[TheHkrish]

Congrats Amol on the new beast.

Fortunes is a real mile muncher.

If I may ask , Santa-fe was not considered ?, or Did I miss it in the blog.

[treadmark]

Hi Amol, Congratulations on your new ride ! Appreciate if you could share pictures of your new ICE setup. Also I'm a customer of Autoshop since the day I moved to Bangalore and haven't been disappointed even once with their work.
Cheers

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by AravindJose

I remember enjoying your Thar story.
And one month ahead of the anniversary, you present another fine story.

No plans for a new car - casual projections - Safari departs - Thar helps to temporarily fill in - dissatisfied with the Fortuner - dates an Endeavour - almost moves-in with it - back to the F - not quite cozy - 8515 happens and BAM!!
Need to see only couple more movies this month
One other time I enjoyed a story like this was with the "Last Samurai" Fiesta 1.6S

Chicken Soup for the Auto Enthusiast's Soul.

Thanks Aravind, the way you've captured the essence of the story is awesome. Pretty much everything I talked about is in those two lines.

Originally Posted by himadrimondal

What is it with the Safari that makes one feel like going back to it time and again even though one owns a much superior and trouble free ride?
After owning the Safari twice and selling them off I too give it a good glance when one passes.
May be its like the first girlfriend one had.

For us as a family, any car is only as good as the places it takes you and the pleasant memories you make with it. The Safari enabled our vision to do long distance touring without worrying about road conditions and took us everywhere in supreme comfort. And it did this with a lot of style and power at hand. Thus, the memories of that car will remain with us for a long time to come. As far as trouble with the car was concerned, I didn't expect it to be 100% perfect but it didn't really give us any trouble in the three years and 70k kms. Overall, it has been a very happy experience with it and contrary to what everyone else talks about owning a Tata, I can say that it was an awesome car!

Originally Posted by himadrimondal

But what came to me as a shocker was your another 4x4 buy.
I am a regular follower of your Thar thread and the problems you keep facing are actually holding me off from buying one.

Anyway, Fortuner will be a super cool and reliable ride and wish you and your wife terrific and exciting miles ahead.
Your better half driving the Fortuner will be a exceptional sight, none will dare to mess around with this beast.

I always wanted a 4x4 SUV, we didn't get to buy the Safari three years back because they quoted some 4-6 month wait time and it was just then that Tata had discontinued the EX 4x4. Since then I knew that the next buy had to be 4x4, whichever car we end up with. I've never babied the Safari and the FOrtuner will be no different. For a start, the T-Fort has already suffered a small blow to the left side-step while negotiating through some horrendous off-road patch in Pune last week.

The problems with the Thar aren't all that bad, and yes I'm saying this even after all the things I've gone through so far. It's a beater car for me, the whole intent of having it was to do stuff that I wouldn't dare to do with the SUV. So if you're still on the fence, just take a leap of faith and get it!

The missus driving the Fortuner is indeed going to be an unusual sight. She's just about 5'2" and I keep joking with her that hatchback and sedan owners would rarely see who's in the driving seat of the Fortuner. She used to be quite conscious of the attention she got when she started driving the Safari. Then came the Thar where she told me that she literally feels embarrassed by the amount of "amused" head turns she gets when people see her at the wheel. I'm sure she'll have some new stories to tell with the Fortuner as well.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

I see too many cribs elsewhere (from people who don't vote with their money, or are in permanent dilemma for ages - but are happy to criticize from outside) about Fortuner or other vehicles. Perfect or great VFM + capable + reliable vehicles don't exist in the LWD 4X4 SUV category in India

I won't say the cribs are uncalled for, coz one pays through their nose when buying these machines. However, I agree that there's no perfect VFM SUV as of now and we need to accept that and move on. The compromising features can be different for everyone based on needs and preferences, but it doesn't mean that any vehicle is inherently bad only because it doesn't satisfy your requirements.

Originally Posted by BulZire

Congratulations and Wish you have lakhs of hassle free ride

The Safari seat and the driving position are more comfortable during the long drives

Thanks BulZire. While I'm yet to settle in with the Fortuner seats, my wife seems to have made peace and found the exact seating position to suit her. The seat adjustment range is quite good so I'm sure there'll be some thing for me as well, probably have to give it more time. The one thing I'd miss though is the memory function so that I can recall it exactly when I'm driving since this is going to be my wife's primary car.

Originally Posted by TheHkrish

Congrats Amol on the new beast.
If I may ask , Santa-fe was not considered ?, or Did I miss it in the blog.

Thanks Hari. Santa-fe wasn't considered since we felt it was more of a soft-roader than the traditional SUVs, no offence to anyone. The equipment list on the santa-fe is top notch and I'm sure Hyundai's quality is that way too these days. But somehow we were never really attracted to it so didn't even take it in the list.

