[Amarendranath]

I would like to thank my parents for letting me choose a car, My brother for side stepping and letting me make the call, The designers of Jetta who have come up with the design of those Atlanta's, Volkswagen and Orion Motors for making us the first family to own this color(In India)and destiny for bringing us both together.

Ladies and Gentlemen, My dear fellow BHPians. I proudly present to you TEAM BHP's first Tempest Blue Metallic Volkswagen Jetta Highline AT.

I'm a show and tell kinda guy, And now i have got more of a reason to show than ever. So starting off with a small sneak peek into what destiny had in store for me. You can get a glimpse of her directly from here - .

[Amarendranath]

A LONG COURTSHIP

Until very recently I was the quintessential 'guy who loved his bikes' Spoilt by the Yamaha’s , I used to rave about them every chance I got! Although we did own quite a few cars over the years, my real love was for the bikes in my life. That was until I met a recent beauty that changed my views and the axis I turn on forever more.

2011

It was during this year that VW had managed to grab everyone’s attention with their new product lineup. It was bittersweet for them though because from what I had observed, although they sold vehicles like M&M’s, their after sales reviews were disappointing. Thus despite a strong ‘love at first sight’ kinda attraction for their new line, I turned away thinking about their after sales reviews. The new Jetta was introduced around this very time but for obvious reasons I turned away. Although their ‘fly boy’ advert did grab my attention, a Volkswagen didn't seem like a very feasible idea at the time. Little did I know destiny had other plans for me!

2012

Pehli baaar!

This was the first time i had seen the Jetta since 2011.

June 2012, if I'm not wrong was the first time I laid my eyes on the new Jetta. Had quite a strong effect on me I must say. Hope the day I meet my girl, the feeling comes somewhere close to this! Before I realized, it was clear I was floored and blown away by this car. Every detail about the car was being admired at a microscopic level in my mind. It was one of those ‘love at first sight’ moments where one cannot consciously stop staring. I had sleepless nights, thinking about this car (I could’ve easily been a part of the cars movie, I kid you not). For quite some time since then all I would do was read more and more about the car. Three days after reading an article written by Rudra sir (a fellow BHPian), I registered with Team-Bhp just so I can interact with and get to know more about the car.(Heights of desperation eh!)

Over a period of time the attraction did fade away, and I realized how overpriced the car was and how it did lack a lot of features which were present in lower segment cars. At this point my family and I were already pre occupied with shifting to a new residential community and with such a huge investment underway it didn’t seem like the most feasible option. With a lot of mixed feelings and a heavy heart I gave up and let my dream car slip away. Little did I know this was but temporary

2013

By June 2013, it was a new home, a new community, new life,well almost. All I desperately missed in my life was not a girl but a new car!! Fortunately there was an evident need for a second car and thus began the official car hunt. The car selection process was quite a challenge with increased taxes on automotives, increased fuel prices etc. We definitely wanted a diesel car. As there were no budget constraints, every part of me got excited and thus pushed my family in favor of the Jetta (yet again). My father hadn't tried an automatic until then, but long story short he did fall for her charm.

The new face lifted Jetta (latest model) was released during the same time, resulting in dad test driving the new ride. Despite getting good discounts on the 2012 models they seemed lifeless in front of the face lifted models. All of a sudden the New 2014 Jetta had become a very classy, rich and an even more beautiful looking car than I remember. After a lot of drama the car did slip away yet again as we couldn’t afford the financial damage just yet. I could see that look of despair on dads face too for having to let her go. I knew he was smitten. Soon my mother (though she was impressed with the Jetta) took over and dusted the rust off both my father and myself and we had to compromise and narrow down our search into the C-segment. It was like my life was spiraling down into an abyss with no more light. It was hard to look at other brochures, Felt like I was cheating while in a relationship!


2014

It wasn't much of a surprise that we, the men at home still haven’t decided on a car yet. And the decision to buy a car was dragging out too long! We were looking for and test drove a lot of the C-segment vehicles. Week after week we would try cars and finally with a heavy heart we did close down on a car, very heavy heart literally. What I didn’t know was that my story did not end here. I had a happy ending waiting for me after all, I now seem to understand the proper definition of destiny.

[Amarendranath]

SELECTION PROCESS AND TEST DRIVES

The Alloy wheel obsession

If there is one thing i love about and am certain of in cars, its the alloy wheels that scream style and carry a certain air of class about the car. It was very clear from the beginning that if i was going to bring home a car, she had, just had to have alloys! thus, for obvious reasons, if i test drove a car, the fact that it had\didn't have alloys hugely impacted my decision whether to shortlist it or not.Thus a car without alloys was a strictly no-go zone for me.

