[petrolHead_1609]

Excellent! What a precise description of every plus and also the minus. A pinpoint thread for someone looking out for hexa and set their expectations accordingly. It's one gem of an automobile which is left underrated just because of the perception of Tata as a brand (which itself has changed drastically). Little initiatives like naming your car and getting a sticker of it are such nice gestures!
I was completely unaware of the Tata SOUL (equivalent to gang of duster?).
30 Hexas in a row, what a sight, put in a couple of police escort vehicles and it's no less than a presidential convoy.

Happy motoring.

[Gixxy.danger]

A tight and fitting ownership write up! Reading such experiences is a pleasure only found on Team-BHP. Congratulations on your delightful ownership experience till now. Hope you conquer more and more miles.

I have been tinkering with the idea of looking for a pre-worshipped Hexa (2018-2019). Can you please throw some light on the maintenance cost you incurred during these 2 years? How are they likely to inflate once the free services are exhausted?

Currently, the Linea has been giving big bills.

[swarnava.ch]

Originally Posted by Gixxy.danger

Can you please throw some light on the maintenance cost you incurred during these 2 years? How are they likely to inflate once the free services are exhausted?

Currently, the Linea has been giving big bills.

I have to apologize for the delayed reply here.
Unfortunately I can only provide you a partial answer as my car is in lease and all expenses are covered by leasing vendor so I am sometimes unaware of details. However let me still try to answer on some points based on the interaction of the group members.

Hexa Needs the 6 Monthly general check-up (Minor service) and the Yearly Major servicing.
My approx. bill for 3rd Year full year service was around 14k which included Wheel Alignment, Wheel Balancing, Engine Oil change and adding additive (optional on top) and some other general stuff in addition to the standard servicing. I have a few owners who have reported around 8 - 9k max and some with AMC getting everything done in 2k flat.
From a long term perspective, if the Hexa you want to buy has Extended Warranty then i think you should be good. It will give you some peace of mind that in case of niggles it will be taken care by TASS. This is a must have. AMC will be an additional bonus but not must.
Also check for general service history on the car.
In general the most common issues to check would be - Dual Exhaust pipe failure, Battery, Engine Head Oil leakage, AC and cooling. As long as these are all working fine or are fixed already then nothing to worry.

I have few members in our group who have covered over 1 Lakh Kms now on their car and they are still happy with the servicing etc (from cost perspective) so I am guessing long term costs should be in check as well.

All the best.

[swarnava.ch]

I hope everyone is safe and health in these tough times.

I haven’t updated this thread for a long time now and let me share my dilemma and conflict with the members here.

So here is the dilemma part:
My 44 Months Company lease is now coming to an end in May 2021 – in the next 5 days. I have to now decide whether to take the car in my name and keep it till it lasts or I sell it off and take a new car on company lease again.

Now I have been disturbed and dreaded this day since January. By last year when I had got my membership approved in TBhp I was very sure I will never need to take another lease and keep the car forever. Alas all good love stories must come face to face with reality some day and for me its now.

No before I write any further, let me first thank a person who I have disturbed a lot over PM / DM and he was kind enough to guide me and help me always with his inputs.
This is Bhpian ram87pune. Thank you so much Ram sir.

Now my choices which looked realistic:
1. Take over Hexa and keep it forever.
Pros:
- I just love the car, it has everything I need, I have only driven 26k in 44 months and there is a lot more to come
- the feeling of safety that I get in this car is amazing, I know Hexa is not tested by NCAP, but sit inside and the car speaks to you
- long distance road cruiser, mile muncher, we have a few group members who had crossed 1.5 L kms last I checked.
- before the lease was over, the service team replaced all Brake pads, full service done, struts replaced, wipers changed, so basically the car is tip top

Cons:
- Tata cars are not really known for their reliability
- I was fed-up of the TASS experience, every time I send my car for one issue, two more are observed after return
On a side note, I read about this note by BHPian on his TASS experiance and I can so relate to his points. Though he retracted his points later but me and so many others can relate to it.
- Lately in the Owners telegram group, a lot of members started facing and reporting a lot more issues and my confidence started declining because if anything happens after lease, I have to pay the bills from my pocket.
Take for example the Engine Head Replacements link (Engine head replacement on my Tata Hexa), Dual Silencer failing etc, its just seems that Tata didn’t learn any lesson even after using this setup in the Original Safari years earlier.


