My Blue & Me - 90 HP at Home

Congrats.. and a very nice colour selection..

 

@Relativity:Honestly, I wasn't even looking when I hit the pole as i am quite an arrogant driver.

Dear bro! cool and calm while in cockpit. due to emotional/excitement only we commit mistake. I started my driving when I was 18. Started with LH drive willys jeep as my father was in state govt service as deputy collector. I used to practice his official jeep. Go to xenos for good reverse parking sensor with camera. When I used to go for my work through ECR throttle easily 100~130. quite cool. This video may be helpful to you if avail. Park4U Demo @ IAA

---------- Post added at 11:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:10 PM ----------

@Relativity:Honestly, I wasn't even looking when I hit the pole as i am quite an arrogant driver.

Dear bro! cool and calm while in cockpit. due to emotional/excitement only we commit mistake. I started my driving when I was 18. Started with LH drive willys jeep as my father was in state govt service as deputy collector. I used to practice his official jeep. Go to xenos for good reverse parking sensor with camera. When I used to go for my work through ECR throttle easily 100~130. quite cool. This video may be helpful to you if avail. Park4U Demo @ IAA

 

Enki
Can you please share the name of the Dealer? I'm sure these dealers are causing irrevocable damage to the Fiat Image. Sad to say that people don't even consider looking at FIAT as an option, when they're ready to spend close to 9 lacs on Korean and Jap brands.

 

What dealer?

 

I can understand. I too feel that way. The car is not "optimised" for city driving (IMHO). There are 2 problems
1. Turbo lag - nothing much can be done - any turbo engine worth it's salt and which the mango man can afford will have this issue.
2. Short gearing of 1st and 2nd which will make you want to upshift early - After a lot of experimenting and trial-n-error, what I think I found is that the shortness felt is due to engine noise around 2500 rpm - may not be actually that short a gear, but I used to change to 3rd gear because of the noise - if we can ignore the noise, the 2nd gear will start pulling quite strongly at 2500 (though not like the 3rd gear). One thing I found is that the engine noise and engine "peppiness" can have a day and night difference depending on what fuel you tank up. I fill BP and from one pump, where I found, it makes my engine run smooth, but even then, some tank-fills make the engine smoother than on other fills. Also the engine runs smoother on a full tank than, let's say, a quarter tank.

While the noise at low speeds and low gears can be irritating, I find the engine sound very nice at high speed. I did not feel the need for a 6th gear. Somehow , I never feel the same engine sound to be noise at high speed. In fact in highways I drop a gear if I am not at 2500 rpm because acceleration is just too good after that rpm. If I am doing 90 in 5th gear, I will drop to 4th and hit above 2500 rpm and then get a meaty acceleration. The engine sound I feel is really good.

 

Relativity, Engine does sound a bit louder for first 10000 KMs. Yes, it could use 6 gears but then it can also has 1.6 MJD & a price tag of 2 lac more. It won't be a budget car of swift's category.

Don't worry, as soon as you will complete 10000 KMs, this engine will be buttery smooth & silk. I think ECU has been mapped in such a way that you can't exploit engine completely for initial run in. It will sound relaxed enough even@130 kmph once run-in completed.
I am yet to change oil/filters at 2nd service@15000 KMs. It is at 14000 KMs right now but still sounding way better than when it was brand new. I hope it will become further silky once oil/filters are changed for good. I was also hoping engine to be more peppier which i hardly felt after 10000 KMs but there is massive improvement surely for NVH/smoothness@high speeds & it sound is definitely sweet instead of diesel clatter.

---------- Post added at 09:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:51 AM ----------

How did i miss this post?
Anyways, thanks for sacred sunset & Maserati goddess. I loved it. You people are enjoying it. Keep up! Blessings!

Well, let's get dispense with 1st gear at all till you come to an absolute stop. I repeat when your car has absolutely stopped!! Even if you are crawling @1kmhr, be in 2nd gear. By the way you can also move in 2nd gear from still position but i won't advise you since 1st gear is there for the task. Now something more important...

Just take your foot off the clutch nicely & it will keep keep gliding in 2nd gear @5-10 km/hr. If you need to further slow down even@5km/hr, press clutch, brake & then again leave clutch gently to gain that 5-10 km/hr crawling. No need for 1st gear at all whatever load in your car with AC on. It won't knock, won't feel any jerk what so ever. You can accelerate in 2nd gear from almost rest say 1 km/hr (obviously there is turbo lag below 20 km/hr but no issue, even then it will move average).

Now before trying this, you need to develop confidence for 2nd gear before you master it in your daily drive.
Here is how we do this...
The 2nd gear is not short at all in 2011's 90 HP's. Mine one takes off from 25 km/hr to 70 km/hr@5200 RPM in flat 4 secs. Fuel cuts off@5200 RPM @70km/hr. This is exact replica of 2008 Verna's 1.5. The 2nd gear in both the cars, absolutely no difference what so ever. May be Verna will shave off 1/2 sec advantage, that's it. 90HP's 0-100 would have been in high 20 secs if 2nd gear were short like the 1st one. You try it once on an empty stretch to clear your mind for 2nd gear. Don't assume 2nd gear based on blogs, that's crap. Devil resides in 2nd gear only. Go to an empty stretch or with less traffic, get it to move in 1st gear & slot in 2nd asap. Now throttle it while watching Speedo & ODO of your car. As soon as car reaches @25km/hr@1700 RPM, you will feel like it's a Roller-Custer. Don't panic, it's awesome. My 1yr old son literally starts rolling over with laugh in my lap thinking that i am tinkling him. In next 3-4 secs, you will be@70km/hr::V. It's very powerful gear with mountains of torque & pick up in 90 HP.

