7th February 2013, 18:10
| #16 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: KL-01
Posts: 253
Thanked: 504 Times
| Re: And then a Mahindra XUV5OO was born! The Columbus was born! Good to see another bhpian from Trivandrum here and congrats on the Columbus. 6500 in 45 days !  Read that you are passionate about driving in your Intro thread and the figures explain ! BTW, How much is the odo now ?Congrats again and wishing you miles of happy journeys. Will look out for Columbus in Trivy. Probably the only stickered XUV in our city, i guess. |
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24th February 2013, 18:33
| #17 | ||||
| BHPian  | Re: And then a Mahindra XUV5OO was born! The Columbus was born! Hello People! Apologies for going MIA over the last couple of weeks. Unlike many other Tbhp-ians here who come back to life after a break, there was no roadtrips or travels during this period. Work kept me busy over weekdays and family kept me busy over weekends! Just wanted to reply to a couple of folks first. Quote:
However, after my first service, there seems to be a bit more consistency between the infotainment mileage and the actual mileage. So right now, in city I am getting 12.4 to 12.6 consistently. Similar to the 12.8 that shows up on the screen. This is in usually traffic situations with a very occasional 400-500m sprint in 5th gear. With regards to AC usage, I usually run it at 23C, with blower at speed 4 on the way to work. On the way back, I usually turn it off and roll down the windows. Traffic is a bit better on the way back. But not much that would make a significant improvement in the mileage. What speeds do you usually upshift at? I use a cut off method of 20-40-60-80-100 as the max speeds at which I upshift at for each gear. So max 20kmph on 1st gear, max 40kmph on 2nd gear and so on.. But in most cases, I end up shifting up around 5kmph before the max speed. At these speeds the rpm is generally around the 1900 mark in lower gears. In 5th gear, its a bit lower around the 1750 mark. Hope this helps. Do let me know how the mileage is for you these days. Quote:
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Okay now that I have replied to all, I would have ideally liked to start a new reply with my first service experience. But here it goes. First Service: 6231kms The COLUMBUS had just got back from its first mega roadtrip. Odo was at around 5200kms. Ideally, this should have been the time I took him to the Service Center for his first check up. But somehow, things got delayed. Firstly a number of trips to Thiruvalla & Kochi came up for Dad. Then there was the delay from the Service Center in getting an appointment date. By the time, I finally rolled into the Service Center on 16th January, it was already 6231kms on the Odo! I was a bit apprehensive about whether they would deny the Free Service based on the Odo readings. But in order to avoid any last minute drama at the service center, I told my Relationship Manager ahead of time that my Odo was significantly above 5K. He was quite nonchalant about it and told me not to worry about it at all. Well that was good, because one of the reasons for the delay for my RM to get back to me with the appointment date. I did not have too many complaints going into the first service. One of the main one was the build up of carbon powder on my alloys. Now I did understand that this came from the brake pads and was generally considered normal. However the amount was a bit worrying. Alloys were turning really black with all the carbon getting deposited. My RM assured me that there was nothing wrong with it. Since XUV had ventilated calipers, this was very normal. I hope someone else here could help me verify if this is actually correct. Second complaint was regarding the rust formation around the brake discs. I remember SDP had posted this same question in Debuda's first service log. But unfortunately at that time, I hadn't read it yet and wasn't sure of the cause. Either ways, the RM once again assured me that this was very normal. He showed me a number of XUVs which had the same kind of rust formation on the edges of the disc itself. The reason behind it was a combination of high temperature & moisture in the air which causes the rusting. Last issue that I wanted some answers on was regarding the inconsistency between the actual mileage and the infotainment mileage. From my recent Mumbai trip, I had averaged a 14.7kmpl throughout the trip. The infotainment however wouldn't budge beyond 12.4 kmpl! I found this extremely odd as to why the mileage wasn't getting somewhat accurate. RM's reply was sort of wishy washy as he mentioned that a