[theragingbull]

wow! Sir that's a really long trip! Please drive safe since it would be quite foggy in the North. You've driven such long distances and not even a single niggle still. That speaks of VW reliability.

P.S: I also had a similar accident with my Polo (that you posted in #56). Had to replace rear bumpers and front fender. Shaman did a really good job and their workshop is very organized. I have posted updates in my thread.

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by theragingbull

wow! Sir that's a really long trip! Please drive safe since it would be quite foggy in the North. You've driven such long distances and not even a single niggle still. That speaks of VW reliability.

P.S: I also had a similar accident with my Polo (that you posted in #56). Had to replace rear bumpers and front fender. Shaman did a really good job and their workshop is very organized. I have posted updates in my thread.

>>>

Z,

It will not only be foggy but pretty cold; am bracing for 0 degrees in Ranikhet and in Corbett. The fog will cause problems right from Manesar onwards.The hill (ghat) drives will be interesting as the inclines are steeper than in the Western Ghats ( Ranikhet is at 1869 m above mean sea level); the drive from Ranikhet to Corbett through Bhatronjkhan, Tota Am is particularly interesting as it is advised not to travel at night, due to the road conditions. I will be driving in daylight.

Yes, no niggles yet -touchwood!

Sorry to hear about your mishap. Please note that the rear ending vehicle is at fault at all times, not the rear ended one. The logic being- at all speeds the vehicle which is following is to maintain safe braking distance.

Another t-bhpian is contemplating the Polo very positively; if it is fine with you, I'll ask him to get in touch with you for your ownership feedback.

Regards, drive safe

[issigonis]

>>>

Gave the Jetta for a healthcheck on 16th Dec, odo reading 19505, entailing a comprehensive check (engine oil,coolant, brake pads, suspension check, battery check, EMS, ac, all moving parts et.al).

The Downtown VW workshop gave it a clean bill of health. Business as usual.
Vacuumed the interiors and did exterior detailing ( basic, using 3M cream).

I bought a litre of engine oil.

Total bill for labour and engine oil Rs 1852/-.

Then took it to International Tyres in Opera House for a tyre check; had got it checked and rotated in November, so there were absolutely no issues here either. Mr. Choudhary recommended that I do not opt for a foot pump and recommended an electric pump meant for dinghies!

I guess I do not really have the time to get one now. I will pick up a mechanical air pressure meter.

So the weapons list boils down to two, viz., engine oil and air pressure meter!

Now the Red Baron is ready for its north drive to Uttarakhand and Delhi, to cover nearly 4000 kms over 12 days. I leave Bombay on 24th morning.

Regards, drive safe

[Topolino]

Great choice of colour Sir, the car really looks awesome.

[issigonis]

>>>

Today, when I was about to switch off the engine in my building basement, the odometer showed 50021 kms, exactly four years and one day to the day that the Red Baron entered my life.

Its been a terrific four years of great fun, utter reliability and peace of mind as I have taken the Jetta to Uttarakhand (via Rajasthan & Delhi) and to Rajasthan many times, to Goa and to Karnataka apart from runs around Bombay- to Lonavala, Kaas, Nasik, Poona, Shirdi and so on.

Will attach a few snaps of the four years and 50000 kms young Red Baron,once I get clarity on how to compress each snap to 1 MB (jpg).

Regards
issigonis

>>>

Snaps are here.

Regards
issigonis

[issigonis]

>>>

I am thinking of a Jetta meet- a meeting of Jetta owners in Bombay and surroundings ( Poona, Nasik and so on). I will be back in action in mid January 2014.

Jetta owners - let's meet then.

Regards

[issigonis]

>>>

Bumping the thread for a hasty update.

The car is touching the 55 k odo mark, in a little more than four-and-a-half years of trouble free & effortless driving. Returned this week from a 2400+ drive from Bombay to Coorg & back.

Had changed the tyres just before the Coorg caper: regulation GoodYears from International Tyres, near Marine Lines-Opera House, Bombay; these have been comfortable, reliable and I might have been singularly fortunate in escaping the travails of loss of pressure in all of my inter state & long drives.

Am thinking of a Tune o tronics remap after an input from aksay1234. Will consult with him before taking the step.

Including a few snaps, taken in Mercara, Coorg and in Bombay very recently.

issigonis

[issigonis]

>>>

Developments after my Coorg drive.

Got in touch with akshay1234 who informed me about the engine remap done on his vRS. I disussed an engine remap and a CAI : he suggested that I get in touch with Tune o tronics and that I get the K&N CAI ( part# 69-9756TFK). Also that I change my recently re-shod Goodyear 205/R55 16 ( changed just about 3000 kms ago prior to the Coorg drive) to Michelins or Yokohamas.

