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-   -   Powered by mHawk, driven by me! The Mahindra Scorpio (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-term-ownership-reviews/95817-powered-mhawk-driven-me-mahindra-scorpio.html)

Hi Everyone,
Before I begin, I would like to thank Team-BHP for giving me the opportunity to share my experience and also all the BHP'ans, who have shared theirs thoughts and opinions, which helped in buying this car.

Disclaimer : The experience I have shared in this thread is purely based on my own opinion and my views does not intend to disrespect the company, the car or any existing owners.

From what seemed to be an hunt for a hatchback, ended up buying a 'Pre-owned' and one of the most popular SUV in India.

To give a little bit of backdrop, our first car was an Hyundai Accent GLE (Petrol), purchased back in 2005. The usage of the car was minimal for the first 3 years or so, (had done about 25K, around 800Kms/month) including occassional long drives. Over a period of time the usage increased and my every day travel of 60Kms/day was burning a hole in my pocket, with the ever increasing petrol rates. Hence we decided upon buying a diesel car and sold the Accent. We had not decided on what car to buy and also dint want to exchange the car as the value might be less, when exchanged, than selling it.

My priorities were :

1. 'Diesel' car
2. Budget : 7-8L
3. Reliable A*S*S
4. Mileage of 13-14 in city and around 17-18 on highways.

June, 2010 : I casually started enquiring about different diesel cars and this is when I got the chance to drive my friend's diesel swift. This is the first time ever I sat inside a swift and I liked it. Its high driving seat position (than the accent), power delivery & handling, maneuvering around the city traffic, made me feel this was the car for me, but then, wanted to check the other cars as well, as the VW Polo diesel was just launched and also the i20 crdi.

Around the last week of June : Visited the VW downtown showroom (Magrath Road), but the diesel polo was not available for TD. Drove the petrol version and was quite impressed, besides the space. Was told a week or two, for the TDI test drive.

Mid-July : Got a call from VW, that the diesel car was available for TD. The car that I drove was the Highline version.

I loved its design and was quite appealing. However the space inside put me off completely. I'm about 6 feet tall and when I adjusted the driving seat to my comfort, there was hardly any space to the person sitting directly behind me. Also the head room was inadequate. After driving the car, I noticed my left knee was constantly touching the dash board and to add to this, there was a loud noise from the engine, that I could hear even with the AC and Music on. The power delivery too was minimal. May be because I was used to a sedan, everything about the car was 'no' to me.

VW Polo was dropped from the list.

On the very same day, visited the ORR Advaith Hyundai to TD the i20 crdi.

I liked the chunky looking design and the top end model was fully loaded. After spending a considerable time in the showroom, checking the various options, booked the i20 asta crdi by paying 10K and was told the waiting period was 6-8 weeks.

Change of thought process : Around the 1st week of August, me and my friend were having a casual talk over a smoke and this lead to the complete makeover. We started the conversation about various cars, its features etc and he said one of his friend just sold a Scorpio for around 8.5L, which was a 2008 model. This installed the idea of a used car and also with my own accent fetching me 3.5L, boosted my confidence and stepped into the 2nd hand market, hoping I could find a good deal. (The process happened, without the cancellation of i20)

Why Scorpio?:

This car has made a massive impression to many enthusiasts, ever since its launch and I was one of them, but I never really dreamt of owning one or even try driving this car, because of its sheer size. The first time I even thought of owning this 'Monster' was when I realized I can get a pre-owned Scorpio for below 9L. Over a period of time, came across plenty of articles and read reviews about Scorpio, its different models and mainly about mHawk engine. Though many complained about its handling, it was the engine that got all the appreciation. This attracted me. So, I zeroed it down to 2007 or 08 model, with the mHawk badge. I was excited about this idea, but I knew it would be a bigger task to even try finding one and even more tedious, to verify its history. Another reason was, having driven a sedan for few years now, I thought this would be a good option. I decided to give it a shot!

The 2nd hand market : I knew I had two options. Either I buy the car directly from the seller or visit a Used-Car showroom (i.e, through a dealer).

4th August, 2010 : My first drive on a Scorp! (will never forget this day)

Visited National motors, near Lalbagh. The sales guy said they just got a 2008 Scorp, which was a White VLX model. Took it for drive and I felt like a 'King'! Its tall commanding driving position, clear view ahead and the space inside simply blew me away. On the same day decided to cancel the i20. This was the end for Hyundai and my money was towards M&M.

The car had done 37K kms and was quoted 8.5L, however it was already owned by 2 of them. The car was in excellent shape though. Provided my contact number and informed them to call me if any other Scorp is up for sale. The next day, I bought Ad-Mag and Free-ads, to check if there were any sellers, but dint find even one ad, for a 2008 model.

The next few days, I used to finish work by 3 or 4 and head to a used car showroom. Visited atleast 5, well known showrooms (Like Classic, Brigade, Silicon, National etc) and dint find the one that met my needs. Provided my contatct numbers, informed them about my priorities and requested to call me if they get one.

August 11th, 2010 : The day I met my big boy!

Received a call from Jayanagar Autoz, that they have a 2008 model. Went to the showroom and was flattered the moment I saw this huge shiny black hunk parked under a tree. Following are the details about the car.

Model : Mahindra Scorpio VLX, January 2008.
Purchase and Service : Bangalore
Number of owners : 1
Kms done : 44,321
Documents : RC book, LTT, Insurance, Service Manual, Owners guide, duplicate key.
Price Quoted : 8.75L

I knew few things about how to check if its a accident free car and that’s the first thing I did. It looked to be in a good condition. The dealer said he had all the documents, including the service history, but dint take a chance. Knew a guy from Sireesh Auto (near Silk board), called him and provided the Vehicle Number. He said the services were done here and the last service done was in May, with 43K on the odo. Informed the dealer, that I will take the car to a local mechanic, near my house and get it checked. He agreed.

Verification process : This is how I verified the car.

1. Called the Insurance company to check if there is any claim done. No claims done and he had a ‘no claim bonus’ last year.
2. Opened the hood and verified that the Company plate, with the Engine number, Chassis number was intact
3. There are these tiny little scoops at the front, (where the company plate is fixed), about 6 to 8 of them at the front, that confirms that the car has not met with any major accident
4. Tapping the sides of the car (right next to the headlights and above the wheels). If there was any repair done, it comes with a hollow sound, something similar to when you tap a plastic pipe. If it has not, it should come with a normal fiber sound.
5. The windshield, shows the year of manufacture with the company logo on the right bottom corner
6. The doors (all four of them), except the rear, has about 3 to 4 little dots, just below, were the door lock is located
7. All the tyres have a unique code and specifies the manufacturind code. Mine was (CF..1107). So its Nov’07.
8. Besides all these, took the car to a known mechanic, who checked the engine oil, tyre wearing and drove the car to check any rattling or unusual noise.

A thumbs up from him after nearly an hour, went back to dealer. After many hours of negotiation with the dealer and owner, they settled it for 7.8L. Paid the dealer a token advance and booked the car. Decided to pay 3L as DP and the remaining in loan. Loan was approved in 3 days and signed it for 3 years.

Delivery was taken on Friday the 20th of August.

As off today, I have done about 11,500 Kms. I'll soon share my experience with Mahindra's service and also my travelogues.

Pics

@Aviorp: First of all welcome to T-bhp.

Nice choice made by you on buying the king of Indian roads. Do share your driving experiences (Difference between Accent and Scoprio).

Happy Motoring. Drive Safe.

aviorp that's a clean example of a used Scorpio that you have managed to lay your hands on. Wishing you a wonderful driving experience with the Scorp' and drive safe.

I have done about 11,500 kms so far and here are my observations.Firsty the specs, though most of you must be aware.
1. Model : Mahindra Scorpio VLX (Jan 2008)
2. Engine : 2179cc
3. Power : 120bhp
4. Torque : 290nm
5. Fuel Type : Diesel
6. Tyres : Bridgestone Duelers 235/70 R16 TubelessLikes :
a. Exteriors :
1. The car looks boxy in almost every angle. From the shape of the head-lights to the rear view. There is no curvy shapes, like that off a CRV or a Captiva to make it elegant looking but this butch design makes it look like a monster.
2. It has superior on-road presence. I have noticed on so many occassions, especially in traffic, bikers or auto's simply dont get into his path.
3. Another interesting thing that I noticed was when another Scorp heads my way, we usually flash a light or slow down a little if we approaching from the opposite directions. Mutual respect :)

b. Interiors :
1. The interiors cannot be compared to that of the Germans or Japs, but its quite decent. The fit and finish is almost flawless, except in some places, where there are tiny little gaps but not easily noticeable.
2. The colours on the dashboard is black & beige, as the colour of the car is black, against the beige interiors for the other colours, of the scorp.
3. It is 2x3x3 seater. The seats are Fabric with black and grey colours.

Features (including comfort and safety)
1. Alloys for all 5 wheels.
2. ABS, Cruise control mode and welcome home headlights.
3. Voice assist (notifies me about reserve fuel, low oil, welcome message and most importantly reminds me to wear the seat belt)
4. Audio controls on steering wheel.
5. Tyre pressure monitoring system.
6. Individual arm-rests for the front row and foldable arm-rests for the middle and last row
7. It has 4 AC vents at the front row, 2 for the middle and the third row.
8. Theatre dimming style interior lights. (I simply love this feature)
9. Lights on the key ring, below the doors and seats as well.
10. Reverse sensors, that displays the distance to the obstacle.

Things that I love most about the car :
1. Its tall commanding driving position. It gives a clear view of the road ahead and vehicles around.
2. Right from the first gear to the fifth, there is equal amount of power distributed. I havent noticed any sudden gush of power in any gear and the speedo touches the 3 figures in less than 15 seconds
3. I must admit this. It does my boost my super inflated ego, when I drive him and it hits a peak, when no other car dares to near you.
4. The FE when I measured for the first was 12.3 and 14.8 on highway (both tank full to tank full method)

Things that I really dont like :
1. The clutch is a little harder and the long gear shifts is a spot of bother, especially in traffic.
2. The doors do not have individual locks. It has to be locked from the drivers side, if any of the passenger door is opened.
3. When the engine is shut-off, the entire car vibrates.

1st Service : 4000 Kms (Odo reading : 48300) on 18th October,2010Got my Scorp, serviced from India Garage, Whitefiled road (near TATA Xylem).

Experience : Left the vehicle around 9:30 A.M. The SA was quite friendly and explained the things that had to be done in detail. Had just one complaint, about the brakes. Once in a while there was a squeaking noise from the rear, whenever the brakes were applied and mostly at lower speeds. Apart from that, informed the SA to get the Ineriors and the Engine compartment cleaned. The following was the break-up provided.
1. Paid service - Rs. 450
2. Engine oil and Oil filter - Rs.1500
3. Diesel Filter - Rs. 1700
4. Check up electricals - Rs. 190
5. Brake pads and Liners - Rs. 660
6. Interior cleaning - Rs. 600
Estimation - Rs.5100/-Scheduled for delivery at 5 P.M (IST... pun). So, left work around 5:30 and was at the workshop around 5:45. As expected the car was not ready and was yet to be washed. Whiled away the time, going around the garrage, couple of smokes, customer lounge room and finally the car was ready at 7:15 P.M. The SA, guess unintentional, parked the car, in a dark place and couldnt see a thing on what was done. Took inside the workshop and immediately he noticed the engine compartment was not polished. Took another 5 minutes to have that done. The final bill including labour and consumables like, cotton waste (Rs.9.90 uff), came around 6K.As a mark of good gesture, one of the senior SA's asked me about the experience. Informed him, apart from the delay, everything else was fine. He provided a 10% discount on labour.

My first glitch with the Scorp :Odo Reading : 55470Kms Interval since last service : 7200 approxProblem : Oil leakage from the bottom of the clutch.This is my first issue, since the time of purchase and it had completed 5 months, that day. I found some amount of oil on the foot mat. I used a torch to check if there was any oil leaking, but there was nothing noticeable (nor any oil dipping). I cleaned the mat to check if it might leak overnight, however dint find any oil in the morning. However after I reached work, there was a small amount of oil on the mat again.There was no problem in shifting gears, but an unusal noise that I noticed, when in 2nd gear. In slow moving traffic, when the clutch is released about half way, there is this 'belt moving' noice (something like gueeen). Visited the IG showroom, last evening. The SA, the moment he opened the hood, found the issue to be with the oil. He said this has to be replaced once every 40K Kms. The following is the cost of the replacement parts :M C Assy : 1483.79Clutch tube slave oil : 176.12Metal rust remover : 550Total (including Tax) : 2400Also the noise from the 2nd gear does not exist anymore. Fortunately no issues with the clutch plate and the SA said there is no problem with it.So far, I'm very satisfied with the way the car has performed and also will share my travel experience, in the travelogue section.

CheersAvinash

Congratulations aviorp on your new ride!
Scorpio is definately one of the best SUVs in its range!
I plan on replacing my 4 year old Honda Civic and buy a Scorpio too!
Do keep me updated with all the additional costs and the cheers and the sneers of the car!

Congrats. Nice photos. Looking forward to your travelogue.

Congratulations on the beast, I have gone in for a Scorpio AT hoping for a delivery sometime next month, is there any way to reduce the vibrations during engine shutdown? Looks like its been an age old problem with Scorpio or do other SUVs also face the same issues?

Great choice. I totally agree with you when you say that the scorp has superior on road presence. Take care of it. It would be great if you uploaded some interior pictures too.
Make sure you get the immobilizer code changed ASAP if it is not changed.
I had a same scorp but it got stolen. :(

Congrats on your buy! I am waiting for the White VLX 4wd to arrive (expected to reach me in less than 15 days).

All my TD cars had the Shake during Engine shut off.
Individual locks are available now for all doors (saw one on the showroom during my booking)
Hard Clutch + Long gear shifts are a problem, but fortunately the new vehicle has a soft clutch (not sure when it gets hard)
12.8 in city is a good average

Some questions about your Used Car Inspection.

What scoops are these? could you explain this a little further? any pics would be good to see.

If a car is repaired without any issues, do you still think that tapping sound would be different? Could you explain this please?

Thanks in advance for your answers to my questions.

Happy motoring!

Thanks 2500c. Took me some time to complete the report.

Thanks buddy! I'm enjoying every bit of it.

Thanks DNM! Sure, will share all my experience including the costs.

Thanks jetblast. Congrats on your Scorp too. Nope, there is no way to prevent from the car vibrating. I have checked with the A.S.S guys and also my local mechanic. Just have to live with it but will get used it.

Thanks a lot but sorry to hear about your car. That is very sad, but where do you get the immobilizer code changed? More over the purpose of immobilize to keep the thieves away and how do they manage to tweak this?

[quote=NFS;2225878]Congrats on your buy! I am waiting for the White VLX 4wd to arrive (expected to reach me in less than 15 days).

Thanks NFS and congrats for your car too!

What scoops are these? could you explain this a little further? any pics would be good to see.

I'll post the pictures of these tomorrow.


If a car is repaired without any issues, do you still think that tapping sound would be different? Could you explain this please?


If its repaired, using some local paste and dent removal technique, you can easily find out. More over, you look at the sides within (that is from the engine compartment), you'll usually notice fresh paint stains. However if they were replaced completely, then its harder to find out.

congratulations on getting hold of the beast!
it actually looks brand new in the pics :)
looking forward to the travelogues!

The key of your car has a digital code in it. if someone tries to start the car with any other duplicate key, the immobilizer automatically cuts the fuel supply to the engine, thus stalling the car. Call mahindra and ask them about this. if not changed, the thieves can use a normal laptop to break into the engine and disable the immobilizer.

I always wondered what is engine immobilizer! Thanks for the info! Does this mean that one cannot make a duplicate key for these kind of cars ?

Also, is the engine immobilizer same as the additional security system like say, autocop ? can both be active at the same time ?