variance of ~3kmpl is expected. This was just not acceptable, but realized there was nothing he could do about it. So left that topic. Other than these, I really didn't have any complaints. My COLUMBUS had performed phenomenally on the Mumbai Trip. It performed without any complaints on any of the local trips as well. Even braking was something, I wasn't having too much of an issue with. Yes its definitely on the softer side. But it was nothing that I couldn't get used within a day of driving. Emergency braking has sometimes given me a heart in the mouth moment. But it always stopped right where I expected it to. Read recently that a new set of Bosch Brake Pads is being provided as free upgrade. Well, if it improves this any further, I am of course game for it! Other than looking into these complaints, the first service was the usual routine. Engine Oil & Oil Filter was changed. Wheel alignment and balancing was done. All fluids were topped up. All suspension bolts were re-torqued. There was another air conditioning clean up which was an additional 700 odd bucks. Some fungus treating procedure to clean up the filter. I was in 2 minds whether to get this done, but since this was the 1st service, I agreed to it. RM promised to deliver the XUV to my office by 4pm that same day. And without any drama, it sure was delivered on time. A free TVS Calendar was given as a New Years Gift. So that was it. First Service for the Columbus! Second Service should be coming up pretty soon. But a Munnar Trip lies in between! Ponmudi Trip - 23rd Feb 2013 Before I close off, just want to put in a couple of pics from yesterday's Ponmudi Trip. It was my first time to Ponmudi! And boy what a spot! Did a good bit of trekking up the hills. The drive up is even more spectacular. Definitely gonna go there soon enough, even if its just for the brilliant drive! Once again, COLUMBUS was perfect. No drama. Climbed the hill without any hesitation. Stuck to the line on the numerous turns and safely brought us back! Without further ado, here are the pics! First stop next to Kallar River  At the Ponmudi Tea Factory Diversion Point   At the KTDC Golden Peak Resort   Ponmudi!  | ||||
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10th March 2013, 23:10
| #18 |
| BHPian | Columbus goes to Munnar! Hey folks. So as mentioned, I did end up driving to Munnar last weekend. Actually, it wasn't Munnar. It was Suryanelli, about 25 kms away from Munnar town. For those interested, I have put up a travelogue. Its still incomplete, but will be finishing up over the next couple of days. Link is as follows, http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...sh-munnar.html Performance wise, Columbus was as great as ever. The only hint of a worry I had was with regards to the brakes. They seemed a bit inadequate on the slopes of Munnar hills. Tyres squealed a lot and I could feel that ABS grind a number of times. Now I am not sure, if it was ABS grind or the grinding noise that has been oft claimed against these brakes. Either ways, I have my 10K Service coming up next week. Definitely gonna get the new brake pads and also get them to check up on ABS. I will write a more in-depth review of the drive later this week. In the meantime, I have attached a couple of pics of Columbus from his weekend adventure.  Amidst the beautiful landscape between Mundakayam & Kuttikanam  Tea Estates between Kuttikanam & Vagamon  Near the Kulamavu Dam in Idukki  Custom Light Show!!  |
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11th March 2013, 19:21
| #19 |
| BHPian | Re: And then a Mahindra XUV5OO was born! The Columbus was born! As promised, here's the more detailed report of my drive to Munnar. I was staying at the Anaerangal camp overlooking the Anaerangal dam and I can assure you it was one of the most scenic spots that I have ever spent a night at. Now I know all you folks who have been to Ladakh would disagree with me, but I haven't been there yet, so I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would be! I will split my driving experience in the usual format. Basically, I will try to comment and provide my thoughts on each area of performance. Engine Performance Simply Stupendous. Coverage of 82 kms till Adoor from Technopark is a testament to that. This engine can literally keep you in triple digit speeds all day long without any effort. Zero strain on the engine whatsoever. And absolutely minimal noise seepage into the cabin. Apart from this, even on steep slopes in & around Munnar, I was able to comfortably climb in third gear at most places, with an occasional drop down to second for a bit of added grunt. There was only one instance, where