[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Thanks HG glad you liked the pics. I have some news on the clutch burn smell I experienced while reversing up the steep incline mentioned above on which i shall elucidate in my post below.

30,000 and Smooth as Silk

I took the Fortuner in for its 30,000 kilometers service at the 30,030 kms mark on the 7th of May 2011.

This time i had two issues to report:

1) Clutch burn smell while reversing up in LL mode on a slippery and steep slope at Jalori Pass on a recent excursion.

2) Vehicle felt a bit sluggish and noisier than before.

Hi Manuuj,
Thanks for sharing the learning.
1. The gentleman at the ASC is absolutely right on the "clutch burning smell" issue. Appears he knows his onions ! And that is a comforting feeling.

2. About the air filter cleaning - it is a simple DiY every month and in the TFort it is much easier than any other vehicle I have seen.
a. Just unclip the cover by disengaging the three clips.
b.Gently set aside the cover and remove the filter element and place in a plastic bag.
c. Use a cloth and block the exit point to the engine inside the filter box.
d. Close bonnet cover.
e. Walk/cycle/auto/taxi...whatever to the nearest tyrewallah. Smile at him. Ask him to blow clean the element or ask him for the compressor tube and do it yourself.
f. Blow clean the filter element to your hearts content.
g. Reverse journey described in point e above.
h. Remove cloth blocker.
i. Place back filter element. Ensure it sits in snug.
j. Place back top cover and engage clips.
k. Ensure that the MAF sensor on the top (output hose) is tight/secure.
l. Start engine and hear the sweet growl of the TFort.
m. Feel smug.

I do it every quarter. That is approximately in between two services.

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Great to know that everything is fine, as usual.

Seems your Galaxy folks have a better service orientation that the guys at Nandi here in Bangalore.

Btw, during the offroading bootcamp, the instructor said never to use halfclutch in the LL mode.

How would you compare your Fortuner ownership experience with your other SUVs'?

The Folks at Galaxy really are very well trained. Galaxy is the largest dealer for Toyota nationwide to my knowledge and they make a lot of effort in keeping standards high. Though due to the advent of a whole host of new models and increased customers they have also been feeling the pressure of late.

About the half clutching i do know its a cardinal sin in any situation as it puts undue strain on the clutch and increases wear also but i was unaware of the fact that one should never halfclutch in LL mode.

Thanks for the heads up buddy!

Feel bad for the increased wear i may have caused due to the two three instances of halfclutching that i have done. The upside is, its a Toyota so it can take some punishment without a sweat!

This is never an issue in the Range Rover as its an automatic.

As far as ownership experience goes all are a pleasure to own except the Mhawk as it seems to develop problems at a regular pace..if its not busy getting stolen that is.

An ownership experience extends to many thing right from buying the vehicle, enjoying its performance, experiencing its after sales support, cost of maintainence and finally ease of disposal.

In that respect each one has some points over the other.

I'm talking strictly about the Range Rover, Pajero and Fortuner here.

The Range Rover is a fantastic vehicle both on and off the road. It has huge reserves of Power (272 bhp and 620 Nm of torque) but is equally thirsty too. It is very very expensive to maintain. Just having them open the bonnet will cost you about the same as a major service of a Fortuner!

It depreciates quickly and may be difficult to get a good price in resale due to the high cost of maintainence.

The Pajero does not have very good After Sales, seems underpowered and a bit outdated inside. But it has a fantastic suspension, bulletproof reliability and is fairly easy to maintain also.

Its fuel economy is more than than the Range Rover but less than the Fortuner at around 10 kmpl.

Its goodish on the road but its off road performance is legendary.

It will be fairly easy to sell and will command a fair price also.

The Fortuner is a winner in my view. It has:

Very good performance both on and off the road (less than the the Range Rover though, but definitely better than the Pajero on the road atleast) ,

Bulletproof reliability,

Good fuel consumption ( for its size and all wheel drive system),

A gem of an engine (the heart of any vehicle),

Fantastic dealer network and after sales support,

Cheapest to maintain among the three (Under Rs.12,500 spent in 30,000 kms),

Will hold its value well and will have people queuing up to buy a well maintained second hand example (much like the my Qualis),

So i feel the Fortuner is the overall winner and im not biased as i have all three.

