Ford Ikon 1.6 EXi

It has the power, smooth drive and very safe to drive. Even at high speeds you do not feel that car is driving you, you are in full control. The safety feature might bother us sometimes like for e.g., any issue in the electric part the who system goes down but look at the recent news articles where cars start burning killing the occupants, some hassles are worth as they are saving your life.

It happened to me once that I smelled some burning smell and immediately my car came to halt and I was very frustrated to get myself caught in this situation little late in the night but then arranged to get the mechanic and he was able to put it in running condition and then next day complete inspection of the car revealed that one of the fuse points was loose and it started burning and this could have lead to short circuit in the car leading in burning of car or damage to the engine. I was happy that my car has intelligent system to ensure that passengers life is not at risk at any cost, after all safety comes first.

I had a very good drive in city and out as well, in city the major problem is changing gears after every 2 minutes and my car runs at speed of 10kmph even in 3rd gear I dont need to push the gears back.

Its not a fuel efficient car, but given the traffic conditions of Mumbai I guess no car can perform and deliver high mileage. I am getting mileage of 8 kmpl in city and trust me when I used to use Maruti 800 it used to deliver mileage of 11 kmpl, so just 3 kmpl less then maruti 800 and see the huge difference in power and size of the car.

I feel very comfortable and safe when I am in my car, though I still keep fire extinguisher :)

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I got Ford Ikon Flair  1.3.   March 2005.

The spares are too much expensive .

I got replaced Rear view mirror (on door) cost 1500/-+ labour.

and Air (hot and cold small machine ) costed 5000/- plus as spare part.

Ford Spares are really very expensive and you ought to have deep pockets.

I am gonna sell my car the moment I will get goody buyer.

Won't recommend anyone  to buy Ford ever in your life. Spares are too expensive.

I purchased this car instead of Esteem( I dont regert),

I liked driving this vehicle,  One have to have deep pockets for spares of this car..

The repair is really expensive..

what else can I say  to complete 150 words , I cant say much now

cause spares really hurts your pocket,  never ever think of buy

this car or this car gonna cost you dear after two year with

expensive repair

Andy

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It is in deed a pleasure to write about my Ikon. It was an Ikon LXI and was fitted with a 13 CD changer, pinoeer stereo set and plush leather seats. Trust me, I have been in the auto ancillary industry for more than 10 years and I can tell you quite a bit about interiors and cars. Mine was miles ahead of a lot of other cars in the segment and was a beauty. Since my wife's native was Pondy I used to frequent to Pondy via ECR Road and it was a pleasure driving it.

The best part of the vehicle was its power steering and the sturdy road grip it was giving. I used to maintain it very well and it never let me down even in the middle of the night when I used to come back alone. It could pick up the speed very easily and I was always able to compete with others and drive ahead as Ford it self does against it's competitors. It was envied by all the drivers of my superiors and once when I went to Vellore I drove it ahead of a Sonata. I will always cherish the pleasure fo driving the Ikon which gave me an iconic status among my friends and clooeagues.

Sincerely,

P. Chandrasekar.

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Let me first announce that I have only driven two sedans extensively till date . Maruti esteem and the Ford Ikon. I mostly drive on highways and not much in city as parking in mumbai city is a major problem.I am using Ikon since last 4 years. Then there were mainly very few choices , hyundai accent , maruti esteem, fiat Sienna  , opel corsa and the ford Ikon.

As I had already used the esteem for 7 years it was not considered again, fiat was not doing well hence was out  , corsa being very small on space was out too and then I zeroed down on accent and the ikon. I tested both and bought the Ikon CLXI due to the cheaper cost and solid built. Initially as I was used to the quick engine of esteem I found the ikon Rocam engine little sluggish. Soon after driving ikon for few thousand kms I realised that this thing was different and I was very impressed with very strong and solid feel on highways. Mumbai - Pune expressway was enjoyable and for the first time in my life I did 150 Kms / hour without any fear in mind. It was very stable even at high speed. The steering was very stable and did not shake.Unlike the esteem even the 5th gear has enough power. I must say the braking and gear check is 100 times better than the esteem.I have driven it on worst roads with full of potholes , craters on highways and let me tell you that you can beat any Indian SUV on this front.

