Making a Scorpio more comfortable

astatine · 2nd November 2008, 22:08

I had been looking for info on what to do with my Scorpio (more on that later) and found every single Google result of any worth leading me to Team-BHP. I browsed around a while and was amazed at the quality of information, discussion and the people on the forums here. I promptly registered and was graciously admitted. Great stuff around - happy to be here.

Getting to my original mission, a bit of a background first. I have a 2003 Scorpio, a 7 seater variant in black, 65K on the odometer. This vintage is, as you will know, the pre-CRDe version. I am quite happy with this beast, but had been looking at an upgrade, primarily to get a more comfortable vehicle both for the driver and the middle-seat passengers. After looking at the options (GV, CRV, the Scorpio mHawk) and considering switching styles (to Laura, Accord) I realized that even though I liked the comfort/luxury of many of these I was not sure the huge price I will need to pay for the upgrade was worth it.

So I am now thinking about how I can make the current Scorpio better - add a few comforts and conveniences and let me use it for another two years. I am hoping I can pick the fertile brains of TBHPians on this.

I did a short survey of what me, my wife and daughter wanted in a souped up vehicle and I am listing them below to see whether any of them are practicable.
1) Bucket seats for the middle row
2) A sun-roof/moon roof
3) Parking sensor (should be a trivial addition, I imagine)
4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors
5) Audio controls in the middle row
6) A "better" audio system (not really linked to the rest of the list)
7) Electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support

I would appreciate any inputs on whether these are possible, and if yes safe enough to do without weakening the structure or making it any less safe than it is. Any ideas of the cost involved would be great. Suggestions on additions to the list welcome too!

Thanks.

razor4077 · 3rd November 2008, 14:55

Welcome to Team-BHP! I have a 2003 Scorp as well, and I've been thinking of making some minor additions to the interiors as well, to make the beast more comfortable to ride around in.

My 2 cents on your queries:

1) Bucket seats for the middle row - doable, but has to be done outside Mahindra A.S.S. Look at the Innova for inspiration. Maybe you can acquire 2 captain seats from an old/scrapped Innova (you need to find a good auto scrap dealer for this) and retrofit them in the Scorp. These are the ones with arm-rests, and are very comfortable. The seat mounts will almost surely be different - fabricating new ones will require some good quality metalwork.

2) A sun-roof/moon roof - A good accessory shop can fit one for you. Stick to reliable companies like Webasto. And also ensure that the finishing is good. Aftermarket sun/moon roofs are notorious for leaking.

3) Parking sensor (should be a trivial addition, I imagine) - Yup, accessory stores sell & install these.

4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors - I agree this would be nice to have, but will be tricky to install, and best avoided. The quality of electricals & reliability will never be as good as OE. I don't think even the highest variant of the Scorp comes with these, so you can rule out Mahindra A.S.S for this. Others can pitch in here, but I haven't seen any aftermaket options either.

5) Audio controls in the middle row - I guess it would be possible - maybe retrofit a steering wheel remote somehow. ICE gurus would be able to suggest better.

6) A "better" audio system (not really linked to the rest of the list) - Visit the ICE section (at your own risk, of course

)

7) Electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support - Possible, and there are some on this forum who have done such a mod. You would need to find a donor electrically adjustable seat from some other car which will fit the Scorp. If you do find one, let us know... am sure there would be many amongst us (myself included) who would be interested in this upgrade.

In addition, I would suggest you improve the central storage console in the front (between the seats). In the model I own (Sep 03) there is just one small storage area and one small cubby hole. No cup-holders or more storage areas. This I find very inconvenient. In addition, my front seats did not come with arm-rests, which is again inconvenient on long drives (elbow starts paining). So I am planning to fabricate a central console with cup-holders and integrated arm rest. Still wondering how to go about it...whether to fabricate a custom one or fit another car's console. The latter will be hard to retrofit given the handbrake lever and 4WD switch. Any suggestions would be welcome!

All the best with your revamp... do let us know what you're doing.

HappyWheels · 3rd November 2008, 15:27

Astatine,

Welcome to the forum!

