[trrk]

Hi,

> FE: Got 7.8 kmpl on the last full tank, brim to brim, all city driving, I do not

I assume it is all with AC on.

> have realised that this car is not that heavy, comparing to other sedans,
> actually I think even the city Vtech is heavyer that this, and the power to

But the aerodynamics is against the Amby!

> Amby I check every 3-4 days and find the coolent drop to half, I don't
> think there are any hoses leaking, just can't figure this out, maybe this is
> the way with Amby's.

All my experience with Ambassadors are quite some time back, but please do check the radiator cap. If the pressure system is not working properly, you could get this fluid drop.

[musicmanaman]

My replies are in bold.

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,

> FE: Got 7.8 kmpl on the last full tank, brim to brim, all city driving, I do not

I assume it is all with AC on.

Yes with 100% AC on all times.

> have realised that this car is not that heavy, comparing to other sedans,
> actually I think even the city Vtech is heavyer that this, and the power to

But the aerodynamics is against the Amby!

Can't argue, you're right

> Amby I check every 3-4 days and find the coolent drop to half, I don't
> think there are any hoses leaking, just can't figure this out, maybe this is
> the way with Amby's.

All my experience with Ambassadors are quite some time back, but please do check the radiator cap. If the pressure system is not working properly, you could get this fluid drop.

Will check the cap, thanks for the advice.

[musicmanaman]

The car has been running fine, without any niggles.
I din't want to spend much on anything till I put up a couple of thousand km's on the odo and know the car better. Few things I had to do was, fix a leak in exaust, the car has become silent after the same, and fix a leak in the boot, due to which water was entering into the boot, apart from the above, just coolent top up and pollution checking was done. Total spend on manintanence till date is Rs 800 so far, which is working out to about 0.50 p per Km.

My left hind side back break drum seems to be having some kind of problem, making some sort of tuck sound and getting heated up as well, I think it's time I get it checked and while doing so change the break shoes on both the back wheels.

The average FE during these 1500 kms, all city with 100% AC is 7 kmpl. There seems to be hardly any difference if I drive in economy mode or a heavy foot. Some times I think I get better mileage driving with a heavy foot. This car needs to be at higher speeds as well in each gear compared to a Maruti, for example the car feels fine in 5th gear only above 80 km/hr, if below then it feels as though it's not in the right power band.

I have a long list of things I want to do, as I have mentioned earlier, I shall update all when I have done the same.

My biggest gripe about the car is the pedals which are ackwardly placed, the sitting position just does not go with the pedal positions. There are 2 modifications I have been thinking about doing. They are

1. Lower the front seats and see if, that way the pedals feel more comfortable.

2. Adding a arm support inbetween the front 2 seats.

For the kind of mileage I do every month, my fuel bills are between 6-7k, and if this would have been a diesel then it would have been about 3-4k, this thought about the savings I could have had with a diesel option keeps bothering me, and to come out of it, I drag will all cars on road and tell myself, I could have not done the same with a diesel engine, but that is just self consoling I suppose, fact is at 7kmpl it hurts. I have not done any highway driving as of now, but I'm pretty confident this car will atleast give between 10-12 kmpl on Highways, as in 5th gear above 80 km/hr the car just glides, with minimal effort.

I shall keep updating this tread every couple of thousand km's on how my BULL is doing.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by musicmanaman

My biggest gripe about the car is the pedals which are ackwardly placed, the sitting position just does not go with the pedal positions. There are 2 modifications I have been thinking about doing. They are

1. Lower the front seats and see if, that way the pedals feel more comfortable.

2. Adding a arm support inbetween the front 2 seats.

These won't help. Culprit here is oddly angled steering position. You can rectify that by replacing your stock steering connecting shaft with Gypsy's. Steering position will become straight. Not to mention, it'll act like a collapsible steering too.

[rks]

This thread brings back old memories. Learnt my driving on my dad's Amby, the old Mark II (no power steering, obviously). Used to rip it too and got my license in 1975, at age 18, after a pretty rigorous test. Once you drive the old Amby, you can drive pretty much anything. Nice car, but a nightmare on highways, as it breaks down frequently. Old Fiat was much better in that respect.

Nice to see that the Amby is still going strong. But in this day and age, it is definitely a relic and will probably be outlawed sooner or later for its poor fuel economy.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by rks

But in this day and age, it is definitely a relic and will probably be outlawed sooner or later for its poor fuel economy.

That may be so with regular Ambys. For super Ambys with Isuzu engines and 205 tyres overinflated by 2-3 PSI (on oversized gypsy rim, no less), the fuel economy is in the range of 16 kmpl on the highway.

They also do sudden lane changes at 150 kmph.

[rks]

@Steeroid: My tyres are stock-size tubeless S322's, as I don't believe in oversizing tyres unnecessarily. The 155 mm tyre width on wider low-offset alloys, with 35 psi tyre pressures, is a potent combination for Santro's high-speed handling. Don't forget Speed 97.

