[Starwar19]

Originally Posted by amitgupta

I was being sarcastic. I guess I expected better. It's subjective, not everyone has same likes dislikes. The car I test drove didn't give any sense of premium & luxe interiors.

You should definitely checkout the Fortuner. Sarcastically you may feel it to be a 10 lakh car considering the interiors maybe.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by amitgupta

Since I was in the market for a 35-40 lac SUV, I test drove Meridian top model early last year. It didn't feel like a 40 lac car to me.
…
Kodiaq is overpriced, yes. Fortuner is overpriced like heck! 2 wrongs doesn't make a lesser wrong right. IMO Meridian is overpriced for what it offers as a whole package.

Indeed many of these cars do feel overpriced but that is unfortunately pretty much the market reality today - specially as you go higher up the price segments. Off hand, the Tucson might perhaps fit the bill - its a very stylish, well finished car, although its again a brand / product that seems to polarise opinions.

Do let us know which vehicle you finally selected for purchase, which met all your requirements of price, luxury, safety and any other relevant criteria.

[Jainudit]

Did another 300 km highway run in my Meridian on Delhi UP highway and it was one of the best driving experiences. The car drove like a dream. The sweet spot is @ 1500 rpm. The car cruises at 100-110 kmph at that rpm with negligible engine noise. The suspension is just right for highway drives, not too stiff to make it jerky and not too soft that you fear car bottoming out on a bad patch at high speed. Sitting inside, it really does feel like a tank. It drives like a sedan but with the road presence of an SUV.
To all the fellow BHPians posting negative comments about the car, I would strongly urge you to experience this car first hand on city and highway drives. I am reasonably sure you will change your opinion.

[Starwar19]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Do let us know which vehicle you finally selected for purchase, which met all your requirements of price, luxury, safety and any other relevant criteria.

After checking his profile, I got to know he supposedly got a Tucson Signature Petrol sometime in the first week of June.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by amitgupta

I was being sarcastic. I guess I expected better. It's subjective, not everyone has same likes dislikes. The car I test drove didn't give any sense of premium & luxe interiors.

The interior touch and feel quality is something Jeep has done very well on the meridian and post facelift compass. I know globally there are plenty of memes and jokes about fiat/chrysler/jeep for their interior quality but in our market, they are probably the best you can get short of the german luxury cars. Very curious what counts as premium and luxury interiors for you.

Personally felt that the Kodiaq's interior felt a generation too old.

And the tucson's infotainment screen integration with piano black and the cheap looking AC display underneath felt cheap.

The citroen C5's interior was also decent.

The less said about toyota's interiors, the better.

Safari, XUV700, Scorpio-N are also nowhere close in terms of premium feel when touching anything in the interior.

[Cars4ever]

Originally Posted by amitgupta

You're free to disagree & have a different opinion. Since I was in the market for a 35-40 lac SUV, I test drove Meridian top model early last year. It didn't feel like a 40 lac car to me. Only thing I liked about it was the ride quality. Personally I don't buy just on the basis of ride quality. The interiors looked to me like they belonged on a sub-20 lac car. The showroom experience was not great either. Then the person who showed me the car was willing to give discount of 1 lac without me asking for it. That rang alarm bells for me - nobody offers discount like that for cars without any reason.

I think interiors is a personal choice. These days some 20L cars only focus on interiors and woo a lot of buyers - examples Creta, Seltos and even Hector to some extent with the 14 inch laptop size screen!!

For us, we were upgrading from a 20L XUV 5OO and the fit/finish of the 30L XUV 7OO did not feel like an upgrade. We were impressed with interiors of MG Gloster as well Jeep Meridian. Fortuner seemed like a downgrade to a truck after driving these refined vehicles with extremely good interiors.

[Starwar19]

Persistent issues with my Jeep Meridian.
A Tale of Endless repairs and Workshop visits.

Bought a Jeep Meridian on 30th of March, 2023. I had lot of problems while finalising on my option with a budget of 50 Lakhs. There are barely any options in the market right now running with a diesel engine. I'm quite satisfied with the performance and handling of the car. It is my daily commute car and in just under 4 months I have already crossed 13500 kms. Which tells you that I cannot afford the car to visit Workshop frequently due to time constraints.

