Illegal car modifications

FANCY HORNS

Remember that car on the highway which had a horn in the tune of a popular Bollywood song? Well, that's completely illegal under the Rule 119 (2) of the CMVR. The rule does not permit any vehicle to have a multi-tone horn or a horn that is unnecessarily harsh (like a bullhorn or an air horn). The horn of the vehicle should not exceed 115dB. Only police vehicles and ambulances are an exception.

COLOURED BULBS

Thinking of putting a film on the indicators to make your car look cool? Think again! According to the Rule 102 of the CMVR, the indicator bulbs should have amber colour only. Also, the permitted flash rate is between 60-120 flashes per minute. Not more, not less.

EXHAUSTS

Want to fit a loud exhaust to your car? We suggest you pay heed to the following. The aftermarket exhausts should not have a downward angle of more than 30 degrees. The exhaust should not be jutting out of the left side of the vehicle. Also, the exhaust should not be louder than 88dB under the Rule 120 of the CMVR. So if you have been eyeing those loud, race exhausts for your car, make sure it doesn't cross the 88dB limit. Modifying your car is not a problem, but make sure you keep the rules in mind.

DARK TINTED GLASSES

Owing to the rising number of crimes committed in a vehicle with darkly tinted windows, the use of these has been banned by the government under the Rule 100 (2) of the CMVR. Also, the windshield need to be 70 per cent translucent.

Ford Figo Aspire - Compact Sedan

Ford has officially revealed the pictures and specifications of its all new compact sedan named as the Figo Aspire. Joining the bandwagon of compact sedans is this Ford's latest offering which is expected to hit the showrooms very soon. Ford has roped in bollywood actor, director and singer - Farhan Akhtar as the brand ambassador.

The Figo Aspire's positioning statement reads as 'it's OK to stare' and the car does look handsome barring the tiny-looking wheels and a bulky side profile. The front of the Figo Aspire comes with Ford's signature trapezoidal with swept back headlamps and a muscular bonnet. The stubby boot has an integrated spoiler and a thick chrome garnish running across the breadth of the boot.

Interiors of this compact sedan are familiar territory. Several parts are shared with its elder siblings like the distinct central console, steering wheel, gear lever, control stalks etc. The beige and black interiors add an upmarket feel to the interiors. Feature list is generous on this car. It comes with a Ford MyKey, an infotainment screen, a mobile dock (on lower variants), an integrated music system with Ford's SYNC, automatic climate control, electronic folding mirrors etc. Rear passengers get an armrest and adjustable rear neck restraints.

Ford has not compromised on safety features either with the top variant getting 6 airbags, ABS + EBD, Hill Start Assist, Electronic Stability Program and a perimeter alarm.

Two engines are on offer - a 1.2L petrol unit and a 1.5L diesel motor, both mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. A double clutch automatic transmission will also be available but it isn't confirmed whether it will be available with the petrol or diesel motor.

Yamaha launched the Fascino scooter

Japanese two-wheeler major Yamaha, has launched the Fascino scooter in India at a price of Rs. 52,500 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Fascino measures 1,815 mm in length, 675 mm in width and 1,120 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 1,270 mm, ground clearance of 128 mm and a kerb weight of 103 kg. The scooter has a telescopic fork front suspension at the front, a unit swing suspension at the rear, drum brakes and tubeless tyres.

Powering the Fascino is a 113cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, 4-stroke engine which is mated to a continuous variable transmission (CVT). It features Yamaha's Blue Core technology and produces 7 BHP @ 7,500 rpm and 8.1 Nm of torque @ 5,000 rpm and Yamaha claims that the scooter can return a fuel efficiency of 66 kpl.

Other features include and an electric and a kick starter, analogue instrumentation, parts finished in chrome, 21 litres of underseat storage, a 5.2-litre fuel tank and a long contoured seat. The scooter is available in 5 colours - cyan, red, white, cobalt and black.

What to choose - Petrol Vs Diese car

This is the 1st question which came in our mind when we start thinking to buy a car & it's obvious as we want to buy a Value for money car. There are many more parameters which we need to consider before coming to the final conclusion such as,

The first & main point which came to our mind is price; petrol cars are low on budget compare to diesel. If you are buying car with bank loans then for petrol car obviously you have take minimum loan which indeed minimum interest & overall less stress on your pocket.

If we take a loan on both the cars, In case of diesel we would be paying more money on the EMI and saving on the fuel cost but in case of petrol its reverse. So that difference needs to be taken into consideration.

So the first question we need to ask yourself, what is my monthly running (KM)

For example we consider daily running of 50 Km/day & 1500/month,

So simply if you’re running in is more then you should consider diesel over petrol & vice a versa.

But some other facts also needs to be consider if we are buying a diesel car over petrol & that is maintenance which may vary from car to car, here I am talking about other than regular or schedule maintenance.

Regular maintenance cost for petrol and diesel are nearly the same. But if the components like injector, fuel pump, clutch, battery etc fail, diesels will be on the expensive side to maintain. The battery of the petrol swift for example is priced in the range of 4k rupees, whereas that of diesel swift costs upwards of 6k rupees approx or even more. Components like injector etc are designed to be very reliable but still in the odd times if a common rail injector fails, it is likely to cost a lot compared to that of a simple petrol injector. Agree that both are of different kinds, but in the end, you just can’t predict what may happen if times are not good same for the clutch too. Next comes the turbo. If such components ever fail, then the costs will be considerable enough to affect the cost calculation. Just that we must hope such things won’t happen in the long run.

Some mathematical calculations:

 

These are some of points we need to consider while selecting car.

Conclusion: So, now if you want to decide whether to buy a diesel or a petrol car you got to be your own judge. Just consider the average distance covered per day (say 50 km) multiply is by the expected life(say 8 years) for which you would use the asset (in days{365*8}) and then with the cost savings per km(say Re. 1). If the amount thus saved is more than the extra amount you are paying for a diesel car.