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-   -   Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/109469-mahindra-xuv500-test-drive-review-354.html)

Ravi
Any specific reason why you insisted on a Nov vehicle ? As such the XUV being a fast moving model, the chances of the dealer palming off an old vehicle is remote. What exactly are you worried in a Oct/Sep vehicle ? If you have decided on the car and plan to keep it for >4 yrs , you should make full use of the discounts in December and go for it. This is IMHO

Finally, I had agreed for the October-manufactured vehicle and rode to the dealership to book it. But, the reluctance on the part of the sales executive to offer a second vehicle in the event of my rejecting the first one during my PDI due to faults or damages - however less probable it might be - was the last straw on the camel's back! The sales executive was categorical all along that there was no other vehicle in W8 variant in any colour available with the dealership, whereas his colleague informed me that one Arctic Blue W8 was very much available even as late as 5 pm on that day. But, I guess, both enacted a drama in front of me by saying even that was booked at 7 pm!

If you really want to see a change, then you should report this incident on the FB page / tweet to Anand Mahindra about this. Some people just don't realise when we are nice to them - they demand us to be firm & strict for them to fall in place.

Bit the bullet and booked a grey AWD.

Been wavering and TD-ing for weeks, confused between innvova, endeavor 2.5 and this. Took a test drive of the XUV (FWD) within the city and around 40KMs on the highway and was quite satisfied with what the XUV offers at the price it comes. So went ahead and decided to make the booking

When I contacted both MPL (and then Zulaika) for place the order both said that they cannot take a booking for AWD since there were no stocks, manufacturing has stopped for the year and they can take a booking only in January, with the new pricing with whatever offer was available then. Had to write to Mahindra CC and they finally confirmed that they have over 20 AWDs in various colors available and they can ship out if the order was confirmed with a couple of days and I eventually placed the order (with Zulaika).

Been asking for manufacturing date for the vehicle which will be allotted but the dealer maintains that he can give me the info only when the vehicle is shipped out. I have been very strongly passing the message that I want a Nov/December vehicle. Let's see how it goes.

One question. Can anyone please highlight me on what insurance companies M&M (Chennai) has cashless tie-ups?

After reading your experience, I feel that the other Arctic blue was not available at all in the first place. They might have wanted to create an impression that the car is fast selling out and you would book it immediately.
So now, are you booking the car in Bangalore?

Thanks, hemanth.anand. I will explore that possibility as the last resort.

The matter did not end there. At last, I saw light at the end of the tunnel. This morning, Area Sales Manager, Mahindra, Manager-Sales, India Garage and XUV500 Experience Executive, India Garage visited our home and assured me that I would get a November 2013-manufactured XUV500 W8 FWD Opulent Purple. It will leave Chakan plant by next week and I would get the delivery on or before 30 December 2013. Of course, I would get a cash discount of 45,000; but, I won't get corporate discount as I am a retired pensioner. I am allowed to take the insurance on my own as I enjoy 50% no-claim bonus, which I plan to transfer to my new vehicle. No loan is involved as it full cash purchase. I can also do my PDI after arrival of the vehicle at the dealership after they do their PDI before making the balance payment and signing the RTO papers. After getting these assurances from Mahindra and India Garage executives, I booked a XUV500 W8 FWD Opulent Purple. The details are here.

I thank Team-BHP and fellow-BHP'ians, who helped me clinch the deal to my satisfaction. clap:

Nice to know that things ended a nice way. Congrats on your new booking. I am also planning for an XUV by 2014 and I don't know what hardships I will have to overcome. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Beautiful! I seriously would like to think even the sales executives were given a stern warning.

This is where Mahindra outshines TATA. I hope TATA guys read this thread and roll up their sleeves and get to the field too. A couple of good products & this attitude, you will see pride of the country reflecting in your sales numbers!

Fantastic! M&M is highly customer centric and very active. I think as a corporate they use social media spot on to identify and be in touch wih customers. The fact that all their top echelons including Mr. Anand Mahindra is a tweet away is quite reassuring.

Most issues (all of them I experienced) are dealer issues. I wish M&M works on this aspect even more.

Hi Ravi congratulations on the booking. Hoping you have a hassle free and enjoyable ownership experience.

Went through your earlier posts trying to find an answer as to what caused the change of behaviour of the dealer. Did you write to Customer Service regarding your bad experience?