I have liked the car overall but the experience of owning it is getting bitter and bitter day by day. I had issues with the showroom while doing the PDI and there were certain minor issues like rumbling and creaking noise from the door. (This minor issue turns out to be a major one)

I have also written about my worst experience while buying the car. Right from purchasing until now, i have had constant issues. The issues may be minor but they are persistent. They service centre people have rectified the issues but the car had to visit workshop frequently. I'm listing the issues below right from the start:-

1) There is rumbling and creaking noise from all four doors. (This issue persisted while taking the delivery but the SA lubricated the rubber bushings and the noise went away.)
This issue has turned out to be a major one, I'll discuss this in detail below.

2) Fit n Finish Issues. Their is gap in lot of dashboard fitments. They are not visible to eye and that is why I missed them on PDI but they are underneath, and now they are making rattling noise.
Workshop Solution:- They changed one interior panel under warranty and also rectified the dash sound but now it is again coming back after a run of 1000kms

3) Jeep Life App is not working.
Workshop Solution:- To change the device from the car and for that they need my car for 3 days.

4) Undulated Vibrations felt on Highways and when the car is parked. (With the engine turned off, ofcourse) This vibrations are not continuous but felt very randomly.
Workshop Solution:- The workshop simply denied this claim.

5) Left door keyless entry button not working properly.

This were the series of issues. I know all of this above issues are minor and can be solved by the workshop people. But i feel ashamed to tell you that my Brand New Top-end Premium car has visited workshop 9 times in total in this span of 4 months.
If this was not enough to surprise you, for the 1st issue of rumbling and creaking noise from the door, the workshop assistant couldnt clear the noise and for that he has SWAPPED all four doors with his Demo Vehicle!
Still the Noise is persistent! The noise is less compared to previous doors but it is still there.
Would you ever believe of changing all four doors of a new car just for a rumbling and creaking noise?

In this series the workshop has worked and tried to rectify the sound:- Lubrication of all the doors, Alignment and adjustment of all four doors, changing of the rubber bushing on the door, changing of the rubber bushing on the chasis, Swapping all four doors.
This are all the probable solutions done on my car, yet they are not able to clear the sound.
The problem is not with the Rubber bushing, not with the doors, not due to misalignment, then what remains is Body. Will they change the body now?

The workshop is clueless about the problem, I'm stuck with this persistent problem. The workshop says that now they have to call a Jeep Service Doctor (Plant Doctor). I don't know what's store in for future.

But I'm already fed up with the issues that I face in my car. The constant issues with my car have transformed what should have been a pleasurable ownership experience into a seemingly never ending battle with my car. the car has become an unreliable companion that constantly demands attention, energy, mental peace and financial investment.
The problems may seem minor but if they are minor they keep on popping up frequently and then why the workshop is not able to rectify?

I don't have an immediate solution to all this problem. I want my fellow Team-bhp members to help me out from this situation.
Shall I take this up with Jeep?
Shall I ask for an replacement?
Shall I take the company to consumer court?
Shall I simply sell the car? (The car has massive depreciation, atleast 35% i'm assuming. Also the next owner will check the history and the issues might hit my resale value as well.)


I want to get rid of this problems and if not then this car. The car brings hiccup every month. Spending just about 40 lakhs OTR, I have zero peace of mind.
Please help in terms of finding a permanent solution to this constant problems.

Thank you for bearing with me.

-A distressed Jeep Owner.

[revsperminute]

Similar experience here. The Meridian has been the most unreliable and niggle-ridden modern car I have driven. Jammed windows, random warning messages, squeaky doors, I could go on and on. Also, the car completely died on me one time.

I regret not waiting for the Kodiaq L&K every time I get behind the wheel of the car. Fortunately in my case, the car is not a permanent resident in my garage. What further sours the experience is my friend’s XUV700 AWD which has proved to be much more reliable, fun to drive and better appointed to than this car. Both were delivered within a week. All at 2/3rd of the price.

If you can afford to, get yourself something new. It’s best to cut your losses and move on. At least, you’ll be happy driving a car that brings you joy and not headaches.

A fortuner will be the end-all when it comes to reliability whereas a Kodiaq will give you brilliant fit and finish, luxury and driving experience.

[Axe77]

@Starwar: This is a really unfortunate situation. Its a pity Jeep cant keep their QC up to the mark. I would also suggest that if the finances add up, perhaps its best to cut your losses and sell early.

