[KMT]

Hi Guys, another attempt to get a response on this.

Given Mahindras decision to spin off Ssanyyong, do you think it is worth considering a used or new Alturas at this stage or will it be a depreciation/future service disaster?

[r0ckstar.1]

Well, this thread seems to be dead. Equally, Mahindra seem to have lost interest to sell Alturas. There are no showroom vehicles to checkout and test drive in any of the Mahindra showrooms nearby in Bangalore. Wonder if Mahindra is happy selling Thar now and don't care about the SUV segment which just got interesting with MG's Gloster. Sad to see such a good SUV being neglected by Mahindra.

This SUV is a serious contender to Endy and Fortuner and is my 1st pick for my buy soon, if I see support from MAhindra. Hopefully, i get positive response from them.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by r0ckstar.1

Well, this thread seems to be dead. Equally, Mahindra seem to have lost interest to sell Alturas

Not surprising, given that M&M is pulling out of their partnership with Ssangyong - please read here. I would stay away from a dying product, as good as it might be.

[aastiksaluja]

IMO if your plan is to keep the vehicle for a relatively long period and not sell-off in 2-4 years, it can still prove to be a good decision. The only downside with an Alturas is that it might not fetch a good resale price. Apart from that, I would love to hear myself about some long ownership review from someone who has clocked a substantial number on its ODO to comment on reliability or service issues if any.
I own one and have hardly driven it for 2000 km out of a total ODO of 13.5K in its two years of ownership. I and my good friend decided to buy this one together in early 2018. He got the lower variant and has driven it close to 35K. He is in awe of this vehicle and so were all the Endy/Fortuner/some luxury vehicle owners he says when they drove/sat in it.
We took this decision because Fortuner and Endy seemed a lot of money for the value they gave. I would've still chosen Endy if it came at a price of 35L for the top variant. Endy has more accomplished ride than Alturas and few notches above Fortuner, and any spirited driver would incline towards a better handling car. But I settled for Alturas for the value it delivers. Still, it would be naive of me to comment it as a better product for it might take a few more years of ownership and a zero more on the ODO number to establish that.

I've been trying to write an ownership review but couldn't catch a break, and I visit this page often during daily BHP time. I saw your comment so thought I'll share my opinion if that helps in any way to make up your mind.

[Pkumarblore]

Originally Posted by r0ckstar.1

Hopefully, i get positive response from them.

Hi, I can connect you with the SA Mr. Naveen from Anant Cars.,Bannerghatta Road. He did a complete door service to me when I bought the Alturas.

[wheeledwanderer]

This segement is not a taxi aggregator segment that all the time 3rd row seat will be occupied (like an Innova). Design looks nice without the 3rd row seat. If a company will only focus on cheap cars they will always be labelled as a cheap car maker (Eg: Maruti) and Toyota despite having finesse in cars is still a taxi car building in India. Somewhere Mahindra has to wake up and rise!

[hserus]

Originally Posted by wheeledwanderer

This segement is not a taxi aggregator segment that all the time 3rd row seat will be occupied (like an Innova). Design looks nice without the 3rd row seat. If a company will only focus on cheap cars they will always be labelled as a cheap car maker (Eg: Maruti) and Toyota despite having finesse in cars is still a taxi car building in India. Somewhere Mahindra has to wake up and rise!

Their cars have long shed the people mover image - all their advertising is “lifestyle suv” never mind that a large segment of their customer base is rural landowners, smaller politicians etc who buy it for the moustache twirling factor.

[mmchak@gmail.co]

Many of you are asking about an ownership review of Rexton / Alturus:
I am driving a Rexton RX7 for last 7 years, and touching almost 100k. I would like to give my opinion about the car considering Calcutta (Kolkata) service centres.
1. Awesome engine, gearbox, differential (all 3), and suspension system.
2. I use this for extremely difficult road, and never let me down
3. Average fuel : 8-10 kmpl
4. Driving and sitting comfort – outstanding.
5. I am super happy, and ready to consider Alturus when I replace this after 10 years.
6. In this car, nothing will go wrong unless you do something really extraordinary or you get into an unfortunate accident. Engine is good to go for at least 5L km, and I know many. This is a 2,7 Lt, 5 Cylinder Mercedes commercial engine, rugged and forgiving. (You need to maintain the engine by idling a few min before you drive, until the needle move from C position, similarly after a long drive, idle for 1 min before you suddenly stop)
Problems:
1. I believe Mahindra do not have a periodic training programme for Rexton/Alturus service people. – unless you have periodic training, with high attrition level of service people, customers will never get good service. Things are quite different than XUV 500 etc…
2. I always carry full service manual, downloaded from internet.
3. Service stations are very polite, but almost none is aware where the screw jack and lever is stored ! Similarly, many are unware about tyre balancing system…
4. Regular spares are available, but Mahindra needs a statistical analysis to maintain and distribute periodic spares.

