[Sheel]

Originally Posted by m_upreti

Even I experienced this during my TD with XUV on a rough patch when I braked hard to avoid a pot hole in a rough patch, comparably my Scorpio with ABS handles it much better on the same road (same goes for the Fortuner, Duster & Land Rover on the same patch)

You can't really compare a monocoque vehicle to a ladder on frame as far as going over bad roads go.

That isn't a fair comparison IMO.

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by Sheel

You can't really compare a monocoque vehicle to a ladder on frame as far as going over bad roads go.

That isn't a fair comparison IMO.

I am only comparing the braking capabilities, in an emergency it would be a differentiator between you stopping in time or hitting (something / someone).

I have had a scary incident about a year back on the Goa highway when my Scorpio managed to stop within an inch of a Honda City when he applied brakes in an emergency to avoid a couple of cows who rushed on the road from no where, he side swiped one of the cows but was saved from being rear ended by the Scorpios excellent brakes . The Alto behind me was not so lucky, he couldnt brake on time and swerved to avoid coming under the Scorpio and ended up hitting a cow and a tree.

[ash_blore]

Originally Posted by krishnaraja

Finally after 9 months of deliberations, preparations and resource consolidation, the day has finally come for me to book and own the beast.

Have few clarifications:

a. I have read about Insurance in this thread a lot, but what I do not see is, what is covered under the comprehensive Insurance
b. Whichever company I take the Insurance from, let us say it is working out to be lesser than quoted by the dealership, would my current vehicle NCB apply on top of it?
c. I have heard that the vehicles manufactured post Feb 2013 are going to have latest and upgraded components [breaks etc]. If I buy now, would I be making some compromise on those? In essence, I want to know if I should wait for March and book or can I go ahead with it now? Want to have the car on the birthday of my son - Feb 10. If it is not going to matter, I will go with what is available now. Else, I prefer to wait

On the insurance, whatever you do make sure you get an independent quote. In my case the dealer quoted 50K+ for comprehensive from royal sundaram.
When I went to royal sundaram directly they gave me a quote of 36K for bumper to bumper. I showed this to the dealer and he was happy to match it.

Saved a cool 17K + by spending 10 mins on their website and taking a printout!

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Any news on an updated version coming. Feb is right here. I too am hoping that a small updated version is launched in feb or march.

I heard it is the new brakes kit only, nothing else

[Heavy Horse]

Two refills to the Big Cat in quick succession. First on Republic Day enabling a first read of FE using the tank full method. Distance travelled 391 kms, diesel filled 30.81 litres. Went beyond automatic cut-off to fill up to the top, but no shaking, dancing, moving or any kind of acrobatics / gymnastics to get another half litre in ! FE of 12.8 kmpl with about 35% highway driving and the balance in the city.
Yesterday we drove to Shirdi and back to Mumbai today. The last time I had done this was in April 2011, so it was great to experience the Mumbai-Nashik 4 lane blacktop. Really fine job done by Gammon India. Lovely drive all the way to Nashik in 2 hrs 15 mins. Even the Ghat section was very good. Due to the newly built flyovers could’nt locate my usual breakfast joint, but settled for Woodlands which was highly expensive and took almost 45 minutes to get over with.
The 30 km stretch to Sinnar was the usual single lane traffic, whereas the 55 kms from Sinnar to Shirdi has now become a great drive with roads widened to “1.5 lane” and good surface except about 8-10 kms of the old pathched up road towards the end.
No complaints about the Big Cat. Ride quality and handling was excellent. All systems worked as expected. No issues with the brakes, clutch, steering. The gears were great for the most part. Downshifting from 5 & 6 is sometimes a problem, but I think that’s got more to do with me. Enjoyed cruise control on the Expressway, where it works like a charm. The suspension is still a tad hard, but I expect it will loosen up with regular driving. Tyres seem good. Most impressed that even after a 521 km journey, absolutely no loss of air pressure!! These are the Apollo Hawkz. Checked all the fluids on reaching Shirdi, and everything was perfectly normal.
The infotainment system was great. My daughter paired her phone, and we listened to her collection of music. Calls came through as well, no problems. MMI continued to disappoint, or rather I got the feeling that they were looking for the shortest route , by-passing Nashik and taking you through Sangamner, Sinnar and then to Shirdi. Next time I should route it through the points that I want to pass, and see how it works….that’s for known routes off course.
Total distance travelled 521 kms, fuel filled 36.68 litres, yielding an FE of 14.2kmpl. Bit disappointed since I was hoping on the highway it would be around 15kmpl, but I am consoling myself that by the time I get it up to 5000kms on the Odo, I will be hitting those numbers. Certainly there’s a disconnect with the infotainment system, which showed 15.5 for the entire trip. I am not surprised, since I have experienced this disconnect with my earlier car. As Rohit Bagai had mentioned in a recent post on SDPs thread, the DIS seems to err with a positive bias.
Sorry guys no photographs yet. Find it hard to keep stopping and taking photos especially since I'm so intent on enjoying the vehicle , but there was a great opportunity early this morning with the sunrise reflecting on my right ORVM as a giant orange ball. Hope to post something by mid Feb.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by m_upreti