I had to crawl up in 1st gear. This was on the approach road to the Anaerangal Camp. Here the gradient was pretty steep and the road was quite battered up. But the low end torque made sure this was taken care of easily. All in all, I can't say this again & again without looking silly, but this truly is one gem of an engine. Handling Handling wise, I have got to say that it was a pretty decent showing. Nothing exemplary, but just what I would expect out of a pretty big vehicle. It was able to tackle the curves without much fuss and made sure it stuck to the line. Ride Quality The roads that we took to Munnar was not the usual route via Kochi or Kottayam. In fact, we took a route through the western ghats completely. Scenery was absolutely stunning, but road quality was nothing out of the world. But that doesn't mean it was bad either. I would say, it was a pretty decent ghat road with slight unevenness and barely any potholes. On these roads, Columbus was very comfortable. The unevenness did not result in too much of a bobbing effect. It was apparent that the roads were not very level, but nothing that could upset the passengers. From Poopara onwards till Suryanelli, the roads were quite broken. There were massive craters all along the way. Here, he did manage to soak up them up with relative ease. At no instance did we ever bottom out. But I could hear a mild squishing sound from the rear suspension. I believe this must be due to the suspension bush that has been replaced in the newer models. Not entirely sure, but will definitely raise a point to my RM during next week's 10K Servicing. Mileage I got a pretty decent 13kmpl on MC road. In fact, I would say up till Pathanamthitta, it would have maintained around the 13kmpl mark. After Pathanamthitta, mileage did start to drop a bit. It went down to about 12.6kmpl odd. The real hit on the mileage was when we hit the ghat roads from Mundakayam onwards, where it dropped to mid 11s. By the time, we reached Suryanelli, it was in its 10s. Again, these are the mileages that were displayed on the infotainment display. On the way back, we took the default Kothamangalam, Kottayam route. Here the mileage was a lot better. It hovered around mid 12s. I did calculate the overall mileage manually. This resulted in about 11.8kmpl. Not bad, considering a good majority of the driving was done on hilly roads. I know a number of you guys have gotten better figures on the hills, but I have made peace now with the mileage that I am getting and realized its not much worth making comparisons. All in all, that was a quick summary of Columbus' performance during his weekend escapade! Let me know if there is any other aspect on which you would like me to provide details on! Cheers folks! |
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13th March 2013, 23:53
| #20 |
| BHPian | Another Milestone Today on my way back from Office, Columbus hit yet another milestone! 10000 KM of Pure Joy!  It's been only 3 months & 8 days since we bought our XUV 500! And every single day of ownership has been nothing but absolute bliss. He has been the sole reason, we have ventured out on 5000km odd trips. He's given me enough confidence to take the most off-beat paths. Truly, he has been one great addition to our family. And I know for a fact that Columbus will be with me, as he hits many many more milestones! |
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15th March 2013, 13:36
| #21 |
| Newbie  Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 7
Thanked: 6 Times
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14th September 2013, 22:10
| #22 |
| BHPian | Re: And then a Mahindra XUV5OO was born! The Columbus was born! Hello fellow BHPians! Apologies for the long break in any updates. Things have been interesting with my Columbus to say the least over the last 6 months! 10K Second Service - 10088 kms Shortly after my Munnar Trip in March 2013, I took Columbus for his second service. This was gonna be a pretty simple one. Had a couple of minor niggles which needed looking into, apart from the usual servicing. 