No matter how advanced, reliable the locking system is, never leave the key inside the car while going out.

BHPian KratosMr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Skoda Rapid ABS Sensors vs My Peace of Mind

Hi folks, I welcome you all to my first post! I'm Anand from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, and I mostly go by the name Kratos on all handles. As a little background, I own a 2012 Polo 1.2 TDI and a Rapid 1.6 MPI. The love for VAG cars paved the way for the Rapid in 2018. By owning VAG cars, I was obviously hit by their service costs and the pathetic after-service experience. Considering VW service centers, I have had a pleasant experience with Skoda.

By today, the Polo has crossed around 2.1L kms, and the icing on top is for some small nifty jobs. DIYs are attempted using genuine parts, and overdue general service came under that DIY, which I really love for its satisfaction. As a result, for the last 3 years, the VW service center in Tirunelveli neglects to take in my car even for a small paint job or small part replacement, stating, "As per VW's policy, cars will be authorized to enter their service center only if the general service is done by them." I have unlimited experiences like this with them, a story for another day.

Coming back to the Skoda service center, their service rates and after-sales experience were far superior when compared to VW. In the first 5 years of ownership of the Rapid, every single issue was resolved promptly, and the quality of work was also very satisfying. Everything went smooth until December 2023 came with a never-seen flood. Luckily, both the cars were on a high surface, and no damage was suffered.

Little Background:

By February 10, I went for a long trip, and all of a sudden while braking, there was some noise, and the cluster greeted me with an ABS warning. I have the habit of carrying VCDS along with some basic tools while traveling. Immediately after firing up VCDS, it clearly showed an issue in the right rear ABS sensor. My trustworthy Skoda SA advised not to cross 80 Kmph, and I followed the same for the rest of the journey. After two days, I reached home, and using VCDS, I scanned for errors again, but this time it started showing issues on both the rear sensors. After clearing the errors, I used advanced measuring values to check the readings, and both the rear sensors are showing 0, clearly indicating their death. The wirings are good as it was showing voltage readings.

Picture 1: ABS Warning

I then inquired with my trustworthy SA about sensor availability, and he mentioned that there are no stocks available for ABS sensors, and it will take another 10+ days to arrive. I assume many flooded vehicles in the service center seem to be the reason for sensor shortage. Upon digging further, there is a whole lot of users struggling with the same ABS issue and their sudden failures. There were some newer versions of sensors released by VW, but the availability was a little limited. I didn't pull the trigger by purchasing online as they don't provide any type of warranty, since Skoda service is providing 2 years of warranty for the same.

I waited for 10+ days; still, no words about sensor availability. I avoided the Rapid for most of my commute as I'm not comfortable driving around with ABS issues. On one fine day, February 29, I needed to purchase some electrical components. Since they are quite big, I took the Rapid for purchasing. The shop is located in a busy one-way road under a bridge. As usual, I parked the car in an open place 500 meters before entering the one-way, went to the shop by walk, did the necessary purchase, and returned to the car by walk.

My only objective now was to go with the flow into the one-way, quickly open the boot near the shop, and guide the shop workers to place the components inside. Now my worst nightmare begins. The Rapid has an auto-locking and unlocking feature - it locks all the doors when the speed is above 20Kmph or so and unlocks all the doors when I open the driver's door. I'm used to this feature from the early days.

Incident 1:

Around 2:30 PM, I entered the road with the Rapid, and upon nearing the shop, I quickly opened the driver's door with the ignition on. As usual, all the doors were unlocked. Then the driver's door was closed, and I went ahead to open the boot. To my surprise, the boot switch was not working. Immediately, I ran towards the driver's side, only to find that the car locked itself up. I could see the speedometer fluctuating around 40Kmph with a brake warning. This caused the auto-locking to trigger on its own while the car was still. By now, it dawned on me that I was stranded, with lots of cars behind me.

I called my SA, and he confirmed that there was no other way other than using a spare key (since it's a 1-hour drive from my place there is no way to choose this option). Some nearby people suggested breaking the quarter-panel glass, but I was determined not to make that mistake. I made another call to my SA to inquire about power window glass availability, and he kept me on hold for 5 minutes as it was lunchtime. In the meantime, a nearby mechanic came to the scene and tried pulling the glass down with a suction cup, but the glass never moved. Most people suggested pushing the car or towing the vehicle, but pushing the car was not possible as the handbrake was engaged, and steering was almost impossible. I was deeply worried about forced towing. Now, the SA came to my rescue around 2:40 PM. He confirmed the availability of the passenger-side glass.

Without wasting a moment, I got a hammer from a nearby shop and broke the left-side passenger window, and took the car from that traffic situation. I drove the car straight to the Skoda Service Center by 3:30 PM (determined to replace the glass before night). But my trustworthy SA was very busy, and they assigned me a new SA. He took nearly one and a half hours to attend to me, and as expected, he asked me to come back by tomorrow morning, which I agreed to as it was a time-consuming cleanup process I didn't want them to rush. I left their premises, and upon reaching my place, I fired up the VCDS only to find that the front left ABS sensor had also failed, which triggered the wheel speed issue, brake warning, and speedometer fluctuation. Now, a total of 3 sensors have failed in a span of a month, except the front right (The front right sensor was changed during the warranty period before a year; they have already replaced the particular sensor with a newer revision - WHT003860B. I hope that's why it's holding up).

