Team-BHP - Powerful DDIS with Ritz practicality...Everything is here:0 to 5000 Kms Update

Hi Team BHP people,

Believe me, i am following T-BHP site for last 3-4 months and following it like hell. And after trying 2 times for admin approval, i got the permission to write my Auto-life experience. Lets start it Phase wise:
Till 2007: I had TVS centra bike till then when i had bad accident while going to my home town Meerut. One drunk biker hit my bike from side and give me 4 months hospital facility and fully crushed right leg. I have full operation video of my leg and those who thinks driving after drink is fun, believe me it can be nightmare for others and i can provide you the you-tube link for that.

2008: After recovering in 4 months and being in US for 6 months, i returned India and start looking for Car as i cant drive Bike any more (Phobia-manic). After considering deeply about New Wagon-R, i ends up with second hand Honda City 2001 Model (Price 2 Lakhs) . Believe me after riding that car for one year, i came to the point why that car was considered as one of the better Rally sports car. I am not going to discuss that as current topic is related to Ritz VDI not Honda City

2009 : I gave my Honda City to my father in August 2009 and started looking for best suited car for myself in crowded place like NCR.

Rules and Points i had in mind before buying new Car:
1: Comfortable driving Car with the piece of Mind.
2: Fuel Efficient and hence Diesel: I usually drive from my homein Ghaziabad to office in noida for 10 Kms only but hey, its NCR and 10 mins is equal to 1 hour atleast.
Plus i am going to have multiple vocation trip and regular trip to my Home Town Meerut.
3. No Low Sitting Car:: Its not that i had not enjoyed Honda City, but driving my brother's Wagon R and cars like Santro, i10 etc occasionally, i came to know the importance of High Riding in Cities like Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon.
4: Something New:: Yes i was looking for something new in Auto industries.
5: Budget:: Actually its very wide. From 3 lakhs to 6 lakhs and i know the hunt is going to be very interesting.

And i am in Car Hunt Mode:; Lets see the car considered by me:
1. Getz CRDI:: Okay, one of the car in my list but against Rule number 4, as i am looking for something new although no second opinion about CRDI, hence out.
2. Swift DDIS: Do we really have better deisel hatchback car in India than Swift? I dont think so but my cousin already have with following negatives:
- :

How can you buy the car if there is newer version going to hit the market within next year.
Be inside the car and Dashboard gives you the feeling of like being in JAIL. All black with no design at all.
Where is my other family members are going to sit with A-Star type back seat space.
Rule number 4 off course, something New

3. Grande Punto:: Actually, i loves that car at first sight. And due to that love for punto, i declared to everybody that i am going to buy that car only. Hence with my friend, went to the TATA showroom and wow, they have dark Grey color on display and believe me my friend and his wife were overjoyed to see that type of design in India. Me and my girlfriend were in love with car and settled our mind for that. Next day, took my cousin (who was driving all type of cars for past 20 years and currently enjoying Swift DDIS) to TATA showroom and ask the manager for test drive. After 25 minutes, they provided the TD car and one driver/salesman with us. Now anti punto journey starts from there:
My Brother took charge of the car from that driver and started the car. But when it started, my brother look at me because of Engine Sound. It was really sounding loud.After clearing the initial traffic, we got blank wide road and he tried to press the pedal to the fullest, but hey where is damm turbo?? 2000k rpm no rpm, 2500 rpm no turbo, and i was wondering if it was due to very ill-kept TD car and punto is really like that. We have same Punto with even 171 Bhp engine in europe and this indian punto was behaving like its own's weight is too much for it. Round trip was completed by me till showroom and i was also heart broken . My bro gave me cold eyes to drop the punto idea and we left the showroom disappointed.
4. Here comes Ritz: : Then i told my brother to try the TD of maruti newbie. He agreed and we called Rohan Motors Noida and booked the TD of ritz after one hour in my office. We came back while talking about the things that could make the punto successful and beleive me the conclusion was 90 BHP linea engine.
Okay, After 50 minutes, got the call from maruti showroom and they told me that car is going to be in my office in 15 minutes. Car arrived on time and i took the charge of car and called 3 of my office mates to fill the back seat of car for the heavy test drive. Start the car and told the maruti man about so-so pickup. But that enthusiastic salesman was so confidant about the car performance that he proudly told me to wait for some speed. So i tried to launch the car in second gear itself and man, it really launched and clocked the 100 km/hr in no time while i shifted to 5 gear, the car was really flying.
A little bit less eager than swift diesel, I was really thrilled to have such a beautiful interior car from Maruti. Drop my mates back to office and went straight to bhai's office for his thoughts. After 10 minutes of driving, he told me to leave all thoughts in dustbin and book the car as soon as possible.
And as that car was obeying all of my Rules, I decided on second Ritz of Life. (Actually my To-be wife's name is also Ritu aka Ritz.)

