[allajunaki]

Thank you for Sharing. I had owned a Vento for about 5 years. I had a complete “stock” setup with oem wheels and headlights. The only mods I did were philips xtreme vision bulbs and Yokohama s-drives. Drove from Bengaluru to Goa a dozen times, to my home in Kerala a dozen times, Chennai and ooty a couple of times. And once to Mumbai (crazy drive, started in morning hit Mumbai by evening, same story on return journey). She was a real highway monster. Very calm and composed even it at very questionable speeds.
I still miss my car, thanks for reminding me of her.
Oh by the way, like you, i upgraded from a Suzuki (in my case a swift zxi)

[Turbohead]

NTO, that's an amazing thread!

I believe the biggest flaw in the entire package was the stock tire size. There's hardly any performance options in the 185/60 R15 size and ABS kicks in quite early on braking hard. An upgrade is required to exploit the full potential of the braking hardware and engine. With the bigger tire sizes offered today, it should be much better.

I was crazy at one point of time to make the suspension stiffer. Researched a lot about it. The bouncy rear was annoying on undulated roads. After trying out the Harrier with its stiff suspension, I decided that ride quality is far more important especially with our imperfect roads! EcoSport suspension tuning I feel is perfect though.

And I totally agree with you on retaining this car! Too hard to justify the amount needed to have a proper upgrade! With a far smaller amount, this car can be run for another 4-5 years! And it stays timeless

[Ranjith812]

What a brilliant choice!!Thoroughly enjoyed reading your review.
No doubt, Vento is a well built car and will serve you a long time if you take good care of it. A gem of a car, perfect sedan one can get it in that price range.
I wish you many many happy memories in this wonderful car.

[akash_v12]

Hey there NTO!
Thank you for the superbly detailed review of your 'Indisches-Deutsches auto'.
Your review has now made me think of penning down the Long-Term Review for our Vento soon. Keep a lookout for that!

Also, where did you source the RCD340G from? Was it on AliExpress or somewhere in the country itself?

[Vasanth]

Wonderful Review sir. Even after 10 years Vento still looks good. Especially because of German paint quality, elegant and understated design. Keep the car.
By the way, I have one question - did you remove that Blackened roof? Does it quickly heat up the car under the sun ? It looks gorgeous on a white car indubitably.

[tomchacks]

Nice to read a good write up from a Vento enthusiast.
I too was a Vento lover for 5 years having bought a Tdi in Nov 2010. Then the injector issue came up and my appreciation for the German car went down drastically. I was enjoying the long drives without issues with only annual services till the first injector failed on a Rameshwaram trip in mid 2015 and the second in early 2016 on a Kodaikanal trip. Both times with family.
The issue of faulty injectors in 2010/11 models, was well known to VW and me (through BHP forum) and despite prolonged arguments at various levels, I had to pay up for the manufacturing defect of the German company on the excuse that warranty was over in the 4th year.
Thereafter I took it up with the top brass in VW and the new French CEO who came in after the Diesel gate scandal, agreed to replace all the 4 injectors for free in 2016. I had made a 9 state drive of 7500 kms with the Vento in 2013 and did another one in 2017 for 5000 kms. But then I had lost faith in the German quality and durability and their lop sided attitude to Indian customers. My main negatives other than the injector issue were low under body clearance and low seating. I loved the torque the Diesel engine gave.
I sold the car I purchased for 9 lakhs in late 2010, in June 2017 for 3.95 lakhs. It had by then run around 76000 kms and tyres were due for replacement too.

My advice to you NTO, would be not to hang around with the car for long. Now BS 6 norms are in vogue. My strong feeling is that the injectors in my car were BS 3 compliant only and started failing when BS 4 diesel fuel came in India . The Germans were fooling us all along. 2014 model would be of course BS 4 compliant. Still after 100k, the car will need costly replacements and resale value on VW cars are low because of the widely held notion of high maintenance.

[Amsdoc]

What a great thread. The Vento is seriously underrated and is probably the best cars in its category especially from a drivers car point of view. I recently sold my white 2012 1.6 TDi Vento and am regretting every moment. But yes, the heavy clutch was one of the major reason that I sold it hoping to get an automatic next.
Some modifications I did on mine:
I upgraded to identical tyres as yours and they are superb.
I initially got Phillips 100W bi-xenon headlights with relays etc but they produced so much heat that the damaged the reflector and the seal around the socket which caused repeated fogging of the headlight. Got a new headlight unit and later changed the bulbs to LEDs which are simple plug and play and don't need any relays, are super bright and cost only around 7k.
I upgraded to RCD 510 and that was good enough for me but your unit is even better.
I can't make out if you have put window film as your windows do look dark but I installed 3m cr7 film to cut out the UV light and it sure helped reduce the burn on the forearms. They are illegal but have close to no tint and worked ok.
I also got an autodimming RVM from Ali express and got it installed. It is very easy and inexpensive and is really worth it.
Hope you get many more miles in your Vento.

