Obelix, the Invincible Toyota Fortuner! 3 years & 80,000 kms up

[deetjohn]

Great going Manuuj. Wish you many more miles and a hassle free ownership.

The Toyota maintenance cost is indeed commendable. These numbers are awesome for a vehicle in the D2 segment.

I was recently shocked to find the service cost for my friend' Corolla 1.8. It is just over half of what I pay for our Swift D.

Originally Posted by Manuuj

If any of you can identify the the part and its resting place for me I would be grateful. I abhor the idea of some part that needs to be held down having free rein inside poor Obelix.

Is it a clip from the edge of the seat rails?

[venkat_iyer]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Venkat,
1. Welcome to the brotherhood. Congratulations on a wonderful purchase and may you and the family have a fabulous time in it. Looking forward to your ownership thread and lot of snaps.
2. Thank you for the honourable mention in despatches !
3. Will be sending you a PM - catch it !

Herr Guderian,

Many thanks on the kind wishes! It would no doubt be a great honour to get a PM from you , but unfortunately my Newbie status does not grant me the privilege, I believe.
Though I guess I cannot contribute anything more substantial than what has already been documented in your wonderful ownership threads, I intend to definitely put across my experiences in a thread, more from the point of view of a first-time diesel and SUV vehicle ownership (I have only owned and driven hatches till date, so it is definitely a BIG change, and for the better, for sure).

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by venkat_iyer

Herr Guderian,

1. ...but unfortunately my Newbie status does not grant me the privilege, I believe.
2. Though I guess I cannot contribute anything more substantial than what has already...

Hi Venkat,
1. Keeping that in mind had sent you an email from your profile page. Wonder whether you got it.

2. Well...each owners perspective is unique and irrespective what has been put up earlier by others, each owner's take on his vehicle is a delight to read. And since your Fortuner is the new kid on the block with all fancy toys on board - will be very keen to read it.

[venkat_iyer]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Venkat,
1. Keeping that in mind had sent you an email from your profile page. Wonder whether you got it.

Ohh ok, unfortunately cannot access my personal email ids from office or the phone (work for a Swiss bank...paranoid about security, these guys ). Let me get home and check. Thanks!

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Hi Hurricane! Toyotas have a very reasonable cost of maintenance as you will see from a Detailed Analysis Report below.



It has been a trouble free and delightful three years of Ownership. Obelix has been to highways ,deserts, mountain passes and deep jungles with a smile on its face and a skip in its step. No niggles no breakdowns.

This is in part due to the wonderful aftersales service and maintainence provided by Toyota which comes at a reasonable cost also.

The figures are all given here:

I have not included cost of Tyres and replacements like Wing mirrors (which were stolen twice!!) in this report.

Therefore the figures tell us that the average cost of maintainence has been Rs.1.50 per Kilometer which is very reasonable.

Vidd was comparing about Fortuner and Rexton on fb wherein he state that Rexton is an impressive package and loaded and comes cheaper ( 4lacs!)

Now, would you feel so being a Fortuner owner or have you driven one?
I was of the opinion that the extra 4lacs goes for the quality and a.s.s.. I too think and have seen that Toyotas last but is it coz they do have a general checkup every 5k?

You seem to have taken it 17 times to the Toyota showroom which I guess a bit too much from what I am used to being a Safari owner. I would have spend more $ for sure ( 20k approx for suspension, 10k for clutch) but I guess it was coz of my driving habits ( which keeps me happy ).

Another thing I love about Toyota is how they manage time when you take for service. Even if you had taken it there for 17 hours, mine would have spend more time at the a.s.s. centre.

Do keep us posted and enjoy the Invincible !

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by jkdas

You seem to have taken it 17 times to the Toyota showroom which I guess a bit too much from what I am used to being a Safari owner. I would have spend more $ for sure ( 20k approx for suspension, 10k for clutch) but I guess it was coz of my driving habits ( which keeps me happy ).

Another thing I love about Toyota is how they manage time when you take for service. Even if you had taken it there for 17 hours, mine would have spend more time at the a.s.s. centre.

Do keep us posted and enjoy the Invincible !