Picture 2: Broken window

Picture 3: Shattered Glass Pieces

Incident 2:

By the very next day, March 1, I reached the Skoda Service Center by 10 AM, and they started the work immediately. I was waiting patiently in the customer lounge. By 2 PM, the car was ready. I was charged Rs. 3957, which I promptly paid and took delivery. They did a very good job vacuuming the interior, but they have scratched a lot in the door card fabric rest (I didn't create a scene considering all the other things done to perfection). They removed every single glass piece from the interior and inside the door. Overall I was quite happy with the job they did.

Picture 4: Bill for Power window glass replacement (Wrong Part Number)

Upon reaching home, I looked into the billed part number using Dlinker ETKA, and to add insult to the injury, they charged me for the Skoda Fabia front right side glass while the replacement was done on the Skoda Rapid front left side glass. For comparison:

• 5J0845022D - Fabia Front Right glass costs: Rs 3072
• 6RU845201D - Rapid Front Left glass costs: Rs 1705

Picture 5: ETKA - Fabia Front Right glass part number

Picture 6: ETKA - Rapid Front Left glass part number

After informing the new SA regarding this, he told me to wait till the next day as it was day closing time. After collecting necessary proofs from ETKA, I contacted the new SA on March 2nd morning, and as expected, the new SA argued with me, stating that the part is a modified part. Since most of the parts are interchangeable, they made the Fabia glass fit in Rapid after calmly listening to this. I raised the question, "How in the world is a right glass from a smaller car modified to fit a left-side glass of a large vehicle?" Upon raising this, he lost his words. At this point, I am pretty sure they are trying to mess with me. I asked him to discuss this issue with his manager or someone from the parts department and get back, and after 2 hours, he called and apologized for the issue and offered me a deal on painting or some labor-intensive works, which I politely denied and demanded a refund and corrected bill. He was very hesitant initially, as this process requires approval from his general manager, but as I was determined to get the correct bill, he agreed to my demand.

Incident 3:

After following him for a couple of days, by March 6, he sent me a revised invoice, and the credit amount of Rs. 1367 was updated on my car's account. After this, I inquired again about the ABS sensors' availability, and still, they are asking for 10+ days lead time. I bit the bullet and ordered the sensors from online.

Picture 7: Revised bill with lesser amount and still wrong part number

The revised invoice now has the front right side glass part number - - 6RU845202D of Rapid, instead of changed left side glass - 6RU845201D . They came with a story that their parts stock has some issue, and they can't bill the correct left side part. I don't have the mind to argue with them any further and left this issue.

But still I can never get this thought out of my head - Did they try to scam me? or This is a genuine mistake?.

Additionally, in a service center with rigorous quality control and 5S implementation, such errors are completely unacceptable.

Lessons Learned:

1. No matter how advanced, reliable the locking system is, never leave the key inside the car while going out.
2. In an unavoidable situation - getting off the car with the ignition on, lower a window as a backup.
3. Always take time to check about the billed particulars.

Picture 8: Fixed window glass

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I had always wanted to upgrade to a proper 2L Diesel German sedan, but hardly any options, unless I start looking at the ultra luxury market, which today, I cannot afford.

BHPian bigvishnu recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am currently driving the 2015 1.5 Polo GT TDI, done over 120K kms on it and love the experience. Dynamics, efficiency and reliability - et al.

Prior to this, I cut my teeth on a 3 gear petrol jeep (Mahindra CJ), followed by stints with the M800, various versions of the tata indica, indica vista, Mahindra thar and now the Polo, while my wife drives the 2018 Jazz VX Manual, which, for all practical purposes is a city car.

Over the last few years, I have found various reasons to stick on to the Polo with zero regrets, but have continued to follow the new car launch scene pretty closely. Through these years, our initial family of 3 has grown - with the kiddo growing very tall, and addition of 2 adopted furry friends in the mix, each demanding their own space in the car during long drives.

I guess the inevitable is around the corner, and I will soon be in the market for a new car. I had always wanted to upgrade to a proper 2L Diesel German sedan, but hardly any options, unless I start looking at the ultra luxury market, which today, I cannot afford.

The new 2023 Harrier / Safari feel compelling, but considering my previous experience with Tata, I am skeptical, my earlier tatas did not age gracefully, and, driving dynamics were all over the place. I appreciate these 2 aspects a lot more now that i spent 8 years with the Polo!

I know, it is weird to compare what I have with what I potentially want to get, when both the cars are from totally different segments.

So here is the question -

Would Polo GT to a Harrier / Safari be a downgrade or a lateral move from the perspective of:

1. Driving dynamics

2. Fun to drive aspect

3. Graceful ageing

I know, the space on offer is a lot more, and the new tech - gazillion screens and creature comforts are on offer etc. but, being a purist who loves to drive, I am still pondering on this question - and hoping to get some views on what this community thinks. Brickbats welcome too, if you feel the question is blasphemous !