The suspension is just superb. I have seen boleros struggling on bad roads and ikon was just gliding with confidence. I am getting around 11 km /lit. in city and 15 km / lit. on highways with ac on which should be ok. I never drive with heavy foot.The space inside is good enogh for 4 adults. The codriver seat has great sapce due to cut like shape in the dash. The pastics should be much better.The view for driver is very good. The wind sheild is comparatively smaller hence it does not allow harsh sunlight inside which gives you very cozy feel in summer.

I had experienced that problem with the esteem as it has big windshield. the AC is quite goon in front. I have serviced it just once and it's still giving great cooling. The only problem area is the humming noise that gets inside the cabin when on highway ( I think it's due to the suspension) and the costly spares. The silencer assembly which I had to replace due to corrosion afetr 3 yeasrwas for some Rs.11, 000 with labour. My experience with my dealer Shaman ford has been decent.Overall it's a great car for those who just need the basics right without the frills.

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I am writing this review since my family owns both Ford Flair Nxt & Esteem Vxi.Since the topic is about comparison between two vehicles I am putting my views through the following parameters:

A. Engine & BHP : Esteem Vxi has a 1.3 (1299 CC) MPFI engine which produces 85 bhp. Flair on the other hand has 1.3 (1298 CC) Rocam engine producing 70 bhp.

B. Looks : New Esteem with an uppish nose as a consequence of cosmetic change looks alright, infact it has given Maruti's old warhorse as new lease of life. But even with the cosmetic changes Esteem looks dated after all. New Ford Flair with new stylish fog lamps is far superior in looks compared to Esteem.

C. Fuel Efficiency : Esteem gives around 10-12 kmpl with AC on in normal city conditions & around 13-15 kmpl on highway. Ford Flair provides 8-9 kmpl with AC on in city conditions & probably 10 kmpl on highway. This data should not surprise the readers because all Japanese cars are far more fuel efficient than American or European cars.

D. Manouvreability: Ride & handling are exciting in a Flair as compared to an Esteem. Flair is a steady car both at high speed or city touring as against an Esteem.

E. Price : Japanese Car makers kill competition with their pricing. Maruti exteem LX (lowest model)would come at around Rs. 4.24 lacs (ex showroom) where as Ford Flair (lowest in Ford Stable) would come at around Rs. 4.76 lacs (ex showroom)

I would recommend a Flair to a a person who loves to drive & an Esteem to a person who wants a mid size sedan at a price he can't resist.

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I have been driving a Ford Ikon since 2004.  It came fitted and finished reasonably well for a car in its class despite the rough edges. Great car to drive, has a punchy engine and a great gear box.  However !!

The competition would say FORD is an acronym for FIX OR REPAIR DAILY,  Which is true in the case of my car. It has been plagued niggling problems.  Badly focused lights, poor shocks, leaks in the steering hydraulics, central lock failures.etc etc.

The service attention at the Ford Dealership is very poor and with just one dealer in Cochin, and the swelling number of Ford Owners- thanks to Fiesta- they are unable to cope with the numbers.Repetitive calls have to be made to the service centre.  The car goes in atleast 3-4 times a month due to unfinished work.  Besides the vehicle is returned dirty after a service.

If dealer and service satisfaction is something one is looking forward while buying a car- FORD does not come recommended.

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I own a Ford Icon 1.3 . I bought it way back in 2005 . 2 years it gave me good service .  UNTIL .

Bad things started on 23 May .The car's exhaust became overtly noisy  I never had this experience before . So I took it to the workshop.

Next day they told me that the part of exaust would need to be changed . Then next day they called me and said that the entire unit needs to be changed .

It was indeed a major expense . Anyway I had no choice but to do it .

After everythings over, It was as good as previous again but for one week only .

Now the new problem is the power steering became very tight . which means a huge problem in driving in cities like bangalore .

I immediately went to the Ford authorised workshop .After a lot of goof-ups they finally found that

the power steering pump had failed .

and just told me over my face with a smile 'A replacement will cost 23, 000' .

I didnt give up. I contacted senior authority of Ford India . They made a Rs 5000 discount.

Everythings fine .

Again the streering became overtly tight .

The problem was an oil leak in the pump and tghe workshop told that again the entire unit need to be changed again .

When I asked how a pump could fail so soon after it had been changed, the workshop refused to site a reason and told me to pay Rs 15000 only( orignally 23k but 15 k for me as a goodwill gesture)

I told the workshop manager that I wanted to remove the pump they had fitted and return money .