I took my safari to the workshop some 30+ times. And cost per km is around 2rs/km+ close to 100,000kms.
0.67/km is phenomenal

About 5000kms service, the Liva has 10,000kms service interval. How come fortuner needs a more frequent checkup thingy?

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I took my safari to the workshop some 30+ times. And cost per km is around 2rs/km+ close to 100,000kms.
0.67/km is phenomenal

About 5000kms service, the Liva has 10,000kms service interval. How come fortuner needs a more frequent checkup thingy?

The Innova to gets a 5k check up. My friend's old Honda City too gets a 5k service.

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by venkat_iyer

80,000 KM is 3 years...great going!! May you have many, many more trouble free miles and enjoyment with the Obelix. It's just been 1 month with my Toyota Fortuner 4*4 (and 1700KM), and for me the journey has just begun . I wanted to offer you my gratitude for this awesome thread, which alongwith Herr Guderian, Nilanjan, and dkaile's ownership experiences, are what swung me towards finalizing on the Fortuner! Please do keep updating this treasure trove of information.

First off Congratulations Venkat for you new acquisition and thanks also for your words of appreciation. Do keep a note of important things to be done at the 10,000 kms Services especially the Prop Shaft greasing.

Some workshops may try to steer you into using the more expensive synthetic oil but believe me the general Engine Oil is good enough for the job. My 2lac km Qualis and 80k Km Fortuner will vouch for this.

Also there is no need to use the high speed Diesel. Normal Diesel will do.

Look forward to some pics of your Fortuner and initial driving impressions.

Feel free to post some Exterior and Interior pics here.

Wish you a million miles of happy driving! (very possible in a Toyota)

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Manuuj,
The first reaction to the clip - you don't have a pony tail I suppose ?
Second reaction - If you ask me I don't think it is anything from Obelix - could be a foreign object is my feeling. Could be a clip from one of the cleaning crew's handy items. Could be from the vacuum cleaner or something.
Third reaction - If you could just wait till Sunday - will nose around the Admiral's cabin and give you the final verdict.
My only suspicion, if at all it is from the cabin - a piece from under the seat. But very doubtful.

No ponytail Herr General! The midlife crisis is yet to kick in.
I feel that the plastic clip is from under the seats somewhere as pointed out by others also. Will check and get back to you all.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

That clip is attached to the seat rails. It's for the front seat rails. It should either be fitted on the front of the rail or at the rear. If it's at the rear, just slide the seat forward and look closely at the rail.

The clip's main purpose is to prevent your leg from scraping the exposed metal rail. It attaches onto the end of the rail.

Thank you Vid, I shall check and once i have attached it back put up a pic of the same also. I am glad it is these inane problems that trouble Obelix and other Toyota owners will be happy to agree I'm sure.

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Great going Manuuj. Wish you many more miles and a hassle free ownership.

The Toyota maintenance cost is indeed commendable. These numbers are awesome for a vehicle in the D2 segment.

I was recently shocked to find the service cost for my friend' Corolla 1.8. It is just over half of what I pay for our Swift D.


Is it a clip from the edge of the seat rails?

The Rs.0.67 /km maintenance cost is indeed a huge reason that people should choose this product over others that may be cheaper to buy in the first place. Not only from a financial standpoint but from a safety point also. I would rather challenge huge deserts or high mountain passes in a Toyota than in any other vehicle. There is a reason why people have replaced their Land rovers with Toyota's in South Africa and the outback in Australia.

As far as the clip goes i shall check today and get back to everyone. Thank you.

Originally Posted by jkdas

Vidd was comparing about Fortuner and Rexton on fb wherein he state that Rexton is an impressive package and loaded and comes cheaper ( 4lacs!)

Now, would you feel so being a Fortuner owner or have you driven one?
I was of the opinion that the extra 4lacs goes for the quality and a.s.s.. I too think and have seen that Toyotas last but is it coz they do have a general checkup every 5k?

You seem to have taken it 17 times to the Toyota showroom which I guess a bit too much from what I am used to being a Safari owner. I would have spend more $ for sure ( 20k approx for suspension, 10k for clutch) but I guess it was coz of my driving habits ( which keeps me happy ).

