[GTO]

Congratulations Gannu! Your thread is the most viewed ownership report on Team-BHP with 8 lakh views .

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by tsgoutham

Gannu, I have been researching the possibility of the auto-headlight mod by integrating a new auto-headlight switch with the stock rain+light sensor in my 2016 Polo instead of adding a new sensor. I have read that the light sensor in this module is meant for the auto-headlights as well. Do you know if this is possible as a retrofit?

The stock sensor in the Polo is an RLS (rain light sensor) unit indeed. First off, have you checked if the coming home and leaving home lights on your car is working when you enable them under 09-Central Electronics > Long Coding? Some users abroad have reported that without an Auto switch, they were able to enable this function. I am referring to enabling this functionality without using the Chinese auto-lights module.

Last weekend I had some spare time and decided to do a bench-test of the RLS unit I have (5K7 955 559 B) by taping it to the windshield. It worked well when we sprayed some water using a spray bottle; in the rains though, it might be a different story altogether! However, it seems that I have connected the +12V to the switched mode wherein when the car is turned off, the unit goes off. I need to connect it to a source wherein it receives power all the time. Only this will enable the auto closing feature after it is locked.

Unfortunately, the VCDS version that I have (v12.12.0) doesn't recognise the RLS. BHPian graaja even sent me the .clb file for the unit but VCDS did not recognise it. We have a workaround in mind.

Originally Posted by tsgoutham

there's just one result on Ali for the part number in Gannu's post (5ND 941 431 E XSH) and that result isn't inspiring much confidence

If this is the part numbers of the switch I have on my car currently, it will mount on the dashboard and work without a fuss. Did you ask the seller if he has this particular switch? In the process of sourcing the right switch, I ended up experimenting with several units and have about 4 spare headlight switches in my stash at the moment!

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Is it really cheaper to buy the battery outside? Sounds like a good price that Gannu paid, 5k.

Definitely. I bought mine from batterybhai.com. Unless the battery fails unexpectedly within say the first year or so, it will not be covered under warranty and the service center would just replace it with another OEM unit (Exide, Varta etc).

Check out our Battery Bhai's thread for reviews.

Originally Posted by MNITDEVIL

Context: Got my battery changed to Amaron Flo 60 Din recently after the original battery went dead in 2.5 yrs, 20k km run Polo 1.5 Tdi.

Issue: dashboard fuel gauge has started showing instantaneous avg in the range of 13-15kmpl (instead of 17-19 kmpl). In actual number as well, car is running lesser kmpl. Have got the tire pressure checked to rule out puncture etc. issues. also, AC is not so effective any more.

Need guidance from you on what's the actual issue.

The events do not co-relate somehow. Swapping a battery has nothing to do with the issues you've posted. Did you get the car serviced recently? Do you have a VCDS cable with you? If yes please post an Autoscan report in the Dos and Don'ts thread.

Please leave the cluster's FE data aside; have you had a chance to test the FE using the tankful-to-tankful method? It takes a bit longer for the AC to cool the innards these days thanks to the horrid summers!

Originally Posted by GTO

Congratulations Gannu! Your thread is the most viewed ownership report on Team-BHP with 8 lakh views .

Thank you so much GTO! I guess I owe it to my car and the readers for the viewership count so thanks to them as well.

Will be keeping this thread updated as always - short trips, updates, repairs and replacements etc.

She's just a wee bit short of 1L on the odo:



And many thanks to Paragbhai for helping me source this can through a contact:



Will try to clean the MAF sensor this weekend; will post the findings here. Have some other work as well.

[tsgoutham]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

The stock sensor in the Polo is an RLS (rain light sensor) unit indeed. First off, have you checked if the coming home and leaving home lights on your car is working when you enable them under 09-Central Electronics > Long Coding? Some users abroad have reported that without an Auto switch, they were able to enable this function. I am referring to enabling this functionality without using the Chinese auto-lights module.

No Gannu, I haven't (yet) got VCDS so I couldn't try this. The list of reasons to get VCDS is slowly building.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

If this is the part numbers of the switch I have on my car currently, it will mount on the dashboard and work without a fuss. Did you ask the seller if he has this particular switch? In the process of sourcing the right switch, I ended up experimenting with several units and have about 4 spare headlight switches in my stash at the moment!

