Diamond white Chevrolet Cruze LTZ MT , 41500Km

[eccentricloner]

Hi,

We purchased a diamond white Chevrolet Cruze LTZ MT on 17th of June 2010. The car has done 41550km So far.

Things that i like

• Aggressive styling
• Sunroof which is very useful in my place
• Engine performance after 1400 RPM
• Front seats
• PEPS

Things that I don't Like

• Quality of interior plastics (easily get scratches)
• 5000 Km service interval (very low for a diesel car)
• poor handling
• Only ABS. no EBD andTCS.
• clutch
• tall gear ratios
• grey leather seats looks cheap and rear seats are too hard.
• no USB port

Modifications done

• Changed the shocks to Bilstein B6 at 38000Km
• Pete's Remapped at 41100km

Stock Suspension

The most disappointing aspect about Chevrolet Cruze is its Suspension. Cruze is a very bad handler. I drive mostly on ghat roads of Idukki district (Kerala). Cruze understeers even if you go into a corner at even at moderate speeds. I am not happy with the ride either. Ride is good a very low speeds. But ride is fidgety and is not it settled over anything but very smooth roads. Bad suspension, heavy clutch and tall gear ratios make Cruze a pain to drive on uneven ghat roads.

Suspension with Bilstein B6 Dampers
After 38000Km, the shock absorbers were changed to Bilstein B6 on 13^th of April. Paid Rs.54000 for the B6. Price of B14 coilover kit is Rs.78000.Didn’t opt for B14 as I don’t want to reduce the ground clearance. Pete’s offers 3 year/1 lakh Km warranty on Bilstein shocks.

I am very much satisfied with the performance of B6. Bilsteins are definitely worth every penny. Cruze has become entirely different car to drive. Understeer has been reduced significantly and the car has become more of a neutral handler now. I have been able to carry much more speeds into the corners now (But the crappy set of tyres ran out of grip easily). Somebody roll is still present. I haven’t gone above 140 Kmph after installing B6 as maintaining that kind of speeds are dangerous in small highways of Kerala during daytime. I have taken a few corners at 100-110 Kmph, Car felt very stable.

Ride has also become better. The body movements on uneven roads have now vanished. Ride is now flat and well settled. I haven’t sat in passenger seat after upgrade. Mom and father told me they feel much more comfortable with the upgraded suspension

Engine and transmission

car starts to pull well from 1300-1350 RPM and the pull get stronger once RPM passes 1800. Torque starts to drop after 3000 RPM. Gear ratios are too tall. Clutch is very aggressive. Tyres have been changed the to 225/55 R16 at 35K Km. The increase in weight of the tyre / rotational inertia has resulted in slightly lower acceleration. The stock engine now seems to pull only after 1400 RPM.

Pete's remap: Initial Impressions

Car was remapped on last Saturday by Pete’s (Diesel inside) for Rs.38000. The claimed output power is 180bhp, torque is 380Nm.Engine feels more smoother, power delivery has become linear at low RPMs. Engine revs more freely now.

From 1000 RPM to 1300 RPM

The stock engine feels dead below 1300RPM. The remap has increased the low end torque very slightly (1000 to 1300). I drove the remapped car in Ernakulum city. Car is now much easier to drive in city. Requires fewer gear shifts. If not come to stand still, It’s possible crawl on 2^nd gear (with clutch fully engaged). There is sufficient torque for the car to move well from 27kmph(apprx ) in 3^rd gear on any level road .

From 1300 to 1700 RPM.

Stock engine has a sudden jump in torque somewhere around 1500RPM. Torque of the remapped car linearly increases from 1300 RPM to about 1700 RPM.

From 1700 RPM to 3800(apprx) RPM.

Stock engine pulls well from 1700 to 3000 RPM and torque reducers after 3000 RPM. The remapped car pulls much strongly from 1700 RPM to about 3800 RPM. There was so much torque that I was afraid to floor the accelerator after 3000 RPM on the short straights of Idukki roads in 3^rd gear.
From 3800 to 4400 RPM.
I think after 3800 RPM torque starts dropping quite steeply. I revved the engine up to 4400 RPM in 3^rd gear. I am not very sure about this.

During the drive I was able to maintain 3 digit speeds very easily. Acceleration in 4^th gear from 80-110 felt is much more than the 55-85 Kmph acceleration of stock engine in 3^rd gear .

[eccentricloner]

A few pictures of my Cruze

[mclaren1885]

Hhhmmm! I am almost sold for the B6s. What's the drop in height with the B14s? Also, what does the B6 come with? Height adjustment or damping adjustment or is it just fixed?

Can't wait to meet you in person in July. Would be quite a sight, 3 White Cruze burning the roads

[megazoid]

Awesome. Was thinking of something on these lines for the laura. Do keep updating the thread.

Can't wait to meet you in person in July.

Whats happening in July?

[mclaren1885]

Whats happening in July?

Planning a drive to Kerala in both the Cruze and then a mega-drive being planned with the rest of the Kerala guys through some of the best roads in Kerala. You must join

[eccentricloner]

I am almost sold for the B6s. What's the drop in height with the B14s? Also, what does the B6 come with? Height adjustment or damping adjustment or is it just fixed?

By default, B14 lowers the car by 20-25mm. B6 is just non-adjustable shocks.

[mclaren1885]

By default, B14 lowers the car by 20-25mm. B6 is just non-adjustable shocks.

Hhhhmmm! I sort of love the options you get with adjustable shocks. Even though it might lower the car by 20mm, at a stiffer setting it won't travel as much to bottom out the car.

D2 Racing also has complete coil over kit for the Cruze! Maybe viperjng can tell us how much it will cost landed and how much the ride height will get dropped or if it will remain the same. And if it is damping + height adjustable.

What I really want is to stop the rear from stepping out under hard braking from high speeds! It makes driving the Cruze very nervous, a problem I haven't had to face in most cars other than the old Verna.

[viperjng]

D2 Racing also has complete coil over kit for the Cruze! Maybe viperjng can tell us how much it will cost landed and how much the ride height will get dropped or if it will remain the same. And if it is damping + height adjustable.

Rahul,

Will cost Rs57500/-+ vat delivered anywhere in India.

Viper

[eccentricloner]

Rs57500/-+ vat delivered anywhere in India.

That's very much VFM compared to Bilstein. What about warranty?

[viperjng]

HI,

Warranty will be standard manufacturer warranty of 1 year routed thru us. We deal with the company directly and no middleman is involved.

Viper