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Manuuj,
Thanks for sharing the learning.
1. The gentleman at the ASC is absolutely right on the "clutch burning smell" issue. Appears he knows his onions ! And that is a comforting feeling.

I do it every quarter. That is approximately in between two services.

Thanks for the input HG..have a compressor in the factory so will surely do the same.

Request to Mods Please change the name of the thread to "Toyota Fortuner TRD..30,000 Kms and Smooth as Silk"

Thank You.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

1. T Fort - Good fuel consumption

2. Request to Mods Please change the name of the thread to "Toyota Fortuner TRD..30,000 Kms and Smooth as Silk"

1. Uh oh ! You mean low fuel consumption.

And thanks...for a fantastic overview of the three vehicles. Just loved it.

Thank God I didn't look at Pajero after a point of time.

Thank God I couldn't/can't afford the Range Rover !

2. Psssst...do you want to name your TFort - 'Silk Smitha' ?!!

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by Guderian

1. Uh oh ! You mean low fuel consumption.

And thanks...for a fantastic overview of the three vehicles. Just loved it.

Thank God I didn't look at Pajero after a point of time.

Thank God I couldn't/can't afford the Range Rover !

2. Psssst...do you want to name your TFort - 'Silk Smitha' ?!!

Hahaha! Silk Smitha..no way mate. The Fortuner may be rather offended if he heard you..i think Silk Suresh is more gender appropriate!

Glad you liked the mini review and yes you are right i definitely meant low fuel consumption!

[nilanjanray]

Manuuj,

Your detailed post should be stickied! There are many conversations happening around Fortuner vs. XYZ. You have the best perspective given that you own 3 fantastic SUVs (including a super premium one), and don't suffer from selective owner bias.

P.S.: I have stopped defending the Fortuner when people bash it (quite a few bashers, I should say) lol.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

So i feel the Fortuner is the overall winner and im not biased as i have all three.

Hi Manuuj,
Have copied this very neat review on to my thread as well with all due credit to you of course, but without your permission - so due pardon me for that. Errr...makes my thread a little more 'meatier' and would grab some great number of eyeballs as well.
Thank you once again !


Regarding the change of the title - may please PM a request to one of our Mods the 'from and to' titles. I have been following that process to have the title/s changed for lightning quick responses !

[pvrajan]

@Manuuj

fantastic comparison.

"Will hold its value well and will have people queuing up to buy a well maintained second hand example (much like the my Qualis), "

Hmm, Qualis was/is a people mover, and has high demand in rural areas, not sure if fortuner will have that kind of requirement considering the all time 4x4, etc.

but, I am sure as a toyota, it will run for a long time, and keep delivering without much drama. and it sure grows on you, as you keep using it.

As of now, I dont plan on selling mine, hopefully will keep it for a long time, as a second / weekend / vehicle to run long bad distances of south indian roads once it becomes old.

I love it when I take it out of the city and go on my monthy visits to wayanad.

@ nilanjan, no need for you defend when people bash it. most of them are sour grapes or ignorant. these type keep on arguing comparing what with whatelse, without actually owning / extensively driving the vehicles in question. in many cases, my uncles friend has... type of story..

nowadays, I just smile, and shrug. instead of spoiling my mood defending. the basher is disappointed because I am no longer a willing listner.

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by pvrajan

@Manuuj

fantastic comparison.


but, I am sure as a toyota, it will run for a long time, and keep delivering without much drama. and it sure grows on you, as you keep using it.

As of now, I dont plan on selling mine, hopefully will keep it for a long time, as a second / weekend / vehicle to run long bad distances of south indian roads once it becomes old.

..nowadays, I just smile, and shrug. instead of spoiling my mood defending. the basher is disappointed because I am no longer a willing listner.

Thank you sir I'm glad you liked the review. I completely agree with you on the point that sometimes people find faults or generally criticize for no good reason at all.

I used to also get worked up earlier and was even once quite rude to another Forum member on one occasion when he posted some needless "gyaan", but have realized that its better to ignore the ignorant.

I myself am shamelessly finicky and if there was something wrong with the Fortuner i would have made a real fuss on this Forum and other ways also.

Toyota has won me over not by their name but by their deeds.

[Manuuj]

Hi All!

Its been a busy couple of months and before i knew it the Fortuner had breached the 35,000 kms mark and was taken for service at 35,136 Kms.

