I drive between Ghaziabad to Meerut, consisting of highways, city roads & a small section of single-lane road as well.

BHPian NG_EV recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Due to a recent job change, my daily commute has increased to 140 km (round trip). At this point in time, relocating to my new place of work is not feasible as the new job is not permanent. However, I still see myself driving the route for at least 6 months. I request the members to suggest the things that I should do to make the trip safer and more comfortable.

Car: i20 Active SX (Petrol)

Route: Ghaziabad to Meerut [Half Highway, part city (under construction for RRTS and routine city traffic), and a few km of single lane road (goes through fields)].

Concerns: Weather (Monsoons and winter fog), routine Indian bad driving

I have already done the following:

• Dashcam Installation - Front and Back
• TPMS installed
• All 4 tyres changed over the last 1 year
• Jumper cables purchased
• Service is done regularly as per the schedule
• Wiper blades are new
• The playlist for driving is set every day before the drive
• The driving speed is around 70 Km/h in the left-most lane

I also have two parking options at my workplace, please help me decide the better one.

One is under the sun with no shade:

• Advantage: No risk of rats, squirrels.
• Disadvantage: Cabin gets too hot and takes time to cool down

The second option is under a tree:

• Advantage: Cool cabin, paint is protected
• Disadvantage: Spotted many squirrels, don't know if they damage cars like rats, and if the rat repellent coating would be helpful.

Planned additions:

• Rat repellent, underbody and silencer coat from 3M
• Purchase Tow cable - please suggest a good one
• HIDs (Unsure)

Please help me in deciding what else is to be done in order to improve the drive and in deciding the parking spot. Thanks.

P.S: EV purchase is not an option right now as I am not willing to go for Nexon, Tigor or ZS EV. I am waiting for an EV built on a dedicated platform.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

140 km is a lot of driving on a daily basis. My suggestion = don't waste time. Just as an example, you could use this time to listen to podcasts. For inspiration, or learning / spiritual / business. Anything.

Whenever I have a long commute during the day which I know will not be enjoyable, I call for an Uber and work from the front passenger seat (laptop or work calls). But I don't think that's an option for you. Unless you carpool with someone.

You should seriously check if there are other people doing the same commute, whether to your office or otherwise. Carpool. You could get a lot more work done in that time and hence, have more free time in the evenings or weekends.

Here's what BHPian jkrishnakj had to say on the matter:

I was doing 98 km a day, for almost 2 years till the pandemic struck us. I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary.

That said, I always had a small box of snacks/fruits and one water bottle in the car all the time (replenished every day)

There is only so much music you would want to listen to. I used to listen to podcasts or listening to comedy shows. Some days, I used to be talking to family/relatives over Bluetooth (I know, it’s not legal).

The other thing that worked for me is that I commuted from 10.30 am onwards to the office and return was never before 9.30 pm. That way, I used to average 55-70 minutes of commute times.

Here's what BHPian Dry Ice had to say on the matter:

As many have commented before me, you are worried about the wrong “machine” here. Think of what this long commute will do to your health. A battered car is easy to replace, but not your health or well being.

Look for carpooling options even if it means you drive some distance within the city to reach each other’s place. Around 4 years back, I had a minimal commute (in terms of distance) of ~12kms. But, I still made it a point to find people I could carpool with so that I don’t have to drive every day. I found 2 willing colleagues soon enough who were also fed up with driving every day. We spent about 15 mins more picking each other up every day, but, it was fine since overall everyone's driving time had reduced by over 60%.

Some days, I also used app-based buses (Ola used to run buses at that time and there was another app called Shuttl IIRC). This ensured on-time journeys and no unnecessary haggles with the cab drivers. See if this can be an option for your route.

I would reiterate, don’t overthink about your car. Most modern cars with reasonable maintenance records will be fine.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I'm planning to buy synthetic engine oil from the market & get it changed at the authorised service centre during my car's 2nd service.

BHPian goandude recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My Hyundai i20 1.0 Turbo Sportz is due for the 2nd service. This involves changing the engine oil.

The Hyundai website, which gives service cost estimates, quotes Rs 1357 for 3.6 litres of mineral oil.

The owner's manual, on the other hand, states using mineral oil is considered a severe operating condition.

It's confusing, to say the least. Any inputs from owners?

I'm planning to buy synthetic oil from outside and take it to the HASS for changing during the service.

Update 1

I spoke with the service manager at Advaith Hyundai Indiranagar and he said that 5W30 for approx 380/- a litre is mineral oil and that's what they use for the GDI engine.

However, they do stock synthetic oil @ Rs 800 a litre which they would use if you wanted to.

I think I would go in for a mix of 2 litres of synthetic and the rest mineral to get a semi-synthetic.

Update 2

Got my second free service done this morning at Advait Hyundai Indiranagar. The car was exactly 12 months old and had 8500 km on the odometer. They filled 3.6 litres of BS-VI Turbo Petrol Engine oil @ Rs 338 per litre. The oil filter cost Rs 75 and something called Car Care for Rs 200. Let me see how she runs and I will update later.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This will be my first car and a beater car in which me and my wife expect to go on a few long drives too apart from doing occasional office commuting.

BHPian xodus99 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone,

I live in Thane, MH and was looking to buy my first beater car. I found this car on Spinny.

This is a 2014 Hyundai i20 Magna 1.2 and has run 18.6k kms till date. This is being sold for 3.9L.

