Team-BHP - Ford EcoSport : Official Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417 (Post 3279770)

Why would you really worry about water wading capabilities? I mean how bad are the roads that you take in monsoon that the water rises almost upto your exhaust or even higher? I seriously think this issue has been given far more due that it deserves. To answer the question for yourself, why don't we rephrase it to - "Did i buy the ecosport for its water wading capabilities? " :)

Also, if Ford has moved the glow plug model higher or not, your car is under warranty. I suggest you don't sweat too much on things and enjoy the ride unless you are seriously into off roading.

After having driven the car for about 3000kms now in all kinds of roads and in heavy monsoons with water logged roads, i can tell you that its as safe as any sedan/hatch if not more. And if you haven't had any water wading issues ever in your previous vehicles, this one won't have them either.

Finally, taking turns at 60kmph is unrealistic unless its a highway. But to give you a honest answer, if its a sweeping turn like those on highways, you can easily do 80kmph. I take curves on a fly over to work that has 3 lanes at 80kmph in 5th Gear. On ghats of Amby Valley with moving traffic you can hold lines really well upto 50-55kmph.
Will i do more in a sedan or hatch? I don't know cause its how much you are used to the vehicle. You could move from a sedan to a sedan and still not drive the same way for a while until you get the feel of the new car.

Anyways, for a vehicle thats clearly been positioned as "Urban", having the right expectations is important i guess. Else, you are bound to get disappointed.

Do excuse me for the long post but i feel that people are expecting SUV creds from a vehicle that clearly is only a pseudo-SUV for largely urban use.

Apologies for flogging this issue, but I sort of disagree here. I am not buying a sedan. I am buying a SUV. Urban or not, the least anyone of us buys an SUV for are its "elevated" performance compared to a sedan - higher stance, greater ability to take waterlogging, bad roads, highways, offroads etc in its stride. That's an SUV !
If an SUV, especially one that got my Rs50K booking amount by advertising its water-wading capability, stalls, it is not acceptable. a) Given the way our respective municipalities prepare us for the monsoons, i am sure many roads in each city get waterlogged to quite high a level every year. And when it is raining cats and dogs and if I am encountered with a waterlogged road, I cant even turn around and take an alternative route. If my vehicle stalls, one is the expenditure and the other is the loss of face and ignominy I have to face when my SUV stalls on such a road. Why should I take it? Ford had better have a good explanation for the lack of an underbelly cover for the engine !!
And as for the highway behavior, I indeed bought my SUV for the weekend getaways on highways. For the daily commute, I maybe prefer my CITY. While I know the roads of my city in and out and can plan the speeds with which I approach curves and turns on it, I do not know the twists and turns one has to encounter on highways. Which makes it a risk for me to drive at anything above 80kmph on highways. Which is not what I bought my SUV for !

This will be my last post on this subject, i promise. If the gentleman in Kolkata comes back and says, engine damage and he had to pay for it, then I am cancelling my Ecosport booking and going for another SUV.

On the engine damage case, feel extremely sorry for the owner that the engine in his car seized so early. On the other hand, Ford India would not believe if any owner walks upto them and says that the water logging was less than 550mm but still the engine ingested water, seized and now Ford should replace/repair the engine.

Ford has now way to authenticate the claim and in cases like these, the blame shifts on the customer. I am not blaming the owner, i agree with him and maybe the water was much lower than 550mm but since there is no proof - cases like these are handled under customer negligence. I have no clue if Ford if bluffing or not about the 550mm water wading but seeing this case, i wont be very confident taking it in deep water, remember guys, keep slipping the clutch and dont let the car stall.

Another reason why zero dep insurances with extra covers like hydrostatic locks etc are a good thing to have, both my sedans have these add on covers on insurance.

