[MaxTorque]

Great ownership report Procrj, liked the narration and the pictures. Hope to see regular updates on this thread.

[CarMaster]

Superbly compiled report there procrj. A must read for potential TUV300 buyers. IMO molten orange and dynamo red are the two best colors on a TUV300. Hearty congratulations on your new acquisition. Hope you have a great time with your ride. Wishing you an eventful and fun journey in your red dwarf.

[mpksuhas]

Congrats!!
Detailed report with superb pics, view of empty Bangalore roads is an added advantage.

I remember you were checking out different M&M sales outlets any specific reason for opting India Garage?

[Enobarbus]

Congratulations Procrj. Wish you many miles of merry motoring!
A very detailed and unbiased report in a lucid writing style.
Nice quote to begin the review too, except that Walt Whitman's name is misspelt. (I am prone to typos too; its a bit of a relief to see an occasional imperfection in an otherwise awesome forum).
The TUV looks true to its name. Thanks for sharing.

[satan's_valet]

Congrats procrj on the Red Dwarf. That was a well written report with beautiful pictures.

P.S. - Were you by any chance crossing Sankey tank yesterday at around 11 am? I saw a Red TUV with TBHP sticker on the spare wheel.

[abirnale]

Congrats @procrj! Wishing you many more happy (s)miles with Red Dwarf! A good thing you have done there is getting the paint protection done sooner. I did too on my XUV and it pays off. Now in 7 months into ownership we have been to many places and I can see the water beading ability is gone but the shine is in tact! All you now need keep the dirt away and dust off more frequently!

Have fun with the tank!

[Sirvoicar]

Good job @Procrj.
It is a well tabulated unbiased report posted within week's of ownership.Nice pictures of the Tank too, clean streets and not a soul in sight (is it really in India, ) . I plan to do my Initial Ownership Report after the 1st Service. I have clocked 2850 Kms since 05.11.2015. The more I drive, the more I like the Tank.
Enjoy your drives @Procrj

[rajpvrm]

Awesome ownership thread, procrj. Very detailed and patiently written. I like all the tables in which you summarize whats right and wrong with the car.

Couldn't agree more, Cruise Control and ACC would have completed the package! Most ACCs that I have seen shift to outside air and turn of the air re-circulation off periodically. This is irritating when you smell the stong stink of pollution in heavy traffic. As you mentioned, its really good for highways - it helps by bringing in some oxygen that improves alertness.

Apart from the 2 mentioned above, Touch screen unit with rear video, rain sensors, more comfortable 2nd row seat, 60:40 seat fold option and instantaneous fuel average in the MID in the T8 would have made it a killer package.

Originally Posted by procrj

The old work horse: As on July 2014,My 5 year old WagonR had done 40K kms

Your old work horse and the red dwarf - you just over red!

Originally Posted by procrj

Red Dwarf – Rating 4/5

Originally Posted by procrj

Booking & Delivery Experience – Rating 2.5/5

Your key takeaways are spot on. M&M has come up with an awesome VFM product, but the booking and delivery experience (I am still going through it) is way below expectations.

Originally Posted by procrj

Why you shouldn't buy the tank? This is for all the fence sitters and nay sayers

You believe that machines should fix themselves without human intervention. Just kidding! If you absolutely abhor spending time at service centers and talking shop with folks on the floor, then please dont buy the tank. Niggles and part replacement are still WIP and it will take a while for M&M to sort all the issues with this car.

I'll fall in the category that thinks machines should fix themselves! But I am mentally preparing myself for some initial niggles with the TUV. For the love of owning a SUV and the beautiful package TUV is, I'll step down a bit and accept that machines have a heart and do need some human touch once in a while!

Originally Posted by procrj

Mach 1 is slow, you need more! While the tank does do moderately high triple digit speeds, I have experienced figos & i20 zip by while the tank plods on. If your need for speed is absolutely necessary & not definitely maybe, then give this rumbler a miss

Mach1 is slow, you need more!

