[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by ZB86

I am looking to get a new car sometime this year or early 2022.

I am sharing my experience here, hope it helps.

When I started looking for new car in the market last year, initially it seemed like that there were plethora of choices and I was confused. So I listed down my requirements and given them priorities, which helped me making my decision.

You can also do the same.

• First decide the basic criteria like budget, usage, Petrol vs Diesel, Manual vs Automatic, DCT/DSG vs TC. These can be decided basis on monthly running, fuel economy, peppy DCT vs reliable TC, power vs torque, 10 years vs 15 years registration (if applicable) etc. factors.
• Then list down your requirements categorizing in "must have" and "feel good" features. For example- minimum 6 airbags, ESC, good suspension can be "must have" features, while Sunroof, wireless charger can be "feel good" features but not compulsory to have. It's better to rank your requirements as no car is perfect and you need to adjust with one thing or another.
• Once you are clear on these, then list down the available options in market fulfilling the basic requirement and mention pros and cons of each. You can refer TBHP official reviews for the same.
• Take long test drives of each selected options . Before finalizing, take 2nd test drive of final option.
• At last, go for the car which fits your requirement and your heart wants.

I am quoting my own post for the reference.

Originally Posted by Beelzebub

Summary of requirement and consideration:

Usage: 70% City + 30% Highways, roughly 1500-1800 kms per month

Requirement:

1. A decent Diesel engine + Automatic gearbox combo
2. Strong build quality + safety features such as with 6 airbags, ESP, Hill hold assist etc.
3. Adequate rear seat space for 3 adults (occasional rides) or 2 adult+1 child
4. Budget: 15-21 Lacs (slightly negotiable)
5. Ground clearance of 200 mm or above
6. Feature-rich ICE paired with good sound system
7. Boot space of 400+ litres
8. Good ride quality and suspension set up

Deciding factor for Tata Harrier:

• Fulfilling all requirements except point 6
• There is no match to it's road presence and sheer looks in the segment. It's been almost 2 years since launch and still best looking SUV and a head turner.
• Price is slightly on higher side but it is also segment above to other alternatives mentioned.
• FE is decent for vehicle of this size.
• While I like the gizmos and electronics offered by Kia/Hyundai, but could not select a car based on these factors alone (No offence to other car buyers). A good ICE, ventilated seats, wireless charger, connected tech etc. are useful features in day to day life and I would love to get these features in Harrier. If I will get decent aftermarket alternatives for these gizmos in future, might try some of those. But most importantly there are no aftermarket solutions for build quality, interior space, ride and handling, powerful engine, gearbox, car dimension etc. hence the Harrier.

[ZB86]

[quote=Beelzebub;5106244]I am sharing my experience here, hope it helps.

When I started looking for new car in the market last year, initially it seemed like that there were plethora of choices and I was confused. So I listed down my requirements and given them priorities, which helped me making my decision.

You can also do the same.

This was a very useful suggestion. Can you tell me how has been your ownership experience so far? Any issues faced or so far so good?

Let me try and answer some of the points you have mentioned :

1. Basic Criteria :
a. Automatic - Most likely AT
b. TC v DCT - I had a turbo petrol Ecosport manual, and it was lot of fun to drive. There are question marks over long term reliability of DCT, which is what makes me wonder. I know I will not go wrong with TC
c. Must haves - Min 6 airbags, a good suspension, a good steering, good power.
d. Feel good - There is no denying the ICE on Creta is among the best. It is not a deal breaker, but given a choice yes I would definitely want it. Sunroof is great in both Harrier and Creta.

2. Usage - 500-800kms a month max unless I do a long highway trip once in a while
3. Budget - Ideally within 20-22L. But can plan for Harrier XZA+ since whatever I buy, I intend to keep it for 8-10yrs.
4. Space in rear - Definitely for 3
5. When you are paying the price of a Harrier / Creta, you do want all the bells and whistles. Sure, it may not be a deal breaker to not have ventilated seats, ICE, but it does add to the feel good factor. I need to try both the cars again and see for myself what matters the most to me in the end.

