[iraghava]

Originally Posted by Insane Devil

1.The stock tire size is 235/60/17, and i plan to upgrade this to 275/55/17

The correct upsizes are:

255/55 R17
265/55 R17
275/50 R17

Unfortunately no company in India carries these sizes so you'll have to look at the grey market for the same.

Originally Posted by Insane Devil

3. Have not decided to change the Rims, as the oem rims are good looking, but will be quiet an "avoidable" expense! Tires i want to change coz the stocks are KUMHO!

What's the rim width? I don't think stock rims will be ideal for 275 width.

[GTO]

How many of you who think the Captiva is *awesome*, have actually driven it? It has just no balance in the ride and handling departments.

[Insane Devil]

I am with GTO on what he said about ride and handling departments.

Well, guys, there is a lil off news now.

Just came back from an hour long testdrive with the Captiva, Shown it to my wife.
Now her views on it were quiet good, and here it is:
1.First thing she sits in and says, this is so similar to Tucson.
2. She likes the electirc driver seat adjustments, but then thats no big deal to spend 20lk.
3. The engine wise, My tucson with powerbox runs faster than this Captiva. (I was like, i wont have to put a powerbox in the Captiva) So she finds no difference in the engine.
4. Smoothness is same as in Tucson.
5. Interior space is also similar to tucson till the middle row seats, Yes the Boot is bigger, and has 7 seats, but we wont use the 7 seats at all.
6. Now comes the QUALITY PART! - The quality of the Dashboard and seats and the other body trims, is better in Tucson! The centre console, where the ac knob, audio is fit, that area is actually quiet cheapish in Captiva. Also there is a small coin holder kinda place which has a very cheap rubber which is already bent curvy due to the heat! The door switches and handles are no exception. just NORMAL.

7. No Automatic Option! before i decided to buy a new vehilce, i had made it clear that we will only go for an Automatic Diesel! so she asks me if its gonna be manual, whats wrong with the Tucson!

now finally she asks me, When the Overall looks, Seating Comforts, drive, are just same as tucson, and the interior quality less than the Tucson, then why the hell do i just want to buy a new car, rather than keep the tucson for a few more months till somethign good comes by, or extend the budget and go for the MONTERO? (which she really loved and so did i, but its twice the price of captiva!)


Now i have to admit one thing, currently , i dunno why, but i am a little bit impulsive on buying a newer car, maybe its because i am bored of the Tucson in 3 years. But the DAshboard quality and finish, is really better in Tucson! The Handling of my tucson is like a sports car, when comes to cornerings, maybe because of wider tyres, but its just great, while i wasnt so confident on the Captiva due to the bodyroll.

Tucson's suspensions are not good, they give a harsh ride, but Captiva has good suspensions.

Initially i hadnt had such a long testdrive of the Captiva till today. Now after i dropped my wife back home and was on way back to the dealers, I relooked the points she said, abt dashboard and interior spaces and stuff like that, and i see her point.

Also, NO AUTOMATIC! When i was driving this car from the dealers place to my home, i was actually thinking, why the hell am i going in for this manual stuff? its so irritating in this stop and go traffic! I had decided i wanted an Automatic! then why this?

Actually paying 20lk for this, i am hardly getting anything extrta than my Tucson.
Its like, In my impulse to buy a new car, and frustration of finding any good alternative as there hardly is any good upgrade for the Tucson, in near price range (i.e below 30lk) then why the hell am i planning for the Captiva! Is it just coz i am bored of it, and want something new, and for that i am ready to compromise and settle for something not worth for me today?

By saying not worth, i mean for me to upgrade to Captiva from my Tucson. For new buyers, i would surely recommend to go for the CAPTIVA, rather than the Tucson, as its going to be discontinued mostly by end of this year.

So, Finally i have decided that i will not go ahead for the Captiva.

@ Sahil: I know the A4 and 320d cannot be compared to this Captiva. They are far far better, but u see for me they are claustrophobic! I need my space man! About the 523i, well thats a bit beyond budjet. and i wudnt go for a petrol, i will go for the 520d but not a a petrol one. So that brings the price to around 50lk.

Now, my next current options that i have in mind are :

1. VW Passat DSG
2. Mitsubishi Montero Automatic.

In the near future, we are getting the following cars,
1. Nissan New' Xtrail - still not up to it! they gotta do better than that!
2. Hyundai SantaFe - This one i jus luv, but i think its not sure if this is gonna come or not.
3. VW Tiguan - this will be coming in early 2009!