1st gear is absolutely short, no doubt but nothing else. Pls don't argue with me else i have to make & post Verna 1.5 CRDI & 90 HPs 2nd gear's video. Expert's could be pretty embarrassed learning that it was never ever the case in first place. It is equally potent to that Chinese rocket.
But I must clarify that pls don't make it a habit to accelerate till 70km/hr in 2nd gear.
It is meant generally till 40-50 km/hr km/hr@2500-3000 RPM, nothing wrong in digging your car's core values though.

 

3M Paint Protection Done

I took the car to the 3M Car Care Center in Nungambakkam on Friday. It took 4 hours and 3,300 bucks to get the 1 year paint protection treatment done. 3M is a household name in India with their "Scotch Brite" products. They also invented the famous wound dressing. 3M : India : Skin and Wound Care : Product Catalogue:*3M
Most people know them for their sunscreens as they hold the patent. The also retail scotch Brand tape. 3M material was used for making boots worn by Neil Armstrong when he walked on the moon in 1969.

I will try to share the treatment given to the car in chronological sequence:

1. Here's a shot of the place, it looks fairly small on the outside but has enough room for 5 cars to be worked upon at a time.


2. First off, the car was air cleaned with high pressure air; inside and outside. The cleaned the floor mats and air cleaned the interiors too. Then it was given a good shampoo wash with 3M brand shampoo and again air dried and wiped clean. This wash is also offered as a separate service for 395 bucks.


3. Next off, the car was machine polished with 3M Car polish to a new shine


4. After polishing, the glass was cleaned with 3M Glass cleaner and all the plastic and rubber was dressed with 3m Tyre Dressing. The car has been facing a lot of sun due to open parking both at home and office so the plastic was looking really old and faded. Also, the dust from all the construction around my house as well as office had settled on all the glass and I was having trouble cleaning it and it had become tough to drive at night. These products really sorted both the issues out. However, they refused to sell these to me as they don't sell 3M products in retail as it requires certain labor. They instead sell Meguiar's ready to use products, a brand they acquired last year.


5. Now comes the real thing, the paint sealant or the 1 year paint protector. It is a 3M brand synthetic wax that is applied by hand. One guy applied it to smaller units and another wiped/buffed it. I am told that unlike regular car wax, this synthetic wax binds to the paint quickly and stays on for upto 1 year and doesn't melt in Chennai heat; unlike other wax. Water won't settle easily and it would be easier to dust the car. Of course, bird droppings still need to be removed ASAP. This also protects the paint from ultraviolet radiation and prevents fading.

3M Performance Finish Synthetic Wax, 16 ounce, 39030

6. After this, the car was inspected by the store manager and he asked the staff to re-clean the Fiat logo and the Punto logo and inside the fuel cap etc. a lot of attention to detail. Here's a look:-


Was it worth it / Do I recommend this / Will I do it again:
1. The Car wash is totally recommended. I don't know about other cities, but by Chennai standards; this is by far the most well trained and professional bunch of car wash/detailing people I could find. And the Car Wash just costs you Rs. 395
2. They won't polish or wax or dress your glass or plastics for 395 so you can also add on a power shine plan that costs another 600 odd bucks (If I remember it correctly) and they will use a foam shine. You end up paying about 1K but they still don't use the synthetic wax or the polish or the dressings.
3. For Cars older than a year, they charge more but they use a machine rubbing compound to use / cover up minor scratches.
4. I would probably go there again for best in class Car Wash and maybe for the under body coating after a year and the old Car paint treatment after a couple of years.
5. Do I recommend the 1 year Paint Protection for New Cars @ Rs. 3,300? Well, it turns out that I don't.

Why I don't think this is VFM:
1. In Essence, the 4 step program is a Wash+Polish+Dressing+Wax. All can be done at home at a fraction of a cost or for much less at a local Car Wash.
2. Even if I buy the argument that the 3M branded Synthetic Wax is better than any other wax out there, I have multiple issues with it.
2.1 The shop claims it lasts for 1 year whereas the product brochure reads it as 6 months
2.2 The shop claims that this wax can't be used at home but 3M retails the product for home use in other Countries
2.3 The product reads, "Easy On, Easy Off". Enough said!
2.4 The brochure claims only "Ultraviolet protection". The shop claims protection from water, dust, etc. I can't blame they as 3M operates through a franchise
3. I am not unhappy with the service or the product. You have to see these guys in action and they are absolute pros. Very professional and very well trained with class leading Car detailing products. I may be slightly irked by the mis-selling/mis-representation. But my Car looks better than ever. But they don't remove any minor scratches or use any type of rubbing compound/scratch remover etc even though I had minor scratches. Turns out, they don't do that for new cars and new cars are defined as up to 1 year old.
4. I think I will take the Car there for a nice wash next time and come home and dust it and Wax with a Collinite 845
Products - Auto-Mall.in
Insulator Wax » Collinite
Or use the same 3M Wax, at a price that it will last for about a year (Pun intended)
3M Performance Finish Wax | eBay

Slightly OT, the car drove for around 100 Km in the city traffic yesterday and the mileage was 15.1
The gears no longer feel short and mostly 3rd gear is used in B2B traffic.
The ride is still bumpy and I will get the tyres and the pressure checked tomorrow.
I covered the car using the Fiat Punto cover I picked up from the dealer to avoid the dust and the sunlight and plan to use it frequently.

More updates after a long ride tomorrow.

 

i did see ur car when i was going towards mount road from kodambakkam.I thought it was ur car as it was a OB 90 hp.Also i did notice the "L" at the back of the car.

 

You should've stopped by! Anyway, next time maybe.

 

Beautiful colour and ride.