[Captdey]

Thanks , Guard was bought during car delivery at Mahindra Dealer's
Mohan Motors , Kolkata . I am preparing a anniversary write up,
will post soon. these photos were taken recently on a Jungle Trip.

Cheers

[razor4077]

Some pics taken during my recent trip out of town.

By the highway



The man and the beast



With its travelling companion, a Honda CRV





Parked at the guest house we were staying in



At sunset... the water tower on top of the roof spoils the picture :(



I was very impressed with the Scorp. The roads we travelled on were very good, with the usual occasional challenges thrown in. The beast never broke a sweat.
Speed on the highway stayed between 100 and 110 on the open stretches, straying up to 120 briefly a few times. Truck was rock steady throughout. Acceleration was good, and overtaking was never an issue.
Ride was comfortable and not "bouncy" as I have experienced in other SUVs, including some non-4wd Scorps.

Travelling with a full load of well-fed adults and luggage with the AC on all the time, I got about 8.5-9 kpl. Before jumping on me, keep in mind that this is a 4wd (read: HEAVY) running on a non-CRDE engine.

Things to take care of:
- Front brakes were making a "screechy" noise, even while the wheels were turning and no brakes were applied. Noise increased during braking. I have heard this sound on many M/SUVs, but I dislike it. This has been a chronic problem with the truck that M&M A.S.S haven't been able to solve.
- The day before I set off, the speedo & odo stopped functioning. Checked and found that the cable had come apart! Didn't have time to go to A.S.S so went to a local workshop. The non-CRDE cable was not available, so had to get a juggad fix done with a CRDE one. It worked fine initially but the speedo needle was jerky after a while. Ironically, I got the speedo cable replaced a couple of months back at M&M A.S.S because of the jerkiness of the needle. I need to pay them a visit.

Apart from these, no problems. Had a lovely trip, and my family enjoyed their ride in the Beast.

[razor4077]

Staying on the topic of brakes, are there any upgrade options to the Scorpio's brakes? I felt a lack of bite when I had to slow down quickly from high speeds. Any aftermarket pads that might help?

[bhp1]

@Razor, tastefully modified/accessorised Scorpio.
Is the front guard custom made?
Also, the front sun visor is a nice addition.
Any interior pics!

[Strangerintown]

Razor - Nice looking truck. Looks lovely in black. I personally don't like the front sunshade but then I guess they would be useful in an SUV. Must say you have enough lights on the truck to scare the living day lights out on anyone coming from the opposite direction on a highway. Hope you use them judisciously.

BTW - does the 4WD scorp have a stiffer suspension than the 2WD? I ask because you mentioned that the bounding was lesser.

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by bhp1

@Razor, tastefully modified/accessorised Scorpio.
Is the front guard custom made?
Also, the front sun visor is a nice addition.
Any interior pics!

Thanks! Yes, the bullbar is custom-made. All the external add-ons, including the bullbar, front visor, fog lamps and rear guard, had been fitted by the previous owner. My garage has some interior pics, and I'll post some more on this thread in the near future.

Originally Posted by Strangerintown

Razor - Nice looking truck. Looks lovely in black. I personally don't like the front sunshade but then I guess they would be useful in an SUV. Must say you have enough lights on the truck to scare the living day lights out on anyone coming from the opposite direction on a highway. Hope you use them judisciously.

BTW - does the 4WD scorp have a stiffer suspension than the 2WD? I ask because you mentioned that the bounding was lesser.

Thanks man! The sunshade, as you say, is a useful thing to have. Even when parked in the hot summer sun, the front visor (along with the door visors) keep the interiors bearable. Looks-wise, if you see it in person, you would notice that the front visor makes the truck appear somewhat squat, making it look less like a "tall-boy". Looks more appealing I think.
Lights - yes, am very careful and considerate! But at times they are handy at making the especially stubborn asses lower their beams

I don't think the suspension is stiffer in the 4wd. If anyone knows otherwise, please chip in. From what I gather, the added weight of the 4wd drivetrain keeps the truck planted, and less bouncy.

[vinaydas]

looking cool.. i believe the turning radius of a 4wd scoripio is 5.7 compared to 5.6 for a normal one..

[raj_5004]

nice pics razor. i see that the alloys have lost a bit of their shine.

i dont think they have changed or modified the suspension setup in the 4WD, the 4WD is heavier, hence the difference.

so razor, any recent off-roading trips?

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by razor4077

I don't think the suspension is stiffer in the 4wd. If anyone knows otherwise, please chip in. From what I gather, the added weight of the 4wd drivetrain keeps the truck planted, and less bouncy.

Razor, technically there is a difference in the front suspension, though I wouldn't know whether it is stiffer or not.
The front has a differential. The suspension is independent and with a torsion bar.

[Roshun]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Razor, technically there is a difference in the front suspension, though I wouldn't know whether it is stiffer or not.
The front has a differential. The suspension is independent and with a torsion bar.

Maybe it's psychological, but I did think it was a bit stiffer. One other thing about the torsion bar setup - it is height adjustable, unlike the coil-spring setup on the 2wd. However, it requires a lot of patience if you are getting it adjusted - especially for the left and right side to match down to the last mm.