While you are at it your thoughts on:

1. If we were to sell one of the 2 cars - should we even consider retaining the Polo (120K kms done) Vs the Jazz (15K kms done)

2. New car - Manual Vs Automatic?

3. Safari or Harrier?

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

It isn't necessary for driving pleasure to only mean fast, tight-handling cars - here is an excellent article on the topic (Is it necessary for "fun-to-drive" to only involve fast + tight handling cars? I don't think so!).

A fast hatchback delivers a different kind of kick. So does a large SUV. A supercar is fun for many people, while others spend the same money on a slow vintage car that does 0 - 100 in 10-30 seconds. High-revving 500 BHP turbo-petrols on the expressway is , but so is crawling @ 10 kmph in your 4x4 in the jungle. A Cooper S is more fun than a Lamborghini in India. For the city, I've found 400cc motorcycles to be far more enjoyable than the 1-liter variety. Superbikes bring a lot of pleasure, but so do cruisers like Harley-Davidsons. I loved corner-carving the Lonavla ghats in a Seltos turbo-petrol; with my family, I thoroughly enjoyed calmly cruising on the same road in a boat-like MG Hector, thanks to its comfy living room nature.

I have a remapped 530d with 300 BHP on tap. I also have a Thar turbo-petrol which is the diametric opposite of the 530d in every way (fuel type, handling, braking, height, steering etc.). Yet, both are equally fun to drive.

You'll appreciate the Harrier / Safari for the space, styling, tall seating position, contempariness, the fact that lesser people will cut you off on the road, enhanced comfort levels etc. etc. But you will definitely miss the acceleration + handling of your Polo GT TDI. Going by your post, I think you are ready to make the switch.

Presuming you will be driving the SUV and your wife will continue using the hatchback, better to let her make the choice. Try convincing her to drive the Polo, then you will have the perfect combination of cars. That being said, your Polo GT TDI will cost you big bucks with time (check out Gannu's Polo GT TDI thread, he sold it off after an engine failure and bought a Jazz). As a beater, the Jazz is the superior choice.

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

IMHO, Polo is probably the hardest car to replace given the amazing price point it was offered at. I get to drive few cars (mine and extended family's) on a daily basis and anytime I get behind the wheel of Polo - I feel a rush of positive emotions  There are cars nimbler than Polo, but they don't have the solidity of the build like a VW. There are big fast German sedans but they are not as slick as Polo.

Every car is a compromise, the trick is to make the right compromises based on your own personal preferences - what you can tolerate and what you wish to avoid at any cost.

If you are OK with the so-so driving feel to deal with bad roads and to offer more space for family, etc. you can certainly go with some big SUVs that offer a very nice package.

OTOH, if you simply do not wish give up on the driving dynamics - stick to a sedan or a crossover with proper driver's DNA (Jeep Compass and European ones). For someone coming from 8 years of Polo ownership, you will need just one test drive on the highway to eliminate many popular SUVs/Crossovers.

If you do need three rows, it's pointless to search for a fun-to-drive car and just pamper family with a spacious and safe car that may drive like a boat.

My recommendation? A sedan if you don't need three rows.

VW Virtus: Logical choice from a Polo, don't use a microscope to check the build quality. 1.0 AT, 1.5 MT, 1.5 DSG all are good choices depending on your appetite for risk and how long you plan to keep the car.

Hyundai Verna: Test drive and see if Hyundai has managed to up the game enough to covert a VW fanboy. A decent compromise to avoid the service risks associated with VW.

Preowned Camry Hybrid: The only D segment sedan with low cost of ownership (fuel and maintenance). You will find the new model Camry for 30-35L in Bangalore from reputed sellers like U Trust.

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

1. Sell the Polo. You've bought and enjoyed it at the right time but with 1.2 lakh kms done it runs the risk of recurring and I assume expensive maintenance. The Jazz is quite new and will easily last its RC validity in true Honda fashion. Plus its hard to find a replacement for the space it offers in that price range.

2. Automatic, especially when it comes to larger cars. Safari will take some time adjusting to its proportions and not having to worry about the gears will help a lot.

3. Safari. I don't see any reason why I would forego the option of having 2 additional seats, which can be folded down when not needed, for an increase of 6.3cm in length and 7.7cm in height.

All that being said my concerns would lie with the all digital instrumentation and controls which have been a sore point with the Safari/Harrier earlier.

Hope they have sorted it out this time.

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

Polo with 5 adults and luggage is neither nice to drive or comfortable, so there you have it, harrier will be an upgrade. Get the automatic of course, they simply cannot get the MT right, its a pain.

Between Safari & Harrier - Harrier is better to drive.

Since you mentioned you love to drive, please test drive Harrier & definitely the Cheetah in the room - XUV7OO, which is what every other SUV-crossover is trying to catch up to.

To retain a well run VAG car Vs an almost new Honda - is that even a question?

Here's what BHPian athray9 had to say on the matter:

I had friend who was in a similar situation.