Thanks a lot for your views. Along with another test drive, will ponder over all the points again before I make my decision.

[NotanF1driver]

Originally Posted by ZB86

Hello Everyone,
I am looking to get a new car sometime this year or early 2022.

Hi ZB86,

Even I am on the same boat as you are. Cars considered by me were (along with deal breakers) are listed below:
1. Hyundai Verna Diesel AT - I was ok with a sedan, but this car was not impressive at the price price point. Felt basic.
2. Harrier Diesel AT - Ownership troubles and poor Tata QC worries me. Also, the car is a lot wider than competition (check out the size and compare with an Endeavour), which makes driving around in traffic and parking a lot more concerning. There are narrow roads (basically short cuts) near my home, which I would need to avoid if I buy a Harrier.
3. Creta Diesel AT - The looks of the car makes me turn my head away from it! I can't have it parked at my home just because of the way it looks.
4. Seltos Diesel AT - Just about adequately powered and has a firm suspension set up. The car looks better to me inside and out, than a Creta. Despite it's barely 3 star safety ratings, I went for it (booked, waiting period is 5 months!).

As you can see, I stay away from DSG/ DCTs due to reliability concerns. Also, AT was a must have feature for me - I already have a Vento TSI at home, and am spoilt by the AT. In your case, you may also check out Kushaq.

As they say, buy the car which is the most appealing to you. It might not tick some of the right boxes, but pick the one which makes you happy. Hope this helps.

[Raghuwire]

Originally Posted by NotanF1driver

Hi ZB86,


2. Harrier Diesel AT - Ownership troubles and poor Tata QC worries me. Also, the car is a lot wider than competition (check out the size and compare with an Endeavour), which makes driving around in traffic and parking a lot more concerning. There are narrow roads (basically short cuts) near my home, which I would need to avoid if I buy a Harrier.

Hi, I differ with your observations a bit. I migrated from an i10 to Harrier and am perfectly at home driving the harrier. It has a superb view from the front, and the mirrors and rear camera are good for u to maneuver any reversing situations. Also I have been driving it around near my home in Goa with small roads, I don't find it difficult. Would surely like you to try.

Secondly, a lot of people continue to talk about poor Tata QC. I am not sure how many problems have been reported here. I have been owning one since 4 months and no issues till now. A few have pointed out some ICE issues, but even Hyundai has issues, just check the Bluelink poll, you will see most say nothing works. Anyway these issues are nothing compared to brake fails, suspension breaking etc reported in seltos and Creta.

[NotanF1driver]

Originally Posted by Raghuwire

Hi, I differ with your observations a bit.

Hi Raghuwire,

Certainly appreciate your point of view. Regarding the size, there is no "one size fits all" for a car. In my view it was a bit too large for the small roads in my locality. The reason is not visibility, but giving way to oncoming traffic. I need to find a wider section of the road, or reverse to such spots to give way, or else a huge traffic deadlock would be created.
On the 2nd point of QC, I agree that not all have issues. However, there are numerous issues reported by various members here (in this thread, as well as under other threads, including the Tata Safari's issues). I do understand the fact that cars are not free from defects. However Tata's after sales service coupled with QC issues is the culprit here.

Thanks!

[greyhound82]

Originally Posted by NotanF1driver;

Also, the car is a lot wider than competition (check out the size and compare with an Endeavour)l.

Endeavour : 4,903 mm L x 1,869 mm W x 1,837 mm H
Harrier : 4,598 mm L x 1,894 mm W x 1,706 mm H

Thanks for the pointer , I didn’t know Harrier is wider than Endeavour. Whenever I see Endeavour, I think about its humongous shape and how it can be driven in traffic. My goodness!! am driving a beast that is 2.5 cm wider, 10 cm shorter in height and 30cm smaller in length

[ssm2021]

Originally Posted by ssm2021

The fit and finish is also a major area of concern for them. In just 5 minutes I could spot so many niggles, I kept wondering, isn't there a quality department that checks these things in Tata Motors?