Originally Posted by procrj

Pictures

Amazing pics, especially e3.jpg, boy it looks like a premium SUV.

I saw the car mats at the showroom recently and I think the front ones are not sized correctly. They leave a lot space around and expose the carpet underneath.

Originally Posted by procrj

Past & Current niggles
1. Battery charging lamp on even while driving - got the battery sensor fixed and problem solved
2. Vibrations in A pedal - Got the vacuum modulator changed & resonator was also fitted
3. Driver window rattle at low speeds - Need to get this fixed
4. Tiny metallic clink sound while changing gears - Could not replicate this at the service center but I can still hear this. Need to monitor

I hope M&M gets rid of all the identified niggles fast. Good part is that there are only 2-3 issues that we have consistently heard and no new problems.

Congrats once again on your ownership thread. Its not easy to write something that's as apt, detailed and interesting.

[rajpvrm]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Lovely report there!

Its raining TUVs on the forum and that shows how good as a product it is for the Money you pay. Congratulations and here's wishing a fantastic journey on your Red Dwarf.

Hi Parag, I recently read your thread on Ertiga and I really don't know what to say. 81K Kms in 2+ years and trips with 22 & 27 hours of solo driving, ! Unimaginable. Max I have driven solo is Mumbai - Goa for 11 hours and other long drives like Hyderabad - Bangalore and Hyderabad - Visakhapatnam. You have inspired me to do more and I am more desperate for my new car now. But you are a league apart, take a bow.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Congratulations and here's wishing a fantastic journey on your Red Dwarf.

Thanks parag. Planing to DIY hard-wiring of dashcam & GPS. Will connect with you to clarify a few points

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Many congratulations procrj on getting your Red Dwarf and a wonderful ownership report highlighting your thought process in chosing the tank. Lovely pictures of the tanks with some very good captions.

Thanks Autoindian. Do keep your thread updated with your daily learnings

Originally Posted by MaxTorque

Great ownership report Procrj, liked the narration and the pictures. Hope to see regular updates on this thread.

Thanks MaxTorque. All pic credits go to my better half as she is better with the camera & choosing the spots for the pics

Originally Posted by CarMaster

Superbly compiled report there procrj. A must read for potential TUV300 buyers. IMO molten orange and dynamo red are the two best colors on a TUV300. Hearty congratulations on your new acquisition. Hope you have a great time with your ride. Wishing you an eventful and fun journey in your red dwarf.

Thanks CarMaster

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Congrats!!
Detailed report with superb pics, view of empty Bangalore roads is an added advantage.
I remember you were checking out different M&M sales outlets any specific reason for opting India Garage?

Thanks Suhas. Decided to go with India Garage as they were the ones who gave me ~150 km of test drive and promised to deliver the car in 35-40 days. I should have kept loyalty to the side and used my head for such a major decision

Originally Posted by Enobarbus

Congratulations Procrj. Wish you many miles of merry motoring!
A very detailed and unbiased report in a lucid writing style.
Nice quote to begin the review too, except that Walt Whitman's name is misspelt. (I am prone to typos too; its a bit of a relief to see an occasional imperfection in an otherwise awesome forum).
The TUV looks true to its name. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks enobarbus. Looks like you like your history. Well to err is human

Originally Posted by satan's_valet

Congrats procrj on the Red Dwarf. That was a well written report with beautiful pictures.

P.S. - Were you by any chance crossing Sankey tank yesterday at around 11 am? I saw a Red TUV with TBHP sticker on the spare wheel.

Thanks satan's valet. Yes I was crossing sankey at 11 yesterday but did not see your car. I did see a silver i10 with LTD and flash but no response.

Originally Posted by abirnale

Congrats @procrj! Wishing you many more happy (s)miles with Red Dwarf! A good thing you have done there is getting the paint protection done sooner. I did too on my XUV and it pays off. Now in 7 months into ownership we have been to many places and I can see the water beading ability is gone but the shine is in tact! All you now need keep the dirt away and dust off more frequently!