*Part of money was returned immediately, rest promised back soon .

I have lost all faith in Ford . and I have decided to send it in a private garage .I  work at wipro . I cannot go here-and-there all the time . These services cause very much inconvenience in our lives.

Even though its a great car but the service .better    dont ask .

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I took this car in 2005 aug 1 , luckily had a 3 yr extended warranty-- done 28K so far

I had the follwoing problems in the 2 yrs :

Major : Heavy rattling noise just after first birthday of car - bang on 4th aug 2006- my a/c compressor was changed FOC  as it was under extended warranty ( apdi for caompressor il etc charged 2K approx)

Paint peel off :: very shocking to see paint peel off near front windshied; Ford service center yet to answer me on that , Hope they will soon.

Quality of car :: Ford really needs to improve its quality of workmanship on these cars.

Over all satisfaction:  7 on a scale of 10

Good ; service of dealer ( chennai ford ) is good.

Ride : some thing that makes me to drive on highway again and agin. handling , road feel, cornering, suspension so good. done 150 peak spped and still feel in control..

Mileage : avg for this car at 11 to 12 city - highway at 14 -15 . (what else you expect)

Build : Needs to improve.

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I bought ford Ikon flair on July 5th 2007. Its a pretty decent car, the new interiors is what I loved the most, when I compared it with other cars in the segment, either the cars are too expensive, or they dont have a good interior or the stuff used inside does not match up with the price and the expectations.

The new beige interiors are something to look forward too.

I have just driven the car for around 200 KMS now, and I like the overall feel of driving it.

The boot is very spacious and the car while driving doesnt look that big, its easy to drive, a/c is quite powerful and there is not much of a load on the engine while the a/c is turned on.

Will update again soon on the mileage part...but the dealer has promised nothing less than 12 in city conditions.

I m very bad at writing reviews, but wanted to pen one as soon as I get my new car. I have taken lot of inputs from this site, before buying the car...some bad some good.

Thanks to everyone for contributing.

Cheers,

Vikas

Part 2 - writing after almost 18 months since I bought this car...

okie..Now I have driven the car for what I feel is the longest time...

Overall performance of the car is good...AC is still better compared to other cars in this segment..

I have been to couple of long drives...and the car gave an incredible mileage of 16Km per litre on the bangalore - hyderabad highway...this was with AC at an average speed of 100.

I wasnt very comfortable driving on the long drive as I had my right leg aching due to uncomfortable seating. Yes, its not me but most of the guys of an average hight 5'10 and 5'11 have said....the feeting position isnt very great when sitting for long hrs...

Apart from it..the only problem I have faced is the fan belt has become little loose and now it makes very loud shrill noise when the engine is cold..or say in the mornings...and this has to be replaced...

Serviceing of the car is a bit on the expensive side...

Metro ford have started charging for pick up and delivery of cars for service, earlier this was free.

I forgot to mention, till now I have driven only 11000 KM's. I use the car mostly for city commute, that office to home and on weekends...

Will keep you guys posted...if there is anything specific you wish to know, do let me know and I will try to answer or help you to the best of my knowledge.

Safe Driving to all.

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I was impressed with Ford Ikon right from the time it was launched. It is one beauty of a car compared its counterparts ‘Accent’, ‘Indigo’, ‘Sienna’, etc. I always dreamt of owning one and envied the proud ‘Ikon’ owners when I saw them zooming past me on the roads.

Once we were stuck Chennai traffic with my family in an ‘Ambassador’; on a sunny afternoon & we all were sweating in the scorching heat of Chennai. As I looked out, I noticed an ‘Ikon’ beside me. There was a small family in it and they had rolled up the glass with the AC running. I noticed that they were so comfortable and they wouldn’t have even realized how much heat it was outside. I showed them to my wife and said, "We would also go like that one day". "Don’t day dream" she said teasingly. When the traffic was cleared the ‘Ikon’ zoomed pass us and was gone. After some months of getting into a new job, I had sufficient amount to make my dream come true.

