Hyundai Tucson - The Silver Fox Comes Home.. Background and the decision making process
After having driven my Maruti gen2 Zen for more than 5 years, i started searching for an new/used SUV. I somehow never liked sedans.
My requirements were :
1) Compact SUV - 5 seater
2) 4WD
3) Decent fuel efficiency
4) Low upkeep costs
5) Budget - Around 10-12 lakhs with car loan and 6-7 lakhs without car loan
Grand Vitara was the only SUV which could fit into my requirements but didnt want to buy a new one as it was out of my budget and i could hardly find good used ones in my budget.
After i discovered team-bhp and after reading number of reviews of happy Safari owners, i was almost sold out on the safari but i could not convince myself due to the minor issues and niggles associated with the safari reported by safari owners in this forum.
Circa 2010, I happened to come across a Nissan X-trail (A/T) up for sale in one of the embassies in Delhi, put a bid and surprisingly won the bid to become the proud owner of a well maintained Nissan X-trail. But the only problem was that it was a petrol version and the fuel bills started pinching my pocket and there was always a constant worry in my mind that if major problem comes up in the car then getting it repaired will make me bankrupt after having learnt about the high cost of spares and maintenence of Nissan X-trail in India. Sold the X-trail after a month with a heavy heart.
Since the last one year, i have been searching for a used Tucson in a good condition but have only come across abused ones with second owners or the ones with reversed mileage.
Sometime in Feb 2011, i was going through the classified section of sunday newspapers and i came across an ad of carnation which had a 2007 Tucson listed, called up the sales rep. and booked an appointment for the same day.
Took a test drive, verified the documents, negotiated the price and booked the car and in the process also agreed to exchange my six year old friend, my maruti zen in the deal itself.
I have already driven the car for about 4000 Kms till date including a 650 Kms trip to Jaipur. I also use the car for daily commute to office.
The detailed booking / ownership thread is as follows : Booking and Delivery
I bought the car from Carnation Gurgaon. Even though they say that they are no road-side dealer, but my experience with them proved that they are no better due to the following reasons :
1) Even though they talk about a 160 point check. The only thing they got done on my Tucson was a under-body rust protection coat and interior/exterior cleaning. A leak in the fuel filter water sensor was found when i gave the car for service to a Hyundai service center which went undetected in their '160 point' check ! It costed me around Rs. 1500 to get the same replaced.
2) They did not have the second key of the car and i was told about this only after i made the payment. I had to follow up with them for 2 -3 months after which they got a new key made from Hyundai. I had to pay for the remote from my own pocket.
3) I got the transferred RC only after 3 months !! that too after escalating the issue to their pre-owned cars sales head who sits in their corporate office. The Gurgaon center folks are pathetic to deal with.
4) I had to follow up with them a number of times for the insurance / NCB transfer.
5) During the test drive i found that the headlight level adjust switch was broken. I was promised that the same would be replaced before delivery which never happened. I had to get it done myself during the post delivery service from Hyundai service.
6) No warranty on Diesel cars even though they advertise a 1 year warranty in the newspaper ads.
7) The central locking radio control unit was left hanging in the footwell and i was lucky that this did not result in a major accident as during the drive back home after delivery, the RCU just fell between the brake and the floor. This also went un-noticed in all their checks !
and other issues which i will not write about as this is an ownership thread. I would advise all BHPians to stay away from Carnation Gurgaon for pre-owned cars. However , I am not sure about their service division or other outlets dealing in pre-owned cars.
Overall build quality and fit & finish
The car has a overall solid build and the exterior fit and finish is good. The car sides are protected with ABS/plastic cladding which is very useful against scratches. My cars had a few contours slightly out of place since it is a pre-owned car.
Interior, space and comfort
The interiors are utilitarian. The beige interiors are quite a dirt magnet. Fabric seat covers do not give a plush look.
The AC is a chiller but there are no rear vents. Not sure of the reach of the AC for the rear seats as i only drive the car myself with a co-passenger, my wife.
There are a couple of small pockets/compartments to store things and is very useful. The sunglasses holder right above the rear-view mirror is also quite useful.
Engine performance & driveability
The 2.0 litre CRDI mill is a very torquey one although there is a very evident turbo lag blow 1500-2000 rpm but once the rpms shoot past the 2000 mark, there is no looking back. I have reached a max. of 140 Kmph on the Delhi - Jaipur highway and without any signs of fatigue from the engine, but then i had no courage to rev more as i had never reached such high speeds earlier.
It is a bit difficult to drive the car in city traffic ( read Gurgaon traffic ) as the clutch has a large throw and it is very taxing on the left leg. I also feel that the min. speed in the second gear is a bit high for the gear and there is some tuning required to bring it down (although not sure if this is possible).
The gear shift is notchy sometimes, but smooth most of the times. There is a slight pushback from the gearbox when i shift from first to second and the first gear is a bit hard to engage except when the car is completely stationary. I will get both these issues checked when i give the car for a major service in a week or so.
The cabin is also very well insulated from the engine noise. At high speeds, there is hardly any engine noise and you seldom feel that the car is powered by a diesel motor. Steering, suspension & ride quality
The steering is not a light as on the scorpio. It is a bit on the heavier side although the Hyundai service advisor feels that it is fine and i have no other option than to believe what he says.
The ride quality is excellent on most of the roads but bouncy on bad or uneven roads. Mileage, cost of upkeep & maintenance
I have not been able to calculate the exact mileage but my guess is that i am getting something more than 10 Kmpl with AC running all the time and 50:50 of city and highway driving.
Most of the spares are decently priced. I have got the following replaced till date.
Hyundai also has a very efficient logistics and most of the parts i have ordered have come in about 7 - 10 days.
1) Clutch plate
2) Pressure plate
3) Bearing
4) Slave cylinder
5) Fuel filter water sensor
6) Front and rear wipers
7) Headlight leveller rotary switch
The damage on the pocket till date on the above is about 30 grands. Accessories added
1) Pioneer AVH-2390-DVD touchscreen HU
2) Hertz Dieci DSK-165 components in the front
3) Hertz Dieci DCX-165 coaxials in the rear
4) MapmyIndia Vx240
Accessories planned 1) OEM rear bumper guard
2) 4 channel amp and woofer
3) K&N air filter
4) Travel fridge
Posting some interior pics. Sorry for the quality of the pics as i shot them using my X10 and it is quite gloomy in Delhi today. Will post more later.
Last edited by .anshuman : 16th June 2011 at 23:49.
Reason: Merged posts
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