VDub Vento TDI HL - My Pocket Rocket Comes Home


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THE BEGINNING

We had a 2008 Hyundai Getz Prime GLE doing duty for the last 5 years. It was a lovely car for the price but it had it's fair share of niggles. There was this petrol smell in the cabin that never went away no matter what was done. This was there since day 1. I wrote to Hyundai, visited their A.S.S a million times, asked around at the local FNGs but it yielded no results.
In the November of 2012, Princess came into our lives. She came packed with her good looks, fun to drive nature and good ride quality but she let us down in only one department. The engine department. The 1.2 TDI is underpowered for a car of her charisma and character. The engine is fuel efficient and she can pack a punch too when given the beans but the somewhat unrefined nature and the drop in FE when the throttle is buried kept me from doing that.
In the meantime, I did get the chance to drive a couple of different Ventos belonging to some friends and boy, was I floored. The way she accelerated and the handling etc was enough to make me weak at the knees. Plus the Vento righted all the short-comings of the Polo. It was spacious, the engine was more refined that the 1.2 TDI and the boot was huge.
Come 2013 November and the Getz was becoming a handful. The engine still purred like a kitten and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it but the petrol smell and the handling was pathetic to say the least. My mom, girlfriend and sister came up with the idea of asking my dad to get a new car. I supported their idea wholeheartedly and we WhatsApp-ed my father. And to my surprise, he said OK!!!! I was not expecting that at all. He asked us to buy a good car which hopefully won't give us problems like what we faced in the Getz.
This got me and my girl very excited and we got talking on which car to buy. The new Honda City was unveiled a couple of weeks earlier and we thought we'd wait for it. And so we did......................for exactly two days! [glasses]

Cars considered:

1) Honda City
2) Volkswagen Vento
3) Ford Fiesta

In the meantime, I read on another forum that the Vento TSI was being delivered real fast in Bangalore and some people even got spot delivery of the TSI. This made me change my decision to the Vento TSI from the Vento TDI in a flash.

How we closed in on the Vento:

1) Honda City
I read in another forum that the Honda City diesel was coming with the same engine as in the Amaze with the same tune and an extra cog (probably to aid in FE). The petrol City is a good car but it was a bit too expensive for a petrol car. Also, the City was not as fun to drive as the Vento and the car felt slightly unsettled on bumpy roads at high speeds. That put the Honda City off the list.

2) Ford Fiesta
The Fiesta was out of the running because, even though it was a nice car to drive and loaded with features, it was slightly more expensive than the Vento and the engine was very underpowered.

3) Volkswagen Vento
We had checked out the Vento long ago at EVM motors when we had gone to buy the Polo. Plus I had driven a couple of Ventos belonging to my friends and like I mentioned earlier, she had me floored.
So straight off, we went to the showroom and met the executive, Mr. Niteesh, there. He was a young, friendly chap who was willing to go the extra mile for a customer. I went straight to the point. I told him I was looking at buying a VW Vento TSI because I had read good reviews about the car and that the car was being delivered on the spot or with a maximum waiting period of one month depending on the colour. And that was when I was given the sad news that in TVM, it wasn't like that and that I would have to wait for atleast 6 months for the TSI and that that period could extend upto 8 months because there were loads of customers who booked the car when it was launched and yet, there was no sign of their car in the near future (The same was for the Polo TSI). That put me off totally. I was depressed as I loved the DSG gearbox and it would have made it easier for my girl and my sister to drive the car.
Also, the Polo GT TSI TD car that EVM used was with Das Welt Auto as a second hand car but they started using that as a TD car again a couple of days before I went to the showroom. So there went my dream down the drain.
We went back to the Vento TDI and decided to get that instead.