I went to Chennai and bought a used Ford Ikon, 1.8D – 2003 model which had run only 43000 kms. As I am from Trichur I had to drive it from Chennai to Trichur(675 kms) and that was a great experience altogether. Here I was able to test this car on different types of Indian roads, at different speeds with and without AC and also filled up the tank from Chennai to study the mileage. After running exactly 300 kms, I again filled up my tank and it took only 15 litres to fill the tank again and after calculation, I was amazed that I was getting a whopping 20 km/ltr for this car on a highway. I was very happy with my new buy.

About the car, the 1.8 D Diesel engine is powerful for a car of this size. With the full AC running the car moves very smoothly and there is no slag. There is no vibration or unnecessary sound except for the soft music coming out of the music system. The interiors are also good looking, but the quality of plastic seems to be cheap and the ‘Grey’ colour they chose is very dull looking. It could have been beige colour to give a good posh look to the interiors. I replaced the seat covers with leather beige colour and it looks great now.

The visibility for the drive is also quite good as all the sides are easily visible. The problem is while reversing you can’t see anything as the back on the inside is very high. But then if you are good at reversing by looking at the rear view mirrors, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.

The boot is big and can accommodate enough luggages for a world cruise.

Now my car has run 14000 kms after I have bought it and I have only done the regular oil changes and preventative maintenance on this. For any car, if you keep up with the preventative maintenance with your daily checks and service the car on time, then it would surely give you a headache free performance.

My car still looks new as you can see from the attached photo. I have put new set of Chrome alloy wheels that has added to its majestic look.

It is very unfortunate that the company has stopped production of such a fine car, but did not replace it with any other car. Of course, they say ‘Fiesta’ is good but I have never driven it so far. But I don’t have any intentions to sell my beauty as she is still in excellent condition.

I have noticed people turn their heads when I drive along. Unfortunately I have called for a lot of envy in the neighborhood, but anyway for me it’s the owner’s pride that counts, isn’t it?

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I was a hard core ford fan. having drive 1.6 prior to my buying ford ikon1.3. I just didnot even consider any other car in the esgment though g.m motors were after my life. when i bought the car in baroda it had the power loss on turning and taking hieghts. i complained but

they told me it would be fine. trusted them but when the

frequency became very evident the vehicle started going to the garage

very frequently. every time it came out with an assurance but to my

dismay. this way two yrs passed by and y the time warranty had already

expired.

I tried writing to ford international but the rude reply came was -pl. contact ford india. i think these these international players play harh on indian markets. they send their sub standard products and sell it in india by advertising with big fan following heroes. My faith till this date was still in th brand as every service, at defined intervals as per the company norms, but to my shock and utter dismay I was recently told by bhagat ford, I have shifted to chd, that the car needs engine job at just 65000 kms-though its single hand

drive.

One buys petrol cars for atleast 1.5 lac kms of trouble free engine comfort but to my horror , i m still under shock, that these so called big brands take you for aride and their customer

service is worst -they don't even listen to you.

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I already have done close to 30 k in my ford in last 2+ yrs. It has been a pleasure to drive this car. I have been getting mileage of  only 12+ on delhi roads in peak summer, which is  little annoying.

AC is fantastic. Very effective even in 45+ Temp. Legroom in back is good. Although the car has dated looks and the company would do well to come up with a change in external look.

Boot Space is very large, and you can easily fit in full family luggage in case you go out often.

Parking of car is difficult as you won't be able to comfortably "back" the car.

So far haven't given  me a chance to go to dealer beyond regular service, however taking its "advance maintenance guarantee" is highly recommended.

Spares are quite expensive, so be be prepared to shell out 4k in every servicing.( beyond 1 yr)

Good Sedan buy in 4.5-5 Lakh  category.

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I have done about 10000 kms on my Flair and it has been a wonderful experience with its style, and the zip,  But the noise inside the car while it's running, particularly in highways at good speed, is a little too much of late and I wonder if this could be because of some problem with the wheel bearing.  Also when I am on the 5th gear, the car appars to rattle and creates a lot of vibration.  I wish someone could help me understand why ths is so.

Mileage within the city is just about 9 kms with AC  on and on highways it gives me 14-15.  I am not really concerned about this as any other efficient Sedan could possibly give you 10-15% more.  The service is not particularly good at Chennai...wonder if MyTVS could be a better alternative.  Would be happy to receive some feedback on that...