I did a test drive yesterday and here are observations:

• My wife said there was a humming low-frequency noise, (the type we get from a subwoofer) in the cabin. This was with the windows open (without AC) and windows closed (with AC). For some reason, I didn't pick this up, maybe because my focus was on the drive.
• I felt very slight vibrations on the steering wheel at low rpms.
• When the AC was on, on second gear, the car struggled to pick up on a 45-degree incline. There was no power at all. Worked OK in 1st gear. Second gear was fine without AC.
• The suspension was not squishy, there were no thuds, and overall pretty satisfactory.
• The steering was also good, but not as light as a normal Hyundai generally is.

After the test drive, I checked the registration number online and found the owner name, chassis and all other info. I spoke to the Spinny guy and shared my observations with him. I told him that 3.9L was way too much for this car, and I can negotiate around 3L. They were reluctant to offer any room for negotiation stating they have invested in fixing the car. When I asked them what exactly did they invest in, he mentioned the following:

• Changed the battery.
• Brake pedal was hard, apparently, they have changed this.
• Fixed the steering wheel. They changed the top motor in this.
• Changed bushes in shock absorber.
• Engine mount was rusted so they changed it.
• They replaced the clutch disc.
• Replace the windshield since there was a small crack on it when they got it from the previous owner.
• They topped up all fluids in the car.
• Radiator cap was burnt due to heating apparently, so they changed it.
• Apparently, they have done service, (but for some reason, they didn't change engine oil. I pointed out when he asked my test drive experience in the start itself).

He said they will change the spare tyre and apart from that will give me a: 1-year warranty (or 15k kms) on powertrain covering engine, transmission, drive train. Includes cost to repair or replace parts if they malfunction or be damaged.

And 3-month comprehensive warranty (or 5k kms) covering all components typically like AC, Fuel systems, electronics, with a short list of exclusions.

Terms say the car must be serviced only at Spinny powered service centers.

Now, I didn't do any inspection of the car, since I didn't have a mechanic with me that time. I didn't see the dates on the glass too. When I heard the windshield was cracked, I asked them to share the owner's details and they promptly did.

On speaking with the owner, who mentioned he was a retired senior citizen, he said there was a small crack on the windshield because something hit his car - either a ball or something when he parked his car outside.

During this conversation, he mentioned he replaced the battery and also replaced the clutch which cost him around 13k.

When I asked him why the car ran only 18.6k km, he said he only used it occasionally and his office was close by. And after he retired, he didn't use it much because the pandemic began.

Apparently, the car was serviced only twice (1st and 2nd service) at ASS. Rest, he serviced it with his trusted mechanic, because he doesn't like the ASS. So there is no service history after that.

In the end he said the car is great. Just change the engine oil and you should be all set.

He sold the car to Spinny in Dec 2021 and was happy with what he got from them.

So, Team BHP, here are my concerns:

• 8 years, it ran only 18.6k kms, I am not sure if this is believable.
• Spinny is offering no room for negotiation at all and saying this is fixed price.
• Spinny says there has been no insurance claim from owner according to service history they have (I've attached what they sent to me).

This will be my first car and a beater car in which me and my wife expect to go on a few long drives too apart from doing occasional office commuting.

How can I get the service history from Hyundai? How can I find if there was a claim on insurance?

I am expecting there will be some costs I will incur so wanted to know what you think that could be from reading this.

Should I even consider this? Or walk away? Thanks a lot for patiently reading this!

Here's what BHPian poloman had to say on the matter:

When in doubt, always walk away. This should be your mantra when you are buying used car. Don't get obssessed with a car. There are thousands out there.

I will never buy a car which has been only serviced twice in the A.S.S. The claim that he does not like authorized service center is not believable. I could see some rust building up in the scratches highlighted in the car pictures. This indicates poor attention to the car. It is a general trend to highlight some minor issues to deviate the attention of unsuspecting customers from major issues. So be careful with what the owner claims. He may be tutored by Spinny. I can see huge list of work done by Spinny on the car. Now question them why would they do so when the running was only 18.6K Kms. My Polo has run 1L KM. It is still on the original clutch, suspension and steering system.

Lastly the price is too high for a 8 year old car. 3.25L should be a reasonable price if mechanicals are fine and car is accident free.

Here's what BHPian condor had to say on the matter:

Did you check wear and tear on regularly used parts like steering wheel, gear lever, door handles, scuff marks on lower part of the door frame (not door), the handles etc, pedals ? If the running is actually more, then these parts will show wear and tear.

How do the doors close > lightly, or need to shut hard ?

How do the switches behave ? Like new or well used ? Are there vertical marks on the window glass (can happen when glass is operated regularly).

Like poloman says, 3.25 approx. This is 2 generations old - you can use this as a bargain point too. Be prepared to spend a little more after that.

A check by a mechanic will help you get a better pic, esp for the observations you have shared. And if any accident as can be seen by repainting.

Here's what BHPian MotoBlip had to say on the matter:

A good friend recently bought a used i20 Sportz 1.4P auto for 3.5L-ish, the car had 25k odd kilometers on the odo. He got it serviced, some suspension work was done, and the car also required a new set of yires. He got a great deal on some used tyres and purchased them. In total he spent like 16k-17k on service and spares, so for approx. 3.75L, he had a perfectly well running car.

3.9L is waayyy too much money for a manual 1.2 Magna. If the dealer is stubborn and adamant on the price tag, I'd advice you to walk away. The earlier models 2009-11 were also prone to fuel pump failure, this car at some point might suffer from it too and that part is NOT cheap, almost 10k. Thus would advice you to consider alternatives like the Honda Brio, which in a nutshell, is a brilliant city car and light on the pocket too.