Regarding toppling, have driven our Linea and Vento extensively and also covered 2500 kms on my Ecosport. Dynamically this car is excellent, there are no two ways about it, the straight line stability is tops - almost at par with Vento, instead Ecosport handles the undulations better whereas Vento pitches and bobs a bit BUT attack the corners and the car shows its a vehicle with 200mm GC, short wheelbase and gets a bit twitchy.

Its really easy to overestimate Ecosport's handling capabilities and go overboard. You can do corners at double the speeds you can do in Scorpio type cars (which we owned for 8 years) but owners need to keep in mind that its still a SUV and will topple if you corner hard, its extremely tough, almost impossible to topple a sedan like Vento, Linea but to even topple a Ecosport - you would really need a complete idiot.

The guy blaming steering for toppling :uncontrol, it weighs in sufficiently well at speeds over 80, no qualms about it.

First service update - Got the first service done on Monday, car had clocked 2400 kms, also opted for a voluntary oil change. Service done at Harpreet, Moti Nagar. Arrived at service centre by 9:40, out by 12:00 PM so satisfied with the service.

Total bill was 2019, 1100 for oil, 400 for oil filter, 100 for gasket and seal, 110 was labour for oil change and around 300 went to Sheila Dixit ji for her taxes.

Car is running super smooth after the service, returning an impressive FE of over 15.5in city traffic always. No rattles so far, only the ill fitted silver panels on door creak and squeak, wonder if its the same for other owners.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighwayBuddha (Post 3280382)

Apologies for flogging this issue, but I sort of disagree here. I am not buying a sedan. I am buying a SUV. Urban or not, the least anyone of us buys an SUV for are its "elevated" performance compared to a sedan - higher stance, greater ability to take waterlogging, bad roads, highways, offroads etc in its stride. That's an SUV !
If an SUV, especially one that got my Rs50K booking amount by advertising its water-wading capability, stalls, it is not acceptable. a) Given the way our respective municipalities prepare us for the monsoons, i am sure many roads in each city get waterlogged to quite high a level every year. And when it is raining cats and dogs and if I am encountered with a waterlogged road, I cant even turn around and take an alternative route. If my vehicle stalls, one is the expenditure and the other is the loss of face and ignominy I have to face when my SUV stalls on such a road. Why should I take it? Ford had better have a good explanation for the lack of an underbelly cover for the engine !!

This will be my last post on this subject, i promise. If the gentleman in Kolkata comes back and says, engine damage and he had to pay for it, then I am cancelling my Ecosport booking and going for another SUV.

Hey guys,

Thank you coolboy for the back up about stability.

That guy in calcutta went in more than 550mm or at least the water splash was more than that otherwise there is no chance that the water can enter the engine.
It takes lot of caution to drive through water.Keep slipping the clutch,never stall.

Donot draw any hasty conclusions, it will take a perfect idiot for the water to enter ecosports engine as I have previously shared with the toppling incidents.

Dont worry, the ecosport has the water wading of 550mm at 5 to10kmph speed, I have seen it my self. It is perfectly safe till this level.

Please understand we are dealing with a car and not a submarine and we are talking about water wading and not water cruising or water racing so we have to factor the after water splash. (No offence to anybody)

I have already tested it with the car submerged in water after taking the measurement of the air intake from the floor.one person on board.

Here are my detailed findings.
1.Air intake bottom level from ground is 860mm so a safe 310mm after you have hit the 550mm mark.
2.Measure of 540mm for you to easily remember is bottom of fog lamps.You can safely submerge the car till here.make sure the lamps are off.
3.370mm is when the driver doors bottom touches the water (plastic cladding of running board already under water.
4.510.mm with the all door's plastic cladding submerged underwater.
5.310mm is the bottom most tip of silencer so if you want to submerge more than that be sure to give sufficient acceleration to prevent water entering silencer.*
6.glow plug module is 830 mm from floor level (after relocation) originally was at 400mm as per international standards(U.k EUROPE)
7.half tyre submerge till ford logo bottom (290mm)and till top of logo(350mm).The UK versions airintake must be at a lower level but surely the glow plug module is at 400mm.So they advertise it as 300mm water wading.

