[snaronikar]

Good discussions and reviews(?). But where is the thread starter? Shadow...Are you listening, buddy?

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by thalavoy

I know I am going to be flamed for this, but I would recommend a good used Fiat Adventure. Good GC, terrific suspension, lots of space. Getting in and out would be like that of cars and not as in UVs, though. You might even get a diesel version, if you can find one.

If only Fiat had backed up Adventure, Fusion would have compleately disappeared. I think the Adventure is fantastic value for money, I considered it seriously during the evaluation process but was scred becaue of the spares and notorious back-up. Know of 2 friends who are very satisfied with this car, have driven it, its one hell of a package.

--Ramky
==========

[arunmur]

I guess there is a confision here. I am not buying a car. I was just trying to explain that SX4 will meet his requirement and getting in and out of SX4 will be easier for old people.

I have personally seen it with my grand dad and my mom. SX4 has the right hip level getting in and out of SX4 is as easy as any tall boy hatch making it superb choice for older people. Any thing lower will make getting out difficult and any thing taller my grand dad find it equal to an effort of climbing a bus. This is also coupled by the fact that SX4 for has upright seating which helps people with weaker back in general.

The Scorpio rear seat is almost at the height of the chest of an average person.

[shadow]

thanks guys....

so its definately down to da scorpio and the safari... and yes the ride quality on a safari its truly better than da scorpio....
guess will let me dad test drive both and then decide...though im kinda hopin its the DICOR 2.2

cheers

[jaysmokesleaves]

Great news shadow.... the safari does have a super ride compared to the scorpio....

So the man has confirmed it.... sx4 seems out for now... unless his dad changes his mind!!!
SAFARI ROCKS GUYS!!!
Hey mr Tata... gimme 2 yrs extra warranty ... pleezzzz!!

[sgmuser]

Shadow
I was exactly in your situation and you know what? I ended up buying scorpio for my dad. I dont want him to go to workshop often, so my priority was reliability. The scorpio reliability is the best in its class (this is the feedback from a 2002 model owner) The reasons : Mahindra build quality is top notch (when atleast comparing with Tata Safari), reliability and it cranks easily even after a week or more in the garage, service network in any part of India, proven CRDe engine it is the best in its class, good resale value, better FE and the image. For me Safari looses in all of this almost may be except FE. Drive, ask owners of these two cars and decide.

[ashwin_seattle]

perfectly said sgmuser!!
Safari is NOT AT ALL reliable. How on this earth can people suggest someone to buy a Safari for his parents. I mean read all the ownership reports of safari on this forum...each and every one has reported niggling issues with Safari. I never heard that from a Scorpio owner....the Safari suggestions are all emotions and no substance(at least for someone's parents)

Now listen to this...for my marriage procession, we were getting cars rented out. We also wanted to rent a Safari. Went to this transport wala...and asked for a Safari. The safari was being rented at a much higher price than the scorpio. But he himself told us..."Sir shaadi ka maamla hai..kyun risk lete ho. Ye Safari to safed haathi hai. Kahin bhi ruk sakti hai. Scorpio leke jao..kabhi pareshan nahi karti. badhiya gaadi hai."
All this inspite of his Safari being newer than the scorpio , and even the rental rate of safari being much higher.

C'mon...dont suggest this guy to get his parents a trouble box.

Get a scorpio or an SX4 for your parents man, and please dont even bother to look at the Safari.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by shadow

. both maruti and mah have widespread service centres so that helps

Originally Posted by sgmuser

. For me Safari looses in all of this almost may be except FE. Drive, ask owners of these two cars and decide.

Better still, ask the local mechanics and workshops in your area; they are the ones with maximum 'experience' in what breaks down how often and what it costs to fix!

And I feel that for the requirement you have described, SX4 would offer the best overall compromise for your parents to use. Especially so if they do not have a chauffeur to keep taking the car every so often for rectification of faults/niggles!

[shadow]

wow... talk about a totally new spin on things!! well... have to see what mr JD power has to say on this as well..

[shankar.balan]

boss I agree with you - I bought a new scorp and have rough used it a bit on a recent trip - if you read my 1200 km report on the vehicle you will see.