Have fun with the tank!

Thanks abirnale. 3M paint protection was top of the list of things to do.

Originally Posted by Sirvoicar

Good job @Procrj.
It is a well tabulated unbiased report posted within week's of ownership.Nice pictures of the Tank too, clean streets and not a soul in sight (is it really in India, )

thanks Sirvoicar. Very much in India but taken on a lazy holiday afternoon hence the minimal traffic

Originally Posted by rajpvrm

Awesome ownership thread, procrj. Very detailed and patiently written. I like all the tables in which you summarize whats right and wrong with the car.

thanks rajpvrm.

Cruise Control and ACC would have completed the package!

Yes an optional version like the hyundia O's would have still done the job

Apart from the 2 mentioned above, Touch screen unit with rear video, rain sensors, more comfortable 2nd row seat, 60:40 seat fold option and instantaneous fuel average in the MID in the T8 would have made it a killer package.

Not a big fan of touch screen or rain sensing vipers - hence I dont really miss them. 60:40 split would have helped. Instantaneous FE could be very wrong & misleading as you never know the ways its calculated. Similar to the DTE. Always prefer the tankful method for FE.

Your old work horse and the red dwarf - you just over red!

Well that’s the home minister's department & I rest my case.

I'll fall in the category that thinks machines should fix themselves! But I am mentally preparing myself for some initial niggles with the TUV

Do pray to Murphy & Murphy Hope you have a great delivery experience & niggle free ownership.

Mach1 is slow, you need more!

A lot of folks who have walked up to me to ask about the car have 3 questions - 1) Whats the FE 2) Does it have bodyroll 3) How fast can it go

Amazing pics, especially e3.jpg, boy it looks like a premium SUV.

All pic credits go to my better half.

They leave a lot space around and expose the carpet underneath.

Yes. Hence the plan is to DIY noodle mats. Already have shortlisted mats for Rs 70 per sqft. Will update the thread with posts after the DIY

I hope M&M gets rid of all the identified niggles fast. Good part is that there are only 2-3 issues that we have consistently heard and no new problems.

Sure there are only 2-3 now. With mechanical wear & tear, new ones can crop up and will be interesting to see how M&M handles these issues.

Congrats once again on your ownership thread. Its not easy to write something that's as apt, detailed and interesting.

Thanks a lot! hope it helps others who have short-listed the tank

[The Dude]

Brilliant review @Procrj sir on the red dwarf. Wishing you many many happy and safe miles (or in this case kilometers ) with this car. I must say, M&M have really upped their game and gone are the days of the Logan and Quanto. The TUV looks to be the most VFM product now after the XUV. The car looks gorgeous in red and boy do I envy you!

Again, Congratulations on the car and wishing you many miles in it.

-Adhi

[satan's_valet]

Originally Posted by procrj

Thanks satan's valet. Yes I was crossing sankey at 11 yesterday but did not see your car. I did see a silver i10 with LTD and flash but no response.

I was coming from IISC and was behind you when you came up from the BHEL underpass. Maybe that's why you couldn't spot me. I drive a white Figo btw.

[shivaru]

A very strikingly honest review, was a treat to read it. Thank you.

Originally Posted by procrj

Key takeaways

Red Dwarf – Rating 4/5

1. Outstanding value for money and well designed product from M&M. Hoping that niggles will not turn into nightmares for owners
2. Tuned for city driving but has enough power to deliver on highway runs. However a 6th gear would have reduced the stress on the engine and made this an even better cruiser
3. Very comfortable front seats and moderate rear bench ensures that you really dont feel the fatigue while driving long distances. AMT in city traffic will be a real boon
4. ACC & Cruise control should have been included at an incremental cost or should have been made available as part on an optional pack
5. Fuel economy – after the first tank full, I drove 500 km and went back for a refill. Dwarf gulped down 37 Liters of diesel which means a FE of 13.5 kmpl. Will wait a little longer before I start to crib about the FE
6. Good build quality. Panel gaps are consistent, dashboard plastics are strong and even under harsh sunlight do not smell, engine protection is big plus, body panels do not flex much.
7. Great headlamps. I have been using only the fog lamp while driving in the city but the low & high beam have good throw. The static bending lamps are very bright and just light up the area on both sides of the tank.

