Rather than adding things which are only for aesthetics, I prefer functional changes.
BHPian Mr.Nobody recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
My Grand i10 turned 6 last year and I wanted to share & document my experience in updating it to my liking. I will keep things crisp and to the point to focus on the modifications and accessories which have made the car more functional and enjoyable. Rather than adding things which are only for aesthetics, I prefer functional changes.
My ownership experience has been good, and the car has been fairly reliable. I have driven 50k kms in these 6 years.
Positives:
- Comfortable low-speed ride.
- Good low end torque for city use with good engine refinement.
- No rattles yet even with dash opened many times.
- Good after sales service of Hyundai.
Negatives:
- Mileage could have been better.
- The braking feedback is quite narrow. ie. there is not much travel between harder braking and gentle braking. Most new drivers of my car find the braking way too sensitive.
- The lack of ABS and airbags also reminds me to drive within limits.
- The reverse gear does not slot in always which is kind of annoying.
The first 2 years of ownership were fairly simple and since I was a new driver, I too was learning about being a better driver and the front bumper has seen its share of paint jobs that were thankfully covered due to zero dep insurance. Then the itch to change things a bit started, and so I started adding stuff to make the ownership experience better. I believe more in functional mods over visual ones and most of them are for some purpose/function generally. Some of the modifications/accessories I have added are as below:
Audio upgrade 1:
I chose a touchscreen Pioneer AVH 279BT HU for the superior audio quality as back in 2015 the Android ones were too pricey and laggy. I paired JBL components for front and coax speakers for the rear. This was a good combination and better than most factory audio setups of even cars costing 2-3 times. Cost 20k:
Audio upgrade 2:
The itch for better bass got to me one day and I got a Pioneer underseat sub-woofer TS-WX400DA installed under the co-passenger seat from a Delhi dealer. This has great bass to fill the bass gap and makes music truly felt inside. It’s not window-shaking bass like those 1000w mono powered subs, but good enough for my use plus no loss of space in boot. It also comes with a remote to control some settings. I have also got all the 4 doors damped which made the cabin much quieter and truly enhances the audio setup of any car. Using a touchscreen while on the move is kinda distracting and i later got stereo-mounted controls added as well to control the HU. This comes as a panel that replaces the current panel. Wiring was directly taken from the stereo control adapter below the steering to the HU. Cost 13k (Sub)+6k(Damping) + 3.5k (Steering panel):
Interiors:
All cabin and boot lights were replaced with LED ones.
I am prone to sweating quickly in summers and so wanted fabric seat covers over the leatherette ones. Got these made from a shop in Karol Bagh. Also got a matching steering cover installed which makes the tactile feel of holding the steering wheel so much better. The one issue is that the lighter portion gets dirty much quicker than the leather ones and needs cleaning when dirty using detailing products. After using those suction ones for phone mounting that fall off soon within months, I got this magnetic mount for my phone. It comes with a metal plate that you can stick on your phone cover. The advantage is you can quickly mount and unmount on the go without fiddling with clips and holders. It’s strong enough that the phone has never fallen even on bumps etc. Cost: 5.3k (Seat covers) +1.1k (Steering cover) + 300:
Exterior:
The sun in Delhi NCR is truly harsh and hence I got Lumax UV canceling sun films installed on all 4 windows and the hatch door. One does not feel that pinching pain that I used to get earlier when driving in the sun. It also makes the cabin a little cooler as well. Since its not dark, its not really noticeable and no cop has luckily ever noticed it during stops and checks. Cost: 6k. As can be seen below its barely noticeable:
Anti rust coating has been applied on the underbody. Added benefit of this is the cabin also gets quieter with the road noise from the underbody and wheel wells reduced due to the rubber like coating that absorbs sound waves. This is worth it as one also gets a booster dose of sorts in the next year if it has come off from any area. The undercarriage needs to be well cleaned using a degreaser and pressure wash for the best application. Else one will just drap dirt inside the coating and metal body and make the coating pointless. Cost: 2k.
Useful gadgets:
Hydraulic jack: It makes lifting the car very easy and quick. Quite useful when you are out and about and suddenly see a puncture.