Overall, I will rate this car well above Fortuner, and 2013 Endy... However, I am yet to drive the new Endy...

[Pkumarblore]

Originally Posted by aastiksaluja

Apart from that, I would love to hear myself about some long ownership review from someone who has clocked a substantial number on its ODO to comment on reliability or service issues if any.

He is in awe of this vehicle and so were all the Endy/Fortuner/some luxury vehicle owners he says when they drove/sat in it.

We took this decision because Fortuner and Endy seemed a lot of money for the value they gave. I would've still chosen Endy if it came at a price of 35L for the top variant.

I've been trying to write an ownership review but couldn't catch a break, and I visit this page often during daily BHP time. I saw your comment so thought I'll share my opinion if that helps in any way to make up your mind.

Hi,
I agree with your thoughts and opinion. I too own a 2019 G4 and it has done about 23k on the odo, most of it driven by my driver. I must have driven it for about 3k odd or so. But I must admit the car has been flawless so far. I have absolutely enjoyed every mile on it. It is hard for me to find a downside on the performance side. Yes, the 3rd row seating should definitely have been more practical, steering wheel could have been more heavier at highway speeds, suspension is more on the softer side. Otherwise its a highway limousine SUV. I would not advise the Alturas for hardcore off roaders, though I have never done any off-roading in it, but it seems to be too plush for hardcore off-roading. I opted for additional warranty with 4 years AMC package and a buy back scheme after 4 years(with a good resale price). Apparently I am the first AMC buyer for the Alturas G4 in the country. So I am leaving peacefully with the G4. Alas, I am sad to see such a competitive car not getting the accolades it deserves. Mahindra should aggressively market the Alturas if they have the hunger for a piece of the lucrative SUV market. But if they are happy with Thar sales, then God Save the Alturas and us.

[aastiksaluja]

I totally concur. That is the only thing I wish I had done, although I won't say I regret it. But I believed that the buyback scheme I was offered was underpriced considering the true value of the vehicle. But I was wrong, or maybe audacious enough to think that Value would overpower herd mentality. As I mentioned before, even I would choose Endeavour considering my driving priorities over practicality, but at a price point which doesn't cross over with an entry-level BMW.

I believe there has been a bias against Alturas since its launch- for the fact that it owns a Mahindra badge, it has been compared at higher standards in major aspects than its counterparts. Several reviews and comments were noticed where people complained about the pricing of the vehicle. I couldn't understand if it went any lower, then Alturas would stand against Compass, which is a class below.

The build quality, the ruggedness after two years of use, and the feeling of premium as against utilitarian from its competitors proves those comments and reviews were not entirely accurate and justifiable- some of these came from some experienced fellow members which made me do double the research I had to ensure I'm taking the right decision. And in fair honesty, knowing the previous gen Rexton from Ssangyong is a gem, and Ssangyong's experience in building previous gen Mercedes vehicle and parts helped me belive on the reliability front. True I would've never brought a 35L OTR Indigenous Mahindra car. ( Though I would've taken this updated version of Harrier auto without a doubt if it was available then).

I wish more owners become active and share their experience - good and bad. This will surely help everyone in improving their perception for the car.

[r0ckstar.1]

I recently did a call to Mahindra dealer to check on the official status of Mahindra on Alturas availability/sale. Well, it seems the vehicle is very much available for booking and 2021 production vehicles are available. The dealer did say that Mahindra's decision to pull the plug on Alturas is just a rumour and it will continue to be in the line-up . This is good news in general for the premium category SUVs available for customers.

The only question I have to forum members here is - If i have to make a decision to buy Alturas G4 or the to-be launched New gen XUV500 , what makes sense? I am assuming that there will be a price gap of 5-7 Lakhs between the 2 models. Does investing in Alturas G4 with that price gap still makes sense? Not able to decide.

[kung_foo_fanta]

Hello r0ckstar.1! Even I am in a similar dilemma. And well, I had actually asked Pkumarblore on his Alturas G4 ownership thread (Ownership experience - My Mahindra Alturas G4) regarding his experience and he very generously provided a lot of information which I believe can be quite beneficial in your decision making process too!