[sgm]

Originally Posted by NTO

The secret behind the reliability of Vento is limited electronics. I am sure certain brands are still reliable in spite of having a lot of electronics. A good upgrade to this will be a F10 530d or F30 320d LCI or a 3 series GT diesel.

Nice style of writing, enjoyed reading your thread.
Why not consider a C300d along with the others ?
http://overdrive.in/reviews/comparis...-benz-c-class/

530d is in a different league compared to the 4 pot diesels and a dream machine for many, popularized by GTO

[JojyKerala]

As an owner of a 7 year old Rapid TDI, it's déjà vu when I read your post. It's well-written and covers all the positives as well as negatives. I've rated this thread 5 stars.

Your drawing of the Vento beauty looks pretty good. I assume you draw frequently and if not, please do!

[contact.nitin7]

Thank you @NTO.

It was an absolute delight to read this.

I jumped on to reading this article because I have very recently picked up a VW from a friend in Delhi.

Blue Color and Alloys, This car is Pete's tuned too and is literally driving me nuts over it.

I have been driving a swift from a decade and is new to the Sedan world, the TDi is just amazing and addicting.
The plus and minus in your first post are all of my observations, and I abso-absolutely love the power, it is enough to overtake on any gear.

I needed one piece of information, which is that -THUD sound you get from the rear suspension when you drive over a speed breaker, Yes I have started to slow down.
Tell me something else please.

Attaching a picture for a treat!

[Amsdoc]

It is very very difficult to upgrade from the Vento to anything else that is sensible. No car in its category even comes close to what you have right now.
On the other hand, the prices have already dropped since the BS6 switch and we don't know how the injectors will behave with BS6 fuel. They are an expensive replacement. I'll be very surprised if you get 5.5L. I sold mine for which was older yes (2012) with 60K miles for 3.2L. I saw 2015 Ventos in the market for around 4L.

The Beemers and the Mercs are 3-4 times more expensive new and even if you get a good used deal, cost a lot in servicing and maintenance. And god forbid if you need any spares.

This is where the Jetta used to fit in perfectly. Was a great upgrade for the Vento but I wouldn't buy any BS4 diesel now.

IMO, there is only 1 car which will feel like an upgrade and be sensible in servicing and maintenance costs and that is the Skoda Octavia. The 1.8 petrol is great ( though I don't see it on their website now) as is the RS( which has been sold out). Even used will be fine if you get a well maintained one. If you have a reliable mechanic who deals with these cars regularly, that is.

[suku_patel_22]

Excellent read!! My close friend has a Vento 1.6TDI that I drive regularly and love it.

Which headlamps are those? I would love to know where you got them from and the cost of them.

[NTO]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Well they say "Third time lucky". In this case, "Your third time - we are lucky!".
I somehow always remember that picture of your Vento and WagonR since many years now.
And 6 years isn't much for a solid VW car at all. Its just entering teens! Prime is to come. Keep it!

Thank you for such kind words sir. I am glad that you took the time to read it fully while you also enjoyed it. I remember posting the WagonR with vento picture in the "Which car/ bike do you miss" thread a couple of years ago. Great memory sir :-)
With the current Covid situation questioning the mere existence, I will not simply throw away my money and will retain Vento for the foreseeable future. Vento even today feels brand new mechanically and you are absolutely right about it being in its prime!

Originally Posted by PrideRed

For instance a Toyota Innova will easily cost 20-22K for every 20K KM's, so I think a 15-16K bill on VW is perfectly okay.

As long as there are no part failures, Vento's maintenance is at par or sometimes less expensive than competition.

Originally Posted by allajunaki

She was a real highway monster. Very calm and composed even it at very questionable speeds.
I still miss my car, thanks for reminding me of her.

Yes, she definitely is a highway monster. I once kept up with a 520d. May be an incompetent driver but, Vento really gave that car a run for its money.

Originally Posted by Turbohead

NTO, that's an amazing thread!

Thanks for all the help down the line man. Hope we meet soon for a drive or something!

Originally Posted by Ranjith812

What a brilliant choice!!Thoroughly enjoyed reading your review.
No doubt, Vento is a well built car and will serve you a long time if you take good care of it. A gem of a car, perfect sedan one can get it in that price range.
I wish you many many happy memories in this wonderful car.

