The car is not a refined one for sure especially by modern standards. It holds up well though. Even touching a 100 kph is felt strongly in the cabin.

BHPian cefiljoseph recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The beginning:

Apparently when someone is not able to find a job these days, they resort to becoming a financial influencer commonly known as a finfluencer

Don't get me wrong, I love finance and credit where it’s due, finfluencers have definitely helped raise the financial awareness among the youth. However, like most of us here, I too love cars for as long as I can remember.

Enter the finfluencer. They swear by two commandments. First, to start saving from as early as possible. Second, to stay away from liabilities like cars.

It looks like both my likings contradict each other. It's like being a vegan who's favourite food is steak.

How do I manage my passion for cars while being mindful of finances. Two words - cautious indulgence.

Deciding to get a car and choosing the model:

Here I am, a twenty year old who just moved to Mumbai for his first job. I always knew that the first thing to do after landing a job would be to get a car.

In my situation, the car was not just for enthusiastic reasons but also to commute to work. My office and apartment being in Thane, the public transport options were limited or difficult to get especially during the monsoons. This was the primary reason to get a car.

My father offered to get a car for me since I had only started earning. He was against getting a two-wheeler because of safety concerns. Since I would be buying the car with my parents money, I did not want to splurge and wanted to stick with the smallest budget possible. However, I didn't have to be conservative with maintenance or mileage as long as it was reasonable. This is because I would be taking care of upkeep and fuel largely.

After some thought, I decided to keep a budget of two lakhs and search for a car. This ensured that I don't end up with the bottom of the market and also get a decent car thanks to the endless options in Mumbai.

Once I decided the budget, it was time to zero in on the models. First rule I knew from years of watching videos and lurking OLX was to never buy the car at the upper end of the budget and to save 20-30 percent of the car's cost in immediate upkeep.

Therefore, I decided to search cars under 1.5 lakhs. The immediate choice that came to my mind was the Suzuki Alto K10. It was pocket friendly, fun and reliable. I thought this was the one to get and I shouldn't look any further.

On a later day, while going through OLX, I searched with a price filter of two lakhs and below. Suddenly, I realised the mistake in my decision when I saw other options like civics and corollas.

The Civic was eliminated for two main reasons. One is that contrary to common perception, keeping a Honda running is kind of expensive once the car is of that vintage(~15 years). Second was the notorious bottoming out suspension which would be suicidal in Mumbai where speed breakers are as unscientific as it can get.

Fiesta was also something I liked in that budget. However, I wouldn't be getting the nicest fiesta in that budget needless to mention the worry of having something from a manufacturer who left the country.

The choice was obvious - 9th generation Corolla (E120). Arguably the best mass market corolla ever made.

Press photo of the ninth generation Corolla:

I have a never ending list of great things to tell about the car. I never miss a chance to annoy every person I meet by telling about how good the ninth generation corolla is. In my humble opinion this is the best car someone car buy today with a budget of two lakhs. Give or take a little depending on the year.

Major W's for the E120:

• Toyota reliability - having seen a first gen Innova and a Fortuner perform daily in my home without breaking the banks for over a decade has given me first hand experience of the Toyota reliability and support. Therefore, I have reasonable trust in the brand.
• After sales support of Toyota - unlike many other brands, Toyota supports and services older vehicles/imports without a fuss. I was partially wrong about this which I will talk about later in the thread.
• Safety - this was a major win for the corolla against my previous choice, the Alto K10. Right from the base model the cars came with all-wheel disc brakes. From 2005 facelift, they came with ABS as standard right from the base models as well. I wish customers and manufactures today gave more importance like to having safety equipment as standard over gizmos like sunroofs and wireless charging pads.
• Comfort and Luxury - I found it low key funny that someone shopping with a small budget would be getting a luxurious car with reasonable reliability. Well, that is the beauty of buying used cars. The H5 variant that I eventually got had factory leather seats by Stanley. Even a basic couch from Stanley today costs a bomb so this sweetened the deal.
• Performance - Toyota generally tunes their engines for good low end torque be it petrol, diesel or whatever. The sweet 1ZZ-FE motor of the ninth generation corolla was no exception to this. I also choose this particular model for the tuning potential of the 1ZZ. Famously, the much loved lotus Elise had this same engine albeit with a supercharger. Some other cool models like the Celica shared this engine too which made it cool in my eyes. To be fair, the engine has mediocre perforce higher up in the rev range and has a diesel like performance. This is why I decided to get the manual so that I can capture most of the torque when driving. Admittedly, Mumbai traffic sometimes makes me question the transmission choice.
• Practicality - An enormous boot of 430 litres sweetens the deal and makes it a great touring car. It comes handy when I pick someone from airport as it could swallow two check-in and cabin bags each with some small things. The same comes handy during road-trips as well. The back seat is a little compromised to achieve this boot space. In later generations, this has been changed from what I understand. Speaking of back seats, the lack of AC vents is one disadvantages in this generation of the corolla. Since, I mostly don't have people in the back seats, this is hardly a problem. I however, oddly like travelling in the back seat. Due to the lack of insulation and age, I love the sensation of speed and especially torque felt in the backseat. However, I can see someone complaining about the back-seat on longer rides. Speaking of practicality, the more than usual ground clearance of corolla makes it feel like Toyota predicted the future with this car. While it results in an MPVish driving position, I would take the peace of mind of ground clearance any day over a little more handling. It is interesting to see that Toyota tried this with Corolla back then and is now bringing the same feature to the current generation Crown. Truly future-proof.
• Styling and iconic nature of corolla- Corolla styling has always been evolutionary in nature. While corolla is disregarded as a basic beater car in developed parts of the world, in India corolla it is seen as baller car. Especially someone who bough the ninth generation new back then would know this. It was mostly owned by successful professional like doctors and charted accounts of the day. I considered this to be an advantage since the elderly people who owned these generally took great care of the car. So, it was still possible to find a reasonable example even after 15 years. Also, when a brand name such as corolla survives for multiple decades and sells millions of units, it can't be by luck. There is something truly great about a good old 'rolla.
• Global car - being a global car, it can be assured the ninth gen corolla has been designed and manufactured to global standards. This gives me peace of mind in the quality of engineering and thought that has gone in the car. Moreover, it also gives me confidence that the team would have spent their dollars in areas that matter like safety.
• Unbelievable and mind-boggling value - whenever someone gets into the car, they are shocked by how good the car is for the money. They are also thoroughly impressed when I show features like power folding mirrors for a car of this vintage. For the money, like I explained using the above points, you are getting everything you need in a car - performance, practicality, reasonable economy, reliability, luxury, safety, and what not. This sometimes proved to be challenge when I took the car to office and people higher above my grade saw me in a 'better' car. This was also when I realised that cars are primarily positional goods in Mumbai unlike where I am from in Kerala where people have cars to reflect their passion.

Meh's about the ninth generation Corolla:

At this price, I can't really say anything as a major negatives about the ninth generation corolla. However, I do have some things that makes the ownership less nice.

• Driving experience - the shifting of the car is rubbery especially in the first two gears. The clutch is also hard to my liking. The steering wheel is also thinner than I like it to be. Having a higher ground clearance hurts the experience as well. This is no match for an octavia or a civic. It's the price to pay for added reliability and repairability.
• Expensive running cost relative to the cost of the car - Okay, here comes the catch. The large petrol engine with mediocre mileage, expensive insurance (because engine displacement is greater than 1500cc), high spare costs sometimes even comparable to small germans, green taxes and renewals. All of these add to some effort and cost. However, I was ready to take the hit considering it is worth all this effort.
• Poor performance of the head-lamps - Lighting is something that shows the age of the car. Often times, I find the need to turn on the brights to have adequate lighting while driving through darker areas. Hence, this is something that I consider should be upgraded. While I like to keep cars as stock as possible, lighting being a safety concern, I want to make it as good as possible.
• Visibility concerns - The mirrors are small. This often results in poor visibility and blind spots when driving. It's hard to see incoming autos and bikes which hampers with the safety.
• Aged Audio system - while it had a brilliant audio system at the time, it is no match for a modern one. All the features in the system from the 6-disc CD changer to the cassette player are obsolete today. I don't want to mess with the system baby upgrading it to a newer one. However, in the case of finding a period correct looking system, I am open to exploring options here. However, I would be extremely careful in find a replacement for this.
• Lack of power in higher end - While the engine is great at lower-end RPMs, the higher end performance is lacklustre. I find myself downshifting or wanting more power as the speed increases. This would be something that's harder to address than other issues and I think I will have to live with it.
• Sound insulation - The noise isolation is rather poor inside the cabin. The poor NVH levels with a rudimentary engine result in this. While there are fixes to this, I don't want to add more weight and insulation materials by opening the doors and stuff for the sake of it.
• Fuel Efficiency - Being a large petrol car with a large engine doesn't help here. It gets a reasonable 9-10 kmpl when driven on mixed routes like my office commute. On highways, during long trips it gets better economy upwards of 12 if driven sedately. However, I always end up with a heavy right foot and never been able to get this consistently.

On the whole, I can't really hold up these complaints considering the current price of the car. Nonetheless, these are inconveniences that comes with ninth generation corolla particularly at this vintage. I will detail more about the experience in my initial experience later. Please do read along.

Hunting for a good example:

In retrospect, this is once place where I could have done better. I made some rookie mistakes in the excitement of getting my first car but still ended up with a reasonable deal and car.

Once I finalised on the ninth generation corolla, I started searching for a car primarily though OLX. Many of them were converted to CNG which ruined the car. I wanted a relatively clean stock car. Cars in good shape were lesser in number than I thought. Many examples were cosmetically and or mechanically abused. Many were also not taken care of presumably owing to the high cost of parts. Then, I saw a car with a Toyota Utrust in Wasan. It was a single owner car with about 170k kms on the odo with company service records. Seeing the high mileage I decided to move on. Later I saw cars with lesser mileage in worse shape. Therefore, I decided to go see the car in Wasan Utrust.

I was really shocked to see the car. It had some minor dents and scratches which is to be expected. Barring that, the car was extremely clean. The interiors were the most impressive part. Generally, the leather wears out in cars of this vintage but this one had it in top shape even with this high mileage. I tried to follow the team BHP checklist when evaluating the car. However, I did make some mistake due to the lack of experience coupled with my naivety. Since I was buying directly from Wasan, I didn't really do a thorough checkup and do the due diligence on my part. Moreover, I didn't examine the service history thoroughly either. I ended up paying a premium as well. Due to my busy schedule then of moving in and settling at the office, I could only go see the car at night which wasn't ideal either. These were definitely some mistakes and I hope everyone reading this could learn to avoid it.

Seeing the car, I was instantly in love. The old world charm sold me on the car. Right from twisting the key to unlocking the car to having a basic engine, it has just the right amount of things you needed in a car. Even being a Mercedes lover, I truly didn't want anything more than this corolla at that moment. It made me content and needless to say I was sold.

