[shantyrocks]

woow!

some great pics dude!
i must say that you have a photographers vision

MJD looks best in furnace red.
i was also thinking about the MJD but then there are rumours that the MJD is gonna be discontinued and only the 1.6 sport will be in production.dont know how far its true but that made me go for the DDiS.

the swift is super silent on the out side as well as the inside.maruti has done a good job with insulation.

[architect]

Had you not been in the same boat as myself (budget constraints) I would have said go for the SDX. I still regret going for SDE.

The car becomes much more silent on changing tyres, as I have realised by experience. Trust me, just go for better tyres.

[tortoiseNhare]

Originally Posted by architect

Had you not been in the same boat as myself (budget constraints) I would have said go for the SDX. I still regret going for SDE.

The car becomes much more silent on changing tyres, as I have realised by experience. Trust me, just go for better tyres.

Architect,
After having seeing so many cars on alloys in Shillong I am in serious alloy-lust these days. I have failed to hide it from my wife who is dead against any more spending with the car. Anyway, are alloys as reliable as factory fitted wheels? What will be a decent alloy/tyre combination without burning a big hole in the pocket? My brother lives in Gurgaon and if you could name some Palio parts dealer in Delhi/Gurgaon I may, in his next visit home, ask him to get some accessories from there.

[architect]

[quote=tortoiseNhare;1287774]What will be a decent alloy/tyre combination without burning a big hole in the pocket? My brother lives in Gurgaon and if you could name some Palio parts dealer in Delhi/Gurgaon [quote]

Check my thread for details and why I didn't go for alloys. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...rm-review.html

[finneyp]

Since Palio takes only 98 PCD alloys, we don't have much choice for designs, Aura has couple of 14" alloys in 98 PCD, check the one I have:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...ess-tires.html

For tyres, check out Michelin XM1+ / Bridgestone Turanza / Yokohama A drives.

[tortoiseNhare]

architect, finneyp
Thanks for your inputs. I'll change the tyres only if I can get a good buyback deal for the existing set of tyres. Availability of international brands like Michelin or Yokohoma is also an issue here. The 1.2 of finneyp looks out of this world with those alloys but those for my car must wait at least until my employers accept University Grant Commission's recommendations regarding pay revision.

[Eddy]

You will have to take a quick decision. Tires depreciate very fast.

[tortoiseNhare]

Originally Posted by Eddy

You will have to take a quick decision. Tires depreciate very fast.

Today I visited a tyre dealer to inquire about ugrade cost. He quoted Rs. 37,500 for 14" alloys with 175/70 bridgestone on all 5 wheels and offered a buy back price of Rs. 10,000 for the existing set. He was not specific about the brand and design of the alloys. Anyway, it is way beyond my pocket now. I heard that there is a Michelin dealer in my city. I'll visit him to enquire about an upgrade on the stock rims.

[architect]

Originally Posted by tortoiseNhare

Today I visited a tyre dealer to inquire about ugrade cost. He quoted Rs. 37,500 for 14" alloys with 175/70 bridgestone on all 5 wheels and offered a buy back price of Rs. 10,000 for the existing set. He was not specific about the brand and design of the alloys. Anyway, it is way beyond my pocket now. I heard that there is a Michelin dealer in my city. I'll visit him to enquire about an upgrade on the stock rims.

I was in the same predicament as you in terms of budget. That's why I did not go for alloys. However, please make sure that the alloys he is quoting for are genuine 98 PCD alloys and not 100 PCD filed to 98 PCD.

If you want to upgrade, just go for 185/70 tyres on R13 stock rims. They are quite effective in changing the dynamics of the car, especially if alloys are out of budget.

10,000 bucks is an excellent buy back considering I got only about Rs 4,000 for all including unused stepney. If it is true, you will get a set of Yoko A-drives for 5,000 bucks or so. Go for it.

BTW, which bridgestones? Turanza?

[tortoiseNhare]

Originally Posted by architect

10,000 bucks is an excellent buy back considering I got only about Rs 4,000 for all including unused stepney. If it is true, you will get a set of Yoko A-drives for 5,000 bucks or so. Go for it.

BTW, which bridgestones? Turanza?

But you got Rs. 4,000 only for the rubber, after 21,000 kms or running (except the spare). I have done just 7700 odd kms till today and I don't yet know what I can expect outside that alloy deal. And till now I don't know if Yoko is marketed in this part of the country.

When asked the details about the alloys and the bridgestones the dealer (a Marwari businessman) said, "aap change ke liye ready ho ke aa jaaiye, tab saare models dikha denge".

[architect]

Originally Posted by tortoiseNhare

But you got Rs. 4,000 only for the rubber, after 21,000 kms or running (except the spare).

All I was trying to say is that IF you are getting 10k as buyback prices, the total cost of a tyre upgrade is only around Rs 5,000/- for you, assuming that the Yoko A-drives cost the same in Ghy as in Delhi (which is unlikely, agreed!)

Make sure that a any upgrade is not just an increase in width but also an increase in quality.

[tortoiseNhare]

Originally Posted by architect

All I was trying to say is that IF you are getting 10k as buyback prices, the total cost of a tyre upgrade is only around Rs 5,000/- for you, assuming that the Yoko A-drives cost the same in Ghy as in Delhi (which is unlikely, agreed!)

Definitely the buyback price will be much less without the oem rims. I suppose they made a good looking offer factoring in the profit they would make by the swap of rims. Also, unless I can find an authorized dealer for Yokohama (who sells with bill and warranty), I will not go for it. Michelin seems to have an authorized dealer here.

[tortoiseNhare]

My tyre swap and upgrade deal didn't work out. Yokohama has not yet been marketed in my city and the only tyre shop that deals in Michelins offered me ridiculously low buyback price. So decided to keep using the stock set of wheels/tyres until my financial status dramatically improves. Today I got my tyres rotated and aligned (odo at 7971 km). Although the manufacturer recommends 4 tyre straight rotation I used the 5 tyre rotation method (as explained in a link posted by finneyp in http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/newrep...te=1&p=1292451).

[wannabe loser]

Originally Posted by tortoiseNhare

@lohithrao, bottle, allroad, phamilyman, white_vdi, pranava999


Thank you all for your encouraging feedback. I fully agree with allroad regarding two-tone seat covers but at the time of making a decision the more-light-colour-area-will-get-more-dirt type of silly logic made me go for the grey part.


Yes, the shots except the ones showing the interior of the car and my parking space were taken at Cherrapunjee. The HU was supplied by Fiat India (free for all December customers). It is branded TATA but actually a Clarion unit with FM Radio and USB, SD Card and Aux-in inputs. The sound quality is good enough and there is no distortion at the highest volume. The highest volume is not ear-splittingly high though.


Here are a few snaps taken during the trip to Kalimpong/Gangtok/Darjeeling/Mirik

Tea estate in Dooars District (West Bengal) Attachment 131986

Rafting in Teesta river Attachment 131988

Sikkim-Manipal University on the bank of river Teesta Attachment 131990

Rhumtek Monastery near Gangtok Attachment 131991

Toy train in Darjeeling Attachment 131993

Orange orchard at Mirik Attachment 131995

The sleepy township of Mirik on the bank of Mirik Lake Attachment 131997

Tea estate on hilltops on the way down to Siliguri from Mirik Attachment 131998

Oh brother! Look at those roads! What wouldn't I give to drive on those! Man, no wonder you get 21+ KPL! I'd probably live in my car just driving around.

[HKS]

Aura and Neo both have 98 PCD alloys. Do check with it.

Anyways its ok.

Great feedback on Palio and amazing pictures.