He had a 2016 Vento 1.5 TDi MT and wanted to upgrade to a diesel monocoque MT SUV in 2021. The contenders were Harrier, Hector and Compass.

His impressions were the following (all BS6 versions):

1. Harrier: Performance felt very strong with a nice pull at 2K RPM which felt comparable to the vento, handling was also tight with good ride quality (slightly stiff) but the interiors of the pre-facelift was the biggest letdown especially the infotainment system. So overall he felt that the performance (straight line) was on par with vento, he loved the looks of the car, but the interiors were the biggest let down (I love the interiors of the facelift model though).

2.Hector: Performance of the Hector was again strong and comparable to the vento, the interiors felt better than harrier and also had features that made it feel like an upgrade from vento. The handling of the car was the biggest let down, it rolls a lot around corners and the suspension was too soft at higher speeds and that was the biggest problem he found in an otherwise wonderful package.

3.Compass: Performance felt more linear compared to harrier even though the acceleration numbers were faster for the Compass, this made it good for passengers inside the car but he missed the pull from Vento especially after the turbo lag (Compass has faster acceleration numbers compared vento). The ride and handling balance was so good, the car rides so well over bad roads at all speeds but the handling is closer to sedans than the SUVs (of course with more body roll compared to sedans). The interiors of the facelift definitely felt like an upgrade from Vento with respect to features, soft touch materials, overall interior quality and space. He felt the car was worth the asking price.

So finally he ended up getting the compass. It's been 2 years and about ~30K kms and he has been absolutely happy with his purchase and never regrets it (other than the FE ).

So I believe Compass would be the best option in-terms of upgrading the polo GT TDI which is a legendary car.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It was all down to the Ecosport or the Vento, though the heart wanted the Vento, my mind was on the Ecosport.

BHPian RMN recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I've had my Ford Freestyle Diesel since 2018 and the ownership experience has honestly been great & peaceful. I've got the extended warranty till 2024 with the option to extend till 2025. Never had to claim anything and the service in Kochi, even now has been good.

Its only done 36k km but I'm at a point where I desperately need an automatic transmission due to multiple reasons and hence got me thinking of a lateral upgrade without spending too much money. I got my car upraised and received an offer much better than the market rate!

Things that I'm looking:

• Used automatics. AMT is definitely a NO but I can live with a CVT.
• Should be within 8L
• Should have done <50k KM
• Preferably a sedan

A Polo was my first consideration but the asking price for a used AT Polo here in KL is simply absurd! So that was quickly off the table and left me with the following:

• Vento
• Rapid
• City

I've come across a 2016 Vento within my budget that has only done 30K KM and is in overall good shape - even had the plastic cover on the speedo and the around the gear - was a bit sus tbh but seems like an older gentleman was the owner and never removed it. A quick TD gave me a positive experience and I'm currently trying to pull the service records. I've already got a DSG Vento in my family so I'm very familiar with the car and the following are some of the points that I'm aware off:

• Inferior fuel efficiency
• Higher maintenance cost
• The fear of DSG failure
• Lack of torque compared to the Ford

I would like to have a second opinion from the community. Am I forgetting to consider any other car apart from the ones I mentioned? If I'm to go with the Vento, what all are the things I should be looking out for?

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

If the car is in good condition, 7 years/30km in nothing for the Vento - wont even be a single rattle. But it all comes down to service support. Are you confident of VW and FNG support in your area? Lets say you keep the car for the next 5 years, in the worst case (and this could happen with a Honda as well, just less likely), are you able to spend 2-3 lacs over 5 years to maintain it? Your assumption anyways should be 1-1.5 lacs for maintenance over 5 years.

I'll let others comment on common problems; water pump is one. But a few parts (even if not DSG) are sure to change over the next 5 years.

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

The only point I would chip in here with: look for a VW/Skoda that has been maintained at the A.S.S, and continue that if you get one. Maintained well, these cars can last a long time from what I have heard.

Regarding the DSG's, do check the threads about the DSG failures and high city usage where stop & go driving is high - like in larger cities/metros.

(I know that the odd complaint will be there about A.S.S).

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

Have an Ecosport AT in the family. The Ecosport DCT is a fairly confused gearbox. While it is good to drive, the VW DSG is far far better. The mileage is fairly similar to what I get in my Vento TSI.

Is the Vento you are looking at a TSI DSG? Or a TDI DSG? I don't think fuel efficiency or maintenance cost should be a deal breaker. Especially for maintenance, as you are in Cochin plenty of FNGs who will do a good job with the Vento. In addition you will have tons of modification opportunities also.

The DSG failure is a risk that will have to be considered

BHPian RMN had the following update to share:

After quite a bit of deliberation, I picked up the 2018 Ecosport in the Titanium+ variant. It has done just a few thousand kms more than my outgoing Freestyle.

It was all down to the Ecosport or the Vento, though the heart wanted the Vento, my mind was on the Ecosport and quickly also had a change of heart for the following reasons:

• The Vento was out of warranty with no option to extend. Considering the higher service costs for VW's and more importantly the worry about the DSG failure - I just wasn't confident enough.
• I wasn't able to pull the service records
• Equipment levels were considerably lower than then Ecosport
• The Ecosport has warranty till the next year plus the option to extend
• Service records were clean

Overall very happy with the purchase until I for a refuel . Thanks for all the help!

