Hyundai Santro Xing GL Plus (2013): Ownership Review

[Kumar_CarFreak]

Sincere apologies for delay in my updation in the post due to several reasons.

12th December 2020 - Saturday

We had planned a long outstation trip from Chennai to Karaikudi to Rameswaram to Tuticorin to Tiruchendur to Tuticorin to Chennai, which was around 1,800 kms long, and hence a thorough highway fitness needed to be checked and hence I postponed my jorney-start from 12 December 2020 Saturday to 13 December 2020 Sunday.

My losing 1 precious day in my short leave span of 9 days was a big cost, however I wanted the whole journey to be event-less and pleasure filled, and so I decided to start on Sunday and utilize full Saturday to do a complete checkup of the car for the long highway ride.

The car was previously oil serviced in January 2020, and hence my trusted mechanic Kumar (name match), felt that an oil change was not necessary as the vehicle had hardly run 1000+ kms after last oil change, thanks to the COVID pandemic and he suggested to service the car post my long trip or after 3-4 months.

The coolant was topped up, all belts and fasteners were checked, a road test was conducted by Mechanic Kumar, and everything was found well and good for the culprit silencer pipe (muffler rear side pipe) that had been making ugly noise. On inspection, the silencer muffler assembly was found split in a straight line, and mechanic confirmed that it had to be replaced then and there. I agreed. The same was replaced at a cost of 2100 for the pipe and 500 labour. Further, gear oil was topped up - I bought 1 litre can, and some 300 ml was topped up, as mechanic felt the level was little down. The car was driven as usual for a distance of 3 kms, and the Mechanic Kumar confirmed me Kumar that car was perfect.

The under view of the silencer pipe before replacing. It was almost torn.

 

[Kumar_CarFreak]

13th December 2020 to 19th December 2020

The trip started morning of 13th Dec 2021, Sunday, and we headed towards Karaikudi which is 420 kms from Chennai Avadi. We had planned to breakfast at Hotel 99 km after crossing IGuduvancherry, but when we stopped there, we found a better hotel ARIYAS and we had an awesome breakfast there. And we were in Karaikudi for lunch, in less than 5.5 hours...420 kms with two breaks.

Then I headed out for local roaming and wandering in Karaikudi, and things were awesome. Met a couple of school friends, had fruits, snacks, tea at their homes, and spent a nice evening. Met my first and foremost employer in Karaikudi, in the year 2002, Anbu Medicals, the person who helped me by offering a part time job during my college days, which helped a lot to pay my college fees at my distressed financial times.

Day two started with local roam-arounds to famous temples - Pillayarpatti and nearby Kunrakudi temples, and evening, I went into Karaikudi main to wander. The second day evening ended pleasant with a final meet with my 25 year old friend, who sells peanuts in Karaikudi new bus stand.

I bid adieu to this person at about 10:30 pm, and left home there. The second evening in Karaikudi (14th Dec 2020) ended well.

Reached home, and hogged in some bought parathas (famous in Karaikudi) and arranged the luggages and loaded the car, as next morning we were to head towards Rameswaram.

It was a tough time challenge for us to load the car. A couple of bags still couldn't be accommodated in the boot and we had to place it in passenger cabin compromising the puny available leg room for rear as well as my co passenger in front, who is my father.

More on this later.

 

[Kumar_CarFreak]

Some of the clicks in Karaikudi on 13th and 14th December 2020

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[Kumar_CarFreak]

15th December 2020 - Karaikudi to Rameswaram via Devakottai

Started ahead to Rameswaram leaving Karaikudi on 15th morning, and the journey was pleasant enough. On the way somewhere near Ramanathapuram, we had our breakfast in a small shop, as my elder one was terribly hungry enough, and so we couldn't wait till we reach the main junction where Tuticorin by pass crosses, and we have a decent hotel there HOTEL VASANTHAM, where we actually had our lunch while returning from Rameswaram and heading towards Tuticorin (more on that later)..

We stopped at Pamban bridge and took some photoshoots and some videographies.

Due to COVID, unfortunately, we weren't allowed into Sir APJ Abdul Kalaam's holy memorial, so we just did some photoshoots outside and then had some beverages and started ahead to Sri Ramanatha Swamy Temple.

We were not allowed to get into Danushkodi for the same above said pandemic reasons. Sad that my dad couldn't visit Danushkodi (which he had seen some 40 years back), and couldn't enter Sir Kalaam's memorial.

We visited the beach, then Sri Ramanatha Swamy Temple, didn't take up Theertham as the weather was not favorable, and when we were about to start back, it started poring heavily. Somehow, with the help of an auto, we reached the car parking, and in dense rain, we drove towards Tuticorin.

We reached the junction points, from where by pass road to Tuticorin begins or gets diverted, where in HOTEL VASANTHAM, we had a royal lunch. The bearer gave us a courtesy of not charging for my younger daughter, though we were ready to pay for full or at least half meals. Nice gesture. Would recommend that hotel to anyone whoever pass by that place.

Despite heavy rain, we reached Tuticorin the same evening, before dark, event-less...

 

[Kumar_CarFreak]

16th December to 18th December - Tuticorin - Local roundabouts

3 days in Tuticorin were spent wise. We visited our family divine temple in Nalumoola Kinaru, some 7 kms ahead from Tiruchendur, we performed a family pooja, prayed our family divine and then started back afternoon. We reached Tiruchendur Murugan temple, and admist COVID restrictions, we managed to have a Darshan of Murugan, washed feet in the sea shore and by evening, started back.

At our Family Divine - Sri Kunrumalai Saastha (an Avataar of Lord Murugan)

Clicks from Tiruchendur Lord Murugan Temple:

 

[Kumar_CarFreak]

16th December to 18th December - Tuticorin - Local roundabouts - continued

The subsequent two days were utilized well to visit our relative's places in Siru Thondanallur (Eral Zone); Kulasekarapattinam (Tiruchendur Dt); Sawyerpuram, Pudukottai (Tuticorin - Tirunelveli bye pass), so we covered around 7 relatives' places on a single day.

Some of the pics were:

My father having met his B.Ed. classmate after 40+ years...

My father meeting his elder brother and my big father (periyappa in Tamil) - (only alive elder brother / sibling out of 11), after a long period (more than a decade I guess)

 

[Kumar_CarFreak]

19th December 2020

Day of return, everyone sad. Started from Tuticorin early morning 7 am...

Bidding Adieu..

 

[Kumar_CarFreak]

Some missed out pics:

In Pilar Village - Karaikudi - with wife's maternal grandmother.

The evening we reached Tuticorin all the way driving admist rain from Rameswaram