Test drives phase 1

During my fascination for the then newly launched Jetta, around 2012, i had a strange interest in wanting to test drive every other car available in the market within the same segment just to compare and contrast these cars with Jetta and not to mention, try to understand and prove Reason behind my blind obsession for the Jetta (Whether there was infact a reason or not).So I headed out to test drive a few of the D-segment cars.

The Chevrolet Cruze -

Likes:

• The car is designed to boost your psychological confidence.
• The car’s overall interiors i'm going to say were very attractive and appealing.
• Superior Refinement level (NVH) which is surprising for a diesel.
• Great steering feedback.
• Sunroof.

Dislikes:

• Interior quality. ( Test car had worn out door pads)
• Turbo lag, a pain in traffic.
• Rear seats were quite uncomfortable. (leg/knee room )
• Music system lacks a Bluetooth telephony.
• Disheartening alloy design.

The Renault Fluence -

Likes:

• Excellent ride quality. ( on second thoughts, better than the Jetta too )
• Impressive Interior quality and space.
• Sun blinds. (Only the premium class have those )
• A strong Road presence.

Dislikes –

• Sluggish diesel motor.
• UGLY looking front end
• Poor service networks
• Bland alloy wheel design

Test drives phase 2

Fast forward to 2014:

With a heavy heart we set out to test the various C-segments available. From what we had driven earlier this was a direct jump to a segment lower.What i definitely did understand After test driving these cars was why the demand for the D-segments had been diminishing. The C segments cars cover almost everything one needs in a car.
Few of the cars we had test driven from this segment were-

The Hyundai Verna -

Likes:

• Stunning/stylish looking alloys.
• Smartly designed front end - snake eyes.
• A close contender to the Honda City in terms of features.
• Refined diesel engine. ( best in class)
• Impressive power train. ( pick up )
• Hyundai after sales support and service.

Dislikes :

• An unpleasant highway driving experience·
• Congested Rear seating.
• Minimal feedback from the steering.

The Volkswagen Vento -

Likes:

• A pure driver’s delight, fun and engaging to drive.
• Excellent mid-range (actually felt faster and better than verna)
• Interior quality, the best in the segment.
• Solid build quality.
• High speed stability.
• Offered with complete sales package (3 years service +3rd year extended warranty)

Dislikes:

• Unrefined diesel engine with a lot of cabin noise.
• Boring alloy design.
• Boring interiors.
• Expensive spares and unreliable after sales.

The Fiat Linea -

Likes:

• Aston martin like front end.
• Classy looking alloys.
• Solid exterior build quality.
• High speed stability.
• One must definitely experience the t-jet in their life. ( only petrol car that we test drove )

Dislikes:

• Very poor service network.
• Cheap quality interiors.
• Boring diesel engine.
• Uncomfortable back seat ride. ( tight support and suspension)

The Ford ecosport –

Likes :

• Never seen before, Rapidly Dynamic styling. ( considered only for its looks)
• Peppy and punchy diesel engine.
• Elegant\stylish alloy design.
• Comes with a host of comfort and safety features.
• Excellent handling.
• Humongous aftermarket modification options available.

Dislikes :

• Congested rear.
• Vague steering feedback.
• Boot space- Ford should probably look into a dictionary.
• A tight and restrictive strict 4 seater.
• Cheap quality interior fit and finish.
• A never ending waiting period.

The Honda city (Diesel) -

Likes:

• Excellent and roomy cabin space. ( felt like a mini Jetta )
• A very striking and flamboyant Dashboard·
• The AC seems to be powerhouse of the cooling tech.
• Honda after sales, quite reliable.
• Excellent fuel economy. ( may be I was getting greedy )
• Sunroof.
• Improved ride quality. ( better when compared to the above)
• A feature list that could easily pass off for a D segment drive.

Dislikes:

• Tractor like diesel clatter, audible inside the cabin.
• Boring diesel engine.
• A huge compromise on safety.
• Questionable and inconsistent quality of materials, fit and finish.
• cost cutting measures.
• Waiting period.
• A very bland alloy design.

The ultimate decision trickled down to picking up a diesel car with a considerable amount of features and cabin comfort.The obvious answer seemed to be the Honda city,every other car seemed to be lacking in requisite cabin space or the rear seat comfort. thus a decision was made to buy the Honda City, there was no way we were buying the Honda city, not with those stock alloys.

