[Machine_Mania]

Originally Posted by achyutaghosh

Look at the positive side. More Meridians in 2 months than Kodiaqs in a whole year

The extremely low number of Kodiaqs is certainly one of the reasons I chose against one.. affects everything from sales, service, resale..

Certainly hope Meridian is not around to merely "complete" the SUV lineup from Jeep. I don't mind if it doesn't sell in high volumes, so long as sales are sufficient to keep it a sustainable model in the near future!

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by pqr

The wholesale of Jeep Meridian is not so good, so far.

• June 2022: 1,071
• July 2022: 440

I wouldn’t call 440 as a bad number. Even if they are able to do >300 units consistently it would be good. We cannot compare the numbers with Fortuner.

[pqr]

Originally Posted by achyutaghosh

Look at the positive side.

It is all about perspective.

The glass is half full. (Jeep India management at the time of appraisal )



Half-empty glass. (Jeep Global management at the time of appraisal )



Well, Jeep India seriously needs to re-work on the Meridian product strategy. They should introduce a new powerful turbo petrol engine, re-tune the existing diesel engine for higher power and torque output, and add a sliding rear seat bench to liberate more rear space. Else, Meridian would settle down to a 200-300 level in the near future, just like the old underpowered CKD Kodiaq TDI (doing 150-200 units a month), defeating the very purpose of RHD's export-oriented production strategy Jeep has.

Originally Posted by sunikkat

I wouldn’t call 440 as a bad number. Even if they are able to do >300 units consistently it would be good. We cannot compare the numbers with Fortuner.

You are right, comparing with Fortuner doesn’t make sense, as both are targeted at different end-market customer segments. However, the project won’t be financially feasible if volume drops below 500 units.

[Machine_Mania]

Originally Posted by pqr

comparing with Fortuner doesn’t make sense, as both are targeted at different end-market customer segments. However, the project won’t be financially feasible if volume drops below 500 units.

1. Niche Market
IMHO because of its understated design (read: not being a BOF monster truck), the Meridian may appeal to a smaller group who are partial towards some of its USPs like ride quality, sophistication & features (vs. the butch size and road presence of a Fortuner). In that sense, its market perhaps overlaps with the Kodiaq more than the Fortuner?


2. Realistic Expectations
I think expectations should be realistic. Despite its popularity & high desirability, IIRC Endeavour sales mostly fluctuated between 300-500/ month.

Even at that level, the Meridian may be far more profitable than Endeavour. Jeep seems to have padded the cost a bit by charging a premium price. Common parts with Compass should also give it network effect benefit.

Hence muted sales may still be cause for celebration for Jeep & keep it quite profitable/ sustainable?

[Jainudit]

Just experienced the DPF cleaning yesterday in my new Jeep Meridian. Was really worried how it takes place, how much time it takes etc when buying the vehicle.
Surprisingly the first DPF cleaning happened only after 300 km in my car. The DPF cleaning light lit up on the dashboard as I was driving, thankfully I noticed it as there as no chime or buzz or anything, just a light popup. I continued driving for about 7-8 minutes but put the car in manual mode (its an automatic transmission car) to drive in lower gears at higher rpm. The light went off within 7-8 minutes of driving about 5 km.

[Machine_Mania]

Originally Posted by Jainudit

Surprisingly the first DPF cleaning happened only after 300 km in my car.

Is it true that this usually happens when only short journeys are done? I'm told self-cleaning is more efficient on longer drives (15-20 kms) & so if light comes on solution is to take the car for a spin on the highway!

[AbhishekMushran]

Originally Posted by Jainudit

Just experienced the DPF cleaning yesterday in my new Jeep Meridian. Was really worried how it takes place, how much time it takes etc when buying the vehicle.
Surprisingly the first DPF cleaning happened only after 300 km in my car. The DPF cleaning light lit up on the dashboard as I was driving, thankfully I noticed it as there as no chime or buzz or anything, just a light popup. I continued driving for about 7-8 minutes but put the car in manual mode (its an automatic transmission car) to drive in lower gears at higher rpm. The light went off within 7-8 minutes of driving about 5 km.