Thank you very much :-)

Originally Posted by akash_v12

Hey there NTO!
Your review has now made me think of penning down the Long-Term Review for our Vento soon. Keep a lookout for that!
Also, where did you source the RCD340G from? Was it on AliExpress or somewhere in the country itself?

I will be waiting for your review. Please do post one. The RCD 340G+ was sourced from a guy in Kerala. PM me for contact details. I got it home delivered and installed. Pure plug and play and such an easy install.

Originally Posted by tomchacks

Nice to read a good write up from a Vento enthusiast.
My advice to you NTO, would be not to hang around with the car for long. Now BS 6 norms are in vogue. My strong feeling is that the injectors in my car were BS 3 compliant only and started failing when BS 4 diesel fuel came in India . The Germans were fooling us all along. 2014 model would be of course BS 4 compliant. Still after 100k, the car will need costly replacements and resale value on VW cars are low because of the widely held notion of high maintenance.

Sad to hear the brief ordeal you faced and I am really impressed with the way you managed to deal with it. However, I believe, fixing the problem, as they may arise and retaining the vento will still be significantly (or multiple times) cheaper than upgrading from Vento.

Originally Posted by Amsdoc

I can't make out if you have put window film as your windows do look dark but I installed 3m cr7 film to cut out the UV light and it sure helped reduce the burn on the forearms. They are illegal but have close to no tint and worked ok.
I also got an autodimming RVM from Ali express and got it installed. It is very easy and inexpensive and is really worth it.
Hope you get many more miles in your Vento.

I am surprised by your keen eye. I have installed CR 70 films for the windows and rear windscreen. Also an ice cool tint from garware for the windscreen. It was more of a necessity with the inadequate A/C in the Vento. I still did not find the need to install an auto dimming IRVM.

Originally Posted by sgm

Nice style of writing, enjoyed reading your thread.
Why not consider a C300d along with the others ?
http://overdrive.in/reviews/comparis...-benz-c-class/
530d is in a different league compared to the 4 pot diesels and a dream machine for many, popularized by GTO

BMW fanboy alert! If everything goes well, a pristine used 530d will be my next ride.

Originally Posted by JojyKerala

As an owner of a 7 year old Rapid TDI, it's déjà vu when I read your post. It's well-written and covers all the positives as well as negatives. I've rated this thread 5 stars.
Your drawing of the Vento beauty looks pretty good. I assume you draw frequently and if not, please do!

Thank you very much. If there had been one other Skoda dealership in Chennai, I would've bought the rapid, as mentioned in my review. Yes, I do draw regularly. It is one of my favourite time pass activity.

Originally Posted by contact.nitin7

Thank you @NTO.

Attaching a picture for a treat!

Your car looks beautiful That was the exact color I wanted to buy. Shadow Blue!

Originally Posted by Amsdoc

It is very very difficult to upgrade from the Vento to anything else that is sensible. No car in its category even comes close to what you have right now.

Yes you are right. It is difficult to upgrade from Vento without spending 3 - 4X and the Jetta being absent. As far as I know, the 1.8 TSi is also plugged after BS6. The new Octy will come with 1.5 TSi.

Originally Posted by suku_patel_22

Which headlamps are those? I would love to know where you got them from and the cost of them.

Mine was imported from Thailand. Now I believe they are making it in Delhi. Any after market accessory shop should have them. My unit costed 28K for the assembly, and 11K*2 for the HID kit and installation was free of cost.

[Mangesh Borkar]

Great in depth Ownership review. Do not sell , the 1.6 TDI is a Gem . The Upgrade in real sense would cost you 30 lakhs ( viz- Skoda octavia - 2021)
From a proud owner of a 6 year old VW POLO GT TDI .

[NTO]

Audio Upgrade on my Vento TDi

One thing that I learnt in the 100+ days sitting inside the 4 walls of the house is that Corona can kill us mentally before it does physically. You can try to prevent the physical exposure of the Virus however, staying mentally strong is the need of the hour. Hope all the BHPian families are safe and enjoying quality family time and my sincere prayers who are in the wrath of this deadly virus. This will pass and we will hit back stronger than ever!

After being locked down for over 100 days, my interaction with the external world was only limited to vaccine runs for my son and checking tyre pressure of my vehicles, I had this urge to do something with my Vento. As I finished my previous post, audio upgrade with a good sound insulation was in the list of things I had planned for my Vento. I have done audio upgrades in the past for my Punto and Civic and one thing that lacked with the installers is the knowledge on sound and how to tune it to your liking.

One wise man, in this case, my audio installer said, “You can buy the most expensive speaker but, you do not know if it performs in the way it should!” This had a very deep impact in my mind as my past installs have been with the best possible audio components however, they failed to give me the satisfaction I expected.