Srik

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*A great car . for the two years I drove one. It was simply superb. Smooth drive and gr8 looks.But then the other side of the coin .  One= Switch on the AC broke COST@ 4800 nothing comes from ford in hundreds! Two= Sluggish with AC On. Really need to drive on low gear for u to make progress. DEALERS= Life Sucks here. well while in bangalore I found service center to be very honest and cordial. PLANET FORD Experience(:-  HOW DID FORD CHOOSE DEALERS LIKE PLANET AND TALERA .

Do they have any benchmarks? SERVICE WAS SHODDY. Staff was talking about estimates without looking at the wreckage properly. Their unit is a rip off. DONT GO BY THE LOW INITIAL

PRICE TAG. LETS FACE IT EVERYONES LUCK RUNS OUT SOME TIME OR THE OTHER.

just pray u are not in PUNE AND its not run out with your CAR!24HOURS ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE - Non existent. If somebody picks up the phone u

are lucky at least he / she will chat to you at your expense. But no

towing facility. You gotto do it urself. *

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Why under this Ikon head? It evolves from 3 years of ownership of a car which shares the same surname!

Why Car Maintenance?: Hello, do you know what maintenance can do to your backside.. yes, the one which sticks out in every tight thingy you wear? It can reduce the thickness of that wallet in such quick time that you may well prefer paying out the other kinda maintenance rather!

Why Mouse?: The mouse is an integral part of every man and woman's daily life now, with even the gulping of morsels of breakfast and lunch being timed with clicks of the mouse on some frank or free soul's Review, or Order book, or Bill Pay! But then, this mouse is the one which, though less famous, existed on our planet even before Charles Babbage started having his Cabbage soup on his own! And, as you read on, you shall figure out, in Newtonian style, why Mouse begins the title, which ends in Maintenance!

Cut the Crap!: I had a car. I still have a car. I have a wife. No, they didn't come together! The car has behaved magnificently (the wife too, she at times reads these you see!), though these days it is welting under intense competition from Fida-yeen siblings! The car is black. It has hardly been 'exploited'! It gives great mileage, and is ultimately reliable, at times even more than its driver-cum-owner! (Sorry, delete the 'cum' part, if it's offensive in a car!). The cum, oops the driver, had to go out of station for 3 weeks. The car, as would be the case with all of your, was parked in a slot adjacent to the apartment. Me went. Nobody used the car. Me had a rocking time, meeting MSians at the Capital. Me came back after 3 weeks. Car was being used by a pigeon couple with intense levels of fornication and consequent premature releases from multiple orifices! (Doc, name the symptom!) The area was well lit, but there was no Daya from the normally Shanti-ful but Flying Pigeons! Me washed car, got it shining. Me kicked tyres - all healthy, and JK! Me opened the door, switched on the battery. No unnatural red warning lights. Me cranked the engine. Engine acted like an angry spouse at night - no response! Me tried again - various forms of nava rasas, Amateurly of course! A Cloud passed overhead, but didn't stop at Cochin to pour its internals out! Me tried again, and then again. The spider's message, which newly weds too adopt, of 'again n again', yielded no results. Me opened bonnet. Me saw nothing, since me didn't know what to look for! SOS! Ford mobile arrived in 2 hours.

Prognosis: He said "Mouse!". I wondered why he wanted one. Agreed, Ford is all hi-tech and stuff, but a mouse for trouble-shooting! And, if so, he should have got his own. I don't like sharing things which roll under my fingers, anyway! He finally relented. "A Mouse has bit the rubber of the wiring assembly". The smell was so new-rubbery, even I had thought of a munch the first week (I'm talking about the car!). A mouse had eaten up part of a Ford Ikon's 2 year old rubber insulation on the wiring.

Quick Fix: No, that is not what you use in such cases! He tried re-insulating, but got confused about the sockets. There were too many openings. Plus, he was a bachelor! "Change wiring assembly", he said. "How much", asked me. "About 11K"! "No, I'll take an auto from now!", words. " Bloody mice. If I ever am at a land where they areeaten, I'll have one live!", thoughts. He managed to tape up, so I could drive it to the Workshop. Of course, the high idling rev-ving sounded as if Narain K was at the wheel! But it was done.