Dealership experience:

The SE brought out the price list of the Vento. In the meanwhile, I saw a couple of posters regarding offers on the Polo and Vento and he explained them to me.
The first offer was the 50/50 offer where in I pay half of the ex-showroom price along with the remaining costs such as insurance, road tax etc etc and the remaining half of the ex-showroom has to be paid one year later (it can be paid without interest as a lump some or one can opt to pay it in EMIs starting one year after the date of delivery).
The second offer was the Fully Loaded scheme. In this, I have to take loan from VW Finance and in return, they give me three years free insurance, one year free extended warranty, three free services (if I opt for the AMC which comes to Rs. 790/month) and three years free Road Side Assistace.
I called my dad and told him all these offers and all he said was, "You sit and decide on which offer is better and which car you want to buy in case you have other options."
I told him I had decided on the Vento and he was good with it. He told me to collect the pricelist and go home and tell my mom that we were going to book the car and I said ok and hung up.
I went back to the SE and told him that I wanted a Vento TDI in Pepper Grey (my first choice) or Shadow Blue. I also said I wanted spot delivery. He checked with the stockyard and they said they have only one car in stock and that too in Pepper Grey. I called my dad again and asked him what to do and he asked me to book the car ASAP. So I paid a token amount of Rs. 5000 and booked the car.
I asked for discounts but he said there were no discounts as I was buying the car from the Fully Loaded scheme and that he could give me discounts only if I was buying it without the scheme.
Then we went to the stockyard and checked the car out. It was an October manufactured car (24/10/2013) and I was happy. I wasn't getting an old car.
We decided on taking a loan of Rs. 1 lakh (that was the minimum amount I had to take as loan) for 3 years (that was the minimum period).
We booked the car on the 12th of Dec, 2013. The loan papers were sent for approval in the morning of Friday, the 13th. It got approved in the evening of the same day (the finance people said I might have to wait for upto 5 days). On Saturday, the finance adviser said that the EMI I had to pay was Rs. 3259 and that worked out to an interest of Rs. 17,324. I was happy and we signed the papers and I was almost about to get into my car and drive off when I decided to confirm with them about the AMC and that was when I was in for a shock. This amount was with the AMC and that would go against what I told my father and that would be the end of me [evil]. So I told him to resend the application to VW Finance on Monday along with a request for AMC and we got that done on Monday evening itself.
I also decided to sell the Getz to Das Welt Auto (as there were no takers for a base model petrol Getz). The evaluated my car and offered me Rs. 1.5 lakhs. I was expecting something in the range of Rs. 1.1-1.2 lakhs and so I was happy.
Got the ICE removed from the Getz the very next day and put in the old ICE that came with the car and handed the car over on Thursday. It was a sad sight and luckily, I wasn't there to witness it or else, I might have cried. [cry]
We transfered the rest of the amount on Wednesday, the car was sent for registration on Thursday and delivery was on Friday, 20/12/2013, the same day as my girl's birthday.

The tug on the purse strings:

I don't remember the exact break up and I seem to have misplaced the price list. I'm putting a rough break-up below.

Ex-Showroom – Rs. 10xxxxx
Extended warranty – Rs. 10000 (free)
Insurance – Rs. 40329 (free)
Registration and handling charges – Rs. 6450
Road tax – Rs. 1,20,xxx
Total OTR – Rs. 11,47,521

Loan amount - Rs. 1,00,000 (Rs. 91,345 after paying the first EMI and processing fee of Rs. 4600 along with the initial amount)
EMI - Rs. 4055 (includes the AMC at Rs. 796/month)
Interest - Rs. 45,980
Price of the Getz - Rs. 1,50,000
Booking amount - Rs. 5000

Net OTR – Rs. 11,93,501
Actual OTR (without discounts) - Rs. 11,97,850

Delivery experience:

