[swale84]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Total maintenance is good. But are they offering an extended warranty (3&4 yr) on parts like the fuel pump, power steering rack, suspension etc. Because if they are not, I will not touch this car even from a distance. I have learnt it the hard way with my Flair.

Does it cover the ignition coil? If it does, then its worth the extra price just for that!!

[f50xj13]

at one time the ford ikon 1.6 Sxi was my dream car...and look how ford has spoilt the brand name of its own car.. how many years will manufacturers sell us old technology under guise of facelifts and rebranding...

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by f50xj13

at one time the ford ikon 1.6 Sxi was my dream car...and look how ford has spoilt the brand name of its own car.. how many years will manufacturers sell us old technology under guise of facelifts and rebranding...

The answer to this being, 'so long as there is a market for it'. Numerous examples in our country.

Did this one for Condor. A little PS work.

[condor]

@Benny, that looks quite good. Got to try it with the chrome-striped side strips.

[Path_Finder]

Originally Posted by ntranced

One thing which I noticed and rightly pointed out in earlier posts also was that the gear lever vibrated. I gave it a benefit of doubt as i had never driven a diesel car before. When i questioned the salesman he agreed that yes there was vibration which is not there in the ford fiesta 1.4. The explanation which he gave me was that the engine in the fiesta was built for that vehicle hence its a refined one while this is a poorer cousin. Maybe he was right but i leave that to you people to throw some light.

Has anyone else noticed this? They have put the same Fiesta engine on a lighter (I guess less sturdy also) chassis. Good part is it gives better power to weight, but the cons could be issues like this. Will this turn to a rattle box like the Swift in some time? And being an entry level vehicle, it would be expected of buyers to live with it

[condor]

TD'ed the Ikon TDCi today. Was my first ride & drive in an Ikon, so the observations will not be a comparison with other Ikon's.

Benny & Ntranced have covered the points already. Not much to add to Benny's reviews.

benbsb29 : * Steering felt harder to turn, as compared to that on my car,

Steering is not very heavy, though my Victa feels lighter. Felt comfortable, actually. The car feels planted, direction-wise.

benbsb29 : * Power delivery was linear..

Power & A/c cooling are good. Tried 5th gear at 40kph, with A/c, and the car pulls without much protest. There was a little judder, but not much. 4th at 40kph with A/c is comfortable. So all those of you who like to squeeze every inch out of your fuel, you can do those high gear-low speed driving.

benbsb29 : * Brakes have been improved, and the braking and feel is much more assured than that of the previous version.

Braking is good. Would have loved discs at the rear also.

benbsb29 : * Horn felt more feeble, and sounded different.

Horn definitely needs replacement.

benbsb29 : * During startup, there was some diesel clatter, reminding you of the fuel it sips, but otherwise wasnt too obtrusive.

* NVH levels are about adequate, but not as good as that of the Fiesta,

NVH is ok - a notch below the Fiesta. Similar to that of our 4 year old Marina Could even be a shade more, though. Some beefing up of the firewall could help - got to check this option. Again, not so much of a pain. Guess one will get used to it.

benbsb29 : * Gear lever vibration which was mentioned by some of the others doesnt seem to be excessive. If thats a cause for concern, then i must admit its alsmost the same as the petrol.
benbsb29 : Gear lever vibration is something which other member inputs would be useful.

Again, my Victa is better. So was our Marina. There is a fine but noticeable vibration - noticeable when you place your hand on the gear lever. For the comparison with the petrol version, I guess I will have to take Benny's word on this. For all others who think this is vibration, I can only point them in one direction : Check a Bolero & other lower versions from M&M : you'll then know what gear lever vibration is.

Conclusion : the gear lever vibration is not a cause for concern.

First despatches should start anytime now. First lot for BLR should start later this week. Lathangi says they already have 65-70 bookings.

Accessories list not available yet.

[benbsb29]

Condor, so you finally did get to do a Test drive. Pretty much sums up what i had observed during my drive. Did you find out regarding the Extended Warranty?

