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S. Muralidhar

I OWN a 1997 model Maruti 800 DX. I would like to replace the existing radial tyres with tubeless tyres, as I have heard that they are more advantageous — in the case of sudden punctures, for instance. Your advice.

Ram Holla

Radial tyres already offer considerable protection from punctures compared to the earlier bias-ply tyres. Tubeless tyres are a step further in terms of ride comfort and protection from punctures. As tubeless tyres are bereft of a tube, loss of air from the tyres in the event of a puncture is not as sudden as could be the case in a radial tyre and tube combo. Tubeless tyres also do not suffer from the inherent weakness or sensitivity that a tube's valve comes with. In most cases, you will be able to drive down to the nearest service station or mechanic to swap the tyre, if you detect a puncture in a tubeless tyre.

In addition to this advantage, tubeless tyres also offer other benefits such as quicker steering response, better lateral stability, improved cornering ability, better road grip and speed, and improves the looks of the car as a whole. But, in your case, to switch to tubeless tyres for the Maruti 800, you may have to resort to upsizing or plus sizing. Tubeless tyres will invariably feature a lower profile than radials and finding 12-inch tubeless tyres for the M800 will be more difficult.

Upsizing your tyres involves a few issues that need to be tackled while choosing the most apt tubeless for the M800. Upsizing may also involve replacing the current 12-inch wheels with larger 13-inch wheels, though the manufacturer may not recommend this. You can opt for broader (or wider) tyres with the same profile as your current 12-inchers.

The 145/70 R 12 tyre that comes as standard fitment with the M800 can be replaced with either a 155/65 R 12 or a 165/60 R 12. These are dealer recommended `upsizes' for the M800 and are radials. Finding tubeless tyres of this size profile will be difficult.

Here the first number (155 and 165) is the tyre width in millimetres and the second number is the aspect ratio (or ratio of the tyre's sidewall profile to its width).

Low profile tubeless tyres will need larger wheels and as such may not be the most suitable tyre option if the current 12-inch wheels are retained. Rather than go for tubeless tyres, our recommendation will be to upsize. There are other effects that changing tyres have on the car's performance. These include affecting the speedometer reading and influencing the gear ratios. Upsizing retains the overall diameter of the tyre and ensures that these issues do not arise. Plus sizing will offer you almost all the benefits of a tubeless tyre barring that bit of assurance in the event of a puncture.

I am planning to purchase a multi-utility or sports utility vehicle shortly. We are a family of six and need your advise on the following aspects for the two models — Chevrolet Tavera and Toyota Innova — that we are considering now. Our budget could stretch up to a maximum of Rs 9 lakh (on road). Which model should we opt for considering issues such as fuel efficiency, air-conditioner performance (which is better, dual with rear vents or single?), after-sales service and maintenance costs, features in terms of user reliability (seating comfort) and resale value? We travel approximately 40-50 km daily and the vehicle would be used in city as well as highway traffic. There are some not-so-rave reviews of the Tavera in terms of its power output and ride quality. Are these true? On the other hand, the Innova is a comparatively new car and I am not too sure of its performance capabilities. What is your recommendation?

Jaykumar Jadeja

The Chevrolet Tavera was an attractive option for individual car buyers looking for a multi-utility vehicle or family van. In comparison to the Toyota Qualis, which was the only option available then, the Tavera looked more attractive and was relatively better in the fit and finish department. However, though it was a step up in terms of exterior finish quality and design, interior trim quality and features (except in the top-end variant) were still not very attractive on the value-for-money yardstick.

The Tavera's engine was also a notch above the competition at the time of its launch. But the launch of the Innova, the replacement for the Qualis from Toyota, changed all that. The Innova is so much more stylish, and the interior trim quality and features much better. Also, the new common rail direct injected engine in this Toyota MUV is much more powerful and torquey than the Tavera's. Though both the vehicles feature 2.5-litre engines, the Innova generates a peak power of 102PS against Tavera's 80PS. Similarly, Innova's peak torque of 20.4 Kg-M is more than Tavera's 19 Kg-M. What's more, the Innova engine delivers the high torque in a linear fashion right from as low as 1,400 rpm.

Our recommendation will be the Toyota Innova for its excellent finish quality, contemporary design, near luxury car style interiors and class leading fuel efficiency, even as the refined CRD diesel engine and excellent drive comfort make it as good as any passenger car. Access the archives of this column for a full report of the Innova. The Innova's handling and stability is also unmatched in its segment.

For seating six passengers, the Innova offers ample space. Its seating configuration of four individual bucket seats in the first two rows of seating provide excellent comfort during long drives. As you are looking for a family vehicle, dual air-conditioning with multiple vents for all the three rows may be the variant you should opt for. The single air-conditioner with vents on the dash alone may not be sufficient to cool the interiors, as the third row passengers will sweat it out, especially during the intense Indian summer.

The Innova's G2 diesel variant may be the one you could opt for. Priced at about Rs 8.9 lakh, the on-road price of this variant may be a bit more than your budget, but the long-term benefits and the overall value realised over the life of the vehicle will be better than what other vehicles in this class can offer. The Innova is new to India, but has been around in other countries for almost a year now. So, reliability is as such not that big an issue. Toyota has also already tested this vehicle extensively before bringing it to the market.

(Queries may be sent to: q&a@thehindu.co.in or by post to Q&A, Business Line, 859/860, Kasturi Buildings, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002)

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