The sellers I've corresponded with so far haven't been too cooperative. One just dismissed it saying the MK7 switch won't work with the auto lights module without even bothering with part numbers, just from a photo. The other knew the switches but not the auto lights module. I will talk with sellers a little more and see.

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

...

And many thanks to Paragbhai for helping me source this can through a contact:

Attachment 1644816

Will try to clean the MAF sensor this weekend; will post the findings here. Have some other work as well.

Are you facing any issue with the MAF sensor, or is the cleaning due to the clocked mileage?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Back to batteries...

Amaraon: Go, Flo, Pro What does it mean?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Back to batteries...Amaraon: Go, Flo, Pro What does it mean?

Just branding where the differentiating factor is the length of the warranty & of course the price. The insides are more or less the same.

[Mohan Mathew A]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Back to batteries...

Amaraon: Go, Flo, Pro What does it mean?

DId you change the battery. What AH did you go for? I am in the same boat. My refused to start today afternoon in my office parking lot.

I am confused what rating to go for 60AH, 45 AH or something in between.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

DId you change the battery. ...

Yes: I have a nice, new, bright-green battery under the bonnet

Since the discussion on this thread, and the Polo Maintenance thread. I went for 45Amp-hour. I did mean to double check the rating of the old battery, but it slipped my mind at the time.

The guy was not enthusiastic to sell me a Pro instead of a Flo: he said, all you get different is a longer warranty. Ahem, I suppose that might indicate that it is built for a longer life!

Crossposted

Originally Posted by R2D2

Just branding where the differentiating factor is the length of the warranty & of course the price. The insides are more or less the same.

Sorry, I missed that before. Confirming what the shop guy told me. Nice that he wasn't anxious just to make a few more ruppees out of me!

[Mohan Mathew A]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Since the discussion on this thread, and the Polo Maintenance thread. I went for 45Amp-hour. I did mean to double check the rating of the old battery, but it slipped my mind at the time.

I just changed the battery of my car and the OEM battery rating was 60Ah. You have the Polo 1.6 TDI, right? If yes, then i think 45Ah may not be sufficient

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

I just changed the battery of my car and the OEM battery rating was 60Ah. You have the Polo 1.6 TDI, right? If yes, then i think 45Ah may not be sufficient

Aaaargh! Just checked Gannu's post, and yes, he got the 60. My mistake: hope it doesn't prove expensive!

Well... It starts the car, and with a "thad" more enthusiasm than the old battery did.

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Aaaargh! Just checked Gannu's post, and yes, he got the 60. My mistake: hope it doesn't prove expensive!

Well... It starts the car, and with a "thad" more enthusiasm than the old battery did.

I think you should really get a 60 Ah battery, if you have a 1.6 TDI. You can perhaps work out a deal with the battery vendor to exchange your recently replaced battery.

The smaller capacity battery likely has lesser cranking power (CCA), and it could result in the engine not cranking, especially in winters. The lower capacity battery is also likely to have less service life in your car.

Having said that, I am surprised the battery vendor did not convince you to have 60/66 Ah battery installed in your car.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

The smaller capacity battery likely has lesser cranking power (CCA), and it could result in the engine not cranking, especially in winters.

This is Chennai! From a car's point of view there is no winter!

Thinking about this, I suggest that there are two things that make starting a diesel engine harder on a battery than starting a petrol engine:

1. It just is, ie compression, and

2. Glowplugs.

I don't even know what the glowplug light on the dashboard even looks like! Absolutely never needed in this climate.

The new battery is starting the car in two ticks, enthusiastically and willingly. I think it's going to be ok. I'll let you guys know in a year or two if I'm wrong

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

This is Chennai! From a car's point of view there is no winter!

I would not really make that decision based on the temperatures in your area. This would matter if you take your car to places with low temperatures, or the typical winters as we know them.

Apart from that, there could be a number of other issues too with the usage of a smaller battery.

[Gannu_1]

She has finally breached the 1L km mark:



Man, quite a feeling it is! Just couldn't get over it as we crossed Vellore yesterday. The pros here who’ve done a million km must be chuckling but believe me, I never thought I’d reach this day soon and in a VW, no less! It took about 3 years, 8 months and 16 days to cross that figure.