Here' what BHPian anjan_c2007 had to say on the matter:

Some alarm bells as things look fishy and translucent. There is perhaps a concerted attempt to camouflage the previous history. The broker and the owner appear to be hand in glove to promote and push this car to a new, gullible owner.

The tyres and the wheel rims are like time capsules and reveal the pattern of use or abuse by the respective driver/s. The date of manufacture should be imprinted on the tyres outer wall. And if this is a genuinely 18+ K run car, it should have the original tyres still fitted. Dents if any on the wheel rim reveal abuse.

Next is the driver's seat. Please check it for signs of usage. If camouflaged with new seat covers, just reach out to the factory fabric underneath.

And lastly, with the 15-50 year old motor vehicles facing the heat from Gadkari's Ministry, the fitness for this car will lapse in 2029 - seven more years to go! Thereafter, re-registration will cost Rs 5000/- for 5 years plus Rs 1000/-automated test fee plus other charges incl Green tax etc.

Need to evaluate all these factors before handing over Rs 3.9 L to Spinny.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We've had the Tata Nano & Safari, hence, would like to experience a car from a different manufacturer.

BHPian vigneshkumar31 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Primary Requirement

A small compact hatch that is feature-rich and offers modern creature comforts for city duties.

Primary Driver

Wife.

I would rate her as a good driver (even when she’s not listening). So she’s trustworthy behind the wheel. Has managed a Figo Titanium before in long term and is comfortable with hatchbacks. Has been ‘designated driver’ of choice for safe return, post many a blurry night. She’s however uncomfortable with clutchless cars and might need to get used to automatics. She did struggle with SPresso AMT we have at my parents’ home and avoided switching places when we went intercity on a Creta AT. She loves fresh, good interiors and premium appointments.

After the Figo sale, there has been a long hiatus with respect to the second car in the house as requirements and situations didn’t demand one.

This year we felt we do need a small car for the wife again, for some occasional work-related travel, school drops, market runs, etc. within the city. We didn’t think about it much and as a stop-gap, for the last 6 months, we have been managing with a pre-owned Swift. Basic and gets the job done. We have to let it go though due to unavoidable reasons.

Secondary Driver

Me.

I’m an SUV guy and have preferred large ladder frames over low slung sedans. I’ve been driving the first generation Storme since its launch and have not yet found a worthy replacement for it. But that’s a different thread altogether. Ergo, I’m not a hatch guy and have not been following hatches, especially the interesting launches recently.

Driving the Swift again, returning to hatches after long, I’m suddenly reminded of the pleasures of a small car. Meandering through small lanes and tiny parking slots give me a joy I seem to have missed with my burly Safari. I’m also guilty of the long-forgotten feeling that only zippy petrols give.

Family Requirement

As a family, we have started to feel the requirement of a new car. We would like to invest in the safety options available today which were unheard of in our previous cars. Nice features and well-appointed interiors are sorely missed.

In our pursuit for the next car, I stick with my SUV requirements and my wife's pro-small hatches as she finds big burly SUVs intimidating.

Cars have become obscenely expensive and I had been planning that the next car could be a one-car-do-all for the family and so I should go for a premium well-built SUV laden with features which probably both of us can drive, meeting each other in the middle. Maybe something like the Compass. But eyes watered after seeing what it costs on road today.

And with one car doing all, the advantage of having two independent cars at a time is lost and one of us would have to always compromise or suffer.

Two cars make sense. So we figured we go in for a new small hatch for her with all creature comforts while I continue to hunt for bare-bones SUVs when the time and option comes to replace Storme. Probably I could do even the preowned route also for the next large depreciating SUV since we would have a solid new small car in the family for primary duties. This also relegates my SUV to secondary status and I can compromise family and plush requirements, thus bringing the price down of the SUV when we get there and get away with a heart purchase. (see where I’m sneakily going with this?)

So the hatch it is now. I would request for user inputs and expert opinions from our Team-BHP community to help me wade through these unchartered A, B segment waters.

Checklist

Classified as Vital - Essential - Desirable

Vital

• Safe car - Good safety track record. While absolute perfect 5 GNCAP stars may not be vital, we would like to steer away from zero star tin cans with known crumple tendencies.
• Good build - This segment no more belongs exclusively to budget players. Some good solid cars have entered the ring making it exciting.
• Premium interiors - We want the car to feel like a luxury barge (relative to the segment) This is key to keep the car fresh and make us feel like a worthy upgrade.
• Features - We hold cars for a long. Future proof features which would help us hold the car longer and not go out of date in 3 years are vital.
• Driver seat adjust and ergonomics - I’m tall and my wife is short. So height adjust and a possibility to work the ergos for both of us is vital. She should be able to see all around in her highest and closest driving position and I should be able to manage to slide the seat back and sit low. I can manage without complaints (as always) if it’s tight for me but the car should be biased towards helping a shorter driver get the best driving position.

