Author name: Samba Sengupta

We were more than happy with our Duster AWD. But then a few factors made us reconsider retaining our Duster. If I list a few- The frequent diesel bans on NCR. This made me think about the future of BS4 diesel cars. The fuel injectors in the Duster were already very sensitive, but especially when the BS6 diesel came into the picture, I was not very sure how they would hold up in the long run. The car was out of warranty, and any parts replacement in the Duster was pretty costly. The availability of spare parts off the shelf was not always the case. For a few spares, we had to place an order and wait for a few days. This made me think about what would happen if something went wrong while on a trip. We can be stuck for a few days. Especially after the launch of so many new 4wds, the resale value of the Duster was declining fast. Plus the discounts Maruti offered on the Jimny were one of the major deciding factors too. Which cars did we consider? The budget we fixed was roughly Rs 20L.A few things that were non-negotiable- It had to be an AWD/4×4 Manual transmission We were strictly looking for petrol These ruled out the ScorpioN & the Gurkha. The XUV7oo AWD was not in my consideration. It was too sophisticated for my liking! I wanted something that would be more raw & abuse-friendly. Though diesel, I still loved the Compass AWD, but at that price, we could have grabbed the Hilux with all the discounts Toyota was offering! I have always drooled on a red Hilux! If the above cars were available in petrol with an AWD/4×4, this ownership review could have been for a different car! So the options left for us were the Maruti Jimny, Toyota Hyryder AWD/Maruti Grand Vitara AWD & the Thar Petrol MT. I was eyeing the Jimny for a long time. There was no immediate plan to get the Jimny. I casually took a few test drives and drove it off the road too. I liked the car, though, I was well aware of the shortcomings of the Jimny.But I always felt paying 16L+ for the Jimny was not worth it. It felt overpriced by a couple of lac rupees’. In December 2023 when Maruti came up with a good discount, then it was no barrier for me to pick up the Jimny. I got a good deal for my Duster from Cars24 and I let the Duster go, and bring in the Jimny. Why do I opt for the Alpha variant over the Zeta? Cruise control Tinted glass Fog lamps Alloy wheels What do I like in the Zeta variant over the Alpha? It has got a key to start the car! I hate this push-button switch!The yellow halogen bulbs can be upgraded in the Zeta, whereas I can’t do much to the stock-led lights of the Alpha!The stock rims on the Zeta look cool. Dealership experience We bought the car from Machino Techno, BT Road, Kolkata. The deal they gave was fantastic and the lowest we could get in Kolkata. The final OTR price was Rs 14.42L.This included the following-Comprehensive B2B insurance with RTI.5 years extended warranty2 years CCPLife Time TaxThunder Kit However, the dealership experience was strictly subpar. They promised me an OCT/NOV manufactured car, but when I did the PDI, it turned out to be manufactured in July. Overall the car passed all the parameters during the PDI, so I went ahead with the purchase. A couple of pics from the PDI day- I asked them to get the insurance from Tata AIG, Go Digit, or ICICI Lombard, and they agreed on that, but without my permission they got it done from Iffco Tokio. I had a bad experience with Iffco Tokio with my Ford Figo earlier, so I wanted to avoid it.I asked them for a registration number which ends with an odd number. As my other car ends with an even number. So by any chance, if the odd/even rules come into the picture in West Bengal, I can have one car at my disposal anytime. They ended up giving me an even number.The good part is, though I got an even number, the number looks fancy.On the delivery day, the cleanup was shoddy and I could see a lot of swirl marks on the black paint. A couple of pics from the delivery day- Pros & cons Pros- Peace of mind. Be it the mechanicals of the car, after-sales service, or the rough roads, one does not have to worry about it. This car can easily cruise between 90-110 km/hr on the highways for the whole day. I have pushed the car to higher speeds too, it can reach high speeds, but that is pointless in a Jimny. It’s not meant for that. The body-roll & ride quality are quite sorted for a body-on-frame car. I will not compare it with the Duster, but it is quite sorted if I look at this car individually. The small footprint with high ground clearance is just tailor-made for rough hilly terrain. This car is very easy to drive under any circumstances. In 2WD itself this car is highly capable. At places where local drivers suggested 4WD will be required, with the ESP off in 2WD mode this car easily crossed those sections.This car is a mighty capable off-roader even in its stock form. During off-roading, the Allgrip-Pro with all the electronic aids works like a charm. The ESP is very aggressive. Even before the tires screech on fast turns, the ESP gets activated and cuts off the power. The AC is a chiller, & the heater works like a charm. The 1.5L NA engine is super tractable for perfect throttle modulation on steep inclines or bad roads. I felt the throttle input to be perfect too. I won’t be going for an additional throttle controller. Regarding the