The SE, Mr. Niteesh, was a very accomodating person. He gave me prompt replies on every query that I had and even while pestering him in the midnight through WhatsApp about the various details like registering the car in my city, etc, he replied without a fall in his enthusiasm.
The delivery was done on the 20th of December, 2013. I asked Niteesh not to explain the features since I already had the Polo. The key was handed over to my sister. They took a couple of pictures but I haven't gotten it yet as the person who prints it was not there and I didn't visit the dealership after that (I will be going there tomorrow to hand over forms 29 and 30 for my Getz).
The accessories I got for free are:
1. The Volkswagen keychain
2. Side sill protector with the Vento branding
3. Car cover
4. Perfume
And the usual mudflaps and mats (for which they charge Rs. 5000 anyways)

Accessories I bought:

1. Silicone key cover - Rs. 275
2. VW Keychain (bought two thinking that they wouldn't give me the original VW keychain) - Rs. 175
3. Belkin car charger - Rs. 170

I also changed the stock 185/60 R15 JK Vectras to 195/60 R15 Bridgestone MY02. Bought them from New Bharath tyres, Chaka, Trivandrum.
Price for 4 Bridgestones - Rs. 5800*4 = Rs. 23,200
Wheel balancing - Rs. 600
Buyback for the stock tyres - Rs. 2000*4 = Rs. 8000
Net amount paid - Rs. 15,800
This is more than what people in other cities pay but Kerala being Kerala, we have to pay through our noses.
 
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Thread Starter #2
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OWNERSHIP REPORT

My Vento has covered 140kms already and it has been only two days since I got her. [clap]

The Good:

1) Looks
The car looks very very handsome. The blackened headlamps look terrific. The Pepper Grey colour looks stunning.

2) Engine
It is a torque monster. It pulls and pulls like there is no tomorrow. I did rev it once or twice and my God. The way it accelerates is awesome. It gives my goosebumps everytime I do that (I hope I don't do it anymore till I run it in for a thousand kms).

3) Gearshifts
The gearshifts on the Vento are excellent. Extremely smooth. The first gear is short if you accelerate hard but for sedate driving, the gear ratios are perfect.

4) Handling and steering
The handling is spot on though it isn't in the league of Fiat/Ford. The steering feels light in the city and weighs up but I wish it was a hydraulic unit like in my Getz/Punto.

5) Interiors and seats
They look and feel premium. The red backlight on the centre console and the white lights in the speedo console look awesome at night. The leatherette seats feel good and are also supportive. The handrest is a welcome addition even though it does interfere with the working of the hand brake.

6) Stereo
It sounds good enough for a stock system. Plus it plays USB, SD card and also has an aux input. It also can play through bluetooth (four phones can be paired at a time but only on can be used).

7) Air-conditioner
The AC is a chiller. The climatronic AC is a boon in this heat and the rear vents help in cooling the interior well in no time.

8) Rear passenger space
The car is spacious at the back (though not as spacious as the Sunny but still very good). The rear seats are also comfortable. The only grouse is the tall transmission hump making a fifth passenger feel unwelcome.

9) Boot space
The boot is humongous. 'nough said [:D]

10) Mileage
I got a mileage of 19km/l on my trip from Kollam to Trivandrum. This was in heavy traffic and at night.

11) Flippy keys
I’m a big fan of flippy keys and I love it. It does look and feel premium.

12) Power windows
The one touch auto-up and auto-down on ALL windows plus the anti-pinch feature is excellent.

13)NVH
The engine is slightly noisy (compared to the CRDI engines) but it feels smooth and refined (because it is a 4-cylinder engine). Vibrations are transmitted through the clutch pedals though.

The Bad:

1) Horn
The horns on the new cars are pathetic. From inside the car, it sounds like someone put a cat in a hot water bottle and strangled it. This is because of some new rule whereby they allow only single horns and not double horns from the manufacturer. I will try getting it changed either from the dealership or from outside.

2) Door locking mechanism
The doors cannot be locked from inside. Even if we lock it using the lock button on the driver’s side door, the doors can be opened from inside (it cannot be opened from outside though). The autolock feature is a good thing though I still wish I could actually lock the interior especially when there are children at the back.

