsating Start/Stop button - This does not work for me

So far, I haven't changed the steering response, throttle response or the XDS interaction.

Some observations. While I don't feel the lack of braking power, when I drive a car with all 4 discs it is just less effort. I am amazed by Hyundai's remote connectivity for its cars - how their apps are all tightly integrated to provide a superlative experience. I would hope VW brings this to their customers.

[TheGearBox]

Originally Posted by Newtown

The Taigun completed 2.5 years and I took it for its 6-month oil change.

Did you get this done at the service center? Have you opted for the SMP or did you pay out of pocket?

[Newtown]

Originally Posted by TheGearBox

Did you get this done at the service center? Have you opted for the SMP or did you pay out of pocket?

Yes, done at the service center. I have the SVP and use that for the oil change at the one-year interval and pay out of pocket for the 6-month oil change.

[Newtown]

3 years went by quickly. The Taigun went through its 3rd year service at ~16,500 kms.

• The driver side window stopped working right before the service. The winder motor was replaced under warranty. I saw at least 4 other cars with the same issue. I wonder why only the driver side motor. Very strange!
  
• The VW warranty process is a real bummer. The time it takes for approval by VW after the dealer sends them the mandatory videos, and photos in a prescribed format, is almost 2 to 4 hours. Much room for improvement.
  
• Something to be mindful about
• The oil pan cover design is such that the oil outlet extends into the pan to some height and is not flush to the edge. This causes a small amount of oil to remain inside (100 to 150 mm) It is important that the technician does not blindly put the recommended capacity of oil but instead puts the last 300 ml in parts after checking the level with the dipstick. I realized this when the car popped up a warning a few days after the service telling me to reduce the oil level.
  
• I continue to change oil every 6 months. Mumbai environmental conditions are very testing on oils. The high heat & humidity, heavy rains, waterlogged roads, dust and road congestion add to faster deterioration of engine oil. No matter what the manufacturer says about a once-a-year oil change, do yourselves a favor and read the fine print. Their service systems also indicate India as a being high in heat, dust and pollution and this demands a more frequent oil change.
  
• Not too long ago, I reckon about 6 months back, I had the batteries of both key fobs replaced at the service center. The replace key battery warning has started to pop up again. This time round, I shall buy the battery and replace it myself.

Nothing further significant to report apart from the wonderful drives I have in this car. Very pleased with it.

[kpkeerthi]

Rattles, squeaks and squeals?

[Newtown]

Originally Posted by kpkeerthi

Rattles, squeaks and squeals?

- Absolutely ZERO rattles or squeaks or squeals. Like nothing even remotely.
- AC always blows cold even in very hot weather
- Brakes untouched - no disc cleaning, rubbing, skimming

[WhiteWolf]

Originally Posted by Newtown

- Absolutely ZERO rattles or squeaks or squeals. Like nothing even remotely.
- AC always blows cold even in very hot weather
- Brakes untouched - no disc cleaning, rubbing, skimming

Our Taigun GT has covered 28000 km in 3 years and even for us no rattles and squeaks and we got our brake pads changed at 28000 km which costed us around 9k. Surprising that the pads lasted that long

[throttleflick]

Hi Newtown, thanks for updating this ownership thread. I’m due for my third year service and the point you made about the oil change is helpful.

Last night, I had to replace the car battery with an Amaron battery because the car wouldn’t start as the battery was dead. Do you reckon this will void the warranty?

[Santo_the_bong]

I've recently (last week) done the third full service on my Taigun GTPlus, having completed 46000 km in 2 years.
- no rattles or squeaks to complain about.
- had to change the front brakes due to my excessive driving on highways. I rarely drive in city. Same costing as mentioned by WhiteWolf.
- the rear brakes just needed a cleaning.
- Had to change the key fob battery.
- Car battery is still quite healthy.

Post service I've driven around 50 km and the car is driving smooth. No complaints.
I love this car!!!

[Newtown]

Originally Posted by throttleflick

Last night, I had to replace the car battery with an Amaron battery because the car wouldn’t start as the battery was dead. Do you reckon this will void the warranty?

No, it will not void the warranty. But did you check the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) of the replacement battery? The 1.5 engines come with a 330 CCA 59 Ah battery. Ensure at the minimum it is that spec or higher. If not, you run the risk of electricals behaving weird in exceptional circumstances not to mention the battery getting depleted faster.