[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SDP

...the drive:

Engrossing drive report-cum-travelogue. Brings out the flavours of the roads and the vehicles, highlights the travails faced by folks not used to high altitudes and extreme cold, and brings forth Skoda's excellent ability at caring for the journalists they invite for their drives.

Curious: How badly were those tyres damaged, that they couldn't be fixed by the service team? Any pics of the damage? And what make of tyres were they? And I can imagine you guys fuming inside an unreliable car with a bad AC and a not-so-great sound system ruining a part of your drive!

Also: How was the fuelling organized? Did the service team carry fuel for all the cars, or did you fill at the pump at Kaza? Was there any evidence of smoking from the tailpipe at high altitudes?

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Curious: How badly were those tyres damaged, that they couldn't be fixed by the service team? Any pics of the damage? And what make of tyres were they? And I can imagine you guys fuming inside an unreliable car with a bad AC and a not-so-great sound system ruining a part of your drive!

Also: How was the fuelling organized? Did the service team carry fuel for all the cars, or did you fill at the pump at Kaza? Was there any evidence of smoking from the tailpipe at high altitudes?

The sidewalls were ripped. These were sharp stones with horizontal protusions!

The tyres on our car were Hankook (from Hungary). On the other car, they were MRF (now the OE tyre). The sound system was not bad once we tuned it but the folks in the back found the bass over-bearing. It took a while to get the optimum setting.

We saw no excess smoke. I did see the Yeti get some OBD adjustments though on the second day. As for Fuel

Day 1: Cars were refuelled in Manali
Am not sure if the cars were refuelled in Kaza
Day 4: Cars were refuelled at a CoCo place after Spello soon after lunch

[SDP]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

...
Also: How was the fuelling organized? Did the service team carry fuel for all the cars, or did you fill at the pump at Kaza? Was there any evidence of smoking from the tailpipe at high altitudes?

Originally Posted by ajmat

...
Day 1: Cars were refuelled in Manali
Am not sure if the cars were refuelled in Kaza
Day 4: Cars were refuelled at a CoCo place after Spello soon after lunch

The white Kodiaq also got a puncture that day, but that was repaired on the spot. In our case, the tyre was beyond repair I believe.

Adding to Ajit's comments on refuelling, all the Kodiaqs were refulled at Kaza at the end of day 3. The Skoda team was a bit skeptical about fuel quality, but we didn't really face any issues next day.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by ajmat

The sidewalls were ripped. These were sharp stones with horizontal protusions!

Not a great scenario when carrying a space saver!

Originally Posted by ajmat

I did see the Yeti get some OBD adjustments though on the second day.

With a laptop?

[SDP]

Originally Posted by ShubhGo1987

Hi, SDP wonderful travelogue and kept me mesmerized as well.

Thanks Shubh

..
After this drive, what do you think is the Kodiaq a better option compared to Fortuner?

I dont believe I have enough data points to answer that question. This was not a comparo drive where we got to drive 2-3 vehicles from same segment on same terrain and then compare notes. I have not driven the Fortuner much and definitely not in those conditions. So please excuse me while I bow out of answering that question.

[Madmax_SP]

@SDP. Read it end to end duly noting the intricacies of the drive.
An in-depth and hands on report! This would be the latest on which to bank a trip to Spiti. Owning a Ford EcoSport, would devoid me of the off-road fun you had, but looking at an EcoSport making way for your Kodiaqs in one of the pictures encourages me to think it is doable in mine.
Thanks a ton.
Warm regards.
Madmax_SP

[GTO]

Originally Posted by ShubhGo1987

After this drive, what do you think is the Kodiaq a better option compared to Fortuner?

If you need:

1. Bullet-proof reliability
2. Will be frequently driving through small towns & villages
3. Offroading skills
4. Abuse-friendly nature
5. A more usable 3rd row seat

Go for the Fortuner. Also consider the excellent Endeavour 3.2.

If you need an on-road urban SUV with a little bit of rough road driving, go for the Kodiaq. The Skoda is more luxurious (interiors, ride etc.) and also better to drive (car-based, after all). I would be torn between the Endeavour 3.2 & Kodiaq as I'm a big fan of both, but will probably end up buying the Ford if it came to that.

More information in our official reviews of these SUVs.