I do not think I could have done the same with a Safari had I bought one - for one thing there are too many electricals and electronic toys and I am sure some of them would have died if the vehicle had gone through what I put my Scorp through this last trip. I d have been scared to do the same with the safari.

Somehow the safari does not feel as well put together as the Scorp. It comes across as a "bit loose" here and there and the last thing you want for your parents to undergo is frequent trips to the workshop and the attendant irritations. Also, for normal city use even, I would prefer the Scorp for its compact proportions compared with Safari, are much easier to deal with while parking.

In fact later this month my folks will be staying with me and I am a 100% sure that my dad will simply park and cover up his car and use only the Scorp to go everywhere in Bangalore and to Ooty and so on to visit their friends. Like me, my dad is a firm believer in Mahindra's reliability as compared with Tata. He should know, as he's had some sort of Mahindra parked in front of his house for the last 30 odd years!

The same way there are a lot of Safari Aficionados on this thread, I am a Scorpio Person all the way! Its a lovely vehicle - I am completely convinced now that Ive done a long drive/hill trip. Best -est vehicle in my opinion for most usage types!!

Anyone joining me in stating this??

Originally Posted by sgmuser

Shadow
I was exactly in your situation and you know what? I ended up buying scorpio for my dad. I dont want him to go to workshop often, so my priority was reliability. The scorpio reliability is the best in its class (this is the feedback from a 2002 model owner) The reasons : Mahindra build quality is top notch (when atleast comparing with Tata Safari), reliability and it cranks easily even after a week or more in the garage, service network in any part of India, proven CRDe engine it is the best in its class, good resale value, better FE and the image. For me Safari looses in all of this almost may be except FE. Drive, ask owners of these two cars and decide.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Anyone joining me in stating this??

OK then. Here I am in FULL support of what you say.
You have done a nice trip recently and are impressed with your Scorpio.
I have done many mountain rides and a trip to J&K-Ladakh-Manali in my Scorpio CRDe, 4WD in the 18 months of owning it.
Abuse? What is that? The Manali-Leh journey can help answer that question almost in entirety. Add to that the foray to Pangong Tso via Chang La, the trip to Khardung La, and the picture is complete.
What problems did I face with the vehicle? Zero.
What required to be 'fixed' once I returned from each trip? Nothing. Not even wheel alignment.
I'm not easy to please - it's still early days for my Scorpio and I'm not willing to give a resounding round of applause just yet!! Only 13000 on the clock - too early for me! Because I used a Gypsy for over 7 years. And the Gypsy ROCKS!
But I see what you mean.

My methodology for choosing Safari or Scorpio (the only two 4WD vehicles that were shortlisted due to budget constraints) was simple - apart from actively seeking feedback from owners of the two vehicles, there was, for me, THE MOST IMPORTANT way of obtaining frank feedback/views: wherever I travelled in the mountains, I asked car mechanics what they thought about which of the two was the better suited for mountain travel.
Much as my heart had wished for Safari, I could not ignore the reality of the feedback I got. I had already assigned topmost piority to 'reliability'.
Interestingly, not ONE mechanic ANYWHERE advised me to go for the Safari. There was no contest.

[shankar.balan]

thanks Anup

Your reasoning and methodology are both very well appreciated as is your endorsement.

I have a lot of trust in Mahindra because I pretty much had access to all the various Mahindra jeeps and tractors that dad used to have and use when I was growing up on the tea and coffee estates in SOuth India. He always swore by their reliability.

Also I loved the 2 gyspies that I have personally owned - absolutely brilliant vehicles. But I am a complete convert to Diesel Power.

And I had used my Bolero in some ways, like you have been using your Scorpio - and I was COMPLETELY satisfied with it. Which was one of the motivators causing me to upgrade to Scorpio.

Now I am extremely happy after owning the Scorp for a short while but from what you say and my own inherent instinct, I am a 100% sure that I will feel exactly the same about my Scorp, over a longer period of time, like you.

In short, I think Mahindra has got the formula correct for us Indian customers. Super Crde Engine,Toughness, Solidity in build, Reliability, Comfort, Power, Performance, Cost of Spares, Service Network, Definite Value for money in the medium and long term. After all, we are all to some extent or other, value seekers in products that we buy especially products costing in excess of Rs 8 lacs.

