Their quoted post remap figures were 210 BHP & 420 Nm of torque along with a 15% increase in fuel economy.

BHPian Harsha89 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Regarding the sluggish gearbox response as posted by others, I too had faced the same. Low fuel economy (10-11 Km/L) & slow acceleration below 60 km/Hr. I did a bit of research and went ahead for a remap from Wolf Moto. Their quoted post remap figures were 210 BHP & 420 Nm of torque along with a 15% increase in fuel economy. I went ahead and post remap the vehicle feels very responsive and smooth. The in cabin droning noise during acceleration has almost disappeared. The Jeep feels smoother to accelerate and reach 100 km/hr in roughly 1-1.5 seconds less, though I have not timed it. In-gear acceleration has improved tremendously and vehicle barely lags. Fuel efficiency ranges from 13-15 km/L depending on traffic and speed maintained, earlier it was around 10-11 km/L. And most importantly, gearbox seems to hold the right gear 90% of the time and even when it upshifts, there is ample torque to power up and the vehicle comes into powerband instantly.

I would suggest owners unhappy with the performance to give it a try. I’m attaching a photo of the fuel economy after a highway drive with moderate traffic:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Coming from the XL6, I do feel that the Compass is slightly lethargic, but I am beginning to start the sedate driving age now.

BHPian sparks4077 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Took delivery of my Jeep Compass Limited(O) over the weekend. It's been a crazy few months since I sold my XL6 trying to decide on what to buy and whats available quickly. Had moved from a Toyota Hyryder booking to an XUV700 booking, but finally its the Compass that's come home

Booking and Delivery experience:

Took a TD with MPS Jeep HSR layout, was in love with the solidity and handling and booked the car the same day. Since it was December, they had 3 white-with-black-roof Limited(O) variants available. These were November 2022 manufactured and by the time I booked it was down to 1 car remaining. Mr. Johnson (SA) was polite, clear and knowledgeable. He tried to match the insurance, but allowed me to take it outside. Delivery was a nice experience with cake cutting, explanation of important features and 15l of petrol filled in.

Took the car straight away to Reflecton for their UNCR ceramic coating. This is my second vehicle getting the UNCR coating and I must say its really good. It keeps the gloss and shine, makes cleaning easy and amazing hydrophobic abilities. The XL6 lasted for 2 years in pristine condition with the coating before I sold the car off.

Driving experience:

Coming from the XL6, I do feel that the Compass is slightly lethargic, but I am beginning to start the sedate driving age now . Car feels planted and absorbs all of Bangalore's never ending bad roads without a problem. AC seems to be taking more time to cool the cabin, could be because of the really thin and small vents, but not a big issue so far. My first vehicle with a sunroof and its really welcome function given that it really brightens up the cabin. Have a long drive over the western ghats planned this weekend, so it would be really good.

Accessories:

Got the basic mud-flaps, permium car cover, air inflator, magnetic sunshades and 7D mats from the dealer as part of the 25k accessories. Got the regular Jeep welcome kit, with a key cover, air freshner, key-chain, cap and a tote bag.

All-in-all feeling happy after 14 years of Maruti vehicles. While Maruti had no niggles whatsoever and easy to maintain, I was really missing out on the solid feel and powerful engine.

Crossed 3500kms since mid January 2023 with a Goa trip. This itself was over 1200kms. Drive was really good and the Compass really comes into its own on the highways and the ghats. Enjoyed driving through the ghat sections on the return journey where I took a route with more ghats just for the heck of it

Couple of questions to fellow owners (mine is a Petrol AT):

• Has anyone bought the non-rubber floor mats - the ones they call corporate mat? If yes, are you having issues with the clips? I already have a few clips breaking off when I remove and dust it. Have an appointment at the service center next week where they said they will take a look.
• Sometimes when I start from a standstill (especially on an incline), the car goes a few inches backwards before moving forward. Has anyone else noticed the same? Coming from my earlier XL6 this is a bit uncomfy.
• Getting a sort of vibration from the dashboard at certain speeds and road surfaces. It comes only at a certain speed. Have not pin-pointed it yet.

Other than that its been a good few months.

Signing of with some pictures:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information

The average fuel efficiency till date is 14Kmpl+ and I am happy with it. If you show enough patience while driving on the highway, this engine can easily give you 18-20Kmpl+.

BHPian arun_josie recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

One more year goes by and the ODO is @ 1,12,000 kms.

Scarlett still feels new and roaring. Here are few pics taken on the 4th anniversary of Scarlett joining our family:

Maintenance – Periodic service details:

The average service cost is around 15K per service. It goes up when there are parts replacements involved (Ex: Brake pads, Brake discs, Timing Belt etc.)

