[rejoycjohn]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Lol. I drive a Swift ZDi and not the GT TDI which I wanted badly.

Anurag.

Oops ! My Bad ! I somehow assumed that you drove one.

[zalaps]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Do let me know if I’ve missed anything important.

As in GJ, PUC is not that important, But MH police will create scene for that.
Have a good trip!

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

The roads between Pune and Satara are not the best

It was pretty much okay when we had been to Karad during April this year. There were a few diversions due to the flyover construction. But what seems to be the worry now? Potholes?

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

Once you enter KA then you will see 6 lanes and it will be hard to resist the temptation of trying to hit the maximum speed.

Must. Resist. Temptation.

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

PUC will be mandatory. I thought the PUC check is required in a car which is older than 6 months.

Nope. From my understanding, it is not required for the first year from the date of registration.

Originally Posted by zalaps

As in GJ, PUC is not that important, But MH police will create scene for that.
Have a good trip!

I will get it done to avoid the hassles later on.

Going by the current scene in KA wherein RTO officials are harassing the out-of-state vehicles for the road tax issue, I guess I’ll carry a copy of the service invoice and the wheel balancing report along with the fuel bills and toll receipts. Wheel balancing report, how lame!

[Immix]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Here's a teaser of the next upgrade:
Attachment 1280127

PS: Not from my car! The stuff is yet to arrive.

Hey, are you getting the 12-LED aftermarket headlight assly like the one below



or the 14-LED headlight assly, which is available as an OEM option for POLO GTI sold abroad?



I actually got the 12-LED aftermarket headlight installed in Pune for 20K this past Sunday and that amount included the P8 HID kit. But after driving for a bit in the rain, I noticed that the headlights developed fog on the inside and therefore I got them uninstalled there and then. So 12-LED will be a hit or a miss IMO.

At this point I know that installing 12-LED headlights is a simple plug and play job. The LEDs are not DRL and turn on when parking light is switched on. The HID is H7 and is low beam only. There is a separate H1 halogen for high beam. Since this is plug and play, no VCDS coding is required and no wires are cut, which also means that the warranty will not be void by installing these headlights. However, as suggested by both Saint and Robi, installing the 14-LED headlight involves wire cut and VCDS coding, possibly for activating DRL function. Additionally, these are very expensive even if you source them from Aliexpress.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

It was pretty much okay when we had been to Karad during April this year. There were a few diversions due to the flyover construction. But what seems to be the worry now? Potholes?

Rains over the last few months, incessant that too, has ensured this super horrible stretch of NH4 has become worse. The only advise for this stretch - Do it under Natural light.

Nope. From my understanding, it is not required for the first year from the date of registration.

You are right but still get one done and keep it with you. No harm. I did that when I drove to Gujarat with my 3 month old Ertiga and I was stopped at Airoli and asked for PUC and I showed them. Making cops understand involves more effort than getting a PUC done .

Going by the current scene in KA wherein RTO officials are harassing the out-of-state vehicles for the road tax issue, I guess I’ll carry a copy of the service invoice and the wheel balancing report along with the fuel bills and toll receipts. Wheel balancing report, how lame!

Don't worry. Lot of luggage, Lot of toll receipts from the last 2 days AND your wedding invite could be the best answers in case there is an attempt to extort you intentionally!

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by Immix

Hey, are you getting the 12-LED aftermarket headlight assly like the one below



or the 14-LED headlight assly, which is available as an OEM option for POLO GTI sold abroad?

None of the above.

Will be replacing the stock H4 halogen bulbs with Morimoto bi-xenon projectors to the existing headlamps. The stock wiring remains untouched. The OEM GTI lamps with the DRLs are a very good addon but a very expensive one at that. This setup is lighter on the wallet, involves some modifications to the stock lamp and requires no coding changes on VCDS.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Don't worry. Lot of luggage, Lot of toll receipts from the last 2 days AND your wedding invite could be the best answers in case there is an attempt to extort you intentionally!

Thank you Parag bhai. I just hope we aren't stopped en route!

[Immix]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

None of the above.

Will be replacing the stock H4 halogen bulbs with Morimoto bi-xenon projectors to the existing headlamps. The stock wiring remains untouched. The OEM GTI lamps with the DRLs are a very good addon but a very expensive one at that. This setup is lighter on the wallet, involves some modifications to the stock lamp and requires no coding changes on VCDS.

I asked around for this setup although not Morimoto specifically and was given a quote of around 17K. This procedure involves taking apart the headlight assly and as a result there is a chance of improper sealing leading to fog on the inside in humid conditions. I am sure you are aware of this. Given the price differencial of only 3k at that time, I opted to get the new 12-LED headlights instead but as luck would have it, they turned out to be defective.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by Immix

This procedure involves taking apart the headlight assly and as a result there is a chance of improper sealing leading to fog on the inside in humid conditions. I am sure you are aware of this.

Absolutely. Read up a lot about these on the hidplanet forums and elsewhere.

Retrofitting projectors in a stock headlamp assembly involves some efforts and is definitely time-consuming. But judging by the Youtube videos and the images of the beam and the neat cut-off, the end results are pretty awesome.

Improper sealing results when the stock sealant on the grooves aren't removed, properly cleaned and a new strip of butyl sealant is applied and heated to a proper temperature for a definite time period so it melts and seals the gap.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Absolutely. Read up a lot about these on the hidplanet forums and elsewhere.

Retrofitting projectors in a stock headlamp assembly involves some efforts and is definitely time-consuming. But judging by the Youtube videos and the images of the beam and the neat cut-off, the end results are pretty awesome.

Improper sealing results when the stock sealant on the grooves aren't removed, properly cleaned and a new strip of butyl sealant is applied and heated to a proper temperature for a definite time period so it melts and seals the gap.

Make sure you align the projectors properly before sealing the unit. A proper beam alignment is one thing that's missed in most of the retro fitments. Test the low/high beam couple of times before you seal the unit. You can connect the beam alignment switch already there in the car to this projector (if the projector supports it). Even though, make sure that the highest position isnt too high for discomfort. Yes, there's a bit of effort but the price difference is pretty noticeable. And I would suggest you not to go for some cheap drl's in the headlight unit. Those chinese made drl's are pretty cheap and will spoil the look of the headlight assembly. Make sure you use a proper silicone sealant to seal the headlights. I had removed my Swift's projector headlights and made sure that the sealant was proper. Also, there will be some mist formation for couple of days but that will eventually disappear after driving around for few days.

All the best for your project. Always glued to your DIY projects!

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Make sure you align the projectors properly before sealing the unit. A proper beam alignment is one thing that's missed in most of the retro fitments. Test the low/high beam couple of times before you seal the unit. You can connect the beam alignment switch already there in the car to this projector (if the projector supports it). Even though, make sure that the highest position isnt too high for discomfort.

Thanks for the tips Naveen! Coming from someone who has prior experience with projector retrofits, these are going to be invaluable.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

And I would suggest you not to go for some cheap drl's in the headlight unit.

I am not a big fan of DRLs or the angel eyes/halos. So mine is going to be a simple bi-xenon setup.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Make sure you use a proper silicone sealant to seal the headlights.

This is one of my main concerns, the other being removing the lens from the assembly without damaging the parts. But I’ve figured out a way for that as well. But more on that when I take up the project.

Re-sealing is going to be done using a butyl rubber strip.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Also, there will be some mist formation for couple of days but that will eventually disappear after driving around for few days.

I sometimes observe condensation on the inside of the lens when it pours severely. But it goes away after a while. Hasn’t really been a concern so far.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

All the best for your project. Always glued to your DIY projects!

Thank you for the kind words.

PS: I might be visiting Cochin on 11th or 12th to get some minor scratches touched up and the whole car polished/waxed at Mercury Cars, Nettoor. Let’s meet up with Le Cochin groupe if time permits. Perhaps a lunch meet of sorts. I shall PM you and Deepak later.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

PS: I might be visiting Cochin on 11th or 12th to get some minor scratches touched up and the whole car polished/waxed at Mercury Cars, Nettoor. Let’s meet up with Le Cochin groupe if time permits. Perhaps a lunch meet of sorts. I shall PM you and Deepak later.

