[dilipkumar7278]

Guys
What about delivery time? Here in cochin they say around Jan- Feb 2010

It's pretty long wait for me considering I have waited almost three years for this car.
Cheers

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by GTO

Funny this slipped the eyes of the usually meticulous Japs.

Take a look at the attached picture (from the Fortuner's launch event). Don't the two bowties on the floor carpet look uncannily like the Chevrolet badge?

It's a passive aggressive stance. The message is "Chaewoo Captiva Deisel can smoke my tailpipe".

[sgmuser]

Sometime before, in one of these fortuner thread, I talked about the interior space esp the second row seat's comfort and also about the poor quality finish. Some toyota fanboys couldn't digest it! Those guys should run for cover now!!! :-)

Looking at those comments from those who has seen it in flesh, now you know what I am talking about! I want to reiterate, the quality difference between a Rav4, a global model and Fortuner which is a asia specific production, is so obvious!

Iam so tempted at this stuff but my practical mind keeps on asking me, whether that 5 lakhs etc is it worth? Also the mileage is paltry single digit.

Innova top end model with auto gear costs around 12lakhs in Brunei. The top end Innova priced here in India is now looks practical and value buy. Fortuner top end model costs 3 lakhs more in Brunei. So, for me, anything around 16 lakhs is ok. Otw, they should have introduced the 2.5ltr D4D as in Malaysia at this price range.

For me, it should not cost more than 15-16 lakhs. This is another robbery by toyota! See it and believe it!

[Car_fanatic]

Please confirm delivery times in Bangalore. Talking to Ravindu Toyota, I understand that delivery will not happen before Jan-Feb 2010. I read in today's papers that auto co's are ramping up production to produce additional 60,000-70,000 cars per month, in anticipation of the increased demand in festive season.

@GTO - Is it possible to get any specific input about impact of this ramp-up on Fortuner production.

Although thinking from Toyota's point of view, they may want to continue this drip feed approach and let the waiting time grow for as long as they can as it helps to build the excitement for the vehicle in the market and adds the elusiveness aspect to the vehicle. Is that how auto companies think? Comments, please

[Digital Vampire]

I have a few questions on vehicle bookings with such long wait times as with the Fortuner now.

1. Is the booking tied to the dealer with whom we make payment of the booking amount? Or when the turn comes can we request for vehicle delivery anywhere in India. I'd like to book the vehicle, but I'm not 100% sure in which state in India (within south-India) I'd be when the booking matures.
2. Do they provide interest for cancelled bookings or deliveries which lag beyond promised timelines?

[GTO]

Is the booking tied to the dealer with whom we make payment of the booking amount? Or when the turn comes can we request for vehicle delivery anywhere in India. I'd like to book the vehicle, but I'm not 100% sure in which state in India (within south-India) I'd be when the booking matures.

You raise a valid point. While your booking is tied into the dealer, I know of one too many Dzire customers who have sourced their cars from neighbouring states (for quicker delivery) and then registered the car themselves in Mumbai. One dude even got a Zen (when wait periods were ultra long) from Goa!

[1-Testosterone]

Originally Posted by Car_fanatic

Although thinking from Toyota's point of view, they may want to continue this drip feed approach and let the waiting time grow for as long as they can as it helps to build the excitement for the vehicle in the market and adds the elusiveness aspect to the vehicle. Is that how auto companies think? Comments, please

This is exactly how TOYOTA thinks and it has been quite successful in their strategy.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by sgmuser

Looking at those comments from those who has seen it in flesh, now you know what I am talking about! I want to reiterate, the quality difference between a Rav4, a global model and Fortuner which is a asia specific production, is so obvious!

For me, it should not cost more than 15-16 lakhs. This is another robbery by toyota! See it and believe it!

Dude, you are back to comparing an Asian specific body on frame truck with a soft roader created for developed/western markets? These vehicles are build keeping cost in mind. Thought you would be tired of this game by now. Apparently not !!

You need to compare the Fortuner to other Body on Frame vehicles in it's general price bracket, i.e about 20 lakhs. These vehicles are the Ford Endy and Pajero and the Fortuner is far superior to both. If you think the Fortuner is a rip of at 18. lakhs, the Pajero is daylight robbery at 22 lakhs and the Ford Thunder is murder to offer a truck with a body for 18 lakhs.

Please stop comparing the Fortuner to other PUVs. For people interested in Softroader there are plenty of choices including the XTrail, Chaewoo Captiva, CRV etc. All of them cost over 22 lakhs and if you think it is worth paying a 5 lakh premium over the Fortnuer for the other soft road options available in india by all means go for it. Please understand that these are different classes of vehicles and anyone whos meets are met by a 25 lakh nissan X-Trail or a 23 lakh Captiva 4WD or 23 lakh CRV should just buy that and not worry about the 18.54 lakh Fortuner with a 3.0 D4D engine and Full time 4WD with center diff, not to mention the reliability of Toyota.

