new car purchase
With a never-ending stream of automotive launches and a plethora of financing options to choose from, it is now easier than ever before to buy a new car. Be warned, however: your urge to buy also makes it easy for financial companies to fleece you. Competition is fierce in the automotive market; be sure to use it to your advantage.
Team-BHP shows you how to get the best possible financing deal for your shiny new wheels:
1. Shop around: While this advice seems obvious, it is often ignored: getting rates from several brokers and car dealerships is the key to a good deal. If you intend to buy a Honda in Mumbai, bargain with Ichibaan / Linkway / Arya and any others. When you ask for your quote, tell the vendor that you intend to shop around and be certain that they know you are serious about buying. Casual inquiries take up a lot of time for dealers; an inquiry with good sales potential will make them bend over backwards for you.
2. Negotiate: Many people don't realize this, but if you want a great financing deal you will have to negotiate for it. Negotiate hard. Pit at least three competing quotes against each other and start bargaining with each vendor. You will be surprised at how quickly the offered equalized monthly installment (EMI) payment will drop in the course of an hour of simple bargaining. And its a LOT of fun too!
3. Targets: Start negotiating in the third week of the month. Most Indian agents have monthly targets and generally save the best rates for last minute deals to fill their quota.
4. Other accounts with the same institution: Leverage any existing relationship (credit cards, investments, etc) that you have with your financial institution. Most banks will offer a 1 - 2% discount based on the fact that you are already a known quantity to them.
5. Do not take the interest rate at face value: When your broker says that his great interest rate has been calculated "just for you", you don't have to take his word for it. Use any one of a number of online calculators to compare; chances are, your broker is bluffing.
6. Manufacturer financing plans: Some manufacturers offer financing plans that are less expensive than broker or dealership options. For e.g. the Tata finance option.
7. Nationalised banks: Nationalised banks like the State Bank of India have very competitive auto-loan packages that usually offer the best rates and terms, especially if you have an existing relationship with them. Meet with your branch manager for a quote.
8. Hidden fees: In today's competitive market there is no such thing as a processing fee for a car loan. Ask for an all-inclusive quote and check the fine print for hidden charges. These miscellaneous fees can amount to thousands of rupees. You will also see a difference in stamp duty charges etc. from one proposal to the other.
9. Do NOT opt for ECS: Even though automatic electronic withdrawal from your bank account is supposed to make life easier, the system is not yet a 100% reliable in India. Make your loan payments the old-fashioned way with cheques and read the Team-BHP forum discussion on ECS for more details.
10. Be wary of unauthorised dealerships: Even if you get a great financing offer, check to see who will be delivering your car. Some Direct Sales Agents (DSAs) have connections to unauthorised dealerships. These dealers often engage in shady practices like supplying counterfeit spares and are generally not worth buying from.
11. Pre-payment penalties: Some banks charge rates as high as 5% of the total loan amount if you pay off your loan early. Check to see if your bank included a pre-payment penalty in the contract and ask for a waiver / reduction if you intend to pay the loan early.
12. Maintain a good credit history: Financial institutions in India maintain a central database to keep track of your credit history. It is essential to keep a clean credit record by paying credit card bills and other loan EMIs on time.
13. Loan against fixed deposits: If you or your family has invested in fixed deposits, you are in luck. Taking a loan against fixed deposits leads to very lucrative interest rates, minimal paperwork (if at all) and flexible repayment plans. Banks usually give loans against fixed deposits at a +1 interest rate. Click here (Car Loan against Fixed Deposits) to read the full discussion on this subject.
Happy hunting for the lowest EMI!
EDIT : Added a superb "Loan Amortization Schedule" excel sheet to this post; members can download the same. Thanks to BHPian nikunj_cal for sharing it with us. It will help you to calculate the EMI for different loan amounts, juggle between interest rates, calculate total interest, calculate foreclosure charges and so on.
http://www.bankofbaroda.com/calculators/calculators.asp
This link will help you to calculate your exact EMI based on tenure and rate of interest.
you can calculate using formula too
EMI = {(p*r) (1+r)^n}/{(1+r)^n - 1}
p = principal (amount of loan), r = rate of interest per instalment period, i.e., if interest is 12% p.a. r = 1, n = no. of instalments in the tenure,Y ou can also use `Calculate EMI function' in EXCEL spread sheet.
===============================================================================
Every banks which have their online presence also have their emi calculators.
http://www.hdfc.com/calculator/emical.asp
I have used this HDFC bank's caculators for my deal. My dealer said he is giving me a loan from HDFC bank and said that he would give me a certain emi at interest rate of 13%. When I check the site and tried out the emi calculator it seemed that the deal that he was offering me for 13% actually was an emi for 14.75%.
I brought this to his notice and we then negotiated to get the rate of interest down to 13.75% and would not come anything below that.
Man, these dealers are like sharks. Beware of them. I have also created a excel sheet to calculate but would like to know how do I post the attachement in this thread.
===============================================================================
It is 100% true that we have credit history in India. When I took my SBI car loan, the verification guy came armed with all my previous borrowings details on my flat and my two wheeler. He even knew where the upcoming flat was located and exact details of my loan payments. I was like shot at point blank. All banks share their data to ensure that defaulters are kept at bay.
==================================================================================================
Btw one more point that I would like to say from my own experience is that don’t pay much attention to what interest rates different agents tell you, I would say you should negotiate on EMI per lac. The reason I am saying this is because when my cousin was hunting for a new car The EMI per lac for loan 14% was surprisingly coming out to be cheaper than other company's loan at 12.5%.
& yes always consider how good the bank is while closing the loan because that’s where the problem is faced.
GTO not sure why ECS is not recommended as I have been using since 2-3 years now & never faced any issue or may be I was Lucky
==================================
Team-BHP shows you how to get the best possible financing deal for your shiny new wheels:
1. Shop around: While this advice seems obvious, it is often ignored: getting rates from several brokers and car dealerships is the key to a good deal. If you intend to buy a Honda in Mumbai, bargain with Ichibaan / Linkway / Arya and any others. When you ask for your quote, tell the vendor that you intend to shop around and be certain that they know you are serious about buying. Casual inquiries take up a lot of time for dealers; an inquiry with good sales potential will make them bend over backwards for you.
2. Negotiate: Many people don't realize this, but if you want a great financing deal you will have to negotiate for it. Negotiate hard. Pit at least three competing quotes against each other and start bargaining with each vendor. You will be surprised at how quickly the offered equalized monthly installment (EMI) payment will drop in the course of an hour of simple bargaining. And its a LOT of fun too!
3. Targets: Start negotiating in the third week of the month. Most Indian agents have monthly targets and generally save the best rates for last minute deals to fill their quota.
4. Other accounts with the same institution: Leverage any existing relationship (credit cards, investments, etc) that you have with your financial institution. Most banks will offer a 1 - 2% discount based on the fact that you are already a known quantity to them.
5. Do not take the interest rate at face value: When your broker says that his great interest rate has been calculated "just for you", you don't have to take his word for it. Use any one of a number of online calculators to compare; chances are, your broker is bluffing.
6. Manufacturer financing plans: Some manufacturers offer financing plans that are less expensive than broker or dealership options. For e.g. the Tata finance option.
7. Nationalised banks: Nationalised banks like the State Bank of India have very competitive auto-loan packages that usually offer the best rates and terms, especially if you have an existing relationship with them. Meet with your branch manager for a quote.
8. Hidden fees: In today's competitive market there is no such thing as a processing fee for a car loan. Ask for an all-inclusive quote and check the fine print for hidden charges. These miscellaneous fees can amount to thousands of rupees. You will also see a difference in stamp duty charges etc. from one proposal to the other.
9. Do NOT opt for ECS: Even though automatic electronic withdrawal from your bank account is supposed to make life easier, the system is not yet a 100% reliable in India. Make your loan payments the old-fashioned way with cheques and read the Team-BHP forum discussion on ECS for more details.
10. Be wary of unauthorised dealerships: Even if you get a great financing offer, check to see who will be delivering your car. Some Direct Sales Agents (DSAs) have connections to unauthorised dealerships. These dealers often engage in shady practices like supplying counterfeit spares and are generally not worth buying from.
11. Pre-payment penalties: Some banks charge rates as high as 5% of the total loan amount if you pay off your loan early. Check to see if your bank included a pre-payment penalty in the contract and ask for a waiver / reduction if you intend to pay the loan early.
12. Maintain a good credit history: Financial institutions in India maintain a central database to keep track of your credit history. It is essential to keep a clean credit record by paying credit card bills and other loan EMIs on time.