[suyogsdalal]

Originally Posted by SDP

Day 3 - 3rd Jun 2018... continued



Chandrataal - Kunzum pass - Losar - Kaza



11:30 am: Back at the parking lot, the technicians had scanned for error codes and had found nothing wrong. One guy tried a few more things, but the AC wouldn't revive

What had happened to AC ? Were the Skoda guys able to diagnose and fix it there ? Strange the AC went kaput all of sudden

Originally Posted by Madmax_SP

@SDP. Read it end to end duly noting the intricacies of the drive.
An in-depth and hands on report! This would be the latest on which to bank a trip to Spiti. Owning a Ford EcoSport, would devoid me of the off-road fun you had, but looking at an EcoSport making way for your Kodiaqs in one of the pictures encourages me to think it is doable in mine.
Thanks a ton.
Warm regards.
Madmax_SP

Indeed it is doable on an EcoSport.
I had done the entire circuit starting from Shimla and ending at Manali last year on a Renault Duster with 4 adults on board and full loaded boot and NOT ONCE did she scrape her belly or went flat

[blackwasp]

Great report there SDP! Good to see the car performing well in the mountains.

Originally Posted by SDP

...Finally, it was decided that our #4 Kodiaq gets a proper full-size tyre & wheel from the Cappuccino Beige Kodiaq. Our under-sized spare goes to the Beige Kodiaq and the flat-bed that is following us will take the Beige Kodiaq directly to Kaza, where the team is hopeful of getting the tyre & alloy repair/replacement done...

Whats with the front left tyres man? My punto too suffered front left puncture on my Spiti trip! And unfortunately I didn't have a back up tyre as well. Did the return on the spare!

[rish_arora]

Incredible write up. This brings back the memories of the Spiti circuit I did on Honda JAZZ in 2016. It was one hell of an experience as it was only 2 of us (me and my friend) on the treacherous road on low ground clearance vehicle.

[magikrider]

Amazing and detailed Travelogue. Kudos to the whole team and SDP

However there's one thing that I would like to know. On these treacherous road, did you guys ever feel that the ground clearance was an issue? while crossing the river, or passing through really bad roads etc. because that's one of the main reason I guess most would prefer to choose Endeavour or the Fortuner over this fabulous car. People who buy an SUV, just have this thing for a high seating SUV with a good ground clearance. even though they may never do real off-roading in their cars.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by magikrider

Amazing and detailed Travelogue. Kudos to the whole team and SDP

However there's one thing that I would like to know. On these treacherous road, did you guys ever feel that the ground clearance was an issue? while crossing the river, or passing through really bad roads etc. because that's one of the main reason I guess most would prefer to choose Endeavour or the Fortuner over this fabulous car. People who buy an SUV, just have this thing for a high seating SUV with a good ground clearance. even though they may never do real off-roading in their cars.

We took couple of minor underbody hits. Did not face ground clearance issues anywhere else. The India spec Kodiaq comes with the off-road package, so the underbody is quite well covered anyways.

[Samba]

Lovely travelogue. Rated 5*. It was an engrossing read. Loved the pics of the Alaskan Bear in the snow leopard territory, specially before the clean ups!

We did the same circuit in May this year! Here's the link of our travelogue-

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...dans-suvs.html

On the way back from Hikkim/Komic i was grinning by reading how the Gypsy was having fun, drifting on that dirt track, can relate.

We too had our share of fun on the Kaza- Manali Highway. Those who have not attempted that road wont understand what thrill and uncertainty this road offers. Will be back on this road again in future!

This was our team for Spiti expedition! (Shot on the way back from Tashigang.)

[Uthappa]

Cool expedition, thanks for sharing. Brings back vivid memories of my 21 day expedition through the 4 valleys of Himachal in October '16; three travellers in my Scorpio LX, which didn't skip a beat. I guffawed at your description of the small tent at Chandratal, and the brave souls who spent the night in there. We pitched a similar tent on the lake edge and spent a night. Needless to say, I won't be making that mistake again.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by Uthappa

Cool expedition, thanks for sharing. Brings back vivid memories of my 21 day expedition through the 4 valleys of Himachal in October '16; three travellers in my Scorpio LX, which didn't skip a beat. I guffawed at your description of the small tent at Chandratal, and the brave souls who spent the night in there. We pitched a similar tent on the lake edge and spent a night. Needless to say, I won't be making that mistake again.

How were the temperatures in October? How much snow?
Your Scorp is 4x4?

In short - I am already dreaming about doing this circuit in winter.