My thought on your queries (adding to what has been mentioned by Razor):

1) Bucket seats for the middle row
I guess any interior accessory shop worth its name would be able to give you a fair deal on this.

2) A sun-roof/moon roof
As mentioned by Razor, this is very much available in accessory stores, but do make sure about the installation. They make a mess of it and you end up holding an umbrella when you drive!

3) Parking sensor (should be a trivial addition, I imagine)
Available everywhere and should be a no-painer here.

4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors
You will need to procure a best match available unit from an other vehicle. Unfortunate that you do not have a OE part for this!

5) Audio controls in the middle row
Mmmm... would not the remote work out??? If you are looking for the passenger to do more, then, why don't you place the audio unit itself at the center location between the two front seats?

6) A "better" audio system (not really linked to the rest of the list)
ICE section - BE CAREFUL!!!

7) Electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support
Isn't this there in the high end scorpio? If so, you have an OE replacement. Else you will need to do what you will do for the electric RVM, source from the nearest match (Safari???)

astatine · 3rd November 2008, 21:21

Thanks for your thoughts!

Will scout around for a suitable Innova to salvage seats from.

razor4077 - thanks for the Webasto tip - will keep that in mind. Though your and HappyWheels caution about getting water on the head along with wind in the hair is making me rethink this!

I should admit that I am surprised at the Elec mirrors - I had not realized that they would be tough to fix. Since there are mounting points at the right places and the controls can fit easily into the plastics I was under the impression the this would be breeze, bar the actual feeding of power to the mirrors.

On the audio controls, I was looking at some kind of panel which would go between the front seats and let the users manage the audio without launching a desperate hunt for a remote everytime. Not sure if anything like that exists.

HappyWheels -the high end Scorpio also does not have an electrically adjustable driver seat. So no OE there. Looks like scavening is the only option there. Will see what I can locate on this - will post the results.

Razor4077 - replacing the central console had not occurred to me. Hmmm - that would be good. I have a May-03 model and I sympathize with you on the monastic austerity of that console. I was under the impression that the AC vents which raise their hood have a good bit of piping under the console and with the hand-brake and all I thought its quite crowded in there. But this is definitely an improvement I can relate to. Thanks!

HappyWheels - would you go so far as to recommend an accessory shop in Bangalore? I am afraid I have not had to do much with them these years. Have the time (and the inclination) now to start and am not sure who the choicest ones are.

prabhuav · 3rd November 2008, 23:43

Before you do anything else, switch to the single fibreglass leaf spring.

razor4077 · 4th November 2008, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by prabhuav

Before you do anything else, switch to the single fibreglass leaf spring.

Could you please elaborate?

astatine · 4th November 2008, 14:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by razor4077

Could you please elaborate?

I found this earlier thread, with posts by prabhuav as well.

razor4077 · 4th April 2009, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by razor4077

In addition, I would suggest you improve the central storage console in the front (between the seats). In the model I own (Sep 03) there is just one small storage area and one small cubby hole. No cup-holders or more storage areas. This I find very inconvenient. In addition, my front seats did not come with arm-rests, which is again inconvenient on long drives (elbow starts paining). So I am planning to fabricate a central console with cup-holders and integrated arm rest. Still wondering how to go about it...whether to fabricate a custom one or fit another car's console. The latter will be hard to retrofit given the handbrake lever and 4WD switch. Any suggestions would be welcome!

Following up to my post above:
I am contemplating fitting a "new" Scorpio centre console in place of the one in my pre-CRDe model. The lack of storage options is a problem that needs addressing. I was thinking of sourcing the console from the newer model (should be able to get hold of a used one locally, outside M&M). Size-wise, they look the same, and I am hoping the mounts are too. Will need to follow up on the same.
Potential issues:
1. The handbrake lever on the old console is on the right side, while the newer one has this in the centre. How much of effort is needed to shift the lever to the centre?
2. The 4wd switch will have to be located in the front right cup holder (as in the Getaway). Refer to the arrow in the pic. Shouldn't be a big deal hopefully.
3. The power window switch console will have to be changed to the new design because the old one won't fit. Need to ensure that the wiring is compatible.