Essential

• Size - As compact as possible to park and putter around effortlessly. Don’t unnecessarily want to move up to a compact sedan with a tiny boot as we don’t need it and the price should be kept in check. Hence hatch will do. Also, let’s not go the hatch on stilts/pretend SUV way and splurge money on altitude, please.
• Transmission - It would be nice to have an automatic which looks precisely advantageous for this particular use case. But since my wife is comfortable with manual, and it would help keep the price in check, I’m open to stick shift also.
• Features - those good to have features that cost a bomb in a large car have trickled down to hatches and can be experienced at an affordable price bracket. That’s what we’re gunning for. So pump up the feature list, please. Are there sunroof hatches I wonder?
• Engine - Not particular about diesel/petrol. A good motor married to the gearbox is all we need. If petrol keeps the overall purchase cost in check then would prefer petrol as the other large car would be diesel. Break-even despite costlier petrol cost/litre is not valid as running would be low.
• Wife is a sedate driver and doesn’t corner carve. She was very happy when she got a speeding ticket on the expressway once and counts it as a lifetime adventure experience.
• As I’m the secondary driver, an FTD hatch would be an added bonus for occasional grins.
• Fuss-free ownership - I want one car in the family to be fuss-free and not popping surprises now and then, or requiring constant visits to the service center to fix a faulty bulb here or a failed sensor there. Sorted, niggle free experience, please.

Desirable

• Body exterior - Has to tick the ‘chick hatch’ box in terms of style and colour. So good looks from the ladies’ perspective will win brownie points. Doesn’t matter if I will have to cover my face driving a pista green hatch. Should also enjoy bragging rights amongst the lady friends gang meeting up on weekday afternoons which seems to be a new thing I can’t comprehend (and wisely I keep shut).
• New car - Let’s not go the preowned route because at the budget and considering we would like to keep the car long and also need this to be fuss-free ownership (all headaches are reserved for my next SUV probably).
• Pedigree - Can we sneak in a European experience at this budget? I’m a Skoda type guy when it comes to interiors and clever features. And it would be nice to have that German feel in our garage. Again since it’s a smaller car I can afford to maintain it rather than say, a larger Kodiaq perhaps.
• Manufacturer - We've had the Nano and the Safari so Tata’s been there, done that. Would desire a new better A.S.S experience from other makers but if the winner of this battle is Tata, then not averse to the idea of going again to Tata either. I’m open to any Indian, Korean, European worth its salt.
• Budget - 10lacs Ex-showroom. Ambitious and greedy? Maybe. But I trust the community to find me a diamond in the rough.

Here's what BHPian abhishek46 had to say about the matter:

You may consider the Altroz iTurbo XZ+. It is a good combination of Snazzy Styling, Solid 5-Star Build & Adequate Power. It is adequately loaded too, with respect to features.

Here's what BHPian smileline had to say about the matter:

Considering your requirements you can check Polo GT TSI automatic. It will age well, it has a good safety rating and will be easy to manoeuvre.

Let her test drive all the cars.

Here's what BHPian DogNDamsel12 had to say about the matter:

Sorry for my inability to write an unbiased review!

I drive a Polo 1.2 MPI - and in the category of hatchbacks could not have asked for more. The Polo 1.0 MT TSI may be worth a shot subject to your test driving it - I have not test driven it to know.

The Polo ticks off most of the stuff on your checklist, except maybe the long-term ownership part. My individual experience is that my 1.2 MPI is extremely fuss-free - just an annual run to the workshop, that's all. Though I have seen reviews of some injector failures etc., which personally I have never experienced.

A comprehensive B2B insurance and the extended warranty for sure are mandatory. Parts are way more expensive in comparison to most Indian or Japanese brands.

In terms of driving experience, handles well on curves, bad roads, aquaplanes etc. without any of the tyres lifting off that easily - extremely planted. Easy to manoeuvre in crowded marketplaces and very easy to park. Personally, I am a fan of smart, no-nonsense design. Good boot-space. And cannot say enough - safe, safe, very safe!

Have owned a Polo previously (2013 model) - that car had a great low end. Have been in an accident in that one that could have been fatal in most of the other cars, but managed to come out on the other side almost without a scratch. When I tried to replace the car, fresh out of a traumatic experience, I could not make myself like anything else apart from another VW and that too a Polo primarily for my usage of taking it to work every day as well as pick up groceries etc.

The top-end on this one is good, low-end feels different in that I have to step on the gas much sooner after leaving the clutch on an incline - I will leave it up to the pundits to explain why, but this one has a better fuel economy (seen 15 on city roads).

In terms of service, the Kolkata service center (one of them that I have used so far) is as bad as how great the Delhi one was. They don't have parts and they have no respect for timelines to finish a job - but the experience might be totally different wherever you are.

Good luck with your hunt - and hope she has fun driving!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We are concerned about the long-term reliability, overall comfort & refinement.

BHPian car-dent recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

We are in the market for a diesel hatchback which will be primarily driven by my wife. We have zeroed in on i20 Sports CRDi and Altroz XZ variant.

Both of them have most of the common features expected at this price point but a few features are unique to each. The price for both is similar.

Altroz (Extra features not present in i20 Sportz)

• Alloy wheels
• Rear wiper, washer
• Projector headlamps
• Keyless entry and push-button start-stop
• Adjustable rear seat headrests and rear armrest

i20 (Unique Features not available in Altrox XZ)

• 10 bhp more power and 45 Nm more torque
• Digital instrument cluster
• 6-speed Gear Shift (so I expect slightly better mileage)
• 10mm broader tyre
• Tyre pressure monitoring system

None of the unique features in either is a dealbreaker for us. We are concerned about long term reliability and overall comfort and refinement.

Any suggestions?

Here's what BHPian mercedised had to say about the matter:

Altroz is comparatively a newer launch, i20 is a tried and tested product. If I were you, for my wife, I would go for i20.

Here's what BHPian theAutomaniac had to say about the matter:

Although not a dealbreaker for you as per what you mentioned, IMO projector headlamps, rear wash and wipe, alloy wheels, rear headrests and armrest are far more usable than a few more BHP (addition of 10 hp isn't too much either), a 10 mm wider tyre (you can always upsize) and a stupid digital instrument cluster.

