Innova - 70K and counting!

askanal · 21st September 2011, 18:01

I own an Innova G2 D since Feb 06, having clocked 70K kms till date. Here's a brief long-term ownership review of the car, which is self-driven, at times by my spouse as well.

a) 2 long distance runs from Bombay to Kerala & Himachal (Shimla, Dalhousie, Khajjiar, Dharamsala, Manali, Rohtang, including a day's jaunt to Amritsar), each of 5K
b) various trips to Goa and Indore and quite a few to Pune, Nasik, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, etc
c) Battery replaced exactly after 5 years!
d) Brake pads replaced once
e) Tyres replaced twice (2nd set of Michelin Primacy LC lasted only for 30K)
f) Had to replace the front right suspension due to my crazy driving habits
g) A/c conked off during the Himachal trip (return leg between Jaipur - Udaipur, in the heat of May! having had to drive without A/c for 1K kms...)
h) Typical service costs around Rs.3-4K, primarily oil change, filter change
i) A speeding Alto hit me from the rear, whilist I was awaiting the signal to turn green. Not even a scar on the bumper, while the Alto was bruised badly, with the radiator having broken and huge impact on its front end
j) A very small stone while driving Indore-Bombay led to a small crack on the windshield, and had to replace it

What I like

Superb fit and finish, excellent car-like handling, brilliant comfort, classy highway cruiser, especially ability to overtake duds who refuse to move to the left, no black smoke issues as reported by some BHPians

What could be better

Braking-ABS sorely missed, power-seriously needs at least 30-40 bhp more, a 6th gear, headlights have to be more powerful and precise given that this is a car driven at high speeds, wheel /tyre size could be of a higher spec, cabin NVH at high speeds (100Kmph upwards)

Conclusion

Unable to think of an appropriate replacement for a year now; having almost signed on the dotted line for a Yeti, but family is just not willing to move away from the Innova (wife and son sleep on the 2nd and 3rd rows on long drives, which they said will miss in the Yeti!). Hence, chose to continue driving and owning it - as it is, there's a lot of life left yet in the clutch, mechanicals, body, paint, etc, etc, etc....

Am absolutely impressed with this car.....

anujmishra · 21st September 2011, 19:47

Innova is car built to last long. 70K is not the miles to change car like innova. You can still do atleast 2 - 3 lakh kilometers in it without trouble. We Indians tend to replace car after it completes 50K Kms. In foreign land people drive their cars till 2 - 3 Lakh kilometers.

Happy to know that your ownership is almost trouble free. I am sure family would never be agree to replace it with any thing smaller than Innova. Even my family is addicted to comfort of Safari during long drives.

mayankjha1806 · 22nd September 2011, 05:23

A nice quick ownership report of a happy Innova owner, thanks for sharing, sadly incomplete without pictures

. Please do post pictures of the car and driving experiences now. Toyotas are known to last a lifetime and this is an example of how good they are even at 70K and surely good to go another 100K. I have sat in an Innova which had done 200K on the odo and was still was wonderfully ran on highway.

parsh · 22nd September 2011, 10:38

Good to see another G2D on forum, mine is similar variant only from first batches of Innova in 2005. Did a A/c retrofit as well recently due to more usage and requirement as per the rising temps. Have seen Innovas run like new even at 200k+ in worst of the places in Rajsthan. No worries on their durability at all.

How did the A/c conk off? Just curious, as I haven't seen this ever in Innova (in the ones I have seen, may be happening in a few).

How much was the windshield replacement cost?

Akshay1234 · 22nd September 2011, 10:41

Nice ownership report. I'm surprised the AC conked off, what was the issue told to you when you got it repaired?

The Yeti is a great car, but since you have decided to keep the Innova, why not make it feel like a new car and get a Petes tuning box? It will totally transform the car, without affecting reliability. I've had one on my Innova for 80k kms, no issue.

contactme27 · 22nd September 2011, 10:50

Thanks for sharing the ownership report. Innova is definitely a good MPV. My innova clocked 75K in three years. I travel a lot and Innova is best vehicle for any trip.

vasanthn21 · 22nd September 2011, 10:58

70K is probably nothing for Innova.

I know a lot of Qualis owners who have run it for 2-3 Lakh kilometers and the vehicle (especially the engine) is still in immaculate condition. Of course, a lot depends on how well you maintain it.

vigsom · 22nd September 2011, 11:37

+2 to that ; diesels can go on and on and on if well maintained - the 3 lakh mark is easilt achieveable

I guess your ac must have deveoped a leak somewhere(very unusual) ; my experience states that if bought new and if the cabin is clean,the ac can go on for 6-7 years without even loss of refrigerant.

Once you get it serviced,your "servicing" is likely to be more frequent - say once in 2 years

askanal · 22nd September 2011, 23:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Nice ownership report. I'm surprised the AC conked off, what was the issue told to you when you got it repaired?

