[pankajn1702]

Great thread to start, Blackwasp!


With monthly running around 1200 kms and easy availability of CNG, WagonR LXi CNG in 2016 was a no brainer at the time but was never my first choice. Tiago was a new kid on the block and I avoided it at the time mainly due to 2 reasons; Newly launched Tata cars are better avoided at least for a year until they have been in the market so that niggles in the initial batches are sorted; CNG cost vs Petrol cost. Savings here were substantial. 65K done in under 4 years.

Back in 2016:
No aftermarket fitment except the single din music player and remote locking.



However during the ownership have changed/added the following:

1. Tyres changed at 40K from stock Bridgestone which had suffered multiple punctures on all tyres to Michellen, retained same profile tyres. I feel Michellen are softer and road noise reduced to some extent.


2. i. Wheel covers added some time in 2017


ii. Changed this year to diamond cut type ones:


3. Rims painted black and ORVM body colored. I am not good with DIY like many of you, so got it done at a FNG post lockdown recently.
All thanks to Blackwasp for his recommendation on this one





4. Seat covers changed from fabric stock ones to these last year.
Arm rest installed too:






5. Single din Pioneer player worked brilliantly well but in Feb this year, gifted myself an Android HU on my birthday
Also got parking sensors, rear camera and fog lamps installed.











6. A bluetooth remote, pairs with my phone, which is paired with the Android HU. Can change tracks and volume. Works on a CR2025 battery which lasted 6 months before I change the battery. Stuck with two way 3m tape. Does not hinder in driving as its not a huge addition. Bought from Ali express last year for Rs.150/- and is a pretty damn useful addition.



Next mods which are not planned but could possibly be done are:
1. Upgrading headlights
2. Blackened roof
...to list a few.

The itch still is to upgrade the car, but the WagonR has no loan and is extremely cheap to run and maintain. Probably will keep this one as long as I can.

[ajmat]

8 years, 69000 km

Do I sell or do I buy

I need to consider petrol considering my present running however most petrol upgrades are wimpy unless it is a BMW 328i which is way too expensive. I looked at Rs 15 Lakhs budget but its mainly tired C Class Mercs or BMW 320i's or CVT Audi's. Stretch it to 20 Lakhs, some V8 XF's pop up - tempting but the ownership pedigree is questionable. I dont really want a Superb 1.8

In short, it stays although my use will be limited for now. The depreciation will be less than the service cost of any upgrade.

I'm getting too sensible these days!

[keroo1099]

To continue on 'my' mid life crisis I decided to try my hands at DIYing the Swift with some ceramic coating. Crazy attempt, but a lot of fun in the end.

It started off with Patchyboy having an extra kit post his DIY CC attempt using Armor Shield from Avalon King about a year ago, which I picked up and promptly consigned to the closet. Since the Kit was reaching the end of its shelf life and with a little prodding from Patchyboy I decided to risk my hand on the poor Swift.

Disclaimer : I probably spent the absolute minimum amount of time prepping the surface but I did follow all the important steps

1. Washed the car with a mild Sonax shampoo to get rid of surface dust/dirt
2. Using a clay pad in one hand and a spray bottle of soapy liquid in the other, went over every panel of the car
(Took me two sessions of about 15 mins each)
3. Now came the first tricky part which was paint correction, but all I had was my variable speed drill and some cheap buffing pads I had ordered from Aliexpress. Since I didn't want to risk burning the clearcoat I decided to just use the mildest pad and some fine Glasurit rubbing compound I had lying around. To make doubly sure I didn't mess up the paint, I lubricated the panel I was working on with a mild soap spray before taking the drill to it. To start off I was really gentle on the pressure I put on the panel, and kept speed as low as possible till I got the hang of controlling the drill head. I soon realized that you need to angle the drill and only use the edge of the pad if you want any sort of control otherwise the drill goes all over the place. Once I got the hang of it I tried keeping my strokes all in one direction and made sure I didn't linger at one spot for too long. Did one section at a time, and once done wiped it clean with a microfiber towel
(Took me two sessions of about 30 mins each)

If the clay pad makes the surface smooth the buffing makes it shine, the difference is that stark on an old car

4. Washed the car again with Sonax and let it dry out completely
5. Made a 10% solution of IPA (isopropyl alcohol) in water and wiped the car down to get rid of and oils/residue on the surface
6. Took a deep breath, opened the Avalon kit, covered the applicator pad as instructed and went to work on the car covering one panel at a time (instructions said do smaller sections but I was too lazy). I had to remember to be methodical, and to make sure I covered every mm of the panel I was working on, but the learning curve was very fast and once I got the hang of it I was flying. The only problem with flying is that I forgot that I had to buff out the excess coating after a couple of minutes of application, but luckily the residue came off even after 10 mins without applying much pressure using the supplied microfiber towel.
(Took me two sessions of about 30 mins each)
7. I waited for a couple of hours (took a nap) and did a second coat which took me about 30 mins. It was only after I had finished I checked the bottle to see how much of the coating I had consumed, 1/4 of 30 ml !!
8. FELT PLEASED AS PUNCH WITH THE RESULT

Ok, so its clearly not professional level detailing but by God it makes a huge difference to how the car looks and reacts to water.