Another thing I love about Toyota is how they manage time when you take for service. Even if you had taken it there for 17 hours, mine would have spend more time at the a.s.s. centre.

Do keep us posted and enjoy the Invincible !

Was the Q, directed at Vidd or me? I haven't read his post but I personally feel that given a choice I would choose a TOYOTA over any other SUV.
I already have a Range Rover and Q7 in the family but i would not call them reliable or cheap to run from any angle. They cannot even take much abuse to be honest.

Obelix meanwhile just marches on.

The 17 visits to the Service Station mentioned by you include the 1000 kms and 5000 kms checkups. These are nothing more than Check ups where the car is inspected and fluid levels checked. They would clean the Air filter, Check for leaks (none found so far), top up window washer fluid, wash the car and send me on my merry way.

Only the 8 Services carried out every 10,000 kms are a real service in any sense of the word. Even if i had missed all 5000 kms checkups it would have made no difference to the Vehicle as nothing was found wanting at these check-up's. Any major replacements are carried out at the 10k service intervals only.

Thank you for your good wishes!

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I took my safari to the workshop some 30+ times. And cost per km is around 2rs/km+ close to 100,000kms.
0.67/km is phenomenal

About 5000kms service, the Liva has 10,000kms service interval. How come Fortuner needs a more frequent checkup thingy?

I feel that when the Fortuner was launched someone at Toyota decided that it would be safe to keep a close eye on the product performance thus constituting the 5000 kms checkup.

The 5000 kms check up takes less than an hour and as mentioned above includes nothing more than cleaning the Air filter, Checking for leaks (none found so far), topping up window washer fluid, washing the car and feeding me coffee. They also look at the brake system as different driving habits leads to varied wear. This service usually costs under Rs.1000 and the car comes out fresh as a daisy.

Some of my 5000 km checkup's cost extra as I insist on Wheel Alignment and Balancing every 5000 kms which resulted in my stock Dunlops lasting over 70,000 kms.

To be honest I think i replaced them more out of boredom than any urgent need even then.

Its only at the 10k service that any major replacements are carried out. Talking about your Safari, Obelix is very keen to make friends and meet with this great conqueror of Ladakh..maybe even join on any future expeditions if possible?

[venkat_iyer]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

First off Congratulations Venkat for you new acquisition and thanks also for your words of appreciation. Do keep a note of important things to be done at the 10,000 kms Services especially the Prop Shaft greasing....

Wish you a million miles of happy driving! (very possible in a Toyota)

Thanks Manuuj for the handy tips! I have read and re-read all the various ownership threads here, and will make sure that I am armed with all the do's and dont's for the 5K and 10 K servicing. I am in it for the long haul for sure, and hope to enjoy the Fortuner for a long time to come . Intending to start work on a short ownership thread soon, and will share some pics as well. Thanks again!

[dilipkumar7278]

Manuuj
Firsst of all congratulating for the excellent thread which is a reference to us other fortune owners.Wishing you many more troublefree kms with the beast. My car has completed only 23k kms in 3 years. Last week me and family went to Kodaikanal. On return trip some 6 kmsfrom Kodaikanal I felt loss of power in 3rd gear. To my horror I saw white smoke from exhaust. Immediately I switched off the engine and checked. My friends also came and checkedwe waited for 10 minutes and I switched on the car. Some smoke came and then all was ok. We slowly drove and returned home and all was ok. No smoke. ...no loss of power. ITS been 4 days now but the problem thankfully has not occured till now. What might be the problem?Problem
Thanks
Dilip Kumar

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by dilipkumar7278

Manuuj
Firsst of all congratulating for the excellent thread which is a reference to us other fortune owners.Wishing you many more troublefree kms with the beast. My car has completed only 23k kms in 3 years. Last week me and family went to Kodaikanal. On return trip some 6 kmsfrom Kodaikanal I felt loss of power in 3rd gear. To my horror I saw white smoke from exhaust. Immediately I switched off the engine and checked. My friends also came and checkedwe waited for 10 minutes and I switched on the car. Some smoke came and then all was ok. We slowly drove and returned home and all was ok. No smoke. ...no loss of power. ITS been 4 days now but the problem thankfully has not occured till now. What might be the problem?Problem
Thanks
Dilip Kumar

Dilip I am no expert on engines but from looking at the web i have understood that this could be caused by a coolant leak in the engine due to a blown head gasket

White smoke occurs when raw diesel comes through the exhaust completely intact and unburned. Some causes of this include…

Faulty or damaged injectors

Incorrect injection timing (could be a worn timing gear or damaged crankshaft keyway).