Given your running, perhaps an Innova Hycross may make sense. Its petrol hybrid so operating costs will be low, ongoing maintenance cost should be low too combined with bullet proof Toyota reliability. While the interiors are mediocre at best, at least (hopefully) what you see is what you get - Toyota will not let down on the build quality.

Fingers crossed, I’m feeling fortunate in comparison that I’ve had no extraordinary issue but when I read such horror stories all around, it makes me also think that perhaps its best to keep this car only till its within warranty and sell within that window to move on to the next one.

[PaddleShifter]

Originally Posted by Starwar19

If this was not enough to surprise you, for the 1st issue of rumbling and creaking noise from the door, the workshop assistant couldnt clear the noise and for that he has SWAPPED all four doors with his Demo Vehicle!
Still the Noise is persistent! The noise is less compared to previous doors but it is still there.
Would you ever believe of changing all four doors of a new car just for a rumbling and creaking noise?

In this series the workshop has worked and tried to rectify the sound:- Lubrication of all the doors, Alignment and adjustment of all four doors, changing of the rubber bushing on the door, changing of the rubber bushing on the chasis, Swapping all four doors.
This are all the probable solutions done on my car, yet they are not able to clear the sound.
The problem is not with the Rubber bushing, not with the doors, not due to misalignment, then what remains is Body. Will they change the body now?

The issue is disheartening and must be an irritant every time you open the door. I also believe that this creaking noise is not present in other cars right?

This has to be one of the door hinges only. Nothing else. FCA technicians are incompetent. For our second Punto (base variant), they pressure washed the car underbody for persistent steering noise and told me that it is resolved. They also clarified that my car was dirty due to recent rains so the steering was making noise. I stopped raising the issue that day onward.

1. Are all doors making this noise? (I assume yes since all four doors were replaced).
2. Did they lubricate both type of hinges on the door? The top and bottom door hinge and the door restrainer as well? See attached inage below.
3. What lubricant was used? A spray type liquid or grease type paste? I am of opinion that the grease type lubricants (used by Suzuki) are longer lasting and more effective than the spray type lubricants that FIAT ASC would use on my car. But it is mainly for the door restrainer.

[Starwar19]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I need help in escalating this issue and trying my best to find a solution. We tend to keep our cars for long. We also love and care all our cars. Me and my father wash our cars daily, this helps us to value and connect with our cars. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Meridian, due to constant niggles and problems. Meridian has proved to be a nightmare. I'm so frustrated with the car and have lost all my peace of mind, Joy and Pleasure in driving it.

Originally Posted by revsperminute

If you can afford to, get yourself something new. It’s best to cut your losses and move on. At least, you’ll be happy driving a car that brings you joy and not headaches.
A fortuner will be the end-all when it comes to reliability whereas a Kodiaq will give you brilliant fit and finish, luxury and driving experience.

Fortuner doesn't match our Business Profile, which is why we skipped it. I love Kodiaq but given the daily running, I won't be able to afford those running costs. Kodiaq gives 10km/l (Petrol) at max. My Meridian is giving me somewhere around 13km/l (Diesel).

Alll of you have suggested me to sell off the car and buy Peace of Mind. Selling it off is the most likely and simple option I'm contemplating. But just for all of you to think, Should I bear all the cost for poor service and Quality control issues of FCA? Should I be at fault?

The loss that I'm contemplating is somewhere around 10Lakhs+. (Depreciation 20%, Miles run, issues reported on car history, interest paid, foreclosure charges). Writing off 10 Lakhs as bad debt in my Balance sheet is so so so so hurting.

Cherry on the Cake, I have also bought an extended warranty for 45000 Rs.

It is getting under my nerves, that other than selling there are very less options I have in my hand. All the other options require immense Time, Money, Patience, Peace of Mind and Efforts.

This is such injustice to Car Buyer, who have invested so much of amount and emotions while buying a car in India. I curse my decision and that is what I'm paying for.

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

The issue is disheartening and must be an irritant every time you open the door. I also believe that this creaking noise is not present in other cars right?
This has to be one of the door hinges only. Nothing else. FCA technicians are incompetent.

It is very frustrating and irritating. Whenever I pick a call on CarPlay, the sound is so disturbing. The creaking noise is not present on any other cars. Infact the Demo car which got my original doors also haven't reflected with any noise.

If its the door hinges, then how come all four doors have the same problem? It should be in only one door right?