I was going through the cons of high-end audio installs – click to read, I still decided to simply not think about it and go ahead with the audio upgrade. Also, with the financial threat Corona has put us through, I have decided to retain the Vento for another 4 years and consider upgrading only when I feel it is absolutely necessary and not budging to my whims and fancies.

This one place has always been on the back of my mind. The name suddenly came to my mind when I was thinking about the audio install. My go to validation place, Team BHP also says the same about this place. Thanks to BHPians Thirdmainroad and SwiftnFurious for sharing their reviews. The place was decided. It is none other than Speedfreaks Anna Nagar. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, I texted Mr. Karthik the owner of Speedfreaks with my requirement. He promptly replied asking a few questions.

Here are the questions from Karthik and my answers to them:
1. Utility of the car - personal or family?
90% personal use, 10% family use

2. Where you sit in the car?
I sit in the driver’s seat

3. What is the genre of music you listen?
I listen to a varied genre. From Carnatic fusion, to select few from Metallica, majorly Bollywood, a
few Punjabi (Wakhra swag, Bapu zimidar kind), coke studio, and good AR Rahman Tamil.

4. What is the source you play from?
Apple music, from iPhone mostly and Spotify

5. Define good sound according to you.
Crystal clear audio with mild bass

6. Budget?
30-50K for the audio components

Karthik said that he will revert in a while and he did with a suggested configuration. He also said that my budget will exceed for my requirement and that, a good audio installation can go a long way. I can carry it forward to any new car that I buy. With that, we fixed an appointment for the next Saturday morning.

Cut to next Saturday, I reached Speed freaks and Karthik arrives in his red Brio. After the routine temperature check and hand sanitization, we proceeded to Karthik’s office. I got two things in Karthik’s office. One is a physics lesson on sound and second is the learning that my initial planned budget was sufficient for just one component, the digital signal processor. Karthik also demoed the sound setup on his brio and I was simply blown away with the sound clarity.

At the back of my mind, I was contemplating whether should I spend so much on the audio install for a 6-year-old car. However, the excitement of the fact that my favorite place, the car’s interior, becoming even more attractive overruled all the calculations that were going on in the mind and I agreed to the installation. I paid a 30% advance and booked an appointment for Monday morning and left. I requested Karthik to also get my car sanitized once the work is over and he agreed upon to it.

This is the configuration of audio we installed in my Vento:

1. Sound Magus MP6X – 6 Channel DSP with 4 channel Amplifier

2. Mono Amplifier – Sound Magus DK-600.1

3. 6.5”component speakers from Xcelsus XU 6.2L

4. 3 layer damping on the doors

5. Source – Existing RCD 340G+ head unit

6. Rear fill – existing OEM speakers

7. 10”Hertz sub woofer ES250D

8. Weather protection for the speakers

9. Wires and connectors

10. Amplifier pads, Sub enclosure – Fabrication.

Let the pictures do a little bit of the talking

The dashboard with RCD 340G+


Xcelsus tweeters on the A pillar


Front left door


Front right door


Rear Door


The door pads


Amplifier pads in the boot


Sub woofer


How much did it cost?
It cost me Rs. 1,52,000 inclusive of installation. 3X of my initial planned budget.

How is the install?
The audio is simply phenomenal. I am discovering new sounds in the audio I have listened before and I am simply loving it. I do not have any reason to step out of the house. But, just for the sake of listening to the audio, I am taking the car out for a spin every morning.

Karthik used 2 terms, Sound staging and sound imaging. Though I did not understand much about these terms, what I could feel is, sound comes from front of me, as if I was sitting in front of the stage of a concert hall. The sound is so beautiful, you should experience to understand what it is. By far the best audio I have experienced in any car I have travelled in so far. Though sound is very subjective, the audio in my car is perfect in fact, exceeds my expectation of what I want in a car audio.

In addition to the phenomenal tuning, Karthik has given me a remote with 4 presets. Driver seat focused audiophile listening, Front passenger seat focused audiophile listening, a bassy preset (for the Punjabi beats) for the driver and the passenger. Closing the eyes and listening, I can feel the sound travelling around me.

In addition to this, the damping and sound proofing has reduced the decibel levels in the car's cabin. The car runs way smoother. I would recommend speedfreaks to anyone who is not satisfied with their current car audio. They may not be the cheapest but, by far they are the best audio people I have experienced.

Karthik also gave a complimentary detailing for the car. The car just glows. If not for the pandemic, I would be on a long road trip with the car now!

Closing with a shot from a routine alignment and balancing.