13. Loan against fixed deposits: If you or your family has invested in fixed deposits, you are in luck. Taking a loan against fixed deposits leads to very lucrative interest rates, minimal paperwork (if at all) and flexible repayment plans. Banks usually give loans against fixed deposits at a +1 interest rate. Click here (Car Loan against Fixed Deposits) to read the full discussion on this subject.
Happy hunting for the lowest EMI!
EDIT : Added a superb "Loan Amortization Schedule" excel sheet to this post; members can download the same. Thanks to BHPian nikunj_cal for sharing it with us. It will help you to calculate the EMI for different loan amounts, juggle between interest rates, calculate total interest, calculate foreclosure charges and so on.
http://www.bankofbaroda.com/calculators/calculators.asp
This link will help you to calculate your exact EMI based on tenure and rate of interest.
you can calculate using formula too
EMI = {(p*r) (1+r)^n}/{(1+r)^n - 1}
p = principal (amount of loan), r = rate of interest per instalment period, i.e., if interest is 12% p.a. r = 1, n = no. of instalments in the tenure,Y ou can also use `Calculate EMI function' in EXCEL spread sheet.
===============================================================================
Every banks which have their online presence also have their emi calculators.
http://www.hdfc.com/calculator/emical.asp
I have used this HDFC bank's caculators for my deal. My dealer said he is giving me a loan from HDFC bank and said that he would give me a certain emi at interest rate of 13%. When I check the site and tried out the emi calculator it seemed that the deal that he was offering me for 13% actually was an emi for 14.75%.
I brought this to his notice and we then negotiated to get the rate of interest down to 13.75% and would not come anything below that.
Man, these dealers are like sharks. Beware of them. I have also created a excel sheet to calculate but would like to know how do I post the attachement in this thread.
===============================================================================
It is 100% true that we have credit history in India. When I took my SBI car loan, the verification guy came armed with all my previous borrowings details on my flat and my two wheeler. He even knew where the upcoming flat was located and exact details of my loan payments. I was like shot at point blank. All banks share their data to ensure that defaulters are kept at bay.
==================================================================================================
Btw one more point that I would like to say from my own experience is that don’t pay much attention to what interest rates different agents tell you, I would say you should negotiate on EMI per lac. The reason I am saying this is because when my cousin was hunting for a new car The EMI per lac for loan 14% was surprisingly coming out to be cheaper than other company's loan at 12.5%.
& yes always consider how good the bank is while closing the loan because that’s where the problem is faced.
GTO not sure why ECS is not recommended as I have been using since 2-3 years now & never faced any issue or may be I was Lucky
==================================
Must-have Accessories for your new car
With a plethora of accessory options available at dealerships (authorised and after-market), choosing the right add-ons can get confusing. Team-BHP enlists the “must-have” accessories for your new car.
Do keep in mind that car dealerships make a killing on their high-priced accessory fittings alone. We recommend buying most of your add-ons from the after-market. However, quality (of product and installation) is very crucial to some accessories, especially the electronic variety.
Interior Enhancement:
1. Mats: Floor mats and a Dicky mat.
2. High quality Sun film: This helps to protect the interiors and occupants from the extreme climatic conditions.
3. Seat Covers: We recommend art leather for its value.
4. Audio System installation / upgrade: If required.
5. Air-freshener: Keeps the interiors smelling fresh. Scroll-type fresheners which fit on the air-con louvers are very popular and effective.
Safety / Security:
1. Remote-locking security system: Not only for the added security, but also for convenience.
2. Steering Grip lock / Gear Lock: Great way of theft prevention.
3. Headlight bulb upgrade: Only if stock bulbs are inadequate. Upgrade headlight bulbs to more powerful ones with the appropriate relay and wiring.
4. Mirror Lock: Some cars require this to prevent theft of standard wing mirrors.
Precautionary Measures:
1. Fire Extinguisher: Can save you and your car in the event of an electrical short-circuit etc.
2. Tyre / Puncture repair kit: A must for highway travelers.
3. Fog lights: They aid driving in foggy conditions, and provide a life-saving backup if the headlights malfunction.
4. Comprehensive Tool Kit: Standard tool kits are always minimalistic, so get one that is as comprehensive as a swiss army knife.
5. Extra fuses: For crucial parts such as the headlight, starter etc.
Tyres / Alloys
1. Tyre Upgrade: Some models of cars come severely under-tyred from the factory. We would highly recommend you to upgrade your tyres to a more appropriate size. You can do this straight from the showroom to get the best exchange price. Link :
2. Alloy Wheels: If the budget permits.
Others:
1. High quality cleaning cloth
2. Branded wax polish
3. Car Cover
4. Parking Sensors
5. Child Seat
NOTE:
• There may be some accessories which are car specific. For e.g. quarter glass security grilles in a Maruti 800.
• Team-BHP does NOT recommend Teflon coating for several reasons.
Do keep in mind that car dealerships make a killing on their high-priced accessory fittings alone. We recommend buying most of your add-ons from the after-market. However, quality (of product and installation) is very crucial to some accessories, especially the electronic variety.
Interior Enhancement:
1. Mats: Floor mats and a Dicky mat.
2. High quality Sun film: This helps to protect the interiors and occupants from the extreme climatic conditions.
3. Seat Covers: We recommend art leather for its value.
4. Audio System installation / upgrade: If required.
5. Air-freshener: Keeps the interiors smelling fresh. Scroll-type fresheners which fit on the air-con louvers are very popular and effective.
Safety / Security:
1. Remote-locking security system: Not only for the added security, but also for convenience.
2. Steering Grip lock / Gear Lock: Great way of theft prevention.
3. Headlight bulb upgrade: Only if stock bulbs are inadequate. Upgrade headlight bulbs to more powerful ones with the appropriate relay and wiring.
4. Mirror Lock: Some cars require this to prevent theft of standard wing mirrors.
Precautionary Measures:
1. Fire Extinguisher: Can save you and your car in the event of an electrical short-circuit etc.
2. Tyre / Puncture repair kit: A must for highway travelers.
3. Fog lights: They aid driving in foggy conditions, and provide a life-saving backup if the headlights malfunction.
4. Comprehensive Tool Kit: Standard tool kits are always minimalistic, so get one that is as comprehensive as a swiss army knife.
5. Extra fuses: For crucial parts such as the headlight, starter etc.
Tyres / Alloys
1. Tyre Upgrade: Some models of cars come severely under-tyred from the factory. We would highly recommend you to upgrade your tyres to a more appropriate size. You can do this straight from the showroom to get the best exchange price. Link :
2. Alloy Wheels: If the budget permits.
Others:
1. High quality cleaning cloth
2. Branded wax polish
3. Car Cover
4. Parking Sensors
5. Child Seat
NOTE:
• There may be some accessories which are car specific. For e.g. quarter glass security grilles in a Maruti 800.
• Team-BHP does NOT recommend Teflon coating for several reasons.
Hyundai i10
Engines
i10 iRDE 1.1: The i10 was launched with a 1.1
litre (called iRDE engine) 65 bhp (48 kW; 66 PS) I4 engine - the same motor
used in the Kia Picanto/Hyundai Atos Prime/Santro Xing. However, it produces
less CO2 emissions than the Picanto.
i10 Diesel:
A 1.1 litre 3-cylinder diesel CRDi variant is available in Europe but has not
yet been introduced into the UK and Indian market.
i10 Electric: Hyundai recently launched i10 Electric in Delhi Auto Expo and is expected to be available in India by 2011. The i10-based electric car is called BlueOn.
In 2010 Hyundai launched a facelifted version of the i10 in India which uses a Kappa 2 engine with VTVT Technology to further improve performance of this engine. Hyundai engineers have taken the existing 1.2-litre 4-cylinder Kappa engine and added VTVT (Variable Timing and Valve Train). The i10 is the first small car in the country to receive variable valve timing making it, on paper at least, the most sophisticated 1.2-litre engine in its segment (the Honda Jazz also has an i-VTEC head but is a segment higher). This system, working on the intake side, helps in altering the valve timing and lifts according to the situation and thus improves low-end responses and fuel efficiency. VTVT hasn’t increased the horsepower and it is still rated at 80 PS (59 kW; 79 hp). However the engine is reported to feel more refined and show very little vibration at higher revs
Accolades and feats
Hyundai i10 was widely recognized as "Car of the Year 2008" by various automotive magazines and TV channels in India like BS Motoring, CNBC-TV18 AutoCar,[3] NDTV Profit Car & Bike India and Overdrive magazine. The car was conferred with the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) by automotive media of the country.
