Is anyone a member of team-bhp?? What car to buy?

[goyal.sanchit]

Also After reading your and Dinyaar posts 1-2 days ago I had a weird dream!!!!!!!!


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The dream was that I am driving a BMW 320i Demo car and have pressed full accelarator and cannot go past 80 !!!!

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Then the dream was cut off a bit and in the 2nd scene a policeman asked to stop the car. Since I had forgotten my license at home and there was no R.C. I thought that I would speed up the car and run :lol: But the "petrol engine" of 320i didnt seem to like that and I couldnt speed up above even 20!!!!


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I hope the petrol engine is atleast better than what the dream was!! hyeah: hyeah:

 

[reignofchaos]

ROC which rd in blr did you hit the 250km/hr limit

Its guys like you who really needs a high performance car, Cedia is a decent drivers car on its own.


I have heard Nissan is coming up with their line up of cars shortly if so then a 350z or 370z wud be perfect for you if its priced properly.

I hit that speed on the NICE corridor between bannerghatta and hosur roads. Its dead empty with no one in sight so you can push a car to its limits quite easily. I loved the 3.2 FSI but the unreliability of VW platform cars scares me. Also the price was a bit too hard to swallow. Not at all value for money.

@neo: If you liked the Laura, you'd just fall in love with the Audi 3.2 FSI. Its basically a TT in sedan clothing. Frankly I'm not that big a fan of the Laura as I felt its steering wasn't responsive enough and the car felt "heavy" which meant it wasn't as chuckable as quite a few other cars. Its the same with the FWD audis.

However the 3.2 had no such issues. It felt small, taut and amazing to drive. I believe the steering rack in it is completely different. Plus that quattro system inspires so much confidence around corners, you'd just forget about what speeds you are doing . Also unlike the bimmer it has a 6 speed stick shifter which means no more fooling around with stupid paddles.

 

[dinyaar]

Also After reading your and Dinyaar posts 1-2 days ago I had a weird dream!!!!!!!!


====

The dream was that I am driving a BMW 320i Demo car and have pressed full accelarator and cannot go past 80 !!!!

====

Then the dream was cut off a bit and in the 2nd scene a policeman asked to stop the car. Since I had forgotten my license at home and there was no R.C. I thought that I would speed up the car and run :lol: But the "petrol engine" of 320i didnt seem to like that and I couldnt speed up above even 20!!!!


====

I hope the petrol engine is atleast better than what the dream was!! hyeah: hyeah:

Hahaha
I assure u no cop will be able to catch u if u wish to zip away!!!!
Seriously all I state is relative naturally. All BMW are good, some great.
Wait patiently and have a blast once it arrives.

ROC u are sadly correct on the accord & its handling. I had a 2007 3L Six Cyl and the engine was an absolute beauty. I tried playing with tyres but that boat type handling remained!! Not driven the latest avatar so no comment.
Just for kicks u guys should drive the XFR & the Panamera. Both blew my mind. In fact I dare say the XF,XFR actually seem more brutal.
Rgds

 

[suri]

Someone said Accord handles well - I hope he was joking :lol:. Its handling is like a lump of lard. It has two amazing engines in its arsenal but in dynamic capability, even a corolla which frankly feels like a washing machine to drive will pummel it.

hi reignofchaos,

you must be talking about the earlier accords - the present accord - 2.4 litre manual - handles real good! and toyotas ?...... i have driven the latest generation corolla altis - and it's a suicide car!

 

[reignofchaos]

hi reignofchaos,

you must be talking about the earlier accords - the present accord - 2.4 litre manual - handles real good! and toyotas ?...... i have driven the latest generation corolla altis - and it's a suicide car!

I'm talking about exactly the same car - the current gen accord. Try taking any flowing curve at more than 100 - it'll roll and pitch like a sailboat. The suspension is way way too soft. There's understeer as well but the problems with the supension appear way before understeer.

The only reasonable handling accord was the 2.3 VTiL from the early 2000's.

 

[rikhav]

Any of you guys have tried the Verna?
I have not driven it but sitting in it i could make out the suspension is way too soft and there is quiet a lot of power on demand in the VGT diesel
I wonder how pathetic Verna would be for you considering your views on Honda and Toyota cars

 

[neo]

@ROC I've tried the 3.2 & it is awesome. Also i agree on the steering feel of the laura but the engine is very good, decent handling & stability. At the price point i feel it is one the better cars.

As for the service of vw group i've only heard bad things about the skoda & have had personally had a few minor problems with the skoda service but nothing that i couldn't sort out. Although i'm lucky to have found good workshop's to maintain it surat/mumbai. Spare part wise i'm also reasonably well placed as i've my off at lamington road in mumbai.
I've not heard any bad things about the audi service & I hope things are better with vw as we've got a passat about nine months back & the service will be up in a few months time.