And if my mum who is in her 60's, and has recovered now from a bad hip fracture, finds the Scorp convenient and comfortable, it puts paid to any further argument!

Originally Posted by anupmathur

OK then. Here I am in FULL support of what you say.
You have done a nice trip recently and are impressed with your Scorpio.
I have done many mountain rides and a trip to J&K-Ladakh-Manali in my Scorpio CRDe, 4WD in the 18 months of owning it.
Abuse? What is that? The Manali-Leh journey can help answer that question almost in entirety. Add to that the foray to Pangong Tso via Chang La, the trip to Khardung La, and the picture is complete.
What problems did I face with the vehicle? Zero.
What required to be 'fixed' once I returned from each trip? Nothing. Not even wheel alignment.
I'm not easy to please - it's still early days for my Scorpio and I'm not willing to give a resounding round of applause just yet!! Only 13000 on the clock - too early for me! Because I used a Gypsy for over 7 years. And the Gypsy ROCKS!
But I see what you mean.

My methodology for choosing Safari or Scorpio (the only two 4WD vehicles that were shortlisted due to budget constraints) was simple - apart from actively seeking feedback from owners of the two vehicles, there was, for me, THE MOST IMPORTANT way of obtaining frank feedback/views: wherever I travelled in the mountains, I asked car mechanics what they thought about which of the two was the better suited for mountain travel.
Much as my heart had wished for Safari, I could not ignore the reality of the feedback I got. I had already assigned topmost piority to 'reliability'.
Interestingly, not ONE mechanic ANYWHERE advised me to go for the Safari. There was no contest.

[anupmathur]

For the sake of completeness, let me add one 'issue' I had with my Scorpio on the Ladakh trip:
Past altitude of 3000 mtrs, ie Kargil onwards, my Scorpio had starting problem every morning. Many, many applications of the starter before the engine would fire. This did cause some tension and frustration.
I had this problem every morning till I reached Manali. The problem then disappeared.
Having discussed this problem with Mahindras, sad to say there has been no 'rectification' yet, as the REASON for it remains unknown. Sadly, I have not yet had the opportunity to go to a place at sufficient altitude to see if it happens again.
It almost certainly is NOT to do with cold. I had no problems during a winter trip to Shimla with plenty of snow and snowfall!

[shankar.balan]

have you considered the possibility of sedimentation in diesel fuel at those altitudes? also the possibility of fuel pump not pumping correctly/ adequately at the time of starting?

3000 mtrs is about 9000 odd feet. Highest ive ever been in my gypsy/ bolero/scorpio is 8000 odd feet. This fuel pump thing once happened in my Bolero, but got sorted out somewhat suddenly, by itself.

Originally Posted by anupmathur

For the sake of completeness, let me add one 'issue' I had with my Scorpio on the Ladakh trip:
Past altitude of 3000 mtrs, ie Kargil onwards, my Scorpio had starting problem every morning. Many, many applications of the starter before the engine would fire. This did cause some tension and frustration.
I had this problem every morning till I reached Manali. The problem then disappeared.
Having discussed this problem with Mahindras, sad to say there has been no 'rectification' yet, as the REASON for it remains unknown. Sadly, I have not yet had the opportunity to go to a place at sufficient altitude to see if it happens again.
It almost certainly is NOT to do with cold. I had no problems during a winter trip to Shimla with plenty of snow and snowfall!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

have you considered the possibility of sedimentation in diesel fuel at those altitudes? also the possibility of fuel pump not pumping correctly/ adequately at the time of starting?

3000 mtrs is about 9000 odd feet. Highest ive ever been in my gypsy/ bolero/scorpio is 8000 odd feet. This fuel pump thing once happened in my Bolero, but got sorted out somewhat suddenly, by itself.

Thanks Shankar. I'm not aware that altitude can cause sedimentation in diesel fuels even in the absence of cold. Will research this topic.
Apart from the morning start, the vehicle's performance was flawless throughout the day; even after having been parked for four to five hours.