Indicative comparo pics of the old & new consoles:

Making a Scorpio more comfortable-console_comp.jpg

Does anyone forsee any problems with this? If someone has tried it out, would appreciate some inputs on the same.

Am also looking to exchange my front seats with the newer Scorpio seats with the arm rests. An arm rest would come in handy, especially on long drives. Should be a simple enough switch, and there should be enough Scorp seats out there that I can source second hand.

spawnofsatan · 5th April 2009, 00:15

How about an anti roll bar for the severe body roll and a coil spring conversion for comfort, I have an '05 and want to the mods that you are looking at. The ride quality is so bad that my back is almost destroyed.

razor4077 · 5th April 2009, 00:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by spawnofsatan

How about an anti roll bar for the severe body roll and a coil spring conversion for comfort, I have an '05 and want to the mods that you are looking at. The ride quality is so bad that my back is almost destroyed.

To be honest, I have no issues with the ride quality and body roll. I guess the added weight of the 4WD drivetrain helps. The truck feels planted and doesn't have the boat-like feel of the RWD Scorps I have driven.
I have heard of others talking about a coil spring conversion, but am not keen on tampering with the suspension.

PRADEEP KUMAR · 5th April 2009, 17:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by razor4077

Following up to my post above:
I am contemplating fitting a "new" Scorpio centre console in place of the one in my pre-CRDe model. The lack of storage options is a problem that needs addressing. I was thinking of sourcing the console from the newer model (should be able to get hold of a used one locally, outside M&M). Size-wise, they look the same, and I am hoping the mounts are too. Will need to follow up on the same.
Potential issues:
1. The handbrake lever on the old console is on the right side, while the newer one has this in the centre. How much of effort is needed to shift the lever to the centre?
2. The 4wd switch will have to be located in the front right cup holder (as in the Getaway). Refer to the arrow in the pic. Shouldn't be a big deal hopefully.
3. The power window switch console will have to be changed to the new design because the old one won't fit. Need to ensure that the wiring is compatible.

Indicative comparo pics of the old & new consoles:
Attachment 120190

Does anyone forsee any problems with this? If someone has tried it out, would appreciate some inputs on the same.

Am also looking to exchange my front seats with the newer Scorpio seats with the arm rests. An arm rest would come in handy, especially on long drives. Should be a simple enough switch, and there should be enough Scorp seats out there that I can source second hand.

Hi,
I have done the follwing changes in my 2005 end 2.6 crde, fitted the air damms in the front bumper, put on the integrated moulding for the side rail ,also tried to change exactly what you mentioned here plus also to make the AC vents face a little upward in the newer version, but the service guys expressed their inability to do it b'cos of the hand brake ...

razor4077 · 5th April 2009, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRADEEP KUMAR

...but the service guys expressed their inability to do it b'cos of the hand brake ...

Did they mention the specific problems in relocating the handbrake? What is involved in achieving this?

PRADEEP KUMAR · 6th April 2009, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by razor4077

Did they mention the specific problems in relocating the handbrake? What is involved in achieving this?

Well, since it involved extensive work(?) as they mentioned even, i wasn't very keen to continue with it.

I also tried to move the middle seat a bit backwards (for leg space) as i had done in my Bolero sports earlier, but couldn't do it as the wheel arch was in the way.

prateekool · 6th April 2009, 13:13

For reverse parking sensor, I recommend you go in for RD brand. Very professional installation+1 year warranty+economical pricing. check out more details @ Rajatdeep Overseas Pvt. Ltd. : One Stop for all your Automobile Accessories

If you ask me, I suggest you go for 4 sensors along with RVM based 6.5-7' LCD for great rear view through a night vision camera. Look pretty cool and makes like hell lot easier. bluetooth integration is also a must. PM if you want dealer's no.

Make sure you get a professional installation through company fitter so that the sensors are placed on the right spot.