Now that I’ve spent a significant portion of my life inside my ride (if one were to assume that she was driven at an average speed of 50 km/h throughout her life, that’s like 2000 hours or 83 days or 2.78 months I’ve spent with the car; probabilistic calculation but you get the point), let me list down the good things and the not-so-good things about her.

The things I love:

1. That nice lusty pull when the engine enters the midrange and the turbo begins to spool! If you hold a gun to my head and ask me to choose the single most aspect I love in this car, THIS HAS TO BE IT! Man, I just can’t get enough of it!
   
   
2. The mod-friendly nature of the car – there isn’t a better car in the current generation which can compete with the Polo when it comes to OEM and aftermarket modifications. This car is every modder’s wet dream! Got to love the fact that a no-frills Polo was launched in India back in 2010 when the fully loaded GTI model was being sold overseas! Wait, did I mention about the VCDS hacks?!
   
   
3. The timeless design – the current generation is over 8 years old and the car has aged considerably well.
   
   
4. The rattle-free plastics – I am not sure how VW (among other manufacturers) does it but believe me when I say this - she still drives without a single interior plastic trim rattling! This, despite the countless number of times that I’ve removed and reinstalled most of the trims! If it’s the fit of each plastic trim or the subtle adjustments like the rubber stops on the glovebox or the rubber rings on the door pad clips among other things, the car does not show its age! OTOH, our 7 y.o/65k km Dzire back at home used by my parents and maintained so meticulously, behaves like a state-owned transport bus!
   
   
5. Made me travel-crazy – be it a visit to the OEM’s factory premises to witness the FATs (Factory Acceptance Tests) of some equipment, or a friend’s friend’s wedding in the neighbouring state, or visiting my parents over the weekend, or visiting our shipyard every Wednesday, or chilling out at Pondicherry on a weekend, I am always on the look out for an excuse to drive her and this car has made me travel crazy like no other! My boss knows it, my friends know it, my wife knows it (and supports me too!), my parents and in-laws know it. I don’t know if any other ride in her place would have made me travel so much.

The things I loathe:

1. The heavy clutch - couple that with the slow moving traffic here in Chennai and my left leg hurts like hell! This is like one of those tradeoffs that us manual TDI owners have to live with and I didn’t realise it until I came to a city which has maddening stop-and-go traffic! Anyways, I’ve decided that my next car would definitely be an AT – sorry but I am done with that hard-core stick-shift enthusiast theory!
   
   
2. The stock seats’ poor comfort – the stock seats offer very poor lumbar support and minimal under-thigh support. As for the rear seat, the short wheelbase and the floor hump doesn’t help either. During a long drive, I always make it a point to take timely breaks - step out of the car every 2 hours and stretch. Plus, the oyster-white shade of the aftermarket upholstery is a pain to maintain! Sometimes, I miss the stock fabric-upholstered seats. In this regard, the seats of our first gen. Swift Dzire are supremely comfortable! That’s one thing I love about that car when I get to drive her. Perhaps I’ll have the upholstery reworked after sometime.
   
   
3. VW’s fix to the TDI scandal – I’ll admit it, I am not letting VW fix my car with a different ECU map and the flow transformer device only to let the mid-range grunt go noticeably down and making the engine noise worse as admitted by a lot of owners. I didn’t buy this car for that. I wish there was a more acceptable fix for both the parties. No offense but all those NGT supporters and anti-pollution loyalists, can take a hike!
   
   
4. Poor braking. At times, I have felt that the braking was inadequate and could have been improved. VW could have easily given disc brakes at the rear which would have largely addressed this issue but no, because cost cutting. After all, when none of the hatchbacks in this price range offers disc brakes at the rear, why should they?!
   
   
5. A constant fear of the car breaking down – in the middle of nowhere, no less! Just look at the number of instances on the forum when a VW car has unexpectedly broken down, injectors have failed, coolant pump and fuel pump have given up, steering column has failed, ABS sensors have failed (if you’re incredibly unfortunate, the ABS mechatronic module itself would fail!), alternator has failed, the AC compressor has failed, some random electronic part would fail resulting in a CEL being thrown on the cluster and the service center technicians would spend countless hours identifying the fault, replacing unwanted parts, throwing a hefty bill at an unwary owner after the warranty period expires. It’s like driving around with a time-bomb!