When we buy a new car/bike it comes with a first aid kit. No one ever want a situation to arise where the first aid kit has to be used but due to ill fate such situation may arise. I have seen people frantically looking for cotton, gauzes or some basic medicines in case of an accident but the basic first aid is always been provided by the car/bike manufacturer. So keeping the first aid kit in a car/bike uptodate with some basic add on’s can be a savior in case of an emergency. The first thing i will say is- DO NOT PANIC, STAY CALM. The first aid kit which came with my bike- The equipment’s and medicines provided are very basic and not very useful in a real emergency. A list of essential supplies and medicines that can be included in your first aid kit: With the help of my dad who is a doctor, I am jotting down some basic essential steps which can be performed in case of an emergency and requirements of a good first aid kit. In case of an accident what we can do ourselves before shifting to hospital – 1) For bleeding anywhere except from the eye, put a roller gauze / cotton pad and apply adequate pressure on the bleeding site to control the bleeding. Remember, pressure WILL stop bleeding and blood loss. 2) In case of sprains or injury to muscles where its not bleeding, cold compress can give temporary relief with some pain killer spray on the injured site. 3) If it is bleeding from an eye, do not press hard, gently press it with cotton and rush to hospital. 4) In case of severe bleeding from a limb, take a rubber tourniquet , if not available take a piece of cloth and tie it prior to the bleeding spot. 5) For laceration in palm (common in bike accidents) put a roller gauze in your palm and close the fist firmly. 6) If its bleeding from ear or teeth put the roller gauze and press the affected site. Bleeding from inside the ear can be a result of severe internal injury too. So rush to hospital ASAP. 7) In case of nasal bleeding- If it is from the frontal end of the nose, bend forward and pinch the nose firmly.If it is from behind the nose and you can feel blood is going to your mouth and throat, bend forward and rush to hospital. 8) Try to clean the wound with Povidone Iodine/ spirit / hydrogen peroxide /soap water whichever is handy. 9) If a bone is broken get a wooden splint. Place the broken arm or leg on it and tie it with a cloth and shift to hospital. One can also use a large spanner from one’s toolkit, as a splint. 10) If one is vomiting, attempt to keep the airway clear. Bend down the head forward, to prevent vomitus aspiration, and move to hospital ASAP. 11) If a person is unconscious, do not try to move him. If you are trained in basic life support (BLS), maintain ABC (airway, breathing, circulation). Take the help of another person if required. Shift to hospital ASAP. 12) If the victim is not responding and there is no pulse beat, one may try CPR (Cardio Pulmonary resuscitation) for few mins on the way to hospital. In case of general physical discomfort – 1) In case of sudden sweating, unconsciousness, spinning of head a spoonful of sugar may come out to be handy. 2) If one feels like nauseated and is repeatedly vomiting due to motion sickness, an anti-emetic such as Ondansetron 4mg tablet may give some relief. 3) For headache keep an analgesic (painkiller) handy as prescribed by your physician. 4) An oral rehydration solution (ORS) can come out to be handy in case one feels fatigued out, especially when travelling during summer. 5) For sudden chest pain at the center (query heart origin) advice the patient to lie flat and do not exert. Shift the patient to hospital ASAP. Many of us love to travel to mountains and we all are aware of Altitude sickness / AMS(Acute mountain sickness). Few points to avoid AMS or get relief once AMS kicks in- 1) Drink plenty of water. 2) If you are travelling to a place which is infamous for AMS, taking drugs like Diamox prior to the trip will help to combat AMS, but please consult your physician before taking Diamox. People who are allergic to Sulfur drugs can have serious side effects. 3) If one is having head ache, nausea, breathlessness or cant sleep in night an Pulse Oxymeter can come out to be handy to monitor the oxygen level. In normal condition the reading should be 95+ but due to AMS it drops down. So measures can be taken accordingly. Dropping below 50 can be alarming. One must not exert much, once its below 80. 5) When AMS kicks in the patient should not exert, taking absolute rest will help to recover faster. These are few basic points i have jotted down. Will request fellow Bhpians & doctors to add on their valuable advice’s which can be helpful to us.  Thanks & regards.  