2. Sell it, put the money I get in to my home loan and reduce the burden and take a new car on lease.
Pros:
- Our company leasing program is excellent and all service experience, Insurance, road tax, registration is taken care for the cars
- I can sell Hexa and get some money to reduce my home loan burden in these tough times

Cons:
- I know deep down, every time I will see another Hexa on the road, It will hurt deep down
- I will miss the Bangalore Hexa owners group, their drives, plans, meetups and get togethers – these were an awesome group of people.
- Car lease EMIs start again

Now due to purely financial prudence and some of the other points listed above, I have decided to go for a new lease and sell my Hexa.
I wanted to list out my car on the TBhp Classifieds page soon, however due to lockdowns and worry of showing the car to complete strangers in person, I will try to first sell to Cars24 or such resale platforms.

Which car then ?
Before I explain which car, let me explain my requirements again:
- Need a 7 seater
- Want to have a car where I don’t have to struggle with ASS – with Hexa, I had to be best of friends with my SA, know his kids name and his mother in law’s favourite colour (just exaggerating )
- I always had a regret of not buying the 4x4 model for Hexa, honestly didn’t need one so far in Hexa, not a offroader at all. Just for those tricky situations.
So this time I decided to go for a 4x4 AT or atleast Body on Frame RWD AT, proper SUV. It’s a small life, why have regrets right ?


1. New gen BS6 Tata Hexa 4x4 AT / MT (Dreaming): Hey if this was release by TML, I would have gone for this eyes closed. Whatever my concerns with TML, I would have done this, No questions asked.
But Alas and with many email communications with ram87pune sir, its clear that there are no chances of this car coming back any time sooner.

2. New 2021 Fortuner 4X2 AT, 4x4 MT or 4x4 AT : It always had the aspirational value in my mind but things changed till I entered the showroom.
There was no model in Bangalore for test drive. Old gen was offered though. Showroom guys were very courteous though and it was a completely different experience. 10 / 10 to Toyota here.
However now lets get the basic math, my Hexa had everything that Fortuner had except peace of mind / reliability and 4x4 AT. But I had paid last 15 L ex showroom for my Hexa and somehow was not able to digest the price of 37l++ in Bangalore for the top of the line model. Anyways later realized that this is not within my Leasing Limits anyways.

3. New Tata Safari – It looked cool and went for a test drive. However had a few obseravtions. You can read about then in details in this post / reply of mine.

Originally Posted by swarnava.ch

Coming to the car itself
1. As soon as we sat inside, wife and son both commented that it feels narrower than our Hexa.
2. Second row seats had captain chair but the armrests were already soiled.
3. Last row headrest was almost touching the Hatch door, there was almost no room for luggage with all 3 rows up.
4. Driver and Co Passenger had great seats, feeling and view.
5. Sat in the last row, I am 5.5 so it was ok for me however there is a big floor hump from the second row middle area all the way to the third rows. It was a bit cumbersome to get to the third row.

4. Hyundai Alcazar – Looked interesting but then again no more FWD cars for me. Same for Maruti XL6 / Ertiga.

5. XUV 700 – Have been waiting for this forever. Looks to have everything that I yearn, good looks, soft off-roader, AT 4x4, 7 seats. However if anyone has higher expectations from Mahindra over TASS experience, you must rethink. It’s the same story everywhere. Depending on which camp you belong to – Tata or M&M. Anyways, a wise guy on our forum once said, don’t buy a Tata or M&M car in the first year just after launch. Wait for a while and let it mature. Also there is no concrete timelines for release and even then, I feel, will have a situation like Thar.