The Yeti is a great car, but since you have decided to keep the Innova, why not make it feel like a new car and get a Petes tuning box? It will totally transform the car, without affecting reliability. I've had one on my Innova for 80k kms, no issue.

Yeah, thats what I said, decided against selling it now and plan to run it for some more time....

BTW, how much does the Petes cost? And where do I get it in Bombay?
Does one need to change the wheel size or tyres from a handling / stability point of view?

Akshay1234 · 23rd September 2011, 01:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by askanal

Yeah, thats what I said, decided against selling it now and plan to run it for some more time....

BTW, how much does the Petes cost? And where do I get it in Bombay?
Does one need to change the wheel size or tyres from a handling / stability point of view?

Since you have decided to run it for some time, do these 3 things and you will feel like you have a new car -

Tyre upsize to 225/60 R15. Should cost 6.5k per tyre.
Petes box. Approx 30k, or you can wait a few months and I can give you mine at a throwaway price.
Green Cotton stock replacement filter. 5k.

Speak to Petes, they will tell you who their dealer in Mumbai is.

The tyres will help stability and breaking by a huge amount.

parsh · 23rd September 2011, 08:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by askanal

BTW, how much does the Petes cost? And where do I get it in Bombay?
Does one need to change the wheel size or tyres from a handling / stability point of view?

Call Performance Unlimited, Rishabh, 9820034105. They are dealers here in Mumbai and will get it for you. He had quoted 30k sometime back to me. I doubt if it needs any other changes from handling/stability. Upsizing will have effect on your FE though.

Couldn't know what was the reason behind your AC conking off? What was it and what did the A.S.S. had to say about it?

askanal · 30th September 2011, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by parsh

Call Performance Unlimited, Rishabh, 9820034105. They are dealers here in Mumbai and will get it for you. He had quoted 30k sometime back to me. I doubt if it needs any other changes from handling/stability. Upsizing will have effect on your FE though.

Couldn't know what was the reason behind your AC conking off? What was it and what did the A.S.S. had to say about it?

How about red rooster?

askanal · 3rd October 2011, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by vigsom

+2 to that ; diesels can go on and on and on if well maintained - the 3 lakh mark is easilt achieveable

I guess your ac must have deveoped a leak somewhere(very unusual) ; my experience states that if bought new and if the cabin is clean,the ac can go on for 6-7 years without even loss of refrigerant.

Once you get it serviced,your "servicing" is likely to be more frequent - say once in 2 years

The clutch assembly of the A/c had to be replaced; the entire fix cost me close to 10K!

cheers...

floyd · 8th October 2011, 09:42

Hey, just curious...

Quote:

wife and son sleep on the 2nd and 3rd rows on long drives

Isn't it dangerous to have people sleeping in the 2nd and 3rd rows benches while highway driving? I mean the danger of them getting hurt if you have to brake suddenly?

CARvalho · 8th October 2011, 20:04

Great to hear the progress on your Innova. My ol' 2006 workhorse has crossed 82k km. I'm due for a service appointment where the service center said a lot of oils will be replaced (engine-oil, differential-oil, coolant etc). The only major problem I faced recently was with the starter mechanism. The car would not start and instead only produce a single click sound on turning the ignition key. The battery was in good condition so it wasn't related to the battery. On inspection the service center guy said the problem was due to scratches on the starter disc and showed me the part. He replaced it with a with a disc from a discarded starter taken from another innova and the problem was solved. They didn't charge anything for it. No other problem ever since except some minor issues related to the central lock and overhead door lamp.

21st September 2011, 18:01	#1
askanal Newbie Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Mumbai Posts: 10 Thanked: 2 Times	Innova - 70K and counting! I own an Innova G2 D since Feb 06, having clocked 70K kms till date. Here's a brief long-term ownership review of the car, which is self-driven, at times by my spouse as well. a) 2 long distance runs from Bombay to Kerala & Himachal (Shimla, Dalhousie, Khajjiar, Dharamsala, Manali, Rohtang, including a day's jaunt to Amritsar), each of 5K b) various trips to Goa and Indore and quite a few to Pune, Nasik, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, etc c) Battery replaced exactly after 5 years! d) Brake pads replaced once e) Tyres replaced twice (2nd set of Michelin Primacy LC lasted only for 30K) f) Had to replace the front right suspension due to my crazy driving habits g) A/c conked off during the Himachal trip (return leg between Jaipur - Udaipur, in the heat of May! having had to drive without A/c for 1K kms...) h) Typical service costs around Rs.3-4K, primarily oil change, filter change i) A speeding Alto hit me from the rear, whilist I was awaiting the signal to turn green. Not even a scar on the bumper, while the Alto was bruised badly, with the radiator having broken and huge impact on its front end j) A very small stone while driving Indore-Bombay led to a small crack on the windshield, and had to replace it What I like Superb fit and finish, excellent car-like handling, brilliant comfort, classy highway cruiser, especially ability to overtake duds who refuse to move to the left, no black smoke issues as reported by some BHPians What could be better Braking-ABS sorely missed, power-seriously needs at least 30-40 bhp more, a 6th gear, headlights have to be more powerful and precise given that this is a car driven at high speeds, wheel /tyre size could be of a higher spec, cabin NVH at high speeds (100Kmph upwards) Conclusion Unable to think of an appropriate replacement for a year now; having almost signed on the dotted line for a Yeti, but family is just not willing to move away from the Innova (wife and son sleep on the 2nd and 3rd rows on long drives, which they said will miss in the Yeti!). Hence, chose to continue driving and owning it - as it is, there's a lot of life left yet in the clutch, mechanicals, body, paint, etc, etc, etc.... Am absolutely impressed with this car.....
	(2) Thanks