[Amarendranath]

TWIST IN THE TALE

I could not have insisted more on my attraction towards the Volkswagen Jetta in this particular article, but this obsession did take a detour when i laid my eyes on the Honda City.
After all the research we had done, and after realizing that the Jetta would create a financial impact we were not ready to endure at the time, we had narrowed down on the next best thing. The Honda City. It was a car that could have easily been tricked into being called a D Segment Drive! thanks to this very conclusion we took the call. Although the disappointment of losing a splendid drive like the Jetta was gnawing at my mind, For quite some time i was almost delusional with the ‘Bringing home a new car’ excitement. I was excited about bringing home the Honda City. It was almost as real as a rebound after a breakup !!

Once our final decision was made, on February 5th, A token amount of Rs 51000 for Honda City VX MT (urban titanium or alabaster silver) was paid for at the dealership.
(I vaguely remember seeing a parked Jetta right outside the Honda City showroom and thinking to myself about the concept of Life’s Irony! )

Dealership: Pride Honda Madhapur
Sales Executive: Santosh
Sales Manager: Mr.Kriti (Volkswagen should thank him, the man without whom the Jetta Dream would have well remained a dream)

The sales executive got us hooked on by telling us that an urban titanium (colored) model was available somewhere within the pride Honda division and he could easily get it delivered for us once the final amount had been paid. At that point of time we really didn’t know that it was just another customer retention strategy. As the car was brand new there were absolutely no discounts on offer but we were promised that a Key chain, floor mats will be given as a complementary. Eventually, while we were waiting for our delivery, the urban titanium promised to us was delivered to someone else due to cheque clearance delay and yet again we were being persuaded on with the hope of an Alabaster silver City.

After a month long wait we were informed that the next lot of cars are being shipped and thus had to wait till April 2nd. This time the SE was so confident I was wondering if he would have given a written statement mentioning the delivery date. ( it was a sales gimmick yet again) In the mean time, I made a few calls to the Honda customer care, visited their dealership numerous times, with a hope to learn about the status of the car. All this time i kept convincing myself as to how

• The Japanese were better than the Germans.
• How the Japanese had better service than Germans.
• The City was indeed a handsome looking car(without the front grill that is).
• How the Build quality wasn't the most important criteria.
• I did everything necessary to convince myself and be prepared for the Honda city.

As you can imagine the excitement one goes through during the wait period, I feel I might have overdone it in this case. I used to visit the dealership once every 2 weeks and click pictures of the cars in the garage, Used to do various color comparisons for the colors of our choice.

A few pictures that I have from the Honda city experience


Being the choice of selection,I used to click the pics of a silver color car whenever possible.


Color comparison-Urban Titanium Vs Alabaster Silver


This was a new color that was introduced by Honda for the CITY, the brochure name being Golden brown metallic


There was no way that we were getting home a city, not without the stocks being swapped with this model.


Trying to imagine how the car will look with those installed.

On the 2nd of April, all set to go pick up our new ride, we gave the SE quite a few calls to which he refused to respond. Quite disappointed,We decided to surprise him that very evening by visiting him at the dealership. Our worst nightmares had officially come to life. A little this and that and a whole lot of drama later we were informed that the car will only be delivered by second week of June and the nightmare gets worse, we were now going to have to settle for a white color which could be arranged at the earliest, which was the 1st of May. Extremely disappointed and disheartened by their sales strategy we confronted the manager to which he had recklessly asked us to cancel our booking if we wished. their blatant ignorance towards timely service towards customers had resulted in their loss of a valuable customer. It had become evident that this sale was never really about customer satisfaction.

Frustrated and infuriated, dad rushed home and called up the Volkswagen dealership ( inspite of having bad experience earlier with VW ) without any hesitation. In 2 years time(the last we interacted/enquired about the Jetta was in 2012) a lot has changed, a lot of good was heard about VW on how their service was improving, how their vehicle spare parts were readily available and finally the staff indeed had become courteous. Why the call you ask? To enquire about the Jetta! And if any discounts were available. With this new development taking shape, there is only i way i can explain to you my exact thought process.

“ Na Honda city, Na Aur koyi Gadi, Ab Tho Sirf Jetta Hee Lethe Hai Re, Dinka Chaka Dinka Chaka, Dinka Chaka , Dinka Chaka A A A AAAA ”

The next week witnessed us negotiating discounts for the the Jetta. Suddenly everyone at home seemed to have made their peace with the Volkswagen Jetta. Even Mom seemed completely at ease with the said car. The recent experience seemed have impacted everyone deeply resulting in an absolute D segments car being the obvious choice and not a D segment look alike!

[Amarendranath]

Why we choose the JETTA!!

Remember how i told you about spotting a parked Jetta outside the Honda dealership while going in to Finalize the Honda City ? (although it was ironical, it was as though the car was calling out to me, stopping me from making a mistake, i just didn't read the signs properly) It clearly was Destiny. Destiny my friends, always holds the thing we need around us! Doesn't it?

