[swamy_r34nismo]

So, at the start of 2023, I was finally in a position to throw the switch on buying my first car. As it was going to be driven daily in the harsh Bangalore traffic and would be modified a bit in the future, I decided to go with a used car. The requirements were pretty straightforward: it had to be a hatchback, diesel (I've always been a diesel enthusiast), with not too many kilometers on the odometer, a clean well-kept example, and a budget of a maximum of 6 lakhs.

Options I had in mind:

1. 2018-2020 Ford Figo TDCI: This was the top priority because of the gem of a diesel engine it has. It's really hard to find an example.
2. 2016-2018 Hyundai i20 CRDI: Pretty good engine. However, the driving lacks that raw feeling, in my opinion.
3. 2014-2018 Volkswagen Polo TDI: Who doesn’t like a Polo?

For the sake of convenience and the added benefits, I started looking for vehicles on online platforms like Cars24, Spinny, etc.

Test Drive 1: 2019 Ford Figo Titanium Blu TDCI

• Perfect spec, dual-tone car (white + black), 2nd owner, had about ~52k Kms on the dash. The folks at Cars24 were kind enough to send the car 20+ kms in Bangalore traffic for a test drive.
  
• When the car did arrive, it looked perfect from 20 feet away. But oh boy, it was rough. The car had multiple repainted panels and not a great color match. Though Cars24 confirmed that the car was not accidental, it had clearly been in a fender bender.
  
• The headlights and taillights were plastic welded, and the front suspension mounts were redone. Also, the steering wheel would not return to center. The interior had a few broken panels, and the rattle was horrible.
  
• I had a word with the executive, he was pretty firm that the car had never been in an accident. Nonetheless, I had to pass on this deal.

<I somehow misplaced the images clicked of the car >


Test Drive 2: 2018 Ford Figo Titanium TDCI:

• Saw this car on Spinny website and it was a very clean example. First Owner with 55k Kms running.
• Had all 5 tyres replaced recently, fairly new battery.
• But, the car was tentatively booked by a gentleman. This is where it got interesting , the person who booked the car was not residing in Bangalore. Even i happened to be on a work trip at the moment.
• Spinny retains the booking for 3 days before releasing the inventory back to the public. As he could not go and see the vehicle or complete the transaction, the car did get released. However, it was booked again by him.
• I contacted the Spinny executive, they could not do much about it.
• This re-booking fiasco went on for another 3 to 4 cycles, around 10-12 days.
• On 1st of May, the inventory was released and for my luck it was open. Immediately booked the car by paying a nominal fee and rushed to their site where the car was being held. The executives there walked me through the entire documents, pics and the inspection report. All the things checked out and I was ready to take the vehicle for a spin.
• It was parked in a Mall basement, and the executive asked me to take it around the basement. Engine fired right up at the first crank, smooth as butter with the usual diesel clatter.
• It was almost in mint condition except a few dings and scratches here and there which Spinny could not sort out.
• Drove the car and loved it, and had a wide smile on my face. Asked the folks there for a test drive outside of the basement, at first they were a bit adamant but eventually let me take it out. Went through all the gears, the drive was very smooth.
• There was a slight noise coming in from one of the rear suspension, which they mentioned while explaining. After a 2-3 km drive, I was completely sold and made up my mind to go for it. The pricing was also right at my budget point

Booking Experience:

• Paid 10k to block the car and start the other procedures. Now I had two options, either to get financing from Spinny or get it done from outside. I went ahead with Spinny as they promised a smooth onboarding.
• The documents required for financing were shared within a few hours. They said they would sanction the loan within 24 hours.
• The strange part about this process was that most mainstream banks declined as the make of the vehicle was Ford. Not sure if this is because of their exit from India.
• One bank did agree to finance, their process was manual and took a lot of time to complete. The physical home and work verification took a good 4 days to complete.
• Finally the process was done and got a nod from the bank to go ahead. The good folks at Spinny contacted for the delivery process

Delivery Experience:

• The car was all prepped while the finance process was being taken care of. They offered me two options: Get the vehicle delivered at home or pick it up from their location.
• I opted for the location pickup. Upon reaching, all the pending paperwork was completed with the car history, warranty, transfer, etc.
• And there it was all polished, waxed and decked up ready to be picked. The entire process took around 30 mins and we were out with the car.