First look of the car at the dealer parking lot:

Rear three quarters show how the later generation clearly evolved from this:

The interior were relatively well kept for the age. The storage lid on the dashboard which often breaks in these cars were broken in my car too:

Rear seats offering reasonable space and has luxurious leather. The wide arm rest also helped in a better rear-seat experience:

The engine bay was relatively clean but not upto my standards and I would like to have professionally detailed in the future:

End of day, I was happy to get the car directly from Utrust since it would give me that added peace of mind. They also gave it a fresh service with oil change before handing over the car. Also, me being new to Mumbai, I didn't want to risk buying from an unknown party or dealer hence played it safe even if I had to pay some premium.

The damage including green tax, insurance and documentation was 1.4 lakhs for the car. I think a fair value should have been 20 k less. Anyways with the massive savings on depreciation and the value offered by the car, it is really hard to get a bad deal here. After all, money can always be made again but I can't be twenty again with a ninth gen corolla . Moreover, contrary to popular perception, I feel dreams like this motivate us to work harder and earn more. In today's day and age, it is far easier to make 20k than to save 20k. So, in the grand scheme of things, I knew everything would be work out fine and it did.

I did all the payments and stuff and on the coming Saturday, I went to take delivery of the car.

Buying from a dealer had some benefits. They gave it a wood wash and interior detailing before delivery, put on a pair of new number plates, an OEM car cover from the previous owner and put ribbons on it to make the experience pleasant:

Finally, getting a Corolla after all the research and hunting for one:

Little did I know then this corolla would later become a pivotal part of my life.

Continue reading BHPian cefiljoseph's Toyota Corolla for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

The Civic satisfied all criteria but given that it was a 10+ year old car that was long being discontinued, I was on a lookout for saner alternatives.

BHPian tri_life recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Summary:

As my first car, I purchased a pre-owned 2008 bronze Honda Civic V-MT, 1.8 i-VTEC with 8xxxx kilometers on it. Over the past three and half months, I have driven it for 2xxx kilometers, with a significant portion on highways and ghats around Pune, and some city driving to get around.

What I like:

• Exterior - I can't help but linger around the car just a bit longer after it's parked, often stealing glances as I walk away. That's all you need. It is a classic stunner
• Engine - Wafts quietly in low RPMs, sounds like a dream and pulls hard in high RPMs
• Handling - The car is fun on curves, thanks to its sharp front end and low stance
• Interior - The car is spacious and comfortable, especially the rear seat. The interiors are beautiful and aging like a fine wine, especially the dashboard
• Safety - It has ABS, a couple of airbags, a strong build, and achieved a 5-star NCAP rating when it was tested back in the 2000s
• Experience - You feel special every time you take this car out
• Reliability - Everything has been working well so far after 3 months and 2000 kilometers of ownership

What I don't like:

• Low ground clearance - The car is prone to scraping its underbelly on illegal speed-breakers and especially bad roads, especially when loaded
• Easy to stall - The clutch has a long travel and a relatively sharp point before it starts moving, making it easy to stall. This often results in a slow getaway in bumper-to-bumper traffic
• Bit of a challenge in city - You cannot see the bonnet of the car, so it takes some practice to comfortably maneuver in the city. Low ground clearance and the long travel clutch does not help
• Large front glass - It heats up the car quickly. Visually, the large glass looks a bit too tall and weird when viewed from certain angles
• Bumper body gaps - The edges of the bumper, both front and rear, slightly protrude from the body structure, which stands out upon closer inspection
• 15-inch alloys - They look underwhelming
• Missing features - The car lacks some new, helpful features like bluetooth, fuel efficiency indicator, cruise control, and remote boot opening

Introduction:

I love speed, adventure, and the outdoors. Whether it's jumping out of small Cessna airplanes, cycling for hundreds of kilometers and flying down hills in an aero position, swimming in the oceans, running for hours under the hot sun, or setting some quick times on go-karting circuits.

Back in February 2023, I had just turned 23, had a job, and wanted to get my own transportation. Since I only had to go to the office once a week, and the office was barely a kilometer away, the primary objective of this vehicle would be good old-fashioned fun, and not something that would have to endure daily scheduled traffic runs. So, I felt like I owed it to myself to get a fun and exciting car/bike. I wanted something that would complement this fast-paced early twenties phase of my life and be an enabler for fun trips and good times!

How about a bike?

I considered getting a bike. The idea of snaking up a winding ghat on a fast and loud bike ran circles around my head for a while. However, since I did not have significant experience riding powerful bikes, I was looking for a sub-300cc bike to start with before upgrading to something more powerful, or maybe even a Royal Enfield for a cool cruiser vibe.

One day, I did a test ride of the Gixxer 250, FZ 250, and R15 in the middle of the day. However, I was left feeling a little underwhelmed. Upon further consideration, I realized that the lack of protection from the elements, lack of safety, and limited space would severely limit the bike's use case for me. Plus upon asking, all my family and friends chose getting a car over a bike. I had little reason to pursue getting a bike and ended up dropping the idea. Maybe I'll consider it again sometime later.

Nah, a car is better:

What I was crazy about is cars. When it came to choosing my major after my bachelors at IIT Madras, I opted for Automotive engineering simply because I enjoyed it, even though I knew I wouldn't pursue a career in that industry.

I remember reading the Overdrive and Autocar magazines in the early 2010s and I could make out the vehicle model and sometime even the variant just by the slightest of a glance back then. That time was also dominated by relatively accessible fast sedans. You got a v6 in the Accord and the Superb. I was particularly fond of the butch Cruze, the elusive Kizashi with its exotic rear, and the clean Passat. But the Civic held a near mythical status due to its design and its NFS influence. Plus JDM car culture was quite hot in the late 2000s. Countless hours were spent in my formative years playing NFS and that did feed my love for fast cars.

My uncle owned a Chevy Optra since the mid-2000s, and I think that also influenced my love for fast sedans. There was a story about how the Optra once was near its top speed on an empty highway, but there was a old Honda City up the road that it just couldn't catch. However, I'm not sure if it really happened.

In short, I loved the cars from the 2010s.

I did not want a long-term commitment as I may move overseas, or the upcoming automotive policies could be unfavorable for pure internal combustion cars in a few years. I would not be using the car for more than five years, and the running would be limited to approximately 8,000 kilometers per year. The car would primarily be used on open roads rather than being stuck in traffic. I wanted to experience pure internal combustion engines before they become obsolete owing to increasingly strict emission regulations and a shift towards electric/hybrid vehicles.

Requirements from the car:

Important:

• Should be a special car that I can fall in love with
• Powerful engine and quick
• Engaging to drive
• Well built and safe
• A beautiful and timeless design
• Only 4 cylinder naturally aspirated engine
• A manual petrol
• Only hatchbacks and sedans, no SUVs
• Should fit my road bike inside it somehow, either with seats folded or in the trunk. I did not want to use an external bike stand
• Reliable and justifiably priced spares in case of a pre-owned car
• Ideally within 12L for a new car and 10L for a preowned including the restoration. Could stretch if required

Not so important:

• Did not care much about the latest gizmos and gimmicks. A spartan but well built car with was basics would do
• Rear space was not a concern since most on the time only the front seats would be occupied
• Since the running was expected to be ~8000 kilometers, fuel efficiency was not important
• The Civic satisfied all criteria but given that it was a 10+ year old car that was long being discontinued, I was on a lookout for saner alternatives, just for the sake of being exhaustive.

Alternatives:

Looking at the current car line-up, I didn't feel anything about them, but I decided to give it a shot mostly because my father wanted me to buy a new car.

I looked at the hatchback market, which consisted mostly of 3-cylinder engines or weakly constructed cars. I wasn't excited by any of the offerings. While I thought the Slavia and Virtus were quite nice, the 4-cylinder options would cost ~20l, which would require a budget stretch. And they had turbos. The depreciation hit on new cars would also be quite significant after I sell them in ~5 years. The pre-owned market would have a significantly better value proposition, so I exclusively started looking at pre-owned cars.

I was most fascinated by the Polo. It had the reputation of being one of the most fun-to-drive hatches in the country. Upon checking it out and driving it in a Spinny showroom, I loved the simple interiors, beautiful timeless design, and the strong, no-nonsense build. However, I didn't go ahead with this car because:

• The latest models had 3-cylinder engines
• The rear seats, when folded down, did not sit properly and kept popping up a little. It was very important to me that I could fit my road bike properly inside the car. With this setup, it would be jumping up and down
• Questionable reliability and high repair bills when something went wrong

The 5+ year-old European cars had a reputation for being high-maintenance and expensive to repair when the inevitable issue occurs. Hence, I did not bother much with the used Volkswagen, Skoda, or even some super-depreciated Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.

Honestly, I just wanted the Civic. I decided to check out a few cars and see how I felt about them. As long as I found a good car, it could give me a few years of fun and trouble-free experience! It also had a super-reliable engine and strong built quality. It was usable and reliable along with being one of the most exciting cars to drive, and that engine sounded like a dream.

Buying A Civic:

After filtering out Civic cars on OLX/Carwale that were automatics, CNG fitted, driven for more than 100,000 kilometers, or had three or more previous owners, or visually in poor condition, I decided to look at three shortlisted cars in person.

When I spoke with the dealer for a 2008 Civic, he informed me that he had already reached an agreement with a buyer for a price lower than the listed price, and that the buyer would be picking up the car the next day. Nevertheless, I decided to visit primarily for information gathering.

Since I knew I would also be doing some work on the car, I kept a list of how much extra I would need to spend on it. I also spoke with a nearby Honda Service Centre and planned to take the cars I liked there for a further detailed checkup.

I saw a 2011 car first, registered as MH20, parked outside with no shade. The steering wheel had turned yellowish, and the silver paint on the door armrest had worn off. The closing button did not work for the left ORVM. Overall, these were issues to be expected, and I knew they could be fixed relatively cheaply. However, that car had a yellow engine light on and sounded a little off when revved. I could see that the car had been maintained in an okay condition. The person in charge told me that I could bring in a mechanic to check the car, but that I could not take it to the Honda Service Centre. He also did not offer a test drive, saying that I had to pay a small booking amount first. I knew that some influence could fix that, so I told him I would come back next week with someone experienced and check again.

Then I went to see the 2008 model which was apparently booked.

As soon as I saw the car, I was in love with it. It was properly parked in shade and looked pretty good from the outside. I had a little time to examine the car on my own before the dealer arrived. The car had a well-documented service history from an authorized service center, with the previous service having been done just a month before. It was owned by a fifty-something year old gentleman, who was the first and the only owner. Every single thing worked in the car. E-v-e-r-y single thing. The engine was quiet when idling. There were some minor dings, a dent on the underfloor panel and a repainted door, but that was to be expected. There were no smudges on the roof liner, and the car's interior was in pristine condition. It was clear that the car had been well well taken care of. I knew I wanted that car, it was perfect!

I took the car around for a spin, checked the engine note while revving it, everything seemed to be in order. The dealer was upfront and honest about the proceedings. He personally owned a 2001 Honda City and a two-stroke RX-100 from the '90s, which helped his image a bit. Now I had to make the decision that day as the next day, it would be sold to another buyer. Also I had to fly out the next day and I’d be away for a week, and it would surely be gone until I’m back.

I told the dealer that I liked the car but wanted to get it checked from the service centre before. Initially he was reluctant, but I stood my ground. He asked me what price would I give for the car. I told him if everything was in order and there were no major red flags, I would give a price more than the previous buyer (but lower than what it was listed for online) and would immediately take the car off his hands.