All the best.

razor4077 · 27th May 2009, 00:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by razor4077

4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors - I agree this would be nice to have, but will be tricky to install, and best avoided. The quality of electricals & reliability will never be as good as OE. I don't think even the highest variant of the Scorp comes with these, so you can rule out Mahindra A.S.S for this. Others can pitch in here, but I haven't seen any aftermaket options either.

Now that Mahindra is offering electrically adjustable ORVMs in the new MHawk Refresh, would they be able to fit such a set in the older Scorpios?

2nd November 2008, 22:08	#1
astatine Newbie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 15 Thanked: 15 Times	Making a Scorpio more comfortable I had been looking for info on what to do with my Scorpio (more on that later) and found every single Google result of any worth leading me to Team-BHP. I browsed around a while and was amazed at the quality of information, discussion and the people on the forums here. I promptly registered and was graciously admitted. Great stuff around - happy to be here. Getting to my original mission, a bit of a background first. I have a 2003 Scorpio, a 7 seater variant in black, 65K on the odometer. This vintage is, as you will know, the pre-CRDe version. I am quite happy with this beast, but had been looking at an upgrade, primarily to get a more comfortable vehicle both for the driver and the middle-seat passengers. After looking at the options (GV, CRV, the Scorpio mHawk) and considering switching styles (to Laura, Accord) I realized that even though I liked the comfort/luxury of many of these I was not sure the huge price I will need to pay for the upgrade was worth it. So I am now thinking about how I can make the current Scorpio better - add a few comforts and conveniences and let me use it for another two years. I am hoping I can pick the fertile brains of TBHPians on this. I did a short survey of what me, my wife and daughter wanted in a souped up vehicle and I am listing them below to see whether any of them are practicable. 1) Bucket seats for the middle row 2) A sun-roof/moon roof 3) Parking sensor (should be a trivial addition, I imagine) 4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors 5) Audio controls in the middle row 6) A "better" audio system (not really linked to the rest of the list) 7) Electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support I would appreciate any inputs on whether these are possible, and if yes safe enough to do without weakening the structure or making it any less safe than it is. Any ideas of the cost involved would be great. Suggestions on additions to the list welcome too! Thanks.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2008, 14:55	#2
razor4077 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,882 Thanked: 298 Times View My Garage	Welcome to Team-BHP! I have a 2003 Scorp as well, and I've been thinking of making some minor additions to the interiors as well, to make the beast more comfortable to ride around in. My 2 cents on your queries: 1) Bucket seats for the middle row - doable, but has to be done outside Mahindra A.S.S. Look at the Innova for inspiration. Maybe you can acquire 2 captain seats from an old/scrapped Innova (you need to find a good auto scrap dealer for this) and retrofit them in the Scorp. These are the ones with arm-rests, and are very comfortable. The seat mounts will almost surely be different - fabricating new ones will require some good quality metalwork. 2) A sun-roof/moon roof - A good accessory shop can fit one for you. Stick to reliable companies like Webasto. And also ensure that the finishing is good. Aftermarket sun/moon roofs are notorious for leaking. 3) Parking sensor (should be a trivial addition, I imagine) - Yup, accessory stores sell & install these. 4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors - I agree this would be nice to have, but will be tricky to install, and best avoided. The quality of electricals & reliability will never be as good as OE. I don't think even the highest variant of the Scorp comes with these, so you can rule out Mahindra A.S.S for this. Others can pitch in here, but I haven't seen any aftermaket options either. 5) Audio controls in the middle row - I guess it would be possible - maybe retrofit a steering wheel remote somehow. ICE gurus would be able to suggest better. 6) A "better" audio system (not really linked to the rest of the list) - Visit the ICE section (at your own risk, of course ) 7) Electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support - Possible, and there are some on this forum who have done such a mod. You would need to find a donor electrically adjustable seat from some other car which will fit the Scorp. If you do find one, let us know... am sure there would be many amongst us (myself included) who would be interested in this upgrade. In addition, I would suggest you improve the central storage console in the front (between the seats). In the model I own (Sep 03) there is just one small storage area and one small cubby hole. No cup-holders or more storage areas. This I find very inconvenient. In addition, my front seats did not come with arm-rests, which is again inconvenient on long drives (elbow starts paining). So I am planning to fabricate a central console with cup-holders and integrated arm rest. Still wondering how to go about it...whether to fabricate a custom one or fit another car's console. The latter will be hard to retrofit given the handbrake lever and 4WD switch. Any suggestions would be welcome! All the best with your revamp... do let us know what you're doing.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2008, 15:27	#3
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	Astatine, Welcome to the forum! My thought on your queries (adding to what has been mentioned by Razor): 1) Bucket seats for the middle row I guess any interior accessory shop worth its name would be able to give you a fair deal on this. 2) A sun-roof/moon roof As mentioned by Razor, this is very much available in accessory stores, but do make sure about the installation. They make a mess of it and you end up holding an umbrella when you drive! 3) Parking sensor (should be a trivial addition, I imagine) Available everywhere and should be a no-painer here. 4) Electrically adjustable side mirrors You will need to procure a best match available unit from an other vehicle. Unfortunate that you do not have a OE part for this! 5) Audio controls in the middle row Mmmm... would not the remote work out??? If you are looking for the passenger to do more, then, why don't you place the audio unit itself at the center location between the two front seats? 6) A "better" audio system (not really linked to the rest of the list) ICE section - BE CAREFUL!!! 7) Electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support Isn't this there in the high end scorpio? If so, you have an OE replacement. Else you will need to do what you will do for the electric RVM, source from the nearest match (Safari???)
	() Thanks