That aside, the Altroz has better comfort, better design (subjective, but I never liked the new i20), FAR better brakes (Hyundai cars have never had good relations with braking systems) and is safer by miles! Plus, the internet keyboard warriors will also give you their blessings if you get the Altroz.

The Altroz's 1.5 diesel is actually in the market for more than double the time when compared to the i20's 1.5L diesel! Plus, with the issues I have seen people facing with Hyundai cars on the internet and on Team-BHP, I would never recommend anyone to trust Hyundai's "proven" products either.

Here's what BHPian AYP had to say about the matter:

Looking at your primary requirements, i20 is the one to go for. Being a Hyundai, there is a higher chance that your overall ownership will be fuss-free as compared to a Tata. The Hyundai 1.5 is more refined than the Tata's 1.5 unit.

The Altroz has its main advantage in the form of a 5-star safety rating and rear wiper. The i20 on the other hand has a punchier engine. The interiors also look a notch above the Altroz in terms of feel and look. Personally speaking, I give higher weightage to the engine and performance aspect of a car which is why I'd pick the i20 over the Altroz. With the recent addition of features like Cruise Control and automatic climate control, the Sportz variant has become quite a complete package.

You should test drive both the cars and pick the one which makes you smile.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The i20 N Line is now available in a new single-tone shade called Starry Night, while Fiery Red is part of the dual-tone palette.

Hyundai has made some changes to the i20 N Line colour palette.

The i20 N Line is available in four single-tone colours, including Thunder Blue, Titan Grey, Polar White and a new Starry Night option. Fiery Red is no longer available as a single-tone option.

The dual-tone colour options have also been tweaked. Thunder Blue, Polar White and Fiery Red are available in combination with a Phantom Black roof.

The i20 N Line is a sportier version of the regular i20. It features side skirts with red accents and a roof spoiler. The car rides on 16-inch alloy wheels and has disc brakes on all four corners. It also gets specially tuned suspension and twin exhausts.

Under the bonnet, the i20 N Line comes with a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces 118 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 172 Nm @ 1,500-4,000 rpm. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed iMT or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Thanks to Ahad for sending this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

The Asta 1.2L Petrol IVT and Asta 1.0L DCT variants will be discontinued.

According to a leaked document, Hyundai is set to offer features like electric sunroof, cruise control and automatic climate control on lower variants of the MY2022 i20.

The Hyundai i20 Sportz will get automatic climate control and cruise control, while the Asta variant will get an electric sunroof, cruise control and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit.

The voice command feature will be available on the top-spec Asta (O) trim. Hyundai has added six new commands including a welcome message, contact info, new sport addition - soccer, sunroof controls, driver window control and navigation assistance.

Hyundai will also rejig the i20 variant line-up. The Asta 1.2L Petrol IVT and Asta 1.0L DCT variants will be discontinued.

Source: Rushlane

The car has sufficient power to carry 5 people, however, you have to slow down at speed breakers & large potholes.

BHPian haskell recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Beyond the Honda 3rd generation City, to the uninhabited extent, I always contemplated the need for a small car for those daily city needs.

I happened on a trail of recent hatchbacks reviews. Had my father not enquired about a test drive, we would not have this lovely car sitting in our driveway. A day after the enquiry, two gentlemen with masks encompassing their faces from us came to render their assistance. Father shook his head, raised his eyebrows and displayed his unearthing with the perfect movement of hands, “son the front facia is not as high as my friend’s i20”, he is referring here to the second generation.

I confessed I did like it.

Now, shall I enlighten you about the wisdom of the rest of the family members, as this is the secret that led to further movements? Women-folk expressed sympathy towards the space at the rear bench. I gathered that the car dimension was tailor-made for the parking space. Amidst the twittering wits, we rolled for the test drive. On the rude tarmac beneath we gild along in tranquillity. With five aboard, the reluctance to move was not identified.

My Sales Advisor and I are of the same cloth when it comes to hastening the process. To my immense joy, I came to know that a model of my liking is on its way to their yard. So as it went, I booked the car via “Click To Buy” as per request by the dealer. On 06 of February 2022, in the broad daylight visited their yard to do the PDI. The car had just been unloaded from the carrier and the odometer read 16 KM. I crossed at length, the many checklists in the “Team-bhp shared document”. And then came the delivery day, accompanying my sister and nephew, reached at 4 PM, 5 days later.

Permit me to elucidate the lukewarm delivery procedure. The car, though cleaned, had grease at certain spots. Dealer's only concern was to adhere to the delivery checklist supplied by Hyundai India and hence every action felt like being acted, devoid of human courtesy. To my dismay, the odometer fuse was kept aside to be fitted at delivery time. They were having a tough time removing "SHIP" mode which I observed in the MID.

Observations

• It happened only once, the gear shift knob jerked from 1st to neutral at the time of start.
• The seats are comfortable and wide.
• Power is sufficient for 5 onboard.
• One has to slow down at speed bumps and large potholes, otherwise, a reverberating thud is endowed upon.
• Mud and dirt accumulate in the space in the front of the rear wheel wells.
• There is no anti-theft alarm.
• The default speakers are quite good, Bluetooth is quick to pair with. The tactile controls on DIN and steering wheel are a welcome feature.
• The Headlight throw is inadequate for unlit roads. I had to turn on fog lamps to compensate for on a few occasions.
• The horn will not deter bovines to make way, even fellow motorists tend to forego.

