Team-BHP > Team-BHP Reviews > Long-Term Ownership Reviews


Reply
  Search this Thread
450,302 views
Old 26th September 2010, 20:12   #16
Senior - BHPian
 
nilanjanray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,887
Thanked: 2,925 Times

Thanks for the warm wishes. Here are a few pictures taken today morning:
Attached Thumbnails
Soldier of Fortune: Wanderings with a Trusty Toyota Fortuner - 150,000 kms up!-dsc_2733.jpg  

Soldier of Fortune: Wanderings with a Trusty Toyota Fortuner - 150,000 kms up!-dsc_2731_a.jpg  

Soldier of Fortune: Wanderings with a Trusty Toyota Fortuner - 150,000 kms up!-dsc_2742.jpg  

nilanjanray is offline   (5) Thanks
Old 26th September 2010, 20:56   #17
BHPian
 
TheStig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Trivandrum
Posts: 172
Thanked: 163 Times

Wow, looks really mean in black!

I see you haven't opted for any of the exterior accessories offered by Toyota. Are you planning on getting any?

Any plans for changing the music system?
TheStig is offline  
Old 26th September 2010, 21:15   #18
Senior - BHPian
 
avishar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: kolkata/bangalore,india
Posts: 2,901
Thanked: 4,140 Times

Congrats on the beast.Nothing comes close to a Fortuner for size.I still turn heads when it passes by.The Fortuner by the way must have the highest size to price ratio!

For a second while reading the first para i thought you had lost a job and in angst you bought the Fortuner!silly me.

Last edited by avishar : 26th September 2010 at 21:17.
avishar is offline  
Old 26th September 2010, 22:36   #19
Senior - BHPian
 
anekho's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: .
Posts: 1,995
Thanked: 684 Times

Your Fortuner looks spectacular in black! Really has presence!

Nice write up, looking forward to the next part and more pics!
anekho is offline  
Old 26th September 2010, 23:25   #20
BHPian
 
dhuli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 201
Thanked: 49 Times

Congratulations! I will bear in mind what you said earlier - test drive once, twice, thrice, then put the money on the table, especially if it is something that will be with you for long years. Where do you see heading out for the first ride out of town? Look forward to your report. As Avishar put it, I too never fail to notice a Fortuner pass by. Pure envy. Wishing you and your family great drives!
dhuli is offline  
Old 27th September 2010, 14:02   #21
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 111
Thanked: 0 Times

Nilanjan, congrats on the buy. And congrats on turning the corner from your personal situation from 2 years ago. So now you have the Fortuner, and a nearly 3 year old daughter - who can easily enjoy the long drives. Ooty/Yercaud/Kudremukh/Hasan beckon! Amazing looking vehicle, wish you many miles of exciting driving.
Driver2000 is offline  
Old 27th September 2010, 17:31   #22
BHPian
 
mtnrajdeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 904
Thanked: 338 Times

Congrats on the buy! The Fortuner is sure a head turner on Indian roads.
mtnrajdeep is offline  
Old 27th September 2010, 17:35   #23
Newbie
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Vashi, Navi Mumbai
Posts: 3
Thanked: 0 Times

Congrats Nilanjan,

Even I got my black fortuner 2 weeks back; absolute delight to drive and turns heads everywhere you go!

Enjoy.

Cheers!
SUV_offroading is offline  
Old 28th September 2010, 21:17   #24
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 178
Thanked: 77 Times

Congrats Nilanjan! Fortuner looks lovely in black.
oldmonk is offline  
Old 8th October 2010, 16:48   #25
Senior - BHPian
 
nilanjanray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,887
Thanked: 2,925 Times

Sorry guys for the absence. Was too busy with work, and with running in the vehicle. Finished the 1000 km servicing. Changed oil + oil filter, and fitted the fender mirror. Want to change the seat covers (put good leather) and ICE, but that will have to wait. Wife will kill me if I spend 60-80K on new seat covers and ICE now. But am planning to put sun-film next week – V-kool 70 for windscreen, and economy versions with 50% or more VLT in the sides and back.

Here a quick summary of what I liked and what I disliked during the first 1000 kms of ownership:

Liked
  • The torque and cruising ability – enough said
  • The robust interiors: In fact, I have mixed feelings about the utilitarian set-up, because I need not worry about dirty shoes, stains, baby dropping food, rough use, dog getting inside etc. Nandi Toyota tried very hard to sell me the Fortuner mats, and was surprised when I opted for the rubber Innova mats (glad that I did!) – “But Saaar, it is a D segment vehicle, why do you want to use rubber mats?”
  • Fulltime 4WD: my first long drive was to Bandipur, in pouring rain...I just kept driving as if it were not raining, and loved the stability and the cruising ability. More about that trip later – was a very interesting experience!(Hash tags: night highway driving, fight with wife - had gone solo, tiger, gaur, driving 50 km up+down...)
  • She’s got the looks!
  • I got 11.5 km/L before servicing – as per the meter. Will fill fuel and check how accurate the indicator is, but 11+ - if true – is better than I had expected.
  • The confidence it inspires in me (tough, will keep on moving, can handle all sorts of roads and weather etc.). Though I haven’t tried anything yet that I didn’t do earlier with my ‘keeping fingers crossed that she doesn’t act cranky’ Indica.
  • That more buses and trucks give way for me now on Mysore highway, and autos and bikes in intersections
  • Daughter loves the 'looking down' view from her car seat
  • High beam – great for night driving
  • Oodles of space unless I am carrying 7 people
  • Toyota service rep behaviour
Didn’t like
  • ICE set-up
  • Leather quality (but, as I said, I can rough use without being careful about dirt, spills and stains)
  • The low beam and the fog lights – totally inadequate
  • Driving within 2000-2500 rpm during the first 1000 km
  • Planning for parking or weighing pros and cons before I decide to take it out within the city (especially since some idiot brushed by my SX4 when it was parked – left side paint is totally messed up)
  • Brakes (adequate, but could have been better. However, perfectly manageable once you get used to them).
  • Issues with HDFC Bank and insurance (Bharti-Axa): Bharti sent me the wrong policy without mentioning zero depreciation clause, and HDFC sent me incomplete loan docs (my copy) with wrong engine and chassis details.
I have stopped thinking about the price of the car, and plan to use it the way it is meant to be used. Was seriously thinking of driving down to Kolkata for the pujas, but too much workload.