In Malaysia the Hyundai i10 has also earned recognition through many awards such as the Best People's Car in the Asian Auto – VCA Auto Industry Awards 2009,[6] 1st Place in Asian Auto-Mudah.my Fuel Efficiency Awards 2009 in the Compact City Cars Category with a combined fuel efficiency of 5.0l/100 km, which is not only the best performance in its category but also throughout all the participating vehicles in Malaysia. The Hyundai i10 also won the New Straits Times / Maybank Car of the Year Award in the Entry Level Car category two times consecutively in 2009 and 2010.
In 2008, Hyundai commemorated 10 years of operations in India by initiating a transcontinental drive from Delhi to Paris in two of its i10 Kappa cars. The drive covered a distance of 10,000 kilometres (6,200 mi) in just 17 days after which the i10s were showcased at the Paris Motor Show in October.[10] At the Paris Motor Show Hyundai unveiled the Hyundai i20.
Safety
The i10 features ABS, EBD and other safety features, which earned it high scores on the Euro NCAP crash tests.
Adult Occupant: 4/5 stars, score 26
Child Occupant: 4/5 stars, score 37
Pedestrian: 3/4 stars, score 21
The amount of safety features varies from market to market. While most countries have the i10 equipped with airbags for all passengers, the entry-level 1.1 manual transmission model in the Philippines can be sold without airbags.
Since launch and as of August 2009, electronic stability control (ESC) is still a special-order option for UK spec cars which prevents a full 5-star EuroNCAP score.
India
After the huge success of Hyundai Santro, India’s second largest auto manufacturer Hyundai Motor Co launched Hyundai i10 in same hatchback segment and it has gained much popularity in Indian market since its launch in 2007. Hyundai i10 is a premium hatchback segment model that takes place between Hyundai Santro and Hyundai Getz. Offering quality and equipment for the customers is the key priority of Hyundai i10.
In India Hyundai i10 is available with nine variants, and with two different engine options. Two variants (D-lite and Era) of Hyundai i10 are equipped with 1.1L, 1086 cc, IRDE (Intelligent Responsive Drive Engine) petrol engine with manual transmission gearbox. This engine produces 66.7 PS (49 kW; 66 hp) of maximum power at 5500 rpm and maximum torque of 10.1 kg·m (99 N·m; 73 lb·ft) at 2500 rpm. HMIL (Hyundai Motor India Ltd) makes the Hyundai i10 price very competitive in the Indian auto market. Car is available in 3.5 to 5 lakh range and it is giving very tough competition to all other cars of this segment.
The rest seven variants of Hyundai i10 are powered by its popular 1.2L, 1197 cc, Kappa engine produces the 80 PS (59 kW; 79 hp) of maximum power at 5200 rpm and 11.4 kg·m (112 N·m; 82 lb·ft) of maximum torque at 4000 rpm. This Kappa engine is well known for offering high engine performance with better fuel efficiency.
Hyundai i10 models
After the huge success of Hyundai Santro, India’s second largest auto manufacturer Hyundai Motor Co launched Hyundai i10 in same hatchback segment and it has gained much popularity in Indian market since its launch in 2007. Hyundai i10 is a premium hatchback segment model that takes place between Hyundai Santro and Hyundai Getz. Offering quality and equipment for the customers is the key priority of Hyundai i10.
In India Hyundai i10 is available with nine variants, and with two different engine options. Two variants (D-lite and Era) of Hyundai i10 are equipped with 1.1L, 1086 cc, IRDE (Intelligent Responsive Drive Engine) petrol engine with manual transmission gearbox. This engine produces 66.7 PS (49 kW; 66 hp) of maximum power at 5500 rpm and maximum torque of 10.1 kg·m (99 N·m; 73 lb·ft) at 2500 rpm. HMIL (Hyundai Motor India Ltd) makes the Hyundai i10 price very competitive in the Indian auto market. Car is available in 3.5 to 5 lakh range and it is giving very tough competition to all other cars of this segment.
The rest seven variants of Hyundai i10 are powered by its popular 1.2L, 1197 cc, Kappa engine produces the 80 PS (59 kW; 79 hp) of maximum power at 5200 rpm and 11.4 kg·m (112 N·m; 82 lb·ft) of maximum torque at 4000 rpm. This Kappa engine is well known for offering high engine performance with better fuel efficiency.
Hyundai i10 models
Hyundai i10 D-lite It is the base variant of Hyundai i10 that comes with 1.1L, IRDE engine but it does not offer few standard features like Adjustable Steering Wheel, Central Locking, Power Windows, Wheel Covers, Tachometer, CD/MP3 Player, Fog Lamps and Body Colored Bumpers.
Hyundai i10 Era This variant also comes with
comes with 1.1L, IRDE engine it also carry few additional features that are
Central Locking, Power Windows (Front) and Body Colored Bumpers.
Hyundai i10 Magna This variant comes with new
Kappa engine. It also carries few additional features like Adjustable Steering
Wheel, Wheel Covers and Tachometer.
Hyundai i10 Magna AT This variant of Hyundai i10
carries the same feature that Hyundai i10 Magna offers, only the difference is
that it comes with automatic transmission.
Hyundai i10 Sportz This variant of Hyundai i10
also carries Kappa engine and the additional features that this variant offers
are CD/MP3 Player, Rear Defogger, Rear Wash Wipe etc.
Hyundai i10 Sportz AT This variant of Hyundai i10
carries the same feature that Hyundai i10 Sportz offers, only the difference is
that it comes with automatic transmission.
Hyundai i10 Asta This variant also carries
the advanced Kappa engine. The additional features that this variant offers are
Remote Locking, Fog Lamps, ABS and Dual Front Airbags.
Hyundai i10 Asta w/Sun Roof
It is the top end variant of Hyundai i10 that carries the
same feature that
Hyundai i10 Asta offers, only the difference
is that it comes with Sun Roof.
Hyundai i10 Asta AT This variant carries the
same feature that Hyundai i10 Asta w/Sun Roof offers, only the difference is
that it comes with automatic transmission.
Learning to drive a manual car
Where are the controls that I might have to use in my driving:
Knowing where the controls are, and being able to locate and use them without looking away from the road is important.
Remember in each vehicle these controls could be in different places:
- Washer and wiper, front and back
- Head lights, high and low beam
- Hand brake
- Demisters, front and back
- Horn
- Hazard lights
- Indicators
How to adjust the seat:
When adjusting the seat in the car:
The clutch pedal located on your left, should be depressed in to the floor and the seat adjusted so the left leg has a slight bend in it (about 15 degrees). The leg should not be fully extended.
Push your shoulder into the back of the seat, and put your arms out in front of you at the top of the steering wheel, now adjust the back of the seat so your wrists are on top of the steering wheel rim (not your hand or arm but your wrist).
Most cars now can adjust the height of the steering wheel. Move the steering wheel up or down so you can see the speedo clearly.
How to adjust your mirrors:
The mirrors should be adjusted so when you look into them, you are only moving your eyes not your head.
The centre mirror:
The top of your mirror should run along the top of your back window, you should be able to see the whole back window.
The side mirrors:
On a flat road, you should see road from the middle of the mirror to the bottom of the mirror, and from the middle of the mirror to the top of the mirror you should see houses, trees, sky etc.
The bottom corner near the door of the mirror you should be able to see the back door handle.
In this part of learning you do it until you get it right. You will do lots of driving and hopefully turn action into habits, fix your mistakes. Repetition after repetition, do the same thing hundreds times of the correct repetition. (Sounds like fun doesn’t it).
Learning the basic driving skills
During this stage the focus is on clutch control, gear changes, stopping and starting, acceleration and slowing down and steering (this is the frustrating stage of driving).
Get the licensed driver to drive the car to a clear open road. We need a quiet road with few vehicles - a long straight road is perfect, no intersections.
The safe way to get started
Once a quiet road is found pull over to the side of the road, make the car safe (hand brake on, switch off the car). Change seats so the learner is in the driver’s seat and adjust the seat, mirror and steering wheel as demonstrated in that chapter.
What are these pedals on the floor for?
Look down at your feet - you will see three pedals. The one on the left is the clutch (in simple terms it basically transmits power from the engine to the wheels). Now that pedal is used by your left leg only - nothing else. The middle pedal is the brake (which stops or slows down the car). That pedal is used by the right leg only. The pedal on the right is the accelerator (which makes the car gather speed, or give it more power) that is also used by the right leg.