For those of you who wanted to directly get to the good part, here’s me blatantly declaring my love for the Volkswagen Jetta. Its rich, its elegant, It looks like the ultimate luxury car, its powerful, an astonishing driving experience, You’ll be surprised by the stability,the ride quality and acres of leg room available for the rear passengers. Roll up the windows and you’ll know what is it like to be cut off from the outside world. soundproof with no disturbance from the outside world. Its a poor man’s princess. Affordable status, affordable luxury and affordable German engineering.

I'm glad we live in a world shared by engineers. I'm no techie but the DSG quick shifting gear box,is a hoot to drive with. Everyone in their lives have got, to at least once, experience the thrills of those kick downs , which the CVTs would never match up to. The paddle shifters with combination of the sports mode without much effort bring out the racing DNA in each and every one of us

I still feel as though very little is being said about the Jetta, here is what she has to offer:

• Body-coloured exterior door handles and mirrors and dual exhaust pipes.
• Turn indicators integrated in exterior mirrors.
• Shark fin "diversity" antenna.
• Full size spare wheel. (steel)
• Rear fog light and front fog lamps with static cornering light.
• Chrome finish on radiator grille and chrome finish on front air dam.
• Decorative chrome strip on side windows.
• 16 inch "Atlanta" Alloy wheels. (set of 4)
• LED number plate lighting and xenon headlamps.
• LED Daytime running lights and dynamic cornering lights with headlamp washers.
• Small leather package (steering wheel, gear shift knob, handbrake grip)
• Front center armrest with storage box
• Storage compartment on headliner
• 60:40 split folding rear seat backrest
• Lockable and illuminated glove compartment
• Rear center armrest with load-through provision
• Multi-function display "Plus"
• Leatherette upholstery
• Disc brakes front and rear
• ESC, ABS, ASR, EDL, Hill Hold Control
• Height-adjustable front seat belts with tensioner
• Central locking with 2 remote control folding keys
• Electronic engine immobilizer and transmission guard
• Driver and front passenger airbag, curtain airbags and front side airbags .
• Retro reflectors in all doors
• Brake pad wear indicator
• 'Climatronic' dual zone air conditioning system
• Cooled glove box
• Tilt and telescopic adjustment for steering wheel

Atlanta alloy wheels-

Needless to say and im sure you already know, i am a sucker for alloy wheels. This design, may be boring for some, too plain for some, But for me it screams sophistication. The plain cut lines, they seamlessly elevate the aura of the car. I infact mistook the audi Q7 wheels with those of the jettas’. On more close observation one tends to understand the finishing and royalty these wheels possess. Let me once again tell you , the wheels definitely were a huge influence on me in the decision making process for the Jetta, the alloys had a huge play in me falling for the Jetta’s charm!

ALL HAIL THE JETTA!

[Amarendranath]

ONLY A VOLKSWAGEN CAN BUILD A VOLKSWAGEN

I see this slogan everywhere, so i should indeed follow the Volkswagen Culture

P.S.

Source:www.projectsjugaad.com

[Amarendranath]

DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE

I must say, the dealership experience was as smooth as butter. I guess this is what happens when a dealership is enthusiastic about bumping up their D-segment sales during the dry sales season. Right from the negotiations to the test drives and other formalities, not once did we encounter a glitch. Also they did manage to give us a great deal on the car. The sales executive Mr. Kishore was very cooperative and courteous. Though he didn’t know much about the car, he was good at doing his job.

The manager of the dealership was a straightforward person, he is a no fuss kind of a manager (they are a rare breed these days). Everything we asked for was arranged. They didn’t have a problem with test drives on weekends, We weren't even required to visit the dealership to pay the token amount for the car. Everything was done from home and they used to come down to our place and collect the cheque’s. The only time we had been to the showroom was to check out the color and to collect the car itself. These guys have been very good in upholding the brand’s reputation.
We were also promised a similar after sales experience. So far all my calls (regarding the car) have been promptly attended to and also two of the best VW driver numbers were given in case we face any problem with the car and they would come down to our place. If I had to point out any defects, i’d like to point out that the VIN reading was wrong( i was told march for a february manufactured car), but apart from that i sincerely don’t have any complaints yet. guess only time will tell.

There was absolutely no hassle on the D-day , the staff were present at the dealership at the requested time. The cheque was processed before the mentioned auspicious time. We had three cheques for clearance, none of the cheques had been cleared on time and all it took was a phone call from the bank for goodwill. So technically we took the delivery with just the token amount paid.

I would like to thank Mr.Kishore and Mr.Madhusudan for their cordial attitude towards us.