The total expense was Rs. 1412/- as the wheel balancing and wheel alignment was also carried out besides the normal 5000 kms checkup and washing which usually costs about Rs.600 to 700.

Now lets talk about niggles and faults..

I've had this car for about 1 year and 7 months and im sure that by its 2nd anniversary it would have completed 40,000 kms.

The niggles are listed below:

1) Rattling from rear-most seats continues.
2) Gear Vibrations and high engine noise intrusion in the cabin
3) Clutch feels heavier (could have been caused by my own misuse ie:- half clutching in off road conditions)
4) Stiff Ride when compared to the Pajero
5) Brake Lever need adjusting at every service not that i have to adjust it myself but still..)

Major Issue:

Paint Quality: White Mica Paint scratches too easily and a lot of swirl marks are visible even though only Microfibre and Chamois cloths are used on the car.

Silver lining: continues to be the FE figures. Notched 15.5 KMPL over two days driving on the National Highway and single lane state highway while even passing through heavily congested towns.

I must mention here that i was driving unnaturally where i was really trying my best to extract the maximum mileage i could.

I did this by driving with a really light foot..i mean really light just holding my foot over the accelerator at most times and hardly depressing it more than and inch while picking up speed.

The maximum speed were kept below 80-85 kmph and there was no sudden braking or pickups. Most of the highway traffic was overtaking me.I was alone in the car and there was minimal luggage, tyre pressure was 33 psi and the AC was ON the whole time. It was a very relaxed drive and i was surprised to note that the time taken to complete the journey was almost the same as when i drive harder and faster (about 90-100 kmph)

Some pics of the Fortuner while being serviced:

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Hi All!

Its been a busy couple of months and before i knew it the Fortuner had breached the 35,000 kms mark and was taken for service at 35,136 Kms.

Hi Manuuj,
Welcome back and it has truly been a long time !
Good update and thanks.
What do you plan to do for the rearmost row of seats drumming ? I can sense the same in Admiral too. I guess what could have happened is that the old steel grip winding could have got worn out and cut and so it is metal to metal contact again. Perhaps. So rewinding the floor hook with Steelgrip is the solution I presume.
Could you also let me know about the adjustment of the brake lever ? I presume you are talking about the handbrake ? What kind of adjustment ?
The reason I am asking this is that in the very first service I had asked them to tighten the hand brake as the same was very poor on being applied. The tightened the cable. After that it has been - sort of OK.

Also had asked a general Q on my thread - how often do you align the wheels and balance them ?

What is the frequency of the brake pads (front) change in the TFort ?

Thanks !

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Manuuj,

A.What do you plan to do for the rearmost row of seats drumming ? I can sense the same in Admiral too.

B.Could you also let me know about the adjustment of the brake lever ? I presume you are talking about the handbrake ? What kind of adjustment ?

C.Also had asked a general Q on my thread - how often do you align the wheels and balance them ?

D.What is the frequency of the brake pads (front) change in the TFort ?

Thanks !

Hello Guderian San!

Yes it has been long but nothing interesting or worth mentioning apart from the mileage figure (15.5 kmpl) had happened so far..I have been reading your post as well as our new entrant Maximus's posts regularly though.
But i hope to go for a short trip on the upcoming Independence Day weekend so lookout for a mini travelogue and review of the Fortuners performance!

A.There is a cloth based electrical tape which is about twice or even three times the cost of normal electrical tape. This does not wear too easily or deform due to the seat weight and pressure. This is what i shall apply to the seat hooks. I have noticed that the locks under the seats engage properly but there is some play which is the culprit for the invisible percussionist in the Fortuners boot.
A good wrap of this cloth based tape will take care of the problem for a long while.

B. The brake lever is adjusted by hoisting the car up on the lift and then they fiddle about under it near the rear wheels. Ideally the Hand Brake Lever should go up about 4 notches and the car should stay perfectly still at inclines or declines or even when pushed. My Handbrake Lever was coming up almost 6-8 notches and even then the vehicle did not seem to hold too well. It was a ten minute job from having the car up and down on the lifts and all is well now.

C. The wheels are balanced and aligned every 5000 kilometers on all my vehicles. Not only does this provide comfort at high speeds as the car tracks true and the steering wheel does not judder due to wheel bubbling, but also improves the life of the tyres a great deal as they wear out evenly. Wheel Rotation can be carried out at the same time also. As i said my Fortuner has done just over 35,000 kms and there is enough tread for another 35,000 kms. Attaching a Pic of the Front right tyre for reference. it has done 35,000 kms of City, Highway and some Off Road driving.