Update on First Free Service:
The following issues I had identified during my PDI which wasn't fixed on delivery saying it will be done in first service at 2 months.
1. The boot lid was misaligned and need lot of force to shut properly.
2. The bonnet lid was also misaligned.
3. There was a minor scratch on the front left door.
4. Deeper scratch at the edge of the left rear door edge (as if it had hit a wall removing the paint there).

I first approached a service center that was close to my house (not the dealer service center from where I had bought the car). He checked the boot lid and tried to change its setting but couldn't so easily. He suggested to go to the dealer service center since they would call the vendor to fix the boot lid alignment under the PDI check.

I got an appointment with the dealer service center and went there in person in the hope that I can wait until the work is done, since this was supposed to be a minor first service. I had to wait for 3 hours. For almost 1.5 hours 3-5 engineers were seen to be struggling with the boot lid to set it right. The service engineer then told me that they have called the vendor to fix it. Got a call later in the afternoon that the boot lid is fixed and they would drop the car in the evening. Once the car arrived, to my dismay:
1. the boot lid seemed to be aligned right, but it was a task to close the lid properly (needed a lot of force to shut it right, else it kept indicating as open in the dash).
2. DEF top-up wasn't done
3. PDI paint touch up wasn't done
4. Car details was incorrect in the TMSC app.
This inspite of reminding the SA multiple times during the day and even on call.

Anyway, the car was in the parking for the next 2 days. The next time I started the car I started getting an error saying "SCR error. Please contact service center."

I raised this issue with the SA and also spoke to the CRM of the dealer. She assured me that all my outstanding issues would be fixed. They picked the car the next day and kept it for 2 days. Eventually all the hue and cry paid off and they fixed all the issues but the amount of followup was a big turn off.

The SCR error was fixed by replacing a sensor apparently. Not sure what caused the failure since this came up immediately after the first service. I suspect car wash water pressure in the engine bay could be the cause, can't say for sure. The SA obviously didn't admit to any such mistake during the first service.

In summary - Poor Quality control is no surprise. The service engineers/ SA need constant follow-up and lethargic. Their work is certainly not proactive and customer centric. The SA didn't even check the first time around if all the work listed was done properly by the engineers. Seems like only escalation works at Tata service.

But finally, after 2 months of getting my car, I feel the car is in good shape now. Fingers crossed.

[charade]

Originally Posted by ssm2021

Update on First Free Service:

But finally, after 2 months of getting my car, I feel the car is in good shape now. Fingers crossed.

Couldn't help but think that bringing home a Tata is like having a baby. The owner also needs to plan for paternity / maternity leave to ensure all niggles are sorted

[sreerknair]

Originally Posted by ssm2021

. Not sure what caused the failure .

The lesson I learnt from owning a Tata car for 11 years is, the fewer times you visit Tata Service Centers, the more peace of mind you will get and fewer breakdowns the car will suffer. Also to not ask TASS to fix anything that doesn't stop the car from running. Either try to live with them, or get them fixed outside, and you can have a great ownership experience. I understand that for in warranty cars, this is easier said than done.

[ZB86]

Originally Posted by ssm2021

Update on First Free Service:

But finally, after 2 months of getting my car, I feel the car is in good shape now. Fingers crossed.

This is precisely what worries me. If it is a small niggle, one can live with it and it is fine, since most will buy the Harrier not for the gizmos. If the issues are beyond the gizmos and recurring one, it can spoil the experience. Not to forget, we will be spending a hefty amount and at that price it is not unreasonable to expect a fuss free car. Even if with all niggles, the after sales were good then one would still have the confidence to go for it. A compromise on the ICE, is acceptable, but anything else if it becomes recurring can be a deal breaker.

[ssm2021]

Originally Posted by ZB86

This is precisely what worries me. If it is a small niggle, one can live with it and it is fine, since most will buy the Harrier not for the gizmos. If the issues are beyond the gizmos and recurring one, it can spoil the experience. Not to forget, we will be spending a hefty amount and at that price it is not unreasonable to expect a fuss free car. Even if with all niggles, the after sales were good then one would still have the confidence to go for it. A compromise on the ICE, is acceptable, but anything else if it becomes recurring can be a deal breaker.

