My latest aquisition - Grand Vitara 2008

Caramelo · 19th November 2009, 04:10

congratulations, i must admit being an SUV generally one has to assume that it must have been abused by the owner!! but this baby is like an angel

the seats, leather steering and interior look great!! i dont think it would be underpowered for city drives and even highway duty! only when offroading you may feel lack of power!! well samurai and pros like them know the best! but this is just my feeling!!

does your vitara have VVT!?

//M · 19th November 2009, 08:30

congratulations ricky! The GV looks great in white and the interiors are good too. Do post a review or an initial ownership of your GV with lots and lots of pics. congratulations again!

AnonymousCoward · 19th November 2009, 08:40

Congrats Ricky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai

Wish I could get that leather steering cover, I have been looking for 2 years in vain. It is very hard to come by in my location.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

If you want I can try & look for the steering cover the next time I go to the service center.

From the looks of it, it seems like the steering wheel leather cover was stiched when they did the seat covers. Stanley does this for steering wheel and gear knob alone too, even if you do not wish to go for the seat covers from them. When I enquired a long time ago (2yrs may be), they quoted 3.5K in Bangalore for steering wheel and gear knob.

Ricky_63 · 19th November 2009, 11:34

Thanks everyone for the comments. I see that there are more GV fans than I thought.

Ok here is an update on the FE test. As Samurai had suggested I reset the AVG display. I managed to go upto 9.8 kmpl, but then caught in a traffic jam & watched the figures drop to as low as 7.1 kmpl. After the jam & back I ultimately landed a FE figure of 8.1 kmpl.

So I'm learning the ropes !! Thanks Samurai for the suggestion.

Samurai · 19th November 2009, 11:37

You are welcome. Now that looks like the right average. With sedate driving, I have seen as high as 13kmpl on highways.

Ricky_63 · 20th November 2009, 14:46

A querry. When I opened the engine bay just to familiarize myself with the layout. I noted that right in front on the RHS, someone had put a big plastic wrap around a squarish black box, into which there were 2 connectors with many many wires. I have removed it, as I did not want it getting entangled in the fan in case it came loose.

Why would someone do that ? My guess is to protect the black squarish box from water during engine washing.

Can anyone tell me if this is any reason for me to go running to MASS !! I should think not, as the car is running just as it did before.

BTW the engine bay is squeaky clean - as good as new.

Cheers

sharma_sanjeevi · 20th November 2009, 16:53

Congrats Rakesh Ji, The vehicle is in pristine condition, as the pics suggest.

Enjoy the beauty, and keep us updated on the various aspects of the ownnership.

regards,
Sanjeev

suman · 20th November 2009, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

BTW the engine bay is squeaky clean - as good as new.

You're probably correct - to protect the box when the bay was being cleaned. For peace of mind, maybe you could PM Sudev for his inputs, if any

sudev · 21st November 2009, 07:15

I really do not think there is any need to protect components even when washing. Look at this way when you drive through water it does splash through engine bay. My GV has stock engine bay - with only drop on K&N changed.

Ricky_63 · 21st November 2009, 20:11

So I guess it was an overly zealous guy "trying" to protect something he did not need to !!
Point taken Sire !!

Another query. I don't know if it is a good idea to add Hella 1000's to the front bumper....thought the illumination from the basic setup with High is OK - but I consider the High beam offensive. The Hella 1000's do a brilliant job. Advisable ?

Many thanks

.anshuman · 21st November 2009, 20:17

@Ricky- How about proper review about the SUV?

Ricky_63 · 21st November 2009, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by .anshuman

@Ricky- How about proper review about the SUV?

I do not think I can do better than Sudev & Samurai !!!! please don't embarass me to write an amuterish review

Kind regards

Ricky

.anshuman · 21st November 2009, 20:41

Its not about writing the best review but about expressing what you think about the car, lets us know what you feel about the car.

sudev · 22nd November 2009, 06:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

nother query. I don't know if it is a good idea to add Hella 1000's to the front bumper....thought the illumination from the basic setup with High is OK - but I consider the High beam offensive. The Hella 1000's do a brilliant job.

This is self contradictory. High beam driving or added Hella's end up in same thing - dazzling he oncoming.

GV has adequate beam and does not really need added lights. And unless you are going to add a crash guard or some other mounting system where will you fix Hella's? The bumper is plastic.