I am only comparing the braking capabilities, in an emergency it would be a differentiator between you stopping in time or hitting (something / someone).

Okay, from what I can make from your post is that - In an emergency situation, the XUV's braking wasn't upto the mark, especially when compared to your Scorpio?

If yes, please drive a bit longer to form an opinion. IMO, XUV's braking is superior to that of the Scorpio. That XUV might be plagued with braking problems as most are aware.

Recent XUV's don't have that problem. And as said by you, new (improved) brake kits are already installed in the XUV's for the past 2-3 months I believe.

Maybe a drive in the recent one will be a fair indicator IMO

[SDP]

Fantastic report Heavy Horse! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Heavy Horse

Two refills to the Big Cat in quick succession. First on Republic Day enabling a first read of FE using the tank full method. Distance travelled 391 kms, diesel filled 30.81 litres. Went beyond automatic cut-off to fill up to the top, but no shaking, dancing, moving or any kind of acrobatics / gymnastics to get another half litre in ! ...

Hope you always fill this way. Otherwise, tankful-to-tankful method would give incorrect results.

Just curious: How many liters did it take in after the auto-cut-off?

Originally Posted by Heavy Horse

...
FE of 12.8 kmpl with about 35% highway driving and the balance in the city.
...

I am assuming this to be with 100% AC usage. In that case 12.8kmpl on a new vehicle is fantastic mileage!

When is the next long-trip planned?

[Heavy Horse]

Originally Posted by SDP

Fantastic report Heavy Horse! Thanks!


Hope you always fill this way. Otherwise, tankful-to-tankful method would give incorrect results.

Just curious: How many liters did it take in after the auto-cut-off?

I am assuming this to be with 100% AC usage. In that case 12.8kmpl on a new vehicle is fantastic mileage!

When is the next long-trip planned?

Yeah SDP, I always fill-up this way and 99% of the time from the same pump. After auto cut-off about 1-2 litrs went in. I keep a close eye on the DIS but I take the readings as indicative rather than at face value. WRT FE I'm not disappointed. I think it will inch up. Same thing happened to my Honda City. We started at around 8kmpl and now we are around 10.5kmpl in the city and 17kmpl on the highway!! And it's an automatic.

Not 100% AC usage since I mostly took it out early mornings to avoid undue traffic. These days AC is not required in the morning, so it was intermittent usage. Even on the Shirdi trip, I used the AC from around 9am.

Next trip to Manipal starting Feb 2. 900 kms which I can't do in a day since I don't do night driving. Will halt at Belgaum for the night. It's a lovely straight stretch from Mumbai, all 4-6 laned, beautifully surfaced. Cruise control is going to be a blessing on that stretch. Once you turn onto the State Highway after Dharwad, it's single laned almost all the way to Udupi, except perhaps the last 40 odd kms. Brilliant scenery most of the way along the coast.