Any car, which is an import, will not seem good value.
Cheers

 

[reignofchaos]

@ROC I've tried the 3.2 & it is awesome. Also i agree on the steering feel of the laura but the engine is very good, decent handling & stability. At the price point i feel it is one the better cars.

As for the service of vw group i've only heard bad things about the skoda & have had personally had a few minor problems with the skoda service but nothing that i couldn't sort out. Although i'm lucky to have found good workshop's to maintain it surat/mumbai. Spare part wise i'm also reasonably well placed as i've my off at lamington road in mumbai.
I've not heard any bad things about the audi service & I hope things are better with vw as we've got a passat about nine months back & the service will be up in a few months time.

Any car, which is an import, will not seem good value.
Cheers

Agreed - at its price point its probably the best thing you may get. That TSi engine is amazing - it can easily be chipped to 200 horses and you have a road rocket . However again - long term reliability of the car is something I'm not convinced about. Lets hope its a bit more reliable than the 1.8 turbo in the vRS. That one keeps breaking all the time.

I remember someone telling me this and I just reproduce it as is - "The verna is a missile at the end of its flight"

 

[reignofchaos]

Hahaha
I assure u no cop will be able to catch u if u wish to zip away!!!!
Seriously all I state is relative naturally. All BMW are good, some great.
Wait patiently and have a blast once it arrives.

ROC u are sadly correct on the accord & its handling. I had a 2007 3L Six Cyl and the engine was an absolute beauty. I tried playing with tyres but that boat type handling remained!! Not driven the latest avatar so no comment.
Just for kicks u guys should drive the XFR & the Panamera. Both blew my mind. In fact I dare say the XF,XFR actually seem more brutal.
Rgds

Jags have always been super sweet handlers and I'm not surprised by what you say. They'd be absolutely true. Jags are amazing to drive but couple very good ride quality with the same - a pretty rare combination.

I have never driven a Jag but I have driven a Lotus Exige-S which many say is the epitome of how a car should handle. Once you get into the tiny aluminium and plastic box, you'd be laughing away at the fact that the interiors in that car are worse than a Maruti 800. But the moment you shift into 1st and dump the clutch, you'd be on cloud 9 .

 

[santhosh]

@santhol2
Is it easy to install the race dynamics chip as for eg a pete's?
How would you compare the two?
TIA
Cheers

Race Dynamics requires to be installed by their technician. Takes about 2 to 3 hours max. Once the install is completed and tested, a standard map for that model is loaded. Then you take the car out for a mapping session accompanied by an RD staff (mostly Karthik). He will then configure the ECU by keying in parameters (for Air-Fuel Ratio, gearing, torque, idling, ) setting etc depending on your driving style. He does this by connecting a laptop to the RD ECU. Once you are familiar with these parameters, you can create your own maps and install them via a Race Dynamics software installed on a Laptop. This is what I have done. It is fun for sure:yahoo:.

From what I have read, Pete's is much easier to install but it is only available for some turbo-charged cars (mostly diesel). Racedynamics also has a configurable product that is designed to work with CRDI engines.

 

[rikhav]

Race Dynamics requires to be installed by their technician. Takes about 2 to 3 hours max. Once the install is completed and tested, a standard map for that model is loaded. Then you take the car out for a mapping session accompanied by an RD staff (mostly Karthik). He will then configure the ECU by keying in parameters (for Air-Fuel Ratio, gearing, torque, idling, ) setting etc depending on your driving style. He does this by connecting a laptop to the RD ECU. Once you are familiar with these parameters, you can create your own maps and install them via a Race Dynamics software installed on a Laptop. This is what I have done. It is fun for sure:yahoo:.

From what I have read, Pete's is much easier to install but it is only available for some turbo-charged cars (mostly diesel). Racedynamics also has a configurable product that is designed to work with CRDI engines.

Hi Santhol
You say your Esteem engine goes to 9500 RPM. The stock engine goes to 6500.
Have you strength ed the engine parts to take the additional load or its in stock condition
Can this RD ecu used to actually detune a engine? Sometimes bigger engines with loads of power is of no use when you are driving in congested conditions. As you say the RD ecu can be mapped as ones wants, it can be configured to give better efficiency when driving in busy city roads

 

[neo]

@ santhol thanks for the reply, I was about to bump my post as I thought you must've missed it.

From what i gather RaceDynamics is a more flexible mod then say a Petes. Also if one gets the RD can the same chip be installed in another car?
& Can the install happen in mumbai? Or car must be brought to banglore?
Cheers

 

[thevortex]

Folks - I know cars being compared are pretty much in the stratospheric range at least as far as I am concerned. But I never thought I would hear the Accord being described as a boat or the Toyota Corolla as a washing machine.