Puncture kits: With punctures costing 50-100 each at shops, i have already redeemed its price by fixing 4 punctures myself and then filling air at the pumps. Cost: 1.1k + 250:
Dashcam: I was once driving, and on an intersection a lady on a Scooty ran a red light and nearly crashed into me. She barely hit the bumper but fell down. When I was reprimanding her for dangerous driving suddenly she started crying and even the traffic cops started taking her side. That day itself I knew I need a dashcam to insure myself from such people. I did not want to go for a battery based one fearing a fire with the 45 degree NCR summers. Got a capacitor based model from (Blueseasky b1w) that does not have a screen and hence is safe & very discreet. It’s hardwired to auto start on car turning on, and one can use its app to transfer video to a phone although its slow so better to use a OTG card reader. I’ve used it for 3 years, and its worked well till now. It has recently saved me from a Delhi traffic cop who mistakenly flagged me down last week. Definitely recommend a dashcam for all car users in India. The first memory card from Sandisk lasted me like 1-1.5 years and then bought a Samsung card that is running well since past 1.5 years. Cost: 4k+ memory card:
Car lighting:
Although the standard halogen lighting is okay, I wanted white lighting and also increased output. I have put Bi-LED projector lens on the main headlamps and Iph M617 BI-LEDs inside the fog lamp assembly. Both installed via DIY mode. The lighting is excellent and makes night driving a breeze plus the ultra fast flash makes sure high beamers get the message to lower theirs on undivided roads. I chose LED over HID as I wanted to retain ability to flash plus no hassle of extra relay wiring or extra load on battery. The main headlamps have been used since 3+ years now and no issues thankfully. However if something goes bad I will need to change the entire projector as there is no bulb that is replaced unlike the HID projectors that have replaceable bulbs, ballasts, projector. Here’s a short video of it from my phone. Cost: 15k + 6.5k:
Car handling:
The 165 section tyres are quite thin and on highway runs always felt the stock Goodyear tyres are the ones letting it down. I used them till around 42k kms and with frequent punctures and beading leak issues I decided its time to upgrade. I had decided on XM2 or MRF ZLX, but most shops either had old stock or were overpriced. I then got Yokohama Earth 1 175/65 from a dealer in Karol Bagh. I have driven around 8k on these and these have made the car much more settled on high speed turns and all round braking.
I also upgraded from the steel rims to alloys. Its a 5.5 x14 inch width rim that’s perfect for 175 size tyres. Did not upsize rims for fear of bad ride quality. Reduction in unsprung weight definitely makes the car drive better with lesser load on suspension as well. Also painted the calipers for aesthetic reasons since the caliper was exposed now. A stock steel rim with 165 Goodyear tyres that have ran 40k kms weighs 13.2 kgs, the new combination weighs approx 13.2 as well. The Yoko Earth 1 are quite a heavy tyre compared to others from across brands.Cost 15k+16k:
Detailing:
After earlier trying those “Formula 1” waxes and polishes, I discovered how much better actual detailing brands like Turtlewax and Meguiars are. Here’s my currently used products to make the car look better and protect that shine. After trying traditional waxes that need lot more buffing and manual labour, i love how latest spray sealants make the job so much easier with the same results.
Also bought a big box of like 40 microfibers for like Rs. 1400 that I use everywhere in my home. Rather than buying expensive microfibers and the hassle of cleaning and maintaining them, I bought these from Softspun and open a new one whenever required. Cost: approx 6k.
My detailing arsenal below:
Mechanical maintenance:
Since my car has just done 50k there has not been much on this front. The manual recommends a gear oil change at around 40k kms, and I used a synthetic one but no noticeable difference in gear changes.
I have used Liqui Moly injector cleaners many times over the years and it’s a good fuel additive with better mileage, quieter engine and no jerking at low rpms seen by me. I may try their engine flush next month as the engine has not yet been flushed in 50k kms and I use non synthetic oil only so feel the engine could do with a flush.
Thanks for reading.
Keyword: My Grand i10 gets 1.2 lakh worth of functional accessories