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

All looks good and if they price the ZX variant at 16 Lakhs Ex-showroom, it will be difficult to ignore for sure.

BHPian PeteKing75 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I also got a chance to review the blue color Honda Elevate at Magnum Honda near Mekhri Circle, Bangalore. I am planning to sell my Skoda Rapid 1.6L TDI and buy this. My car is already listed under Team-BHP Classifieds. Anyway my comparison and descriptions have the Skoda Rapid as a benchmark. I also managed to click a few pics and they just highlight why the Elevate looks so good in my opinion.

My observations and thoughts

• The Honda Elevate seats are really comfortable both at the front and the rear. They would be definitely more comfortable than the Rapid and probably more than even Kia Seltos 2023 which was also under consideration. Ventilated seats may be a miss elsewhere, but I can live without it in Bangalore (Weather advantage!)

• As mentioned already, the "Thud" of the German cars - VW, Skoda is missing here, but its significantly more than the Koreans or the other Japanese cars.

• The Alloy wheels look stylish. The dashboard is neat and functional. It will not distract with unnecessary features. I am not a big fan of watching the car coming behind my car on a 10 inch or 7 inch screen near the speedometer. I would rather rely on the mirrors! The left lane watch camera on the other hand will be useful. Electric Seat adjustment would have been better, but we can live without it. Kia Seltos has much more features obviously, but do we need all of them is the question to ask yourself?

• Rear seats can seat 2 healthy (read more than average weight) comfortably and a child or a slim person in the middle seat. This will not set any benchmarks for 3 people seating in rear. Maybe the Seltos will do that a bit better, but according to me most 5 seater cars in this segment cannot do that. If you were to include a MG Hector or Innova Hycross as in segment due to base model pricing, then they will do a much better job, being wider and longer!

• Blue color looks really classy in my opinion though it may be subjective. Car in white might look bigger. The dark color might need some PPF application, depleting our bank accounts a bit further!

• Ground Clearance is very good. In fact after just sitting in the car, when I returned and drove my Rapid, it felt very low slung which it is with 52 mm difference in GC! Hope the handling is good enough for a SUV. I know I should not do an Apple to Apple comparison with a sedan like Rapid.

• All looks good and if they price ZX at 16 Lakhs Ex-showroom, it will be difficult to ignore for sure.

Over to the test drive now. Fingers crossed and a Honda might be in my garage soon replacing a Skoda!

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

In search of genuine transmission oil, I went to every spare parts store in town, but no one had genuine Volkswagen transmission oil.

BHPian TDI_Power recently shared tis with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone on Team BHP. I own a Volkswagen Vento Diesel with a 7-speed DSG transmission (DQ200).

Few days ago I had my car's dual mass fly wheel replaced by a local mechanic in our town.

I went with a local mechanic because the service centre asked around 75000 rupees for this job however, this job was done by a local mechanic for only 25000 rupees. Because I purchased the flywheel online for 16500 rupees and the mechanic's labour was 8000 rupees.

What's the issue is that the mechanic drained the vehicle's transmission oil while changing the flywheel. I'm not sure if this was required or not, but the mechanic said that it was. I asked my mechanic will original VW transmission oil be available in this small town? The mechanic confirmed that original VW transmission oil is available at Arora Motor Parts. After that, the mechanic replaced the flywheel and properly assembled the gearbox. He asked me to go to Arora Motor Parts and buy the 2 litre automatic transmission oil but when I went to Arora Motor Parts, they told me that Volkswagen's original transmission oil is out of stock now, so they suggested ZF transmission oil for my car, but I asked for genuine Volkswagen transmission oil and they said it is unavailable at the time.

In search of genuine transmission oil, I went to every spare parts store in town, but no one had genuine Volkswagen transmission oil. I returned to my mechanic in the garage, and he told me, that the ZF oil which is available at Arora Motor Parts is the original one, and you can use it as an alternative to VW transmission oil. He told me that ZF provides transmission oils to the Volkswagen group. I was helpless at the time because the service center was 170 kilometers away from my city. I also called the service center and requested the required oil, but they told me that they could not sell any parts outside the workshop.

Because there was no other alternative, I asked the mechanic to fill the ZF oil. I drove my car 400 kilometers after adding that oil. but I haven't had any issues with that oil or with gear shifting. Gear shift is smooth and accurate. I politely ask all members to advice me whether this oil is suitable for my gearbox or should I change it asap. According to the mechanic, I can use this oil for at least 35000 kms. This is the first time I am getting my car's transmission oil changed. Members' opinions are welcome.

Below are photos of the transmission oil used in the car:

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

With a gearbox as complex as the DSG and one with a high failure rate, it would be risky to deviate from VW's recommendations. In fact, VW had in the middle changed the recommended oil to another grade too. I would strongly recommend you source your DSG fluid from a VW dealer or a reliable independent shop which will give you the OEM stuff.

