Team-BHP - Volkswagen Polo : Test Drive & Review

You're quite right. A rough price estimate of the extra stuff that you get in a HL should give you an indication:
Alloys: 15k-20k (price of an average set of alloys)
Chrome interior trim: 500 bucks (DIY)
Livon upholstery: 1000 bucks (maybe?)
ABS: Priceless
Dual airbags: Priceless
Fog lamps: 5000 (estimate for a pair of high end Hellas)
MP3 Player: 5000 (good quality HU)
4 speakers: 4000 (decent quality speakers)
Rear defogger and wiper: 1000 (maybe?)
MFD: 5000 (maybe?)
2 key fobs: 5000 bucks (a good quality setup)

So that's roughly 45K, not including the cost of ABS and airbags. You decide.

I was highly interested in the CL but bought a HL only because of the ABS. 95% of the people drive like drunkards at speeds of over 80 on the road I commute through to work every day so fast acting brakes are an absolute necessity.

Btw, nice looking gunmetal alloys on a silver car look wicked but silver gets kinda lost in the crowd. Let me know if you plan on buying the Euro style headlamps.

In Bangalore the figure quoted is around 600 across 3 dealerships. I really don't know how much this is true and how many deliveries they have made.
Polo looks the best in red no doubt.Silver will make it just another car.
Khan please don't try to estmate the value of features individually and compare TL/HL.
Many of features like rear wiper, interior trims etc are difficult to implement to perfection in aftermarket.

well i like red too, but I intend to sell off the car after 2-3 years and i doubt red color would fetch me good price. Everyone in my family is against red, being a bachelor makes it worse to defend. And due to my busy schedule I hardly find time to maintain my car, so silver strikes me. My pluses towards silver are,
- easy to maintain
- good visibility for others in night (I make a 500Km run on NH4 at weekends)
- good resale value
- executive looks (I work at management level and often travel to meetings, social, professional)
- appeals to everyone else in my family

Quote:

Originally Posted by poloman (Post 1812219)

Khan please don't try to estmate the value of features individually and compare TL/HL.
Many of features like rear wiper, interior trims etc are difficult to implement to perfection in aftermarket.

I think he is absolutely right to do so, mainly because when a manufacturer does the same, the costs are much lower, purely because of the volumes involved. There are some shops that do a fantastic job, true, they are few and far between, but the manufacturer shouldn't take the customer for a ride just because it can.

This is a norm that the high end models of all manufacturers will be at a slight premium. They know that features like ABS and airbags are difficult to implement as aftermarket. Personally I shudder at the thought of giving a brand new car outside for even standard jobs like ICE and filming. The workmanship is not guaranteed even with good installers. This itself can induce lot of rattles,scratches,broken plastics etc. I have learnt this from my experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by formel_eins (Post 1812248)

LOL man some of the reasons you've posted in favor of silver just had me in splits!
I'll be heading back home in Sept/Oct and will sell both my cars out here so why didn't I think about resale values as well?
My "red" Polo gets driven to the corporate offices of two of India's biggest telcos where I meet C and VP level folks every week and the "red" Punto is always parked outside some club during weekends so red is certainly not a taboo.
Do you honestly think anyone could spot the color of a car that's a hundred meters up ahead in the dark? VW makes Reflex Silver, not Reflective Silver. :) A good set of reflectors and fog lights will make a car more visible than just any color.
Let's face it buddy - you only live once and better yet, you're still a bachelor. Bachelorhood is meant to enjoy life to the fullest without being dragged down by the choices of others. Of course, credit must be given to the opinions of those around us but then you're the one who's going to drive and look at the car every day, not them.
Anyhow, it's your car and your decision, we are merely here to suggest. :)

First they strip a time tested car, in terms of engine and aesthetic appearance. Then they have the nerve to call it "understated elegance". Since thats not enough, they ridiculously overprice it, just for "brand value".
Now we all know that a car enthusiast will want to enhance the aesthetics, so they decide to milk this to the last drop with expensive "accessories"! I guess the only positive is that they are optional. Now we just have to wait for the A.S.S. surprises.

Quote:

Originally Posted by khan75 (Post 1812289)

You only live once and better yet, you're still a bachelor. Bachelorhood is meant to enjoy life to the fullest without being dragged down by the choices of others. Of course, credit must be given to the opinions of those around us but then you're the one who's going to drive and look at the car every day, not them.
:)

agree: I Absolutely agree with you, This is exactly what i feel when i go shopping for a car. :thumbs up

Quote:

Originally Posted by khan75 (Post 1812289)

Some cars look really good in red. Luckily, you own two of them. Good point about bachelorhood but I think the red is a chick magnet too :D.

Err umm no comments. ;) That's precisely what I had said in this post:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post1811535

It doesn't attract just the opposite sex, but all kinds of weirdos - wannabe MF Hussains who think red would form a good backdrop of canvas to their very own Mona Lisa, hijras who think the owners of red cars are rich or something and refuse to leave me alone, and bikers who feel zapped by the color and are awoken from their slumber after their bike seemingly taps the car somewhere. I see it happen all the time.

So has anyone else taken delivery of a Polo or am I destined to be the only guy to provide updates on here? :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by formel_eins (Post 1812326)

reflective silver :uncontrol nice one, but still I think light colored cars give a good visibility, isnt that a reason for a reduced insurance premium (atleast in Germany). well for the moment its silver for me, i still have time till may, lets see if things change

No. Cars coloured red, yellow, etc. have a higher insurance premium because they tend to be sportier and driven by younger people who generally cause more accidents and drive rashly. It has nothing to do with the colour per se, but the profile of the people who buy such coloured cars. (I used to work for an Insurance company, one of the biggest in the world).

Quote:

Originally Posted by formel_eins (Post 1812326)

True, but insurance companies (abroad) have come up with all kinds of tricks to jack up premiums (as you may already know). Regarding colours -

White - executive/formal; more prone to theft
Red - Sporty; more prone to accidents
Black (dark colours) - poor visibility at night; prone to accidents

I guess we are only left with weird pink, yellow and green!

Quote:

Originally Posted by khan75 (Post 1812289)

Reasons can have us in splits coz they come after the decision has been made!

stupid:Look at any of the reasons I may have given - not sure how true they are - coz the decision to go in for a Polo (for whatever reasons) was already made in the heart. Reasons come in only later (only after the heart has decided) to a) convince the mind b) convince others that decision is logical c) posting here to tell others that decision is rational!

Why else do you think reasons like "reflective Silver" and all come? :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zen2001 (Post 1812306)

Bangalore dealer gave me the information that Diesel version Polo will be launched by 15 th April. High time for VW to anounce A.S.S package. Also any official news regarding mailage of Diesel Polo?