With proper focus it has been 80%+ dip driving on night drives (and those have contributed quite a bit of distance in the total on my GV).

Samurai · 22nd November 2009, 09:10

I totally agree with sudev. The low-beam on GV is very adequate for normal driving, I drove 95% in low-beam.

The only real chink in the armour in the GV lights is the side-spread. If you want to take a 90 degree turn, you'll have to turn blindly. Since I live in a village, I often come across unlit roads, and this is a real issue for me.

19th November 2009, 04:10	#31
Caramelo BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: ahmedabad Posts: 769 Thanked: 16 Times	congratulations, i must admit being an SUV generally one has to assume that it must have been abused by the owner!! but this baby is like an angel the seats, leather steering and interior look great!! i dont think it would be underpowered for city drives and even highway duty! only when offroading you may feel lack of power!! well samurai and pros like them know the best! but this is just my feeling!! does your vitara have VVT!?
	() Thanks

19th November 2009, 08:30	#32
//M Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 6,194 Thanked: 22,902 Times	congratulations ricky! The GV looks great in white and the interiors are good too. Do post a review or an initial ownership of your GV with lots and lots of pics. congratulations again!
	() Thanks

19th November 2009, 11:34	#34
Ricky_63 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,885 Thanked: 518 Times View My Garage	Thanks everyone for the comments. I see that there are more GV fans than I thought. Ok here is an update on the FE test. As Samurai had suggested I reset the AVG display. I managed to go upto 9.8 kmpl, but then caught in a traffic jam & watched the figures drop to as low as 7.1 kmpl. After the jam & back I ultimately landed a FE figure of 8.1 kmpl. So I'm learning the ropes !! Thanks Samurai for the suggestion. Last edited by Ricky_63 : 19th November 2009 at 11:36.
	() Thanks

19th November 2009, 11:37	#35
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,813 Thanked: 45,447 Times View My Garage	You are welcome. Now that looks like the right average. With sedate driving, I have seen as high as 13kmpl on highways.
	() Thanks

20th November 2009, 14:46	#36
Ricky_63 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,885 Thanked: 518 Times View My Garage	A querry. When I opened the engine bay just to familiarize myself with the layout. I noted that right in front on the RHS, someone had put a big plastic wrap around a squarish black box, into which there were 2 connectors with many many wires. I have removed it, as I did not want it getting entangled in the fan in case it came loose. Why would someone do that ? My guess is to protect the black squarish box from water during engine washing. Can anyone tell me if this is any reason for me to go running to MASS !! I should think not, as the car is running just as it did before. BTW the engine bay is squeaky clean - as good as new. Cheers
	() Thanks

20th November 2009, 16:53	#37
sharma_sanjeevi BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 598 Thanked: 113 Times	Congrats Rakesh Ji, The vehicle is in pristine condition, as the pics suggest. Enjoy the beauty, and keep us updated on the various aspects of the ownnership. regards, Sanjeev
	() Thanks

21st November 2009, 07:15	#39
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	I really do not think there is any need to protect components even when washing. Look at this way when you drive through water it does splash through engine bay. My GV has stock engine bay - with only drop on K&N changed.
	() Thanks

21st November 2009, 20:11	#40
Ricky_63 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,885 Thanked: 518 Times View My Garage	So I guess it was an overly zealous guy "trying" to protect something he did not need to !! Point taken Sire !! Another query. I don't know if it is a good idea to add Hella 1000's to the front bumper....thought the illumination from the basic setup with High is OK - but I consider the High beam offensive. The Hella 1000's do a brilliant job. Advisable ? Many thanks Last edited by Ricky_63 : 21st November 2009 at 20:17.
	() Thanks

21st November 2009, 20:17	#41
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	@Ricky- How about proper review about the SUV?
	() Thanks

21st November 2009, 20:41	#43
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	Its not about writing the best review but about expressing what you think about the car, lets us know what you feel about the car.
	() Thanks

22nd November 2009, 09:10	#45
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,813 Thanked: 45,447 Times View My Garage	I totally agree with sudev. The low-beam on GV is very adequate for normal driving, I drove 95% in low-beam. The only real chink in the armour in the GV lights is the side-spread. If you want to take a 90 degree turn, you'll have to turn blindly. Since I live in a village, I often come across unlit roads, and this is a real issue for me.
	() Thanks