Related thread - DSG, demystified! All you need to know about VW's Direct-Shift Gearbox.

Here's what BHPian Akshay1234 had to say on the matter:

The ZF oil used is for Mercedes 722.9 torque converter applications. You need a dual clutch gear oil, be it an original VW oil or even aftermarket such as liqui moly, motul or rowe. Change it asap!

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

You have not mentioned what grade the ZF oil is and what grade is recommended by OEM. If this is the same I'd sleep a little better but with a DSG you can never be too careful.

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

This ZF fluid is a low viscosity ATF. Not sure what's the factory oil specs, but my guess is it should be fine.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The suspension is superb. On city and highway roads. I have driven 850 km in a day and at the end of it did not experience body pain.

BHPian skrmv2 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The Hyundai Santro was the first car that we bought as a family. It did us good for 15 years and a good 1.15 lakh kms. VW had just been launched in India, and after test driving a good 23 cars, I froze on the Vento Highline Petrol. No regrets. It's an amazing machine. During the first few days, there was some teething trouble with the engine. The MIL light came on, and I had to take it to the workshop; the trunk lights would not come on, and there was cabin noise. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this machine could be connected to a computer and the diagnostic software could pin point the problem. Driving it was a pleasure, though; every time I took the wheel, there was a stupid grin on my face. My drive is city/highway 40/60. Based on this, here are the pros and cons I experienced over the years:

Pros:

• The vehicle has very good steering. You exactly know what the vehicle is doing.
• Even at 120 kmph, the vehicle would stick to the road, and you would feel that you were in control.
• The suspension is superb. On city and highway roads. I have driven 850 km in a day and at the end of it did not experience body pain.
• FE during the initial years was very good (17–18 km tank-to-tank method), but now it has come down by 2–3 km.
• Boot space is amazing.
• Build quality is good.

Cons:

• Servicing is expensive. Where one needs just a rubber bushing, the ASS would ask you to replace the complete arm.
• The vehicle is under-powered. In city traffic, when you pick up the vehicle from 1st gear or if it's fully loaded and you are in the hills, it becomes too apparent.
• Spares are expensive. A rubber bushing gone bad, would need you to replace the entire arm.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I have driven the Cooper S (3 door) and thought it was a brilliant handler but it was also a little too stiff and didn't feel like it was a league above the Octavia vRS in terms of premiumness.

BHPian mango_pal recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

There are four of us in the house, my parents, my partner & I.

We have three cars at present, largely because of legacy: both my parents and I used to commute to work every day.

Now however, we don't need three cars. The last time all three of them were used at the same time was in 2020!

This is the garage:

• 2016 Vento 1.2 TSI (run 25,000km); bought new
• 2016 Audi A3 TDI (run 45,000km); bought used in 2018
• 2017 Octavia vRS 230 (run 42,000km); bought used in 2021

All three cars are in immaculate condition.

So we are looking to downsize the garage to two cars and these are the options that we were considering the following options:

Option 1: Sell the A3 and the Vento, buy a used Mini Countryman S

• The reason for this option is that both my parents love the Mini Countryman and as both of them are driving enthusiasts, they want the S or the JCW.

• This option also means that the capital outlay post selling the two cars will be ~15 lakhs which is acceptable.

• The downside of this is we have two relatively premium cars in the garage: the Mini and the vRS and no real workhorse / beater car.

Option 2: Sell the A3, keep the Vento and the vRS, don't buy another car

• Financially, this is just more sensible. Pocket the money from the sale of the A3 (depreciation of the car is next to 0 considering the current market) and use the Vento for city pitter-potter and the vRS for longer drives.

• The downside of this is that they don't get the car that they love (or think they love).

This brings me to a few questions: is the Mini Cooper Countryman S worth it (leaving price aside)? I have driven the Cooper S (3 door) and thought it was a brilliant handler but it was also a little too stiff and didn't feel like it was a league above the vRS in terms of premiumness. What does the Coutryman offer that the vRS doesn't?

Would love the community's thoughts on the above two options, feedback on the Countryman S, and if there are any other cars that we might be overlooking which could be better than the Countryman (compact and fun to drive!)

PS: Selling the vRS is not an option!

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

Option 3: Sell the Vento, keep A3 and vRS. Do a stage 1 remap for A3 and you have 2 totally fun to drive cars + Audi badge

No additional cost, but will save some money too

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

Option 1

Sell the Vento and buy no new car. The A3 can be a good beater. Its a TDI, is fast, is frugal, relatively compact and handles decently well. This way all drivers in the house will be happy as both vRS and A3 are enjoyable to drive so no one feels the pinch in picking either key. Issue with this option is that its so easy that you wont feel any change in life (change is the spice of life). No new toy to play with.

Option 2

Sell the Vento and A3 though I wouldn't recommend the Countryman S. The ride quality is just abysmal for the price across all Coopers. You already have one stiff car in the Vrs. Buy a comfortable luxury SUV (compact / semi-large) as the next. Since you are happy with pre-owned options earlier, the choices are plenty. Whole idea is the upgrade or change should feel like one both engine and ride wise and features wise or at least overall. The variety of cars will add spice and depending on the mood, road trip; the choice will be made.