I do not have too much experience with the Accord. In fact my only driving experience in that car was sitting in the rear seat during a spell of sedate driving by a chaffeur. The Corolla I have sat in and driven on a few occasions and I am not sure it lends itself to such rebukes as driving like a washing machine.

Its not the sleekest yes, but man - does it move?

 

[Rem]

Folks - I know cars being compared are pretty much in the stratospheric range at least as far as I am concerned. But I never thought I would hear the Accord being described as a boat or the Toyota Corolla as a washing machine.

I do not have too much experience with the Accord. In fact my only driving experience in that car was sitting in the rear seat during a spell of sedate driving by a chaffeur. The Corolla I have sat in and driven on a few occasions and I am not sure it lends itself to such rebukes as driving like a washing machine.

Its not the sleekest yes, but man - does it move?

Absolutely thevo.

Its unfair to compare a corolla or an accord with BMW Audi or Merc.

SKoda Laura in its price range is the best drivers car likewise Ford Fiesta S no point comparing these to BMW's Audi's or Mercs.

Its like comparing a Rs.25lac Wilson Benesch with a Wharf 9.1

 

[dinyaar]

Folks - I know cars being compared are pretty much in the stratospheric range at least as far as I am concerned. But I never thought I would hear the Accord being described as a boat or the Toyota Corolla as a washing machine.

I do not have too much experience with the Accord. In fact my only driving experience in that car was sitting in the rear seat during a spell of sedate driving by a chaffeur. The Corolla I have sat in and driven on a few occasions and I am not sure it lends itself to such rebukes as driving like a washing machine.

Its not the sleekest yes, but man - does it move?

HAHA I better answer as I was the one who called the accord a 'boat'.
I meant it relatively. I owned an accord and this is my opinion truly. Am sure others will see it differently and that aspect may actually appeal to one who sits on the back seat.
I dont like the corolla and prefer the Civic and hence bought it.
Basically I like a Honda engine & accept the other short comings of the vehicle.

Am not sure what handling like a washing machine means? But the Corolla is surely not the best built engine and in fact the earlier generation even seemed built on a tight budget.

Once again these are only my opinions & I hope current accord & Altis owners forgive me

Rgds

 

[thevortex]

No problem, Dinyaar.

It is interesting that you mention the build quality of the Toyota. I have been hearing nothing but good things about it.

What, in your opinion, would be the car around the 10 lakh mark with the best build quality?

 

[rikhav]

No problem, Dinyaar.

It is interesting that you mention the build quality of the Toyota. I have been hearing nothing but good things about it.

What, in your opinion, would be the car around the 10 lakh mark with the best build quality?

If you discount the plastic and rubber parts Linea / Punto would be the best built IMO
What i am referring to is solid built.

City wont be solid but it uses good quality rubber / plastics and fit and finish is also good.

 

[reignofchaos]

No problem, Dinyaar.

It is interesting that you mention the build quality of the Toyota. I have been hearing nothing but good things about it.

What, in your opinion, would be the car around the 10 lakh mark with the best build quality?

The old Octy anyday - hands down the best built car at 10 big ones.

Also let me clarify what I meant by driving a washing machine - a lousy no feel steering wheel which give absolute zero feedback and doesn't weigh up at higher speeds, extremely poor driving dynamics with body roll and understeer at anything more than city driving speeds, a gearbox from an ox cart with ridiculously long throws and finally brakes with ABS that cuts even if you depress it slightly. In essence its one of the most boring cars to drive on planet earth.

 

[thevortex]

I do understand when you talk of body roll, reignofchaos. Even a novice like me could feel it when taking corners. And yes it is not involving to drive. Even a Baleno or an Ikon is better on that front.

Actually though I am thinking of getting a used Corolla - yeah, mark me down as guilty.

I am looking at getting a used car at around the 4 lakh mark. And a used Corolla seemed to make sense. Sorry to the thread starter for bringing this up here. What do the members think?

 

[thevortex]

The old Octy anyday - hands down the best built car at 10 big ones.

Also let me clarify what I meant by driving a washing machine - a lousy no feel steering wheel which give absolute zero feedback and doesn't weigh up at higher speeds, extremely poor driving dynamics with body roll and understeer at anything more than city driving speeds, a gearbox from an ox cart with ridiculously long throws and finally brakes with ABS that cuts even if you depress it slightly. In essence its one of the most boring cars to drive on planet earth.

Hmm..would you say the Octavia 1.9 Tdi is a good option then to get used? My understanding is that the Octavia requires a lot of ongoing work on it to keep up.