6. Ford Endeavor – It’s a bit of a tough choice between Fortuner and Endeavor. To be very honest, more than the vehicles, I am worried about buying cars north of 30L Ex showroom. I come from a middle class family, spending on Liabilities is not what is there in my mind. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love cars, if I have bucket loads of cash someday, will buys a Lexus or a Land Rover but till that happens, we should move with a fixed budget. Regarding Pros and Cons in my mind, some pointers below:
a. I am a bit worried about Ford’s future in India, not very confidence inspiring statements from them
b. compared to the Fortuner, it feels a bit underpowered (but for me this was ok, kind of like the Hexa – 2300kgs with 400 nm torque)
c. Sometime next year there will be an update launched and then the old model, no one will buy
d. Ride quality was a big plus, better than Fortuner

7. Toyota Innova Crysta- Its funny, I rejected this car over Hexa 3.5 years back and now I have to consider this again, with same features as 2017, at 5 Lacks + price difference with the same compromises I faced earlier. Anyways more on my thoughts below on the Pros and Cons. More so, Should I buy petrol or diesel ? My full running in 44 months is always in the range of 25k kms to max 30K kms.
I bugged the guys on the this thread link (Review: Toyota Innova Crysta 2.7L Petrol AT), in TBhp where there was a discussing on the Crysta Petrol Vs Diesel.
For my kind of driving, a petrol does make sense completely however both the leasing guys and Toyota SA were suggesting to go with diesel. There point was its easier to resale later, better drivability, higher range etc. I am more of a petrol guy but with big vehicles like Crysta, I guess its better to go for Diesel in general. Besides Toyota engines are known for their long running diesels as well.
Some points from my test drive are quoted here:

Originally Posted by swarnava.ch

My Test drive experience shared here:
Background: I currently drive 2017 Sept Hexa XT Manual.
Pros for Crysta:
1. The car from inside feels a bit narrower than Hexa, which is good. It was easy to manoeuvre on the roads.
2. Auto gearbox was also felt great compared to my manual Hexa.
3. Turning radius same as Hexa.
4. Performance - car has a lower weight compared to Hexa and was quick on the wheels. Power mode was amazing.
5. Braking was precise.

Cons for Crysta:
1. Second row only comes with 2 captain seats (in 7 Str version, can not purchase 8 Str as not allowed in Company lease). Last row may not be comfortable for 3 side by side.
2. The ride comfort was a bit floaty in Crysta compared to my Hexa. My god, I appreciate Hexa a lot now after seeing what cars in much higher segment. Its class apart. The problem was that there was heavy nosedive during breaking. While riding at 80+ on an empty stretch, when there were road undulations, the car didn’t give a confidence inspiring ride quality.
My wife and son both have motion sickness and I am worried this should not become a permanent problem for them.
3. Simple features like Hill decent control is missing, no drive modes like Hexa, second row sun blinds etc.

So as it stands, I have booked by New 2021 Innova Crysta ZX 2.4 Diesel. Should be delivered in June / July.
Will keep the forum posted on how things go in the next couple of weeks.

[throttleking]

@swarnava.ch wonderful ownership thread, thanks!

Can you please tell me which side foot steps and luggage carrier you have installed? Are they from Goldsun?

How is the quality and GC of these foot steps compared to genuine accessory?

[swarnava.ch]

Originally Posted by throttleking

@swarnava.ch wonderful ownership thread, thanks!



Can you please tell me which side foot steps and luggage carrier you have installed? Are they from Goldsun?



How is the quality and GC of these foot steps compared to genuine accessory?

Hi throttleking, Sorry for the delay in response, I was banned for last two months so could not reply back.

Actually my Footrests were genuine TASS accessories purchased at the time of delivery. It costed be 16k approx.

However the ground clearance takes a hit if you fit this. But since I have aged parents at home, I needed this anyways.



The roof rack is the same design as Goldsun but it was procured from a fellow Hexa owner in Coimbatore who manufactures the same model.

Got his contact from the All India Hexa owners group and he shipped it to Bangalore. It was easy to fit it as DIY.

I will DM you his contact details.



Meanwhile a general update on my Blue Hippo:

5th July: So we finally handed over the Hexa to Nandi Toyota UTrust for exchange.

They were really pleasant to deal with. The price offered was a bit below my expectations but honestly considering the situation outside now, I was not in a place to do a direct sale so this is better for me personally. On the day I handed over the keys, it was just heart breaking. All of us in the family were very sad. For those of us who have watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I think the Hexa was my Horcruxe Anyways what’s done, is done. Now on to the Next part. New lease application is in process and I would be ready to pick up the Toyota Innova Crysta shortly. However there is no confirmation yet on when the stock for Super White ZX AT will be available.

