Sep 07, 2006 05:40 PM
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I own an Indica XETA GLG upgraded with alloy wheels and tubeless radials. I had a harrowing time in getting all of these assembled. Here's whatI learnt in the process:
1. Tata dealers have limited models and these are allsupplied by Aura. Their prices are apparently slightly higher(as asked at Prerana, Bangalore) by about Rs1500/- then the open market prices. Also, they said they'll give me only Rs100/- per rim in exchange while the market rate for a new set can be as highas Rs250/- per rim. Also, they said they can’t provide me tubeless radials, which, they said I must arrange on my own.
2. I researched on Aura, League and BSA. The latter two are imported from Taiwanand carry no guarantee(or is dealer provided.) They are lighter and have nice designs as compared to Aura. One nice touch is that the wheel information is imprinted on the inner side(including load index, wheel weight besides the usual like Rim size and width, PCD, Offset etc.) Aura has limited information marked on the wheel and is not that helpful. Also the price for Aura was coming out to be cheaper compared to the other brands.
Eventually, looking at the weight of my car and the drivethat I do, I decided to go for Aura(model A8350, https://auraalloywheels.com.) The price depends on the finish of the wheel too(available finishes are: Silver, Hyper Silver and Black.) I chose the regular silver finish(cheapest of the lot.) For this model I was quoted a(distributor) price of Rs14500/- for a set of 5 rims.
I further did a survey of the local auto mart(J.C.Road) and found one who was willing to give me the same set for 13K. So I decided on this guy. Apparently he managed to get only four rims and that too from different dealers. This is where my misery began.
3. It’s better to borrow a set of calipers and check all wheel dimensions before you buy the rims. Or better still, mount(if possible all) the rims at the dealer's shop itself. If you trust your local tyrewala more, then at least make sure to mount the rims on one open side and verify they fit properly. In my case, the PCD turned out to be different for two of the rims. The carton mentions Indica but I was stuck. I had no options but toget the rims exchanged.
Besides, in XETA, the axle diameter is also slightly larger.This I learnt while trying to mount the rims and they won’t fit! I had to press the vendor for replacement. Although I got replacement rims, the axle diameter was still a problem. Finally I had to lathe the inside of the rims by about 2mm so that they snugly fit on the axle. This whole process took me a lot of timeand the car twice dropped on its mounting rim. No damage so far, thankfully.
A note here: I guess it makes sense to buy only four rims and keep the spare tyre as is. You'll probably use the spare only when something goes wrong with one of running wheels. For that period, one side of your car may look a little odd, but then it saves you a lot of money too! Most cars in the west now carry something called a "Space Saver" which is a low width tyre and rim purely made to maximize boot space.
Also, many a dealer will offer you to upsize your car wheels. It does add a sporty look and enhances traction(while eating away a bit on mileage.) But before you go ahead and do that, check out the warranty card of your car or speak to your dealer if any of the warranty will be void upon upsizing.
4. I exchanged my original tyres(Goodyear) with tubeless radials(Bridgestone Turanza 165/65 R13 S, Bi-directional.) I had done about250 km by the time I exchanged so I got about Rs1500/- per tyre for the old ones. I spent Rs6000/- for the four new tyres. I didn't get any puncture repair kit with the tyres which can cost about Rs250~500/-. There are many a websites that talk about how to repair a puncture, which is quite an easy thing if you trust your skills.
5. Try to get the radials mounted by hand as far as possible. Though it sounds ridiculous in present days where machines do the job but believe me, not all mechanics handle the rims carefully. The tongue that holds the rims in a machine can seriously damage the inside of your rim, leaving a neat circular groove. Exchanging such rims gave me a headache but I could catch the dealer for selling me the wrong ones!
Also note that the "neck"(air-inlet unit) can cost you as much as Rs50/- for Indian make and Rs150/- for German make. Make sure you collect these from the tyre dealer or you'll end up spending for these. Luckily I got them from the dealer. You can also use some anti-puncture sealant(e.g. Slime) that needs to be pumped into the tyre once its properly mounted. I have not tried them so can't comment. Please get your wheels aligned and balanced after you do all these activities. It's a MUST!
After upgrading to alloy wheels, my car certainly looks spunkier then what it came. As for improvement in mileage, it’s not that significant but it sure helps dissipate braking heat. The large vents and the very nature of aluminum to absorb heat help keep the brakes cooler. Choose a design that’s easy to clean too.
And as for the tubeless radials, this has a lot of benefits. I had an oversized pin that went through the(new) tyres but no problems at all. It’s less noisy now with Bridgestone then my earlier Goodyear tyres. Also, its said that cornering is improved as the tyres are better suited to take the bends at fairly decent speed.
You can also read my review on the Indica XETA GLG model titled "The New Warrior Princess" at: https://mouthshut.com/review/Indica_Xeta-103704-1.html
Thanks,
Supreo