Dealership: Orion Motors
Sales Executive: Mr.Kishore
Manager: Mr.Madhusudan
Discounts offered: Pretty sweet deal i must say! Please PM me for the details
Insurance: Opted Zero depreciation from a third party.
Extended warranty : No immediate plans, but will definitely get it in the future
RTA: Opted for a choice number.

[Amarendranath]

COLOR SELECTION AND PDI

We were keen on the color since the beginning. We always wanted a toffee brown Jetta. But by the time we had sealed the deal the only available AT(same color) was booked which meant that we either had to wait for yet another 15 days or choose another color. While In a state of dilemma I was informed about a blue color that was being introduced and very few cars were available in this particular color.On 12th April I was told that the car was available at the stockyard. The 13th evening saw an uncontrollable itch begin through my spine thus making me visit the stockyard. But the time I reached the yard it was dark and it was hard to make any judgements with respect to the color.

The car was eventually brought to the showroom the next day. This was a colour rarely seen amongst cars( only the premium cars) and i was floored by the Tempest Blue Metallic, it was a rich, deep and a very elegant and sophisticated yet royal, a color.The sales executive had come down to our residence to collect the token amount on the very same day and the delivery date was set to 20th April.

PDI ? what PDI ? despite printing out the 17 page long PDI check list I never really performed it. All I did was sit and drool on the car. Till date I didn’t even check the VIN numbers printed on the invoice given to us ( too much confidence on the dealership? Not good. Not good at all. ) Shall check all these details before its too late.

This is how i first saw her:

Also have a super cool video of the head lamp washers but i am not able to upload it

[Amarendranath]

DELIVERY DAY!

New Car Anxiety Checklist

The delivery was initially planned for the 20th of April, Due to certain last minute changes in the dates available( according to auspicious dates ) the delivery was pre-poned to the 18th of April. To make sure i don't panic , I decided to prepare my own check list for the D-day.

This is how it read-

Pre Delivery Jitters:

• Make up some vague reason and take a leave – check
• Carry anxiety pill and keep them handy till the car is delivered- check
• Reach the showroom by 10am and monitor everything –check
• Wear clothes matching the car color – check
• Get a gift packed for the SE- check
• Buy Pooja related stuff – check

Post Delivery to-do list:

• Tip all the Workers—check
• Give the purchased gift to the SE- check
• Drive Straight to the temple and get the Pooja done- check
• Buy car care products- check
• Drool all over the car – check
• Walk into your bedroom and bolt yourself and dance for a mass song – check
• Click pictures like crazy – check
• Write down the above points on team-bhp – check

On Team-Bhp:

• Brag about your car – check
• Brag about your car – check
• Brag about your car – check
• Eat the brains of fellow BHPians from day 2 - CHECK!.
• Thank the entire Team Bhp family for their support

After reaching the dealership at

10:00 am

Handed over requisite cheques to sales executive for processing. While I was waiting, I was offered breakfast and coffee, I grabbed a brochure and fiddled with the Jetta parked inside the dealership

11:00 am

Washing begins and I have been closely monitoring the procedure. Hadn't i been there the working staff would have forgotten to remove the glue residue that was left over from the white plaster ( car comes covered in this )

12:00 pm

Mom,Dad and Brother come down to the dealership, All the formalities were quickly done, there was only a twenty minute delay with the TR.

12:15 PM

Final touch up and garland decoration before taking the delivery.

So much for the India's first eh? No confetti, no huge keys, nothing was available with them. I was expecting drum rolls, trumpets and fire crackers.

12:45 PM

Keys got handed over and we set off to the temple, a driver was sent along with us to deliver the car at our place. The pooja was done and the driver dropped us back at home once all the essentials were taken care of.

The SE did manage to steal, a nice time piece for himself

I thank the divine god almighty himself for blessing us with such luxury! Not a single vehicle goes home without his blessings It isn't every day that we bring home a car like this and it definitely takes a great amount of hard work, luck, faith and blind belief that you were destined for something this special. With great confidence i can say that this year has started of a very positive and blessed note and so shall hope it carries on the same way throughout the year and many years to come.

Few temple shots:

As the delivery was pre-poned I had to drop the tyre change plans. Also the dealership did not have any kind of arrangement to change the tyres. It was initially planned that we visit the tyre dealers on the 19th and find out the buy back they were quoting for the Goodyear Tyres. But due to change in plans, on our way back home I stopped at a carz outlet. The dealer there quoted very less for the Goodyear Tyres but i decided to drop the idea as I was already tired for the day. From day two on wards every tyre dealer was quoting much less claiming that I had already run on those tyres.

[Amarendranath]

THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!