Few observations- I loved the look of the car – visually elegant in white. I want to see the one in the Lava Blue shade in flesh. The build quality seems solid. The doors close with a reassuring thud. I won’t compare it with the earlier VWs or the Skodas, but the Kylaq felt solid among the current cars available in this price range. The fit and finish feel good, without any unwanted panel gaps in a casual overall glance. The interiors feel nice. Nowhere does it feel overdone. Looks are modern yet classy. The interior plastic panels looked alright, but it was all hard plastic everywhere. A bit of a soft touch would have given a more premium feel. The roof liner looks basic. But I hope Skoda has sorted out their earlier issues with the roof-liner. The seats have good support, but I would have liked a firmer seat for support. The seats feel a bit more on the softer side. I am not sure how comfortable it will be in a 20-hour drive! This car has a digital speedometer console, & am not a big fan of it. I still love the retro-looking dials. The AC cooled the cabin, but it was not a chiller. Our Polo’s AC is more effective than this. Coming to the driving part- The ergonomics feel spot-on. Adjusting the seats etc. was easy and handy. DogNDamsel12 complained that she would have liked a bit higher seat for her driving comfort. Even at the highest position, she said that the driving seat felt low for her height. The first thing that I didn’t like was the bite point of the clutch. I had to release the clutch a bit more than what I am used to, to get the car moving. The clutch travel is long. The gear shifts are precise and smooth. The engine comes to life at 1500 RPM. After that it’s F-U-N! When the turbo kicks in, just press the A-pedal and you will be smiling. This engine will happily take you to 80+ in 2nd gear, but this engine won’t be happy if you drive at 40 km/hr in 4th gear!  Reaching triple-digit speeds is quick. Keep the car in 3rd and have a lot of fun on single-lane highways! This car can be driven fast on the expressways. Below 1500 RPM there is a lag. Road humps can be crossed in 2nd gear, but 1st gear is preferable. The sweet spot for changing the gears will be at 2000+ RPM and do not lug the engine below 1500 RPM. The turbo kicks in at around 1750 RPM.On a steep incline (from my apartment’s basement to the main road), I stopped the car mid-way and then again tried to go ahead. This engine required more revvs when compared to the NA engines. The brakes felt accurate and confidence-inspiring. Now what I liked most about this car is the way its suspension has been tuned. Skoda has nailed it. It is a perfect balance between handling and comfort. This car can take fast corners, as well as the ride comfort is quite good on bad roads. This reminded me of my earlier Duster AWD. However, the comfort level of the Duster was far better. Though it’s a 3-cylinder unit the NVH was nice. My wife felt that the vibration on the steering or the gear knob is higher than her Polo 1.2 MPI.I loved the engine sound when the car was revved to 90+ in 3rd. I felt the steering to be well-tuned and precise. It was light at slow speeds and gained weight with speed. High-speed zigzag maneuvers can be done confidently. Those who have missed the Polo 1.0L turbo can go for this car! You won’t regret it! Sharing the pics- White looks elegant! The rear seat is good for a couple of people. The leg space is just okay. The front passenger seat was set to my comfort zone. I am 5’9″ tall, and the person sitting on the rear left seat behind me was 5’10. Under-thigh support seemed okay for my height. A six-footer may find themselves in a space crunch. Please take a longer TD and decide! No underbelly protection. While negotiating terrains like Ladakh/Spiti, the driver must be well aware of the underbelly components, especially the silencer box. Every car comes with its own set of pros and cons, but overall we both quite loved this car. A good job by Skoda.  And thank you Global Skoda for the TD.  

I have grown up spending quite a lot of time with FNG mechanics from the Premier Padmini days back in the 90s. If you are not well versed with your car, do avoid FNGs & stick to the company service centers unless you are sure about an FNG who is honest & meticulous about the small details. Reasons- Most of the FNGs goof up with the exact fluid level or grade that is required for the particular car. Refer to the car’s owner’s manual or the service manual if you can get hold of one. Many FNGs lack modern pieces of equipment. Old or non-compatible equipment may further damage your car. The exact torque on which a certain bolt needs to be tightened is most often overlooked and they end up tightening it more than the required torque/specs. There is a big scam that goes on with the spare parts.For example, Duster AWD uses shock absorbers from Monroe. If you buy it from outside or from a website like Boodmo, it will cost you 5.5k per piece. Now if you buy the same shock absorber with Renault/OEM badging, it will cost you Rs 8k+. Now by paying 3k extra in the service center, you get a piece of mind of a 6 months/1 year warranty which you won’t get outside. Now coming to another point. Let’s take the Duster AWD as an example. Parts like the brake pads, shock absorber, and a few more components vary from other Dusters. If you give your Duster to an FNG who is not aware of these changes will end up getting the spares from a 110 ps or an 85 ps Duster which will eventually give up or won’t fit or will damage the car further. But if the owner knows about these minute details about his car he can definitely give his car to a FNG. Trust the FNGs who ask for your car’s vin number to procure the exact spare parts. FNGs use different types of spares. Refurbished spares, spares from scrapped cars, compatible spare parts made by local manufacturers, spares by branded manufacturers, OEM spares, and spares from the old lot or from the failed QC lot which they can buy for cheap or they repair a particular spare part instead of replacing. For example, one can change the steering rack or it can be sent to the lathe too! So the owner must be aware of what exactly is going on with his car.Another point is, that a guy working at a Renault workshop will easily open up a Duster than a guy who works in an FNG and deals with multiple cars from different brands. So a trained mechanic from a service center generally pinpoints the exact cause of the problem faster than the FNGs.But then there are many cases where the service center guys failed or gave a hefty estimate where the FNG guy detected the exact cause and sorted the issue at a very reasonable rate. Identifying which parts actually need to be replaced and which parts have been included to unnecessarily inflate the bill is important. The new cars always get software updates from time to time. These won’t be available in a FNG. The body shop is another important factor. For eg VAG/Skoda cars come with MIG welding, so in case of welding work is required and the FNG is unaware of exactly what welding is required on which parts like spot welding or MIG or any other, this can lead to safety hazards later on. The paint booth is another factor. Do they have a heat chamber or what quality of paint are they using? So, before giving your car you need to evaluate which will be more suitable for the kind of work you require. If you are well versed with your car’s minor details and you know you can guide the FNG mechanics on how you need your work to be done, then you can go ahead with an FNG. Now one may ask, are company-authorized service centers 100% trustworthy?The answer is no. As this thread is on the FNGs, I skipped going into that part.

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