[bevivek]

Devdath,

We are in the same boat here. Hariya (my Scorpio CRDe) was my faithful companion for 1,70,000km as well.

Lovely to hear you too had a Scorp. Curious how so many of us ex-Scorpers seem to move to the Sports as their next vehicle of choice.

Thanks for the very useful information on the SFX Vs Sports. This question would have kind of answered itself if the Sports had been a direct descendant of the SFX but since the SFX has apparently transmogrified into the Montero while the Triton / Challenger has become the Pajero Sports, I was curious how the two stacked up against each other. Your post makes the differences very clear.

Very interesting on how the two forms of off-roading require such different capabilities. Much of my own off-roading will be of the second kind where the Sports seems to be the better Pajero.

[bevivek]

Since there seem to be many Pajero Sports owners here, wanted to check if there are any recommendations on the tyres.

Mods: There was a thread on this http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...-pajero-2.html but it seems to be inactive so am posing the question here.

As you know the sports comes stock with Apollo A/T tyres. It is still 2 weeks to delivery and the dealer may be willing to consider any options I suggest.

So if you have any recommendations do let me know.

Thanks in advance

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by bevivek

So if you have any recommendations do let me know.

While the Apollo Apterras are not bad tires per se, there are better tires in the market.
A couple of options that come to mind are Michelin Latitude Cross and Pirelli Cross Contact. Yokohama Geolandars are also not bad but their sidewalls are softer compared to the others and hence are suitable for careful drivers.

[anshuman_v]

I have been off this thread for a few weeks, and have some sharable updates which I believe will be useful for other owners. In no particular order, these are:

1. The engine roughness / mileage update
2. The first bump update
3. Interesting feature - wiper speed sensitive to speed

1. The Engine roughness / mileage update:

Main point: System D, works. Devdath, you rock!

Last couple of tank-fulls, I noticed that my Pajero was growling harsher than normal, with a rough note entering the otherwise smooth growl. Talked with Devdath, our resident expert. He suggested an interesting and easy to implement solution: add System-D to the next tankful, and things will begin to sober down. Indeed, that is what happened. System-D has worked wonders - the engine noise has gone down, and the mileage has gone up. I clocked 11 kmpl on my recent round trip to Chikamagalur, and this is from empty tank method. Am a happy customer at 11 kmpl average!

2. The shunt update:

Main point: Repairs, other than normal service, are costly. However, spare parts, servicing ability etc, is a pretty smooth affair. Buy comprehensive bumper-to-bumper insurance, always!

In the normal bumper to bumper Bangalore traffic, I had the lucky incident of bumping into a bus from behind. While nothing happened to the bus, the Pajero had a bit of a breakdown. It was an interesting hit, and just as luck would have had it - ended up breaking the front bumper, grill, covering and the protective covering for the radiator pipe. So the Pajero had to be towed to the service station, and they made it runnable in a day. Ordered spare parts, came in about 3-4 weeks, got fitted in another day. Total bill: approx 75K, out of which I had to pay a flat 2K given the comprehensive insurance coverage.

3. The speed sensitive wiper:

Main point: while on intermittent speed setting, the Pajero wiper changes wiping speed if you travel above 100 kmph.

While driving in the light rains this weekend to Chikamagalur, I was cruising with my wiper set on intermittent speed. I noticed that when I crossed 100 kmph, the wiper speed increased automatically. Felt like a nifty feature - good to know for other owners who might not have discovered this already!

[anshuman_v]

Originally Posted by bevivek

Devdath,

Lovely to hear you too had a Scorp. Curious how so many of us ex-Scorpers seem to move to the Sports as their next vehicle of choice.

Thanks for the very useful information on the SFX Vs Sports. This question would have kind of answered itself if the Sports had been a direct descendant of the SFX but since the SFX has apparently transmogrified into the Montero while the Triton / Challenger has become the Pajero Sports, I was curious how the two stacked up against each other. Your post makes the differences very clear.

Very interesting on how the two forms of off-roading require such different capabilities. Much of my own off-roading will be of the second kind where the Sports seems to be the better Pajero.

Welcome to the family, Vivek. I am in the same boat, sold off my Scorpio after a good 10 years of wonderful ownership and got over to Pajero. In some ways, I still miss the Scorpio - its just an awesome vehicle on Indian roads.

