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Old 27th January 2012, 17:44   #1756
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

It seems M&M has received 5900 orders in 2 days. Source:
Mahindra & Mahindra to hike XUV500 capacity to 3,000 units in 2-3 months - The Economic Times
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Old 27th January 2012, 19:13   #1757
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Me too joined the bandwagon and bought the lottery ticket for W8 FWD today.

Once reached home, read about the special tax that is going to get added for Diesel SUVs in march union budget. Looks like the OTR will be increased by 1 lakh in Bangalore if the proposal is accepted.

By the way, had a chance to go for a lengthy test drive after the booking, including a 5KM elevated express highway stretch and then a really bad 5 KMS. This time I am really convinced by the new product.

Last edited by HotChillyPepper : 27th January 2012 at 19:17.
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Old 27th January 2012, 20:19   #1758
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by HotChillyPepper View Post
By the way, had a chance to go for a lengthy test drive after the booking, including a 5KM elevated express highway stretch and then a really bad 5 KMS. This time I am really convinced by the new product.
Could you give your inputs on the following points?

1. Ride quality - good & bad roads
2. High speed stability & braking
3. Cabin noise
4. Middle row comfort
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Old 27th January 2012, 21:05   #1759
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by SDP View Post
I bought one lottery ticket for 80K today...

...PS: The guy at Kundan Motors mentioned that he can accept the same document as address proof for a Scorp or a Xylo.
I think it happens when we give a thumps up to a product/company that really did not deserve it. They are using the "old bad" trade practice of increasing the weightage (including price, premium, terms, conditions, etc..) with increase in demands. Moreover consider 80K for bookings which will be in their kitty for a minimum of 30 days of many Indians who dreamt to own a reasonably built indian SUV.

M&M, a sincere request, we expected fair deal and fair practices in line with international standards from M&M when they announced this fairly decent product from the M&M stables, please do not break our hearts by unfair demands and supporting unfair practices by your partners (dealers)

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Last edited by suhaas307 : 27th January 2012 at 21:24.
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Old 27th January 2012, 21:48   #1760
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by swiftnfurious View Post
Could you give your inputs on the following points?

1. Ride quality - good & bad roads
2. High speed stability & braking
3. Cabin noise
4. Middle row comfort

The vehicle I drove was a W8 FWD test drive car that already completed 6500 KMS.

Ride quality at above 40 KMPH seems to be at par or better than Innova. On elevated express highway I maintained a 80 KMPH using cruise control. First thing noticed is didn’t feel like I am travelling at that speed. Vehicle felt very composed. Steering weighed just fine. Did a very short sprint of 140 KMPH as the road was empty, and there is no much air noise or engine noise creeping in. But steering is on the lighter side by then compared to my Optra Magnum.

Breaks are not as crisp as Optra or Cruz. Felt a bit spongy at high speeds as the feedback lacking. But stopping power is very good, actually the car decelerated way before than I wanted, which is not a good scenario on our roads as someone would end up rear ending. Hope one will get used to it and this will not be a problem. I would call it a highway cruiser any day, due to its capability to run at 120 while engine was at a very relaxing speed. Also felt very safe.

At low speeds felt it a tad bumpy (Again comparison would be with my current car Optra Magnum, which is having a super light suspension). Purposefully crossed two speed breakers at 30 KMPH, didn’t hear any suspension noise as many owners experienced, probably they applied the fix to this car during 1st service. I felt the vehicle is very composed during the maneuver, way better than 2009 Scorpio. I could easily drive the car in 3rd gear at 20 KMPH, which is a great plus for city traffic. But once I tried pulling it from there, a very muted resonating sound like knocking in patrol cars was creeping in (Dual mass flywheel?). But then this is a very hypothetical situation and I would not try that with a non- test drive car.

Compared to Optra, the power felt much at higher rpms. When I wanted to overtake a BMTC bus, I just floored the gas pedal at second gear, and it just turned out to be an altogether different beast. The turbo was very audible and just loved it. So probably this is how they MnM achieving a better fuel efficiency. Though the pushed to the seat feeling is missing, but then even Cruze will not offer that the way Optra Magnum does.

Cabin noise is well managed. Rather than sound dampening I felt its a quality of this engine itself, even if I kept the windows opened on village roads, the engine noise was very less. I felt it is even better than Vento TDI I drove two days before and of course better than Optra.

