Post 5k update: My car completed 3 months as of yesterday so i thought i will write a small update.
The External beauty:
The admiration is guaranteed. Even after 6 month from launch i find people in the signals drooling and looking at the car as if it is some imported car. I have even had many coming near me and knocking on the window and asking me about the car. I guess the honeymoon period is still not over.I have had a couple of scratches involving the clearcoat on the boot and the bonnet and one small scratch in my front and back right side bumper ( i dont know how it happened) due to the unskilled work of my car cleaner man. Have given him a reprimand and now i am assisting him and supervising the cleaning job. I have taken sunday as my thorough car wash day and i wax the car too every week
Performance:
There is a remarkable change in the way the car slots up ahead now. Earlier i used to drive up conservatively so i used to find the car a little sluggish. Now after the first service the car is a lot freed up. and especially after the oil goof up the car is surging ahead with good clearence ahead of other cars especially at the pick up department. The lower torque between 1k RPM to 2k RPM has improved leaps and bounds.
I wonder what magic has been cast now.
FE:
The car is kind of settled with kind of 10.5-12.5 kmpl in weekdays traffic. Now the FE is never dropping below 10.5 kmpl range. I have had two tank fulls recently giving me consistently 12.8kmpl in weekday B to B traffic. Weekends is altogather a different matter as i am getting 13+ especially on a sunday lazy drive around city in non peak hours.
I have found out that the more aggressive you drive the car the more FE it gives. Guys try that out in your cars as well. Especially keep your average speed in MID at a constant 22-23 km to get 12+
Gear Slotting:
I have had difficulties in engaging the reverse gear a couple of times now though havent tried to assess it more ( or rather i dont know how to go about it). There is also a very small play in the gear knob which is noticible now. I have not had difficulties in engaging gears when driving.
Handling :
This is the real fantastic part. I was already good. And now it has become very good (due to nitrogen in my tyres- my own theory). The abilty to devour up huge pot holes even without a slightest jerk has amazed me and others who have travelled in my car. The suspension is also improving from rawness. The tyre noise has comedown with nitrogen thingy.
Blue and me:
This is definitely a boon for me. And i make it a point that i show case it when ever someone other than regulars get inside my car. What an amazing technology that integrates communication with car. Truely wonderful. If only i had saved up some money to buy a SE phone.
I have bought myself a 4GB kingston USB flash drive which i keep updating for songs ( last update was michael jackson songs). I havent tried updating the blue and me with it though the 5.4 version has been released last week.
I havent even taken the plastic covers on the seats and the sun visor.
Reverse parking sensors :
I has been a worthy addition and i am able to free up my mind while reversing
The other side of the story :
There are a few niggles till present like
1. Seat coming down issue. I have had no replies from fiat for this
2. Right rear seat belt not clipping on. I havent talked about it to the A.S.S
3. Alloy wheel issue: Hopefully ill fix it on the coming week
4. The inside rear view mirror i feel is not adequate to cover or show the entire rear view. I have upgraded the IRVM with the ones that came with reverse sensor but still i find it inadequate mainly because of the huge rear glass length. Still have to take time to get used to it.
5. Dead pedal inclination- Still i have not been comfy with the dead pedal as i have to keep the foot at 60 degrees inclanation. Fiat has to reduce the inclanation and do away with it.
6. ACC is not powerful in scorching temparature. The cooling goes off as soon as the A/C is shut off. And it is not becoming as cooler as it used to be in my dad's verna with occasional suffocation episodes. Theside vents are not as powerful as the central vents in front.I will check the A/C next time.
7. No bottle holder and spaces to hold a few small things. Even the dashboard gloebox becomes full with small items as it also houses the USB.
The rest all are spot on