While I don't have the meridian I have the Jeep compass & have not got this message even once. I have driven my car for 11K kms so far. The way you resolved the issue is the correct way & the same has been recommended by the service centre as well

[Jainudit]

Originally Posted by AbhishekMushran

While i don't have the meridian i have the Jeep compass & have not got got this message even once. I have driven my car for 11K kms so far. The way you resolved the issue is the correct way & the same has been recommended by the service centre as well

Thanks Abhishek, I think why I got this message is because I have only driven my car in bumper to bumper city conditions from the time I got delivery. I understand that if you regularly drive these vehicles on free roads then the DPF cleaning is not needed as the regular exhaust pressure keeps clearing the filter.

Originally Posted by Machine_Mania

Is it true that this usually happens when only short journeys are done? I'm told self-cleaning is more efficient on longer drives (15-20 kms) & so if light comes on solution is to take the car for a spin on the highway!

You are probably correct. If we drive the vehicle regularly for longer durations on open roads (not bumper to bumper daily short commute like me) then the DPF cleaning happens at much longer intervals as the normal exhaust air takes care of cleaning the filter. In any case if the light does come on then we just need to keep driving till it goes off on its own.

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[Machine_Mania]

Originally Posted by Jainudit

I have only driven my car in bumper to bumper city conditions from the time I got delivery

The beast is letting you know it needs to be set free on some open stretches! Congratulations on your purchase. 300 km done, do share more about your experience/ photos if/ when you can. Did you get PPF/ Ceramic Coating? (Sorry, it has become my pet question these days!)

I'm still at the stage of finalizing my purchase (i.e., in the process of family reaching a consensus). Daily 2 hrs minimum are necessarily spent day-dreaming of the Meridian!

[Jainudit]

That is true as all these diesel guzzlers are meant to be driven over long distances. I did not go for PPF/Ceramic coating from company although contemplating visiting 3M guys for a quote.
Best of luck in deciding your purchase, and do spend a lot of time in and around the Meridian before deciding. If I were to go through the whole process again, I would likely go for the Fortuner instead of the Meridian for a lot of reasons. I am not impressed with the build quality of the Meridian honestly especially the interiors. It does look like a swanky car when you see it immediately after sitting in a Fortuner however the longevity of the bells and whistles that the company is giving, seems doubtful. Compare that to the unmatched reliability of Toyota, extremely low maintenance and much more powerful engine and you are faced with a very tough choice.

[gulmohars]

I have booked my Jeep Meridian 4x4 Limited (O) AT and should get delivery by end of week.

I somehow think that the pricing has overall shifted one level above across the automobile industry and so while Meridian at 44L might look expensive by about 3-4 lacs, it may actually not be in comparison with overall market situation.

When i bought my BMW 320d in Dec 2018, the OR price was 55L, now it is approx. 64L and if you look at the changes introduced in the latest 320d, it isnt material enough. Input costs going up seems to be the root cause of this level of pricing across the industry.

In line with the increase in the new car segment, 2nd hand market is also on fire.

I sold my 9 year old i10 48k run for 3.10 lacs. Never expected this prices especially with me changing from MH to TN and also name change from my BIL to mine.

But yes, it hurts paying so much for cars in India

[gulmohars]

Originally Posted by Machine_Mania

The beast is letting you know it needs to be set free on some open stretches! Congratulations on your purchase. 300 km done, do share more about your experience/ photos if/ when you can. Did you get PPF/ Ceramic Coating? (Sorry, it has become my pet question these days!)

I'm still at the stage of finalizing my purchase (i.e., in the process of family reaching a consensus). Daily 2 hrs minimum are necessarily spent day-dreaming of the Meridian!

I too spent loads of time deciding and then negotiating. In the end reasonably happy with the final pricing and then took 1 day to decide the color. Now spending 1 more day to choose the number.