Originally Posted by treadmark

Hi Amol, Congratulations on your new ride ! Appreciate if you could share pictures of your new ICE setup. Also I'm a customer of Autoshop since the day I moved to Bangalore and haven't been disappointed even once with their work.
Cheers

I know its been a while since I was supposed to put the pictures, but was traveling whole of last week and hence couldn't do it earlier. Here are the pics:

The green theme matches well with the other displays.







A closeup of the HU showing the dashboard panel that hides the space around it. The panel is just about okay, I would have expected a better fit/finish for 1800 bucks that I paid for it, but it does the job for now.



Here's the subwoofer in the boot with the rear seats reclined backwards for a comfortable seating position. The 10-inch SW enclosure fits comfortably in the space whereas a 12-inch enclosure would have struggled.

[BIBIN004]

Originally Posted by amolpol

A closeup of the HU showing the dashboard panel that hides the space around it. The panel is just about okay, I would have expected a better fit/finish for 1800 bucks that I paid for it, but it does the job for now.

To be frank, for the same amount payed, the dashboard panel I got was a little different. I feel that your's looks better than mine and is more practical when in comes to dust getting inside through the openings.

[amolpol]

It's about a week since the beast commenced operations and the odo reads 2700kms as of now. On the auspicious Saturday morning, we reached the temple with all our luggage loaded in the car, the first destination after the pooja was 850kms later in Pune.



Since this was pretty much a running in drive, I made sure that I was following the general guidelines of not pushing the engine too much and varying speeds regularly. The engine RPMs were maintained around the 2000 mark while the beast cruised easily at 100-110kph. The drive was pretty uneventful and we were in Pune in about 12 hours - slower than what I'd usually take, but this trip wasn't about the timing.

The trip which was originally assumed to be a easy, turned out to be quite hectic with a few Mumbai-Pune trips. But all of it helped to understand the beast better and connect with it.

First Service Experience:



The beast completed the first 1000kms on my way to Mumbai on the expressway, but it was about 1250kms on the ODO when I got myself booked for the first service. The service was booked at DSK Toyota on the Pune-Bangalore highway near Bavdhan, I guess DSK has a big monopoly in and around Pune. I had forgotten the service booklet at home, but the dealership was accommodating and didn't make a big fuss for it. I did offer to courier the service coupon to them once I was back home and they were okay with it.

I dropped the car at about 10.15AM and was surprised to see the crowd at the service center. It was nothing less than a bus stop, I've never seen anything like this before. The customer lounge was full with about 40+ people waiting - mostly with Innovas and Liva/Etios cabs. My car was assigned to a SA and he listened patiently to my side of the story before committing to a 1PM deadline for the delivery.

Given that I had 2 hours at hand and no place to sit I exercised my "phone a friend" option who turned up in 15 mins and we made best use of the free time over hot tea and vada pav. I also got a peek at the new hybrid Camry, but skipped the test drive since I was going out with my friend instead. The service was done pretty much on time and the vehicle was handed over after a wash and check, I don't think there was anything else that gets done in the 1st service.

Overall, a pretty decent experience and except for the bus stop type of crowd, everything else was very satisfactory.

Impressions from the drive so far:

• Driving seat - is good but it did give me some lower back pain. It's good as long as I am able to sit straight but that's not always practical with a 12 hour drive.
• The engine - pulls like a train. Downshifting is significantly lesser than the Safari and even the 5th gear can be used for overtaking even at 80-100kph speeds
• The suspension - is still a bit unsettled but its not as bad on regular roads. Broken roads have to be done slower than the Safari, will need a bit of getting used to.
• The tires - are quiet even at 140kph. The dunlops have proved their worth on roads for sure, what remains to be tested is how well they'd do off the road.
• The lights - are just about okay. The HID projectors have a tight spread whereas the high beams have a decent range. But on unmarked roads and in rains, they're rendered pretty much useless. The Safari lights were no better even with the bulb upgrades so I'm not complaining here.
• The boot space - is big but would have been better if it were flat. The folding last row of seats take a lot of space and the Safari was a bit easier to load in comparison.
• The windshield - is tough and took a flyinog stone impact very nicely. The angle is good as it pushes all the water droplets upwards and I could drive in rain even without wipers.
• The a/c - is a chiller and cools in no time. For the size of the car, its very effective and a definite upgrade from the Safari.
• The brakes - are good, but the Storme has better brakes at half price. Wonder when Toyota will realize that they need to keep up with the times and offer discs on all fours.
• High-speed stability - is very good for the size of the car. This aint no race car and you need to be cognizant of the fact that it's a 2 tonne tall SUV, but it handles quite nicely when compared to the Safari at 120-140kph speeds. The stiffer suspension helps here I guess.
• True 7 seater in the city. I could ferry a lot of people easily and they never complained of any discomfort.