BUT, *touchwood* she has been extremely reliable to this day! She has never broken down, no component failures (not taking into account the wear-and-tear parts such as brake pads, battery etc.) and no replacements under extended warranty. I just pray and hope that it continues that way. I've always prescribed to the timely service schedules and have followed the replacement of critical parts as per that. And with these German cars, a little bit of extra TLC goes a long way in ensuring a trouble free ride. Ask my friends and folks, I treat her like a part of my family and not just another four wheeler to transport people from point A to B. A lot of BHPians subscribe to that school of thought.

The detailing session:

As much as I’d want her to look spotless and gleaming all the time, the limited closed parking space at my workplace (at the shipyard, it is even worse – absolutely no tree shade!) and the daily wash-and-wipe using the same ol’ piece of cloth by the apartment’s friendly cleaner, resulted in a lot of swirls developing over time and the sheen was eventually lost. She was last detailed during the scheduled 75k service at the VW service center by their 3M folks and the result was just okay. I am not a detailing guy nor do I have the patience and stamina to endure a detailing job. I prefer handing her over to a good detailer and let them work their magic.

Since the 1L mark was special, I decided to get her detailed from an extra special place – someone who knows his stuff better than the rest of the folks and are usually very dedicated and has that attention to detail. Every city usually has one or two of such shops. I found one through our Team BHP Chennai directory (not a surprise really) – DriveClean owned by Gurubaran. (link)

Initially, Guru was known to visit the owner’s residence and do the detailing but he has setup his garage at Nanganallur (GMaps) 2 years back. So I called him up and spoke about my requirement. He asked me to get the car to his place after giving him a confirmation call a day before I visited the place. Fixed up the appointment for a Friday so I could complete my shipyard visit on Thursday and Guru can work on the car for 2 days and deliver it by the weekend. I wasn’t really worried about the budget at that time.

But, what made matters worse is that one of our ships under construction at the shipyard was being painted (speaking of which, the ship is a floating dock for the Indian Navy and the hull paint has a warranty of 25 years! That is unlike the paint that is usually applied on other ships) and I had parked the car some 150 m away from the ship in a shaded area. I came back after a few hours and the fine misty particles of the paint that was floating in the air had stuck to the outer surface of the paint on the car including the front windshield! And it wouldn’t come off easily. It wasn’t really bad that one would notice it but if you were to rub your hand over the paint or the windshield, you could feel it. I knew Guru’s work just got intensified several times over! And I told this issue to him while we spoke and he said it can be taken care of. I felt a bit relieved and drove to his place on a Friday morn. He had sent me the co-ordinates of the location.

We promptly reached the garage around 8 AM and Guru was there. There was an Audi A7 and a Q7 parked there for repairs. We exchanged the pleasantries and he attended to the car quickly. He did a walk-around and inspected the car closely noticing all the flaws – swirls all over the panels, few minor scratches (inevitable in Chennai’s mad traffic!), re-painted front right fender, the paint mist which had stuck on the hood and the windshield etc. He said it would take about 2 days tops and would try to wrap it early if possible.

The work done was as follows:

Step 1 – Foam wash with KochChemie Magic Fleur aromatic foam shampoo.



Step 2 – Painted surfaces clayed using Bilt Hamber medium auto-clay.

Step 3 – Swirl removal using Menzerna Fast Gloss 400 compound using Rupes random orbital polisher and Bosch rotary machine with multiple passes.

Step 4 – Final cut using Menzerna Final Finish 3000.

Step 5 – Application of paint sealant using Rejex polymer sealant.

Step 6 – Windshield clayed using CarPro white fine clay bar and polished using CarPro Ceriglass.

Step 7 – Wheels cleaned and brake dust removed using KochChemie Triple Acid Star.

Step 8 – Engine bay degreased using Chemical Guys Grime Reaper Extremely Strong (!) degreaser. Sprayed, brushed and wiped down. Dressing applied after that.