Booking & Delivery Experience – Rating 2.5/5

1. Never buy insurance from the dealer. Always search online & get quotes before you finalize on insurance
2. Drive the car during the PDI. Most dealers do not allow this but some issues will not be identified unless you drive the car. If you cant drive, then start the car and ensure that you carefully check everything possible
3. Follow up for just about everything. Don't assume/presume that its taken care of
4. Evaluate your SA before you book your car. My SA was a trainee – as was the case with most SA's in India Garage Palace Cross. I assumed that the initial enthusiasm will ensure that the SA goes a little further to improve customer experience but I was wrong.
   
5. Loan processing is very quick and you just need to ensure that you provide all the required docs in advance. My loan was processed by SBI in 1 day flat but yes I had applied for the loan and shared the required documents in Nov'15
6. Read & Check every single document before you sign. On the battery warranty, the last digit of my chasis number was missing. When in doubt, go to the Team BHP PDI check list

Why you shouldn't buy the tank?

This is for all the fence sitters and nay sayers

1. You believe that machines should fix themselves without human intervention.Just kidding! If you absolutely abhor spending time at service centers and talking shop with folks on the floor, then please dont buy the tank. Niggles and part replacement are still WIP and it will take a while for M&M to sort all the issues with this car.
2. You believe that corners and twisties need to be handled with minimal deceleration from steady state. There is body roll in the tank and you will have to take corners at sedate mid life crisis level speeds.
3. Mach 1 is slow, you need more! While the tank does do moderately high triple digit speeds, I have experienced figos & i20 zip by while the tank plods on. If your need for speed is absolutely necessary & not definitely maybe, then give this rumbler a miss
4. Phir diesel bharna hai kya? (need to fill diesel again?) FE is not its USP given its weight and if you want maximum output per liter, then Nexa/ Maruti is the brand for you. If the tank returns 16-17 kmpl on highway runs, I will be ecstatic!
5. Where are all the lines & curves? Yes, the tank is downright ugly. In fact its so ugly that it transcends into the realm of strangely beautiful If you believe that build quality & longevity can only be delivered by foreign car OEMs, then the tank is not for you. Its strong like mild steel but in todays world of high strength aluminium alloys, you will feel its bulky & outdated.

I would like to paraphrase the joker & say that the tank is neither an unstoppable force nor is it an immovable object. Its a simple car that helps you deal with all the chaos that's found on Indian roads.

Thanks for reading

[amrisharm]

Great and very detailed write up. Very helpful to anyone who is looking at buying a TUV300. I am also looking at upgrading from my 5 year old Santro. I checked the TUV300 out at a Mahindra showroom. I was pleasantly surprised with the interior space and interior design. But am 50-50 on the exterior design. I don't know whether I love it or hate it.

I have decided to wait and see what all new products are displayed at the Delhi Auto Expo from the manufacturers before making my decision.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by satan's_valet

I was coming from IISC and was behind you when you came up from the BHEL underpass. Maybe that's why you couldn't spot me. I drive a white Figo btw.

do you take this route often? If yes will be on the lookout

Originally Posted by shivaru

A very strikingly honest review, was a treat to read it. Thank you.

Thanks shivaru

Originally Posted by amrisharm

Great and very detailed write up. Very helpful to anyone who is looking at buying a TUV300. I am also looking at upgrading from my 5 year old Santro. I checked the TUV300 out at a Mahindra showroom. I was pleasantly surprised with the interior space and interior design. But am 50-50 on the exterior design. I don't know whether I love it or hate it.

I have decided to wait and see what all new products are displayed at the Delhi Auto Expo from the manufacturers before making my decision.

Thanks amrisharm. Do take a long test drive of the tank and other cars before you decide to buy one.