Buying Process
SBI injurious to health: Decided on SBI for loan process, i came to the point soon that we still have some ***holes in banks who thinks they are God and do whatever they can.
I want to tell you that stay away from one man called Prabhat chaudhary in Noida otherwise you will face what i had. Loan process took 40 days
As that was my worst part of buying process, i dont want to talk about that.
Booking and Delivery:: While clearing the loan, i booked the White Ritz VDI for 10k and they agrees for about 13k freebies for me which includes in-build Music System (i want to go for that only as external system could kills the Beautiful looking Dashboard), steering wheel cover, floor mats, mud guards etc.
Got the Load DD after frustrating 40 days and went to the showroom on 2nd december. Got the car next day without any problem with bunch of flowers and Chocolates and all the required freebies. (Maruti Rocks)
I have fitted my Ritz with 4 Sony speakers and Remote Locking and that cost me (4400 + 4900) 9500 Rs.

5000 Kms update:
Long Trips: Till now i have made 2 trips on Highways, 1st was to Kurukshetra from Noida and beleive me NH1 is the best thing to test your vehicle. I went there after having 500 Kms 1st service and believe me, DDIS is one hell of the machine if you know the correct time to change the gear. I tried the VDI till 150 Km\hr and straight came to the point that this mean machine needs wide tyres. Average i got there was 23km/hr and believe me i was really overjoyed.
Second trip was to Agra from Noida and again the positive negative are same.
City Driving:: Ritz practicality comes to play here. Nice Music System in dashboard, Theater Dimming while using Remote Control, High seat driving, Sound insulation, So many cubby holes, Nice Power steering, so many things.

+:
Comfortable: Ingress and Outgress gives you the feeling of SUV and front seat are best in the class along with swift. Ergonomics are ultimate and facilities like 40:60 Rear Seat fold, Theater type dimming of lights......
Power steering: Not that much light and believe me it gives you very confidant feeling on high speed.
Efficient Even with enthusiastic like i did to kurukshetra, it gave me 23 and tell me seriously, do we need more?
Quite Engine: Try the engine on 5th gear with 80-90 km\l and try to guess whether you are in diesel or in petrol car.
No Niggles: Car is still absolutely rattle free till now. Love it for that

-:
Narrow/Sound-full Tyres:: 165 sucks. JK Tyres Sucks more. Vitamin M stopping me for 185.
Fuel Indicator:: Firstly, i dont like digital, second it is so inaccurate that first half is almost equal to 2/3 of the fuel tank.
Rear Seats:: Okay rear seat have good space for passenger but believe me those seats are very uncomfortable.
No Cup Holder for Rear Passenger: Add to the discomfort of passenger.
No Boot Lock in Remote Lock : So even you have Remote lock, you have to use the Keys or inbuilt lever in car to open the boot. Simply hates that.

Well, time to close the update, but i am really enjoying it each every kilometer. Poor fiat people now come to conclusion for punto sports 90 but its too late for customer like me.