[blackwasp]

Good write up Bhushan! I've seen the car and it doesn't look like it's done 40k+ kms. For that kind of usage you have selected a very apt vehicle. You have done complete justice to the 'truck'. Will be awaiting your experiences on the many highway trips you have undertaken in our next meet.

Also, your Toyota after sales experience has been very good barring once. This I think is the major plus point for others looking at buying any Toyota Vehicle.

Happy mile-munching.

[crazy_rahul]

Originally Posted by ragh_bhushan

This is a very special post.

Indeed it is! You speak on behalf of all of us Fortuner owners.

The sad thing is (in this context) my dad upgraded and I've got his Endeavour now and it's time for the Fortuner to move on from us. Makes me want to cry that I kept saying but never took mine to such drives.
All my love for Endeavour aside, the bond with the Fortuner is just magical.

Lovely Pics!

[dean5545]

Great review there.
I too was in the same boat like you. I was in love with the Fortuner since 2009 when it was first released in India.
Finally got myself the new Fortuner in January this year. I waited with baited breathe for the new one to release.

[ragh_bhushan]

Thank you all for your kind words!

Originally Posted by @Chaand

Like they say, if you have an SUV, E-X-P-L-O-R-E.
All the best to you and your white fortress!

Yes, absolutely SUVs are meant to be used for exploring, not just paved roads and cities but places and terrains which are difficult to reach otherwise. The freedom and peace of mind that SUVs provide is immense especially in Indian conditions.

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I am curios to know what was the damage when you ran over the boulder. I am surprised that the car was driving fine and yet the repair bill was over 3 lakhs!

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

Regarding the incidents you have mentioned, it would be great if you attach pictures of the car after impact. I believe this will help to get a rough idea as to how well the car has borne the impact. How expensive are the body parts? 5.XX lakhs for the repair is scary and it may be an important factor for people considering buying a used Fortuner that is over 5 years old - as insurance companies do not offer the cushion of zero depreciation cover.

Parts are certainly very expensive and that aspect should be given good consideration by all potential buyers if they do not have good insurance coverage. For e.g. the one side head lamp assembly itself costs Rs. 46,000/-

Repair 1: Only front bumper replaced


Repair 2: Items replaced include both doors, other LH panels, Headlamps, Suspension assembly, Tyre and alloy (Picture shows stepney and not the damaged tyre which was replaced), washer unit, bumper and other miscellaneous things.


Repair 3: Damages


Replaced parts. Rear axle, differential and steering rack was also replaced although there was no noticeable problem with running.

Originally Posted by A350XWB

Can you explain why you have mentioned this in likes? Usually people prefer a longer service interval these days.

Since I do lot of solo runs far away from home, reliability is critical for me. I like the assurance that my truck has been regularly examined at the authorised service centers for any potential problems and preventive measures can be taken in case anything suspicious is observed. Moreover, usually x5000 km interval service are just regular checks without any consumables being used.

[Amit_Kapoor4750]

Awesome ownership report Sir.
It gave an impression of reading the official team-bhp review.
Toyota Fortuner is literally a beast, the sheer size of this car tells a complete story about it. You have kept clicking very beautiful pictures of this beauty along with munching happy miles.

Congratulations for completing a year with this car.
Keep revvin'

[Waspune]

Very nice review there and specially the way you articulated every bit of it. Your truck is overpriced but I am sure it has kept your mind in peace (being a Toyota) which is more important given your kind of running. Hope you munch many miles on your truck.

[behaln]

Great write up. This year I too took the bite and bought home new fortuner. Sad to hear about the unfortunate incidents involving your car. I must say every single time I take out the beast I have a wide grin on my face. Wishing you many more safe miles.
The beast has lived up to its reputation.

[roby_dk]

Nicely written. It was almost like a full review.
Even I feel the previous gen Fortuner was better than the current in terms of looks. It looked really menacing in comparison to the new one. Me and my wife usually call the old Fortuner as "Optimus Prime"(Transformers movie).

You have clicked pics in both good and bad times that is quite commendable.

I saw you mentioned fuel economy to be 9-10 on highways. I expected it to be slightly higher on highways.

[ragh_bhushan]

Thank you guys! Appreciate your wishes.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Also, your Toyota after sales experience has been very good barring once. This I think is the major plus point for others looking at buying any Toyota Vehicle.

Toyota experience has been quite consistent till now. That one incident where dealer was bothersome was handled super effectively by Toyota. I did not even have to make a call. Whole resolution happened with just one email from me to Toyota.

Originally Posted by crazy_rahul

Makes me want to cry that I kept saying but never took mine to such drives.
All my love for Endeavour aside, the bond with the Fortuner is just magical.

Endeavour is lovely and loaded truck. Wish you many happy miles with it. True that about the bond with the Fortuner. Honeymoon period is not gonna end anytime soon

Originally Posted by dean5545

Finally got myself the new Fortuner in January this year. I waited with baited breathe for the new one to release.

Hope to see your ownership review as well after your amazing Innova thread. And lovely pics that you shared about your Jaisalmer drive.

Originally Posted by Waspune

Your truck is overpriced but I am sure it has kept your mind in peace (being a Toyota) which is more important given your kind of running.