Either way you slice it and dice it, the Fortuner at 18.54 lakhs is the best SUV you can buy in the 20 lakh bracket in India.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Either way you slice it and dice it, the Fortuner at 18.54 lakhs is the best SUV you can buy in the 20 lakh bracket in India.

Isn't that one point of view though? No real argument about what you say about the Pajero, but the other cars you mention are successfully holding their own in other markets where the Fortuner has been present for some time now. Some of them may be better long distance tourers or have better fit and finish or have better highway manners, or whatever else a comparison test will reveal. And then, based upon some subjective stuff as well, each will end up having its buyers here too, who will think the same by their POV?
PS: Repeating myself here, and endorsing what some have said, the fact that this from the same company, and has an identical user interface, strongly emphasizes the great value of the Innova. Let's face it, for the very large portion of the miles that will be put in by these cars in reality, the Innova will work just as well. Ride comfort, egress/ingress, FE and a few other things may even be better. That was always the case, but the same company/same service quality and reliability/common interiors brings this into sharper focus.

[4x4addict]

Plonk in a good engine in the Pajero, offer decent colors instead of the hideous dual color tone and make the middle row seat a proper seat by getting rid of those giant arm rests, and adjust the price. I feel just doing these will help the Pajero retain market share, otherwise it will be toast in the Indian market.

Pajero is a very competent vehicle. Unfortunately Mitsubishi is happy flogging dated models in India and I sincerely doubt they will do anything to address the biggest flaw of the Pajero which is it's underpowered engine. Atleast the middle row seats and clown paint can be fixed after market.

[Sawyer]

I am guessing that they cannot do any engineering changes for a model that is not sold in any large volumes by a global reckoning. Even upgrading the engine will call for too much investment because it cannot be done at the HM end, HM does just the screwdriver stuff on the SKD pack. And paints it of course, by their taste!

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I am guessing that they cannot do any engineering changes for a model that is not sold in any large volumes by a global reckoning. Even upgrading the engine will call for too much investment because it cannot be done at the HM end, HM does just the screwdriver stuff on the SKD pack. And paints it of course, by their taste!

I agree that they are not going to do anything beyond cosmetic upgrades to a model that has been discontinued in most parts of the world. This was fine in India until Aug 24th since the only choices of body on frame diesel 4WD with Low range you had in the 20+/- lakh bracket was the Pajero and Endy. The Pajero is overall much superior to the Endy except for the Engine. Now with the Fortuner launch, I think only die hard pajero fans will pay a 5 lakh premium over the Fortuner to buy a Pajero.

[Sawyer]

@4x4addict - there you go again! It's a 2 lakh difference at the end of the day. The one thing you do get for that is the 2wd mode, and maybe, better FE. But even if the price was the same, it would be uphill now for the Paj. Let's see what HM does. Maybe another out of the box paint scheme?! The one thing they have on their hands is some time, given the wait lists for the Fortuner, so there may be some rabbits to be pulled of that old hat still.
Let's also see what Ford does.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

@4x4addict - there you go again! It's a 2 lakh difference at the end of the day. The one thing you do get for that is the 2wd mode, and maybe, better FE.

Sorry, I thought the Pajero was priced higher. The pajero 2.8 is a bulletproof engine with old school IDI technology. The penalty is low power and low bhp compared to the equivalent CRDe engines. I am almost certain the the the Fortuner with a 3.0 D4D in AWD mode will give higher milage than Pajero 2.8 IDI in 2WD mode. We can confirm once the full tests are out. I have an autocar India magazine which pitted the Ford Endy 3.0 against the Pajero 2.8 IDI. These are the milage results.

Pajero 2.8 117 bhp @ 4000 rpm: City 7.7, Highway 10.5, 0-100 18.8 Seconds, Top Speed 145/4000 rpm
Endy 3.0: 153 bhp @ 3200 rpm: City 8.8, Highway 11.2, 0-100 12.91 Seconds, Top Speed 144/3200 rpm.

The ride and off-roadability is the best part and probably the only great thing about the Pajero,

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Let's see what HM does. Maybe another out of the box paint scheme?! The one thing they have on their hands is some time, given the wait lists for the Fortuner, so there may be some rabbits to be pulled of that old hat still.
Let's also see what Ford does.

My bet is that HM will slap on some graphics, add a navigation and bring out a *Sport Edition* of the Pajero.

Their best bet if ask me is to bring in the Motero as CKD and price it in the 25+/- lakh bracket. I think they will have a winner on their hands. But then again, if those guys at HM was smart...

Ford atleast is making a feeble attempt with revised headlights and an automatic transmission. I strong feel they will price the revised Endevour more agressively. 1 lakh difference is too low to want to make someone pick the Endy Thunder over the Fortuner.

[bhp1]

An updated Pajero with new exteriors, interiors, etc shall be out in some time, should act as formidable competition.
I won't even sign off the new upcoming Endy. for that matter.