3) Ground clearance
The Getz had good ground clearance. The Vento has the same GC as the Polo. I wish it were more. I did scrape the mudflaps once yesterday while getting off a steep slope.

4) Pathetic stock tyres and ugly alloy wheel design
The stock tyres that came with the car were JK Vectras. Got them changed the very next morning for Bridgestone MY02 (wanted Michellin Primacy 3ST but they didn't have stock).
Also, the alloy wheel design is ugly. I liked the ones that came in the older Vento but I love the ones on the new Polo. I wish they gave the same design for the Vento.


VERDICT

A lovely car and I have no regrets buying it. I'm glad I didn't wait for the Honda City diesel.
 
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Vipin,the most awaited Vento ownership thread.Welcome to Vento club once again.Can you post the pics of the car and Bridgestone MY-02 tires?And,one thing,side sill protectors you have installed,they are illuminated or non illuminated?
 
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Thread Starter #4
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Polo 1.2 TDI vs Vento 1.6 TDI

Where the Vento is better:

1. Engine
The 1.6 TDI is a gem of an engine. Very torquey. The turbo lag is not very evident (even though there is lag till around 1500-1800 rpm after which she takes off like a rocket). It also feels very refined compared to the Polo and is also less noisy.

2. Space
The Vento is very spacious. The armrests are also a good addition. The Polo is cramped at the rear but the Vento has enough space at the back. Even the boot of the Vento is huge but amongst hatchbacks, the Polo is very good too.

3. Interior build quality
The interiors feel the same. The Polo has a black and beige theme whereas the Vento has a dark-brown and beige theme. I prefer the black and beige theme. But the tactile feel of the Vento is better. The indicator and wiper stalks feel better damped than the Polo's stalks. Also the electric window switches of the Vento feel better.
The seats of the Vento are better than the Polo, especially the front seats. The front seats of the Vento provide more support than those of the Polo.

Where the Polo is better:

1. Manoeuvreability
The Polo is easier to manoeuvre than the Vento because of the lack of the extra length. It also is slightly less wider.

2. Stereo
The speakers in my Polo are better. They have better bass than the ones in my Vento.

These are some points I could recollect off the top of my head. I will put more up later as and when I remember it.

Regards,
Vipin

PS. Pardon the poor quality of the pictures. I only had my phone with me and couldn't take good pictures. I will upload better pictures after washing my car.
 

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Thread Starter #5
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Vipin,the most awaited Vento ownership thread.Welcome to Vento club once again.Can you post the pics of the car and Bridgestone MY-02 tires?And,one thing,side sill protectors you have installed,they are illuminated or non illuminated?
Thank you bro. I had a pang of guilt for not waiting for the Honda City diesel but that disappeared the moment I heard it was going to have the same engine as the Amaze.
The side sill protectors I got are not illuminated. I will post detailed pictures after I wash my car tomorrow. Same about photos of the tyre [:)]

Regards,
Vipin
 
Thread Starter #9
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How is horn?Is it VW type horn or other one?
It's not the VW type horn. Now Ventos and Polos come with the single horn. It sounds like poooop pooooop. It sounds bad inside the cabin but on the outside, it sounds bearable. It is kinda loud for a single horn. But I want the princely German horn. Will get it done sometime in the near future.

Happy to see the Vw babe[;)]

Congrats Vipin[clap]

Post more pics of the interior and the new tyres[:)]
Thanks Vishnu. And yes. I will post pictures of the interior as well as of the new tyres this coming week. The thing is that my mom is going to Muscat to visit my dad and so I'm a little busy running around buying stuff. Will do it ASAP.

Congratulations on your new car ! .Drive Safe
Thank you very much, Ankit. I try to drive as safe as I can but with the rest of the road users sharing road space, I hope I am successful enough. :)

Regards,
Vipin
 
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Congrats Vipin on your new acquisition. Vento surely stands out in this shade of Pepper Grey and those smoked headlamps are just adding to the beauty. Loved reading the review too. Post some interior pics as well, specially the leatherette seat covers.