P.S. I would suggest Hyundai listen to the customer grievances on the after-sale feedback call instead of providing ratings only.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Once you experience a Honda VTEC with straight pipes, there's no going back. I don’t think I’d ever be able to drive one stock.

BHPian ManualTribe recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Garage update:

I'm going to mix it up a little here, and bring to you ownership reviews of both my babies.

2015 Hyundai i20 VTVT MT:

Well, the name isn't that long, but Hyundai decided to call it the “Elite” I20, leaving me with not much of a choice.

I dropped out of my engineering after trying for two years, and that kept things at home very volatile for me. So when I initially went up to my dad and said “Hey, I've saved up some cash, could you help me get a loan so that I can get myself the new KTM RC 390?”. The response was rather humbling.

I didn't give up however, and turned up with double the ante this time, wanting to buy a car(was always more into cars). To my utter disbelief, I was allowed to go car shopping keeping a budget of about 5 lakh keeping in mind I would pay the installments and was asked to look at the Beat, Alto and even the Nano.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re great machines, but I wanted something to call out to me. Something to match my personality and driving traits.

The hottest hatch back in the day was the Polo in it’s GT (TSI/TDI?) avatar. The more economical option being the MPI which just wasn't juicy enough.

I knew I had to extend my budget if I even wanted to think premium hatch, and well, a couple of heated discussions and convincing later, I went ahead and zeroed in on my probable choices. The Hyundai Elite I20 (as they call it), the Polo MPI, and the Punto. I test drove all three, and though the I20 was supposedly the worst driving/handling one amongst the three, I requested for a longer test drive in one and released it wasn't all that bad as advertised. Having spent enough time in a previous gen owned by the family, I knew the ride had improved considerably. So it wasn't like they didn't listen.

However, the Polo MPI lacked the power and the Punto left me a bit meek, as the guy told me a normal service could take upto a week. I couldn't imagine being apart from the car for so long, and the I20 on the other hand had a really strong hold in my mind.

In terms of premiumness back in 2015, it was a huge step up from anything else in the market. It packs a decent amount of power, although its not the 100+ bhp mark which is currently hotter than ever.

So I made it happen! 21st November, 2015 I took delivery of the I20, named it Leena and have driven 108,000 kms since.

This car has literally seen it all, as cliche as it is saying that. I was a 21 year old college boy who took up multiple internships to be able to afford what some would call a needless possession.

I gave it my all to have enough money for fuel and expenses at all times. That’s where my hustle started.

The first road trip was from Bangalore to Hyderabad and back. I was accompanied by both my parents, and it went by in a breeze. It was as comfortable as a hatch can get for three occupants. This is where I learnt for the first time, that this car has one downside - being mileage. The FE was an absolute joke! While driven spiritedly, I get about 7-10 kmpl, no joke. When you really do try to get some solidarity in your wallet and shift under 2000 rpms, she manages about 12-13 kmpl. This obviously made my dad a bit upset as he thought any sensible guy in my place should’ve chosen something like the swift, or ANYTHING but with good FE.

To be honest, I loved it though! I loved the note of the stock exhaust, I believe its one of the nicest sounding petrols in the segment. Needs stainless steel piping and she’ll be a screamer! When your car sounds and shifts like you want it to, you’ll never be able to complain about the kilometres per litre it achieves.

Life went on, I graduated and started working, while changing multiple jobs thanks to luck, decisions, the pandemic etc. One thing that remained constant in my life was this baby.

Once I strated working, i obviously had a larger amount of disposable income and well, it all went to experiences. I have driven this car with its FE all over the place. Multiple Goa trips, multiple Blore-Hyd runs and a trip to Kolkata and back.

It has always been the most comfortable ride ever. A gear down whenever I'm in need of a bit more oomph and it never disappoints.

I’ve made sure this car always got the best. A single ding or scratch would mean an insurance claim and making the guys at Hyundai go mad! Because I just couldn't let them not take my pride and joy seriously! It was always taken care of by authorized Hyundai service centres and runs stock to the day. (Recently got a set of forged rims and Yoko rubber).

The clutch on this is a bit of a tricky one. Not boasting or talking smack here, but if you ever look up TGE TV’s video on him purchasing his dream Porsche Carrera GT, yo'ull hear him say that he got practice of the clutch on a 1.2/1.4 Hyundai.

While you disengage the clutch, it takes a bit for the car to move.

Considering my username, you know by now I’m a sucker for a good shifting knob of happiness. This gearbox on the I20 is just butter smooth as they say. It is just so slick, and fits into the groves like a glove! Though its also stupid expensive to replace, it’s quite the cherry on the icing when it comes to this car as a package.

Ever since the change of rubber, a wider set of tyres have honestly improved handling dynamics by a mile! However, my ideal spec was this car with a set of Lenso Dyna Jager’s, I’ll make that happens soon, I promise.

Needless to say, this car will stay in my garage forever, as it just means so much to me. I quite really grew up through this ownership experience, and I find myself sitting back and looking upon all things cherish-able rather amused. Yes, it has been a bit of a money sucking machine, but which fine automobile isn't?

I'm currently trying to limit the kilometres on this thing, as I said earlier, I want to retain this for as long as possible, and not rack up more miles and service bills for a while. She’ll still get the best attention possible, but just no more daily driver duties. I’m considering the rims afore mentioned and SS breathing for this thing. Will update this thread with time.

2001 Honda City VTEC MT:

As life and car enthusiasts go, the hunger never really dies and you want more and more once you’ve tasted what experiencing a car to the fullest means.