He accompanied me to the service centre where the car was checked for a couple of hours and deemed to be in a good mechanical condition given its age. The engine and transmission were in good shape and confirmed to have a good life in them. The servicing schedule was also confirmed. They mentioned that a complete suspension overhaul and replacement of engine and transmission mounts would be necessary by the end of the year as it was weakened. However, I was aware that most Civics of this age would require this if it hadn't been done already, so it was not a concern. I would need to re-register the car with the RTO, which would cost a bit, but it was good to go! The consultant I spoke with at the service centre gave me the green light. I decided to skip checking out the final Civic as it was almost the end of the day, a second owner white 2012 model in slightly worse condition based on the images, with a lower mileage but was listed at a significantly higher price.

We returned and he called the other buyer to cancel the deal, promising to find another Civic at a good price. After verifying that all the papers were in order, I made the transfer and brought home the car on the same day!

Although I did consider the possibility that the potential buyer was a ploy by the dealer to force me into making a decision that day, I dismissed it. The dealer had informed me about the potential buyer when I first called him, and had also disclosed the agreed-upon price, which was much lower than the listed price. By doing this, he risked me not showing up at all, and also sacrificing some extra margin.

In hindsight, I could’ve quoted a bit lower amount to him and saved some money. Also I could’ve handled the situation so that I also got a chance to look at the last car, the 2012 model instead of just going with the flow and cancelling the plans to see that car, just to be more exhaustive. However, I had already seen quite a few Civics on the internet and knew that finding one with a well-documented service history, a single owner, and that satisfied all my criteria would be hard to come by. I had looked at every single Civic on sale in Pune which was available online. It would have been better if I had found 2012 model in similar condition. Mumbai registered cars were a strict no-no due to almost certain rusting. Pune was the next biggest hub after Mumbai, and there was nothing significant afterwards. I did not have enough time or interest to look at cars from other states. It took me just 24 hours of active action to call shortlisted dealers, visit them, select a car, get it checked by the authorized service centre, do a background check, get the papers, and transfer the amount to finally take home the car.

Yes, I had made tiny mistakes but that’s okay, and the downsides for those mistakes were limited. Honestly speaking, I was super satisfied with what I got and was thrilled with my first used car buying experience.

Continue reading on BHPian tri_life's Honda Civic for more insights and information.

Please don't confuse this with "vibrations at idle". When I say shake - I mean the car literally bounces at idle.

BHPian pkulkarni.2106 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Greetings experts!

I've recently purchased a pre-owned Tata Harrier XT (Dec 2019). The car runs fine for the most part - no niggles as such.

But there's very intermittent issue that I face - very very randomly (like once in a month or so) the car shakes at idle. Please don't confuse this with "vibrations at idle". When I say shake - I mean the car literally bounces at idle. Let me try to describe the shake - it's like you're driving on rumbler strips at very low speeds OR you're standing still & someone is jumping in the car.

When this happens, the car shakes around 4-5 times a second. It's been around 4 months since I purchased this car & I've seen this issue 5-6 times till now. Till now the issue has only occurred during deceleration & coming to a halt (traffic signal or an intersection on the road). No CEL on the dashboard at this point. Also, whenever this occurs, a gentle dab on the A-pedal makes the shaking go away.

When I search for "engine shake" online or on the forum, mostly the "vibration" results show up & the usual suspect is clogged injector(s). To rule it out, I tried Liqui-Moly Super Diesel Additive last month, after which the intensity of the shaking has reduced a little bit. But it's still there.

Since this issue has only happened on intersections/traffic signals, I didn't get a chance to open up the bonnet & look at the engine. I tried my best to replicate the problem in my parking lot, but I could never do so.

Can the experts here shed some light on what could be this cause?

Thanks!

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

Apart from the injectors, do get your mounts checked as well. That much shock from the engine should not get transferred. Why I thought about the mounts is if the jolt from the engine was large enough to cause the car to bounce, it would have to something catastrophic with the engine, which, as you mentioned, it is not.

Here's what BHPian vinay.sathyan had to say on the matter:

This is based on my personal experience. Back when i had my Verna, i faced a similar problem. I start the car and immediately the vibration was clearly observed.

Upon inspection, found that there was a rat bite and it had bit the ECU wires going into the Engine. Just one of the wires.

It appears this led to some timing issues in the engine and most likely the pistons we off sync and this led to the vibration.

After getting the wiring fixed and ECU reset, things were back to normal.

One more point, the Engine/ECU warning light did glow for me when i faced this problem.

This might not be the exact problem you are facing, but food for thought.

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

Natural Harrier problems, especially one of the 2019 first batch. Service centres will say that the idler pulley has to be tightened or replaced.

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

It appears to be an intermittent problem and one that does not occur very frequently. Which means you can more or less rule out all usual “vibration suspects” such as engine mounts, injectors etc. They would rarely cause an intermittent problem.

I would check with an engine/manufacturer specific OB d analyser to see if you have any stored codes.

I would suspect some sort of electrical fault caused by a poor connector or similar.

If there are no codes this is what I would do. Warm up the engine properly, let it idle. Then start pushing and pulling at everything. Start with the whole engine. See if the RPM changes at all if you push or pull it any specific direction. Next push and pull every electrical connection you see. Just tug gently. Observe the RPMs. Next every sensor on the car.

You might be able to find a specific component that causes the engine to shudder and or vibrate.

Good luck,

Jeroen.

Here's wht BHPian VijayAnand1 had to say on the matter:

Vibrations on a diesel are pretty common, but a judder is something sinister.

Mild judders are normal sometimes when turning on or turning off the engine.

Mild harshness depending on the condition of the engine, engine oil is pretty much normal.

Judders during normal cruising or idling, or judders coupled with rattling, tinging sounds aren't normal. Judders arise due to misfiring, worn out engine mount/beds, faulty/failing clutch assembly, especially during driving and also worn out suspension parts where they tend to make the vehicle wobble either during acceleration or deceleration when there is heavy load transfer.

Since you've iterated this issue being pronounced more at deceleration, and a gentle dab on the acc pedal causes it to behave well, it could be mechanical or electrical. It's better you try to record a video and perhaps show it to the SVC so that they get a better grasp of what's happening.

Good luck though!

Cheers!

VJ.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Starting from my early days, I’ve always perceived Hyundai as a premium brand when compared with others in the market.

BHPian Maxton07 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone,

First of all I would like to thank all TBHPians for pouring out their knowledge and views on this forum. Its very hard to get access to a worthy yet free websites like this. Initially thought this site is based only on cars but was I proved wrong.

Intro:

The new car bug brewed up when we had a distressed experience on our Tata Manza while we were on our way to Kolkata. This happened in July’21. Though it's not like something we need to replace the car immediately, but my dad asked me to look for new cars in the market. His statement got me excited like hell When everyone was cursing the lockdown, I was thanking it as I had all day long to browse & research about cars. My everyday routine during the lockdown transitioned from the boring- wakeup, eat, online classes, eat, sleep to wake up, eat, youtube, car websites, tbhp reviews & discussions happening on the forum, scanning the car brochures, eat, then sleep. The excitement got up to another notch when my dad announced the timeline (i.e) March’22. Then the process went on rigorously with me being glued onto my laptop every day just to pick the perfect car that suits our needs. Below are the list of cars we test drove/ window shopped in order.

Honda City ivtec-Tata Altroz(Window shopped)-Hyundai Creta-Kia Seltos-Skoda Kushaq(Window shopped)-VW Taigun-MG Astor(Window shopped)-Skoda Slavia-Tata Altroz-Hyundai Verna’23.

Car Hunt:

Will brief out the experiences I had with the cars I TD. Since we have been on the hunt after 9 long years, was amazed by the features & performance the cars are offering today.

Honda City:

There was a firm order from my dad to check out the City first as he had it on his wishlist “the dream car” where he missed it previously due to budget constraints. So drove straightaway to Capital Honda, Meenambakkam.

Initial Impressions:

Great looking car & looked sporty in the red shade. Though it felt considerably larger on papers w.r.t Manza, the interior felt too cramped. The reason is our Manza’s massive interior space. Though the legroom was nice, the cabin height was too low and my mom felt claustrophobic when judged with our Manza. Three people can comfortably sit on the rear seats(Manza) which wasn’t possible in the City. Then got the vehicle for TD and the engine was completely refined coming from the noisy Multijet motor. The gearbox felt slick & smooth to operate. Though the pickup was good, I sorely missed the turbo grunt from the diesel engines. Overall a well-refined powertrain I would say. I’m not accustomed to the build quality factor at that time, so didn’t bother about it. Since we went on a Sunday, the dealer didn’t allow us to have a long test drive. But from a driver’s POV, it was quite a good experience after meddling through the noisy diesel engine.

Hyundai Creta:

Checked in at FPL Hyundai, Chrompet. Felt a stark difference in the way the Hyundai people handled us. They greeted & offered us coffee in the first place when we had our visit. We never got this treatment anywhere, anyday during our car hunt. Just the way they behaved, made us about getting a Hyundai car for sure. SA neatly explained the variants & the situation of the supply chain issues they were facing at that time. They offered us the test drive well before we made a request. Though we looked for the diesel, they gave us the NA petrol for TD. Felt a bit quirky while having a look at it but my mom loved it anyway. Again a typical Hyundai’s smooth engine & gearbox which we had gone through while TD Verna(2013) during our previous car hunt. Mom loved the panoramic sunroof and the rear space which it offered. Three people can sit comfortably in the back that got my mom’s attention. Got the price quote and checked out the showroom.

Kia Seltos:

Checked in SVM Kia, Guindy, the very next day with my uncle. The showroom looked premium and the advisor was again cordial like Hyundai folks. Got a chance to TD the iMT petrol variant. Initial impressions were very similar to Hyundai but cramped interiors for sure when compared to Creta. The ride felt stiff & planted. It’ll take some time to get used to the clutchless manual but would help in my dad’s case(he abuses the clutch a lot). The car was meh to me as it’s a random sight on Chennai roads. Received the brochures & checked out.

VW Taigun:

Checked in Kun VW, Nandanam. The showroom was almost empty(Monday effect) but quickly got assigned to the SA. He explained the product very well and offered us the 1L TSi Manual for TD. Felt some noticeable vibes on the doors as well as on the steering. He offered an extensive drive on the city roads and directed us to an empty ground asking me to do crazy stuff with the car. Heck! then comprehended he was a VW enthusiast & asked me to drive recklessly to check the dynamics of the car. Oh boy! this car is undoubtedly a driver’s delight as it felt very solid & handled like a maniac. Having much impressed with it but again a car worth 18lacs lacked the space & the size we expected. I prefer Kushaq’s styling over Taigun. And followed by the niggles reported on this forum swayed away my interest on this vehicle.