What have you decided, and if yes, which color? And regarding accessories, what all are you looking at? I am surprised they dont have a list out as yet, since this isnt exactly a new car they're talking about.

Keep me updated. We shall meet up sometime so you can check out my car.

[pavthebiker]

Hi Guys,

i’m out to buy a new Ford ikon, been following these threads and must say the level of auto expertise demonstrated here is amazing! Advice from you experienced souls will be of good help .
i love driving and sunny days spent behind the wheel flooring the pedal on highways are the happiest!

1> i love the chrome grilled look of the existent flair and personaly did’t quite like the looks of the ‘new’ ikon . any issues in buying a new car of a model already phased out ? (petrol version is exactly the same under the boot i'm told)
2> in terms of time my driving is mostly in-cityheavy traffic tho not much in terms of mileage say 400km tops . highway drives of another 300 or so per month . does the diesel version at 75k more (4.9 otr delhi vs 5.7) make any sense ? fuel bill saving ain’t that much as compared to inital extra!
3> currently own a Santro Xing and am looking to upgrade to a more spirited performer in the 5L range, is this machine the best bet or do u reccomend something else ? is it worth waiting for the 1.6 petrol which i read is to be launched again in mid ’09 ?
4> i'm a biker who's a speed freak and sluggish movers are an instant turn off! any pointers on the top speed the 1.3 petrol can attain ? (the times i’ve floored it on my father’s 1.3 nxt 140km/hr happened comfortably but then the acceleration rate seemed to drop and i just ran out of road within the city!

Any inputs on my situation would help .

Thanks Guys

[zen91]

4> i'm a biker who's a speed freak and sluggish movers are an instant turn off! any pointers on the top speed the 1.3 petrol can attain ? (the times i’ve floored it on my father’s 1.3 nxt 140km/hr happened comfortably but then the acceleration rate seemed to drop and i just ran out of road within the city!

Any inputs on my situation would help .

I had owned a 1.3 Ikon Flair about 3 years back and have taken her to the limits.Rightly put by you,140kmph is comfortable after which it takes some time for the Speedo needle to move up.

The max that I have been able to take the 1.3 Flair was 172kmph(Speedo read) in fourth gear on the GQC.I am of the opinion that the fourth gear is the strongest in an Ikon, which helps you to reach it's highest speed.

[zen91]

Braking is good. Would have loved discs at the rear also.

I own an Ikon 1.6 and as mentioned in the forum a lot of times,the braking has always been an issue with the old Ikon's.

Has anybody looked at the possibility of improving the braking of their old Ikons by upgrading it to the new setup as in the new Ikon.

While taking the TD of the new Ikon,the sales guy mentioned that a break booster is used in the new car.Any inputs!!

[Path_Finder]

Originally Posted by pavthebiker

Hi Guys,

i’m out to buy a new Ford ikon, been following these threads and must say the level of auto expertise demonstrated here is amazing! Advice from you experienced souls will be of good help .
i love driving and sunny days spent behind the wheel flooring the pedal on highways are the happiest!

1> i love the chrome grilled look of the existent flair and personaly did’t quite like the looks of the ‘new’ ikon . any issues in buying a new car of a model already phased out ? (petrol version is exactly the same under the boot i'm told)
2> in terms of time my driving is mostly in-cityheavy traffic tho not much in terms of mileage say 400km tops . highway drives of another 300 or so per month . does the diesel version at 75k more (4.9 otr delhi vs 5.7) make any sense ? fuel bill saving ain’t that much as compared to inital extra!
3> currently own a Santro Xing and am looking to upgrade to a more spirited performer in the 5L range, is this machine the best bet or do u reccomend something else ? is it worth waiting for the 1.6 petrol which i read is to be launched again in mid ’09 ?
4> i'm a biker who's a speed freak and sluggish movers are an instant turn off! any pointers on the top speed the 1.3 petrol can attain ? (the times i’ve floored it on my father’s 1.3 nxt 140km/hr happened comfortably but then the acceleration rate seemed to drop and i just ran out of road within the city!

