Esteem VXi 2003 - 1500 kms Mumbai-Indore-Mumbai review

Summary Mumbai-Indore - travel 680 kms (590 kms with a/c) Fuel taken 36 Litres - Average 18.88 kmpl.

Returned from Indonesia on 12th August night 01:00 am (i.e. 13th August), was eager to drive the car to Indore from Mumbai-since the roads were explained to be 4 lane + excellent condition.

Started the drive on 14th August morning 06:00 am. Passanger myself, my wife, 2 kids and my mother-in-law. Boot of the car was fully loaded with 2 big trunk-trolley bags, 4 soft medium bags and 1 laptop. Other were purely food stuffs which was also in quite good quantity (Dhokla / Gathiya etc - being Gujarati, its traditional ) Trip Meter set to "0".

Took the Thana-Ghodbunder Road, from thereon, the Mumbai-Nashik highway. The Petrol tank seemed empty - so filled Rs.500/- petrol and thought to Tank-full outside Octroi limits.

Reached Igatpuri & then refilled the petrol - tank full (only 31 Litres were gulped down the tank even though the pointer was on E) - trip meter 90 kms.

The initial trip till Nashik (175 kms) was with 50% A/c. On reaching Nashik, had tea/snacks at a good restaurant somewhere in Nashik City. 

Now the journey of 480 kms was with 100% a/c. After 35 kms of Nashik highway, we really have a good 2+2 lane road, extremely good condition, with the lanes marked at all the right places. Surprisingly, there was no toll for this 180 kms of road. The road ends at Dhulia, where we took our Lunch. Average speed was 90-100 kmph topping about 122 kmph on few instances.

The road thereon was bad and had craters of the size of 50% of the tyre i.e. 7-10 inches sudden craters. They would suddenly appear from below the truck you are following and it would be impossible to avoid them. Some 80-100 kms of these bad roads, we had relief when again the road was manageable.

Not aware of the reason, but somewhere above where I had parked my car, a cementing work had taken place and there were small dots of frozen cement on the windscreen - which was OK. But the bothering part was the Cement Water - a light LAYER was there all over the Shield - which made the night drive of 3 hours as HELL. First I thought my headlights were in Bad shape, however, that was not the case. This I was able to make it out only during the night and not before.

Adding to the injury, we missed the bypass to Indore and headed to the city through another Place - importantly adding to the night journey. We had to cover more 45 kms.

Here, the experience came in - like you are able to see nothing when a car passes you from opposite direction. Keep the speed medium, with low beam. Keep the judgement based on the lights of the opposite vehicle while slowly reducing the speed. When the vehicle passes you, immediately make the HIGH BEAM, so that will reduce the blindness caused by the passed vehicle, and help to encounter sudden surprises if any.

Reached indore finally at 9:00 pm.

It was already 680 kms on the Trip Meter - and we never had the requirement to refill the Tank. Quite a good range.

Indore-Mumbai - Return journey, we were supposed to start on 20th morning at 5:30 am, so as to avoid Night Drive. However, I was busy with the work the previous night till 2:00 am and got up late at 8:00 am. It was amavasya - so my Uncle Aunt at Indore insisted not to go.

Fortunately, I had a presentation for Petronas the next day morning from 8:30 to 11:30am, so had to complete the work before that. The next day (21st Aug 09-friday), completed the presentation at 12:30 in the afternoon, and then started driving, knowing it was not possible to avoid the night journey.

Return Journey was fun - specially during evening when I try to catch a car and follow it. It was a Santro - and the person driving was a young chap, alone. He used to speed and get out of site - but that was not possible. He was with the a/c off - and me with A/c on with full load. On the smooth Expressway roads where its going down-hill, it was difficult for him to manage the car in 1 lane, swaying in the other at speeds in excess of 100kmph. This point, I used to tease him by overtaking him. Then again I will allow him to take the lead and overtake on turns. This was, we both were having fun and the distance was being covered quickly - importantly WITHOUT FEELING SLEEPY.

About the car now - its a beast. 50/60 kmph and the 5th gear - enjoy. Again, in the 5th gear in speeds of 110 kmph, it seems that the car is in neutral when accelerator is not pressed. It goes on and on and on. Further, the car sticks to the lane during turns in speeds in excess of 100 - being low center of gravity / aero dynamic.

