Throttle response is so delicately calibrated that even small changes almost immediately affect fuel efficiency.
BHPian Newtown recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
I had been meaning to update this thread for a while but sometimes life just has other plans. The last 5 months have been hard on many fronts. Three major surgeries in the past few months had knocked me off rhythm completely. While I am ok, there is some road left to traverse to get back into high gear.
So, here goes from where I last left off this thread:
July 2022, Mileage – 7,474 km. This was one heck of a rainy day
I had mentioned on a couple of other threads about my decision to do an oil change every 7,500 km for 6 months whichever came earlier. Booked the car and had the oil change done.
Her Highness on the ramp. I wish the workshops had fender protectors that went along the complete side of the car. These look so tiny and will not always be able to prevent scratching. You can see how worried I was about the PPF.
4.7L of SAE 0W-20 going in. I like to check the manufacturing date of everything I buy. This is a very thin and quick-flowing oil. The lower the number before W (Winter), the better the oil performs at lower temperatures. The 20 is how your oil flows at higher temperatures. The thinner the oil is, the easier it flows around your engine. So an oil that has a 20 after the W, flows easier and faster than an oil with a grade that ends in 30, 40, 50,etc.
Took this picture from below the ramp. This positively scares me. Look at how exposed the oil filter is. Such a setup devoid of any kind of protection does not augur well for the road conditions we drive on.
There was also a recall for the rear wheel hubs. This is a picture of the rear wheels opened waiting for a hit change
Customary picture to check the manufacturing date
The firing order of the DADA 1.5 is the same as used by most manufacturers which is 1-3-4-2. Research has shown that this order gives the smoothest power output and the highest running efficiency.
Observations of the oil that came out of the engine. A strong magnet did not attract/reveal any metal shavings or particles. I could not take a picture as collecting the oil in a container and then checking it with the magnet gets messy.
A point of caution for those of you that will have a hub change. Note that the hub for the Taigun is exactly the same shape and size as the Polo/Vento. But its specifications are different. They can very easily be mistakenly interchanged so ensure the correct part number goes in.
First-year Service in October 2022 Mileage – 8,495 km
This was the actual yearly service that was done under the Service Contract. I did not have the oil changed at that point. The Air filter & Pollen Filters were changed. Sunroof rails lubricated, Windshield Washer Fluid topped up. Balance Roof Rails lubricant and washer fluid were handed back to me. The Engine & Brake Oil level and quality were checked and did not need topping up. Air Pressure was checked and updated to 35 PSI. VAS Scanning was done. Some error codes were cleared but not sure which ones.
The battery was tested and found to be fine. Specifications for the battery are 320 DIN 59 kWh. I am concerned that this battery is an of the standard flooded types. Stop – Start systems need an AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery in my opinion. Perhaps because there are fewer electronics (no power seat, no active TPMS, etc) there will be lesser modules to feed power to. I recall my Vento TDIs having VARTA batteries as replacements. Now I see a VW battery made in Korea. This battery is just about adequate for the job and at the time of replacement I will consider an AGM battery.
1.5 Year service April 2023. Mileage – 10,575 km
Oil change service again. My schedule to change the oil going forward will be in October during the yearly service and then in April for the 6 monthly oil changes.
Yes, I have loose covers that I put on all seats including the headrest before the cars enter the workshop. This time took a picture especially to remind me of my nutty obsession with such things.
Her royal highness once again with a small tiny fender protector. Note – Still NO bonnet lining available for the Taigun whereas I got one for the Virtus! Why VW? It is not the noise-dampening that I need, it’s the heat when the bonnet is touched. Without exaggeration, it can fry some ham and eggs on it.
Hurrah – we have a good battery. I have been held hostage on many a previous occasions by my previous VWs because of the battery being too low for the car electronics. The modules just lose it totally when they don’t get enough power.
While I was waiting for the job card to close I took a picture of the Service Contract Costs. Just look at the 1.0 L cars. Especially the Virtus! It is the highest! Why would the totally India-built model have the highest cost in Service contracts? Baffles me.
13-April-23: A Maruti S-Presso climbs on the footpath and hits the Taigun while parked.
Luckily the car was covered and PPF really saved the day. It self-healed at the point of impact but there are multiple scratches on it. The paint is intact and there was no other damage thankfully.
What was more unfortunate was the reason given to me by the driver. The CCTV did its job and showed a completely different picture. Such was the intensity that both the front rims of the Maruti looked like sunflower petals.
And that my fellow BHP ians is the update on the Taigun. I have used unleaded ordinary fuel so far. I am now on my first tank of 95 octane. I have begun to appreciate the wonders of cruise control. Throttle response is done so delicately by the computer that the fuel efficiency immediately jumps up.
Look out for my next post on a different subject. I shall put it up by this weekend. Cheers!
Keyword: VW Taigun 1.5L DSG: Service updates over 1.5 years of ownership