Middle row is not as comfortable as it should be. The main problem I felt is the low under thigh support. The sitting Bench itself is way shorter than Scorpio, and incline towards back is missing. Adding to this, the hard compounds used, you will observe a tendency to slide forward during every normal breaking. To certain extend I could stop this by reclining the back rest to the maximum, as you recline the back rest the bench will be tilted towards backwards by itself will solve the issue to certain extend. Due to acres of leg space, you will not have any support to your feets to stop sliding forward, a foot rest like what we see in Volvo private buses would definitely help. Hope someone will come up with this as an accessory This will warrant the middle seat passengers to wear seat belts during long drives.

Things I liked:

1. Low end response. Very good to be in second gear in city traffic. Almost no turbo lag. The stop start function works well too.

2. Well tuned suspension. Felt like a sedan for driving.

3. AC. I took no time in chilling the cabin. Way better than may 20 lakhs + SUVs.

4. Steering weighed very well for most common speeds. A great common sense by MnM engineers.


Things I didn’t like:

1. Weird clutch position. The steering rack always hit my shoes, which is really irritating. When I checked, a metal fastener with two bolts is messing up with your shoes when clutch is in a depressed position. But this can easily be fixed by changing the fastener design itself, as it is a seperate small part altogether and not welded to the rack or the bottom part. Just take out those nasty big bolts out of it and even if your shoes touches the rack you wouldn’t feel it.

2. Clutch is a bit harder. Looked underneath the clutch pedal and found a huge spring pulling up the lever. I seriously doubt that kind of a heavy spring is required there.

3. The remote key plastic quality and sharp edges. Not so good to hold in hand. Small bulges and dips made on the buttons looks like a manufacturing defect. It should have been made plain, to add touch and recognize they should have given different shape separators in between them. Also the metal part felt like it may come out any time. This should have been designed better.

4. The feel of switch slacks. They should have been spring loaded better.

5. Bad reflection on windscreen. the metallic borders should have been avoided to the upper surface. I feel this can also be done easily at your local garage.

6. The AC vents design. They should have provided the up/down air flow control outside. This would have avoided the sharp edges getting exposed to the user. Or else the vents should have been made complete circle.

7. The plastic texture. It should have been much better irrespective of the material quality.
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Old 27th January 2012, 22:00   #1761
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by DigitalSoul View Post
I was driving to Tiger point (Lonawala) along with my colleagues last evening and all of a sudden the TPMS started misbehaving.. Front Right, Front Left and then Rear Left Tire started showing ERROR instead of OK!!!
I immediately rang RM (for the first time) only to know that it is OK to get this error as long as it is not showing Low Pressure. The 'error' is due malfunctioning of sensors used in TPMS due to heat generated while the vehicle is in motion at relatively higher speeds (max we touched was 100 KMPH)
Wouldn't I need these sensors more when vehicle is running at higher speeds?
I've been told to visit workshop when I can to get this checked using a laptop (?)
Could you remember where exactly on the expressway did the error start? - Was it some place before the toll gates?(i.e from the Mumbai End)
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Old 27th January 2012, 22:05   #1762
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerardfdz View Post
Could you remember where exactly on the expressway did the error start? - Was it some place before the toll gates?(i.e from the Mumbai End)
Sorry.. can't remember exact location! But even after two day long visits to workshop this issue is still there. I've escalated it to customer care and special team from Mahindra Plant is being arranged to come to Pune workshop to check this further. Fingers Crossed till then.
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Old 27th January 2012, 22:08   #1763
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by HotChillyPepper View Post

Things I didn’t like:

1. Weird clutch position. The steering rack always hit my shoes, which is really irritating. When I checked, a metal fastener with two bolts is messing up with your shoes when clutch is in a depressed position. But this can easily be fixed by changing the fastener design itself, as it is a seperate small part altogether and not welded to the rack or the bottom part. Just take out those nasty big bolts out of it and even if your shoes touches the rack you wouldn’t feel it.
There is good news for you. Somebody has confirmed a few pages back that the 2012 model doesn't have this problem.