FE in my old Santro is 12-13 kmpl, despite my highly enthusiastic driving style, including 150+ top speed every week on Expressway. There was a recent news report about Govt. cracking down on poor-FE vehicles. I think my old Santro will pass with flying colors here. But Amby will need some serious lobbying to survive.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by rks

@Steeroid: My tyres are stock-size tubeless S322's, as I don't believe in oversizing tyres unnecessarily. The 155 mm tyre width on wider low-offset alloys, with 35 psi tyre pressures, is a potent combination for Santro's high-speed handling. Don't forget Speed 97.

Saar, HOW can we forget? You never allow us to !

[rks]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Saar, HOW can we forget? You never allow us to !

Looks like you wanted another reminder, as you started the subject in this thread. I will take you for a spin in my Santro one of these days on the Mumbai-Pune route. You can then draw your own conclusions about this car's high-speed handling, including lane-cutting, cornering, etc.

[musicmanaman]

I will take you for a spin in my Santro one of these days on the Mumbai-Pune route. You can then draw your own conclusions about this car's high-speed handling, including lane-cutting, cornering, etc.

Gentelmen, I though this is an Amby thread.

[Rudra Sen]

Guys, please let us not go outside this thread topic.

[musicmanaman]

Hi All,

I have completed 2500 kms in the last three and a half months, the car is still niggles free, but I guess it's about time, I get him serviced. I have not even send him for a proper water wash yet.

Problems I have to fix is a leaking radiator, I still don't know why it leaks, as the level is all ways fill in the radiator cap but the bottel keeps getting empty, and after the person washes the car in the morning, I can see green fluid on the floor, by now I suppose I have filled water so many times in the bottle that the car is running on water and not radiator fluid, but the bull doesn't seem to be complaining and just keeps going on and on.

The other mind numbbing discovery is that on the last fill I ripped him, and the mileage seems to be better for some reason, when he is ripped, defies logic. Every time I drive on economy mode I get less and on a rip mode i get more, funny isn't it.

Still can't make up my mind about going to my local machanic who use to fix my Maruti zen, or should I get it serviced at the Authorised Service center, but I have to decide upon this very soon as I have to fix the radiator issue quick, change all the fluid's and the right hand side head light, which I think is not available as glass only and I have to buy the full assembly, even though only the glass has cracked, then there is the breaks as well which I got to fix, all in all my wild guess is a 5k bill, but let's see how much it actually comes to.

The Bull as I call my car, is still enjoying bulling other car's on the road and overtaking most on an open strech, the third gear pulling is fantastic and addictive and I very rarely go to the fifth, because even at 80-100 it feels better being in fourth as the power is still available if required. The car is sweetest between 80-100 kmph and guess it's the sweet spot of the Amby Petrol.

The average FE is in the vicinity of 7.25 kmpl, this is with 100% AC and all city driving, I think that's not bad for a city like Kokata where there arn't many open strech's.

My wife was very found of our Maruti Zen, and cried the day I sold it, but I think she's slowly begining to like the Amby, I guess it's the AC effect, where the Amby is miles ahead of the Maruti Zen.

I'm still happy with the Amby and still find good value in my purchase and people still look at my car at signals and parking lot's, and some even want to know what model it is, one person even asked me if it was a new model released by HM, as they don't know that the Avigo came out long back, but I suppose since there are a very few, and I mean really a very few, so people don't know.

Buttom line is I'm still in love with my bull.

[Dry Ice]

Well congrats for your "BULL"
(BTW: Theres also a safari by the same name on the forum, and incredibly it suits both!!)

Good to know some people are still interested in the good old Amby.

I am not much of an expert but as far as the fluids and servicing is concerned, I would suggest an authorized service center. About that cracked headlight glass, do pay a visit to your local garage, it might just be your lucky day!! With a fair bit of ambys still on road in Kol, I guess you might just find what you need.
The autorized service center is an option anyway.

Keep the BULL revving and enjoy its fury!!

[deepanarun]

Hi I have a Amby Grand 2000DSZ which came with PS and AC, 5yrs old and 85Kms later it still chugs along pretty well. Cruising on Highways at 100kmph and returning 15+ kmpl with AC on. I have had no Major issues with the car except for a clutch assembly overhaul once.
Other issues were-
1. Water pump replacement cost me around 2k.
2. Front disk pad replaced at about 50,000Kms.
3. Rear Brake shoe replaced twice.
4. All 4 wheel Bearings changed at 60,000Kms.
5. Radiator service and hose change twice.
6. Change a bush here and there every now and then.

She has enough grunt to overtake Qualis, Sumos, Taveras and at times even Safaris. Taking all the beatings our highways can give. I still think she is the best car Indian roads can have.

I have never asked people to get down from the car when going over a speed breaker which my Bro-in-law does everytime he has to ride his City over a bump.

She sure does need attention and care as sqeaks crop up every now and then but then it is soo easy to diagnose and repair and mainly SOO cheap too. The Clutch overhaul was the most expensive part change I have done to the car which cost me 4500rs totally (including labour).

All in all I think she is still on of the very good cars Money can buy.

[hemanth.das]

Keep it coming musicmanaman . I am planning to pick up an old amby and rebuild to the likes of what steeroid has i love his car, that is what has motivated me to pick up the amby.
actually there is one more amby that comes on the home page with hella fog lamps even that has greatly motivated me to go in for an amby.