[nepalken]

Hi,

I am here after so many long years, as I had to focus on my regular job and did not have much time to post. Nevertheless, I kept on reading the forums. After all, I am silent participator.

After 4 years of reliable service and 70,000 km in my Suzuki Vitara 1995, time has come for replacement.

I am from Nepal and the prices of cars are astronomical because of customs.

I have short listed the following

2010 GV 2.4--- 30,000 km
Safari-Storme-- New
Mahindra XUV 500- W4--- New

These have almost identical pricing of around 30 lacs INR.

I need to decide by tomorrow, please suggest which one would be best for reliability and comfort, FE is not an issue.

[extreme_torque]

If FE is not an issue then I would favor the grand vitara if it has been kept well. It's very reliable and takes abuse pretty well. And since it is lighter than both W4 and Storme it will be much better off road too. It handles better and has better performance too.

[nepalken]

Thanks extreme_torque,

I read in the forum that ride quality of Storme is better than Grand Vitara. I wonder if the ride quality of XUV500 is better than Grand Vitara too?

Test driving both vehicles on small stretch of road, I could not figure out exactly which one was better.

My main concern is ride quality and handling especially over hilly roads, and long term reliability.

The condition of Vitara is good, I test drove another 2.0 model and there was much marked difference in performance in 2.4 GV.

[Bump-Stop]

Hi Nepalken, would have to agree with extreme-torque. Given that all 3 vehicles are similar price points and the GV is a well maintained one, would suggest you go in for this.

Ride quality is also a matter of personal opinion, and if you did not feel the difference in ride quality between the Storme and the GV , then you may already have your answer. You could go with either vehicle as far as ride quality is concerned. Of course general opinion would be that ride "comfort" (not necessarily quality) would be better in the Storme.

As far as reliability is concerned, it is one of the main reasons why one would go in for a brand new vehicle, so think about it.

[rajeev k]

If the GV is well maintained and not abused I suggest you to go in for GV with your eyes closed provided you are OK with petrol. What is the fuel price difference between Petrol and Diesel in Nepal?

[nepalken]

fuel prices are almost on par with India as Nepal and India have open border so both government maintain same fuel pricing.

Vitara is well maintained.

[anjan_c2007]

Seeing your list I would neither suggest the Vitara nor the Safari Storme but the XUV 500 or else the new refreshed Scorpio that is to enter the market in a month or so.
The Vitara is not selling at all especially in India - do not know about Nepal. Hence, it may be tough to procure spares if needed urgently at any point of time. Moreover, it has no USP other than its ride quality and handling to qualify it as a very good buy. It has also done 70,000 kms.

The Safari Storme is dated and is fast losing its market share. It does not excel in the handling department, though the ride quality is quite OK. The very fact that it depreciates very fast pricewise, in the used car market would make me walk away from the SUV.

My choice would zero upon either the XUV 500 or the new Scorpio, whenever it enters the market, but of course after going through its reviews. These are quite driver friendly and also rough and tough SUV's that are easy on the pocket. But their ride quality is not quite of the kind you may like to approve.

If you desire something that is a paragon of reliability and stands out from the others within your budget, it would be the Toyota Innova. But it is not as rough and tough as the Mahindras nor comparatively cheap on the pocket as compared to the Scorpio.

Among all these, the Innova depreciates the least in the used car market. It is the used car market that I would always rely upon as an index of popularity of any particular model among the buyers.

[condor]

@Nepalken, I suggest that you take a sufficiently long TD of the three vehicles & decide your preferences. The GV may have a problem with spares. The Storme may have it's shortcomings. The XUV500 has it's own set of problems. It has lot of features, but the problems often are with these very features.

Speaking of the Storme, we have not seen any major problems. (We = we owners). And people who have owned the Dicor earlier have all said that the Storme is far better than the Dicor.

[teamveevee]

Any time, personally i prefer a new vehicle to a used vehicle. So GV is out. Between Strome and XUV 500, if your intention is to keep the vehicle for a longer period, with out really worrying about resale value, it will be Strome. But if you give importance to cool features, then XUV is the right choice. But one question though, in Nepal, who has better service network, Tata or Mahindra? Test drive both the vehicles with an open mind and pick whichever you like most. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

[Samurai]

A 2010 GV 2.4 which has done only 30,000km is way superior to new Storme or XUV. Since I have a 85,000km run 2007 GV 2.0, I may be biased. But my uneventful ownership experience is forcing me to say that. Since I have never faced spares problem, I don't see why it should start now. I regularly drive on bad roads, I rate ride comfort to be excellent.