Pros and Cons of going ahead with Online platforms: (These details may vary from platform to platform, but more or less the same offerings across the board)

Pros:

• They source well kept example with a complete detailed inspection and health report
• 3 months or 5k Kms comprehensive and 1 year or 15k Kms or engine and drivetrain warranty
• 1 year free roadside assistance
• 7 days no questions asked return policy
• Well documented process, literally received a 20 pager agreement during the sign off

Cons:

• You cannot negotiate the final prize, the one which is quoted is the final prize
• Few panels that are prone to scratches such as bumpers are repainted by them before listing the vehicles. The downside to this is poor quality of work, there are spots where the body work is suboptimal and clear coat rundown marks are visible here and there.
• They claim the cars to be non-accidental, however, there are vehicles that have signs of previous accidental repairs.

Initial impression of the car:

• Runs and drives beautifully, Cannot be more happy with the engine performance in its stock form.
• Fuel efficiency is excellent, constant 16-17 kmpl in city driving conditions. Yet to test on the long highway runs.
• The Interior could have been better, like the quality of materials used.
• Quite a bit of road noise enters the cabin.
• Handles like a champ, you throw it into a corner and it sticks.

Future plans:

Aesthetics:

• Figo S conversion (grille, spoiler and black accents)
• A set of Lenso wheels after the current tyres are due for change
• Window Tint (Need suggestions on this)

Performance:

• Diesel Tronic or Code6 stage 1 (Need suggestions on this: Don’t want to go too crazy as this will be a daily driver)
• Figo S suspension swap

[jackofsome]

Congratulations on the purchase! Driving will never be the same again.

Few things I suggest to do:
1. Get 195/55 R15 rubber
2. Get the dashboard and interior plastics polished to give it a perfect look. Trust me fit and finish is a non issue.
3. Drive once in a while on the highway in a spirited manner - it will prevent soot build near the exhaust. (and free grins)
4. Get the doors and the boot damped. It will make a world of difference both in terms of outside noise and enhancing the stock music system experience.
5. The stage 1 performance remap would be enough to gap every car south of 40 lacs probably.

PS - I have put in the freestyle headlamps and the Figo S grille.

[Pkumarblore]

Hi,
That's a lovely car. I have one at home, a 2017 Titanium TDCi. I too bought it used in 2020 from Toyota Automatch. The power from the stock engine itself is amazing. On the highways, its a pocket rocket. I wish it had a 6th overdrive gear too. I too upsized the tyres for better handling. I put Continental. Its very spacious on the inside too. Though I never bothered about FE, but I get something like 20+ on highways. The DTE reading keeps on increasing when I am driving on highways. I was initially wondering if it was malfunctioning. The Figo TDCi is one of the last few proper 1.5 litre, 4 cylinder diesel car that you may find in the used car market. Enjoy your drive and safe motoring.

[Almetal]

Hi,
I too have a White coloured Nov 2020 Tdci Figo, which I bought after Ford's exit from India.
Bought it from a dealer who had used this as a demo car, so it had its own share of scratches etc.
I decided to ignore all these minor blemishes and went ahead with my decision to buy it, which in hindsight was one of the best decisions I ever made.

The car is remapped with Stage 1 mods, which increases the power output to 126 BHP and 260 NM Torque.
The car is phenomenal to drive, and will put a smile on your face no matter how many other expensive cars you may have in your garage.!
Such cars will only appeal to people to whom only the engine and the drivetrain matter, they are not bothered about the lack of features and sunroof.!

This is an iconic car indeed, that slick shifting manual gearbox and boost from the engine is an intoxicating combination to say the least.

Take good care of her, she's the last of her generation, from an era that will be gone forever in a few years from now.