Putting the Finger: .. on the problem is what I mean! They took two days, opening up liver after stomach after colon. They finally found that the 'ON'-ing of the ignition botched the wiring, shorted it and this, in turn, hit the temperature sensor. When I force cranked the engine to life, this affected the Power Control Module, the brain! So, a bloody mouse had thumped the nerves, the lung and the brain of my car! And I was away, meeting MSians who are going to read all about this! Strange are the ways of the universe!

Jago Grahak Time: I shot off emotional and strong letters to the who's who of Ford, quoting Extended warranty, flimsy engineering (it was actually strong teeth!). Patiently and caringly, they advised me to approach the Insurance folks! I did! Letters flew. This time, though, grahak was screwed rather tight. Insurance collapsed, citing no report was made when damage was observed, hence they could not ascertain the cause! "I did not intend to rip it opn, just quick fix it" fell on glass walls! Ford said "Insurance", Insurance said "Improper method", I said "Shux, I've had it". That put the Consumer logic in me into proper order. (GoAir incident/ review was a effect of such reprogramming!). The bill? INR 49,499, like a Bata price tag! Being a card payment, they didn't return the 1 Re!

Lessons: You would say "High tech cars mein yahi hotha hai".

I say "To get some, you lose some. Plus, I botched it (the refund of cash), primarily due to procedural ignorance and hurry".

You say "So now what?"

I say "Spray chilli paste-in-oil (30 bucks) with a water sprayer (20 bucks) on all rubber parts under the bonnet, every 6 months (or earlier if you do a full waterjet wash). The 50 bucks spent saves a 50K or so".

You say " But my area doesn't have rats. And I don't think rats can enter under my bonnet (car's, I mean!)".

I say "Bend over! Go under! And look up! Prudish as it may sound, you will discover things! Every car has an open area under the bonnet, from where even a small flying elephant can enter, if it can only get under the car first!. And, when you find a place in India sans the rats, plague or not, buzz me too."

You say "What else?"

I say "Don't leave wafers, namkeen etc in the car. Rats like it as well, if not more, than humans, kids included! They attract rats like sleaze on MS attracts a certain surgeon, chocolates attract A (b)abe and rich, hunky men attract a certain Cloud!"

You say "If this still happens, then?"

I say"First call the insurance, along with the Company folks. Later, if you don't want to claim, they would be even more glad than you to agree! But if you don't, like me, then you get exclusive rights of membership to My Club - of those who lost the war because of a Mouse!"

You say "Good review. Thanks."

I say "Anybody wanna sponsor my repair cost, in lieu?"

When the Cat is away, be sure - The Mice will Play and You will Pay!

You are welcome to share your experiences of the Car-ry and Mouse-y kind and relevant hearsays and seesays in comments, please!

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I bought ford Ikon flair in January 2004. Its very good car and mileage is very good it gives 15.5+ average which is comparable with small car, so one can have good comfort at the running cost of small car. Boot is very spacious.

The only problem is with its exhaust pipe.  In the beginning of 2006 its exhaust system started rusting as it started making more noise. Ultimately I had to get total exhaust system replaced. The reason assigned by dealer was that “ may be sometimes water entered the system while washing the car”. But to my surprise the new exhaust is also started getting rust. I can see the water coming out of exhaust every morning when I take out my car out of garage on the slope.Dont know from where water is coming, any how It is a very good car with very little troubles

Otherwise it is a Great Car in all resects.

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I bought my Ikon 1.3 Flair~ April'04.  I was in love with this car, until soon after it's first birthday.  Less than a month after it's first anniversary [a.k.a. manufacturer's warranty expires], there was a major issue/leak in the power steering.  Dealer told me that it will cost me~20K to fix.  I blew my top saying that considering I always took this car diligently to the same Ford dealer where I originally bought it from; and the last service was only 2 months prior, this kind of thing shouldn't have happened.

As typical in these cases, the customer service rep blamed it on my driving skills, Bangalore road potholes etc.  I skipped his sermon, went directly to the service manager and asked him what he was going to do to keep me as a customer.

Long story short, he worked it out such that I didn't have to pay a paise from my pocket.  So from a service perspective, I think Ford has got it good.

But still, some squeak, rattles remain in my almost 3 year old car [my friend drives an Accent, and it really silent inside].

My car still drives great, love the road-feel, great feel going into the corners [trust me, I've driven Accent, Accord, the old Civic, Optra, yeah even a Scorpio], only car that bought back such great "exhilaration" was my old VW Passat 1.8T that I had back in the US.