I also had some really bad experiences during the booking and delivery time. However, after owning the beast for more than a year, I have to say all that is now just some fading memories. Which pops in my head only when I read similar experiences like yours. So once you have the beast, its all going to change. However, just wanted to check, so is no one taking any actions against the culprits who made the entire experience so bad.

FundaG

Thanks, Seran Manian.

Mahindra area sales manager apologized for the inconvenience caused to me and told that he would educate the dealership sales executive about customer-handling. Thanks, swiftnfurious.

I received immediate acknowledgement and wishes from Anand Mahindra [sent from iPhone] and Pawan Goenka for my thanks-giving mail! Thanks, chandras1.

Thanks, Heavy Horse.

I twitted Anand Mahindra, posted message in XUV500 page in FB with link to my post in Team-BHP and sent emails to Anand Mahindra and Pawan Goenka, as suggested by fellow-BHP'ians. Any one or more produced the desired results. :)

That we may not know as it would be dealt with internally. Thanks, fundagenie.

Hello All!

I was looking for a replacement for my current car, a Ford Fiesta ZXi. I have had this for 4 years without a single problem. I was looking for a replacement and came across the XUV500, as a few of my colleagues had bought it in the last few months.

I then came to Team-BHP and read through almost all the pages of this wonderful thread. I asked around and found that all my colleagues had bought it from Sireesh Auto. So I booked a TD with them.

The Experience Executive from Sireesh Auto, Bangalore gave me ample scope to test out the vehicle in the Whitefield area. I then went over to their showroom near Silk Board to book the vehicle. I was shown a list of XUV500's available on that particular day. I wanted a W8 Fwd and my choice of color was Artic Blue. he choice of color was almost automatic. My Ford Fiesta is a purple. My earlier Baleno was grey. And I like Blue! I was shown that one Artic Blue W8 FWD to be available in that list and was told it would be allotted to me. I took a photo of that list on my mobile to go over the list in detail.

Later that day I came across the thread ARTICLE: Find your car's date of manufacture (VIN)and was curious about the month of manufacture of the vehicle I was allotted. I called the Experience Executive to confirm the VIN of the W8 I was supposed to get. He sent me an engine and chassis number. I found that the chassis number I received through SMS was different from the one I was shown on the available list a few days earlier. The new VIN showed it to be a September, 2013 model against a November model originally intended. I was quite annoyed and got back in touch with the executive again. I told him specifically that he was trying to pull a fast one. I then went over to Sireesh Auto again on 14th December and was shown a new list. An Artic Blue W8 was in transit and expected to reach in 5 days. I said I can wait and am in no hurry. So he booked it against my name. I am hoping that the vehicle I will now get is indeed the one allotted.

Meanwhile I had also requested that the a test vehicle be brought to my house to see if it would fit into the garage. So i had another chance to TD the vehicle from the Sireesh Auto showroom to my house. My observations later on this second TD later. We managed to squeeze the beast into my garage, barely. The otherwise roomy garage suddenly shrunk in size. It was then I realized how big this beast really was. I also realized that there was no way I could fit a rear crash guard and still manage to park inside the garage.

Now coming to the test drive and my rather limited observations.

• Moving the gear lever to engage the 1st or 2nd gear is certainly not smooth.
• I was groping for the gear shift lever. I am used to my Ford Fiesta and frequently found my hand a few inches to the left of the XUV's gear lever.
• I found the clutch to be about as hard as my Fiesta's. No complaints there.
• It was very easy to maneuver through a Saturday mid-afternoon Bangalore traffic.
• Brakes were very effective. I need to get the feel of this though. I often ended up braking very hard.
• The seat is very comfortable.
• I have never driven a SUV or MUV before. So the visibility is stunning.
• GPS was accurate and go us to the street I live in. I found the US voice acceptable.
• I felt very comfortable accelerating the vehicle and managing a safe overtaking maneuver. I also had no problems in finding the right gear Vs. Speed.

I am looking forward to experiencing the W8 both for daily use and for the occasional long drive.

Thanks for this wonderful thread, the rich experience it has accumulated and the wealth of information it offers.

[quote="J.Ravi;3320084"] I received immediate acknowledgement and wishes from Anand Mahindra [sent from iPhone] and Pawan Goenka for my thanks-giving mail! /QUOTE]

I liked this. Mahindra is really focussing on customer grievances in a big way and using social network positively. This makes me patriotic and feel that I should buy a vehicle that is indigenously manufactured.