Step 9 – Interiors cleaned using KochChemie Mehrzweckreiniger interior and special cleaner.

Step 10 – Dashboard and door panel trims cleaned using CarPro Perl.

Pads used – Menzerna heavy cut foam pad (red) for cutting, Menzerna medium cut foam pad (yellow) for polishing and Menzerna soft cut foam pad (green) for finishing.

And the results speak for themselves:



















Total price paid for the detailing session - Rs. 6000.

With great detailing comes great responsibilities! Guru requested me that once a car is detailed, extra care has to be taken to ensure that it doesn’t lose the sheen quickly. He suggested the following:

- Do not wash the car for the next 2 days, no matter what.

- Wash the car as rarely as possible limiting it to once every 3 months. *gulp*

- Use a duster to get rid of the day-to-day dust accumulated on the car.

- Wipe the individual panels after dusting using a waterless wash concentrate diluted in a spray bottle and a good microfiber cloth.

- Do not let bird poop lay for long on the panels. This will eat the paint. Keep a few microfiber towels and a spray bottle with an all-purpose cleaner in the car to do some quick clean-ups.

The only downside of this entire detailing session is, the paint particles on the rear windshield is yet to be cleaned up – Guru had earlier remarked that he cannot use the machine on the rear windshield as the defogger lines may come off due to the vibrations and requested me to bring the vehicle sometime next week. But I am immensely satisfied with the work done on the car by Guru. He single-handedly did all the work and says detailing is his passion. I can possibly understand. Oh and turns out he’s a BHPian too and had registered in the forum way back in 2007 but does not post now ever since he’s associated with DriveClean. Thank you so much Guru!

Other notes:

• Extended warranty = THE END. As much as I wish there was an option for an extended mileage like 2 lakh km (wishful thinking much?), I am really glad I didn’t have to use it in the last 3.5 years to claim for any part replacements. IMO extended warranty is a must especially with these German cars. I’d greatly recommend taking one if there’s an option.
  
  
• Here’s a significant update - I ordered the original VCDS Hex-V2 Enthusiast cable with the 3 VIN support, last week.
  
  
  
  I think Uwe Ross and his team at least deserves this bit since the Chinese clone cable had helped with so many retrofits and tweaks in my car + I am now eligible for the tech support in case there are issues during any retrofits or diagnosis + future updates + Windows 10 OS support. This is an entirely new cable which was launched this year, comes with a detachable cable with a tri-color status LED and a modern 32-bit microprocessor which results in faster Autoscans and module detections:
  
  
  
  Check out the Autoscan test:
  
  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eOVsYa2ITI

  
  
  The cable will also help me with some of the future retrofits I have in mind which would definitely require tech support from them. So I didn’t look any further. The only downside in this entire deal is the Fed-Ex Priority only mode of shipment – USPS could have saved some 30-50 USD or so I am thinking.
  
  Price: Rs. 22335 (280 USD + Rs. 3478 as customs duties)
  Source: Ross Tech
  
  
• I got a pair of unbranded Chinese H8 LED bulbs for the fog lamps from Aliexpress recently. It had some 4500 orders, buyers rated them very highly and the dealer was offering a one-year warranty as well which is usually unheard of. Each light has 2 unbranded COB LEDs on either side but the light is incredibly bright! I wonder how long they will last but I seldom use fog lights so I hope they’d last for at least a couple of years; just wanted to complete the all-white light look from the front.
  
  
  
  Difference between the halogen bulb and the LED bulb:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Here's a step-by-step pictorial DIY on how to replace the stock fog lamp bulbs with these bulbs:
  
  
  
  Price: 18.32 USD (Rs. 1200 approx.)
  Source: Aliexpress
  
  
• I got these door lock striker plate covers from Aliexpress for 1 USD. Dirt cheap so got a replacement set as well.
  
  
  
  
  
  They fit perfectly with a reassuring ‘click’ - no loose movements thus. When we went for the Lexus’ official drive event, I noticed these covers put on the striker plates of the Lexus cars:
  
  
  
  After going for the Skoda Rapid facelift’s drive, I ended up sourcing the RCD330G Plus head unit. And now this. Not sure what else is in store!
  