I thing which I noticed that u put the car in neutral, suddenly turn the steering - and see the RPM needle go up COZ OF HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING. It will seem like u pressed the accelerator lightly. 

Reached home at 2:00 am. All the passengers (ofcourse except me) were sleeping (from Dhulia-Mumbai), they woke up to surprise that we reached home so early.

Return journey 630 kms - 35.41 litres - Mileage - 17.79 kmpl (100% a/c).

By the way, the purpose to go Indore is to invest in real estate (IIT / IIM / some 60+ Engg Colleges, further 30 targeted etc). Seems Indore will be Education Hub for India apart from Automobile Spare parts.

A lot of development is coming in New Indore / near Bombay Hospital. Sahara / Onax / other 2 huge builders are building colonies in Indore.

Anyone from Indore, please guide me the area near Bombay Hospital - called VeenaNagar - a complex of Bungalows.

Plot area 1000 sqft, build-up area 2400 sq.ft (2 storeys). Still the area is developing. And its quite far (8 kms) from my in-laws who stay bang opposite to MP High Court. 

Have made offer the builder - lets see if he accepts - there will be 1 or more trips waiting for Indore. And with such kind of Mileage, the trip is really cheap...

The highway is really the place for the Esteem, just love its stability...i've thrown it into corners at high speeds and its never ever lost its composure...

The road thereon was bad and had craters of the size of 50% of the tyre i.e. 7-10 inches sudden craters. They would suddenly appear from below the truck you are following and it would be impossible to avoid them.

How did your esteem react to that...(just curious, mine reacts by making a 'thud' sound and i can hear noise from the door trim/dashboard...after 75k kms)

The suspension / alignment-balancing was done just before I started the journey.

Shaman people ensured the car was in excellent condition. However, futh full load and 60-70 kmph - such craters ensured that noise from Dashboard started, though through such roads only.

Further, the shocks - it was only a THUD and the road passes away.

But, then the 70-80 kms, I drove at 30-50 kmph, ti minimize the impact of roads on the car.

Thank you Raju for sharing your experience.  Very well written.

Good review Raju...Pls advise on A/c performance, overtaking exp & ground clearnace with your Esteem...

Certainly is VFM car.......

A/c is chilling - even if you keep the cooling on slots 2/3 out of 5.

5th gear in Esteem is purely Overdrive - I shift to 5th gear in the speeds of 50-55 kmph.

Overtaking - 1st method

I keep a distance of approx 50 meters in the front - and watch the opposite lane traffic. Say a truck is coming from opposite direction, it will pass the front vehicle at some point of time. I increase the speed gradually in 5th gear only, such that the moment the opposite vehicle passed the Vehicle in my front, I dash the car to right, change lane and overtake. I do not change the gears.

For this, you have to be very careful, see whether any other vehicle is not coming from behind the Vehicle just passed. Further, you have also be be very careful in judgement - in calculating the Speed of the Vehicle in the coming lane, etc.

Mind it - I have mastered this art coz I had Fiat earlier - where I had to overtake in such fashion. Downshifting never helped in Fiat.

Overtaking - 2nd Method

Juch change (downshift) the gears, increase the throttle / rpm and overtake. This requires less planning but in the process you give more load to the car / jerks to the passangers.

Ground Clearance - never a problem. If you find a huge height bump - with less breadth - just take the car in cross over it - and it glides smoothly.

Thanks...

BTW your visit to Bhavnagr is also due now......Love to see some pics.. this time...

1st Method of overtaking is the right method; I too believe/practice so.  One needs to have a good judgment of speed of the vehicle approaching & the one you overtake - the 'timings'.  You need to keep a good margin too & be aware of the other vehicles, for safety.  Good control on accelerator will help in regulating the speed appropriately - to avoid sudden acceleration or down-shifting of gears.  All this is achieved better if the car is driven steadily & smoothly - at not very high speed.

I have driven Esteem quite a few times.  It has good handling/braking, very good pick-up/acceleration & is fun driving it - on highways in particular (Raju would know more).

On long drives, AC of all cars is generally good & optimum on knob 2-3.