More clarity will be available Next week. I hope to settle and get the new car by 15th latest. Already have started preparing for the PDI with the T-Bhp PDI Checklist printed. Also a word on Nandi Toyota and Dealership experience so far:

1. It has been a very pleasant experience so far

2. My Booking was confirmed with just an email from my official email id, no need for any booking amount

3. I was offered a discount on the Ex showroom price without asking and no handling charges added. This was a pleasant surprise.

I was almost ready in my mind that I will have to haggle with the SA to get some leeway here.

4. See the amount is not important, it's the way Toyota deals with their customer who is purchasing a car for 24 Big ones.

Compare that to Tata and the experience they offer to their customer who buy Safari at 22 Lacs, this experience is missing.



Now I understand why people keep coming back to Toyota and have high expectations always.



20th July: Took delivery of the New Crysta today on the same day as my Son’s birthday.

I have already started compiling the Ownership Review but waiting for at least 1500 kms to be completed to know and understand the car better.

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by swarnava.ch

5th July: So we finally handed over the Hexa to Nandi Toyota UTrust for exchange.

Thank you for updating the latest details. May I ask how much was your Hexa valued at? I am thinking about the same exchange in the coming months. Also when you handed over the car to U trust did they manage the ownership change process? Or does the website still list you as the owner. Normally at the end of the lease, wouldn't the leasing company take the car back ?

And how do you feel about the acceleration performance of the 2.4 AT compared to Hexa ?

[swarnava.ch]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Thank you for updating the latest details. May I ask how much was your Hexa valued at? I am thinking about the same exchange in the coming months. Also when you handed over the car to U trust did they manage the ownership change process? Or does the website still list you as the owner. Normally at the end of the lease, wouldn't the leasing company take the car back ?

And how do you feel about the acceleration performance of the 2.4 AT compared to Hexa ?

Hi padmrajravi, thanks for your comments. I keep reading your comments on the Hexa thread often and great to connect with you.
Let me try to answer your queries one by one
1. Ownership change process - I have handed over the Form 29 / Form 30 to Toyota UTrust, they have given a delivery note that they are now responsible and they will take care of the name change process as and when the new owner purchases the car from them. Last I checked someone has already purchased / shown interest. Vahan website still shows my company name but it should be changed shortly. UTrust guys have promised to keep me posted on the process and RTO formalities.
2. End of Lease – Handover Vs Buyback - Actually both models exists for our leasing, you can opt for buyback or handover. I had opted for a buyback option during my lease application.
3. Performance of Innova Vs Hexa - This one is a bit complex. So Hexa is a heavy car at 2300 Kgs and if you look at the engine characteristics in Hexa, there is that initial hesitation or Lag when you are accelerating till 2000 rpm and progress is slow, however once the Varicore 400 engine wakes up after after 2000 rpm, it just leaps forward.
Now driving an Innova, I have realized that its car like to drive. Its nimble and only weights around 1900 kgs. This means even though on paper the torque is less compared to Hexa, with the 2.4 AT this car is easy to manoeuvre and progress is linear and not sudden surge like Hexa. However let me be honest, I drive very sedately and don’t floor the throttle. So I can’t really comment which is faster. For my needs both are enough and in both city and highway drives I didn’t find the Crysta lacking in power. I have used the Power mode only once for comparison purposes but that’s it.

One last bit – Used car market values Hexa very poorly. I got very disappointing offers all around from other vendors. If you are able to sell to an individual buyer who values the car, you have better chances to get a decent price. Funny part is that TML itself valued it at 70% of what UTrust paid. I will DM you the final price.

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by swarnava.ch

One last bit – Used car market values Hexa very poorly. I got very disappointing offers all around from other vendors. If you are able to sell to an individual buyer who values the car, you have better chances to get a decent price. Funny part is that TML itself valued it at 70% of what UTrust paid. I will DM you the final price.

Thank you for the comparison. TML valuing it the lowest is the real stab in the back. At the very least, they should have some offers to keep the Hexa customers in their stable itself.

Even I rejected Crysta for Hexa three years back. Now I don't think there is any other choice but to go to Toyota stable.