Skoda Slavia:

In a sea of SUVs, there comes the announcement from Skoda, teasing the silhouette of the Slavia. Those design sketches just skyrocketed my expectations over the roof. It impacted me with a lot of sleepless nights as I began dreaming about it from the time it got unveiled. Would sit in front of the TV watching youtube videos every day as it strung my heart firmly. The initial camouflage reviews were very positive which helped me in convincing my dad to switch over to Slavia. And especially the crystal blue shade which uplifts the exterior body style to another notch. Thought of pre-booking it, but my inner self cautioned me about the hassles with which the Kushaq went through. Reached the showroom as the first customer and got the chance to unveil it, even though I didn’t pre-book it. Enquired & waited for the prices to be announced.

In the meanwhile, told my dad about the 1.5TSi which comes with a manual gearbox, explaining the benefits of cylinder deactivation tech, blah blah just to convince him to book the 1.5TSi engine. Since I had set my dad’s expectations about the pricing of the vehicle well before the launch, it wasn’t a big deal. We almost finalized the decision and there comes my elder bro like a black cat(which is deemed to be bad luck), shattering my dreams. He decided to do his masters abroad, which obviously would damage our financials so the entire car hunt was put on hold indefinitely. Frustrated initially, but after the initial ownership reviews which had a lot of niggles being reported, removal of features, and price hikes in just 3 months of launch, made peace with myself.

And that’s the end. Things came back to normal. The college reopened with regular classes and the time moved on like pre-covid days. Thinking about those 6-8 months of me, being a happy car enthusiast felt like a nice dream thereafter. The only thing which provoked my curiosity over Slavia was its sibling, VW Virtus. It was another stunner & looker from the VW-Skoda group. Though the car hunt was on hold, I would look & skim through the reviews of new launches.

Let’s fast forward to Jan’23.

Tata Altroz:

Now my brother went abroad & dad got his job transferred to Pune which meant the car is going to be used solely by me. There wasn’t a car in the market that satisfied me completely, neither my head nor heart. This scenario made me opt for a financially sensible choice which was the Altroz. It ticked almost every box as per our requirements but my dad wasn’t okay with the idea of downgrading from a sedan to a compact hatch. Having said that, he was reluctant initially but got him convinced later.

We checked in PPS Tata, Pallikarnai, sometime during Jan’23. The new features which were previewed at the auto expo’23 made me to have a certain buzz around the Altroz. When asked about the new features rollout timeline, those people didn't seem to be aware of any update to the Altroz. Then asked about the racer spec, to which they said it will have its launch by 2024. I thought it’s a tactic used by the dealers to push the disposable stocks. So I booked it anyway with the condition of allotting the car once Tata launch it with relevant features. They were okay about it, hence booked the Altroz diesel with Opera blue. Got a chance to test drive the car extensively for around 40kms.

TD impressions:

The diesel motor was extremely refined at idle. Couldn’t feel a thing from the motor until 2.5k to 3k rpm, except a mild hum. This showed how far Tata has come over the years with their products & offerings. The ride felt comfortable on city roads & broken patches but where it really shined was on highways. It was planted & felt glued to the road even at illicit speeds. This was the first time I’d felt the functioning of proper power steering. It weighed up quickly while building up speeds and felt kinda artificial while holding it when compared with our inconsistent Manza. The rear seats were fine but lacks the legroom our Manza offered. Was completely satisfied with the vehicle & hence the wait started.

Hyundai Verna:

Just a day after booking the Altroz, Hyundai previewed the side profile silhouette of the Verna & thereby starting the pre-bookings. It was like well…okay… impressed with the teaser, let's wait till the launch. Within five days, they released the design sketches. This was the turning point in our purchasing process as those sketches thrilled my dad too. And heard rumors about it being launched with 160hp TGDi engine which added fuel to the already flaming heart inside me. So thought like, why not? let's have a booking just to be on safer side if Tata decides to prolong the relevant updates to Altroz. Done with the prebooking of 1.5TGDi SX(O)MT, as some media speculated the launch by mid-march. Although people had polarizing comments on the design leaks & undisguised pics, I reserved my opinion until I see in metal.

Time passed by & loved every teaser released by them in the meanwhile. Though I had discussions inside my mind over the safety factor, once thoroughly assessing the car inside & out, made peace with it. The prices were attractive & astonished by those performance figures claimed by Hyundai. I decided that's it, this is the car we look forward to finally. Loved the Tellurian Brown shade, which was unique & sporty with those black alloys & red calipers. After the variant split up, leatherette seats & Bose systems were the missing ones that bothered me while opting the SX variant. I’m not a fan of ADAS & other gizmos on the SX(O) as it would burn a big hole on our pocket if anything awful happens to the bumper of the car. Thought of letting go of the SX(O), but leatherette seats & good sounding systems are a must for a car costing above 18lacs. Hence confirmed my booking once again to my dealer with SX(O) MT & changed the colour from Fiery Red to Tellurian Brown. The wait starts again.

Initial Impressions here:

Special mention to VW as we would have certainly gone for the Virtus GT which was surely a head turner than Slavia, particularly in Cucumba Yellow shade & was even ready to face the niggles if they had offered the Manual gearbox for the 1.5 TSi(which was unveiled right after my dealer punched the invoice for the Verna). Since most of our(probably every car owner’s) usage comes from straight highways & slow crawling traffic, we tossed the VW twin’s ride & dynamics for the Verna. But it(Verna) definitely felt leaps ahead in dynamics when set side by side with our Manza. Since its going to be the ultimate car snapped with my dad’s funds, so thought of investing in a niggle free & reliable ones.

Adieu Manza:

Buying our Manza was personally my close to heart episode that happened in my life. I learnt driving this car with no lecturer aside me, as its just my sheer observation I’d do when others drove it. Though I initially eluded while buying this one(coz my uncle had already owned it), I shared some fond memories with it. Always left the vehicle at TASS irrespective of the FNGs available in our area.

It journeyed down south till north-east(Kolkata). Putting this on sale, was as hard as a heartbreak since it was maintained with utmost care and pampered like a baby. If it had been bothering us periodically with consistent issues & dents in our pockets, I would have atleast made up my mind & moved on. It never disappoints and if you spend a little more on its maintenance, it runs without breaking a sweat. “You may lose something good, but you may gain something even better”. I'm a firm believer in these quotes, and I hope Verna serves us on par or even better than our Manza. Will try to post our ten-year ownership experience soon.

Night drive, the day before parting ways:

Got adopted by another owner, spotted after 2 weeks:

My thoughts on the design of Verna:

Nowadays people look to buy something which is distinct & unique that stands out from other products. Virtus & Slavia’s design is a proper three box sedan made with an unique German touch, whereas Verna’s design is surely a head turner where people look towards it atleast to pass trash/valuable comments. They had done something which created talks & buzz around the product which was a complimentary marketing for them at the end. So in that space, Hyundai had nailed it I’d say. The rear end to quarter back is my favorite profile on its exterior design. The interior does look nice & fresh with ambient lights turned ON. Don’t know about premature ageing of this design, if yes, then there is no way Hyundai would be selling 15k units of Creta today.

Why I chose Verna?

• The design that stands out from the competition( May take it in a good/bad way as design is subjective).
• 1.5TGDi Engine, which was a major upgrade from Multijet.
• Slick powertrain & refinement.
• Peace of mind for atleast 7 years(EW).
• Significant jump on feature & safety kit.

My perception on Hyundai as a brand:

Starting from my early days, I’ve always perceived Hyundai as a premium brand when compared with others in the market. The cause for this perception might be the distinct design, exclusive features on offer, the way the showroom folks treat people, etc., Their cars are mostly tuned towards comfort-oriented space, though they have explosive powertrains on pipeline. While overseeing the abroad markets, I definitely feel that they have cheapened out the products for India despite us being their 3rd largest market. I had some prior experience with their ASS while helping my buddy’s Verna. They were cordial & warm, and they actually write down the issues on the job sheet reported by the customers where other ASS(looking at you TATA) would simply avoid it or just nod their heads just for our sake. Though they are segment disruptors & front runners in the features arm, safety is definitely a thing which they aren’t looking forward to and overshadowing it by offering unique features to lure the customers. Compared with other Hyundai cars, I felt Verna is certainly a step up in build quality & safety and I hope it proves it mettle by scoring well in Gncap or at other crash testing agencies.

Booking & showroom experience:

Booked online on 20th Feb, exactly after 7 days of announcement. It was a pretty good experience with their website & chose the 1.5TGDi SX(O) FIERY RED+BLACK DT with a booking amount of 25K at FPL Hyundai Chrompet, Chennai. Immediately received an email confirming my booking & SA details. Was supposed to get a call on the day of booking from the dealer side to update my order on their system, but nope. After enquiring about the display vehicle post launch, they came to know of my online booking. My SA was very responsive & attentive but had a very little awareness over their own products & offerings as he asked me whether I’m taking a diesel or petrol variant while confirming my order details. It seemed Iike I was the 1st customer to prebook the car on their showroom, so I was on top of their queue list. He proactively communicated & created a whatsapp group comprising people from each department(loan, accessories, etc). Two days later, saw a video featuring the tellurian brown with the exact variant we were looking for. So changed the color from RED to BROWN but SA warned changing the color would make me stand at the back of the queue & the waiting period would be of 1.5 months, to which I obliged later. Received a call during the weekend regarding the availability of Titan Grey which can be taken for delivery within a week or two utmost. Was initially hesitant, but after discussing with my family, sent a thumbs up emoji to SA after 2 days. Then he went unresponsive and later came to know that it was locked by another customer. Now the patience game starts, which was frustrating & can’t able to move on, as I couldn’t think about waiting 2 months after losing my opportunity over the Titan grey. SA on 2nd April, texted me that the new car update will intimated by 7th April as that’s when they expect to receive allocation from Hyundai. The 7th Apr became 8th Apr, and SA informed me the allocation & mine might get allotted within 2-3 days.

On 11th April,

SA: Sir, your car got allotted. Keep the payment ready.

ME: Oh nice, share the VIN number if possible.

SA: Sir, VIN number will be shared once the invoice has been billed.

ME: But I need to do PDI before invoicing right?

SA: No need to worry sir, we will do the PDI from our side. We assure that you will receive 200% perfect car.

ME: No, I won’t transfer the money before inspecting the car by myself. (I became suspicious by now)

SA: Sorry sir, this is the procedure we are following for the time being & if u want any clarifications, you may ask other dealers & let me know.

ME: Okay fine.

Next day, connected to the Customer Relation Manager, FPL via Hyundai help centre.

ME: My SA is not allowing me to do PDI, saying this is not under the guidelines.

CRM: Yes sir, this is the procedure we follow & don’t worry, we will deliver your car w/o any uncertainties.

ME: What would you do before picking up grocery from a store? You would look for the expiry date, mfd date before billing right? And are you asking me to buy a commodity which costs around two million bucks without looking over these parameters?

CRM: (After a long pause) Okay sir, I totally understand your concern & definitely get back to you after discussing with my team.

After 5 minutes,

SA: Sir, what happened? I heard you have concerns with me. Did you contact Hyundai customer care?

ME: Yes, you said to enquire about the PDI process outside. That’s why I spoke directly to CRM.

SA: Sir, no worries, our manager granted your request. You can very well see your car before making the payment.

ME: Okay, then share the VIN number & when can I expect the car to reach the yard?

SA: Sir, VIN number will be shared during the PDI & the car will arrive by Monday at the stockyard. Post PDI, vehicle will be delivered within a week of full payment.