Wish you many many happy miles with your new car. Drive safe!
 
Thread Starter #11
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Congrats Vipin on your new acquisition. Vento surely stands out in this shade of Pepper Grey and those smoked headlamps are just adding to the beauty. Loved reading the review too. Post some interior pics as well, specially the leatherette seat covers.

Wish you many many happy miles with your new car. Drive safe!
Thank you so much mate. Me and my girl wanted the Vento in this colour whereas my sister wanted the Shadow Blue. There was one Shadow Blue and one Pepper Grey but we went with the Pepper Grey. The smoked headlamps do add to the look.
I will post pictures in a couple of days as my mom is going to Muscat and so was very busy running around buying last minute stuff.
The car is three days old and she has clocked 315kms as of now. I had a blast driving her. A very potent car she is. Will be careful.

Regards,
Vipin
 
Thread Starter #12
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Other things that I like in the Polo (which could have been better in the Vento):

3. Horn
Like I mentioned in the review, the horns in the new batch VW cars are a single horn. The reason given by different Sales Executives and people at the A.S.S are the same. It seems that some one (or maybe a group of people) filed a case against VW stating that the horns in their cars were very loud. That is why cars from the ET series (cars that have ET in their VIN number) have only single horns. This includes the Jetta and Passat as well.
I asked them about retrofitting the double horn and they quoted around Rs. 5000 for the job. Now I have to ask around at car accessory shops here.

4. Headlights and fog lamps
The headlights and fog lamps in the Polo are better than the one in my Vento. I have noticed it on road too. The Polos have better fog lamps than the Vento. Even the headlights in my Polo seem brighter (maybe because it has the full-silver reflector compared to the blackened parts in the Vento?). I want to upgrade my bulbs but I'm too scared to mess with stuff in case it voids warranty.

5. The manual AC contol in the Polo, especially the position selector is useful in the Polo. The rotary knob helps me to control the volume of air being blown to my face and legs (I like majority of the air to be directed at my face and a little to my legs). But in the Vento, I cannot do that. If I switch on the leg blower, a lot of air is blown towards my legs making it too cold and I have to keep switching it on and off.

Another thing I noticed is that my phone keeps getting disconnected from the headunit if I don't use it for some time.
For example. After pairing it and making a call through the headunit and then leaving my phone idle for sometime, the phone gets disconnected (though it is shown as connected both in the head unit and the phone). If I get a call, it only rings in my phone and nothing happens in the head unit. Even if I answer it, I can only speak through the phone. I forgot to check whether it is specific to my phone or it is the same with the other paired phones. Any solutions guys?

Regards,
Vipin
 
Thread Starter #14
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Thank you karthick [:)]

Some pictures of my pocket rocket [:)].

Taken at the tyre shop
1.jpg

A couple of post-washing pictures
3.jpg
20131224_172729.jpg
20131224_172154.jpg

Pictures of the maximum and minimum space at the rear
20131224_172912.jpg
20131224_172918.jpg

Pictures of the cockpit
20131224_172334.jpg
20131224_173253.jpg

Regards,
Vipin
 
Thread Starter #15
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Some more pictures [:)]

Bridgestone MY02 195/60 R15 bought at Rs. 5800 per tyre from New Bharath tyres, TVM
2.jpg
20131224_172209.jpg
20131224_172749.jpg

The leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls (I wish I could skip folders too using the buttons on the steering wheels)
20131224_173435.jpg

The RCD320
20131224_173355.jpg

Climatronic AC (Single zone)
20131224_173358.jpg

The silicone cover I bought for the key (Princess has a different silicone cover)
20131224_173613.jpg

The speedo console. The Vento has a ring of light going from the 0-6 on the tacho and 0-240 on the speedo. The Polo doesn't have that.
20131224_173836.jpg

Regards,
Vipin
 
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