[nepalken]

@teamveevee,

TATA has better service network but a lot of local mechanics are familiar with Mahindra but I think they mostly know more about lower end like Bolero, any thing that involves electronics, the mechanics usually don't have clue.

For authorized service center, TATA has better service than Mahindra here in Nepal.

@Condor & Samurai,
I have heard too and read that STORME is vastly improved over 2.2 VTT Dicor version. I believe the improvements are mostly on suspension and ride quality with changes in chasis and rear door rattling improvements and suspension changes. BUT, I doubt the reliability of TATA engine over Suzuki Engine.

I can recall two incidents of overheating in TATA engine 2.2 VTT and Suzuki Vitara 16GB engine.

TATA 2.2VTT engine overheated due to low coolant and as the result Cam Position Sensor went Kaput so once the vehicle was parked it wouldn't start. It had limped home even after the CAM sensor went Kaput. Once the CAM sensor was replaced. The engine did start but there was piston slap. So we took the vehicle to service center and they opened the head and it was concluded the no.1 cylinder had pistion slap, results engine overhauling done. I saw the same problem in Grande 2.2, no# 1 piston slap. I asked the Grande driver, and he told me they had one incident of over heating. I wonder why these 2.2 VTT engines had piston slaps in no# 1 cylinder in both cases, something to do with how the engine is placed or the quality of metal used in engine blocks, pistons, and rings.

Second incident with my own 1995 Vitara, I drove for 20 km with the radiator fan running, engine overheated but once cooled everything back to Normal. Next was recently when one of the heater pipes gave away and car had no coolant, I drove for 15 kms unaware of it. The temperature gauge wouldnt rise, and I kept wondering for a while why, and suddenly it crossed my mind, there could be no coolant at all.

I stopped the vehicle, and I could see steam coming out of bonnet. I opened bonnet and my god, the steam was such that I first thought it was smoke. I opened the radiator cap, no coolant. Foolish of me (Panic), I poured half liter of bottled water into radiator. The water turned to steam instantly and came out of the broken heater pipe. It looked some sort of steam engine.

After around 10 mins, I started the engine. The engine started, my initial fear of engine seizure alleviated a little. After about an hour, mechanics arrived, they fixed the broken hose and filled the water in radiator, checked engine oil they judged it fine. Started the engine.

The engine purred as if nothing had happened, afterwards I drove 250 km of hilly roads back to Kathmandu.

These 2 incidents have confused me further. I agree new vehicle is new and is way superior to used vehicle if they are of the same brand and model.

So I leave up to my wise friends at teambhp to give me more gyan and help me decide.

[Samurai]

The 1995 Vitara is completely a different animal than the 2010 Grand Vitara. The former is 1st generation, the latter is 3rd generation. Even the engine is vastly different, not to mention age of your current car. TBHP has lots of GV owners who generally are very silent because there is nothing to report. Most of them have not mentioned the car in their profile, therefore it is hard to find them. Often I am surprised by members who admit their ownership once in a while.

[nepalken]

Samurai,
I hope the 2010 engine is as reliable as 1995 G16B engine. My vitara has clocked 150 k kms and does not drink any engine oil to date. Gives me FE of 9 km in city and 12 km in Highway.

I drive it around 70-100 km/hr in Highway. The Dunlop tyres I purchased 4 years ago are still there, they are lasting 60,000 km plus and still running.

Transmission is as good as it was, no issues in 4WD. So if the newer generation is as reliable as the my old one, I would close my eyes and buy the used GV.

[Samurai]

How about this conversation that took place in May 2014? This is about Sudev's 2007 GV 2.0 (3rd gen).

Originally Posted by Samurai

By the way Sudev, what is the current odometer reading of your GV?

Originally Posted by sudev

@Samurai : 230000 or there abouts.

[nepalken]

I have read Sudev's thread extensively and knew it had done 170 k plus but did not know it had exceed 230 k.

230 k without any engine overhauling in Indian condition is some kind of testimony.