What I like about her:

• The Atlanta alloys
• The projector head lamps are very powerful and with the cornering function driving during the night should no longer be a problem.
• Tempest blue metallic. ( not many know this color and easily mistake the car for with an audi or a BMW)
• Clean , classy and understated looking exteriors, The audi A4 ish tail lamps
• Solid Build quality, the Octavia no longer has this.
• Exemplary fit and finish, good quality material used.
• Best in class safety features.
• Jaw dropping stability, One should experience speeds above 120 kmph in this car, even the city was not pleasing at such speeds.
• The DSG box with paddle shifts.Cant stop hooting.
• The multilink suspension is the best I have experienced so far.
• Extended warranty finally for the Jetta, peace of mind I must say.
• Impressive fuel efficiency figures for an automatic.
• Very spacious interiors.
• No other car have I seen such rich looking roof lining.
• Impressive refinement levels, only a slight thrumming of the engine is heard. (Only audible when driving without audio)
• Comes loaded with equipment. ( I only miss the sunroof and memory seats)

What I wish I could change about her:

• The beige color flooring is bad idea.
• The unreliable after sales, though promised i have my fears.
• If only installing a Sunroof was easy
• The Goodyear tires
• The door side plastics could have been better, in fact I realized that they can break over time
  
  
  Notice the broken door pad, the test car had 38k on the odo.

Apart from these I don’t really feel anything has to be changed in this car, This being our first D segment car i'm not able to point out the flaws out of it, maybe with time there might be thing which I start to dislike about her. (although i hope not)

[Amarendranath]

TO SEE IS TO BELIEVE:

Exterior:

BOND! JAMES BOND!

The styling on the outside, personally reminds me of bond series. Its classy, its understated. It makes a statement and plays a big game. I wonder what A4 owners must be wondering when looking at this car ?

The VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TEMPEST BLUE METTALIC


A perfect location for a perfect car. A contrasting yellow would be a nice touch


Sophistication,Style, Seduction

The best looking color i have ever seen on a car.

The striking rear quater angle.

The Audi A4ish like rear, Love you Volkswagen

Led Drl's, the head on view. They make up for a pretty impressive front end.

[Amarendranath]

Interior:

I do admit that the interior styling is not the best i have seen so far. But definitely the best i had ever experienced. Coming from a Santro there really isn't much i can ask for. Excellent finishing, beautiful attention to detail. I'm more than satisfied and could easily live with it. No complaints or regrets either. By now all of you must familiar with the interiors of the Jetta, so please excuse me for such unfinished shots of the interiors

A welcoming message from the audio unit


A simple view of the steering wheel, the left side control are for volume and telephony and the right side are for the MID settings.


The DSG gear box, with various modes on offer


The adjustable arm rest ( Available in the face lifted model)


The dual zone climate control with individual climate reading and settings. Pressing the SYNC would automatically adjust both the front and rear temperature and cooling


The 12 v power socket for charging, along with a aux in port.


Storage for beverages, however water bottles will not fit here and will restrict access to the hand brake. Suitable for 200 ml tins.


The lightning connector came as a shock to me i checked this only after taking the delivery. Totally amazed as both my father and myself using 5,5s



Both the vanity mirrors come with automatic illumination


Huge storage space under the armrest


The RCD 510 unit is a breeze to use, The sensors animations are quite impressive. However the sensitivity when compared to an iphone does fall behind.


The mirror control knob, Turning it downward will automatically close the side view mirrors, although i remember the test car closing side view mirrors using the key fob. My car doesn't. Turning upward will activate the heating function.



Illuminated glove box with decent storage space. Can also be locked too


A view of the audio unit in the night.


The sunglasses holder, My Ray-Ban's have no problem sitting in there.


The rear seats with the arm rest folded down.


A pretty large boot i must say, I am 6 foot tall and i could easily fit in it.


The warning lights for the doors, very much useful in the night.


Whatever that is supposed to mean, My guess its the tyre pressure reading, 33 at the front and 36 at the rear.


The boot release button located below the the window controls.


The key fob with boot and window operation, Convenience in your reach.



The controls for the projectors. Using the auto mode is what i have found the best so far. They seem to do their thing only when in auto mode.

Currently the car floors are quite dirty, will upload the cabin pictures once i'm done cleaning. The plastic covering has not yet been removed and so avoided the clicks of the front seats.

[Amarendranath]

Engine and Drivability:

It’s now clear to me on why Volkswagen have been using this 2.0 TDI for their entire range. The refinement, power , torque have all been sorted out pretty good. On second thoughts those 140 horses running on 320 meters of race track do manage to put a pretty wide smile on our face. Triple digit speeds are meant to be scary right ? Not in the Jetta. I was shocked to see the car doing a 100+ at a lazy 2000 rpm. At such high speed all you get to hear is a slight humming noise from the engine. Too many good things cannot happen at once, Can they ? Whom should I thank now? The engineers or the brand?