21st September 2011, 19:47	#2
anujmishra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,292 Thanked: 495 Times View My Garage	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! Innova is car built to last long. 70K is not the miles to change car like innova. You can still do atleast 2 - 3 lakh kilometers in it without trouble. We Indians tend to replace car after it completes 50K Kms. In foreign land people drive their cars till 2 - 3 Lakh kilometers. Happy to know that your ownership is almost trouble free. I am sure family would never be agree to replace it with any thing smaller than Innova. Even my family is addicted to comfort of Safari during long drives.
	() Thanks

22nd September 2011, 05:23	#3
mayankjha1806 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,160 Thanked: 986 Times View My Garage	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! A nice quick ownership report of a happy Innova owner, thanks for sharing, sadly incomplete without pictures . Please do post pictures of the car and driving experiences now. Toyotas are known to last a lifetime and this is an example of how good they are even at 70K and surely good to go another 100K. I have sat in an Innova which had done 200K on the odo and was still was wonderfully ran on highway.
	() Thanks

22nd September 2011, 10:38	#4
parsh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,622 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! Good to see another G2D on forum, mine is similar variant only from first batches of Innova in 2005. Did a A/c retrofit as well recently due to more usage and requirement as per the rising temps. Have seen Innovas run like new even at 200k+ in worst of the places in Rajsthan. No worries on their durability at all. How did the A/c conk off? Just curious, as I haven't seen this ever in Innova (in the ones I have seen, may be happening in a few). How much was the windshield replacement cost?
	() Thanks

22nd September 2011, 10:41	#5
Akshay1234 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 10,303 Thanked: 12,560 Times	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! Nice ownership report. I'm surprised the AC conked off, what was the issue told to you when you got it repaired? The Yeti is a great car, but since you have decided to keep the Innova, why not make it feel like a new car and get a Petes tuning box? It will totally transform the car, without affecting reliability. I've had one on my Innova for 80k kms, no issue.
	() Thanks

22nd September 2011, 10:50	#6
contactme27 BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 225 Thanked: 21 Times	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! Thanks for sharing the ownership report. Innova is definitely a good MPV. My innova clocked 75K in three years. I travel a lot and Innova is best vehicle for any trip.
	() Thanks

22nd September 2011, 10:58	#7
vasanthn21 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 813 Thanked: 524 Times View My Garage	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! 70K is probably nothing for Innova. I know a lot of Qualis owners who have run it for 2-3 Lakh kilometers and the vehicle (especially the engine) is still in immaculate condition. Of course, a lot depends on how well you maintain it.
	() Thanks

22nd September 2011, 11:37	#8
vigsom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NSEW Posts: 3,865 Thanked: 27,535 Times	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! +2 to that ; diesels can go on and on and on if well maintained - the 3 lakh mark is easilt achieveable I guess your ac must have deveoped a leak somewhere(very unusual) ; my experience states that if bought new and if the cabin is clean,the ac can go on for 6-7 years without even loss of refrigerant. Once you get it serviced,your "servicing" is likely to be more frequent - say once in 2 years Last edited by vigsom : 22nd September 2011 at 11:38. Reason: addition
	() Thanks

8th October 2011, 20:04	#15
CARvalho BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Mumbai Posts: 34 Thanked: 2 Times	Re: Innova - 70K and counting! Great to hear the progress on your Innova. My ol' 2006 workhorse has crossed 82k km. I'm due for a service appointment where the service center said a lot of oils will be replaced (engine-oil, differential-oil, coolant etc). The only major problem I faced recently was with the starter mechanism. The car would not start and instead only produce a single click sound on turning the ignition key. The battery was in good condition so it wasn't related to the battery. On inspection the service center guy said the problem was due to scratches on the starter disc and showed me the part. He replaced it with a with a disc from a discarded starter taken from another innova and the problem was solved. They didn't charge anything for it. No other problem ever since except some minor issues related to the central lock and overhead door lamp.
	() Thanks