PS.please note that you have to factor the extra height of water splash and approach angle when you wade.I think that is the reason ford has given the extra 300mm after 550mm.It is my guess that the people who faced the problem did not factor approach angle and water splash.Hope this helps.
Happy motoring:)

And are you talking about the engine guard, under belly cover.
Thats available as an accessory.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecosport rules (Post 3280294)

Awesome johann,

Truly looks like a black panther on the prowl.
The hazard lamp on picture looks like from some sci fi movie.
Wishing you all the very best for your exams:thumbs up.

Thank You very much! :D
Your help was priceless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anks_at (Post 3280303)

I am sorry, saw it on my phone in power saving mode (darker screen) & mistook the third pic somehow to be the tail lights for a moment! stupid:

My mistake!
Its good nevertheless! :D

Hey that's fine :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by teemus (Post 3280320)

Looks amazing!! Great work dude! :thumbs up

Ya it is an excellent piece of art indeed ! agree:

Quote:

Originally Posted by nash13 (Post 3280434)

That Just looks AWWWESOME!!! Great job johann..
Mine is also Panther Black tdci tit+. Would love to have them on my black beauty as well.. Pls let me know from where you sourced it and how much did that cost you??
Thanks in advance.

Thank You!
It would look really beautiful!
hey sure.
mailed you all the required details and also the posting of 'ecosport rules' regarding the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighwayBuddha (Post 3280382)

This will be my last post on this subject, i promise. If the gentleman in Kolkata comes back and says, engine damage and he had to pay for it, then I am cancelling my Ecosport booking and going for another SUV.

The calcutta gentlemans post in the indian automotive forum ,Page 344 post 4996 clearly states that the water level was till the foglamp.

If you see my calculations fog lamp bottom is 540mm with one person in car.
That clearly shows us that he hit the upperlimit of water wading capacity of the ecosport plus the water waves splashing around.(isint it obvious water will enter the engine)

What else can be the perfect recepie for the disaster.Its his bad luck I hope he gets it repaired free of cost from Ford india.(will prove the generocity and customer centric service of the company)

So its up to you to decide on cancelling the car based on some driver errors committed. (Toppling and water wading)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecosport rules (Post 3280471)

The calcutta gentlemans post in the indian automotive forum ,Page 344 post 4996 clearly states that the water level was till the foglamp. If you see my calculations fog lamp bottom is 540mm with one person in car. That clearly shows us that he hit the upperlimit of water wading capacity of the ecosport plus the water waves splashing around.(isint it obvious water will enter the engine) What else can be the perfect recepie for the disaster.Its his bad luck I hope he gets it repaired free of cost from Ford india.(will prove the generocity and customer centric service of the company) So its up to you to decide on cancelling the car based on some driver errors committed. (Toppling and water wading)

I wonder why hes thinking 550 mm is till door handle?! 550 mm is not even 2 feet. I would not want to wade depths of greater than 300 mm..... Doesnt the water seep in after that depth ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecosport (Post 3280195)

After market spare wheel cover available in ebay for half the price of original. Rs 5500/- And it is pre-painted too. Sadly, no black.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecosport rules (Post 3280235)

Also make sure before you buy it the fixing mechanism same as the original as many aftermarket ones have rexine/leatheritte with elastic on the back side whick is easy to knock off.

I got in touch with the seller over whatsapp. But he couldnt provide any clear answer on the locking mechanism or a picture yet. It was difficult to communicate with him. When I asked about actual fit on the vehicle, he claimed he had fixed it on more than 100 vehicles after which I just lost any interest in calling him up & clarifying because he being in Jaipur, that is an extremely tall figure! (& I dont have the Ecosport yet) :D

If anyone wants to check up, the number he provided is 9829981000.