[jithin23]

Future plans:

Aesthetics:

• Figo S conversion (grille, spoiler and black accents)
• A set of Lenso wheels after the current tyres are due for change
• Window Tint (Need suggestions on this)

Performance:

• Diesel Tronic or Code6 stage 1 (Need suggestions on this: Don’t want to go too crazy as this will be a daily driver)
• Figo S suspension swap

Congrats on the pocket rocket! For the aesthetics, you can try the Figo blu wheels wrapped in 195/55 R15. This car definitely needs it. Tint, you can go for a 50% tint. Also do smoke the tail lights and indicators in tint paper, the look will be enhanced. Roof wrap and a black spoiler will complete the package!

Performance, go ahead with Wolf, their tunes are killer for the TDCi. Have one on my EcoSport and it feels like driving a locomotive. The EcoSport is my daily driver and I've had zero issues till date

Figo S suspension along with a stabiliser strut will do wonders!

Here's my Figo 1.5 AT upgraded with the 15" alloys

[blackstallion76]

Congratulations! Really really hard to find a genuine good Figo TDCI. Have been hunting TDCI from same Spinny & Cars24. Price is very exorbitant and no negotiations. When asked for service history, they are asking to pay 10K deposit and take the car for checking at service center. Somehow, not co-operating thus far.

Anyways, have come across 1 Figo S TDCI, 2 Freestyle and 1 Figo AT [All 7lac+ 2020 models]. All of these seems to be mechanically good and enticing to buy them for sheer driving pleasure. Trying to negotiate, but not successful thus far.

Again Congratulations!!

[VijayAnand1]

The last of the best 1.5 liter mills out there. As jackofsome pointed out, a simple Stage 1 mod can put everything upto 30+ lakhs to shame. I'd strongly recommend what he's mentioned, especially the wheel swap. Driving this in hills is an altogether cherishable experience. Ford knows a thing or two about stability and dynamics. The car begs for a 15"-cher and good tires, and she simply rewards. The same goes with the Fiesta 1.4 Diesel, such a fantastic and sorted suspension and engine, never fails to deliver a smile. Ford might have left. But a shiny and peach looking one still turns heads, and that blue oval shimmering on a bright and sunny day is a feeling unlike no other.

Congratulations once again. Do keep your modifications, experiences jotted as time permits. Enjoy her to the fullest.

Cheers!
VJ

[SaiSW]

Great car, @swamy_r34nismo. The demand for Fords in general in the used car market is high now. The build quality and sheer value and feel of Ford vehicles wasn't realised by the Indian consumers when they were in India, now that they stopped sales, NOW a lot of people are realising what they missed out on.

I am in the same bandwagon as you haha. I bought a used Figo Aspire as a project car in good condition last year and since then it has run 34,000 kms in about a year. My other car which is a Tiago still hasn't crossed 60k after 6 years. That is the feel of that gem of a diesel motor.

Maybe one gripe I have with my decision was to not perhaps be a bit more patient and widen my search for the facelift BS4 Aspire. I needed decent boot space so Ford hatches were out of the question.

The reason why I say that is because the facelift BS4 Aspire and BS4 Freestyle was packed with features for it's time. The brilliant SYNC3 system with Z-E-R-O lag, check. Automatic headlamps, check. Rain sensing wipers, check. Auto dimming IRVM, check. Push button start, check. Improved gearbox with smoother shifts (pre facelift Aspire and Figo had a different model GB), check. Even cruise control for the facelift Figo trio is just a not-very-difficult DIY away.

Facelift Figo also had all of those except the SYNC3 system.

But at the end of the day, I changed the stock stereo to a Sony one and I am overall satisfied even though it's not as smooth to operate as the Ford one (Sony sound output is better though). Mechanically it has been stellar (apart from a steering rack replacement which I was aware of during the purchase). Engine had run about 50k when I bought it and now I've added 32k in about one year.

Service bill hasn't crossed 6k apart from when I changed the steering rack.

Great mileage, great power, great reliability, cheap to service. I am never selling this car.

Originally Posted by blackstallion76

Anyways, have come across 1 Figo S TDCI, 2 Freestyle and 1 Figo AT [All 7lac+ 2020 models]. All of these seems to be mechanically good and enticing to buy them for sheer driving pleasure. Trying to negotiate, but not successful thus far.