Agree. Harrier lacks in customer experience primarily due to lack of quality control. In my view, what still works for harrier is
1. For the platform/ build, space, performance, safety it provides and in all practicality, it is a value for money car.
2. The niggles we have seen in most people's experience are minor, fit & finish, infotainment, etc. Once fixed, you should be good. There have been lot others who have faced no issues at all and are very happy with the car.

I completely get the argument that for the amount of money we are spending it should be a hassle free experience with no niggles. But we need to also realise that this would have costed at least a few lacks more for any other brand who seem to provide a hassle free ownership experience. Even then however, there would be others who wouldn't find it hassle free after all.

[NotanF1driver]

Originally Posted by ssm2021

[b]Update on First Free Service:

Thanks for updating your earlier post on the PDI and delivery, and letting us know of the post ownership experience. I think the fact of the matter is that Harrier is a good product. Bad QC at manufacturer's end, coupled with lackluster and troublesome service centers - that's what ruins it. Had one of these been great, it would have been a great product as a whole. I don't think providing either of this would jack up the prices of the Harrier by a couple of lakhs.

I think the price is well suited for a car of this size. But, these niggles and service experience is not what one would expect from a car which cost 27 lakhs on road Kochi (for the new dark edition XZA). For reference a Seltos costs 21.72 lakhs - Harrier is 5.28 lakhs more expensive! It should give a more premium experience, or at least similar (my humble opinion).

[car_guy1998]

Originally Posted by NotanF1driver

Hi ZB86,

Even I am on the same boat as you are. Cars considered by me were (along with deal breakers) are listed below:
1. Hyundai Verna Diesel AT - I was ok with a sedan, but this car was not impressive at the price price point. Felt basic.
2. Harrier Diesel AT - Ownership troubles and poor Tata QC worries me. Also, the car is a lot wider than competition (check out the size and compare with an Endeavour), which makes driving around in traffic and parking a lot more concerning. There are narrow roads (basically short cuts) near my home, which I would need to avoid if I buy a Harrier.
3. Creta Diesel AT - The looks of the car makes me turn my head away from it! I can't have it parked at my home just because of the way it looks.
4. Seltos Diesel AT - Just about adequately powered and has a firm suspension set up. The car looks better to me inside and out, than a Creta. Despite it's barely 3 star safety ratings, I went for it (booked, waiting period is 5 months!).

As you can see, I stay away from DSG/ DCTs due to reliability concerns. Also, AT was a must have feature for me - I already have a Vento TSI at home, and am spoilt by the AT. In your case, you may also check out Kushaq.

As they say, buy the car which is the most appealing to you. It might not tick some of the right boxes, but pick the one which makes you happy. Hope this helps.

Even one of my close friends, who was replacing their 2014 City iDTEC, was in the same conundrum last year despite having a 2017 Creta Diesel AT, which has run a shade more than 1L Kms, at home. Firstly, they had considered the Harrier, but, they had to strike it off from the list due to the same reason as you had mentioned. They weren't keen on another Creta as they already have one at home and considered the Thar AT as well, but struck off from the list as my friend didn't like its ride quality.

They eventually bought the Seltos GTX+ Diesel AT, which met his requirements, in Feb this year and he couldn't be happier with it. He booked it in October 2020, just before the crash results came out and, got the delivery after waiting for 4 months as he had insisted on a 2021 model.

Even another friend of mine from a different circle also considered a Harrier, but, had struck off from the list due to the same reason, and, eventually, he too ended up buying a Seltos, albeit Petrol HTX MT, in Sep 2020. Since his usage is less (his Seltos didn't even cross 5k Kms on the odo AFAIK and his dad travels in the office-provided car most of the time), the Seltos made better sense to him and his dad and for driving within the city limits, he has a 2014 Swift.

Since we are looking to replace our Innova soon with a 5 seater one, we had TD'ed the Harrier AT, and while I was impressed with its engine performance, dynamics, and NVH, the only thing which kept me away from the Harrier is its interior quality. When I drove the car, I found its steering wheel leather was showing signs of age even though the car has run just 8k Kms and the car's age was around 6-8 months old as per the SA and one more shocker was the rear seat’s armrest’s leather was also torn when I sat in the rear.