1. Fixing of the Fuel Lid Open button on the Dashboard This had come loose and each time I pressed the button, it was sinking further in. Pretty simple fix. A clip had come loose. Repace the button itself and it was good as new. 2. Squishing sound from Suspension. I have been hearing this squishing sound for quite some time. Definitely coming from the shocks itself. RM was insistent that there's nothing abnormal with the suspension assembly and its normal. Left it as it is. 3. New Brake Pads I didn't have too much complaint with my brakes at that point. But I thought might as well get it changed since there's a new version available. RM again refused saying that it was possible only if my XUV fell within a certain range of VINs. No other issues were reported. In addition to usual servicing, I got an Engine Guard cleanup done. Total bill was just 600. Definitely the cheapest service I have had in any of my cars. Front Left Strut Assembly Issue Come late August, I was getting my car washed at the local car wash. Was just watching them clean the alloys, when I noticed that the front left wheel was slanted. Attached below is a photo of it. Not the best photo to show the slant, but comparing with the rear wheel, you can clearly make out the slant.  My initial thoughts were that the alignment was grossly out of place. So I took it down to the local alignment shop to get it fixed. On the very first sight itself, they mentioned that this can't be alignment issue and has to be something to do with the shocks or the strut in its whole. Anyways, they put it on the lift and started with the alignment. Front left Camber was -3.27 degrees!! That's a pretty huge deviation and the technicians were very sure that this can't be rectified at the shop itself and has to be taken to the service center. At the service center, I showed this to my RM and he immediately diagnosed it as Strut Assembly issue. Took it up on the lift again and he tried to point out where the dent must be. I asked him what could potentially have caused this. His answer was that I probably went through a pothole at high speed!! That was absolutely ridiculous to say the least. A strut assembly damage caused by just falling into a pothole is definitely a manufacturing defect. Either these assemblies were not load tested or there is clearly a defect in the assembly itself. As usual, my RM had his usual "my way or the highway' attitude. I escalated up to his manager and insisted that this be given maximum attention. Luckily for me, the south zone regional customer relationship manager was in office that day. I got Mr. Sujai Sugathan to do a detailed inspection of the front left strut. He agreed that in most normal cases a pothole wouldn't cause this sort of damage. But he insisted that there was definitely an exceeding force exerted on this assembly which caused the damage. I have not had any accidents or any sort of knocks on my XUV yet, except for the occasional scratch from a biker. So this was definitely quite hard to accept. The only closest incident where any damage could have been caused would have been on my recent trip to Kochi. NH 47 from Allapuzha onwards is pretty much non existent. And the XUV did go through a couple of pot holes. But these were at a moderate speeds as you would in any car while tackling such roads. Close to 3 hours were spent arguing about the cause of this damage and there seemed absolutely no intent from their side to accept that this is likely a manufacturing defect. My priority was to get it fixed. Finally I agreed to go via Insurance and close the chapter. But I made it clear that this incident will be reported higher up. Old vs New Strut Assembly.   After having the assembly changed, there is a slight difference in the ride quality. There was a slight wobble earlier which is completely gone now. Now the ride is pretty smooth. I am still unsure whether it was really caused by going over a pothole or anything else. Whatever it is, I am glad I noticed it early and got it rectified at the earliest. Btw, along with the replacement of strut assembly, I told them that since they are not replacing that under warranty, the least they could do was changing my brake pads to the Galfer ones! Which they agreed to! Along with the brake pads, I also got the lubrication done on the side view mirror motors, as it was making quite a ruckus while opening and closing. Adventures with my Columbus Did a couple of trips in these last 6 months. Nothing too extensive. Short trips over weekends. Couple of Pics Attached. Kodaikanal    Ashtamudi Kayal         Columbus Current Status Odometer - 18709 Time Spent - 9 months & 9 days! Upcoming Plans - Wayanad, Munnar, Ooty, Bangalore Fairly confident I should be close 25000 kms come Dec 5th 2013, when my Columbus turns 1! Last edited by Columbus_500 : 14th September 2013 at 22:17. |
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15th September 2013, 12:58
| #23 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Noida
Posts: 428
Thanked: 278 Times
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16th September 2013, 11:47
| #24 | |
| BHPian | Re: And then a Mahindra XUV5OO was born! The Columbus was born! Quote:
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