CRDI 95000 kms - For 2nd owners. Review on Hyundai Accent CRDi

Vehicle: 2004

KMS done: 95000kms

Owner: 2nd, taken at 75000 odd kms

Fuel economy: 12 KMPL City, 18-20 KMPL Highway

This is the first mass CRDI car, so expect its share of problems.

Good part:

The engine is drivers gem, No swift, Fiat engine can make you feel the acceleration, like the Accent CRDI gives for the money. In fact the only engine that beats it is its elder brother Verna(Thats godzilla). This engine is not meant for Honda city, petrol heads cos its noisy, its thirsty, and god the turbo lag is terrible. When switching from non turbo lag cars this is a immediate feel. You need some time to get used to it.

On highways, you are on 80KMPH, you have 15 sec window to over take, No problem, shift the gear to forth, you can cross 120KMPH in no time, and the onlooker would be thinking how did he do that and why did he go so fast when he still has 10 sec window. Thats the turbo kicking in and doing its job.

It revs and revs till 4500 when sensor kills it. The beauty is 2000-4500 RPM, The torque is enormous and happens under 3 secs with clutch off and you know, you cannot tilt you head forward for the whole range.

Seating for 5 people is easy, not like new model Xcent where 5th person should either be a dog/Kid or 2 dimentional man with no width to him:PLeg room and ergonomics are generous and seating is thick and plush not like these days where cost cutting is obviously seen.400 liter boot is very usable unlike Xcent, Dzire.

Lets talk BAD part as obviously my target audience is 2nd owners would want to buy this beauty:

Its a 3 pot engine, which mean over time it will have vibrations which cannot be controlled.

This has fixed turbo chargers which 70% time lasts 100000+ lac kms - Cost*65000 rs

Clutch -25000 rsSuspension holding stud5500Wheel nut500AC fins and replacement5500(local)

Interior rattle cannot be fixed by Hyundai In all the services, Nulon engine de carbonization, Oil additive, 3M oil additive, Shell Helix oil is used. Brake oil, coolant replaced. By this, you know I am a bit serious with car when it comes to engine.(mech brain cannot help it)

After clutch replacement ans service, my engine died all of sudden- Hyundai service center blamed on

adulterated fuel, after 2 weeks of trial and error, high pressure filter was blamed and replacement cost me 56000 rs. The engine now has back compression problem(Late start - symptom) for which there is only 1 solution,

Remove and replace, Valves, Head, Head gaskets, Piston and piston rings, Crankshaft adjustment.

This will set you back 2-2.5 lacs with 60000 kms guarantee from Hyundai. When I purchased it, per enquiry it was about 1 lac, Soon after my purchase they raised the prices of parts by 170% which is huge dissapointment for people like me. I paid a premium over diesel for buying this stonker with all maintainace inputs and this 170% hike is unreasonable.Simple things like brake pads and discs will set you back 15k.

Hence I am using this beast carefully and waiting for it to break, as I do not believe in passing this vehicle with known problems to another owner and commiting fraud. Currently the after market value stands at 1 lac for my vehicle. I still am in midst of confusion of buying another car or paying 2 lac for this old stonker.

Hyundai is now-a-days only concentrating on new vehicles, any old vehicles except Santro, please do not buy.

On last note, If you want to buy a stonker and highway beast and ready to mod by ECU modification buy this car at 1 lac rupees, and service with 2 lacs if needed. At 3 lacs, In highway this snubs Swift, Figo, City(by miles, Old honda city which looks like accent is good and perhaps the only one which gives good competition to Accent) and leave them with diesel puff. Unlike James topgear who deliberatly made 0-100KMPH in 18 seconds, With 85000 kms odo, I was doing 0-100KMPH in 10 sec flat. Imagine 88BHP tuned with ECU mods to 98-105 BHP it can do the same under 9 sec.

But using this with conservative mindset? Nope, you are doomed.