The reason why the right leg is used by those pedals is that you are either braking or accelerating - you should not be doing both at the same time. (Stop or go). More important is that your legs hopefully will not get tangled up with each other, if that happens we will be in all sorts of trouble won’t we.
Practise gear changes while the engine is off.
While the engine is off let’s look at the gear stick and study how we are going to change gears, remember in each car it could be slightly different, your licensed driver will help. It is better to play with them while the engine is off (much safer I think).
Practise going through the gears - first to second, second to third, third to fourth etc. Make sure you’ve got the clutch in when doing this. Keep practising until you can change all the gears without looking at them. Because when we are driving we should be looking at the road not the gear stick . When you are confident with that, then practise going down the gears. Up the gears, and down the gears.
How to hold the gear stick?
With your little finger to the top, and hand to the right side of the gear knob.
1st to 2nd
3rd back to 2nd
2nd back to 1st
Thumb to the top and hand to the other side of the gear knob.
2nd to 3rd gear
3rd to 4th gear
4th back to 3rd gear
Changing up the gears
When we change gears we do so economically, we are not going for best performance (we are on public roads, not a speedway) this is all about safe driving. (Your licensed driver, I’m sure, would like to get home safely after this practise.)
Again different cars may be different but in most cars when changing up you would change gears about 2000 to 2500 revs (most cars now will have a rev counter, a tachometer). At first keep a check with your gauge to tell you when to change gears, but eventually you will change gears by the sound of the engine without looking at the gauge.
When going up the gears you always start in first and go through each gear.
1st to 2nd ,2nd to 3rd,3rd to 4th etc. When changing gears get to the correct revs first, then accelerator off with your right foot, then clutch in (it should go down quickly) with your left foot, change to the correct gear then clutch out, (the lower the gear used the slower the clutch pedal is released through the friction point.) Then gently accelerate, one action at a time, but in a smooth flowing action. Pretend you are driving and practise speeding up and changing gears. To ease your stress make the car noise that goes with it. “vroom vroom”. When you feel comfortable practising changing up the gears, and also can change up the gears without looking at the gear stick (we don’t want run off the road when we do it for real) we will practise
changing down the gears.
The common errors to look out for when changing up. If you listen to and feel the car, the car will let you know when something is not right. You just need to understand the car’s language.
-Pushing down the clutch too soon before the accelerator is off. The car will rev up; the timing needs to be right. (accelerator off then clutch in) - Changing up too soon. Make sure the revs are right, 2000 to 2500 rev. The engine will labour if the revs are too low for that gear. - Bringing the clutch out too fast. The car may jerk around a bit.
-Accelerating too soon before the clutch is out after we selected the correct gear. (Clutch out than accelerate smoothly)
Changing down the gears.
When changing down the gears you can either go down each gear just like changing up the gears or you can do the one shift change that is changing directly into the correct gear. e.g. 4th gear straight into 2nd gear. You simply do that by reaching the correct speed by braking then select the correct gear - it’s as simple as that. Some drivers like the feel of changing gears and prefer to change down each gear. But I myself like to teach the one shift change to save wear and tear on my cars.
Remember the brake and clutch have no direct link, you may still need to brake while you are already pressing the clutch in to change gears.
To change down, brake to the correct speed and only then put your clutch in, change down into the correct gear then clutch out slowly. The lower the gear slower the clutch comes out. If you don’t change at the correct speed you can do damage to the car. Again each car will be different but with most cars you would change down as follows.
4th to 3rd just below 50km
3rd to 2nd just below 40km
2nd to 1st just below 15km
The common errors to look out for when changing down.
-Not braking to the correct speed first. The car will over rev, this can cause damage. -Clutch coming out too fast. The car will jerk around a bit.
-Selecting the wrong gear. The car will rev up or labour. -Accelerating before the clutch is out. The car will rev up.
Starting the car, in a manual car.
Make sure you follow this procedure or else the car will more likely to take off without warning. We don’t want any mishaps yet because at this stage we are doing well.
–Press the clutch in (left pedal) with the left leg and hold it down.
-Make sure the handbrake is fully on.
Anytime you put your hand brake on always make sure it is fully on, not just partly on. The car may still roll if it is not.
-Move the gear stick to neutral
This is the middle position that feels free when moving it from side to side the car is now considered “out of gear”.
- Start the engine with the key, by turning the key to the right and when the engine revs up let the key go it will automatically spring back; during all of this remember you still got your clutch fully down.
“Let’s get the car moving shall we”.
Clutch control is easy to achieve, if you use the right technique and work at it. Some learners may take longer than others to get good clutch control.
I’ve found at this stage, students will pick up good clutch control much quicker if we start off without using the accelerator to get the car moving. We are getting to know the feel of the clutch.
Most cars you should be able to do this but if your car won’t allow this, this is fine also, you will skip this part and pick up again we start using the accelerator.
First thing we have to identify what’s called the friction point of the clutch. This is the point when the clutch starts to meet, you can tell by the engine will just start to lose revs, and you should able to feel the car wanting to go forward. This is the first stage we have to master. When the clutch is fully down to the floor and to the friction point nothing will happen, it’s when you go through the friction point that’s when things will happen. Now remember at this stage we are not getting the car moving, if the car moves then the clutch has come out too far.
- Press the clutch down fully to the floor.
- Make sure the hand brake is off.
- Move the gear stick to 1st gear. (The car is now in gear)
- Slowly, at this stage very slowly lift foot up from the clutch until you hear the engine revs begin to drop, you can also watch the rev counter if you like that will start to drop also. And hold the clutch still. Remember, we are not moving the car at this stage, if the car has moved the clutch is out to far. We are only finding the friction point.
- Clutch back in and relax
- Keep doing this until you can go straight to that point fairly quickly. You may only have to do it a few times or you may have to do it a hundred times it doesn’t matter. The main thing you have master finding the friction point. You should instantly recognize the sound of the engine and the feel of the clutch. When you feel confident relax for few minute because the next stage all the works begin. Clutch fully in than slowly bring it out until you feel the clutch starts to take.
Now I said this is the most frustrating part of learning to drive; you are going to find out why I said that. Have you got composure again?
We have learnt about the friction of the clutch now we talk about the engagement part of the clutch. That is when the clutch pedal is between the friction point and until it is fully out. This is the hardest part to master. When you feel comfortable with this part we are nearly there.
Two common errors may occur.
- You will bring the clutch out slow, but when you feel the car starts to move automatically you will want to move your clutch out quickly. NOOOOOO!
If you do that that the car will go mad and jump around on you and then stall the engine. As soon as you feel that, immediately put your clutch back in.
- The next error is you will bring your clutch out about 80% of the way slowly and then automatically you want to bring you clutch out quickly. NOOOOO!
If you do that that you will feel a big kick in the car. We want a smooth take off.
Now we know what things might happen we will try to avoid them. O.K.
Let’s do it for real. Remember, we are only working the clutch, nothing else.
Get to the friction point as fast as you like, hold the clutch pedal steady, feel the car moving slowly as you bring the pedal through the engagement of the clutch. You are moving the clutch a centimetre at a time. If the car stalls, slow the clutch down even slower next time. You need to feel the car moving as you take off. Keep doing this until you are happy with yourself.
As soon as you feel the friction point slow the clutch down until you are fully out. Between the friction points and fully out should take about two seconds.
When merging into traffic we will have to move the car faster than that or we are never merging into traffic. So how do we merge into traffic? The car needs extra power - as simple as that.
Just imagine you’ve got a wheelbarrow full of something heavy (bricks or dirt) - to get the wheelbarrow moving you have to strengthen your muscles up, and give it a big push and when it’s moving it becomes easier doesn’t it, you’ve got your momentum going. Same thing with a car. To get the bulk and weight of the car moving it needs extra power; you do that by giving it more accelerator. Makes sense.
Let’s take off without the accelerator again, I want to demonstrate something. Bring your clutch to the friction point; now look at your rev counter see what happens when going through the engagement point, the rev counter is dropping, right? It’s using up extra power to get the car moving, that’s when you need to give it more accelerator to keep the power up to it or else it will stall and then you can take off quicker without stalling the car. Believe me this is the hardest part to master.
Common errors to look out for
Too much accelerator, the car will over rev. That’s not good for the engine.
Not enough revs. The car will stall. That’s embarrassing.
The clutch comes out too fast, the car will stall.
Let’s do this now.
- Get the friction point.
- Bring the rev counter to about 2,000 revs.
- Bring the clutch fully out at the same time keep the rev up to about 2,000 revs with your accelerator. For the first time the clutch and the accelerator works together. This is hard to master.
- Clutch back in.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat as much as it takes to get it right.