I always wanted to take up a project car. The idea of bringing back an icon to its former glory is just stuff that dreams are made of right? I’ve already spoken about why the VTEC in my previous post so I wont bore you with it again.

But here is how it has been going.

Note: Considering this was my maiden attempt at building a project car, do excuse the times you’d probably say “Why the hell would you do that?”, just bear with me. I’m still learning, and I will keep doing so till my last breath.

I took out a personal loan to fuel this project and build a brand of my own. Which would be a community for like minded car enthusiasts. Enter ManualTribe.

I made a living out of writing once, and considering that I can speak decently enough, I thought I would curate as much content as I can,the kind of content that I would like to consume and take it from there.

I found a car which had a lot of red flags. Thinking these flags would be good for the story, I just shut my eyes and jumped.

Do read the note a scroll up at this point if need be.

I found a VTEC which hadn't been driven in two years. Went about doing a full overhaul in terms of mechanical and electrical fronts.

This, took a lot of time and money. At this point, I was based out of Hyderabad and all my car contacts being in Blore, it would have to drive down for all these jobs.

Once it was running fine, and I had managed some more funds, I went about to change the breathing on the car. Man, let me tell you.

Also, a dual flow intake and SS piping for the same.

Once you experience a Honda VTEC with straight pipes, there's no going back. I don’t think I’d ever be able to drive one stock. It just sounds like a big block, foreign engine. You’d never believe it is a 2 decade old Honda!

This was my daily driver for the last year and I don’t think I’ll be able to find such an easy/fun to own/hoon car in the price bracket ever.

The road trips were all solo, and would you believe not getting tired in a 20 year old car with suspension issues? I didn’t either till the time I did the Blore-Hyd and back runs multiple times.

Also, once I changed the breathing with the exhaust, the highway runs were just orgasmic. I would be grinning from ear to ear throughout the 650 kms. It would literally sound like a bomber just cruisiing about. That noise!!

This is one car that turns heads like no tomorrow! There have been multiple instances of people older to me walking upto me and striking a conversation. Just makes my day. No matter how late I am or how urgently I need to be somewhere, I ensure I give them my 100%, considering they’ve put in the effort of starting up a conversation.

You might now believe it, I was once dropping my boss home after a late night and considering the pay difference, it was obvious his locality was full of Mercs, Bimmers and a couple of Range Rovers. I saw a couple of kids come up to me and say- “Anna, super car!” I was in shock. The little dude probably gets dropped off to school in an S350, but he said my car was cool! How could that be? A gent of fine taste I’d say.

Jokes apart, the utter symphony that is, the high revving VTEC unit is a gem. I wish I could one day have a car built to my vision. This one’s halfway there for now.

I pity the generations to come, for they will never really be able to experience and know these few legends, which are slowly being pushed off the roads in the name of FC, NOC and well the newest of them all- green tax and the 15/20 year rules.

The point is, a lot of us are actually ready to go through the whole ordeal. But the constant harassment from the cops even if your car is totally legal and all papers accounted for is what ruins it for me.

Bangalore road regulations are pretty strict, considering back in Hyd, the VTEC was my daily driver and it never caused a problem (there was also an instance when an officer pulled me over and said listen, i like the sound. Make sure when you get the next green you rip it!).

I have nothing but respect for the officials of the law, it’s just that rules in our country are a little obsolete, if I may.

So 20,000 kms after on the VTEC and another job and city move since, I’ve decided to part ways with it and make way for something newer. Just because I don't want to deal with any more paperwork related running around. It’s an MH car with a few things done and a few things not yet done in the Blore RTO.

For anybody who’s looking for a VTEC, you can take a look at mine, you’ll definitely have to take up the paperwork drama, but atleast I’ve got the fixing the car part taken care of rather well.

Will be sure to write more, as being read and understood by fellow enthusiasts is the next best thing, than to be able to share stories in one another's garages.

A question to @GTO, could you please help me out a bit here? Hahaha. I think i need some help with the money management bit. I think a couple of conversations with you will help me make better choices, because the bug has bitten me and I’m now hungrier than ever. To pick up something and build it as my own spec.

Currently considering a ’13 Cedia, as it wont have as many paperwork issues, and it seems to be the last of the true tunable cars.

Also, in case things do fall back to normal and office resumes, I’ll have 70 kms of driving to do daily,and I’d rather have something fun. Loud exhausts can always have Valvetronic units installed and that should leave space for 0 complaints.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

As far as I remember, the engine oil has been replaced only during the 1 month service internals in the absolute beginning.

BHPian brt_mhn recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello fellow BHPians. I know this thread will absolutely hurt all of us to the core. But I hope we can give this trusty 2012 i20 CRDI a new life.

I found a post by BHPian beejay in which he gave his parameters for writing off a car as abused. As you will see, this i20 satisfies all the parameters.

About the car:

This is a 2012 Hyundai i20 CRDI Asta pre-facelift model. We bought the car in Feb ‘12 and it had been in constant use till August 2021 when we finally retired it as our daily car. This ol’ reliable machine has done 61,716 km at the point of writing this. Current running is around 70-90 kilometres per week thanks to my driving lessons.

My father was a very conservative and sedate driver and never stressed the car too much while driving. He never even remotely attempted to close a gap in traffic. In all my years as a passenger, I have never seen him cross 2000 rpm more than 6-7 times. My dad is the kind of guy (please believe me, this is 100% true) to drive at 40 in 4th while going uphill! Add to that the fact that we use the AC once in a blue moon, it is safe to say that he is one of the most efficient drivers out there. Fuel efficiency you ask? 20 kpl in the city! Every time we calculate this, he comes away amazed (as if he’s been rally racing the car).

