[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by Musa

I am in the market for a SUV in a few months and I have been spending countless hours tracking discussion on T-Bhp. (Did that already once last year before settling on buying the Figo for the wife and the posts on T-Bhp went a long way in helping me decide!) So now, I am tracking the Storme, Aria & EcoSport (somehow don't like the Duster) thread vigorously. While looking at the Storme & Aria website and doing a comparo and building an excel sheet (still work-in-progress), I was struck by the following.....

The ARIA may have a 4x4 badging but dont expect much out of it. It is just a soft roader which can take your family to places that your average MUV wont.
But the Safari 4x4 is a proper or "Real SUV" as Tata says. It has low ratio and is awesome off road and will leave the Aria biting the dust in an off road course. But it isnt as great as the Aria on the road.
So you should see what you need. Now if you are thinking 4x4 , i suppose you have off-roading in mind, in that case take the Safari, no questions asked.
If otherwise, Aria is a great car. Infact if you wont off-road, there are plenty of other options in the 4x2 space.

Note from Support - Please avoid quoting an entire lengthy post as it inconveniences our mobile and small screen users.

[RajeshK]

I was checking with Concorde Motors and KHT Motors for a test drive of Storme for almost 2weeks. They were not bothered to call me back at all. Finally, while talking to one of my friend, he told that he has some contact in TML and he can get it arranged. Within 5 minutes I got a call from Concorde motors saying that the test drive vehicle is waiting in front of my office.

I had a very short test drive as I was running short of time. The Storme was a 4*2 Vxp model with odo reading 581km and has a temp registration. The main point I wanted to check is the clearance between the knee and the steering as many members complained about it. I am 6ft4inch and my knees are badly touching the steering wheel still I was able to adjust with it within few mtrs. I seriously doubt how will be the impact if there is any collision or even in a panic situation. This will be a definite deal breaker (blocker..!!) for me..!!!
Other than this I am happy with the performance and inside space. The power delivery seems to be good and linear, very good turning radius (I was able to take a full U-Turn on the Jalabhavan Road (Bannerghatta Road).!!), soft clutch, sound insulation is good, but the engine sound felt little harsh than XUV or Scorpio. I am fine the side facing rear seat and I prefer this than the front facing one.

The Sales Person told me that there is no rear de-mister in LX and no USB support for ICE. But I can see both of them available in LX as per the brochure. If any one checked the LX version physically, please confirm.

Thanks
Rajesh

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Musa

Everyone agrees that the Aria is a (much?) better vehicle than the Storme.

Reminds me about my somewhat similar confusion and many discussions with ACM just a few weeks ago.

I will repeat the advice he gave me.

Take your family (wife, kids, parents if necssary) for back to back test drives over the same course in both the vehicles and then go with what you find better.

Everyone (in addition to you) will have a view, and some of the insights will be quite good and usually missed by us as drivers.

For my needs and wants (Maslow ), I found the Storme to be the better car.

I was comparing them in a variant level lower though - Storme EX vs Aria Pure, but within similar price bands most of the important decision making factors are vehicle to vehicle and not feature to feature.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

I had a very short test drive as I was running short of time. The Storme was a 4*2 Vxp model with odo reading 581km and has a temp registration. The main point I wanted to check is the clearance between the knee and the steering as many members complained about it. I am 6ft4inch and my knees are badly touching the steering wheel still I was able to adjust with it within few mtrs. I seriously doubt how will be the impact if there is any collision or even in a panic situation. This will be a definite deal breaker (blocker..!!) for me..!!!

Thanks
Rajesh

Was steering wheel in its lowest position? I now remember that the Safari in the showroom had it in a lower postion ( and hence maybe why I felt it smaller).

[Fortuner71]

I just received the VIN and Engine number of my black 4x4 strome , it's in transit .

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Was steering wheel in its lowest position? I now remember that the Safari in the showroom had it in a lower postion ( and hence maybe why I felt it smaller).

No... I have adjusted the steering to highest position and pushed the seat to the max. I can sit confortably, but I fear I will get stuck badly in case of any worst situations..!!!

[Musa]

Just a thought ...

Has anyone tried forming a group before buying the Storme?
If the group approached various dealers we could get some discounts / accessories with the car- at least some dealer level discount no?

Folks could form groups in their respective cities and band together no?
Here in Bangalore, even flats are being sold to group buyers and the builders offer "attractive" discounts to such groups.

Or am I dreaming

[ebonho]

Dreaming man.

Even rubber mats being given are being made out to be as a big deal (saar, it is a new car, Tata giving no discounts, cannot undercut, etc.etc.)