Those italic words twisted my PDI plans as my family strongly suggested to take the car on Sunday(23rd Apr) which was an auspicious day. Called the SA to check whether he can arrange the delivery by 23rd post settling the final payment. He conveyed that’s not possible as transferring the money post PDI(i.e: on 17th Apr, Monday) would reflect on their account the next day(Tuesday). After confirming the transaction from their side, they would invoice the vehicle on Wednesday, followed by applying insurance, fastag and form20 on Thursday. Since they already have cars lined up for registration, mine will get registered by Monday. The SA seemed genuine & haven’t heard much about the PDI issues for Hyundai cars on TBhp forum, so I let it go & done with the payment by 15th Apr(i.e) Saturday. Anyways, told him that I would see the car before sending off to registration so that if I find any hiccups on the vehicle, they could rectify it before registration. Done with the PDI, looked fresh from the factory with just 9km on odometer.

D-day:

Those five days post transferring the money was the snail-paced period of my life. I would look over the clock every hour, impatiently waiting for it to move fast. My SA called me the day before to confirm the delivery time as they had a handful of ceremonies scheduled on that day. Reached the showroom by 11.15am, quickly signed all the documents, gave some goodies to SA & went over the delivery bay. Saw the vehicle behind the showroom tying the ribbons, waiting to crush those lemons & getting ready to meet its new family to be savored. Its been a long time since I respirated the new car smell but the show got spoiled when I read a post regarding the risk of cancer while inhaling it. Instant hatred brewed upon it so that I opened the windows immediately to vent out the scent as much as possible.

I guess Hyundai dealers are instructed to adhere by the rules laid by Hyundai. They were very accommodating and humble to every request I kept. During a feedback call regarding the showroom experience, they were asking a list of 20 questions to rate each service they provided. Everytime I visit the showroom, my SA would wish me and never forget to provide me a water bottle or coffee. Never had this kind of treatment in any of the showroom I made a visit. They look for the customer's satisfaction first so that even if I rate them 8/10, they would apologize, then ask for any scope of improvements to be done in future.

Invoice breakup:

• Base price : 11,02,689 ( Actual price of the car)
• CGST(14%) : 1,54,376
• SGST(14%) : 1,54,376
• Cess (17%) : 1,87,457
• TCS(1%) : 15,989
• RTO Charges : 2,42,335
• Insurance(B2B) : 81,377
• Accessories : 9999
• Fastag : 400
• E.W(7years) : 38463
• Onroad price : 19,87,461
• OD Discount(-) : (-)24,000
• Final Onroad : 19,63,461

Accessories:

Was surprised to see every accessories with the Hyundai moniker as I thought those would be sourced from outside:

• Tyre Inflator : 3258
• Tyre puncture kit : 344
• Vaccum cleaner : 1999
• Microfiber cloth(body & glass) : 211
• Premium neck rest : 919
• Tyre valve caps : 137
• Floormats : 3499

Continue readingon BHPian Maxton07's 2023 Hyundai Verna for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

The way it delivered torque on the highway was at par with my '08 Civic VMT. The body roll around corners was ahead of the Civic

BHPian ralphin_rj recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I was lucky enough to recently pick up a '06 Baleno Vxi - lucky because I found it in mint condition. Yes it had repainted panels but no rust anywhere. The interiors were untouched and the electronics were stock except a 100/90 headlamp upgrade.

The car was so good, when I saw it at 9 pm in the night, 10:30 pm got it home, decided on a trip from Chennai to Bangalore at 12pm, all alone! I hadn't even opened the bonnet at that time. Just me and a car I've known for 3 hours! It was an absolute soul stirrer. The way it delivered torque on the highway was at par with my '08 Civic VMT. The body roll around corners was ahead of the Civic, the Baleno can hold ground better IMO at 90-120kmph.

After hitting Bangalore at 6 am, when the sun came out is when I saw the car for the first time in daylight - after 9 hours and ~350 kms. I was a little kid walking around the car some 50 times.

And by the time I was done spending 24 hours - two people had already asked if I was willing to sell it.

Anyway, the take away from the car after few months is that:

• The body roll is almost non-existent
• The torque in low end can is at par with a Cedia 2.0 probably - can pull up a bridge with 4 people with AC on at 45kmph in 5th gear.
• The AC in the car can cool a small room. I think someone said it can put an S class to shame.
• The drive quality is plush and smooth.
• The white background meter console becomes black in the night (Brilliance) - will attach a picture below.
• The tall gearing means in second gear, in the city, it will have the passengers screaming of joy!

Will also attach a picture of the car below in recent times:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Engine sounds rough at high RPMs and is way more audible inside thanks to very poor sound insulation.

BHPian hellraiser_yank recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Have had Hondas in the family since the first gen in the 90s. have owned every generation besides OHC. this latest generation is the most disappointing. my review of my current City is a bit overdue and will cover in detail the cost cutting and rather stingy-ness which is very apparent in the latest gen.

To list a few glaring issues in my examples:

• Exposed wires with no fabric sheathing in many places. People with rat infested garages beware.
• Engine sounds rough at high RPMs and is way more audible inside thanks to very poor sound insulation.
• Under tyred as always but with the bigger size seems even more apparent when driven enthusiastically.
• Being a C2 segment which is the size that used to be the D segment without a proper independent rear suspension (same for all in this segment) combined with the very soft setting inspires no confidence when driven at highway speeds.
• Still no rear disc brakes.
• Absolutely potato quality of rear camera, does not even compare to OEM cameras from many budget brands from 10years ago.
• Infotainment is probably still the worst in segment.

• Seat belt does not go back in position since second month of ownership. have to coax it back. Multiple niggles in the first year of ownership. never had any in any previous Honda products.

Switched back to the city for my father after a very eventful but very engaging ownership of a Vento TSI for about a 1,20,000kms. as long as im in the rear seats being driven by a chauffeur at city speeds its acceptable that too only in the hands of a competent driver as the CVT combo gets noisy.

The new City after my experience of about 90k kms in a 2011 VMT and further 1k kms in a 2020 ZX CVT leaves a lot to be desired. always had been a big fan of the L15b1 engine and used to look for swap options in my days owning the 2011 VMT but the state of tune and probably not the best intake solution its a big disappointment.

The only car I consider worthy of this segment at the moment is the Virtus, no experience with a Slavia (heard the suspension is softer) or the new Verna yet.

TL/DR- New City not made like they used to. glaring cost cutting. tech seems extremely outdated already. Do not recommend for enthusiasts. would rather get a Virtus.

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The car is just great in the city but comes alive on the highways. You only come to understand the real power of the 1.5 Ivtec when you take this beauty out on the highway.

BHPian ashwinpalkar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

On one fine late evening we were driving on the Hebbal highway and I popped a curious question to my wife “Honda dekhna hai kya? City?” Hina gave me a look. Didn’t we decide that we won’t go for a Sedan again? But of course she is not the one to stick to her words and neither I. We took a U-turn and headed to the showroom to take a spin. We saw the new City in flesh and Oh boy! It looked stunning! The DRLs, the long stance, headlights and the red colour. I think both of us were thinking the same thing. We convinced the manager to give us a test drive since it was pretty late in the evening and usually most showrooms do not allow test drives after dark.

The Test Drive (Read the game changing drive):

We sat in the car and as always my wife took the passenger seat beside me leaving the sales guy clueless and sad. We could see how eager he was for a sales pitch while on a TD.
The test drive was in the Automatic ZX variant and it had leather seats and boy this was our first taste of luxury sitting in an executive sedan with seats so delicious. We were half sold on the comfort level itself.

Keys tucked away in one of those cup holders, pressed the clutch, ignition on and boy! The Ivtec just woke up but was silent as hell. You knew there is a storm coming. As I accelerated my way out of the showroom slowly the sporty sound from the engine bought a wide smile. We looked at each other and revved past the signal. This car was nothing like we had imagined. It was impeccable from the get go, comfortable and well made leather seats, planted ride with that beautiful sporty sound from the engine. We came back to the showroom took the price list and discussed the different variants that were on offer. I must say both of us were mighty impressed by the fact that even the base variant had so many good features. We were all hail about how Honda is thinking differently etc. Safety was our top priority and the base model had 4 airbags, traction control, VSM, Esp, you name it.

Back into our Dzire and we could immediately notice the differences. Safe to say with the city, we now had a strong contender and challenger to the many compact Suv/s and Suv/s we tested. We got back to the table the next day and started to finalise our shortlists. We were laughing and being laughed at by our neighbours for going back on our words as we narrated to them our experience with the new Honda City. But, truth be told the Honda City was an unbeatable top choice. The only thing going against it was the ground clearance. We compared this to our existing Dzire which also had a similar GC and we thought we haven’t scratched the car even once so I think we should be good with the City too. (Little did we know about the soft suspensions would actually mock the GC on paper).

With Nexon, Jeep Compass, Duster, Creta and Seltos out we now only had to choose between XUV 300 and Honda City. We called both vehicles for test again to our homes and to also show it around to family and friends. Everyone instantly liked the boxy design of the XUV300 but, we all agreed that the boot space on offer was way to small. Next stop was Honda City. The test drive vehicle was an Automatic and the long wheelbase was immediately liked by parents. Monster of a legroom space in the rear, big comfy seats and we could sit 3 behind somewhat comfortably. It was better than most cars we tested and our existing Dzire as well. Boot space was LARGE and could gulp down luggages for 5 pax easily. The test drive was great too. We were allowed to take a longer drive and with 5 people on. The engine revved and roared with those sporty notes and that sealed the deal for me. I wanted to experience the IVTEC for a lonnnnng time now and this was it!

The nods:

Family sat down for a discussion, neighbours sat down for a discussion and everyone unanimously voted for the City. The next few days were spent scouting for best offers and availability check. We wanted to go for the manual base variant and pricing offered was competitive across all dealers that we spoke to. Everyone promised delivery in 15 days. I happen to consult a neighbour in our society who had just bought a Honda City 5G automatic and he suggested me to talk to Whitefield Honda as he was able to get a massive 90-1L discount on the 2020 manufactured model. (Yes, We were already in 2021 now) I rang up the executive of Whitefiled Honda, scheduled an appointment to check out the red Honda city V Manual that he had in stock. They had got the car at the showroom for us to visit and check.

There she was. She was looking beautiful in red. I don’t think any other colour brings out the flamboyance of the Honda City:

The front is just so drool worthy.

The tail lamps remind me of a Bimmer.

The beautiful 1.5L IVTEC.

We checked the car thoroughly inside out and gave us our nod. Finalised the pricing and went home after booking the car. I think we made a great choice!

The following week we got all the payments and registration done and the showroom confirmed the delivery date. Meanwhile we sold our Dzire to Spinny. We were decently happy with the price they offered considering it was a MH registered car. The other dealers were seemed to just not value a well maintained car. Anyways, Spinny transferred the money instantly and there she drove away leaving behind many beautiful memories.