Answers:-
1) All four doors are making those noises.
2)Yes, they have lubricated all the parts and hinges thrice in 4 months.
3)I'm unsure of the brand and type of lubrication they used. It should be the original and recommended lubricant by FCA I suppose.

Also I'm in no mood to let the ASC keep the car for few days and do any trial and error experiments as my car has visited them for 8 times and 10+ days cummulative.
I need a final solution from them or a due written official statement that the issue is not solveable and I will ask for a replacement with this letter.

Originally Posted by Axe77

@Starwar: I would also suggest that if the finances add up, perhaps its best to cut your losses and sell early.

Given your running, perhaps an Innova Hycross may make sense.

Axe77, You have got really lucky, I envy you in a friendly way. Owning a Jeep without any issues and niggles is a Fairy tale for me.

Hycross was my go to option before purchasing Jeep, but the Take it or Leave it attitude of Toyota Salesman, Ignorance to customers, 2 Yr waiting period was what they estimated me, Poor interiors and mediocre Sound system, which is why I forgo an Innova, but now it seems like this is the only option to go for if I sell my Meridian.

If not Hycross, there are so little option in this price bracket. I'm confused, if not Hycross then what will replace the Meridian.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Starwar19

If not Hycross, there are so little option in this price bracket. I'm confused, if not Hycross then what will replace the Meridian.

Since you have already ruled the Fortuner out, I would suggest taking a look at XUV 7OO. While it has had its shares of niggles in the initial months, it is a much more stable product now and should keep you happy for a long time to come. And while you are at it, do check the Scorpio-N as well, it might pleasantly surprise you. Another option could be the Hyundai Tucson, although I am not a big fan but the product seems to be well-rounded and has been well received by Indian car buyers.

And yes, sell the Meridian off and move on. For someone who has emotional connect with his cars, I don't think you will be able to live with it anymore.

Good luck

[aseem23]

Originally Posted by Starwar19

If not Hycross, there are so little option in this price bracket. I'm confused, if not Hycross then what will replace the Meridian.

Take a look at Hyundai Tucson. Ample power, refined engine, and all the necessary features. Take a test drive, and take the call. I bought Tucson two months back, and I evaluated Meridian, Compass, Tata Twins, Kodiaq, Hycross, and Tucson fit my requirements perfectly. Being a CKD model, fit and finish is top notch too.

[jigbarai]

Originally Posted by Starwar19

Hycross was my go to option before purchasing Jeep, but the Take it or Leave it attitude of Toyota Salesman, Ignorance to customers, 2 Yr waiting period was what they estimated me, Poor interiors and mediocre Sound system, which is why I forgo an Innova, but now it seems like this is the only option to go for if I sell my Meridian.

If not Hycross, there are so little option in this price bracket. I'm confused, if not Hycross then what will replace the Meridian.

Firstly, make some peace with yourself - easier said than done and your experience is surely aggravating; but it is a financially prudent choice to make.

Sure there are niggles but they are not deal breakers. The core of the car and most of the comfort features seems to be working fine; and there are no safety issues either (important sensors, brakes and stuff).

Work patiently with the company to help solve the current issues.

Book something like the Hycross for longer term peace of mind, and continue with the Meredian until Hycross is allotted. This may take couple years yes but will also help from not taking a huge financial / depreciation hit right now in a hurried dispose decision.

[Starwar19]

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

This has to be one of the door hinges only. Nothing else. FCA technicians are incompetent.

1. Are all doors making this noise? (I assume yes since all four doors were replaced).
2. Did they lubricate both type of hinges on the door? The top and bottom door hinge and the door restrainer as well? See attached inage below.
Attachment 2482327

They have changed the whole door assembly. The hinges for Jeep brands are on the door and not on the Chasis. The door hinges are on the door and they are fitted on the body.
I'm sharing an image for your reference.
So they ruled out any possibility of hinges.

Originally Posted by jigbarai

Firstly, make some peace with yourself - easier said than done and your experience is surely aggravating; but it is a financially prudent choice to make.
Work patiently with the company to help solve the current issues.

This may take couple years yes but will also help from not taking a huge financial / depreciation hit right now in a hurried dispose decision.

Thank you very much for this positive perspective. Surely, I'm pecefully escalating the issue with the company and their plant head is visiting to check out my Car. Also in next week I'll book a new car and make peace with all the problems. I'm also waiting for the update of the Plant head.