What went wrong?

To bring it down to 2 words, cost cutting. My father never believed in manufacturer recommended because he always thought of them to be very optimistic. As far as I remember, the engine oil has been replaced only during the 1 month service internals in the absolute beginning. Coolant was replaced once 4-5 years ago along with the battery. Other fluids and components have never been changed. And since wear and tear is very gradual, none of us in the family never even noticed anything. All this changed after two events in the past 6 months. The first one being that we moved into an MG ZS EV and the second one being me starting to drive.

What are your preliminary observations?

• My Numero Uno observation in the i20 was that the ride was very jittery and I could easily diagnose that the suspension was worn out.
• The second thing was that the car was pulling to the left. The service centre has diagnosed that the steering rack is busted and that they want to replace it which I believe to be true as the car used to squeal every time I reversed with the steering wheel completely turned to the right (In retrospect, is it just an alignment thing?).
• My third observation is aimed at the brakes that squealed every time I depressed the brake pedal mildly. This disappears as soon as you press it down a little more though. I think I should get the brake pads replaced.
• My last major observation is that there is a bit of resistance when I try shifting into 2nd from 3rd. This does not happen for any other gear.

Apart from this, there are various scratches and dents (I managed to remove a few) picked up over the years and other things like the struts for the boot failing to keep it upright. The bonnet is also a little loose leading to noise and vibrations at idle.

I intend to replace things like bumpers and a broken tail lamp lens myself and leave the mechanical components to an authorised service centre.

I have always proclaimed myself as an enthusiast but most of my knowledge was only market related coming off Autocar India and more recently, Team BHP. I am truly humbled upon realising how much I do not know after joining this wonderful forum. I am now slowly learning the nitty-gritty of engines and various other “Quirks and Features” (any Doug DeMuro viewers out there?).

I request the esteemed members of this forum to suggest various amendments to be made.

And also, we will be strictly adhering to manufacturer recommended replacements and checks for the ZS EV. Complacency? Not on my watch.

Thanks and regards,

Brt

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Your car sure does look like its been used rough, but it's not too different from "beater cars (Beater Cars: The unsung heroes! And advantages of owning one)" which many BHPians have. My own Sunny has a lot of battle scars as we put it through all kinds of rough usage.

Good thing is:

• Your i20 has only done ~60,000 km. It's built to good standards, so there is hope. What you need to do is have a competent independent mechanic give it a full checkup, and then fix all the important stuff.
• You are learning how to drive and a cheap, old car like this is the perfect companion for the purpose.

Here's what BHPian PaddleShifter had to say on the matter:

First, are you aware of any trusted FNG in your city? Get the car’s engine compartment inspected from them properly. The service centre “might” try to fleece you in the name of “restoring” your car that has not been serviced as per schedule. Depends upon the service centre really. I was made to sign a document in 2014 by FIAT ASC that I am refusing steering column replacement suggested by them and I will be responsible for the consequences. The steering column is working fine as of 2022. I just need to top up the power steering oil every few months.

Are you sure engine oil was changed only once during the initial service? Or am I misinterpreting?

Regarding servicing, leave body work for the end. First see if there is any major fault with the car mechanically. Once you have ascertained that the money to be spent is reasonable, start with the basic service and then drive the car for 2-3 months without changing the steering or suspension. Once a low running car is put to use, the aged components generally seek attention within the initial few months. Once you know it is working fine and is taking higher usage nicely, go to step 2.

Step 1. Get the basic servicing done ASAP in which you replace all oils/fluids (engine oil, transmission oil, brake oil, coolant) and filters (air filter, fuel filter, cabin AC filter, oil filter).

Step 2: Ascertain the parts that need replacement (You have already done that):

• Get suspension and alignment work done together. Once the suspension and alignment is fixed, get the work on steering column done.
• Get brake pads and discs replaced together (I dont recommend changing the pads alone in your case unless the discs seem fine enough to run another 40-50k Kms). Discs replaced now would most probably work for the rest of the lifetime of the car.
• Get miscellaneous parts replaced: boot struts, tail lamps, bumpers. Rejuvinate the exteriors from a local body shop. I think your 60,000km driven i20 will serve you well.

Here's what BHPian sagarpadaki had to say on the matter:

For starters, replace all the fluids and filters in the car:

• Coolant.
• Gear oil.
• Engine oil.
• Diesel filter.

Fill in Shell Rimula R4(5L) with a new oil filter.

The left pulling looks like a alignment issue. Get it checked at a reputed alignment center in your city. Change tyres if they are more than 7 years old. Also, check the front brakes for binding.

Go for the cosmetic corrections only if the car is mechanically correct. No point in spending money on new bumpers and painting if the car does not drive properly.

PS - We have a 12 year old i20 CRDi done 1.4 Lakh kms. It is one of the most well built cars of the era. They do not build like them anymore.

Here's what BHPian boniver had to say on the matter:

I'm sorry, what? I'd change the engine oil every year even if the car has just been sitting. I don't think BHPians run beater cars for 10 years without changing the engine oil.

OP, forget the suspension change, please change your engine oil. I have personally experienced one such occasion before this, again, a BHPian's 2014 Swift diesel, where the car had been driven 33k kms without changing the oil. Basically, his parents used the car for 5 odd years without getting it serviced, and we only learned about it when we both turned 18 and got our hands on the car. At that stage itself, what came out of the drain hole was pure gunk, so I shudder to think what'll be the situation in your case. Don't think about sludge formation in the engine, just do this first.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.