The D Day:

We checked the car thoroughly inside out and gave us our nod. FinalizedWe reached Whitefiled Honda by 11:30. I and my wife could not control our happiness and it was visible on our faces as the auto took the final U-turn for the showroom. We were greeted by our executive Mr. Lohith, who had been extremely cordial and well mannered throughout the entire process. Our car was getting ready and we could not resist but get behind the wheel as soon as possible. I finished the documentation formalities and headed to do a small pooja at the showroom. Distributed the ladoos to the staff and we sat down one final time for an onboarding session of the car and also the Honda Connect app. I was least interested and nodded my head at everything. I was just wanting to get out of the showroom with the car.

• Pooja done.
• Documentation done.
• Sweets done.
• All that jazz and app done.

Dad flagged off by flooring a coconut and vroom! We drove out with our red beauty. The drive was fantastic. The gear shifts were smooth and the clutch was extremely light. It was so easy that I never felt like I was driving a manual. We reached home and after our lunch I and the wifey went for a spin. The sporty sound of the engine every time I revved it was making me fall in love with her over and over again.

Ownership review:

The car is just great in the city but comes alive on the highways. You only come to understand the real power of the 1.5 Ivtec when you take this beauty out on the highway. We nicknamed it Makhanu since it’s so comfortable and drives just like a makhan on the highways.

Driving in the city is great but, It’s a long car so I had to get use to the length of it. However, it did not take me my much time getting used to it. What took time though was taking her down my office basement. I spent few weeks trying to find hacks and ways to understand the curve of the basement and once I figured that it was a cakewalk. The manual is easy and fun to drive motor. Clutch is light and it doesn’t stresses you out. Somehow I never felt tired driving this manual. Gear shifts are smooth and easy to slot and they are matched perfectly well to the engine.

What I love about my Honda City:

• Looks -Especially the long bonnet line (Almost looks like a Beamer from the side and behind).
• Headlight design - even the base variant’s headlight layout looks elegant.
• Tail light - the look gorgeous at night.
• Suspension - Comfortable as hell. Doesn’t let you feel the potholes. At all. Period.
• Cabin looks and is spacious by all means.
• Driver seat is very comfortable and so are the rear seats. (I did Blr-Goa without getting feeling tired).
• Boot space - one of the largest in the segment.
• Safety features in the base model.
• 1.5 Ivtec - Jitna bole utna kam hai ye engine ke liye. Beautifully tuned and effortless pickup.
• Planted on the highway with two people. Gets a little bit bouncy for the rear passengers though only at higher speeds.
• Air Conditioning - The AC is one of the best in the segment. It cools down the cabin pretty quickly and in the evening it feels like an iglooo. However the rear ac is just about okay but since the performance of the main ac is great it doesn’t bother so much in the rear.

What I don’t:

• Ground clearance - I haven’t scratched the surface much but I cannot take her out of the city on unpredictable roads because of the low ground clearance. There have been enough instances where we had to think thrice before venturing into an uneven (ubad khabad) road.
• Below average ICE: The touch screen panel is weirdly positioned and it’s not one of the best when it comes to the placement. It’s catches a lot of sunlight which makes it difficult to view it at times.
• It’s slow and basic and the touch screen is just about okay. Speakers are okayish and lacks base. The car doesn’t come with a subwoofer or tweeters so you only have those 4 speakers trying the level best to give you a decent sound quality (5/10).
• Turning radius on hills - the major reason I don’t take the city to the hills because of its long bonnet line. It was a nightmare for me to drive upto ooty from Masinagudi. I literally was shaking as I could not judge the turn on the hairpins. (I came down halfway after reaching the checkpost. Just did not have the guts to go up further).
• Engine power on hills - I feel this engine is best suited for highways and city runs. I fell powerless on steep inclines and there were time I felt the engine would stall midway. Maybe I am not the greatest drivers on the hills but I really did not feel confident in the city while driving on steep inclines. (My 1.2L Ford Freestyle fared much better).
• Build quality - While it had all the electronic safety features. After driving for a year I felt the car was pretty light in it’s weight. The sheets were also just about better than Maruti but I could dent it if I hit with my fist.

Issues:

I did not face any issue whatsoever during the two years of ownership. It’s reliable and a fantastic car for the city and the highway runs (at least for me). I am yet to do my 20k service and probably will skip it since I am close to seeing her off soon.

Verdict and what’s next:

The city is a fantastic car for someone who is looking to upgrade from a hatchback or a compact sedan. It’s a great car to have if your majority runs are in the city and highways. If you look for comfort over gadgets this car is meant for you and If you truly like revving the engine the Honda City won’t disappoint you either. It’s sporty, it’s fun and it is a practical family car.

Some more pictures of our beloved Makhanu the pricing and went home after booking the car. I think we made a great choice!

We are close to finalising our yet another car and I shall keep y’all updated about our adventure. 
This time we are seriously considering buying a pre-worshiped car which ticks all our boxes as mentioned earlier and I really hope we are not disappointed.

Until then, I hope you have enjoyed my debut ownership review writeup. I’d love to hear you guys out and really looking forward to your suggestions.

On the side note: I am from Bangalore and I’d love to connect with fellow teambhp members for those weekly drive out and Sunday morning breakfast drives. Please feel free to HMU.

Cheers,

Ashwin

Check out BHPian comments for more insihgts and information.

At around 4,000 kms the DEF warning lights came on and the Jeep life app had also stopped updating. Got both done at the service centre.

BHPian AW1972 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My Jeep Compass:

It is almost a year since I bought my Jeep Compass.

• Variant : 2.0 Limited diesel manual 4x2
• Colour : Red
• Kms driven : 23,000.

History:

• My first car was a white Alto bought in 2003. Used it for 8 years about 97,000 kms.
• Second car was a used grey colour Swift diesel 2008 model bought in 2011. Odometer reading was 36,500 kms at the time of purchase and used it till 1,65,000 kms.
• Third car was again a used one. Fiat Linea mjd Emotion Tuscon Wine colour 2013 model bought in 2015. At the time of purchase it was used for just 6,500 kms. It has been my most exhilarating ride till date and still have it at 1,92,000 kms.
• Finally in March end 2022, booked Jeep Compass diesel manual. Got delivery in approx 10-12 days.

Ever since Jeep was introduced in India in 2017, I had my eyes on it, but my means did not permit. I did not consider any other SUV, nor did test dive any. Around mid of 2021, I decided to check out used Jeep compass. Why Used? – My past experiences with the used Swift and Linea were very good. For about 8 months I searched the used market, but could not find the right colour or variant or the condition. Moreover, the asking price was a bit too much. 2017/18 models asking price was in the range of 16-19 lakhs and driven around 35-50k kms. During a few of my car inspections, I took my wife along. She was Ok with whichever model I picked up. Then around Feb 2022, I took her to the showroom to see the new Jeep Compass. She was very impressed with the new interiors and the sun roof. The decision was made then to go for the new Compass. However, there some inhibitions regarding the price. A lot of people saying that it is overpriced. Before taking a final decision, went to check out the Tata Harrier. The top end manual was around 25 lakhs. Difference of around 3 lakhs. Harrier looks great on the outside, but the interiors were not as good as the compass.

The new Compass Limited variant was coming around 28 lakhs on road. This is what it exactly cost me:

• Ex-showroom price : 23,39,000/-
• TCS @ 1% : 23,390/-
• RTO + handling : 3,77,850/-
• Insurance : 53,599/-
• Extended warranty : 38,000/-
• TOTAL :28,31,839/-

There were no discounts offered and the only money I could save was from taking insurance independently. Since there was a chance of price increase from April, I made the Ex showroom payment on 29th March. Vin No. was provide on 1st April. Vehicle arrived on th April. Did PDI on 7th April at the showroom. Paid the balance RTO and handling charges. Got delivery on 9th April. Got the number plates fixed on 12th April. RC card received on 20th May.

Experience so far:

Showroom – Showroom experience has been good. Only issue was that we were made to wait for around 2 hours for the delivery. Seems the vehicle was getting washed and cleaned. I did not purchse any accessories from the showroom. Mud flaps and floor mats were purchased online.

Service centre – Nothing to complain about as such. The first inspection was scheduled at 1,500 kms. I had driven the jeep within 80-90 kmph for the intial 500 kms and later picked up to 100-110 kmph. Did a highway trip from Chennai to Bangalore and back. During the 1,500 kms inspection, I requested the service centre to change the engine oil. They said that change is only required at 15,000 kms. However, I insisted that since it is new engine and I would like to get the oil changed to get rid of any metal debris. Finally they agreed and charged me for the same. Next service was scheduled for 15,000 kms. However, I did another oil change at 6,500 kms and to my surprise found some metals shavings in the discarded oil.

At around 4,000 kms the DEF warning lights came on and the Jeep life app had also stopped updating. Got both done at the service centre. Had to leave the Jeep overnight for the Jeep life app. Ever since, DEF top up has been done at BP bunk.

15,000 km service cost me around 12K. Did the wheel alignment and balancing outside. The service centre charges around 2.5k, which is too high. Did not opt for the car washing, only inside cleaning. I was not happy with the quality of the wash at the time of taking delivery, hence opted out of it. Even when they clean the inside windshield, you can see streaks during night drive and had to clean it myself.

Likes & Dislikes:

• Good highway manners. Very stable at high speeds too, although I would rate it below my Linea.
• Excellent braking.
• Comfortable ride. I have done numerous 12-15 hour drives. Better than the Linea.
• Decent mileage – I get around 16-17 kmpl for consistently on hhighways at speed between 100- 120 kmph. City mileage is around 11 kmpl.The MID display of fuel efficiency is very accurate when compared with tank full to full method.
• Headlights – Decent. Could have been better. But an absolute nightmare in heavy fog. I think it’s a problem with all the modern day white lights.
• Infotainment – very good. Plays music for hours together, wired or wireless. No hanging issues.

The Jeep is at 23,000 kms and it has been wonderful till date. No issues so far. Hope it stays that way.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Looking at the Compass parked next to the lake gave me a sense of utter satisfaction. We had made this trip and this was by far the most challenging and grisly drive since we bought it.

BHPian shashrash recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello and a Very Happy Holi to you all,

Super thrilled to be a part of this community and it will be my first post to share and I will be little greedy and take this opportunity to also share something I cherished and completed during the last winters.

Little about myself:

I am based off Bangalore, married, have 3 kids (4 legged ones with a tail) and I will call myself a kid within who is as enthusiastic and eager about cars and bikes as a 10 year old would be. I had been an avid driver/rider, very fond of long distance travel, whenever time allows.

I have been riding/driving for 25 yrs now.

Currently, I have a Jeep Compass Ltd diesel, 2022 MY to cater my 4 wheeler duties. Alongside, I have my hooters, an Aprilia RSV4, a Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and the very reliable, a Honda CBR250RR, who all, completes my garage.

Hopping back to my story telling.

This trip of mine had been long overdue now and today I decided to spare and spend some time to give it some words. Its one of the most exhilarating and exciting road trips that I have made recently. I was also able to meet some very exciting people, make new friends and took away wonderful memories of this lovely part of our country.

The trip planned was from Bangalore to Sikkim, with stops at Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata, Siliguri. My return journey was to my hometown, Delhi and further to Jaipur. Once back, we had planned to stay at Jaipur for another short halt and return to Bangalore eventually.