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Okay, from what I can make from your post is that - In an emergency situation, the XUV's braking wasn't upto the mark, especially when compared to your Scorpio?
If yes, please drive a bit longer to form an opinion. IMO, XUV's braking is superior to that of the Scorpio. That XUV might be plagued with braking problems as most are aware.
Recent XUV's don't have that problem. And as said by you, new (improved) brake kits are already installed in the XUV's for the past 2-3 months I believe.
Maybe a drive in the recent one will be a fair indicator IMO

I am still in the market for replacement of my Scorpio & despite TDing the Fortuner, Endeavour, Rexton, Pajero Sport & X1, XUV500 W8 FWD still tops the list for the following reasons:

1. VFM
2. Loaded with gizmos
3. & most important being a Mahindra

This is despite the issues I faced with my Scorpio in the first year of ownership, so it is a case of once bitten twice shy. Currently there are certain other important thing going on in life so I would probably take another TD sometime in March and close this once for all hoping (rather believing) that most of the major glitches would have been taken care by then (small issues I can live with).

[Heavy Horse]

Originally Posted by m_upreti

I am still in the market for replacement of my Scorpio & despite TDing the Fortuner, Endeavour, Rexton, Pajero Sport & X1, XUV500 W8 FWD still tops the list for the following reasons:

1. VFM
2. Loaded with gizmos
3. & most important being a Mahindra

This is despite the issues I faced with my Scorpio in the first year of ownership, so it is a case of once bitten twice shy. Currently there are certain other important thing going on in life so I would probably take another TD sometime in March and close this once for all hoping (rather believing) that most of the major glitches would have been taken care by then (small issues I can live with).

Very good reasoning. I fully support your conclusion. The problems that you encountered with your Scorpio has allowed you to develop good relations with the Mahindra Service Centre guys and also understand how the company works. That I think is a huge plus going forward with the XUV. Best of luck.

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by Heavy Horse

Very good reasoning. I fully support your conclusion. The problems that you encountered with your Scorpio has allowed you to develop good relations with the Mahindra Service Centre guys and also understand how the company works. That I think is a huge plus going forward with the XUV. Best of luck.

Well Mahindra has a special place in the heart since I learnt to drive on a Jeep CJ 500 D (and the first drive ended with the front wheels inside a dry canal ).

What makes me stick with this company is the support which I got from the M&M top management during my problems with Scorpio. That is something I never imagined would be forthcoming, and yes offcourse that his given me a lot of insight on how to deal with the A.S.S. & the company.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by m_upreti

I am still in the market for replacement of my Scorpio & despite TDing the Fortuner, Endeavour, Rexton, Pajero Sport & X1, XUV500 W8 FWD still tops the list for the following reasons:

I was surprised to hear that there are people who do not consider Strome, while their shopping list includes XUV. In my opinion, people should not take decisions based on perception of others. Give it a try and if do not like it for any reason, do not buy. But not trying itself is a mistake.

[navpreet318]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

I was surprised to hear that there are people who do not consider Strome, while their shopping list includes XUV. In my opinion, people should not take decisions based on perception of others. Give it a try and if do not like it for any reason, do not buy. But not trying itself is a mistake.

I have a Safari. A 3 Liter version. From the aftersales experience I had I would have never considered the Storme. But then A friend bought one. It was launched in Dehradun quite a while back. I was wonderfully surprised that doors closed like a sedan. I mean coming from a 3 Liter safari, this felt like feather. Then I decided to take a Test Drive. That truck is tiring! It keeps moving on nearly perfect tarmac. Its like those old Black and White movies. The occupants keep moving and moving and moving. I actually felt a slight amount of fatigue in my back after a 20Km test drive. Seriously, I think the lighter body has now become even more bouncy than before.
Thats when I threw the Storme out of the equation. Simply threw it out!

Now nearly finalized on the XUV unless something drastic happens.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

...Seriously, I think the lighter body has now become even more bouncy than before.
Thats when I threw the Storme out of the equation. Simply threw it out!

Now nearly finalized on the XUV unless something drastic happens.

Sorry, but if you found Storme bouncy, how will you rate XUV? I had the TD of both cars back to back, found Storme was much more comfortable.

Front seats support - XUV
Middle row support - Storme
Middle row space - Storme has more than adequate space, but XUV has even more space than Storme.
Overall ride - Storme.
Braking - Storme
Pick Up / Accelaration - XUV
Features - XUV

[navpreet318]

Well for starters I actually found it more planted than the Storme. It did not make me tired and it did not make me go left-right-left-right. I am going to have another longish TD into the mountains. Will revert back then.

Currently I have TDed both on the very same smooth road and XUV did not tire me.