Originally Posted by r0ckstar.1

it seems the vehicle is very much available for booking and 2021 production vehicles are available.

Coming to the part of 2021 production vehicles, when I spoke to an SA in Mahindra's Kerala dealers, it's slightly complicated. So, they have the CKD kits which will be assembled on demand. Hence, "produced" in 2021. Otherwise, it's still the old kits which they had previously bought over from Ssangyong.

Originally Posted by r0ckstar.1

If i have to make a decision to buy Alturas G4 or the to-be launched New gen XUV500 , what makes sense?

And XUV500 versus Alturas G4, we can only speculate until the XUV500's specifications are finalized and the car is released. ADAS can go wrong, the car can be a soft off-roader, the ground clearance may not be that much or I might be completely wrong about all of those points.
Alturas G4 on the other hand, since Mahindra is desperately trying to shake off Ssangyong which has already filed for bankruptcy, the availability of spare parts and service in the long term is a little grey. And it's an old model, with the latest gen already out in the international markets, which is something we in India are already kind of used to.

[aastiksaluja]

Originally Posted by r0ckstar.1

The only question I have to forum members here is - If i have to make a decision to buy Alturas G4 or the to-be launched New gen XUV500 , what makes sense? I am assuming that there will be a price gap of 5-7 Lakhs between the 2 models. Does investing in Alturas G4 with that price gap still makes sense? Not able to decide.

I have realised with Mahindra & TATA cars that facelifts or first internal upgrades are more sorted than fresh launches. If you plan on XUV, no doubt it'll be a competent product, but it would be ideal to wait for a while, let Mahindra crease out all the issues in the first revision, then go for it. I still remember the first test drive of XUV500 I took in September 2013. The SA informed me that the company upgraded the car based on reviews and opinions about clutch and brake. I still found brakes wooden and clutch too light(not in a good way) and went with Terrano. But the last version of XUV is a truly evolved piece when you look back.
Rest, in context with Alturas, it would make sense if your running is below average and you plan on owning it for a long period of 7-10 years. That way, resale will not be a great concern, and low running will cost lowe operating and repair costs.
Alturas is a Korean product in reality, with multiple components sourced from Benz due to Ssangyong's heritage of producing Benz SUVs. Honestly, I wouldn't have bought Alturas if it was indigenous with those features at that price range. So, it is a better product and a different class altogether. You have to see what fits your requirement.
If space, features, road presence and comfort trumps all other aspects, then go for it. However, if you love to drive and enjoy those passionately, I would say you can look into Compass.

Originally Posted by kung_foo_fanta

Hello r0ckstar.1! Even I am in a similar dilemma. And well, I had actually asked Pkumarblore on his Alturas G4 ownership thread (Ownership experience - My Mahindra Alturas G4) regarding his experience and he very generously provided a lot of information which I believe can be quite beneficial in your decision-making process too!



Coming to the part of 2021 production vehicles, when I spoke to an SA in Mahindra's Kerala dealers, it's slightly complicated. So, they have the CKD kits which will be assembled on demand. Hence, "produced" in 2021. Otherwise, it's still the old kits which they had previously bought over from Ssangyong.



And XUV500 versus Alturas G4, we can only speculate until the XUV500's specifications are finalized and the car is released. ADAS can go wrong, the car can be a soft off-roader, the ground clearance may not be that much or I might be completely wrong about all of those points.
Alturas G4 on the other hand, since Mahindra is desperately trying to shake off Ssangyong which has already filed for bankruptcy, the availability of spare parts and service in the long term is a little grey. And it's an old model, with the latest gen already out in the international markets, which we in India are already kind of used to.

Mahindra now has had a history of forming JVs or acquisitions and then running away from them at the slightest discomfort. Be it Ssangyong, Pininfarina, Ford JV. This definitely leaves a big question on Ssangyong's future, but in no way this raises questions about the quality of their products. One can only assess the spare part's concern based on Mahindra's existing service and promising actions of buying kits and spares in advance from Ssangyong. It's not a desirable scene but can work out. There have been other models from prominent car makers which dies very soon with low spare availability(Kizashi or Vitara). So it can happen to anyone. But still, I would say it is a risk one needs to assess and consider before making a buying decision.

[r0ckstar.1]

Originally Posted by aastiksaluja

If you plan on XUV, no doubt it'll be a competent product, but it would be ideal to wait for a while, let Mahindra crease out all the issues in the first revision, then go for it.