Car driven – Jeep Compass diesel 2.0 MT:

*Nowhere throughout the journey, the car was driven above 120 kmph, also due to the speed limit buzzer, which helped me to keep my right foot under check throughout. On an average, I tried to maintain between 100 – 110 kmph. Also, I am not someone who keeps a track of mileage and average on trips, so I was able to note from the instrument console, an average of ~17 kmpl, give and take throughout.

The Itinerary:

Day 1, November 19th:

Bangalore(Whitefield) – Vizag(Treebo Trend Sriz Cozy Seethamadhara), ~ 1006 kms

Bangalore > Vellore > Tirupati > Nellore > Guntur > Vijayawada > Kakinada > Vizag

Pit stop at Shell, Whitefield, and important supplies for the long trip:

Stay at – Treebo Trend Sriz Cozy Seethamadhara

The route is quite well laid and without any major diversions, discomfort and issues. Started very early in the morning from Whitefield, 5 AM and was able to manage to check in at Vizag at 8 PM IST.
The overall route as shared is the best one to my experience and should work for other travelers if planning without any issues.

Spent the evening at RK Beach, nice weather, cool breeze and lot of hawkers to munch upon:

Day 2:

Spent local, roaming around and catching up with some friends.

Day 3, November 21st:

Vizag(Treebo Trend Sriz Cozy Seethamadhara) – Kolkata, ~880 kms

Vizag > Srikakulam > Brahmapur > Bhubaneshwar > Cuttack > Balasore > Belda > Kharagpur > Kolaghat > Howrah > Kolkata

The roads, I must admit were little trying, especially as soon as I entered West Bengal. They do not appear to be as fluent as that in Orissa or Andhra Pradesh especially in the border areas. There were large stretches where the widening of the highway task was going on and hence one can observe, many speed breakers and diversions. Another thing that I immediately noticed was that the border checks were strict while entering and exiting WB and huge queue of heavy vehicles an Orissa WB Border, Sonakania (Laxmannath Toll Plaza). One must be careful to not get stuck within the traffic of heavy vehicles enroute.

Another key thing to remember while we are driving in Orissa State NH is to keep a tap on your speed that your are doing. I was alarmed purposefully about this in advance as there are several speed traps/cameras on NH monitoring the limit of 80kmph. This feels too slow for the quality of highways you find but still, one must keep calm and not get carried away.

Beautiful roads on the way from Vizag:

At Kolkata, I stayed at a friend's, Arnab's, place who is settled at Ruby Park.

The original plan was to meet up with my friend at Debra Toll Plaza. As this was a good excuse for him also to hit out for some drive and have some fun outside the city. However, we could not meet at the set location and later planned to meet up at Azad Hind Dhaba at BP, Uluberia.

The much needed Chai at Azad Hind Dhaba, life savior no matter what.

Day 3 – Day 7, November 21st – 25th:

Stayed at Kolkata, enjoying the amazing history, heritage, and yummiest food that you can ever have. Thanks to Arnab, who took pain in showing me around even on working days, and helped me experience this city like never before. This was my first time to Kolkata and was a journey down the memory lane and history for me.

On one side, visiting places like Victoria Memorial, Fort William took me back to the rich history that is associated with our Pre Independence era, and on the other hand likes of Howrah Bridge, Prinsep Ghats, took me to journey of all those locations which I had only seen and heard of in movies and songs.

This is not all, I think, it goes without saying, roaming around Park Street, relishing the street side eateries, College street, Chowringhee, Central Park and many others was pure bliss and satisfying. For Also for foodies, please do enjoy, Mocambo Restaurant, Peter Cat, Arsalan’s Biryanis, and late night Balwant Singh Dhabas Awesome Chai.

Day 8 , November 26th:

Kolkata – Silguri, ~ 580kms

Kolkata > Baranagar > Dankuni > Delhi Road > STKKRd/SH6 > Krishnanagar > Berhampore > Farakka > Malda > Raiganj > Islampur > Bagdora > Siliguri
Via NH12/SH6/NH27

I stayed at my brother’s place who is posted in Siliguri.

As I had been driving ~1000 kms in a day to cover earlier parts of my trip, the numbers baffle me as to how this 600 kms distance can take close up to 15hrs of travel. And to my surprise, this was actually the most tiring stretch that we had to cover. Especially the Farakka Bridge had its own share of pain staking tales. And I had no idea what I will encounter till I was there. The magnitude and size of the Ganga here is nothing that you will often see. It’s worth a sight to galore. The bridge was under a renovation phase, so the traffic is mostly allowed to proceed one way while the other side moves. This can eat into all your time that you may have covered otherwise. But other than this hurdle, rest of the journey was fine and nothing special or astonishing stands out.

Day 9 , November 27th:

Siliguri – Gangtok, ~ 115 kms

Stay at Airbnb - Zimchung 101

There are some amazing Airbnb homestays that we booked and stayed over at, so I will completely endorse the ideas of rather booking the local Airbnb homestays instead of going in for the hotels/lounges. They provide the best local ethnic experience, food and comfort of a home. This was just such an amazing stay. More you can find on my review for the space on the listing.

For our onward journey, beyond Gangtok, we required permits to complete our itinerary. For all Permits which are required, and documentation, can refer to this useful link from Govt Of Sikkim.

Please be mindful, for Nathula, permits are NOT issued for Monday and Tuesdays as there are some Military activities planned in those protected regions. Hence plan your travel sparing these 2 days from the week.
Also, try to mark your entry to all Restricted Zones as early as possible. The permit checkpoints will close ~12:00 Noon and you may have to return for some another day. Start early is the key here.

No pvt registered vehicles are allowed to Nathu La, so one has to book a taxi and travel. 2 wheelers, with proper permit can still travel on their own.

Since we came to know of this only post we reached Siliguri, via our agent, we have to make an early hr dash to Gangtok on 27th which was Sunday and wanted to cover the region the same day itself. We started around 4:30 AM in morning from Siliguri and were able to check in conveniently ~9:00 AM. So we were able to reach the destination on time.

Day 9 – Day 11 , November 27th – 29th:

Local stay in Gangtok, Sightseeing. Nathu La, Tsomgo Lake

Travel to Nathu La and Tsomgo Lake is pure bliss wrt scenic beauty. Roads are a mix of being great to no roads, but who’s bothered. You must be there to appreciate the love gods have showered over this region. This even aggregates for the entire Sikkim State and I am certainly short of words to elaborate. Fe pictures may not do justice, nonetheless.

Gangtok as a city is something I adored completely. The very care and compassion towards nature, keeping it clean, lovable is the essence of this city. The MG Marg is the hangout spot if you wish to step out. I will recommend, The Local Café, located on the same, which serves god send pies and cakes. It’s a small cozy café, and I wdnt want to step out once I grab a corner there. Totally a Fan now.

Since we had a couple of days, and the biker in my was tingling all the way, I cdnt stop myself than getting a rental Himalayan for a day. I guess, its something one should try as mobility locally is much easier instead of taking the car out every time.

We also opted to do a Paragliding is another attraction that we opted to do. They take you to the top of a cliff and you get to glide around for 10-15 mins, depending on the weather and wind. Worth it, if you wish to have a bird’s eye view of the city.

Day 11 , November 29th:

Gangtok – Lachung, ~120 kms

Gangtok > Mangan > Lachung, via Singtam – Chungthang Road.

**Important to note – There are 2 gas stations on your way to Lachung from Gangtok:

• Rang Rang BP
• Mangan Indian Oil

The Mangan gas station does not have the narrow nozzle which a few of the latest make vehicles require, like the Compass. So, if you want to refill and have a narrow fuel inlet, then make a stop at the Rang Rang BP station instead which falls before Mangan. This is also important as you will not find any more gas station on your way up North after Mangan, so plan this out in advance. The distance is not far from Lachung to Mangan/Rang Rang, but it’s a hassle to drive back all the way for a refill when you already passed the spot before.

There are several protected areas in each direction where in one require to acquire a permit to access. And the same reason why you will find several Army settlements throughout your journey, with no photography/videography allowed, due to understandable reasons.

Please be mindful of the defense conveys that keep moving for their errands throughout this stretch. The roads are not wide enough to breeze through and one has to be super patient to allow others to pass or get an opportunity to overtake themselves. So word of caution for everyone to be very very careful around the entire stretch of Gangtok to Lachung/Lachen and nearby places.

Stay at Airbnb - OurGuest Homestay, Lachung

Stay was at another amazingly beautiful Airbnb Homestay. And this house is literally the topmost spot in entire Lachung, which gives you a beautiful Sunrise/Sunset Photo Ops. You could also observe the Army choppers doing drills from there atop the valley. Its an amazing sight.

One thing I would have to call out for the entire Sikkimese people, they are one of the best hosts you will find. Their warmth, excitements and inclusion into their lives makes your home stay a treat. I was undergoing severely bad throat on this trip and I was helped at each and every stay we made. From doing some rare local herbs, to a solid Brandy + Herbs mix, I had it all. Great hospitality and people all around.
For the dog lovers, this stay has Rocky, who is the boss of the town. He is super adorable, friendly dog, who owns this part of the hill. We are a dog lover, and it was a beautiful add on to our comfortable stay.
The reach to the stay, is further up the climb through, little patchy broken road, atop the village and there is a DRDO Guest house also located few mtrs ahead, before the road hits a dead end. Its quite literally the most private road you will find here. But the view is awesome !!!

Day 12, November 30th:

Lachung – Yumthang Valley – Zero Point, ~50kms one way.

Start early, again, as called out before. The Permit Checkposts will close ~12 PM, also, the sun starts setting up pretty quickly and temperature dips faster than you will thing. I would suggest visiting these places in morning bright sunlight as those are the best photo op times to capture. Also, if you stay there longer, there are small tapris, which serve the typical Maggie, chai, coffee and some beverages, start closing.
One thing that locals shared as a valuable tip is to not have items like Maggie, Alcohol/Spirited drinks at such higher altitudes. They rather advised to carry corn-flour, and if you feel dizziness or difficulty in breathing, have the corn-flour mixed with hot water. Consumables like spirited drinks, maida will make your travel more uncomfortable with the bowl movement and all. See if this tip helps you guys out.
The roads to Yumthang and to Zero Point, are a mix of all sort of terrain one can throw. Properly laid to no roads at all. And this stretch justifies as to why the permits are not provided to sedans and hatchbacks. Terrain can be harsh, be very patient, and just dont get inspired by the local taxies, who run their Boleros, Armadas and Scorpios like a ship. They know this terrain a lot better that you do and are more prepared to handle the brutality.

Driving my Compass so far on this trip had been an absolute pleasure, with whatever kind of roads we encountered since I left from Banglore. But this part testifies the capability of this awesome machine. Till this far, I nowhere missed the 4x4 capability of the car and I reckon, if you are careful, and slightly patient, you should be able to complete this circuit in your 4x2 front wheel drive SUV with ease. I have no complaints about how capable Jeep Compass is in its 4x2 avatar, I know things will be different when we get to matter of Snow and intense Offroading, but for my driving endeavors, it checks in all boxes.

Day 13, December 1st:

Lachung - Lachen, ~50 kms, Via Lachen Road.