Any inputs on my situation would help .

Thanks Guys

Pavitr, now that the new model is out, going for the old model is something like going into the seconds shop and buying the premium shirt at a discount. Personally that would not be my choice. Now if you specifically like the old and does not like the new, it is a different story altogether – but try pick up a good bargain. Dealers might still be having stocks which they may be ready to give good discounts. Color options may be limited though. You need to doubly sure that it is not a TD vehicle or some damaged vehicle.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by pavthebiker

1> i love the chrome grilled look of the existent flair and personaly did’t quite like the looks of the ‘new’ ikon . any issues in buying a new car of a model already phased out ? (petrol version is exactly the same under the boot i'm told)

Pav, i totally agree with your views on the looks part. I am sure some of the dealers will have at their disposal the older ones which werent sold off. You can check with them, and do bargain hard for discounts. Other than some changes in the interiors, and improved brakes on the newer version, i believe the petrol version remains unchanged. You could try a TD as well to gauge.

Between, did you say 'under the boot'? Didnt know it was rear-engined!

Originally Posted by pavthebiker

2> in terms of time my driving is mostly in-cityheavy traffic tho not much in terms of mileage say 400km tops . highway drives of another 300 or so per month . does the diesel version at 75k more (4.9 otr delhi vs 5.7) make any sense ? fuel bill saving ain’t that much as compared to inital extra!

Going by the expected mileage you would cover per month, i dont really see the need for a diesel in your case. As for the petrol, it also returns pretty decent mileage figures when driven with a light foot, and moderate A/C usage. Check out the mileage on my car at this link:
Average_Mileage_Figures_1.3_Flair_Petrol

Originally Posted by pavthebiker

3> currently own a Santro Xing and am looking to upgrade to a more spirited performer in the 5L range, is this machine the best bet or do u reccomend something else ? is it worth waiting for the 1.6 petrol which i read is to be launched again in mid ’09 ?

4> i'm a biker who's a speed freak and sluggish movers are an instant turn off! any pointers on the top speed the 1.3 petrol can attain ? (the times i’ve floored it on my father’s 1.3 nxt 140km/hr happened comfortably but then the acceleration rate seemed to drop and i just ran out of road within the city!

Personally, i do not see any chances of the 1.6 being relaunched, and so that makes the wait rather unpredicatble. The 1.3 is a decent performer with the A/C switched off. Try out if it satisfies your desire before you decide. It does 140-150kmph with ease, and then yes, the climb is slow, and i have always backed out then.

Originally Posted by zen91

The max that I have been able to take the 1.3 Flair was 172kmph(Speedo read) in fourth gear on the GQC.I am of the opinion that the fourth gear is the strongest in an Ikon, which helps you to reach it's highest speed.

I havent dared to go beyond 150kmph on my car.

[akshladha]

We (me & family) have been considering buying a car since a while. I would say, that "while" is pretty "long while", in numerical terms, its been 5 years. The issue is since past five years me and my dad haven't agreed on same choice. And an add on to it is that my dad's been to much cautious about car budget, which is always half of what he can afford, for one simple belief of his "why to spend on a thing which depreciates?" I can understand that coming from someone whos not a car freak.

Welll anyways let me cut all that and get to point...

After long wait and little bit study, we did zero down to few cars. After launch of NHC, we made up our mind to head for it. But then, the arrival of NHC has been greeted by the economic slump. So at this poiint I would too agree to my dad's point of deferring a higher budget car, as we anyways need to buy one more car, so can defer it for next year. And till then we would have safe reviews for the NHC as the 3rd generation city is infamous for their recalls within 6 months for rear suspension issues.

As far as Dezire is concerned, we just purchased one for my dad's factory usage. I do not personally like the car, though my dad's a strong preacher. And there isn't any sense to buy 2 same models. And I prefer it for factory premises only. I would rather die than see myself driving that car.