Finally, Thanks a lot for taking out patience and reading thru this big post of mine, and Thanks all for ur comments! It has not made me go for it, but am sure lot of other ppl here will benefit from this dialouge we had in this thread.

Thanks again.

[jkdas]

Its known that it shares parts with Magnum, engine was what you have but tuned more , had body roll and hence then have some funny tech to correct it.

Why not CRV? Petrol option and hence no?

[Insane Devil]

JKDas, Thanks for the inputs,

Abt the CRV. no way. I and my wife, both just hated the looks of it. The front looks too weird, and interiors are ok, and yes, no diesel option!

The upcoming diesel model will not have an auto tranny, as to emphasise on economy, and they say its going to be priced around 23lk but that too a total stripped down model, without luxuries. Honda wants to say that their diesel engine is REALLY a premium stuff!

[GTO]

Insane Devil, That is one heck of a test-drive report. Your straight-forward comments made it a pleasure to read.

then why the hell do i just want to buy a new car, rather than keep the tucson for a few more months till somethign good comes by, or extend the budget and go for the MONTERO? (which she really loved and so did i, but its twice the price of captiva!)

Make that the three of us. I really love the Montero, but just cant digest its 42 lakh on road price. It is way over-priced man!

[aadix]

Originally Posted by GTO

How many of you who think the Captiva is *awesome*, have actually driven it? It has just no balance in the ride and handling departments.

hey gto, havent driven it, but i found it a good car to be driven around. the seats were comfortable. but the biggest point i felt was, it's overall a better deal than tucson or the new endy.



hey rishan bhai.. if you are planning to stretch all the way to the montero, why not the vw toureag? from what i heard last, the one with most of the options costs around 55L on-road hyd.

btw isnt the automatic captiva coming out soon? what did the dealer say about this?

[aaggoswami]

I know its not diesel, but then this is the only option apart from Montero, and that option is CRV. Its a petrol vehicle, but then its good car. Montero will make you stretch your budget too much.
How ever , if you can afford that vehicle, you wont regret buying that car. Or else buy the Passat, one that comes with wonderful gearbox and good engine.

[Insane Devil]

Hey GTO! well, exactly my thoughts! Just cant make myself shell out 40lk onroad here for the Automatic version! When it comes to that budget, then i think i am rather off with a 320d or 520d, which is one up and one less than the Montero's price.

Lets see how i go with it, not taken a TD yet of the Montero as they dont have a car for TD, but will soon get to drive one a lil bit, the dealer said.


@ Aadix, dude!!! i aint got that kinda budget man! no way! i have already ruled out the Touraeg, which was one of my favs! With the Touraeg, its like, they have to import it for us specifically, hence whatever options we want can be chosen! the base starts from 44lk or so, and with some decent addons, comes up to a min. of 50lk!

@ aaggoswami: Hate the CRV man, but yea, the passat is on my mind, lets see what i think of it after a TD. I heard its less powerful than the Superb Diesel.

Also, just got a call from the Audi Showroom here, and they said the new A4 is coming in by July end. she invited me over for a discussion, and lets see how i go with it. The new A4 sure looks a stunner!

[kkr2k2]

where does the Pajero stand when compared to Captiva?

rishan, did you TD the Pajero??

[Insane Devil]

hey Raj, The Pajero is CRAP when compared to the Captiva! The Pajero deserves a price tag of 9-10lk at the most, being in competition to the scorpio!

Pajero is something i wont even look at! Captiva is far far better!

[Sahil]

You keep mentioning 520d, there is no 520d available here unless you import it, which would be quite foolish as it would work out even more exp than 525d.

Also one more option that would be a good blend of the Captiva's space and the 3 series luxury/fun is the X3 ! it would fit in the same price as the montero and better value/snob value IMO. Its worth checking out seriously, you changed your mind a million times already so might as well do it one more time

[GTO]

Also one more option that would be a good blend of the Captiva's space and the 3 series luxury/fun is the X3 !

Goes to over 50 on the road.

[Insane Devil]

Hey sahil, Did think of the X3 before even i gave a thought to the 320d, and found out, as GTO rightly said, Its over 50lk on road, and also, its only PETROL! so a big no no for me, and now with this $139/barrel for crude, even more NO WAY

Sorry abt the 520d thing, i meant 525d.

[aadix]

oh ok.. bhai how about a superb diesel then? i dont think you will find passat all that roomy when compared to it..

saw your car outside delta motors in the evening.. u springing any suprises?