I faced an issue with it, as the right side was a little lower than the left after getting the hubs replaced under warranty early on (the entire knuckle assembly was replaced due to a jammed wheel bearing that caused complications). At the next service, I insisted on getting it to the exact height - took multiple sessions of lifting and lowering the vehicle after adjustments to get both sides at exactly 6.5" distance from fender lip to wheel.

Cheers,

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Razor, technically there is a difference in the front suspension, though I wouldn't know whether it is stiffer or not.
The front has a differential. The suspension is independent and with a torsion bar.

Yup, I am aware of the different setups, but I don't know if the 4wd is stiffer. As Roshun says below, it probably does seem stiffer in terms of riding experience. I have noticed 2wd Scorps tend to "dive" a bit during hard braking. This is much less pronounced in my 4wd. Also, the ride was a bit boat-like in the 2wd. In contrast, I find the 4wd to be much more stable. Maybe it pyschological, but if it is making me feel better, it's worth it

Originally Posted by Roshun

Maybe it's psychological, but I did think it was a bit stiffer. One other thing about the torsion bar setup - it is height adjustable, unlike the coil-spring setup on the 2wd.

This is intersting... wasn't aware this can be done. What does one gain by reducing/increasing the height? Is it the following, as with sedans:
Low = less ground clearance, greater stability, and,
High = more ground clearance, less stability?

[Roshun]

Originally Posted by razor4077

This is intersting... wasn't aware this can be done. What does one gain by reducing/increasing the height? Is it the following, as with sedans:
Low = less ground clearance, greater stability, and,
High = more ground clearance, less stability?

The height has to be optimal for the Scorp. If it's too high, yes, like you pointed out, it won't be as stable and also handling will be worse. Too low and you reduce ground clearance. Plus the Scorp tends to droop forward. Optimum height is about 6.5". (I measured it with an inch tape on a couple of other Scorpios at the ASC, before telling them to match it).

I wish it was easier to adjust - that would be a boon for off-roading. Most torsion-bar setups are adjustable.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Roshun

I wish it was easier to adjust - that would be a boon for off-roading. Most torsion-bar setups are adjustable.

This is something new I've learnt today!
Sounds exciting but I'm wondering whether it could have any practical usefulness.
Now if the rear could also be lifted, we'd be almost enjoying a feature of high end SUVs!

[m_upreti]

Hi

Well I have used the 7 star rating taking a cu from the Hotels (so 7/7).

Agreed with your viewpoint that SCORPIO is huge yet handles like a car. However, my son (who just had his 2nd birthday) prefers to to call it a Truck so..i am struck with the name.

I have been driving for over 15 yrs now but somehow I am still not comfortable with ORVMS and prefer the IRVM. If the ORVMS are open I tend to focus more on them rather than the road ahead so I prefer driving with them closed. (Not a very good tactic I know).

I will be adding the seat covers this week end, couldnt do it earlier as I couldnt get the ones of my choice & then got busy with things.

First damage to the car. Broken Wiper..thanks to the cleaning guy who left the wiper on the upright position and the Kids who decided to test their accuracy in kicking the foodball hitting the wiper squarely and breaking it. The wiper is broken from just where it is attached to the car, so I think the netire assembly will have to be changed. I am yet to check the financial damage from the dealer.

Couple of queries for all our experts here:

1. The dive in the Scorpio is pronounced while braking even at very low
speeds, (this is not there in a Safari, I checked it on one of my frnds
vehicle). Any significance / advantage / disadvantage attached to it.

2. The automatic locking facility does not work when you are in the car.
In my Wagon R (with Auto Cop) the doors locked centrally once
you turned on the ignition. Here I have to manually activate central
locking by pushing in the driver side door handle.
Is this a feature on the Scorpio or I am missing something.
Because if this is a feature then it is rather dangerous and I more often
than not forget to central lock the car & with an energetic kid it is real
dangerous.

3. I am planning to install a gear lock, the Dealer suggests a Mahindra OEM
model (appx. 2200 Rs. including fitting) over the others like Nippon &
Auto cop. Pls suggest which one I should go in for.

4. I am getting a FE of about 10 KMPL. I need to check now after the first service if it has increased. On a normal day I drive only about 12 Kms

Originally Posted by raj_5004

hi upreti, good report and wonderful pics. i hope you open both the RVMs while driving!
havent you added seat covers yet?
you have rated the "SCORPIO" (truck is patented for some other vehicle on T-BHP which actually looks & drives like a truck!) 7 stars, is it out of 10?!!
handling of this car is superb though many do not agree, they expect a swift out of a scorpio! even i have experienced the awesome braking twice. it was altogether a different story in the non-ABS SZ scorpio, it used to dive, howl and screech like hell! this one is a gentleman!

10 kmpl... is it in city or on highways, you should definitely get more than that on highways. i feel the ride quality is still average compared to the innova and safari.

[anupmathur]

m upreti, here are some of the answers:

1) Cannot comment as I do not experience this (4WD version).
2) The central auto locking will work only if the driver's door is the last one to be closed before you start. Else check the Nippon manual for the user options.
3) In Delhi, the OEM was a Xenos gear lock.
4) On such short hauls, I don't think you can expect better.