Furebo yep will do some monsoon shooting in some time, in the meanwhile some monsoon update:
Getting the Aria ready for the rains:
Am at 17000 kms, it is business as usual till date with no real issues worth mentioning beyond the minor stuff pointed out in earlier posts.
1) Washer fluid - Got Abro washer fluid. It is supposed to take care of freezing issues (which I won't face in Bombay (especially with Global Warming)) as well.
Was using just plain tap water or at times soapy water prior to this. Yep know that one is not supposed to use soapy water but it really did not cause me any problems and kept the wipers smooth. Of course now have migrated to Abro
Positives - The bottle has a nice resealable childproof cap.
Negatives - The bottle is not to clear in in explaining how many capfuls per litre. As in most cases with automotive products the proportions are given in the US measurement system.
Neutral - Washes well, wiper wipes without squeaking but it did so even before I started using the liquid. It right now is more a mental improvement than measurable one.
Price - Rs. 180
2) Rear Wiper - The rear OEM wiper from syndicate had a rubber blade torn at the end. Got that replaced by the newer "skoda type" as they say, went in for 14" ones in place of the OEM 12" ones.
Positives - Improved coverage area., clean wipes, squeaking reduced, since it is the rear it will end up wiping a dry surface from time to time in the intermittent mode.
Grudge against TATA- Why give a 12" wiper when a 14" one fits and works better. Why give the cheap looking normal wiper on an 18L rupees vehicle.
Price - Rs. 220
Brand - Coozo
3) Front Wipers - The front OEM wipers are 26" ones, they were wiping the glass area very well. But they were again the standard syndicate ones that did not look great.
The civic / merc logic for wipes (scissors wipes) one wiper from the right and the other from the left is superb, wonder why all cars don't adopt it. It gives the best visibility.
Love TATA for having this system along with a very intuitive and exact auto wiping function that requires minimum fiddling with the wiper stalks. The Laura auto wipes are thrash in comparison.
Grudge against TATA - Cheap standard syndicate wipers in an 18L vehicle. Don't have a grudge against Syndicate, but it's about the type of wipers used. Also the normal wipers due to the height eat into visibility.
Price - Rs. 850
Brand - Syndicate
Yep went for the same brand was explained it is much better than the Coozo brand.
Coozo has a max of 24" size at Rs. 450 for the pair. Syndicate has only for 26" for RHS - Driver side (civic) and 24" for LHS (Civic) Passenger which obviously would not do for the Aria so just too the RHS driver side one for the LHS passenger side as well.
It would normally not make a difference even if it is scissor shaped motion from the LHS, but in the "Skoda flat blade style" or rather the Bosch Aero Twin style (these are hard to get in the sizes I want and was not prepared to wait) it makes a difference in terms of how the rubber blade is designed to take pressure as the leading edge become the returning one. Maybe a few snaps later can explain this better.
Positives - Loved the looks, pricing is decent and it wipes well without squeaks, but then they never squeaked in the first place.
4) Full Rubber / Plastic matting.
Price - Rs. 750
Colour black
Advantage, will help keep the car dry in the monsoon the original mats procured are carpet material and not suitable for the monsoon.
Positives - The mats sit well and fit well with nice Velcro to keep it in place.
Disadvantage - 4 piece mats kept on top of the plastic mats keep sliding all over.
Colour options - Beige and transparent with beige borders both do not suite the Aria.
Note: Standard 4 piece rubber matting does not fit the Aria front foot wells at all. Since TATA has not introduced OEM options for these, and since I desire those kind of mats will have to buy standard ones and cut them up to fit. Next Stage.
5) All cars today have sufficient underbody protection for the monsoon rusting so did not go for this treatment.
more later..