You may have to practise that a lot of times before you become comfortable with it.
When you feel comfortable lets go for a drive. Put all our work together that we have practised. Start, stop, up the gears, down the gears. Let’s go over it once more.
- Clutch in.
- 1st gear.
- Hand brake off.
- Get the friction point of the clutch.
- Revs up to 2000.
- Bring the clutch out slowly, keeping the revs up.
- When clutch is fully out and at 2,500 rev change into second gear (remember how to hold the gear stick)
- Clutch out, than accelerate
- Repeat until we have gone through the gears.
Now imagine going down the gears. Make sure you are at the right speed before putting the clutch in to change down. You should feel confident now, even though we have only done it in our mind.
We are really doing it for real for the first
(Watch out everybody I’m coming)
- Clutch in.
- 1st gear
- Handbrake off.
- Bring clutch to friction point.
- Check to see if it is safe to merge onto the road (if not wait until it is)
- Revs to 2,000 revs
- Clutch out slowly keeping the revs up
If things feel wrong clutch in quickly and start again.
- Clutch fully out.
- Keeping light on the accelerator bring the revs up to 2,500 revs.
- Accelerator off.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 2nd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
If this was not smooth more likely the clutch came out too quickly
- Accelerate to 2,500 revs.
- At 2,500revs accelerator off.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change to 3rd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
- Accelerate to 2,500 revs.
- At 2,500 revs accelerator off.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 4th gear.
- Clutch out.
We did it for the first time yippee!!!!!!!
Calm down! Remember we’re driving on the road. Keep our concentration on the road shall we. Let’s pull over to the side of the road and start again.
- Check your mirrors for cars behind you.
- Indicate to let other vehicles know what we are doing.
- Brake smoothly and gently.
- When the car slows down to about 40km/h gently move off the road.
We need the get the speed off the car first before moving off the road.
- Clutch in. (Because we are coming to a stop no need to change down the gears)
- Bring the car to a stop (keep your clutch in)
- Select neutral.
- Hand brake on.
- Now release your clutch and relax a bit.
When you are ready let’s practice going down the gears.
Let’s go, show me how you go up the gears, but this time no help from me.
“Well done”
Now we’re driving on the road let’s go down the gears, make sure before we do this there are no other vehicles around. Only do it if it’s safe.
- Accelerator off.
- Brake to about 50km/h.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 3rd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
Lower the gear, slower the clutch comes out.
- Brake to about 40km/h
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 2nd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
Now accelerate and go up the gears.
Keep on doing this, up the gears, down the gears, up the gears, down the gears.
Stopping the car where we need it to stop.
While we are on the quiet road let’s practise stopping the car where we need the car to stop.
Just imagine we are coming to an intersection with a stop sign. The object is to stop the car close as possible to the stop line without going over the stop line. If we can’t do that we are in big trouble, so let’s practise this where there are no cars around. What I do is to have an imaginary white line across the road, or better still look at the white guide posts along the side of the road - have an imaginary white line between the white posts. What we’ve got to do is the stop the car as close possible, at least within 1
metre of the imaginary line without going over. Can you see why I said start off in the quietest road you can find?
We need to have a smooth stop. Not brake-accelerate-brake situation. Do the bulk of your braking first, than release the pressure on the brake pedals as you get closer. It should feel like you are rolling in. You are only releasing the pressure on the brake, not releasing it fully - if you do that the car will gather speed. It takes practice to know how much pressure to put on the brake pedal and how much pressure to release from the brake pedals.
Common errors to look out for.
Braking too hard, if you do that than you will stop short of your line and you will have to accelerate again to reach the correct position.
Braking too soft, if you do that you will have to brake harder at the end or you finish up in the intersection. That’s dangerous. This will be unpleasant for the passengers and dangerous. Clutch coasting, that’s putting your clutch in too soon, letting the car roll for too long, this may cost you demerit points in the driving test. Forgetting to put your clutch in or putting it in too late. This will cause the car to stall or make the engine labour. We need a smooth stop. Let’s do it. When it’s safe we will drive off following all the procedures we have learnt.
Right, when you are ready :
- Have an imaginary line across the road, well ahead of you. Or a tree, or something.
- Start to brake
- As you get closer to your imaginary line apply more pressure on the brake. If you have misjudged the distance you’re coming in too fast.
Or release the pressure on your brake pedal if you are going to stop short of your imaginary line.
We are only working the pressure on the brake pedal not fully releasing the brake pedal, or else the car will gather speed again.
- Clutch pedal fully in about ten metres before the line.
- Bring the car to a stop within 1 metre of that imaginary line but not over it.
- Drive off again.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat until you have it right and you are happy with yourself.
Clutch control.
Sometimes going as fast as the idling speed is too fast. What I mean by that is moving in 1st gear without any accelerator is sometimes too fast e.g. doing a parallel reverse park, reversing out of an angle park or driving in heavy traffic. In these situations we need to ride the clutch to make the car go slower. Keep this to the minimum because it’s wearing away your clutch faster, but sometimes we have to do this to control the car.
Basically your clutch pedal becomes the accelerator and the accelerator pedal is just to keep the revs up so you do not stall or labour the engine. This how we do it
- Remember the friction point of the clutch, hold your clutch there
- You may need a little accelerator to keep up the revs.
- Very slowly adjust your clutch pedal to match the speed you need and hold your clutch pedal there.
The more you bring your clutch pedal out the faster the car will go, that is what I meant when I said the clutch will become your accelerator. This will take some practise.
___________________________________________________________________________
How’s that. Hopefully you will able to take control of your driving. This is the most dangerous part of your driving because you need to stop and start a lot. Always make sure it’s safe before you do something.
I wish you good luck and safe driving. We still have a long way to go yet. Basic car control may take up to 15 to 20 hours of experience before you are ready for the next stage. At this stage it’s only open road driving. Everyone learns at a different pace. Driving instructors can push you a little bit harder because they should have dual controls in their car - you don’t. The next stage will be light traffic driving in residential streets.
Knowing where the controls are, and being able to locate and use them without looking away from the road is important.
Remember in each vehicle these controls could be in different places:
- Washer and wiper, front and back
- Head lights, high and low beam
- Hand brake
- Demisters, front and back
- Horn
- Hazard lights
- Indicators
How to adjust the seat:
When adjusting the seat in the car:
The clutch pedal located on your left, should be depressed in to the floor and the seat adjusted so the left leg has a slight bend in it (about 15 degrees). The leg should not be fully extended.
Push your shoulder into the back of the seat, and put your arms out in front of you at the top of the steering wheel, now adjust the back of the seat so your wrists are on top of the steering wheel rim (not your hand or arm but your wrist).
Most cars now can adjust the height of the steering wheel. Move the steering wheel up or down so you can see the speedo clearly.
How to adjust your mirrors:
The mirrors should be adjusted so when you look into them, you are only moving your eyes not your head.
The centre mirror:
The top of your mirror should run along the top of your back window, you should be able to see the whole back window.
The side mirrors:
On a flat road, you should see road from the middle of the mirror to the bottom of the mirror, and from the middle of the mirror to the top of the mirror you should see houses, trees, sky etc.
The bottom corner near the door of the mirror you should be able to see the back door handle.
STAGE 1
BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATIONIn this part of learning you do it until you get it right. You will do lots of driving and hopefully turn action into habits, fix your mistakes. Repetition after repetition, do the same thing hundreds times of the correct repetition. (Sounds like fun doesn’t it).
Learning the basic driving skills
During this stage the focus is on clutch control, gear changes, stopping and starting, acceleration and slowing down and steering (this is the frustrating stage of driving).
Get the licensed driver to drive the car to a clear open road. We need a quiet road with few vehicles - a long straight road is perfect, no intersections.
The safe way to get started
Once a quiet road is found pull over to the side of the road, make the car safe (hand brake on, switch off the car). Change seats so the learner is in the driver’s seat and adjust the seat, mirror and steering wheel as demonstrated in that chapter.
What are these pedals on the floor for?
Look down at your feet - you will see three pedals. The one on the left is the clutch (in simple terms it basically transmits power from the engine to the wheels). Now that pedal is used by your left leg only - nothing else. The middle pedal is the brake (which stops or slows down the car). That pedal is used by the right leg only. The pedal on the right is the accelerator (which makes the car gather speed, or give it more power) that is also used by the right leg.
The reason why the right leg is used by those pedals is that you are either braking or accelerating - you should not be doing both at the same time. (Stop or go). More important is that your legs hopefully will not get tangled up with each other, if that happens we will be in all sorts of trouble won’t we.