One word of advice: do keep Dev as your resident expert for anything related to the Pajero. He really knows his stuff, and is very helpful and practical with tips and tricks!

Looking forward to pics of your drive and adventure updates soon.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

In some ways, I still miss the Scorpio - its just an awesome vehicle on Indian roads.

I was hoping I was the only one who felt so, but it is nice to know that you feel the same.

Miss Hariya, but Chetak is an iconic stallion...!!!

[bevivek]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

While the Apollo Apterras are not bad tires per se, there are better tires in the market.
A couple of options that come to mind are Michelin Latitude Cross and Pirelli Cross Contact. Yokohama Geolandars are also not bad

Thanks for the recommendation Devdath. I checked with Pethkar motors and they said that while they can facilitate my replacing the Apterra with other tyres, they warned that tyre dealers give a very poor deal on the swap usually giving just 50% of the cost of the Apterra since there is not much demand for Apollos of the 265/65 17" dimensions. Now since each Apterra costs around 9K, you lose 4.5K per tyre. And as Yokos for example cost around 3K more, I'll be paying 7.5 K per tyre for the swap.

Today I checked the cost of a swap with Yokohoma Geolander AT and while one tyre dealer's (Lokmanya Tyres) price for the swap is in line with Pethkar's prognosis, another vendor Darshan Motors is cutting just 1.5K from each Apterra tyre so with the added cost of a Yoko I'll get a set of 4 for 18,000 which seems a good deal to me.

I'll be getting my vehicle on Tuesday 24th and after I take delivery, will drive down to Darshan and they will do the swap.

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

Welcome to the family, Vivek.

Thanks Anshuman

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

In some ways, I still miss the Scorpio - its just an awesome vehicle on Indian roads.

So do I. When you have spent 13 years with a vehicle and driven tens of thousands of kilometers on it to very many places, when it has sometimes been a traveling home, it is very difficult to let it go. I still feel a traitor for having sold the beast. Thankfully I sold it to someone who is lavishing care on the vehicle so my burden is a little lessened. He lives quite close to where I do so I still see the beast sometimes.

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

One word of advice: do keep Dev as your resident expert for anything related to the Pajero.

Jawohl. I fully intend to. His review of the Sports in cartoq was one of the first I read and I've also read his several informed comments on this thread as well as others such as Satpal Sharma's Super Update thread.

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

Looking forward to pics of your drive and adventure updates soon.

Getting the vehicle on Tuesday 24th. Can hardly wait. Will open a new owner thread once I get her.

[satpalsharma]

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

3. The speed sensitive wiper:

Main point: while on intermittent speed setting, the Pajero wiper changes wiping speed if you travel above 100 kmph.

While driving in the light rains this weekend to Chikamagalur, I was cruising with my wiper set on intermittent speed. I noticed that when I crossed 100 kmph, the wiper speed increased automatically. Felt like a nifty feature - good to know for other owners who might not have discovered this already!

It has different set points. I noticed it at 60 kmph as well. Put in on the slowest setting and then drive above 60 it'll increase a bit.. then after 100 it'll further increase.

[anshuman_v]

Originally Posted by satpalsharma

It has different set points. I noticed it at 60 kmph as well. Put in on the slowest setting and then drive above 60 it'll increase a bit.. then after 100 it'll further increase.

Ah OK, thanks Satpal. I had felt this earlier, but the times the vehicle crosses the 60kph mark in rains is quite less, given congested Bangalore conditions. On the highway, the vehicle is pretty much always above 60, hence I never was able to quite nail down this transition. Good to know indeed. What is more reassuring for me is that they have engineered the vehicle for different speeds, shows good design principles and fore thought!

[bevivek]

The car has reached Pune. The vehicle registration is not yet done but we went to the service center and did a mini PDI on her including checking the lights, the music system and fine tuning the seating position by operating the forward - backward and up - down buttons on the right of the seat.

The car is of course completely gorgeous and it was all I could do to prevent myself from driving off with her there and then. Well, one more day.

As per my final deal with the local dealer Pethkar Motors, I was to get a) free treatment for paint protection b) 3 D mats and c) removal of the Pajero Sports decal. The person at the ASS said the first would be done within an hour and that he would confirm with the sales assistants on the other two and do it by the time we got the vehicle tomorrow.