Posting some pics for you to judge:


Water Beading post Claying and Paint Correction


Reflection with once coat


The finish after two coats (sorry was a cloudy day)


Water beading post curing




The final result

Buoyed by the result (and by the amount of ceramic fluid I had left) I went to work on the Gypsy but only did one coat.









Still have 1/2 a bottle left.

[pedrolourenco]

My wife's Celerio VXi AMT has completed 5 years and I was in the process of selecting a suitable replacement. However I'm not able to find a suitable replacement in the sub 10L segment. The fact that she wants only an automatic (despite the fact that she had driven only manuals prior to this) is making matters difficult. The Nios is the only car she liked but the performance of the AT makes it absolutely no fun to drive. Polo AT was the best but the interiors and exteriors look too dated.
Then suddenly this thread came along which got me thinking "How about we spruce up the car a bit and keep it for another 2 years.

The car has already has it's share of upgrades done.
1. Door handles painted body colour (on delivery).
2. OEM fog lamps fitted (on delivery).
3. 14" Alloys (which I had removed when I sold the i10).
4. Basic Pioneer HU.
5. Front JBL components, Rear JBL Ovals and a Sony 4 Channel Amp (also from the i10).
6. Rear Parking Sensors and Remote Locking (on delivery).

After some time (don't remember exactly when)
7. Upsized Accelera tyres.
8. HU replaced with a Blaupunkt Hamburg (from my Petra) since the Pioneer conked off.
9. Rear ovals removed (to free up boot space) and replaced with Blaupunkt Components (from my Petra).
10. Tantra Fluke Bluetooth kit (since the mic on the HU got damaged and I could not find a replacement.
11. 1 key converted to flip key.
12. Rear components replaced with Blaupunkt Co-axials (as the components stopped working).
13. Tailgate de-badged (except the S logo) and some minimalist decals on the rear door bottom and rear quarter glasses.
14. Bumpers re-painted a couple of times and regular detailing.
15. S-Cross wiper control stalk installed (thanks to the DIY section on TBHP).
16. Centre Armrest (from Amazon).

What I plan to do
17. Replace the head unit with a nice android unit with reversing camera (see below quoted posts).
18. Upgrade to better speakers and maybe an underseat subwoofer.
19. HID projector headlamps (have a set of projectors lying at home thanks to BHPIAN Dinar).
20. AC overhaul.
21. Replace the front left wheel arch cladding (its fallen off).
22. Tidy up the remote locking and audio wiring

Originally Posted by pankajn1702

5. Single din Pioneer player worked brilliantly well but in Feb this year, gifted myself an Android HU on my birthday

6. A bluetooth remote, pairs with my phone, which is paired with the Android HU. Can change tracks and volume. Works on a CR2025 battery which lasted 6 months before I change the battery. Stuck with two way 3m tape. Does not hinder in driving as its not a huge addition. Bought from Ali express last year for Rs.150/- and is a pretty damn useful addition.

Originally Posted by lemedico

I upgraded the ICE to a 10 inch Android tablet with camera for 11k,

Can I have some more details/links of the above 2 Android units and BT remote.

[pankajn1702]

Originally Posted by pedrolourenco

Can I have some more details/links of the above 2 Android units and BT remote.

Android HU review on youtube (by someone else)

https://youtu.be/zqwf2BvUvz4

Tons of options in Ali express, just one note that I have not bought anything from Ali Express this year so not sure on their delivery timelines.

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesa...-steering.html

[lemedico]

Originally Posted by pedrolourenco

Can I have some more details/links of the above 2 Android units and BT remote.

I bought mine offline, from GTB Nagar in East Delhi. The shop is Goldy Car accessories. DM me if you'd like to know more

[car_guy1998]

This thread has inspired me a lot!

We were contemplating to sell off our Honda City iDTEC this year but due to pandemic situation,we had decided to keep the car instead for atleast 1-2 years as it gives good fuel efficiency being a diesel(gives 16.5-18 Kmpl in the city limits eventhough if it is driven hard) and apart from minor issues like ABS sensor issue and AC issue,the car is running well at close to 1,00,000 Kms on the odo.Even my parents are against selling this car due to the above reason.Although we have Innova at home,we prefer taking the Honda City on highways if we are just 4 people(my parents,myself,my grandfather including the driver) and I take this car even for short rides too.

As a first part of mid-life makeover,I got the stock alloys painted to gloss black a month and a half ago from my FNG.Along with that,I got the new gel number plates,new Skoda type horns replacing old Bosch symphony horns and recently,got the car serviced too.

Even the clutch and brakes were replaced more than a year ago during 70,000 Kms service.