Practise gear changes while the engine is off.
While the engine is off let’s look at the gear stick and study how we are going to change gears, remember in each car it could be slightly different, your licensed driver will help. It is better to play with them while the engine is off (much safer I think).
Practise going through the gears - first to second, second to third, third to fourth etc. Make sure you’ve got the clutch in when doing this. Keep practising until you can change all the gears without looking at them. Because when we are driving we should be looking at the road not the gear stick . When you are confident with that, then practise going down the gears. Up the gears, and down the gears.
How to hold the gear stick?
With your little finger to the top, and hand to the right side of the gear knob.
1st to 2nd
3rd back to 2nd
2nd back to 1st
Thumb to the top and hand to the other side of the gear knob.
2nd to 3rd gear
3rd to 4th gear
4th back to 3rd gear
Changing up the gears
When we change gears we do so economically, we are not going for best performance (we are on public roads, not a speedway) this is all about safe driving. (Your licensed driver, I’m sure, would like to get home safely after this practise.)
Again different cars may be different but in most cars when changing up you would change gears about 2000 to 2500 revs (most cars now will have a rev counter, a tachometer). At first keep a check with your gauge to tell you when to change gears, but eventually you will change gears by the sound of the engine without looking at the gauge.
When going up the gears you always start in first and go through each gear.
1st to 2nd ,2nd to 3rd,3rd to 4th etc. When changing gears get to the correct revs first, then accelerator off with your right foot, then clutch in (it should go down quickly) with your left foot, change to the correct gear then clutch out, (the lower the gear used the slower the clutch pedal is released through the friction point.) Then gently accelerate, one action at a time, but in a smooth flowing action. Pretend you are driving and practise speeding up and changing gears. To ease your stress make the car noise that goes with it. “vroom vroom”. When you feel comfortable practising changing up the gears, and also can change up the gears without looking at the gear stick (we don’t want run off the road when we do it for real) we will practise
changing down the gears.
The common errors to look out for when changing up. If you listen to and feel the car, the car will let you know when something is not right. You just need to understand the car’s language.
-Pushing down the clutch too soon before the accelerator is off. The car will rev up; the timing needs to be right. (accelerator off then clutch in) - Changing up too soon. Make sure the revs are right, 2000 to 2500 rev. The engine will labour if the revs are too low for that gear. - Bringing the clutch out too fast. The car may jerk around a bit.
-Accelerating too soon before the clutch is out after we selected the correct gear. (Clutch out than accelerate smoothly)
Changing down the gears.
When changing down the gears you can either go down each gear just like changing up the gears or you can do the one shift change that is changing directly into the correct gear. e.g. 4th gear straight into 2nd gear. You simply do that by reaching the correct speed by braking then select the correct gear - it’s as simple as that. Some drivers like the feel of changing gears and prefer to change down each gear. But I myself like to teach the one shift change to save wear and tear on my cars.
Remember the brake and clutch have no direct link, you may still need to brake while you are already pressing the clutch in to change gears.
To change down, brake to the correct speed and only then put your clutch in, change down into the correct gear then clutch out slowly. The lower the gear slower the clutch comes out. If you don’t change at the correct speed you can do damage to the car. Again each car will be different but with most cars you would change down as follows.
4th to 3rd just below 50km
3rd to 2nd just below 40km
2nd to 1st just below 15km
The common errors to look out for when changing down.
-Not braking to the correct speed first. The car will over rev, this can cause damage. -Clutch coming out too fast. The car will jerk around a bit.
-Selecting the wrong gear. The car will rev up or labour. -Accelerating before the clutch is out. The car will rev up.
Starting the car, in a manual car.
Make sure you follow this procedure or else the car will more likely to take off without warning. We don’t want any mishaps yet because at this stage we are doing well.
–Press the clutch in (left pedal) with the left leg and hold it down.
-Make sure the handbrake is fully on.
Anytime you put your hand brake on always make sure it is fully on, not just partly on. The car may still roll if it is not.
-Move the gear stick to neutral
This is the middle position that feels free when moving it from side to side the car is now considered “out of gear”.
- Start the engine with the key, by turning the key to the right and when the engine revs up let the key go it will automatically spring back; during all of this remember you still got your clutch fully down.
“Congratulations you have now started the car”.
Make sure the gear stick is still in neutral and hand brake is on; you can now release the clutch and relax for a minute or two. The car should be idling along (there is no hurry).“Let’s get the car moving shall we”.
Clutch control is easy to achieve, if you use the right technique and work at it. Some learners may take longer than others to get good clutch control.
I’ve found at this stage, students will pick up good clutch control much quicker if we start off without using the accelerator to get the car moving. We are getting to know the feel of the clutch.
Most cars you should be able to do this but if your car won’t allow this, this is fine also, you will skip this part and pick up again we start using the accelerator.
First thing we have to identify what’s called the friction point of the clutch. This is the point when the clutch starts to meet, you can tell by the engine will just start to lose revs, and you should able to feel the car wanting to go forward. This is the first stage we have to master. When the clutch is fully down to the floor and to the friction point nothing will happen, it’s when you go through the friction point that’s when things will happen. Now remember at this stage we are not getting the car moving, if the car moves then the clutch has come out too far.
- Press the clutch down fully to the floor.
- Make sure the hand brake is off.
- Move the gear stick to 1st gear. (The car is now in gear)
- Slowly, at this stage very slowly lift foot up from the clutch until you hear the engine revs begin to drop, you can also watch the rev counter if you like that will start to drop also. And hold the clutch still. Remember, we are not moving the car at this stage, if the car has moved the clutch is out to far. We are only finding the friction point.
- Clutch back in and relax
- Keep doing this until you can go straight to that point fairly quickly. You may only have to do it a few times or you may have to do it a hundred times it doesn’t matter. The main thing you have master finding the friction point. You should instantly recognize the sound of the engine and the feel of the clutch. When you feel confident relax for few minute because the next stage all the works begin. Clutch fully in than slowly bring it out until you feel the clutch starts to take.
Now I said this is the most frustrating part of learning to drive; you are going to find out why I said that. Have you got composure again?
We have learnt about the friction of the clutch now we talk about the engagement part of the clutch. That is when the clutch pedal is between the friction point and until it is fully out. This is the hardest part to master. When you feel comfortable with this part we are nearly there.
Two common errors may occur.
- You will bring the clutch out slow, but when you feel the car starts to move automatically you will want to move your clutch out quickly. NOOOOOO!
If you do that that the car will go mad and jump around on you and then stall the engine. As soon as you feel that, immediately put your clutch back in.
- The next error is you will bring your clutch out about 80% of the way slowly and then automatically you want to bring you clutch out quickly. NOOOOO!
If you do that that you will feel a big kick in the car. We want a smooth take off.
Now we know what things might happen we will try to avoid them. O.K.
Let’s do it for real. Remember, we are only working the clutch, nothing else.
Get to the friction point as fast as you like, hold the clutch pedal steady, feel the car moving slowly as you bring the pedal through the engagement of the clutch. You are moving the clutch a centimetre at a time. If the car stalls, slow the clutch down even slower next time. You need to feel the car moving as you take off. Keep doing this until you are happy with yourself.
As soon as you feel the friction point slow the clutch down until you are fully out. Between the friction points and fully out should take about two seconds.
When merging into traffic we will have to move the car faster than that or we are never merging into traffic. So how do we merge into traffic? The car needs extra power - as simple as that.
Just imagine you’ve got a wheelbarrow full of something heavy (bricks or dirt) - to get the wheelbarrow moving you have to strengthen your muscles up, and give it a big push and when it’s moving it becomes easier doesn’t it, you’ve got your momentum going. Same thing with a car. To get the bulk and weight of the car moving it needs extra power; you do that by giving it more accelerator. Makes sense.
Let’s take off without the accelerator again, I want to demonstrate something. Bring your clutch to the friction point; now look at your rev counter see what happens when going through the engagement point, the rev counter is dropping, right? It’s using up extra power to get the car moving, that’s when you need to give it more accelerator to keep the power up to it or else it will stall and then you can take off quicker without stalling the car. Believe me this is the hardest part to master.
Common errors to look out for
Too much accelerator, the car will over rev. That’s not good for the engine.
Not enough revs. The car will stall. That’s embarrassing.
The clutch comes out too fast, the car will stall.
Let’s do this now.
- Get the friction point.
- Bring the rev counter to about 2,000 revs.
- Bring the clutch fully out at the same time keep the rev up to about 2,000 revs with your accelerator. For the first time the clutch and the accelerator works together. This is hard to master.