DSG:

Dual shifting gear box, ya right! Dangerously seductive gear box it should have been. The up shifts are Formula 1 fast. The downshifts are disappointing only when the car is being pushed to it's limits. Otherwise, take it from me, I have no complaints whatsoever. I guess one would complaint about her downshifting ability only when their paddle shifts are no longer functional. The pedal to the metal can be thoroughly enjoyed in an automatic, if only the car is equipped with a DSG. I had driven few C segment CVT’s and they are boring to death. In D mode the car stays obedient and relaxed at least someone should be concerned about the fuel figures right?.( that's D mode for you ) However the S mode, The formula 1 unleashed. The kick downs in this mode are amazing. I was flabbergasted by the speeds this car can climb in just the 3rd gear.( s mode) All of this F1 driving was in the test car, I haven’t touched the paddles yet in my car. ( Easy boys! let me hit the 1000 mark )

Quick tip: Try driving your cars while listening to the tracks ‘Fast Lane’ or 'We Own It' while in S mode.

Performance:

Let me tell you this, The drive performance of this car can easily put its premium brothers to shame. I am yet to unleash the total devil inside those 2 liters. Will update more in detail on the performance once I get to test her limits. But will tell you this, the car being named after something as mercurial as a "jet stream"( The dictionary meaning for the Jetta ) was no coincidence at all, it was not just a name cooked up by a couple of English pundits in the company, but a cognitive decision involving every engineer, test driver and technician who worked on the design and model. All of them together at the plant must have consciously vouched for this name ! Its a car with a split personality. Its a matter of seconds before the true character is revealed.

Ride and Handling:

The cars that i had driven earlier on this very road always made me feel as if i was driving during tremors.The Jetta despite its struggles didn't toss me around. The suspension does manage to filter out almost everything, only the extremely broken patches are felt within the cabin.

Was totally enjoying myself driving the Jetta on the twisties. Speed and cornering felt encouraging for the first time.

This car handles corners and curves with confidence, i was able to steer into the curves at speeds of about 80 kmph. Didn't require to break a sweat, seemed almost too easy. The seamless combination of the 2 litre engine and the 6 speed DSG is a hoot to drive. A slight change in throttle input and the car shoots forward!. Being pushed back into the seat does tingle every speed nerve present in the body. On saying that, I plan to take it easy until the first 1000 km and hence did not use the sports mode or the paddle shifts yet.

The car comes with cruise control, this features is not only fun, but is a must have, it increases fuel efficiency and makes us lazy! It can be activated at speeds above 40kmph. TO increase the speed a 2 second press on the set button will do ( the cruise control mode should be turned on ), Very helpful when in mood for a satisfying and relaxed cruising. I never really seem to have understood when all the other members were complaining about the road noise. The road noise from the tyres is pathetic. The Silence of the cabin is totally ruined by those tyres. I guess i will have to live with them for now.( Buyback quoted was pretty low) The grip however has been phenomenal from these tyres.

The braking ability of the car is on a different level altogether . Slight touch on the pedal is all that’s required. In fact a hard braking might pose a danger of someone banging into the rear bumper. From 120 kmph to 40 kmph she took just around 2.0002345 seconds. Not only the breaking ability, but the brake lights are stunning as well. ( to look at)

Beautiful looking tail lamps

Fuel Efficiency:

The magic numbers haven’t come up yet, what i have been getting so far is 14 kmpl. This was with the AC set to 20c and a combination of both highway and city driving. By the time i started writing this review i had clocked about 160km and the distance being shown was 710 km. However late that night with four of us on board and the ac set to 22 centigrade , the mileage dropped to 10.8 kmpl. Not bad for now. I guess the city conditions surely reflect on the cars performance. It has reached my knowledge that the limits of this car, in terms of mileage can be challenged and I definitely intend to do that. Would love to watch this drive perform to it's maximum limit and hopefully much more !



Detailing:

Detailing mainly improves the appearance and maintains the "curb appeal" of your car, i believe that it improves the ownership experience,. Mine and i'm almost positive that everyone’s proudest moment was when the car was brand new and looked its best. Without this detailing on the car, you probably would not have been able to share the pride

I had got the Synthetic shield coating done. This comes under one of the paint protection treatments. It was a 5 layer and 4 hours process.