Meanwhile here are two photos of the beast in the service center. The lighting is not too good unfortunately.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by bevivek

The car has reached Pune.The vehicle registration is not yet done but we went to the service center and did a mini PDI on her

Congratulations. Please make sure to do a detailed PDI at the yard to ensure that you are completely satisfied.

Also, it doesn't look like a "Her" to me at all.

Originally Posted by bevivek

The car is of course completely gorgeous and it was all I could do to prevent myself from driving off with her there and then.

I understand. This is one vehicle that pulls you to the driving seat, even when standing still.

Originally Posted by bevivek

3 D mats and c) removal of the Pajero Sports decal.

Please be careful with the brand of 3D mats offered by the dealer. Kagu is the best brand and a lot of others have cropped up in the recent past and while their mats look the same when new, they tend to lose their shape and wear out pretty fast.

I too do not like the decal on the side but it saves the paint from scratches from bikes, rickshaws and road grime and hence I have kept them.

Also, there are a few important touches which can be done to the truck post delivery to keep it from scratches. Let us discuss them on your own thread.

[bevivek]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Congratulations. Please make sure to do a detailed PDI at the yard to ensure that you are completely satisfied.

Thanks and will do.

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Also, it doesn't look like a "Her" to me at all.

I am told that we can determine sex of Pajero Sports puppies only after they are 3 months old

But yeah, it is a mean machine and looks it. I used to call my Black Scorpio, The Daily Beast. I hope it is not sacrilege to have a snap of that much loved, much missed animal here.

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Please be careful with the brand of 3D mats offered by the dealer. Kagu is the best brand and a lot of others have

Thanks for the information. Will check with the dealer on what brand I am getting.

Originally Posted by n.devdath

I too do not like the decal on the side but it saves the paint from scratches from bikes, rickshaws and road grime and hence I have kept them.

I had not thought of it as that. I just felt that it was very loud and screaming out, "Hey look, I have a Pajero Sports". I thought the beast, with its immense presence did this very well without additional help.

My main worry was whether removing it will leave a visible mark. The engineer said it wouldn't so am going ahead with its removal.

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Let us discuss them on your own thread.

I actually wrote and posted it before getting the vehicle but the mods sensibly parked it in the Assembly Line. Now that I have the vehicle will add to it and get it posted.

By the way, do you have an owner thread? I looked for it but didn't find one.

[bevivek]

I tried to edit my earlier reply but was unable to so writing a new post.

In the Team BHP PDI checklist, it is mentioned to take a gift for the sales assistants. This is new for me and I confess I have not done it for any of my previous vehicles.

Just wanted to know if others have given a gift and if so, what were the gifts? Sweets, a memento, something utilitarian like a wallet?


Thanks in advance

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by bevivek

I hope it is not sacrilege to have a snap of that much loved, much missed animal here.

Not at all, and that is one very well maintained Scorpio there. No wonder you miss it.

Originally Posted by bevivek

I actually wrote and posted it before getting the vehicle but the mods sensibly parked it in the Assembly Line. Now that I have the vehicle will add to it and get it posted.

Cool, will look forward to it.

Originally Posted by bevivek

By the way, do you have an owner thread? I looked for it but didn't find one.

You caught me there, I don't.

Originally Posted by bevivek

Just wanted to know if others have given a gift and if so, what were the gifts? Sweets, a memento, something utilitarian like a wallet?

While I have never given gifts to dealership personnel, small boxes of chocolates and prolly a wallet to your sales consultant should do in my opinion.

[Deep_Shri]

Finally the Pajero seems to be getting its due. The recent grill change also seems to have contributed to the gradually increasing sales. Interesting to see so many people in this group have moved from a Scorpio to a Pajero. I am a part of the group having moved to the Pajero SFX from a Scorpio SLE in 2010. Now I have a Pajero SFX and a Pajero Sports.

For the highways I prefer the Sports and in the city I prefer the SFX. I think the SFX has slightly better visibility than the Sports but the Sports has less body roll. Wonder why features like automatic door lock after 20 seconds, one touch up and down windows from the driver's side and an integrated tool kit have been removed from the Sports.

On the looks front I find the SFX more appealing but would prefer the Sports over a Fortuner any day.

The SFX with a Sports engine and tweaked interiors would have been the best of both worlds in my view.

Cheers!!