Although my heart is screaming to get the Harrier for its looks and engine performance, I was disappointed with the interior quality of the car and after seeing the interior quality, my dad isn't keen on spending 25L big ones on a Tata vehicle and he felt 25L is too expensive for a Tata vehicle as well while he doesn't mind spending the similar amount of money on the Innova Crysta. He told, "if the car was priced within 20L or below, I would've bought it eyes closed" and its incompetent service centers is also one of the reasons making me stay away from Tata and don't have enough confidence to deal with those Tata service centers, where you'll feel like govt office.

Since we don't have the necessity of having a 7 seater anymore (although we are still open with this option), the Creta/Seltos, that too a Diesel engine with 6 speed AT, would suffice our needs easily.

Sorry for going too much of OT.

[NotanF1driver]

Originally Posted by car_guy1998

Even one of my close friends, who was replacing their 2014 City iDTEC, was in the same conundrum last year despite having a 2017 Creta Diesel AT, which has run a shade more than 1L Kms, at home. Firstly, they had considered the Harrier, but, they had to strike it off from the list due to the same reason as you had mentioned. They weren't keen on another Creta as they already have one at home and considered the Thar AT as well, but struck off from the list as my friend didn't like its ride quality.

They eventually bought the Seltos GTX+ Diesel AT, which met his requirements, in Feb this year and he couldn't be happier with it. He booked it in October 2020, just before the crash results came out and, got the delivery after waiting for 4 months as he had insisted on a 2021 model.

Even another friend of mine from a different circle also considered a Harrier, but, had struck off from the list due to the same reason, and, eventually, he too ended up buying a Seltos, albeit Petrol HTX MT, in Sep 2020. Since his usage is less (his Seltos didn't even cross 5k Kms on the odo AFAIK and his dad travels in the office-provided car most of the time), the Seltos made better sense to him and his dad and for driving within the city limits, he has a 2014 Swift.

Since we are looking to replace our Innova soon with a 5 seater one, we had TD'ed the Harrier AT, and while I was impressed with its engine performance, dynamics, and NVH, the only thing which kept me away from the Harrier is its interior quality. When I drove the car, I found its steering wheel leather was showing signs of age even though the car has run just 8k Kms and the car's age was around 6-8 months old as per the SA and one more shocker was the rear seat’s armrest’s leather was also torn when I sat in the rear.

Although my heart is screaming to get the Harrier for its looks and engine performance, I was disappointed with the interior quality of the car and after seeing the interior quality, my dad isn't keen on spending 25L big ones on a Tata vehicle and he felt 25L is too expensive for a Tata vehicle as well while he doesn't mind spending the similar amount of money on the Innova Crysta. He told, "if the car was priced within 20L or below, I would've bought it eyes closed" and its incompetent service centers is also one of the reasons making me stay away from Tata and don't have enough confidence to deal with those Tata service centers, where you'll feel like govt office.

Since we don't have the necessity of having a 7 seater anymore (although we are still open with this option), the Creta/Seltos, that too a Diesel engine with 6 speed AT, would suffice our needs easily.

Sorry for going too much of OT.

Thanks for the write up! I saw your post on the test drive of Harrier on another thread. Fingers crossed for a good ownership experience with the Seltos.

[Firestarter0508]

I guess that we go overboard when express our opinions about so called desi brands – either they are blindly loved or overly criticized. I own a Harrier BS6, and I chose it because it offered a good combo of build quality, looks, performance, and ride quality given my budget range. Touchwood, it’s been wonderful experience till now, in fact pleasantly surprised with the mileage I am getting even in the city.
Not sure if I should consider myself to be very lucky or not – no significant issues faced with servicing till now. Few of the grumpy points though – 1. Infotainment system doesn’t give you a bug free experience 2. Should have rear disc brakes 3. Armrest positioning … The dealer already installed few additional features that I needed (e.g. TPMS) during delivery of car, so can’t complain there
Just did 2000km run over three days. What a charm it is on the highways !!!