3rd November 2008, 21:21	#4
astatine Newbie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 15 Thanked: 15 Times	Thanks for your thoughts! Will scout around for a suitable Innova to salvage seats from. razor4077 - thanks for the Webasto tip - will keep that in mind. Though your and HappyWheels caution about getting water on the head along with wind in the hair is making me rethink this! I should admit that I am surprised at the Elec mirrors - I had not realized that they would be tough to fix. Since there are mounting points at the right places and the controls can fit easily into the plastics I was under the impression the this would be breeze, bar the actual feeding of power to the mirrors. On the audio controls, I was looking at some kind of panel which would go between the front seats and let the users manage the audio without launching a desperate hunt for a remote everytime. Not sure if anything like that exists. HappyWheels -the high end Scorpio also does not have an electrically adjustable driver seat. So no OE there. Looks like scavening is the only option there. Will see what I can locate on this - will post the results. Razor4077 - replacing the central console had not occurred to me. Hmmm - that would be good. I have a May-03 model and I sympathize with you on the monastic austerity of that console. I was under the impression that the AC vents which raise their hood have a good bit of piping under the console and with the hand-brake and all I thought its quite crowded in there. But this is definitely an improvement I can relate to. Thanks! HappyWheels - would you go so far as to recommend an accessory shop in Bangalore? I am afraid I have not had to do much with them these years. Have the time (and the inclination) now to start and am not sure who the choicest ones are.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2008, 23:43	#5
prabhuav BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 672 Thanked: 128 Times View My Garage	Before you do anything else, switch to the single fibreglass leaf spring.
	() Thanks

5th April 2009, 00:15	#9
spawnofsatan BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los angeles/Mumbai Posts: 708 Thanked: 93 Times View My Garage	How about an anti roll bar for the severe body roll and a coil spring conversion for comfort, I have an '05 and want to the mods that you are looking at. The ride quality is so bad that my back is almost destroyed.
	() Thanks

6th April 2009, 13:13	#14
prateekool BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 30 Thanked: 0 Times	Parking Sensor For reverse parking sensor, I recommend you go in for RD brand. Very professional installation+1 year warranty+economical pricing. check out more details @ Rajatdeep Overseas Pvt. Ltd. : One Stop for all your Automobile Accessories If you ask me, I suggest you go for 4 sensors along with RVM based 6.5-7' LCD for great rear view through a night vision camera. Look pretty cool and makes like hell lot easier. bluetooth integration is also a must. PM if you want dealer's no. Make sure you get a professional installation through company fitter so that the sensors are placed on the right spot. All the best.
	() Thanks