Not even if you agree to go for a late 2012 vehicle versus a fresh 2013 dated vehicle.

[vigneshkumar31]

Originally Posted by Fortuner71

I just received the VIN and Engine number of my black 4x4 strome , it's in transit .

Congrats fortuner71,
Could you pls tell me if you were informed by email or got vin number from dealer.dealer tells me that my vehicle is also in transit, but I am yet to receive vin number or engine number,
Thanks in advance

[Fortuner71]

Originally Posted by vigneshkumar31

Congrats fortuner71,
Could you pls tell me if you were informed by email or got vin number from dealer.dealer tells me that my vehicle is also in transit, but I am yet to receive vin number or engine number,
Thanks in advance

Hi Vignesh ,
I got an email from the territory head TATA with details , later dealer informed me of the same .

[sushantr5]

Originally Posted by Musa

Just a thought ...

Has anyone tried forming a group before buying the Storme?
If the group approached various dealers we could get some discounts / accessories with the car- at least some dealer level discount no?

Folks could form groups in their respective cities and band together no?
Here in Bangalore, even flats are being sold to group buyers and the builders offer "attractive" discounts to such groups.

Or am I dreaming

It should be possible but I am doubtful about newly launched car. I have seen taxi houses getting this huge discount. My friend in Bangaluru gets 50k discount on CR4 indica's and huge discount on ford classics and Toyota Etios as well.

[madred15]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

I was checking with Concorde Motors and KHT Motors for a test drive of Storme for almost 2weeks. They were not bothered to call me back at all. Finally, while talking to one of my friend, he told that he has some contact in TML and he can get it arranged. Within 5 minutes I got a call from Concorde motors saying that the test drive vehicle is waiting in front of my office.

The Sales Person told me that there is no rear de-mister in LX and no USB support for ICE. But I can see both of them available in LX as per the brochure. If any one checked the LX version physically, please confirm.

Thanks
Rajesh

When I checked with the sales people they were not sure too. The initial brochure that was provided in the terrapod event does not list this. However the new brochures have the rear demister and I did see an LX for delivery today at KHT motors with the rear demister. The music system does support USB.

[NST440]

Originally Posted by madred15

When I checked with the sales people they were not sure too. The initial brochure that was provided in the terrapod event does not list this. However the new brochures have the rear demister and I did see an LX for delivery today at KHT motors with the rear demister. The music system does support USB.

Yes indeed, i ve personally examined the LX before booking one ,the paint & interior quality felt top notch, other things i noticed:

1. LX,EX & VX all have the same alpine music system the CDE-126BT, though this HU does not have the A2DP profile for audio streaming, its for calling only.

2. Yes, the LX has rear demister but no rear wash & wiper.

3. Other things apart from roof AC that the LX does not have (compared to EX) which i noticed are the in dash analog clock , arm rests, no front fog lamps,the rear fog lamps are not illuminated, & of course as discussed above the difference in the colour of the upholstery. The difference between the LX & EX is of Rs.1 Lac, which many at TATA were saying is too much for too little.

4. TATA people continue with the tradition of giving no airbags in even the EX version which sets you back around 12.5 Lac OTR. i feel thats a little unfair but then, one can never be satisfied.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Musa

...Folks could form groups in their respective cities and band together no?

Or am I dreaming

The practice is definitely ON in Bangalore for sure. Bhp'ians should try & do this. Not sure how much can you extract for Storme though.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Dreaming man.

Even rubber mats being given are being made out to be as a big deal (saar, it is a new car, Tata giving no discounts, cannot undercut, etc.etc.)

Not even if you agree to go for a late 2012 vehicle versus a fresh 2013 dated vehicle.

Bangalore Infy/Wipro as I know have/had dedicated threads on their internal portal for "group buying"! They get massive discounts! This I know was happening in 2005! It should still be continuing unless the companies have put any restrictions.

Originally Posted by sushantr5

It should be possible but I am doubtful about newly launched car. I have seen taxi houses getting this huge discount. My friend in Bangaluru gets 50k discount on CR4 indica's and huge discount on ford classics and Toyota Etios as well.

NOT only taxis, private segments also get good benefits. Fleet orders are different.

[ACM]

Group discounts would I feel be possible only about 5-6 months down the line.

By the way I stay at Thane Ghodbunder Road and this is an upcoming area as in many new roads are being created in areas where there was nothing earlier. Today say a Test drive Storme driving at high speed down an inside road near where I stay and they moving on to what is a non existant path that becomes a slush pit in the monsoon. I guess they have found a nice place to give potential customers a real life demo of the storme capabilities.