D. I had spoken to my Service Adviser about the brake pads and he had told me that the brake pads have no set mileage limit determined by Toyota. The Brake Pads are inspected visually for wear and then a decision is taken on if they need to be replaced by the Technician and Service Adviser.Ofcourse they call the customer for permission before doing so.

Brake pad wear fluctuates a lot between each Car as it depends on the driving styles of every individual. If someone drives fast and therefore has to brake hard a lot, his vehicles brake pads will wear out faster than someone like me who drives in a more sedate manner and requires less and lighter braking.

He expects my brake pads to easily go for another 15,000 kilometers up till the cars 50,000 kms Service.

Hope this helps!

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Hello Guderian San!

1. the mileage figure (15.5 kmpl) had happened so far...

2. But i hope to go for a short trip on the upcoming Independence Day weekend.

3.There is a cloth based electrical tape which is about twice or even three times the cost of normal electrical tape.

4. Ideally the Hand Brake Lever should go up about 4 notches and the car should stay perfectly still at inclines or declines or even when pushed. My Handbrake Lever was coming up almost 6-8 notches and even then the vehicle did not seem to hold too well.

5. The wheels are balanced and aligned every 5000 kilometers on all my vehicles.

6. I had spoken to my Service Adviser about the brake pads and he had told me that the brake pads have no set mileage limit determined by Toyota.

Hi Manuuj,
Thanks - great info.

1. That is some great FE. Even Columbus reported that kind of figures during a relaxed 80-90KMPH run. Hoping to try that soon on a long drive.

2. I am hoping too for a long, long drive that weekend !

3. Is that the Duct/ Duck tape you are talking about ? Duct tape is cloth backed tape - and I have two rolls of them which should serve me well.

4. I seem to have the same issue - goes up by 6/7 notches. Shall have it set next time.

5. Have never done it on the TFort. Should do it next visits and stick to the 5K interval. My Scorp had a regular schedule of 5K KMs of WA & WB.

6. 50 K KMs for the brake pads is really good. Hope mine last too that long !

[Manuuj]

Hi all just sharing this link with you all on an incident that was reported on a Fortuner whose owner is based in Gurgaon.

This is the first Ive heard of such a failure and wanted to share it with you all so other owners may also be aware of the problem and the reason why this happened.

Ive contacted the owner of the ill fated Fortuner and asked him to shed some light on the matter and also share with us what the findings are for the reason of this failure.

I hope he will share the findings with us as this information may save other Fortuner owners from a similar situation who may not be as lucky as him to face it on a deserted road.

Information sharing is what this forum is all about and though most times it is for fun, this time it may save lives

the link to the story on Team-BHP is:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...pensation.html

[Manuuj]

Hi all,

Just an update on the story about someones Toyotas wheels getting jammed up. As u all know i had contacted both the owner of the Fortuner and Toyota on this issue as explained in my earlier posts.

Today i got a mail from the Owner Navanshu Saharan on my facebook account which i am Copy Pasting for you all:

Hi Manuj,

I have written n no. of mails to Toyota to find out why the wheels got jammed. They do not have a concrete answer. They say the front differential tube got jammed. Which everyone knows. But why ? Is what they are not able to explain yet. Will keep you posted, as soon as I hear anything from them

cheers

By the way can anyone explain to me what a front differential tube is?!

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Hi all,


By the way can anyone explain to me what a front differential tube is?!

Hi Manuuj,
1. Have posted your post on Admiral's thread as well.

2. As posted there:

In the meantime on thinking as to what possibly could have gone wrong the issues that struck me were:
1. An accidental slotting of LL gear at high speed - by a child or adult by an unintended movement in the cabin resulting in the outcome. Though it is difficult to slot the LL in the normal course of event from H to HL to n to LL...but a swift hit/kick etc could/might have done it.

2. Jamming of the front and rear propeller shafts due to bearing failures. This looks rather outlandish though. Both at the same time ?!!

Differential tube ?!! Scratching my head. There are forward and rear propeller shafts that go to the respective differentials. They emerge, as I spot now and then, from protective sheaths. Is that the one ? But then that really can't get jammed. Unless there is some thinamajig in the central differential lock which is called a 'tube'. But unilkely.