Now,since the second set of tyres are at the end of its life,planning to replace it by this month end most probably and planning to get denting and painting for my car as it has minor scratches and dings,thanks to our Hyderabad traffic only if Vitamin-M is there and planning to change the seatcovers to give a new car feel.

[NewMonk]

Such a wonderful and timely thread! After 7 satisfying years with only 40K on my Ertiga ZXi, the replacement itch had begun, but that has gone away after reading the advice in such helpful threads. The wishlist includes exterior and interior detailing, installing a new HU and rear camera, change of upholstery, and change of tyres. Any pointers to good car detailers and ICE dealers in Bangalore? Thanks in advance.

[Biker Ram]

My Ritz has run 75k kms in 8 years of its life. As a family we do need a better car - better in terms of seating space and comfort, boot space, safety features and better cabin insulation. And as a driver I'd need better power and brakes. Something that can accelerate well when fully loaded as well as come to a halt without drama.

But I don't have budget for now for an upgrade. So the next best thing to do was to fix some of the niggles in order to own the car for a couple of years more. In the recent service got the following things done:

• Replaced front windshield which had gotten a good deal of scracthes. Night driving is so much stress free now.
• Replaced cracked gear knob
• Replaced wiper arms and blades
• Replaced broken central AC vents
• Replaced hatch struts which had gone weak
• Went for AC overhauling which cost around 5k. Result is satisfactory. Manageable cooling even in current weather.
• Some of the rattle issues have been sorted. I know they will creep up eventually.

Right now the HU installed is a single din Sony Explod that is as old as the car itself. Bluetooth connectivity with the phone is one thing I missed. Couple of years ago I considered upgrading the HU to something that supports Android Auto but given my requirement and what the new HUs were capable of it didn't sound like value for money. Instead I bought a Soundbot SB360 Bluetooth device off Amazon, which is serving me really well.

Michelin 185/70 are doing a good job. I'm glad I went for these tyres from the stock ones. Another 2-3 years life left in them.

Purely in terms of utility there is great value in owning the current car for another 3-4 years. It still drives very good for an 8 year old car. And on a side note, I've started to really appreciate the simplicity and lack of gizmos on the older cars.

[Thad E Ginathom]

A new windshield does a lot to give that new-car feeling. I need one too

[kptraveller]

Originally Posted by NewMonk

Any pointers to good car detailers and ICE dealers in Bangalore? Thanks in advance.

You can try Krithi car care near Banaswadi who does a really job at car detailing and servicing. It's run by auto enthusiasts.

[Kushagra_29]

Hey all! We recently bought a new Mahindra XUV 300 for my father, and now his 2010 i10 is lying unused at home. On trying to sell it off, the offers we got were not very satisfactory. At 1.66 Lac kms of which approx 50k was on CNG, the car still works absolutely fine. Drives like any 50-60k run Hyundai, to say the least. Got a comprehensive service done back in August '21 which included new suspension components(Except for lower arms), front and rear shock absorbers, overhauled axels, engine rubber oil seals replacement, gearbox and engine mounts and a periodic oil change.
The car still needs the following jobs done :
1. New clutch
2. New lower-arms
3. New throttle body/ or new valve sensors(the car starts to rev on its own at idling.)
4. New brake components( precautionary)

Of course, the car is dear to me and holds a lot of memories, but I don't wish to have an everlasting financial liability. I am unable to decide whether to sell it for cheap and make peace or to get the pending jobs done and keep it in use. One of the options is to bring it down to Pune and daily it, but I'm not sure if it would be able to take the abuse here. The biggest concern is the engine milage. Being that it's already at 1.66, the engine giving up is what I fear since I'm not aware of the costs of an engine rebuild and if they're considerable or not. I've heard about Toyotas going up to 3 Lac kms, not sure what potential Hyundais hold.
Would be really helpful if the Gurus can suggest which of the two should I do:
(A) Sell it
(B) Get it back to glory and keep it in use.

[kvothe_rules]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Attachment 2056745

8 years, 69000 km

Do I sell or do I buy

Same dilemma. 9 years 75000 km. The only upgrades to this beauty would be nothing south of 50 lakhs.

Would love to get some advice on good fngs for my Jetta in Bangalore. Also want to rejuvenate it and drive till I feel a new German is worth it.

Among the newer breed, loved the XUV7OO though

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by kvothe_rules

Same dilemma. 9 years 75000 km. The only upgrades to this beauty would be nothing south of 50 lakhs.

That was the plan for me. I found another compelling deal so the Jetta will need to be sold.

[stringbh]

My 2013 Vento Tdi is close to 9 years and still giving great FE figures. The one in the image is after a 60 minute drive from cold start with mix of city, bumper-to-bumper and highway traffic. Faced one injector failure at around 1.1L kms. Recently, had to change the water pump (+ timing belt). Other than that, it runs fine. Just got the head lights changed (the stock ones did the job for 1.25L!), a rear spoiler and remap on cards.

There is an itch to change, but unable to decide. How do you know when is the right time to let it go? Apart from injector, is there any other major issue/bill I should be prepared for?