- Clutch back in.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat as much as it takes to get it right.
You may have to practise that a lot of times before you become comfortable with it.
When you feel comfortable lets go for a drive. Put all our work together that we have practised. Start, stop, up the gears, down the gears. Let’s go over it once more.
- Clutch in.
- 1st gear.
- Hand brake off.
- Get the friction point of the clutch.
- Revs up to 2000.
- Bring the clutch out slowly, keeping the revs up.
- When clutch is fully out and at 2,500 rev change into second gear (remember how to hold the gear stick)
- Clutch out, than accelerate
- Repeat until we have gone through the gears.
Now imagine going down the gears. Make sure you are at the right speed before putting the clutch in to change down. You should feel confident now, even though we have only done it in our mind.
We are really doing it for real for the first
(Watch out everybody I’m coming)
- Clutch in.
- 1st gear
- Handbrake off.
- Bring clutch to friction point.
- Check to see if it is safe to merge onto the road (if not wait until it is)
- Revs to 2,000 revs
- Clutch out slowly keeping the revs up
If things feel wrong clutch in quickly and start again.
- Clutch fully out.
- Keeping light on the accelerator bring the revs up to 2,500 revs.
- Accelerator off.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 2nd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
If this was not smooth more likely the clutch came out too quickly
- Accelerate to 2,500 revs.
- At 2,500revs accelerator off.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change to 3rd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
- Accelerate to 2,500 revs.
- At 2,500 revs accelerator off.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 4th gear.
- Clutch out.
We did it for the first time yippee!!!!!!!
Calm down! Remember we’re driving on the road. Keep our concentration on the road shall we. Let’s pull over to the side of the road and start again.
- Check your mirrors for cars behind you.
- Indicate to let other vehicles know what we are doing.
- Brake smoothly and gently.
- When the car slows down to about 40km/h gently move off the road.
We need the get the speed off the car first before moving off the road.
- Clutch in. (Because we are coming to a stop no need to change down the gears)
- Bring the car to a stop (keep your clutch in)
- Select neutral.
- Hand brake on.
- Now release your clutch and relax a bit.
When you are ready let’s practice going down the gears.
Let’s go, show me how you go up the gears, but this time no help from me.
“Well done”
Now we’re driving on the road let’s go down the gears, make sure before we do this there are no other vehicles around. Only do it if it’s safe.
- Accelerator off.
- Brake to about 50km/h.
- Clutch in.
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 3rd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
Lower the gear, slower the clutch comes out.
- Brake to about 40km/h
- Holding the gear stick correctly change into 2nd gear.
- Clutch out slowly.
Now accelerate and go up the gears.
Keep on doing this, up the gears, down the gears, up the gears, down the gears.
Stopping the car where we need it to stop.
While we are on the quiet road let’s practise stopping the car where we need the car to stop.
Just imagine we are coming to an intersection with a stop sign. The object is to stop the car close as possible to the stop line without going over the stop line. If we can’t do that we are in big trouble, so let’s practise this where there are no cars around. What I do is to have an imaginary white line across the road, or better still look at the white guide posts along the side of the road - have an imaginary white line between the white posts. What we’ve got to do is the stop the car as close possible, at least within 1
metre of the imaginary line without going over. Can you see why I said start off in the quietest road you can find?
We need to have a smooth stop. Not brake-accelerate-brake situation. Do the bulk of your braking first, than release the pressure on the brake pedals as you get closer. It should feel like you are rolling in. You are only releasing the pressure on the brake, not releasing it fully - if you do that the car will gather speed. It takes practice to know how much pressure to put on the brake pedal and how much pressure to release from the brake pedals.
Common errors to look out for.
Braking too hard, if you do that than you will stop short of your line and you will have to accelerate again to reach the correct position.
Braking too soft, if you do that you will have to brake harder at the end or you finish up in the intersection. That’s dangerous. This will be unpleasant for the passengers and dangerous. Clutch coasting, that’s putting your clutch in too soon, letting the car roll for too long, this may cost you demerit points in the driving test. Forgetting to put your clutch in or putting it in too late. This will cause the car to stall or make the engine labour. We need a smooth stop. Let’s do it. When it’s safe we will drive off following all the procedures we have learnt.
Right, when you are ready :
- Have an imaginary line across the road, well ahead of you. Or a tree, or something.
- Start to brake
- As you get closer to your imaginary line apply more pressure on the brake. If you have misjudged the distance you’re coming in too fast.
Or release the pressure on your brake pedal if you are going to stop short of your imaginary line.
We are only working the pressure on the brake pedal not fully releasing the brake pedal, or else the car will gather speed again.
- Clutch pedal fully in about ten metres before the line.
- Bring the car to a stop within 1 metre of that imaginary line but not over it.
- Drive off again.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat until you have it right and you are happy with yourself.
Clutch control.
Sometimes going as fast as the idling speed is too fast. What I mean by that is moving in 1st gear without any accelerator is sometimes too fast e.g. doing a parallel reverse park, reversing out of an angle park or driving in heavy traffic. In these situations we need to ride the clutch to make the car go slower. Keep this to the minimum because it’s wearing away your clutch faster, but sometimes we have to do this to control the car.
Basically your clutch pedal becomes the accelerator and the accelerator pedal is just to keep the revs up so you do not stall or labour the engine. This how we do it
- Remember the friction point of the clutch, hold your clutch there
- You may need a little accelerator to keep up the revs.
- Very slowly adjust your clutch pedal to match the speed you need and hold your clutch pedal there.
The more you bring your clutch pedal out the faster the car will go, that is what I meant when I said the clutch will become your accelerator. This will take some practise.
___________________________________________________________________________
How’s that. Hopefully you will able to take control of your driving. This is the most dangerous part of your driving because you need to stop and start a lot. Always make sure it’s safe before you do something.
I wish you good luck and safe driving. We still have a long way to go yet. Basic car control may take up to 15 to 20 hours of experience before you are ready for the next stage. At this stage it’s only open road driving. Everyone learns at a different pace. Driving instructors can push you a little bit harder because they should have dual controls in their car - you don’t. The next stage will be light traffic driving in residential streets.
Hyundai EON
South Korean car maker Hyundai, claimed to be world’s fastest growing automaker and fourth largest car manufacturer across the globe, has introduced its eight car and fourth hatchback-Hyundai EON in India. Within no time after its incorporation in 1996 in India Hyundai Motor India became the country’s second largest car manufacturer and it offers seven cars in India including three hatchbacks, three sedans and one SUV. The eight addition of a hatchback was earlier known as Hyundai HA and Hyundai 800 in car market. However the company started publicizing the name-EON soon after that. Hyundai EON is blowing trumpet left, right and centre with this three letter name which actually means ‘long period of time’. According to Hyundai ‘India is ON’ now with the advent of this bug-eyed hatchback.
Produced at Hyundai’s Chennai plant, the EON car has been conceived, designed and developed over four years, keeping the Indian consumer’s preferences in mind and is not a hurried result. Chennai-based Hyundai’s research and development team in Hyderabad worked in tandem with Hyundai’s R&D engineers in Korea to develop the Eon exclusively for the market in India. The new Hyundai small car is sure to stir competition in the under Rs 3 lakh price range as it is accorded with a starting price of Rs 2.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It yells to be a close rival of cars from top player Maruti India and homegrown Tata Motors. It will be the arch enemy of Maruti’s bestselling car ‘Maruti Alto’ and will no doubt sit over Tata Nano. Although the car is launched the actual sales and acute competition will be visible after a few months only when the car will be perfectly perceived by the Indian audience. Being priced affordably, it will also prove to be an excellent option of people’s hatchback Maruti 800 which is thinking of a re-launch.
A hatchback by body built-up, EON is the lowest priced car by Hyundai in India running on and on and on at 21.1 kmpl mileage. It is powered by 814cc engine. The mighty petrol engine is packed in all 6 variants released at the time of launch and will manage to deliver maximum power of 56 bhp at 5,500 rpm which is quite enough to power a small hatch. What’s more interesting is that Hyundai Motors India unveiled 3 more new variants of Hyundai Eon, namely D-Lite plus, Era plus and Eon Magna plus in 2012. These variants are priced more than the corresponding variants but with more features on board. All these three variants are offered to the consumers in LPG options too. The company took a wise decision by launching LPG variants for the consumers as the fuel prices are amplifying with a super speed, which is preventing the people from buying petrol vehicles. These 3 variants are priced intelligently that it won’t burn a hole in your pocket. At this point of time, Hyundai Motors India tagged along with the policy of ‘Go Green’ and designed its LPG variants as a part of Hyundai’s Blue Drive range that is in the company of factory fitted individual 32 litre of petrol and 34 litres of LPG tanks, which make sure safety to the consumers together with a 2 year warranty.