Rest, in context with Alturas, it would make sense if your running is below average and you plan on owning it for a long period of 7-10 years. That way, resale will not be a great concern, and low running will cost low operating and repair costs.

If space, features, road presence and comfort trumps all other aspects, then go for it. However, if you love to drive and enjoy those passionately, I would say you can look into Compass.

Thanks a ton for the detailed response . On the new XUV 500 model, I am hoping that Mahindra now knows how to release a new version of an existing model with good testing and quality control, so that there are no major issues with first bunch of production rollout. If not, that brings the question if one should treat new version of an existing model as a completely new car? Then I doubt I will have the time to wait till end of year (or next year) to buy the new improved XUV500.

Yes, my running will be low (<10k per year), so it is comforting to know that Alturas will still be a good buy. Alturas definitely ticks all the boxes for my need on size, space, power, safety, comfort and features (4x4 included). Right now, I am just sleeping over the decision making process to give it sometime and not jump into an impulsive buy. Will be checking the dealers on the best offer they can make, so that the resale and depreciation is taken care of to some extent. Let's see how it goes.

[aastiksaluja]

I just read a post about Damages on an MG Gloster and exorbitant prices of repair bills. This brings a self-check and lesson learnt to ensure the insurance is taken with Zero Dep and RTI and any other options which will help in reducing the risk of paying such exorbitant charges for even minor exterior damages. The addition on insurance Premium of these vehicles should not be high in comparison to the cost of basic parts/damages it can cover in case of such unforeseeable incidents. Also, though I haven't had a chance to enquire about a comprehensive spare parts price list and service charges from Mahindra Centres, I would be glad if someone who has done the research or had any experience would share the same. In continuation of aspects of ownership decision, I believe this is one of the important aspects to weigh one's pros and cons for long term ownerships.

So I have a small incident to share that does not make me fully capable to provide an absolute verdict on the car's after-sales Spare Part and Service superiority. However, it gave me some confidence about the build quality of the vehicle, and a satisfactory (if not great) experience at the Service centre.

So the incident dates back to October 2019, when my dad was travelling in twisties en route to my hometown in Uttarakhand. One of the patches where the roads are above average- that means full tarmac and equal space for two cars to pass by with attentive driving, but without slowing down or stopping.
Here's a picture helping to understand the road type...





My Dad is a spirited driver and likes to have fun around the twisties as well. He was driving like any other normal day, and a brand new Black Creta(previous-gen) came from the front, and within a fraction of a second, he realised that the oncoming car was not on its side of the road. The situation could've still been averted by taking a sharp turn and putting the left side off the tarmac, but unfortunately, there were big stones on the other side, which put him at the mercy of the Driver who had to correct himself to be on his side of the road. He tried his best I believe, but still, the front bumpers scratched at a tangent to each other, thankfully avoiding a head-on collision.
With all this happening in microseconds, my Dad stopped the vehicle and got down to see if everyone's OK- and then assessed the damage on our car (see attached PICs).


The major impact was taken by side of the front bumper, which in turn bent one small region of the side fender and pushed it back by some centimetres as seen in pics.





This caused a hindrance to the driver's door opening till it was repaired, but before that, every open-close action used to be a pain in the heart move with door and fender chipping at one point.


However, here comes the ironic part. In contrast to the shown damage, the other car was not in great condition, to say the least. The front Bumper CAME OUT completely and was lying on the road!!!!!!!! Yes!!!
No kidding!!!!

It was lying in front of the car hanging by a thread. The driver, a known person, took it out completely and kept it in the trunk with seats folded down, and took it straight to the workshop.


I feel bad for him, and I definitely wasn't happy for this first injury to our new car, but somehow I was happy seeing the robust build quality of this vehicle, and our decision against the conventional of the general people to opt for this car in its category.


Our experience at the centre, as I mentioned was satisfactory. The GM at the service centre asked for pics and confirmed that we don't need any part change- just repair and repaint would do. We were charged 11K for the job, and we paid 10K for it. He also promised a quick delivery if the weather is good to dry the paint, and gave us the vehicle on the second day. I personally feel the labour charge was a little bit high- now before anyone forms an opinion and explains how a premium segment car demands premium on all aspects- the basic dent and paint job requires the same qualified people who do the same job on a 10Lakh car, and thus the opinion of the charge is more than normal. Still, it's not a complaint.



Let me know if anyone has had experience with the spare parts, and any other suggestion regarding insurance and extended warranty on Alturas.