I am now in between jobs -- translates to totally jobless. Thought this would be a nice time to make a trip with family. Me, wife and my parents. So it was decided to be Coorg and i was hell bent on taking my figuu.
The total running would account for 1200kms plus so gave the vehicle for the first service around 1700-1800 kms.
Plan was to leave on 28th Friday to Bangalore, stay there and drive the next day to coorg. Back to chennai on 2nd.
This is the first time i am driving for such long distance and was excited about it too.
Filled her tank on 27th at Alwarpet indianoil bunk and was all set to roll.
28th We left at 7 am and by 7.50 reached poonamallee outer heading into
Sriperumbadur. As i was entering Arcot, a stupid cyclist thought it would be fun to dart across, was doin aroun 80-90kmph and had to swerve, ford driving dynamics helped, the car was planted on ground and gave good control.
we stopped at ambur for breakfast around 9.15 am and left there by 9.45 am.
Roads were just splendid was doing around 100-110kmph and it was a breeze to drive, good steering feedback and response was good.
By 11.30 reached Hosur and headed towards electronic city.
Thanks to improper directions, took the elevated toll road instead of going for NICE road, these roads are too good to be true.
We got stuck in bangalore traffic and it took us an hour to reach the destination.
Next day morning left bangalore at 7.15 am and took the NICE road, truly stands to its name, reminded me of UK motorways, everyone should take a drive on that road.
We drove throught srirangapatna and took the KRS road towards Hunsur, here starts the troubles. The speed breakers are more chassis breakers for Figo, all along the stretch from KRS road till Kushal nagar has speed bumps of varying sizes keeping caressing the under body. Tried all manoevers but invariably kept scathing the under body that was a real bummer.
Roads to coorg have been widened and new roads are layed so the route is brilliant, except at Senticoppa that too only the stretch in the town. rest all is wonderful.
Return from Coorge, we came to mysore on 31st and on 1st left to Chennai at 7 am reached bangalore at 9 am took a break and left at 10 and reached home at 2.30 pm, infact reached poonamallee by 1.45 was doing at 3 digit speeds.
Overall FE 16kmpl with AC throughout.
Max FE 18kmpl
Min FE 13.8kmpl
Totally kms covered: 1433 km
Diesel Consumed: 89.7 litres Things Noticed:
Glow plug indicator exists, its below digital ODO display. I think the cold temperature did the trick.
Regarding the vehicle losing breath at steep climbs, it does if you take ur foot of the pedal, else it does perfectly well. I had to negotiate many steep bends with four people on board particuarly on route to Talacauvery and one at Abbi falls, thats a killer steep curve. Also, the place i stayed was down a slope and put the vehicle to the test.
Rear leg room at the cost of under body scrapping because of the longer wheel base, some of the speed breakers are so bad that even after your front wheel get off the bump the rear wheel doesnt climb up and the height of the hump scathes the underbody, had done about 10-12 times.
Second gear lacks the punch takes too long to move, its almost stationary.
Diesel bunks on route do not have auto cut off and end up overflowing, happend twice there.
To sum up figo was at its best and it was incident free trip to and back from coorg.