Last edited by bblost : 21st October 2010 at 14:11. Reason: Please refer forum rules. Esp rule 11. Thanks.
nilanjanray is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 8th October 2010, 17:26   #26
Senior - BHPian
 
nilanjanray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,887
Thanked: 2,925 Times

I have wanted to buy a Toyota or Landrover SUV for 15 years now. Landy was out for many reasons (price, reliability, ***, TCO) – though I grew up, and enjoyed traveling in Landys in Darjeeling . I looked at/considered a number of other vehicles in the market. Here is why I rejected them:


Grand Vitara: This was the top contender. In the end, I realized that given I have two dogs, a GV doesn’t give me much incremental value over my SX4, that can handle all roads that don't require 4WD. The GV (2.4L) is much more stable at high speeds, and brakes are excellent. I love Maruti's ***. But in the end, it was space, TCO (over 5+ years) and my wife’s veto. She loved the Fortuner’s butch looks, and also had some choice words of wisdom: “You know, Ratan Tata has photos of all the guys who bought a petrol Indica. Every day he takes them out and looks at them with a feeling of wonder. We won’t get 50K if we sell it today. You want to make the same mistake by buying a vehicle that is a total flop in India? And you want to spend > 20L on a SUZUKI? Why can’t you ever learn……”. You get the picture – after a few arguments on similar lines, she started remembering all the ‘mistakes’ I had done in the last 10 years…so out went the GV.

Outlander: luxurious interiors, great music, great handling. Didn’t like the mileage, TCO, 5-seater and the only-auto option. Besides, I wouldn’t have felt comfortable rough-using the Outlander without worry for 5+ years the way I can do it with a Fortuner or a GV.And if a 5-seater, why not the GV? No offense to owners, but somehow I find the Outlander, Captiva and CRV too metrosexual.

Endeavour 4X4: Too big; didn’t want auto; uncomfortable ride. Didn’t appeal to me the way the Fortuner and the GV did. The extra luxury features can be easily obtained in the aftermarket.

Captiva: Didn’t TD. A neighbor has it – doesn’t appeal to me.

CRV: Wouldn't dream of touching it.

X-trail: too expensive, 5 seater, Nissan ***, TCO, softroader. Didn’t test drive.

Pajero: a bit dated and underpowered. Fortuner is a more modern and powerful vehicle with similar capabilities.

So I ended up with the Fortuner. As I have mentioned in some other thread, it took some time to get used to the Vehicle. I was fully sold only after the 3rd test drive.

Last edited by Amartya : 10th October 2010 at 02:39. Reason: Corrected a very minor typo.
nilanjanray is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 8th October 2010, 19:08   #27
BHPian
 
gshanky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Coimbatore / Bangalore / New York
Posts: 717
Thanked: 13 Times

Congratulations Niranjan! Very good looking car and very convincing reasons to opt for it as long as one can afford.

Hopefully no issues with the car and cheers for the man and the machine to enjoy the road (or the lack of it )
gshanky is offline  
Old 8th October 2010, 19:30   #28
BHPian
 
veedub89's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chandigarh
Posts: 513
Thanked: 1,073 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by nilanjanray View Post
CRV: Wouldn't dream of touching it.
why the hate towards the CR-V? is it the price?
veedub89 is offline  
Old 8th October 2010, 19:36   #29
BHPian
 
dhuli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 201
Thanked: 49 Times

Congratulations Nilanjan! Your evaluation from 3 test drives (great idea) seems to bear through your ownership with nothing really negative. Do enjoy the drives for many years ahead! Fortuner is a beauty. It might just be me, but all the Fortuners I have sighted - the number plates seem so plain and like an afterthought. They dont seem to integrate with this huge beast of a vehicle. Either it is the manner in which numbers are painted or the size of the board!
dhuli is offline  
Old 8th October 2010, 20:17   #30
Senior - BHPian
 
nilanjanray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,887
Thanked: 2,925 Times

@ ghanky, dhuli: thanks guys!

@veedub89: CRV has less ground clearance than my SX4, is a 5 seater, and primarily a smooth road vehicle. I would shudder to take it to the jungle trails where I take my SX4. Don't like its looks. Feel it is not worth the money after price increase due to Rupee depreciation. Thirsty petrol is another negative. Need any more reasons? :-)
It is a great vehicle for people with certain usage patterns and likes. I have different needs and wants, that's all.

Last edited by nilanjanray : 8th October 2010 at 20:21.
nilanjanray is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks