[Aroongupta]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

What a dramatic change in thoughts here.

We all were not even guessing that the Mitsubishi would impress you. Though the car is a good choice, the company's attitude is low and lack-lustered.

Overall a beautiful choice, so what is the deal being finalised?

Anurag.

Another dealer is coming for giving a TD. The haggles start after that . Though I am not a much of a 'deal guy' and would not take more than a few minutes to sign. A lakh here or there will not really matter.

Yesterday, at excel motors, it was coming to 26.5 on road inclusive of some 30K discount that he offered plus some foot mats, insurance etc. which frankly did not register much. My concentration was not that side, never is!

[anshuman_v]

Aroon, good review! I agree with most of the things you have said. In my opinion, the Pajero Sport needs a little getting used to initially. But after that, its a cracker. Am glad I posted the Pajero Sport review when I did!

I have just come back from a night drive of 400 kms, in rain swept roads. Till date, I have not had this secure feeling of 4x4 and easy, safe driving on the roads. As an example: there was a treacherous puddle on the road. Both the Pajero Sport and the other 'SUV' in the next lane were taken by surprise. The Pajero reacted with perfect poise - did not skid, the ABS worked and the vehicle came to a perfect, composed stop. The other vehicle too stopped, thankfully - bit the people inside were quite shaken. My kid in my Pajero, continued to snore happily - it was just another nothing.

My point: such moments are few and far in between. But when they happen, you want your ride to behave in a way that separates the men from the boys, IMHO. Nuff said :-)

Listen to your heart, and listen to your mind. You will make a great choice. All the fun with the evaluation!

Note from Support - Please avoid using short forms as it causes confusion (PS for Pajero Sport).

[Aroongupta]

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

Aroon, good review! I agree with most of the things you have said. In my opinion, the PS needs a little getting used to initially. But after that, its a cracker. Am glad I posted the PS review when I did!

I have just come back from a night drive of 400 kms, in rain swept roads. Till date, I have not had this secure feeling of 4x4 and easy, safe driving on the roads. As an example: there was a treacherous puddle on the road. Both the PS and the other 'SUV' in the next lane were taken by surprise. The PS reacted with perfect poise - did not skid, the ABS worked and the vehicle came to a perfect, composed stop. The other vehicle too stopped, thankfully - bit the people inside were quite shaken. My kid in my PS, continued to snore happily - it was just another nothing.

My point: such moments are few and far in between. But when they happen, you want your ride to behave in a way that separates the men from the boys, IMHO. Nuff said :-)

Listen to your heart, and listen to your mind. You will make a great choice. All the fun with the evaluation!

Bro, When I buy this beast, which very soon I will, it's you and Iron Rocks of TAI who will be charged with Section 111 of the IPC - Willfully inducing a perfectly sober yet gullible person to behave wild, freak and crazy!

How many others do you otherwise know who will let go of a gentlemanly black Bimmer and replace it with a look-at-the-crazy-me red or yellow off-roader?

Thanks mate! Your post showed me the way. In fact the sales person was pretty surprised with all the stuff about the PS that I was throwing in. That credit goes to you bro. In fact today their president came to my office unannounced. I TDed again. Today I kept mostly to the roads. Today's vehicle had already done some 30K. Engine felt a bit different, low on power and more noisy. Understandable. And as you said, though it is still very early days, but this time i felt more comfortable while getting in and felt more in synergy with the vehicle.

I have owned many a cars. And I thot that my love for the cars is now settling in. But this one has got me excited yet again. I am a bit embarrassed with myself. Without even buying one, I have been sending car pics to all my pals since yesterday. Getting all kind of wild reactions on the Yellow . The best one came from my bro who took the bimmer. He was awestruck. The 'f' word is all that he could mutter. He announced immediately that he wants to go for the PS and actually believed that I fooled him . Its only after swearing with one hand on Geeta (our common imaginary girlfriend hehe ) that the yellow beast will remain his also; while I will not be able to lay any claims on the bimmer, he came under control. Oh, I love him so much and would do anything for him...my bro Dushy!

The only other bit of an issue is - the BMW has gone! How do I tell the wifey? And I am exchanging that with this - the reaction is too unpredictable and scares the s*** out of me. Kids will love I know. But this thing called wife is a dangerous creature. Anyhow lets see.

Another stupidity - So I still don't have the car but I have been reading each and every word of Mr. Lordofgondor and watching every pixel of all the wonderful pictures from his fabulous Leh travelogue - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...me-true-6.html
and
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-ladakh-2.html.

I must visit the place next year. I must! I must!
I will! I will! I will!

Remember - its you who are to blame! Always remember that.

Note from Support - Smiley usage restricted to 2 per post only. Please avoid using more than 2 smileys in each post you submit.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by ToyotaFan

I had similar thoughts when I bought my Ford Escort in 1997. I simply loved what I saw in the UK and bought it as soon as it was launched. General consensus was to wait for the upcoming corolla and city but I listened to my heart and got the overpriced (8.5 L in 1997) car. Since then every time I need to get the the repaired it's mammoth task. I had been trying to get buyers since 2004 but all I was getting was double figures for the well kept vehicle. Till today the vehicle is with me and I have no option but to scrap it when the time comes. I bought a Daewoo matiz in 1998 which also gave problems but not to this extent.

Since then I learnt a lesson and have got a Wagon R, Toyota Innova and Toyota Fortuner. Very happy with these purchases and easy to maintain. I know the pajero sport is a great vehicle my son still loves it more than the fortuner and was after my life to get it. But in the last 1 year I have seen the 2 dealers nearest to my house (Vivek motors ghaziabad and one more) close and the nearest one is now excel motors 70 kms away when I have 5 Toyota dealerships with good service and support in that radius it just didn't make sense going for it. I know the heart cannot be swayed by a logical argument but still was just sharing my experience. May you have a great ownership experience with the Pajero.

Appreciate the concern you've got for a fellow bhpian however while both the escort and the pajsport are rare cars, they really cannot be compared to form the same analogy. Firstly, it's ironic that you call the Escort overpriced while urging someone to buy a T-Fort over the PajSport because when talking about the Pajero and the Fortuner, there is no doubt as to which is the grossly overpriced one. Secondly, while Mitsubishi isn't having a very good time here, I doubt the ownership experience of a rally-bred rock-solid legendary marquee the Pajero, can be compared with the Ford since the Pajero is extremely reliable and since its internals are tried and tested and it doesn't come with any scarily new tech, it doesn't require a rocket scientist to service or fix the car. While being a Mitsubishi, Pajeros have still enjoyed a fairly good resale value for a car made by a manufacturer with next to no presence and that ought to speak a lot about the product itself.

Worry not mate! our friend shouldn't have any troubles with his yellow submarine

[46TheDoctor]

Welcome to the Pajero Sport club

Congrats on the right choice that you have made, because:
1. The most important feature that any car in india needs is great ride and build quality because of the kind of roads we have and PS is just AWESOME in that department. Just flats out anything thrown at it. I have done several 600-800 kms drives (self drive) in 1-1.5 days without any discomfort. And its just awesome as chauffeur driven car.
2. Interiors are much better than the competition and exclusivity factor is there along with excellent road presence.
3. High reliability than Germans and Maintenance should be much lesser than Germans.
4. Better brakes than the competition and reasonably fun to drive considering its a true blue SUV.

Also being a Pajero owner myself i would like to point you to few drawbacks as well:
1. Check driver seat comfort again as i guess it should be cramped for body frame like yours. For me its supremely comfy ( i am 5'6"/65 kg).
2. Controls (clutch and gearbox) are as heavy as Tata Safari so, a bit of a pain in long traffic hours and presence of the turbo lag as well.

Just make sure that you get an AT (as you don't look very keen on serious off-roading) which will be launched soon as it can avoid problems regarding turbo lag and make driving pleasurable in city also.

[Aroongupta]

Thank you Doctor for the right diagnosis.

Regarding serious off-roading - yeah I too doubt that. Though a drive up Leh-laddakh should be on during next summers.

AT I guess is not coming too soon. Means in 4x4 mode. I don't want to go in for a 4x2 AT. I guess manual will do this time. Yes I agree clutch was distinctly heavy. Apart from that, for my size 11.5 left foot, the dead pedal was a bit too small and inconvenient. So that does bother me...and its something I fear will keep bothering.

Lets see.

[bblost]

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[TB16]

Congrats aroon!! Pajero is indeed a great car. The exclusivity (along with reliability) is enough of a reason to buy this car over the fortuner(no offense to fortuner owners pls).
I was in a similiar predicament when I bought my kizashi 2 years back. Everyone around me wanted me to buy the civic, which is a great car (in your case the fortuner).

[anshuman_v]

So Aroon, whats up with your quest - where has it taken you to now? Looking forward to updates!

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

So Aroon, whats up with your quest - where has it taken you to now? Looking forward to updates!

He has already bought the Pajero. Scroll up.

[Aroongupta]

Nooooooo!

Have not bought the Pajero Sport as yet.

Sorry guys. Was away for a few days. A'm back now!

So, I am still to buy the car. When I was last here, I had made the decision, chosen the color (subject to last stage approval by the ladies of the house), was about to write the check for the booking amount when i was caught into something important. So the car buying process went into a short pause.

As I came back and was into clearing the backlog, just 3 days back I got a sudden call from a friend. He asked me if I had finalized the vehicle. I said no. He said he is TDing a ISUZU MU7. I asked him what is that? He said its a SUV in the Fortuner and Pajero Sport bracket. At that point I recalled that someone had in fact mentioned it on this thread. So?

Uninterested, I asked him how is the car. What I heard completely shook me. He said its one of the best he has driven. He went all ga-ga about the car and I was shell shocked. He was saying all this while he was still TDing. Normally you don't say all that in front of the sales person. This guy owns apart from a many inconsequential vehicles, a Scorpio, a Corolla, a Safari 2.2, a fully loaded Fortuner, a Merc M Class and another Merc GL class. So hearing that much praise was absolutely surprising. Anyhow, by the time he hung the phone, he had developed enough curiosity within me.

So, I went to Google Baba for gyan. Surprisingly I did not find enough stuff. But I got to know that the company is doing very slow in terms of creating dealers network and had been selling this rather unknown car only down south. There were no detailed TDs or reviews. Some were there but not very authentic or satisfying.

So I decided to TD it myself and yesterday I went with a lady friend to the newly opened ISUZU showroom in sector 63 in Noida. Wow that's bang next to my office.

When we first looked at the vehicle, my reaction was confused. I could not decide if the vehicle looked good or not so good. And even now I am not sure. The vehicle looked butch for sure. Looked wider and longer than its counterparts.

The interiors were quite laid back. The dash was very disappointing. The plastic was same as in Indica. The wooden finished panel was cheapo. Steering did not even have the now standard buttons to control music. Yeah since this was a top end version, it had the Kenwood 2 din system with bluetooth connectivity and reverse camera. No navigation. Overall it seemed that vehicle had push me back by 10 years.

I decided to drive.

First surprise, this was the first vehicle in which with driver seat fully pushed backwards, i could not reach the pedals well. So much was the leg space there. I had to pull the seat forward. Remind you, I am 6' tall. I felt good. At that point i noticed that the seat adjustments were quite limited. No up down. no tilt. only forward- backwards and back rest tilt. That too manual. Despite that, for me, the sitting was very comfy in all respects.

As soon as i started driving, I was very pleasantly surprised. The car had a VERY powerful and well refined engine. I am no expert in this matters guys, but it just felt VERY GOOD! Car drove like a beauty. Cabin noise was minimum and so were the vibrations. Hardly any! I could drive from 40 upwards in the 5th gear. I could drive at quite low speed and turn 90 degrees in the 3rd gear. I felt power at all points and at all speeds. Body roll was quite low for me. Braking was EXCELLENT. And so was the overall ride. I off- roaded a bit and had no complaints. The suspensions felt terrific. I crossed all kind of landscape with minimum botheration to the passengers inside. My impression - if I may - without having any technical expertise in this field - that this car drove better than both the PS and the Fortuner. It was actually VERY satisfying, to say the least.

In terms of the second row seats - it enjoys just mind boggling leg space. It was like siting on a recliner. With movable second row seating and adjustable back rests, I experienced amazing comfort. It was like this is what I wanted in a car all this while. The drive guys - was sheer comfort here. Also seemed that the third row seats are also better placed and tad more comfortable than counterparts. Its just an impression - i never sat in that seat in any of the cars and that's why cant say for sure. In nutshell - This is apart from the drive itself, this is the another best USP of this vehicle.

So I got confused. This car seemed to have much better comfort and a better drive and ride quality that its counterparts. It looked a Butch. Still not great in looks. The interiors are poor. Does not come in 4x4. Does not have great style and flair. PS? or MU7? Phew...not again!

One thing I wish to submit here. I know my impressions of such things can often get exaggerated by overflowing emotions if I like or dislike something. If I like something - I start liking it a bit too much and tend to overlook the negatives and vice versa. Often unless i TD 2 vehicles at the same instance, I tend to forget which felt better. Meaning, my impressions can be all together incorrect also.

Now here I need help. I could not find any direct comparison of a MU7 with a Fortuner or a Pajero Sport. I even could not find any detailed pragmatic TD. Help me with some links if you may please.

Any and all inputs are requested and welcome.

Also, I want to ask if our PS folks - Anshuman and others have TDed this vehicle? What is their take? If not, may I urge you to kindly do so. I think it very helpful for the forum as well as interesting for yourselves.

Anyhow, I am not buying unless I get enough inputs from you folks what is your knowledge and experience on this.

Its all yours at this point. Looking forward eagerly.

[asit.kulkarni93]

Isuzu as we all know is a legend when it comes to Diesel engines.
I have enjoyed loads of rides at my dads construction sites in Bahrain in the D-max and some short drives too. The One I drove had the same 3.0 engine that the MU-7 comes with. One word about the engine- mind blowing. Even though it was an automatic, it was terrific.

The MU-7 is basically a no-nonsense SUV. It will satisfy all your "Needs", it won't give you the feel good factor but neither is it that bad. The ride quality is amazing and the space on offer is best in its segment.

The Pajero sport is basically good if you prefer driving yourself and actually need a 4x4. Yes the interiors are better and the Pajero Sport has this feel good factor.

The After sales & spares availability is going to be the same for both the vehicles. As far as exclusivity is concerned, you don't find as many Pajero Sport's as the Fortuner.
MU-7 enjoys a lot of exclusivity.

Recently during one of my rides to Lonavla, an MU-7 was standing near a restaurant and I could see everyone talking about it. I remember people asking the driver if it was an import.
The overall butch stance of the MU-7 makes it exclusive.

So basically as far as I have read about your requirements, the MU-7 should be good for you. Apart from the feel good factor (interiors, features.etc.) the MU-7 satisfies all your needs. If you are looking forward on driving the car yourself then you should stick to the Pajero Sport.
The after sales are at the same level for both the brands just that the difference is Isuzu is a growing brand and Mitsubishi has gone down with time. TD both the cars back to back and decide.
All the best

Asit

[anshuman_v]

Arun, I just sent you an email with some idea . The Pajero Sport is my choice. I have been driving this on long journeys and its been amazing - please check my ownership thread for updates. More importantly, I think the timing for the Sport is right per details in my email! Sounds like you are set to have some serious fun :-)

[46TheDoctor]

Since you haven't bought your car yet, i will advise you to go for Pajero Sport AT which is expected to be launched this month because:
1. Luxurious interiors, which should be certainly expected after spending 25+ L on car.
2. AT Pajero will be more pleasurable to drive than MT MU7 even if it has better refinement and suspension as per your observation. You are neither getting AT nor 4x4 with isuzu. So, MU7 will neither be a good city car nor a good off roader either.
3. Turbo lag will not be an issue in AT Pajero
4. Pajero looks better in my opinion. MU7 proportions are too much like Force One in my opinion.
5. Mitsubishi is better and more reliable brand in india than Isuzu as of now.

[IshaanIan]

I remember the first time I saw the Isuzu MU7 was in traffic on a downward slope. It looked really intimidating with that menacing chrome grille breathing down my kizashi's neck The car is quite impressive but like someone else pointed out, it lacks the features and interior styling and quality, to entirely satisfy someone.

Originally Posted by 46TheDoctor

Since you haven't bought your car yet, i will advise you to go for Pajero Sport AT which is expected to be launched this month because:
1. Luxurious interiors, which should be certainly expected after spending 25+ L on car.
2. AT Pajero will be more pleasurable to drive than MT MU7 even if it has better refinement and suspension as per your observation. You are neither getting AT nor 4x4 with isuzu. So, MU7 will neither be a good city car nor a good off roader either.
3. Turbo lag will not be an issue in AT Pajero
4. Pajero looks better in my opinion. MU7 proportions are too much like Force One in my opinion.
5. Mitsubishi is better and more reliable brand in india than Isuzu as of now.

1. Agreed
2. If you read the OPs requirements properly, you will notice that he has always and intends to be chauffeur driven. So talk about the comfort that the refined Isuzu with its cushy ride, offers. No one here wanted to go off-roading mate.
3. It's a sort of give and take because while turbo lag isn't an issue, suddenly dropping a gear, does take an un-intuitive amount of time.
4. Agreed though I don't think the Isuzu looks like a Force One. That's a bit harsh
5. This statement is purely baseless. What are your reasons behind the statement? Did you know that Isuzu engines have been used in India for decades and the brand is known to be just as bulletproof as Mitsubishi. Currently both stand in the same place in terms of service. Just that one is diminishing, and the other is growing. I would say that the A.S.S. experience from a growing brand would anyday outdo the experience offered from a dying one.

We can clearly see that you are a fan of the Paj Sport (So am I btw) however, it is pertinent that you think clearly and impartially while keeping the OP's observations and requirements in mind, when posting on such a thread.

Aroon: Your observations are mostly accurate; the Isuzu seems to have impressive guts but lacks the finish that the Paj Sport comes with. Does seem like a tough call. A back to back test drive is a must in this situation.