So, I intend to do the following :

1. Engine re-map ( Powerised tune- for in gear acceleration & greater mid range torque) by Tune-o -tronics
2. CAI from K&N (http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...rod=69-9756TFK) in consultation with Tune o tronics
3. Michelin Primacy LC

I have tried contacting Sid & Vivek through calls & text messages - awaiting a response from them.
I am not sure as to how much the CAI will benefit- I have to be careful about regular cleaning of the air filter, given the dust on Bombay's roads.
I have been informed that both the Goodyear & Micjelin have similar levels of grip but due to greater silica content in the Michelin it is softer and so generates less noise, but loses out on durability.
akshay has a win-win take on the Michelins and hates the Goodyears.

I am in for interesting times.

My Jetta has done about 54,500 kms with no mechanical (touch wood!) issues effortlessly and comfortably over India's varied roads. In fact I love driving it on highways due to its excellent stability thanks to its chassis,multi link rear suspension and very linear braking, other than the torque at low rpms.

Will keep you posted.

P.S. : Plan to do a Bombay- Baroda ( as base ) - Champaner-Pavagarh- Lothal- Bombay drive over three/four days before it turns any hotter, before Holi.

Drive safe.

[issigonis]

>>>

For the tyre change, the Continental Pro Contact 2 comes as a Teutonic alternative to the Michelin. Will check the Continental sites. Any recommended Continental dealership in Mumbai?

Regards

[shankar.balan]

Delicious car in a Delicious colour!
What a lovely shape this older gen Jetta has.

[issigonis]

>>>

Contemplating the following fitment as a safety ( pre-caution) for any hare brained adventures ( such as a Bombay-Ladakh/Bombay-Bhutan drive) that I might possibly have later :

http://www.dieselgeek.com/Golf_Jetta...pp-mk5-mk6.htm

Any recommendations from the VAG aftermarket fitment gurus?

Regards

P.S. : The annual service is coming up in June - the car is approaching 60k on the odo. Next is an internal detailing job at Rhythm & Rhyme, Colaba.

>>>

Forgot to post details of my Bombay-Champaner-Pavagadh-Lothal-Champaner-Bombay drive in early March. Some brief observations after the re-map :

1. Definitely smoother engine note, even in low revs
2. Better acceleration across the rev range, across gears
3. Tested out the acceleration in bits and pieces (due to presence of lorries on both the lanes) on the NE1 from Baroda to the Nadiad exit en route Lothal : clearly superior speeds at the same revs wrt pre-re-map

Regards

[issigonis]

Three pics :

1. Parked in front of the Jami Masjid, Champaner

2. Ditto with the Jami reflected on the car's roof

3. The Kabutarkhana in Champaner honoured by the visit of the Red Baron!

[aghosht]

Hey Issigonis

I can only drool when I see pics of the Red Baron. I myself have a MK5 but in white - so I sure miss the gloss that comes with darker shades. As for the gloss - I'm sure Parvez has something to do with it I'm yet to experience R&R, Colaba for the interiors - but a date will have to be taken soon. My car had been to Global Galerie for some scratches and it seems they kept the window open and parked it outside!

With Thane - Mumbai every day I am near the 75k mark already. Would sure like to exchange notes with you on best practices on the maintenance. I really dont trust these VW workshop guys at all.

[aghosht]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>

The annual service is coming up in June - the car is approaching 60k on the odo. Next is an internal detailing job at Rhythm & Rhyme, Colaba.

Hi Issigonis - was wondering where you get your Red Baron serviced and who do you particularly ask for at that service station. Each time I visit the Mumbai/ Thane outlets I go into depression!

Like I mentioned in my earlier post mine is almost upto 75k now and I have a sort of noise which suggests a slight "play" in the left front wheel (although I'm not very sure what exactly it is). When I suggested bush replacements the VW guys at Thane want to change the entire shock absorber!

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>

1. Definitely smoother engine note, even in low revs
2. Better acceleration across the rev range, across gears
3. Tested out the acceleration in bits and pieces (due to presence of lorries on both the lanes) on the NE1 from Baroda to the Nadiad exit en route Lothal : clearly superior speeds at the same revs wrt pre-re-map

I'm sure you would have got this done at a place only after the right research. Please can you point me out from where you got this done. Will be grateful if you can share a link to any other information that I can read up regarding remap etc.

Many thanks

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by aghosht

I'm sure you would have got this done at a place only after the right research. Please can you point me out from where you got this done. Will be grateful if you can share a link to any other information that I can read up regarding remap etc.

Hi there.

As per post #68 of this thread, issigonis got his remap done from Tune-o-tronics. By all accounts, they are very good at what they do and you can read up more about them on the forum or check out Kryptonite's thread, which is one of the best cases of a remap done right on this forum in my opinion.

Tune-o-Tronics are quietly popular on Team-BHP and you'd do well to get the remap done from them.