Didn't you have any issues with TPMS when you reached 140 Kmph? According to various reports on this thread, TPMS starts showing error around 120 Kmph.
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Old 27th January 2012, 22:11   #1764
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

A recent update from Vivek Nayar / Anand Mahindra states that the cumulative bookings for XUV 500 stands at 8000 on day 3 closure! So a draw is inevitable!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo-G View Post
I think it happens when we give a thumps up to a product/company that really did not deserve it. They are using the "old bad" trade practice of increasing the weightage (including price, premium, terms, conditions, etc..) with increase in demands. Moreover consider 80K for bookings which will be in their kitty for a minimum of 30 days of many Indians who dreamt to own a reasonably built indian SUV.
I don't understand how do we get this 30 day period? The booking closes on 3 Feb 2012 & draw will be held on 15 Feb 2012. So for those people who have booked on 3rd Feb, the deposit period will only be 2 weeks!

If you think this is a problem, what do you got to say about those who have booked Swift & Dzire for more than 6-7 months, who went thru the additional hikes happened and those who are still unsure of getting the car before April 2012 by when they will need to shell out much more money?

Last edited by swiftnfurious : 27th January 2012 at 22:12.
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Old 27th January 2012, 22:15   #1765
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DigitalSoul View Post
Sorry.. can't remember exact location! But even after two day long visits to workshop this issue is still there. I've escalated it to customer care and special team from Mahindra Plant is being arranged to come to Pune workshop to check this further. Fingers Crossed till then.
Just asked as Twice on the e-way, around the same area I had the problem. came and went off. Therafter I've not been again on the eway nor have I had the error show up.
But a friend too reported the same issue just a couple of days ago.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tachobells View Post
There is good news for you. Somebody has confirmed a few pages back that the 2012 model doesn't have this problem.

Didn't you have any issues with TPMS when you reached 140 Kmph? According to various reports on this thread, TPMS starts showing error around 120 Kmph.
1st What have they done to get rid of the problem?
2. Regarding the TPMS - I first got the error when doing a sedate 80kmph
Thereafter at various speeds though I never crossed 120 - (run-in)

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Last edited by suhaas307 : 27th January 2012 at 23:01.
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Old 27th January 2012, 22:35   #1766
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerardfdz View Post
1st What have they done to get rid of the problem?
2. Regarding the TPMS - I first got the error when doing a sedate 80kmph
Thereafter at various speeds though I never crossed 120 - (run-in)
Sorry, I don't know. I got this info from the post below:


Quote:
Originally Posted by naveenchhillar View Post
Yea, got the call from Sterling Motors SA & he confirmed that while they were in training in chakan plant - many people raised the issue of Steering Rod. Now, M&M has sorted it out for all 2012 vehicles. So, things are going north for sure.
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Old 27th January 2012, 23:38   #1767
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by HotChillyPepper View Post
Once reached home, read about the special tax that is going to get added for Diesel SUVs in march union budget. Looks like the OTR will be increased by 1 lakh in Bangalore if the proposal is accepted.
I know this is of topic but i will be taking delivery of my xuv in march so if the special tax for private diesel vehicles is passed in the union budget from which date onwards will it be enforced ( April 1st ? )
Will i have to pay the special tax if i register the xuv in march?
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Old 27th January 2012, 23:43   #1768
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by dockap View Post
I know this is of topic but i will be taking delivery of my xuv in march so if the special tax for private diesel vehicles is passed in the union budget from which date onwards will it be enforced ( April 1st ? )
Will i have to pay the special tax if i register the xuv in march?
usually the proposals in budget discussions are enforced from Apr 1. So if you register your car on Mar 30/31, you get the current rates & NOT the revised ones. One of the reasons we see HUGE number of deliveries on Mar 30/31.
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Old 28th January 2012, 02:20   #1769
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Link to new Mahindra XUV500 ad posted on youtube. For once its safe to say carrots are not good for your health

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Old 28th January 2012, 09:38   #1770
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Re: Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by tachobells View Post
There is good news for you. Somebody has confirmed a few pages back that the 2012 model doesn't have this problem.
Thanks for notifying tachobells. That is indeed reassuring MnM's keenness in resolving issues. Indeed, the new customer centric attitude from MnM convinced me booking XUV rather than the product itself. There are many examples on forum which clearly shows the companies interest in resolving customer complaints and incorporating feedback at real time. This is exactly same I see missing from TATA, VW and Skoda after sales service despite some great products they have to offer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tachobells View Post
Didn't you have any issues with TPMS when you reached 140 Kmph? According to various reports on this thread, TPMS starts showing error around 120 Kmph.
I didn't see any error. Not sure you need to be in TPMS page of the infotainment system to get to see this error. Is that as 100% reproducible error on all cars after certain speeds? I hope it should not, otherwise the big question would be how MnM QC missed it to production. And what else is not tested.
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