The First Hit

It was almost a standstill evening traffic jam at the intersection between the Hinjewadi-Wakad road and the Wakad-Pune road. A MM540 squeezed itself on the kaccha road adjacent to the tar road, nobody else wanted to take that risk, not even the bikers. Looking at that guy go, I followed and what followed was a series of big ditches filled with water. The car kept moving ahead in 1st gear while all the others stuck in the traffic watched the car go up and down in the mud. Then at one of the ditches, I heard a significantly loud noise on the left side and I immediately knew that the car had taken a hit. After crossing the bad traffic patch, I stopped the car to inspect what had happened.

Apparently the ditch was not very friendly and the left side running board had taken a blow. Nothing too serious, but it does appear a bit bent upwards and the rubber coating has come off a little bit. Now, this wasn't a new thing for me since I've done similar roads (or lack thereof) with the Safari quite a few times, but have never gotten hit ever. It could be that it was just my bad day but it could also be that I have to be more careful with the Fortuner than what I would have been with the Safari. Given the 220mm GC which is slightly better than the Safari, I don't think my assessment of the situation would have been any different if I were driving the Safari.

I forgot to get pictures when I was down today morning, but will put them up as and when possible so you know what I'm talking about. I was thinking of getting it hammered in shape when I give the car for the second service. Any pointers on how much would it cost if I were to get it done at the ASC would be highly appreciated.

Thats about it for now, the beast is now officially handed over to my wife for her daily office runs until its time to head out of Bangalore again.

[aerosaurous]

Awesome car! Look forward to seeing next time we meet!

About the apparent space, I still find it difficult to manage the size of the Storme in the city. I could not figure it out, since our earlier 4x4 was equally big, or so I thought. It turns out that the Safari/Storme is nearly 10 cms wider than its peers including my old Toyota! Which is great for comfort and the feeling of space inside, but not so good for a nervous driver like me in the crowds of Chennai.

While we moved from Toyota to Tata, its the other way round for you!

Having abused my Toyota, I can assure you that Toyota's do live up to their legend so I look forward to even more tales of the road (and off it) from you.

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by BIBIN004

To be frank, for the same amount payed, the dashboard panel I got was a little different. I feel that your's looks better than mine and is more practical when in comes to dust getting inside through the openings.

Actually, the panel I have isnt flush fitting and you have to take care not to push it in. There's nothing to hold it at the back and it just sinks inside when pushed. It looks decent though with the glossy finish.

The one you have looks like its better fitting since it matches the curve edges on the dash, but the matt finish may be a bit off. A combination of the two panels would make a perfect fit, but honestly I don't think I'm going to be thinking too much on it. The system sounds awesome and thats what matters!

Originally Posted by aerosaurous

Awesome car! Look forward to seeing next time we meet!

About the apparent space, I still find it difficult to manage the size of the Storme in the city. I could not figure it out, since our earlier 4x4 was equally big, or so I thought. It turns out that the Safari/Storme is nearly 10 cms wider than its peers including my old Toyota! Which is great for comfort and the feeling of space inside, but not so good for a nervous driver like me in the crowds of Chennai.

While we moved from Toyota to Tata, its the other way round for you!

Having abused my Toyota, I can assure you that Toyota's do live up to their legend so I look forward to even more tales of the road (and off it) from you.

We need to meet up buddy, been a long time indeed!

The Safari has a more spacious feeling than the Fortuner, no doubt on that, the specs also suggest that it's wider than the Fortuner. Three people on the middle seat was an easy fit in the Safari whereas now it's just about an okay fit. The last row is a boon however and definitely a much better experience than the Safari. Last row in the Storme is best avoided, unless you want to torture someone to develop spondylitis.

Driving the Storme should be much easier than the Dicor, it does take a little while to get adjusted to the dimensions but you'll eventually figure out how to use its size to your advantage. You just need to let it flow and people will make way for you even through the busy Chennai streets.

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by aerosaurous

Look forward to seeing next time we meet!

It was a pleasure to catch up over the weekend. I'm sure the Storme also got ample opportunities to stretch beyond the busy city lanes.

For all those who don't know what happened: Aerosaurous drove up in the Storme from Chennai to meet us enroute Velankanni and we pretty much spent the day together, parting ways at Sethiathoppu in the evening. What followed was nothing short of a near zero visibility rain storm all the way till Salem and even beyond that the rain kept company in the form of a light drizzle. I guess the weather has progressively become bad on the eastern coast today while Bangalore weather is feeling much like June/July in late October.