Low cylinder compression (eg caused by leaking or broken valves, piston ring sticking, cylinder and/or ring wear, or cylinder glaze)

When white smoke occurs at cold start, and then disappears as the engine warms up, the most common causes are fouling deposits around piston rings and/or cylinder glazing. Use of our Flushing Oil Concentrate and FTC Decarbonizer address these respective problems.

Water entering combustion spaces will also create white smoke. Faulty head gaskets and cracked cylinder heads or blocks are a common cause of water entry, and are often to blame.

The causes of white exhaust smoke can vary; however, it is common to see white exhaust smoke when first starting a car, especially on cooler days. This is generally steam caused by condensation. As the engine warms up and the condensation dissipates the white exhaust smoke (steam) is no longer seen.

If excessive white exhaust smoke is present well after the engine warms up, as in your case, it is necessary to have the car inspected for possible internal coolant leaks.

Indicators of an internal coolant leak include billowing white exhaust smoke accompanied by a sweet odor or a low coolant reservoir level. An internal coolant leak can also contaminate the engine oil giving it a frothy, milky appearance. Even small amounts of coolant entering the combustion chamber will produce white exhaust smoke.

One of the main causes of white exhaust smoke and coolant loss is a cracked or warped cylinder head, a cracked engine block, or head gasket failure caused by overheating. A cracked head may allow coolant to leak into one or more cylinders or into the combustion chamber of the engine. Dirty coolant, a poorly maintained cooling system, a low coolant level, or a non-functioning cooling fan can cause engine overheating. In addition, engine wear can eventually cause the gaskets to lose their capacity to seal properly allowing internal coolant loss. Intake manifold gasket and head gasket failures are two of the most common sources of internal coolant loss caused by engine wear.

Never remove the radiator cap or coolant reservoir cap while the engine is hot or running as it can cause serious injury; always allow the car to cool down completely first.

Checking for a low coolant level in the reservoir is the first step in determining if coolant loss is causing the white exhaust smoke. If the coolant reservoir is at the proper level but excessive white exhaust smoke is present, a cooling system pressure check is required to determine where, if any, coolant leaks are located.

No matter what, you should have it looked at in your closest TOYOTA workshop at the earliest

[dilipkumar7278]

Thanks Manuuj for the detailed reply. The problem is that this is the first time it has happened. The problemambient temperature at Kodaikanal was 16°c. After that we travelled

[dilipkumar7278]

Thanks Manuuj for the detailed reply. The problem is that this is the first time it has happened. The problemambient temperature at Kodaikanal was 16°c. After that we travelled 300kms to mytown and it hasnt occured again.For thelast three days I am checking and all seems to be fine. Does cold temperature have any effect on this? My car has not been abused. ..
Thanks
Dilip

[columbus]

Originally Posted by dilipkumar7278

Thanks Manuuj for the detailed reply. The problem is that this is the first time it has happened. The problemambient temperature at Kodaikanal was 16°c. Thanks
Dilip

Dilip

I have started my Fortuner in sub-zero temperatures in Ladakh. No such issues noticed even at those temperatures. Request it to get it thoroughly checked at ASC immediately. The king of reliability Toyota sometimes does falter. My tie rod went kaput at 30K kms even though i handle my vehicle with kids gloves.

Manuj

Pitching in after a very long time in your thread. Congrats on the 80K kms for Obelix. Read your tyre story. Yokos are striked out of my list. I am very happy with the stock dunlops. Maximus again fought some more battles in Zanskar and Ladakh in September 12. More than 6K kms in that trip and not a single puncture.

[Guderian]

^^^ To my mind comes that it could be a simple case of a spot of water/moisture in the fuel.
Could have come in from an out of town fuel bunk. More so as it was a one time occurrence. If it had continued - a suspect could have been a ruptured hose possibly one of the intercooler hoses.