Hyundai EON inherits its looks from Hyundai i10 but it is relatively smaller. At the same time it has some things in common to Hyundai Santro also. The new Hyundai car is much inspired by the company’s new Fluidic design platform also used in other cars of Hyundai. The front of Hyundai’s small car EON, similar to Hyundai Verna Fluidic, is much satisfactory with hexagonal grille and sweeping headlamps slanting towards back, while it has a side similar to Hyundai i10. It would seem to be too much of boasting but the wheel arches and shoulder line parallels Mercedes CLS Class in appearance. It shows-off an exclusive curvy rear with half-moonlike tail-lights to lure youngsters. The design revolution continues in the roomy interiors also, where there is a comfortable seating option for four persons.
In order to keep pricing in control, not plethora of features are given on EON but the list is certainly not condemnable. The higher end variants Magna and Sportz house advanced features such as power steering and power windows that can be operated with the touch of a button. Safety features including Anti-lock Braking System, EBD etc are missing from Hyundai EON although driver side airbag on EON Sportz ensures that EON is the safest car in its class. Amongst the new pricey variants of Hyundai Eon, the new D-Lite Plus model comes with powerful air conditioning system and power steering, which provides a terrific ride to the owner. On the other hand, Hyundai Eon Era Plus features central locking system, power windows while Hyundai Eon Magna Plus has 2-Din audio system with USB support that would make the ride much more entertaining and fun.
Following its low price, Hyundai has cut some features but surely stands on pedestal in front of Maruti 800 and Tata Nano who can be treated as mere audience in front of EON. The unique digital gear shift indicator helps attain maximum optimum gear usage and best possible fuel efficiency. Alternate Management System allows control of power supply to a battery depending on the load and thus reduces fuel consumption and improves entire performance. Now, what else an Indian buyer wants.
Hyundai EON Sportz
There are some buyers who cannot just be satisfied without a keyless entry and consider safety to be on priority. For such customers, Hyundai EON Sportz is the suitable choice. This is the high end variant with all the features offered in other models along with front fog, lamps, driver side airbag, keyless entry, body color outside mirror and door handles, metallic finish 3 spoke steering wheel unlike other variants which have 2 spoke steering. It also adorns metallic finished inside door handles which enhance the sporty style on EON.
Introduction
When Hyundai first launched the Santro, it re-wrote the rules of the small car segment in India. Here was a small car that had enough performance and practicality without sacrificing on space and efficiency – it changed the way we Indians looked at small cars. Needless to say, the Santro became a huge hit and was the backbone of Hyundai in India. It made everything that Hyundai stands for today. Though the Santro is still going strong, today the buyer's tastes have changed. Now it was time for Hyundai to do a successor to the Santro- a modern hatchback that answers all the needs of the Indian small car buyer. The competition was growing over the years with the Spark and the Nano but along with them Hyundai had one car in its sights- the Alto. The Alto has been the king in its segment for a long time and Hyundai wanted a slice of the action too. The result is the Eon. The much hyped and anticipated car has been in the market since September 2011 but isn’t doing ‘hot’ numbers yet – it was only the 12th largest selling model in India for Jan 2012 for example. So, what exactly does the Eon deliver and where does it lack? Somnath Chatterjee has the answer!
Hyundai Eon Sportz Interiors and cabin
Get inside and Hyundai seems to have worked on the 'feel-good' factor here also. The interior is cheerful and airy and pretty well made. What I liked was the use of nice materials and plastic quality was good as well. There is nothing here that is crude and feels built to a price. Hyundai have used beige in the cabin that brings in the luxury factor automatically as well. The design of the dashboard is curvy and the layout is simple. The steering wheel is not too big or small and feels good to hold. The instrument panel is a very simple three dial affair. What we didn't like on the Eon were some of the shiny bits on the centre console like the buttons for the CD player and FM. Storage is well looked after in the Eon with plenty of spaces to store your knick knacks. In terms of equipment, the Eon has a CD MP3 audio system plus Aux-in-port and USB. Now these features are mostly seen on more expensive cars and here it is a welcome touch. These features worked well when we used them, the music system was average though. Other features include ilt steering, gear shift indicator and front power windows.
Space on the Eon is average. The headroom is good but legroom is again on the average side. In the back three would be a squeeze. The seats themselves are good on the comfort factor but some more legroom would be appreciated. The rear seats don't have the kind of legroom that the even the Tata Nano offers and the narrowness of the cabin makes it even more apparent. In terms of space the Eon is near the Alto and behind the likes of the Nano. No problems on the issue of getting in and out, it’s easy and elderly people in your family would have no problems whatsoever. Boot space at 215 litres is decent.
Hyundai Eon Sportz Engine and performance
Powering the Eon is an 814 cc petrol engine. It has three cylinders/9 valves and makes 56 PS. Now 56 PS on paper does feel less as compared to say the Alto K10 and indeed, we weren't expecting the Eon to be quick at all. But in the city, the performance of the engine is adequate and you do not feel it is underpowered. In traffic you have to keep in the right gear to extract the full performance and if you do that there won't be many issues about driving the Eon in the city. But if you apply more speed, things go a bit downward in the Eon. The engine feels strained and noisy which is characteristic of a three cylinder. The stability at high speeds is good but it’s a car that does not like high speeds. The 0-100 is about 19 seconds which is average at best. The braking performance is good with disc at front and drum at the back
The Eon has a 5-speed manual gearbox and we felt the shift action could have been better. The throws are light but the gearshift feels rubbery and is not as smooth as the i10 or even the Santro! Then there are the noticeable vibrations coming from the gearbox.
These days when fuel prices are going up every now and then, fuel economy is of paramount importance and crucially the Eon delivers regarding this aspect. The Eon has a fuel economy of 21.1 kmpl, as certified by ARAI. In the city if you keep it in the right gear and drive sedately the Eon will deliver fuel economy in the region of 17-18kmpl easily.
The performance of the Eon is acceptable since it has a three cylinder engine and you cannot expect more from that. However a bigger engine in the future would be a great addition.
Hyundai Eon Sportz Suspension
The Eon is primarily designed as a city slicker and it works wonders in the city. The clutch is easy to use and you have good visibility all around the car. Thanks to its compact dimensions, it’s very easy to park and you can squeeze the Eon into gaps, which is very handy these days! The steering of the Eon is light and does not require much effort thus improving its city car credentials even more. However the steering is a bit too light for our liking and could have been a little more direct. That leads to the handling, which again thanks to its relatively small wheelbase, makes for quick getting in and out of the traffic and there are no major amounts of body-roll present.
The suspension in the Eon comprises of a Torsion Beam Axle with Coil spring at the rear and a McPherson Strut with Coil spring and anti-roll bar at the front and a Gas type shock absorber. After driving it in the city and going over some rough and even doing some mini off-roading, we have to say that the Eon rides very well. The suspension does a good job of filtering out many of the potholes despite the car having puny tyres!
Refinement on the Eon is average at best as there is some noise getting in the cabin. As you drive there is a fair amount of road noise that filters through. The braking performance is good with disc at front and drum at the back and there is no sense of panic in the Eon on hard braking again despite having small tyres.
Final Verdict
After driving the Hyundai Eon we are definitely impressed. Hyundai have managed to do what they originally planned with the Eon. The Eon shows that budget small cars need not to be just cheap and economical, they can be stylish also. The Eon is definitely the best looking car in its class beating the Nano, Spark and the Alto in this department. However the Eon is not perfect – for example, the interiors are really very roomy – the half priced Nano is more spacious. The engine loses steam with a full load of passengers with the air-con working. The gear-shift quality is something we didn’t expect from a Hyundai! That said, the interior design and quality is miles ahead of the competition.
But with the pricing, Hyundai seems to have got it absolutely right. In our opinion the best bet is the Eon D-Lite+ variant at Rs 2.98 lakh ex-showroom as it has got most of the basic features like air-conditioning, power steering, gift shift indicator and body coloured bumpers.
Hyundai is also offering an LPG variant at an extra cost of Rs 27,000 – now this is a good thing. And unlike the rivals, this one comes with enough safety options too!
As we said, no car is perfect, even the Eon isn’t. However, it plays most key roles very well – looks, quality, economy and the price tag. As for the sales figures, let’s just give this little angle from Hyundai some more time to gel into the market and we are sure the sales charts will soon be on fire!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)