The more I drive the beast, the more I'm getting closer to it. As someone rightly said, it is growing on me. The drive overall was pretty good and it doesn't do as bad on broken roads as I had originally imagined. We were able to keep decent speeds all the way, both on toll roads and on two way roads. Cruising on the highways and passing through city/town is definitely much more peaceful than the Safari with lesser gear shifts due to the friendlier gear ratios.

The wet road performance of the tires was commendable yesterday and there wasn't even a hint of nervousness at 100kph speeds. We didnt experience the dreaded aquaplaning phenomenon anywhere which makes me believe that the tires took care of that as well. At one point though, while going through accumulated water near the median, we did create wave tunnel that broke on the windshield like it would in the Safari and/or the jeep. For all those who are migrating to an SUV after driving sedans, this can be a real nightmare. Overall, it was pretty well behaved and got us home comfortably.

One thing that I was totally disappointed with was, the headlights. With the HID projectors the throw is sharp yet limited and the white light does no good when the roads are wet. The high beams are okay in normal circumstances, but weren't helping us yesterday. It got me thinking whether I should go in for auxillary lamps, but would want to explore the pros and cons before I jump into that territory.

Today it got a much deserved wash at Pete's Head Over Wheels detailing center on Varthur road. After driving more than 3000 kms in rainy weather, the underbody had accumulated enough dirt and grime that it couldn't wait for the 5K service. While those guys were finishing up, I was wondering whether white was going to be an easy color for us to maintain, only time will tell.

[kaizanfan]

Amolpol, how was the breaking experience in the rain - with ABS+EBD+BA?

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by kaizanfan

Amolpol, how was the breaking experience in the rain - with ABS+EBD+BA?

Braking is quite confident, it didn't show any nervousness given the size and weight of the vehicle. I could feel the ABS kick in once when I pulled over at the side of the road, but that was because of the loose gravel I guess since the vehicle was barely at 20kmph as we exited the road.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the brakes, no leaving the line, no squealing, no swerving, pretty much spot on. However, one has to know that the brakes are not the quickest/fastest and after driving the Safari I'm very used to progressive and anticipated braking rather than sudden or late braking. They're definitely an improvement over the Safari but I've seen cars that have a lot quicker brakes so I'm not comparing with those here.

More than the brakes, I feel the VSC helps quite a bit to keep things under control all the time. The handling is much sharper than what I have seen so far in any other vehicle this size. I can do curves much quicker than the Safari and that too without losing the line.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by amolpol

However, one has to know that the brakes are not the quickest/fastest and after driving the Safari I'm very used to progressive and anticipated braking rather than sudden or late braking. They're definitely an improvement over the Safari but I've seen cars that have a lot quicker brakes so I'm not comparing with those here.

Did you get to drive the Storme or did aerosaurous get to drive the Fortuner?

If so, can you post a comparo between the two please based on your opinions?

[roadjourno]

Originally Posted by amolpol

More than the brakes, I feel the VSC helps quite a bit to keep things under control all the time. The handling is much sharper than what I have seen so far in any other vehicle this size. I can do curves much quicker than the Safari and that too without losing the line.

A stupid question. Will VSC lead to early brakes wear and tear ?

[aerosaurous]

Originally Posted by amolpol

It was a pleasure to catch up over the weekend. I'm sure the Storme also got ample opportunities to stretch beyond the busy city lanes. For all those who don't know what happened: Aerosaurous drove up in the Storme from Chennai to meet us enroute Velankanni and we pretty much spent the day together, parting ways at Sethiathoppu in the evening.

We had a great time and look forward to more trips. We certainly got to stretch the Storme's legs, including through hundreds the of potholes on the way back (heavy rain, bad roads and glare); I hope we did not break anything, but even if we did, it was worth it!

Enjoyed the ride in the Fortuner too, very different from the Storme and exuding Toyota quality.

I hope you did not have reason to use the ABS though!

[amolpol]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Did you get to drive the Storme or did aerosaurous get to drive the Fortuner?

If so, can you post a comparo between the two please based on your opinions?

Unfortunately none of that happened in this visit since the agenda was more of a social meeting than an automotive discussion. But my better half did get to drive both. Her feedback was that the Storme felt no different than the Safari which is aligned what I have expressed in one of my initial posts too. The Storme drives pretty similar to the one we had except for the shorter turning radius and better brakes. Not sure if you were looking at anything in specific.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by roadjourno

A stupid question. Will VSC lead to early brakes wear and tear ?

Why do you feel so??

Originally Posted by amolpol

Not sure if you were looking at anything in specific.

You are amongst the few people who have been a happy Safari owner and are now driving a Fortuner, happily I guess.

Accordingly, if you could list the pros and cons of both the vehicles (Storme Vs Fortuner), it would benefit all.