Sure. Just drop a message and we shall meet. Waiting to see your car in person.

[Gannu_1]

Got the PUC done. Lol, what a sham it turned out to be!

We found that not all the so called computerised PUC check facilities do it for diesel engines so we asked around and finally came across one outlet that does it. We reached there and surprisingly these guys didn't ask us to park the car reversed. I thought their equipment sensor might have sufficient cable length but turns out they simply keyed in the registration number, car type, lo and behold, they handed us the printout of the PUC certificate, issued by a Govt. registered facility.

Charged us 60 bucks. Anyways, I hope it suffices for now.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Got the PUC done. Lol, what a sham it turned out to be!

Charged us 60 bucks. Anyways, I hope it suffices for now.

That's what it is in Hyderabad since the past years.

Some test and some don't.

Anurag.

[Immix]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Got the PUC done. Lol, what a sham it turned out to be!

We found that not all the so called computerised PUC check facilities do it for diesel engines so we asked around and finally came across one outlet that does it. We reached there and surprisingly these guys didn't ask us to park the car reversed. I thought their equipment sensor might have sufficient cable length but turns out they simply keyed in the registration number, car type, lo and behold, they handed us the printout of the PUC certificate, issued by a Govt. registered facility.

Charged us 60 bucks. Anyways, I hope it suffices for now.

Thats how it was done for my Mom's 7 year old Santro last year in M.P., when I was driving it to Mumbai. But they did everything for PUC check for my GT TDI in Mumbai early this year. This reminds me I have to get it done again this month.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Now that you got your new ride, that too a performance diesel, there should be a drive to Palakkad lined up around the corner right?

I couldn't help but recall that someone had posted on the thread before about a trip to my home. Dug it up. We just drove down to Palakkad Sandeep! And boy, we had a blast!

The finer details of the trip have been shared in the route queries thread (link) so I wouldn't want to post the same thing here.

The 1700 km long trip took us 2 days. We left Surat at 3:30 AM, reached Hubli around 6 PM as planned, left Hubli around 5:00 AM, reached Palakkad around 7:30 PM. And this was after all the leak/smoke/meal breaks in between and the stops at toll booths. This was the longest trip I had ever undertaken and it felt good to reach home safely.

The Mumbai-Pune expressway was in good shape, there were light showers and some fog/mist at the hairpin bend sections. We were enjoying the drive:











when suddenly we were greeted with this board:



The expressway ended sooner than we thought! But we enjoyed it regardless. And then came the 4-lane road ridden with potholes and diversions! All the way from the expressway exit to the MH-KA border near Kolhapur. The last time I had driven to Karad, this road was in a okay'ish state, not any more. It lowered our average speed but we caught up the moment we touched KA.

Enter Karnataka and we experienced some fantastic roads! The 4L/6L roads were a mix of asphalt and concrete but laid beautifully; no undulations or potholes. The dividers had some bushes which grew to a good height which is a good thing for night drivers as it blocks the high beams from the vehicles in the opposite lane.





That's the two of us (yours truly at the driver side):





We experienced heavy fogging somewhere near Davangere:



We reached home around 7:30 PM and the car was laden with dust and grime by the time it reached there. I decided to get it washed the next day. So woke up, had a cup of coffee (made with freshly ground beans all thanks to mom), and got started:







The dirt had nearly stuck to the paint and it wouldn't come off easily. Some sections had to be re-cleaned using the Meguiars wash-mitt soaked in Amway's car wash solution. Glad that I had decided to carry the wash-mitt, some microfiber towels, small bottles containing Sonus AIO and PERL etc. Helped immensely to get rid of the bugs stuck to the front bumper and number plate, the dust on the grilles and the tar on the wheels.





Since I had planned to get the interior upholstery changed and the floor carpet changed, we drove down to Leatherman:



A local shop not the expensive Karlsson or Stanley leather types but deals with good leatherette work. Our Dzire's seats were done by these guys and they had lasted quite well over the last 4 years. We dropped the car there today morn. Shall post the snaps once I get the car back.

The GT would be visiting a lot of places during the course of this month. Looking forward.