Sx4 seemed to be a great contender. Nicely priced, aggressive looks, comparable features, infact the feature list would beat any can in the segment and attractive schemes did favor it. Low maintainence lies in Maruti's genes. But the great drawback was the fuel economy, being based outta WRC car. No ways i can debate its high powered engine under the hood, and the handling, with little issues here and there. But a FE of 8 is really a turnoff. Adding to that is the visibility issue and rear seat comfort.

We know that if we need two cars at home, we need a diesel for sure.

So we thought of swift VDi. Personally I always liked that car. The tangy orange initially and now the classy white. VDi with body colored OVRMs and the door handles truly looks good on the features list. But i feel the diesel engine is little sluggish, sorta non linear when drawing power. Though its quite inside, but when you push the gas, you do feel that its diesel at one point. And must not forget to add, it rates the worst when it comes to back seat comfort and cars nearly bare naked if you strip off the ABS from it, with just power stearing, power windows. So that calls for an add on of 50K more to make it usable making it cross the 6.25 lac mark.

But as we nearly decided on swift VDi, was the arrival of Ford Ikon TDCi. I was expecting it to be out in near future but not that soon, probably in 2009.

I always loved Ford Ikon, more than the fiesta. Infact i did regret when they had phased out the 1.6 TDI on Fiesta's launch. The car was always pepy, as if made for young people. I guess the reason for my mindset could be two of my really good friend always use to drive this to college. No car can beat the compact, young looks for Ikon. It a sedan, its compact and still fairly spacious. AND THE REAR SEAT COMFORT OF IKON IS THE BEST. I cannot give my verdict over the engine, as haven't driven it yet, but on my experience with Fiesta TD I would say that Ford TDCi engine would always beat a Suzuki DDIs. Still need to check how 1.4 TDCi fairs in the new Ikon, which would happen by this weekend or next. And on top with the neat pricing they have made, i guess if any ones buyin his second car, should consider this option over the Swift and Dzire VDi. I guess with the add on accesories, the car would till prove cheaper than swift VDi, yeah you would surely miss ABS..... Now my only concers are to check out the facelift and how it fairs as whole thing.

yeah one more thing which one should be concerned of is the after sale services for which ford is really infamous, and where Maruti would anytime beat Ford.

Originally Posted by Eddy

Total maintenance is good. But are they offering an extended warranty (3&4 yr) on parts like the fuel pump, power steering rack, suspension etc. Because if they are not, I will not touch this car even from a distance. I have learnt it the hard way with my Flair.

Eddy, really looking forward for your opinion.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by akshladha

yeah one more thing which one should be concerned of is the after sale services for which ford is really infamous, and where Maruti would anytime beat Ford.

Akshladha, the Swift D is a good choice provided you can spend on adding those little things which are luxuries on the LDi version.

However, as a complete package with a good price tag, the Ikon TDCi has it covered. Proceed for a test drive, and then decide for yourself if it satisfies what you are looking for. In the brief test drive that i had, and also echoed by others who have driven it, the power delivery is linear, and so looks like thats something you were looking at.

Coming on to the topic of service and after sales, Ford service has come a long way as compared to their infamous days. They have made an effort towards improvement, and its showing even in the experiences from other Ford owners on the forum. Spares are sometimes pricey, but for all normal servicing and maintenance they are on par with the competition.

Let us know how your test drive experience went.

[akshladha]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Akshladha, the Swift D is a good choice provided you can spend on adding those little things which are luxuries on the LDi version.

The budget is not an issue till its below 10lac. But as a second car i would love it low. The good thing about about Ford is ita an hatch, way refined than swift when it comed to comfort (especially back seat confort) and the only right structural propotion car in its segment.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Coming on to the topic of service and after sales, Ford service has come a long way as compared to their infamous days..

That even I have observed. Service expenses are well defined, with spare parts little expensive. This I need to greatly consider with my monthly running of max 500KM.

A major concern is with US leading the recession and GM on the edge of bankrupcy, the fate of ford is thing of concern.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Let us know how your test drive experience went.

That would happen soon.