Most of the cars in India are overpriced today if you compare the situation with 5-6 years back. 20L is the new 10L and 40L is the new 20L. Same goes with the service costs as well. Peace of mind is critical for me especially because this is the only car in my garage.

Originally Posted by roby_dk

I saw you mentioned fuel economy to be 9-10 on highways. I expected it to be slightly higher on highways.

9-10 is with heavy foot. If you drive very sedately, achieving 12 is also possible but that takes the fun out from the driving. New Fortuner is much more fuel efficient.

Originally Posted by behaln

Sad to hear about the unfortunate incidents involving your car. I must say every single time I take out the beast I have a wide grin on my face. Wishing you many more safe miles.
The beast has lived up to its reputation.

Incidents are part and parcel of being on the road. Wishing you many happy miles too. Hope you are working on your ownership thread as well!

[miharbe]

Excellent straight from the heart review. Glad to see someone using the vehicle the way it is meant to be used. I remember during the photo shoot I was wondering if the fortuner would be able to take that terrain and before I knew it you went above and beyond.

Sad to note that Toyota is no longer easy on the pocket. Personal experience also suggests the same. Even service quality at some dealers leaves a lot to be desired.

Wish you many safe miles and hope to join you on a road trip and I feel possible get to drive it someday

[shibujp]

Great review!! Your enjoyment of the Fortuner experience shines through. Wish you many more happy miles on the truck.

The increase in service costs was interesting. Where has Toyota increased the costs? On parts or labor?

I too loved the old design of the truck and had toyed with picking one up. I feel that the new design has put the Fortuner in a suit. I loved the drive experience to an extent but the body roll was a bit too much for me to be satisfied with it as a daily driver.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[pm25264]

Nice review with each and every detail of truck. Kudos to you for doing such long road trips and looks like truck is enjoying munching miles.
I think I have seen your car in or around Anushaktinagar.

Happy motoring.

[tejas08]

An Excellent Review Bhushan!

I am not a huge fan of SUVs and prefer Low-Slung Sedans over SUVs anyday. However, the Fortuner (Not the New one) and Endeavour are two Trucks which give a Tingling Sensation every now and then.

I have a couple of Question for you based on your ownership Report:

1. You have mentioned Short Service Intervals in 'What you Lke'. Quite a Surprise considering everybody is blasting Toyota and others who have short service intervals.

2. With that much of driving in a year (I haven't done that in three Years in total), when do you work?

[JohnyBoy]

Originally Posted by tejas08

...

2. With that much of driving in a year (I haven't done that in three Years in total), when do you work?

tejas08, isn't ragh_bhushan a famous automobile reviewer. I think I remember seeing his articles or photos in magazines. So this driving may be part of his work.

[ragh_bhushan]

Originally Posted by miharbe

Excellent straight from the heart review. Glad to see someone using the vehicle the way it is meant to be used. I remember during the photo shoot I was wondering if the fortuner would be able to take that terrain and before I knew it you went above and beyond.

Sad to note that Toyota is no longer easy on the pocket. Personal experience also suggests the same. Even service quality at some dealers leaves a lot to be desired.

Wish you many safe miles and hope to join you on a road trip and I feel possible get to drive it someday

Thanks a lot Sir! I am pushing my truck slowly but steadily to its true potential. The learning phase continues. You are most welcome to drive it anyday. With me doing a lot of Mumbai - Pune runs, I am sure we will find a mutually convenient time soon.

Originally Posted by shibujp

The increase in service costs was interesting. Where has Toyota increased the costs? On parts or labor?

I too loved the old design of the truck and had toyed with picking one up. I feel that the new design has put the Fortuner in a suit. I loved the drive experience to an extent but the body roll was a bit too much for me to be satisfied with it as a daily driver.

Thanks Shibu! Both parts and labor costs have gone up. For e.g. 15K service used to cost Rs. 650 in 2010, which now costs Rs. 1392. This is purely labor related service. For 20K full service including oil change etc. it has shot to Rs. 7,347 from Rs. 3,083!

Originally Posted by pm25264

I think I have seen your car in or around Anushaktinagar.

Thanks! Yes, I stay in Anushaktinagar.

Originally Posted by tejas08

1. You have mentioned Short Service Intervals in 'What you Lke'. Quite a Surprise considering everybody is blasting Toyota and others who have short service intervals.

2. With that much of driving in a year (I haven't done that in three Years in total), when do you work?

Thanks for your wishes Tejas!

1. I do lot of solo runs far away from home so reliability is critical for me. I like the assurance that my truck has been regularly examined at the authorised service centers for any potential problems and preventive measures can be taken in case anything suspicious is observed. Moreover, usually x5000 km interval service are just regular checks without any consumables being used. Peace of mind > Minor inconvenience of 4-5 hours.

2. My nature of work takes me to many places across India. And if time permits, I prefer to drive to the destination instead of flying. I believe if one is passionate about something, then time factor doesn't really matter that much.

Originally Posted by JohnyBoy

tejas08, isn't ragh_bhushan a famous automobile reviewer. I think I remember seeing his articles or photos in magazines. So this driving may be part of his work.

No sir, you are mistaking me for someone else. Although I wish I were that guy.