Stay at Airbnb - OurGuest Lhakhim Homestay, Lachen

Nothing new to add, as the stay was another beautiful family, with lots of warmth and welcome. Lachung appears bigger in size or from the sight of development, as there are some nicely built cozy cafes and home stays in Lachung where you can spend your evenings. Lachen on the other hand appears smaller, less buzzing with cafes and hotels but nothing taken away from its typical Himalayan village charm.

The dishes cooked and served at all these homestays is the yummiest you will have in the entire trip. My Dilli wali taste buds were completely satisfied throughout my journey, without having any Butter Chicken or Tandoori to add. If you are a foodie, try their local servings, they are super delicious.

Day 13, December 1st:

Lachen > Gurudongmar Lake, ~70 kms, Via Gurudongmar Road

We planned to continue our journey to Gurudongmar lake on the same day we checked in. So we left the luggage at the stay and carried on to Gurudongmar lake.

The roads here are quite challenging, single lane. These are mostly under BRO maintenance and during this stretch, you will encounter numerous outposts, barracks and defense settlements, where photography and videography are not allowed for understandable security reasons. The BRO’s were at task to re-do a considerable stretch of this distance between Lachen to Gurudongmar lake and take my words for it, there is just nothing to drive upon at few sections. We had an opportunity to carry one of the Jawans from Lachen till one of the outposts. And we happen to talk some on our way. The Jawaan was in BRO, tasked to maintain the roads for the oncoming winters. I observed that their repair work was only been done on one half of the road while the other half was left all untouched and rocky to say the least. On asking, why, the jawan explained, that side will not be worked upon as that is the route for the tanks. And that made complete sense. If they let run the Tanks on the tarmac roads, the roads will be in tatters in just no time. So, to give them their natural habitat, half of the road will not be worked upon. This was amazing to know and by any means, this is not a comfortable life for all of these Jawaans and Officers deputed there. My Salute to each one of you out there. This is enormous service to the Nation.

Well we continued in our tank, and last 12-13 kms before Gurudongmar lake is just fantastic wrt everything nature offers. The roads are beautifully done, though single lane, open vast Ladakhi landscape, all stones and shades of it. Its so much fun to drive on this stretch and I just loved it.

And then you make a right turn at one of the check posts into the nearby hills. There are no proper board, direction markers there and one can easily miss this turn and continue going straight. So just keep an eye out.

This reach from the road and then you climb up the hill is again a proper offroad stretch, as there is no proper road or trail made. You can see the clouds of dust and continue following in the same direction, up the hill.

Gurudongmar Lake:

Once at the hilltop, and you will have the view of one of the most amazing sight of your life. The Gurdongmar Lake, shines, like a diamond, under bright sunlight and its water is as pure and crystal and pious as Gangotri in Himalayas. This is just beautiful and all the memories of the treacherous drive, bad roads, rocks n stones you passed on your way, will be gone in a puff.

There is a lot on internet to search and read about the lake, so not delving into the details there.

However, looking at the Compass, parked next to the lake, gave me a sense of utter satisfaction and wholesomeness. We had made this trip and this was by far the most challenging and grisly drive since the time this baby had come home in March on 2022.

Parikrama, or walk around the Gurudongmar lake is once in your lifetime moment. As we were told, if you do 3, in your lifetime, you are closest to pay your homage to the Gods. We cdnt honestly as its huge and we were all busy with the pictures and all.

There is a pleasing calm, and the sound of wind breeze makes this walk divine. You can also hear ice breaking and joining under temperature variations. It sounds like a Sci Fi messages, coming in from distant galaxies . Sit next to the lake and just hear it out. Quite phenomenal.

Day 14, December 2nd:

Lachen - Kewzing, Via Singtham – Chungthang Road, NH510, ~150 kms.

Lachen > Chungthang > Mangan > Rangrang > Singtam Teesta Bridge > Ravangla > Kewzing

Word of extreme caution, NH510 may sound like a National Highway, but its nothing better than the path for the Tanks that we encountered on way to Gurudongmar lake.

Its in such a terrible state with traffic both ways that its horrifying by any standards of an NH. I am not sure if this is like this for how ling, but, Jaypee are coming up with a 490MW hydroelectric power plant under construction by NHPC LTD and it has messed up this stretch.

Not restricted here, NH510 is in terrible state, in patches ahead as well, so this will really leave you with a bitter taste when it comes to pleasurable driving.

The stretch from Teesta River Bridge, Singtam, till Ravangla will be a mix of great to no roads, and since it’s a NH, it caters to heavy traffic, both ways around which adds to the slow movement.

You will also encounter sections of NH710, which is a stark contrast to NH510. Broader, better and faster, but this pleasure is short-lived.

Stay t Airbnb – Mountain View 2,Sosing Homestay, Kewzing, Ravangla

Take my words for it, this is the place you surely want to spend atleast a couple of nights. This house is right at the edge of the cliff, has astounding view on 3 of its sides. All our fatigue, frustration was taken away in a flash as soon as you park your car and step out. We got late due to bad patches on our way so I could capture only the last few glimpses of the golden peaks sparkling under the fading sunlight. This is everything I wanted to from a photographer’s need. I will be honest when I say I immediately declared my unwillingness to go anywhere else, but just to remain there, in my front yard, few ft away from my cottage, and enjoy this special special spectacle. The snowcapped Himalayas, uninterrupted view, of Ravangla Buddah Park never ending landscape are the star here.

The family who owns the house are again a fabulous host, making your stay as pleasant as possible. I am not just preaching about any of the stays we stayed throughout, but for a person like me who thrives to mingle with the locals, talk about their experience, stories and share some from my end, all these locations had been the highlight of our entire journey.

Day 14 – Day 17, December 2nd – 5th:

Stay at Kewzing, visit local attractions, Buddha Park in Ravangla, and some other explorations.

Day 17, December 5th:

Kewzing - Behrampore, Via NH12, ~ 510 kms

Return leg back to Kolkata had a halt at Berhampore.

Stay at The Golder Retreat, one of the premium hotels in the city, not very far away from the main Highway. Our experience was very comfortable, and it can be a great option to stay almost midway in Berhampore.

Day 18, December 6th:

Berhampore > Kolkata, Via NH12/STKK/SH6, ~220 kms

Berhampore > Krishnagar > Hematpur > Kalna > Amodghata > Dankuni > Baranagar > Kolkata

The route return, was again picked up avoiding NH 12 which is in quite bad state with repair works and though may appear shorter in distance, will consume a lot more time with bad road conditions.

Day 18 – Day 21, December 6th – 9th:

Kolkata and local.

Again, continuing enjoying the hospitality and cherish the flavors of the City of Joy. Loved every outing and moment spent during this time and met some super awesome people as well during this entire stay. Will love to visit again some time in future for sure.

Day 22, December 10th:

Kolkata - Lucknow, Via NH19/Purvanchal Expressway, ~1020 kms

Kolkata > Durgapur > Asansol > Dhanbad > Aurangabad > Nasriganj > Bikramganj > Nawanagar > Bhojpur > Buxar > Fakhanpura (Exit to Purvanchal Expressway) > Azamgarh > Lucknow

Purvanchal Expressway is the star throughout this route. This is, and NHs like this are a boon for us making long distance highway mile munches. One we took the exit to Purvanchal Expressway, it was much relaxing and suitable drive. And you wish to have better highways, comfortable to drive and relaxing, which you already had been on road for so many days. One deserves an easy drive when the sun is setting at the horizon.

Stay at Treebo Trend Sunrise By City Culture, Swatika City Ahmamau

Only idea was to stay as close and outside as possible from the city, that makes your exit the next day morning a hassle free one. This location suited as the best and its was very close to the Agra-Lucknow Expresssway. And this one fit the bill perfectly.

Day 23, December 11th:

Lucknow - Jaipur, Via Agra Lucknow Expressway/Bikaner – Agra Road, ~ 600kms

Lucknow > Narona > Fatehabad > Exit, Left at Delhi Lucknow Interchange, Inner Ring Road > Agra - Fatehabad Road > Tajganj > Subrata Road > The Mall Road > Mala Road > Mahatmagandhi Marg > Bikaner - Agra Road > Bhogipura > Kiraoli > Bharatpur > Madoli > Mahwa > Dausa > Entry to Jaipur from Transport nagar Side

The only Pain throughout this journey is that one must cross Agra, hustling through the city traffic. There is no Agra Bypass AFAIK. And this slows down your time and distance advantage that one has covered all the way on Agra – Lucknow Expressway.

Also, once you hit Bikaner – Agra Road, for some distance it’s a single broad lane highway, soon after leaving Agra, so that also, keeps your speed and travel in check, not saying to break any land speed record. But after driving on Purvanchal and Agra – Lucknow Highway, they appear little disappointing. The road conditions are top notch however, and there are no diversions or hurdles otherwise.

We entered Jaipur at around 4 PM, which was good decent time to reach without rushing and a heavy right foot.

We planned to cover longer distance while we started from Kolkata, till Lucknow, so that we have easy distance to cover for 2nd and last day of the trip.

And with this we concluded our fantasy road trip from Banglore to Kolkata to Sikkim and return to Lucknow and to Jaipur eventually. I would always remember this trip for a very very long time to come in future. The car, Jeep Compass, performed fantastically well, much beyond what I thought of from a capability and comfort POV. There are several horror stories on the internet about the ownership experiences around the Compass, and I will not justify or deny them. I say, which brand or manufacturer have their fair share of sorry and happy tales.

But for my experience, till today, this car is tough, rock solid to perform on all kind of terrains and travel long highway miles. And now I am much more confident in planning my next trip, whenever that happens.

I hope someone, somewhere, might be benefited by this travelogue, which is crude at places, but I have tried to share my experiences on and off the road as candid as possible.

Cheers to all and quite thrilled to keep sharing and knowing of your travel stories.

Until next time. Ciao.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The fuel efficiency was 15.7 kmpl during the Kasargod trip and 15.8 kmpl during the Hyderabad trip.

BHPian arun_josie recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The ODO has crossed 1,10,000 kms. A trip to Kasargod for some personal work and later a drive to Hyderabad happened recently.

With the Mysore Expressway almost complete, the travel time to places like Coorg, Kasargod or even Mangalore has come down drastically. Earlier I used to take Hassan or Channarayapatna route but now Mysore road makes more sense.

And Hyderabad drives are not as fun as before. Till Ananthapur there are lot of speed-breakers and beyond that you have these random speed interceptors. Also, the traffic on the Kurnool - Hyderabad slows you down a lot, it was irritating on both onward and return trips.

Roads around Hitech City and Gachibowli are fantastic, its filled with flyovers but the peak hour traffic is still heavy.

Enjoyed Hyderabadi biryanis at "The Nawab's Restaurant", Mehfil and the traditional Paradise Restaurant.

No issues with Scarlett and I enjoyed both the drives. The fuel efficiency was 15.7 kmpl during the Kasargod trip and 15.8 kmpl during the Hyderabad trip.

Here are some pics:

I have always preferred BPCL and so didn't want to miss taking a pic here:

ODO at 1,10,000 kms:

Kasargod Trip Details (during the return I got stuck in a 1 hour traffic jam on the NICE road):

Hyderabad trip details:

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