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

The cars you've mentioned fall beyond my means so the below suggestions are primarily driven by numbers and guesswork.

Some observations:

• The A3 TDI should be the one to go.

• The Vento TSI, bought new, should serve as an excellent beater till it lasts. No point taking a hit by selling it and buying something else.

• If your parents love the Countryman then get it, no point playing practical on it. If you look at the alternatives all I can see is the Kodiaq and the Tiguan which according to me aren't really a competition as the exclusivity of the Countryman is unmatched. Plus would be a nice change to welcome something outside the VW-Skoda family

Which option to go with is your call but I see another option, with a 3 car garage, where the Vento as the beater, the Countryman for your parents and the vRS for you.

I don't think that the savings in selling the Vento and buying another beater car would exceed 2-3 lakhs and this doesn't include the steep downgrade you'll feel when you step out from the vRS or the Countryman into the beater which isn't the Vento. Not to forget the safety angle as well.

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

Sell the Vento, keep the A3 & the vRS :

Biggest downside of the Vento is the dry clutch DSG especially since yours is pretty much city run. The A3 is fairly easy to drive around the city, and is a very nimble handler (without compromising on the ride) not to mention wouldn't feel as aged as the vento.

A remap would give the A3 the added punch too.

The money from the sale of the Vento would look after the maintenance of both the vRS and the A3 - and in Bombay, the A3 can function as a beater - get PPF on the bumpers + mirrors and you are good to go.

Similarly the vRS is a legend in it's own so I'd keep it and enjoy it and maybe after a few years upgrade to a 330 / Mini.

That being said, I'd actually consider selling this off and picking up a pre-owned Cooper / Countryman S or JCW if the heart desires instant gratification along with the Vento as both the vRS and Mini have a lot of similar qualities - fun to drive, petrol powered, stiff ride.

This way you have a fun car (vRS / Mini) + a cruiser (A3).

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Car wobbles a bit on plain-fresh laid roads and on higher speeds 60-80kmph, vertical movements can be felt in the car. Driving on potholed road and unpaved surfaced is a nightmare.

BHPian Rahul_ recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update on what happened next in last month on the car:

• Car went in for 3rd annual service - Regular service was completed on the car.
• Suspension issue was pointed out, the entire suspension (except coil springs) was replaced by the service centre to OEM components. I wanted to check if using aftermarket components was affecting the ride. Anyways, I have always preferred OEMs as they are properly tested for the car, this was the only non-stock part in the car which was changed in emergency.
• Post the suspension change, ride quality did not improve much. The change was very small, if at all. Car wobbles a bit on plain-fresh laid roads and on higher speeds 60-80kmph, vertical movements can be felt in the car. Driving on potholed road and unpaved surfaced is a nightmare. I feel uncomfortable and my wife(who is pregnant) just cannot tolerate the ride on bad surfaces. This is despite my trying to go as slow on the bumps.
• I rented different cars and trying using another Skoda Rapid (essentially same car) to feel if I am being paranoid about the ride and discovered that Rapid (4 year old) and other cars had way better ride than my car with new suspension.
• I checked wheel balancing for my car at Tyre Empire and they tried "Force matching" on the tyres which involves taking off the tyre from the alloy and matching it correctly according to weights and give the right place on tyre and allow that should be matched.
• I followed up with PPS VW, they were gracious enough to send their staff to my apartment complex where I could take around on roads I know and demonstrate the issues faced by me. We did the lengthy road tests and checked the wheel balancing at a reputed shop nearby. They admitted that the car was indeed not fine in terms of handling. Couple of other issues were also observed an acknowledged (sound from steering column, DSG judder when accelerating on turns).
• Car is at PPS workshop currently being worked on by the folks under one of the Service Advisor who has been earlier praised in the forum. I will keep this space posted once I receive the car back.

Currently to me, the probable cause seems to be either tyres(Michelin Primacy 4ST - bought July'21) or coil springs (which do not go bad so early and easily). Nearly all other parts in suspension setup have been changed but the ride is nowhere near the stock/new car or even other similar cars.

Fingers crossed as after having spent close to 1 lakh for suspension repair twice in last 5 months, if the car doesn't get repaired now - only option left would be to sell it, which is something I am not mentally ready as the engine is exceptionally good, car is only 3 years old and I initially intended to keep is much longer (following the logic presented several times in this forum).

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

All tyres were due for replacement and 3 alloys were also bent so decided to change the alloys as well. I got a good deal on the Rapid alloy wheels so bought them.

BHPian Atharva4545 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Finally got RCD340 for my Vento. A new unit costs almost 25-30k and I was not willing to spend so much on an HU. Luckily I found a scrap dealer's (I had already bought some parts from him in the past) post on Instagram that he will soon be getting a Skoda Rapid for parts. I messaged him and got the stereo. The only negative being the green backlighting:

Also installed reverse camera. Installation is simple, this video explains everything. I also messaged Jeel Shihora (person who made the video) and he answered all my queries.