I'd suggest going for the Freestyle over the Figo S. Assuming it's BS4, the Freestyle T+ has that awesome SYNC3 system, which the Figo S doesn't have. BS6 models had some DPF issues which are still persisting in some cars.

Retrofitting Figo S parts to a Freestyle is cheaper than retrofitting SYNC3 into Figo. Apart from SYNC3, Freestyle T+ BS4 also had auto headlamps, rain sensing wipers, push button start and even retrofitting cruise control module from something like the Ecosport to Freestyle/facelift Aspire/Figo is easier than doing it to pre-facelift models.

[kkg]

Congratulations for the most underrated Diesel hatch in the country ever. Why I say so?? Coz I have one.

One can drive this peacefully and easily in cities(yes the heavy and springy clutch can take time to get used to) and take it to highways and expressways to enjoy its power and handling. One can easily do 1000 kms in a day and it feels at home in all terrains, be it high speed highways or hills. If one has to have only one car in garage, this is it .

I changed the alloys to 15 inchers Freestyle ones and the only grudge of very low ground clearance has been addressed. And yes the alloys are only 4k/piece new.
Not to forget the maintenance at Ford ASS has been both cheap and good. It easily gives 18kmpl in Delhi City and around 22-24 kmpl on long Highway runs.

Congrats for your new ride and keep it for as long as possible unlike us NCR folks who are forced to part ways with such fantastic cars. I'm contemplating to sell mine as she is standing idle due to ban on Diesel vehicles currently in Delhi.
I got it as replacement for my First gen Figo TDCI IN 2021 only for 3.25 lacs..such is the market in Delhi where Hyundai and Maruti command much more premium.

Here's she on the way to Statue of Unity trip from Delhi in March 2023.

[swamy_r34nismo]

Originally Posted by jackofsome

.
3. Drive once in a while on the highway in a spirited manner - it will prevent soot build near the exhaust. (and free grins)

Thanks you so much for the suggestions. On the point soot, have noticed black smoke whenever i go a bit heavy on the throttle. Is it quite common for these cars?

[swamy_r34nismo]

Thank you so much folks for the wishes. It's great to see such beautiful examples on the thread, will definitely take inspiration from them.

[swamy_r34nismo]

Originally Posted by jithin23

Congrats on the pocket rocket! For the aesthetics, you can try the Figo blu wheels wrapped in 195/55 R15. This car definitely needs it. Tint, you can go for a 50% tint. Also do smoke the tail lights and indicators in tint paper, the look will be enhanced. Roof wrap and a black spoiler will complete the package!

Performance, go ahead with Wolf, their tunes are killer for the TDCi. Have one on my EcoSport and it feels like driving a locomotive. The EcoSport is my daily driver and I've had zero issues till date

Figo S suspension along with a stabiliser strut will do wonders!

Here's my Figo 1.5 AT upgraded with the 15" alloys
Attachment 2531723

The black looks absolutely sinister . I may have spotted you in Bangalore a couple of times.

That being said, would love to get some suggestions on the service centres located in Bangalore. The ones that are still active and would take good care of the vehicle.

[jithin23]

Originally Posted by swamy_r34nismo

The black looks absolutely sinister . I may have spotted you in Bangalore a couple of times.

That being said, would love to get some suggestions on the service centres located in Bangalore. The ones that are still active and would take good care of the vehicle.

Is it? Which area did you spot the Figo in?

Please try JSP Ford BG road and Cauvery Ford Hennur. These are my go to service centers.

[SaiSW]

Originally Posted by swamy_r34nismo

Thanks you so much for the suggestions. On the point soot, have noticed black smoke whenever i go a bit heavy on the throttle. Is it quite common for these cars?

Yes very common for the 1.5 diesel. Especially BS4. I also thought it was abnormal at first, but SC confirmed what I doubted.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by swamy_r34nismo

Thanks you so much for the suggestions. On the point soot, have noticed black smoke whenever i go a bit heavy on the throttle. Is it quite common for these cars?

For the Ford TDCi engines, yes, cant help much as the engine is an SOHC. Congratulations on the car, i too bought a car from Spinny, a Wagon R to be more precise as I needed a car for City runs only. I was about to pick up a Figo but was a bit skeptical on the after sales support.