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Car and bike questions? We have the answers

I want to buy a hatchback and I have two in mind - the Alto and Indica LXi V2. If I go in for the V2, I have some doubts about how noisy it is, fit and finish and typical Indian quality interiors. The Alto sounds nice but has no independent suspension, no V2-type good looks. Please suggest the car out of these two which will manage long runs without trouble.

T Suzane, via e-mail

If it was our money, we'd go for the Alto. Don't worry about the lack of independent rear suspension — the Alto rides extremely well for such a small car. Size is a factor, though - remember that it is a lot smaller than the Indica, which is fine if you drive it yourself, but throw in a family and a chauffeur and you have problems. Overall, the Alto will be much easier to own than the Indica because it is both trouble-free and fuel-efficient as well.

I drive a Ford Ikon 1.6 ZXi which has done 38,000 km. I regularly get the wheel balancing and alignment done. Recently I found that the tyres get worn out on the inner side (front). My car has factory-fitted MRF Zigma VTS tyres. I asked a couple of tyre dealers who said I should change the tyres as they have been damaged due to faulty alignment and balancing. Also, can I fit Bridgestone 205/60-R13s? The car is fitted with Ford-supplied alloy wheels.

Jesal Mehta, via e-mail

The Ikon has a fixed camber setting and thus the front tyres are prone to faster wear than the ones at the rear. No periodic alignment and balancing will help compensate the premature wear on the tyres but periodic rotation, preferably between 3000-5000 km, or once every three months in case the running is less, will definitely help equalise wear and increase tyre life. Check alignment and balancing once every 10,000 km, or once a year. If the tyre has been dismounted from the rim, then balancing is mandatory for that tyre. Secondly, if the vehicle has suffered a severe impact or has traversed a very bad patch of road for some time after the incident, checking wheel alignment is necessary. Before a routine alignment, however, it's best advisable to dismount the tyres off the rim and invert them to prolong tyre life. Note that this exercise cannot be carried out on directional and asymmetrically-patterned tyres.

Though the Overall Diameter of the original size 175/70-R-13 and the upsize 205/60-R-13 are the same; i.e., 586 mm, the section width of the 205 is larger by 33 mm. This may cause a problem on turns or if the car is loaded over a nasty bump. Secondly, the tyres may be a bit stiff to manoeuvre at slow speeds. Hence we would suggest the 185/70-R-13 as an ideal upsize for the Ikon.

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