All tyres were due for replacement and 3 alloys were also bent so decided to change the alloys as well. I got a good deal on the Rapid alloy wheels so bought them. One alloy had a minor bent while the others were perfect. Got Yoko Earth 1 in 195/55/R16 size:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I loved the car's suspension when it was new and it was comfortable and good when it came to handling. Now the suspension was so stiff overtime that it started giving me backaches.

BHPian Rahul_ recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Problems with the suspension in my car:

My Vento TSI Highline+ is a June 2019 make/purchase and is currently completing 3 years and ~35k KMs. For the past one year I have been struggling with my car's stiff suspension. I tried multiple things like reaching out to several ASCs and changing my tyres to Michelin P4STs. While the change of tyres helped for a bit but the problem went on to become worse.

All my service centre visits would turn futile as the staff would take a test drive and simply comment that it's a sporty car and hence the suspension is supposed to be stiff. I loved the car's suspension when it was new and it was comfortable and good when it came to handling. Now the suspension was so stiff overtime that it started giving me backaches and was extremely uncomfortable for my wife who was going through few medical treatments as well. The condition became so worse that I even started thinking that my car purchase was a mistake and I should sell it off - all this in just 2 years of purchase.

The service centre guys never said the suspension can't go bad so early, point to note is that the suspension was never opened and checked.

Upon reaching out to few helpful forum members here, I decided to take one more attempt to fix the suspension. I spoke to a contact in Hyderabad who who suggested that the cars from 2019 had issues with suspension and cars with as low as 19k run came to him with suspensions fully shot. I tried to co-ordinate a visit when he was in Bangalore, but given my wife's appointments I couldn't make it.

Finally, decided to reach out to a FNG close-by and got my suspension opened and checked (As the ASCs would outright say that suspension had no issues at all). Other observation apart from the harsh ride was that the car was scraping the road bumps which were it never did earlier and the strut mount had like a cm or more gap from the body when mounted (the bush was also gone).

After the struts were opened up, the local FNG informed that the struts were shot and indeed required a replacement. Given wife's condition and running around hospitals I gave him a go ahead to change it. They were changed with compatible Monroe shocks as original ones would not be sold off counter and procuring from boodmo would take lot of time. It also meant spending money for repairs which should have ideally been covered under warranty. It was first time I realized that buying extended warranty and service package was a complete waste of money.

I saw the state of the struts that were replaced, the piston as getting pushed inside without much resistance and would not come out at all. However, there was no leakage.

Problem after the strut replacement was that the ride quality had gone for a toss and the car was showing a lot of body roll, so much that passing non-uniform undulations would cause lot of discomfort to wife. I reached out to the FNG again and they suggested putting silicon buffers which I did and the ride became better post that but still not as good. Plus there is sound coming in on bad roads which I suspect is from the steering rack.

Last weekend I reached out to Apple Auto in Whitefield and the service manager told me that they consider strut going bad only when they see leakage and piston going in easily and not coming out does not mean that the strut is faulty. I tried explaining increased scraping of the car as well to no benefit.

I am sharing the videos of the old and new strut piston being pushed:

• Old OEM struts
• New struts

I had a few questions:

Does only leaky strut mean that struts have gone bad ?

I got it checked at Hosur road and Whitefield service centres and the assistance provided by them was minimal and I am extremely unhappy with the service. Is there a better service centre or contact within that I should reach as I always feel that OEM products are usually the best and tested.

Should I press VW to cover the steering rack and suspension to be changed under warranty ? How should I proceed with this?

Here's what BHPian vishy76 had to say on the matter:

My suggestion to you is to change the brand of struts and put Sachs branded dampers. The OE dampers are made by Gabriel, which are absolute garbage. They give up very early and even when in fine fettle, have a very poor ride and handling balance.

The steering rack could be included in the warranty replacement, but suspension cannot be. The fact that you have had the suspension replaced from an FNG might also allow VW to nullify your warranty. Here's what my take is:

Put good quality Sachs dampers (these were OE on the Vento/Polo upto 2014 and performed very well. Excellent ride and handling + longevity). They don't come cheap (around 22K for the entire set), but you will feel the difference for sure over Monroes or Gabriel's.

A leaky strut generally doesn't mean all of them have gone bad, especially on a low mileage car like yours. But as I said, Gabriel's are pathetic quality components. You should go ahead and change to better dampers. VW OE parts are not always superior parts. This especially applies to the Polo and Vento. Lots of localization has taken place and quality of parts has deteriorated severely.

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

Hi,

There's nothing to worry actually. Suspension and brakes warranty is only for 6 months. Please check your warranty papers to be doubly sure.

Are you sure the Monroe struts that were ordered were meant for the Vento? Do you have the old one in hand to cross check whether the part numbers are compatible with each other?

Shock absorbers externally look almost the same but the stiffness is usually controlled internally with different valves(? Not completely sure here). So it's possible that your FNG may have ordered a part with the same size and travel but not necessarily designed for your car as the shock absorbers need to match with the spring rate.

It's unlikely that they'll take back the shock absorbers though if you want to exchange.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.