Please note that I DO NOT check mileage.  No point in crying over spilt milk.  If people are concerned about kmpl, please read other reviews, BEFORE BUYING! After the deed is done-ENJOY IT!  I need to top up the tank every 1.5weeks, and I do an average of~ 40km per day.  I'll let the mileage freaks do the math on that:-)

Overall, great car, I would buy this car again.would not keep it for more than 3 years, and definitely would NOT buy a Ford again, if these rattles and crakles keep showing up.  I cant afford to buy a car every three years.  A car is not a PC, and Ford is definitely not a monopoly like Microsoft.

P.S: I got my car from Metro Ford in Bangalore.  I would recommend this dealer to you, both from a pre-sales, as well as post-sales [aka service] point of view.

With respect to my ratings:

SPACE INSIDE: 3/5 [What do you expect from a < 6 Lakh car.even a~9Lakh car like Scorpio is crammed inside, and that would get 2/5, now Optra gets 5/5 for~9 lakhs]

DEALER SATISFACTION: 4/5 [read my comments above]

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 3/5 [Not a pertrol-guzzler, .yet]

COMFORT: 4/5 [excellent driver seat, and love the ergonomics of the back seat]

RELIABILITY: 2/5 [see my comments above]

LOOKS: 3/5 [Average, trust me, I didnt buy it for the looks]

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I have this car for last 2 years. The single most positive point of this car is its handling. It is definitely a josh machine with excellent pick up and strong body. But, this itself is not enough to recommend it for buying. This model is anyway out of market now but all these features are still mostly available in 1.3 flair.

+tives are:

1. Strong body

   
   




2. Good pick up

   
   




3. Smooth drive at high speed. Definitely a good car to drive it at high speed in 4 lane highways.

   
   

-tive are:

1. Not a luxury car at all, if you are looking for one. Average interior.

   
   




2. Will be heavy on your pocket if you drive in city conditions more often than not. Ideal only for 4 lane highway drive. In city condition, with a milege of less than 10KM, it is a bad thing to own. Even the best of Ford service can not increase the milege of this car with Rocam engine.

   
   




3. Above all is Ford Service. Think about it. They serviced my car twice and could not catch that one of the nuts in the rear wheel is missing. I could only catch it when I had flat tyre and was about to change that tyre. Any part will certainly cost higher than your wildest imagination. They are always up for doing some waxing on the outer body. May be, the experience will be different with a different dealer in a different city.

   
   

The price of the current 1.3 flair is relatively low and probably the best for the people who are looking for a big car wih this much budget. But, do think about the budget that you have set aside for keeping the car running once u own that.

The end result is though I enjoy driving the machine, I do not recommend it to my friends, particularly with so many other options available in the market in the same price range.

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The vehicle is very good in-terms of getting into Mid segment vehicles. The only challenge in the fuel efficiency as well as operations cost is to have the LPG / CNG easy conversion. I have approached many LPG / CNG experts and practically it is advised not to adopt these(dedicated) as the coil current is running in positive. This means if we run the vehicle on LPG / CNG; some settings would be changed in AIR filter ratio as well. This would cause knocking when we would switch over to Petrol.

As the CNG as well as LPG is not available nationwide, it would is advisable to have duel-fuel option and not the dedicated option.

I would be happy if any one can suggest me a new technology to enjoy the duel- fuel with my IKON. In that case I would never ever think of selling out my "lovely power house".

S Parkar

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I have been reading the reviews for all these days and today I decided to write one. I bought a second hand Ikon Flair (Sept 2004) Model, I bought this car as I liked its looks and I had never tried this car before. but I realised what an amazing car it is after I bought it.

I had recently been for a trip in this car, it was an amazing experience, the drive was superb, I touched a new high speed of 180Km, I got an over all mileage of 13kmpl with A/C and I think its fare enough for my kind of driving, last time I had got a 14+ mileage.

Well to mention about the good thing about the car: Its interiors are good, turning radius is exelent, power steering is good, good leg space at the back seat, good controle at a high speed and overall the feel is amazing. Also to mention few not so good things are: Breaks should have been a little better, Costly spares and maintanence, mielage is a little less but I think its ok to pay that higher price for the great feel inside the car. I would recomend this car for some one who want to have the pleasure of driving.

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