  Price: 1 USD (Rs. 65 approx.)
  Source: Aliexpress
  
  
• After an extensive usage during the monsoons, the rear wiper was showing its age by now and the blade quality had deteriorated. The VW service advisor had also remarked this during the 90K scheduled service. When I checked the internet for replacements, Amazon India threw a link for a third-party manufacturer but had a thumbnail-sized image of the wiper, eBay didn’t have anything. Some of the members here also indicated that the service centers did not stock this wiper!
  
  Finally, I decided to source it from eBay.com and saw the OEM wiper being sold in China (the dealer had a near-10k feedback rated at 99.2% positive). Purchased it on 1st June, it landed at my office desk on 20th June, packed quite well in a box.
  
  
  
  Removing the wiper is easy – push the square-shaped button and pull the wiper to the right side. Install the replacement wiper in the reverse order.
  
  
  
  Part number: 5K6 955 427A
  Price: 14.24 USD (Rs. 918 approx.)
  Source: eBay
  
  
• When I had the RCD 510 HU previously, the USB socket was installed in front of the cup holders on the central console. Now that a newer HU has taken its place which has all the connectivity options on the unit itself, this dedicated USB socket was pointless and had to be removed, which left a hole there! I had to cover it up somehow and instead of covering it with a piece of dummy plastic panel, this digital voltmeter took up that space:
  
  
  
  And it gels well with the all-red backlighting as well:
  
  
  
  I connected it to the main fuse box using a regular fuse tap cable. On a related note, I happened to stumble upon the voltage display on the instrument cluster’s MFD in a friend’s Chevy Spark. Neat! I mean how hard can this option be for the manufacturers to enable on the MFD?! The voltmeter would additionally help to indicate a dying battery or a failing alternator.
  
  Price: 1.22 USD (Rs. 85 approx.)
  Source: Aliexpress
  
  
• When I plan to do the MAF sensor cleaning on a weekend, I also intend to take up the injector cleaning using the Liqui Moly Diesel Purge solution. Paragbhai was kind enough to link me up with some Youtube videos on diesel purging on VW cars and some helpful tips as well as he had attempted this on his steed sometime back. Sourced some cheap fuel filters used for these lawnmowers. I need to source some 5/16” (8 mm) ID clear vinyl/plastic tubing, some plastic barbs and the can of Liqui Moly diesel purge.
  
  
• Timing belt change – I intend to take this up within the next 10k km considering the car would cross the four-year mark by then. I might get it done from an FNG if the prices are significantly better. Will ask the VW service center for the indicative pricing for this service. I’ll take care of the rest of the scheduled services at every 15k km interval myself. A good friend of mine has his friend who works for VW and has agreed to help me source the parts. I just need to source some tools like a good quality torque wrench to tighten the drain plug (I’ve tried removing one from my car at the service center during a service and it was next to impossible! Evidently, they have tightened it manually using a ring spanner) and the wheel bolts.
  
  
• The left AC vent’s horizontal directional controls broke some time back – thanks to a well-built 6-footer friend who was seated in the co-driver seat (selfie pic clicked during the drive). We were en route to Trivandrum to attend a colleague-friend’s wedding and stopped for a tea break. The car was parked on the roadside adjacent to some source of stagnant water and some mosquitoes entered the cabin when the doors were opened. We got rid of most of them when the windows were rolled down except one and while trying to catch this one annoying mozzie, he banged his hand hard on the AC vent and it broke. Later, I took it out, removed the broken plastic pieces and the control knob, and replaced it back. For now, the vertical controls and the shut mechanism works. I’ve got to order a replacement vent shortly. The downside of this makeshift arrangement is, the co-driver window gets misty when the chilled air blows out of the vent.
  
  
  
  
• The waterless wash – I’ve heard of the waterless wash system on our detailing threads and attempted a round on a weekday evening using the ONR (Optimum No Rinse) concentrate after the car was detailed. It rained one day while we drove to the shipyard and left the car dirty (pains to see a freshly detailed car dirty so soon!). Ordered a 240 ml bottle of ONR from Amazon for Rs. 764 (link).
  