All the products they used were from Meguiar's. From what i have seen the products used were-

1. Meguiar's diamond cut compound
2. Meguiar's polymer sealant
3. Meguiar's yellow wax

Apart from these three there were two other products used which i didn't make a note of. These guys had another treatment by name titanium quartz coating which involves some nano technology. I'm not sure of the products used for this( A-quartz may be? ) My guess is that the end result will be something similar to that of the c-quartz treatment. Hyderabad does fall short on car care products and treatments.

Few shots at the detailer:

The Glitz Car Spa, Inorbit mall Hyderabad.


The regular water jet wash


The foam wash follows next, the water jet is once again used for the foam wash.




The car with the final coat, the sealant applied.




The treatment did give out a beautiful shine, A deep true shade of blue.


The product used for the final coating.


This product plays a major role in protecting the paint.


The water beading effect on the paint after the treatment

[Amarendranath]

Accessories:

Have you ever observed a woman buying a dress ?? unlike men, they don't just buy the dress and are done with the deed, it never ends with just a dress, its a long and a never ending process! Now this is how a man decides on accessories for his drive. its a well thought out yet never ending process. ( why blame women then? ) Few of the accessories bought are as below-

Car Cover

• Place: Akila Car decorator Somajiguda
• Cost: 1300/-
• Contact: Rajesh

Car shampoo

• Place: Akila Car decorator Somajiguda
• Cost: 300/-
• Contact: Rajesh
• Brand: Formula 1

Car Drying Product

• Place: Akila Car decorator Somajiguda
• Cost: 380/-
• Contact: Rajesh

Car Floor Mats

• Site: http://www.carmatsindia.com/
• Cost: 2400/-
• Color: Black
• Brand:Star

Car Duster

• Site: http://www.snapdeal.com/
• Cost: 1100/-
• Color: Black
• Brand:Jopasu

Car Wash Mitts

• Site: http://www.snapdeal.com/
• Cost: 215/-
• Color: Mutlicolor

Car wash kit and scratch remover pen

• Site: http://www.snapdeal.com/
• Cost: 615/-
• Color: Black

I also plan to get few other detailing products (Meguiar's and Armor all) which i will soon be placing an order for.

[Amarendranath]

END CREDITS!

A special thanks to –

• GTO for pointing out my mistakes (was using assembly line thread the way i wasn't supposed to)
• Car.lover for giving us a shock that the tempest blue color was available.
• The turtle liker for his short and enlightening review on the colors and for patiently posting all the links and wasting his money on flight tickets.
• Graaja for mentoring me on how a car washing and detailing is done.
• Viddy for sharing the car pics and helping me decide.
• Chethan for his insightful thoughts. ( No I am not trading my car )
• Sanjubose, elobo, and all the others who have patiently helped and bared with me. ( I'm dead tired by now, so please forgive me in case i have missed out anybody’s name)
• All Your thoughts and comments have had a huge influence on me.

I would like to thank the entire Team-Bhp fraternity for not getting a Tempest Blue Mettalic Jetta soon enough and making me the first( and a very proud )owner on Team-Bhp


Few other points-

• Please do not curse me, I failed to understand how to paste the hyperlinks.( Or may be i wanted to make you all read till the end )
• No offense to any of the car owners, this was all in good humor, and this is after all me telling you about the new love in my life.
• None of the skoda cars were test driven due to their horror stories.
• A word with the PETA supporters. Chamois is made out of an animal bi-product, just like the sheep wool mitts, please do not sue me for purchasing it.
• I have pasted the links just to make it useful for the others, absolutely no marketing for snapdeal or any other sites mentioned.
• Look out for exciting errors made by snapdeal, i have got more than what i have paid for.
• The Honda city which was promised further got delayed and will be arriving only in the second week of May.(Who cares?)
• People have been mistaking this new shade of color for that of BMW (its like i practically own a Beamer)
• All the pictures were taken in a controlled environment, neither the car nor the camera were hurt during the photo shoot. Please do not shoot your cars at home.
• All the pics were taken using an iphone 5s. Thanks to its sensors i managed to get few decent shots.( Atleast i’d like to think so, however the quality took a hit while resizing)
• The manuals of the car have been dusted and are neatly tucked in. Shall sit and understand various features of the car soon.

I thank each and every one of you for your time.
I thank you all for bearing with me.
I thank you all for going through such a long, never ending thread.
I thank the entire Jetta Club on the for their timely updates and information about the car.


In an event where you (the reader) are still awake and haven't dozed off thanks to my 2 year courtship with my almost beemer look-a-like JETTA, i (the owner) would like to take this opportunity to promise to you all to take brilliant care of this new ride and keep you all posted on a regular basis about our (the car and i) well-being.

See you all for now. Wish you all miles and miles of happy and safe driving. DO THE JETTA!!