  
  
  Using two 500 mL spray bottles with a 1:200 dilution ratio (i.e. 2.5 mL concentrate for 500 mL; for reference, a soda bottle cap measures 5 mL) and at least a dozen microfiber towels, I decided to try the waterless wash. Here’s what I did:
  
  - Spray one panel generously using the spray bottle.
  
  - Wait for a couple of minutes.
  
  - Wipe off the panel using a MF towel folded twice (a two-fold towel has 8 useful sides) in one unidirectional stroke.
  
  - If the panel is more dirty compared to the rest of the areas, do a second round of spray-and-wipe.
  
  And I was really impressed with the results! I never knew I could clean a car with just one litre of water! I used to wash down the car using a hose and running water back at home but this method has won me over. Of course, this method won’t work with a really dirty car. Just look at the clothes line on the balcony the next day morn:
  
  
  
  The next method is using a 1/3rd bucket of the diluted ONR solution, a sponge soaked in the solution to wipe the panel, and then using the MF towel to wipe the panel dry. Will try out next time and post the results.
  
  
• 3 threads on Team BHP that helped me greatly during the car ownership:
  
  ARTICLE: Mechanical Empathy | Preserving the Car While Driving
  
  ARTICLE: Guidelines & Tips for Safe NIGHT Driving
  
  Pics: Accidents in India
  
  PS: I try my best not to visit the last one before a crucial journey.
  
  
• Expenses incurred so far:
  
  
  1. Upgrades & Replacements - Rs. 427908
     
     
  2. Services - Rs. 65125
     
     
  3. Repairs - Rs. 17261
     
     
  4. Detailing - Rs. 27481
     
     
  5. Insurance + Extended Warranty - Rs. 78708
     
     
  6. Consumables - Rs. 13086
     
     
  7. Fuel - Rs. 349058
     
     
  8. Resale of components - (-) Rs. 32600
  
  I've tried my best to compile them in a .xls file (GT - Expense sheet.xlsx) as and when I end up purchasing something or get an invoice for some service undertaken but things like tolls/parking tickets etc. aren't accounted here.

Pending upgrades:

There isn’t much work to be done now but I’ve got these things lined up when I get some spare time (which really is a luxury these days):

a. I might change the stock alloys to 16 inchers and the tires to the 16” Primacy 3ST make (unfortunately, the P3ST comes in only 205/55 profile suited for the Polo). I am a big fan of the Primacy 3STs after having used the current set for nearly 60k with just 3 punctures and no defects, incredible wet grip, supple ride quality with a reduced road noise. These tires have been subjected to some abuse over bad roads and no roads and they have taken the brunt quite well.

b. I’d love to get the speakers changed to the Focal IC165VW set. It’s a straight swap without any cutting or splicing of cables. When I intend to replace them, I’ll also get the insulation applied in the doors, hood and boot. Will approach a professional audio installer here in Chennai or Palakkad (there are plenty of these little known guys here in Kerala who does a wonderful job in audio-related works!).

c. Felt lining the glovebox – after having driven the Lexus lineup recently (link in case you missed the article), I loved the subtle things that added to the luxury of the cabin. Padding the glovebox was one of those so I ended up ordering a piece of felt cloth from Amazon (link) and it was just the thing I was looking for. Now to find some time to get it done!

d. The stock boot liner is also a bit flimsy and I intend to get it replaced with a thicker ply (maybe 4 mm) covered with a speaker-box carpet and the VW OEM handle from the Golf and the likes (image). This is the part:



e. I will be swapping the rear drum brake with discs shortly. And if my research goes well, I might end up changing the stock ABS controller to the one that supports ESP and TCS. There's some work involved w.r.t changing the terminals on the connector, changing the stock mounting bracket and a couple of new brake lines.

So I guess that would be it. For now. Cheers guys!

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

She has finally breached the 1L km mark

Congratulations on hitting one of the biggest milestone in a cars life. Speaks a lot on how you maintain cars. Need to learn a lot from you and your MODS/DIY's.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

I also intend to take up the injector cleaning using the Liqui Moly Diesel Purge solution.

Coincidentally, even I did the Liqui Moly Diesel Purge on my Swift ZDi. Here the thread with all the details. For VW cars, it is easy I think and not as laboriously a process as I had to do.

Using Diesel Purge