Parts replacements:

• Tyres were replaced @ 51,205 Kms (Yokohama Earth1) and @ 99K Kms(GoodYear Wrangler AT SilentTrac).
• Front brake pads were replaced @ 51K Kms and @ 1,01,884 Km.
• Wipers were replaced at 68,853 Kms (the OEMs are very expensive (closed to 5K), so replaced with Bosch wipers which costs around 900/-). These Bosch wipers are flimsy but it does the job. Bosch wipers were replaced @88,699 Kms.
• Battery @ 63K Kms (it came with Exide and I replaced it with Amaron). Many owners had to replace the battery around 18-24 months time frame.
• Timing belt was a periodic replacement at 75K Kms.
• Front Brake discs @ 1,01,884 Kms.
• Wheel lugnuts, changed the complete set @ 1,01,884 Kms. The cap model lugnuts were a pain.

Usage pattern:

Lately the road trips have come down, with aging parents in home town, most of the drives have been to home town. Overall, the usage trend is like 70:30 in favor of highway usage.

Also, after I started cycling the local drives and breakfast drives have changed to cycle rides.

The elusive drive to North East is still pending for a long time due to various reasons.

Annual usage:

 No: Days taken for every 5K Kms:

Fuel efficiency:

The average fuel efficiency till date is 14Kmpl+ and I am happy with it. If you show enough patience while driving on the highway, this engine can easily give you 18-20Kmpl+, but it is difficult to do sedate drives with this machine in your hands.

In city driving conditions, I get around 10-12 Kmpl.

Fuel station:

I prefer BPCL and that shows in the below numbers:

Some numbers on FE:

Offroad drive(Sunrise – Sunset Trails) with Bangalore Jeep Club:

Recently BJC arranged an off-road drive near Kanakapura. It was a one day event starting from breakfast to dinner. They had trails for both 4x2 and 4x4. The drive was mostly on the rough/mud/gravel roads or places with no roads. And some drive on the rocks too. It was an eventful and a fun filled day. I have few dashcam videos, will share it later.

The GY Wrangler AT tyres gave more confidence on these very rough and rocky terrain, especially since its more harder and the grip was better too.

Around 50 Jeeps were part of this event and there were multiple convoys. Here are few pics. The BJC admins did a great job in managing this crowd.

The event was kicked-off from Madhus Tyre Centre:

Some of the Jeeps lined up before the drive:

Rough terrain:

Refreshment time:

Going down the rock:

During another break. It was a hot day:

Lined up after dark:

Wheel alignment/balancing at Madhus and later at PPS:

During a recent drive to Mangalore, I went over a speed breaker at good speed. There was a loud thud noise and I was worried about potential damage. But, I didn’t feel any weirdness after that incident. Later when I got it checked at Madhus for wheel alignment/balancing, they said there is a variation in the front camber and this could be probably because of any damage to lower arm or its bushes:

After the Jeep off-road event, I got this checked at PPS, after checking the underbody they said that the lower arm has moved slightly. They got this corrected and then the alignment was done. I also got the air filter replaced as the next service is 5K Kms away and it looked very dusty:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The current policy is just 2 months old & I've already made a claim.

BHPian vattyboy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi, fellow BHPians.

I have just a 2-month-old comprehensive insurance policy for my Jeep Compass starting from 26 January 2023. Last month on 5 Feb 2023, it got damaged in an accident and because the policy was not of zero depreciation, I had to spend a huge amount of money on its repair (a total of 7 lakh bill and had to pay 3 lakhs)

Now, I want to buy a new policy with zero depreciation coverage so that next time my car is covered totally.

Now, I am confused and want your help.

1. Can I buy a new insurance policy with zero depreciation coverage without cancelling my current 2-month-old policy? So will there be an issue during the claim next time with my new policy?
2. Can I buy a new policy now and cancel the current policy later on (in 2-3 days)?
3. Can I cancel my current policy if I made a claim?
4. Will I get a refund if I cancel my current policy?

I just want to buy a new zero depp policy and don't want to get a few thousand bucks refund by cancelling the current policy. All I want is next time there should not be any issue in the claim settlement from the new policy.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

I don’t have an answer off hand but can you not call the existing insurer and offer to pay the difference to enhance your current policy to zero dep and ask them if that would be permitted?

Here's what BHPian kosjam had to say on the matter:

In addition to what Axe77 has mentioned, you cannot have 2 concurrent policies on the same vehicle. (Multiple policies are only possible on humans) Vehicles have a finite value, and no insurer would be interested in insuring partly.

Since insurance policies are now updated on a national portal, a new policy added against a particular registration number will automatically supersede the previous policy, whether it is current or not.

Here's what BHPian Ry_der had to say on the matter:

Sharing my experience which might help you.

In July 2022, I renewed my father's bike insurance through Acko/go digit (Do not remember exactly). The Fitness of the bike was going to expire in the month of Nov. 2022. When the RC renewal process was started, our agent informed my father that the renewed policy is not updated at Vahan Portal. So, Another policy was purchased and renewal was completed. Afterwards, I called up customer service of the previous insurer and informed them that I wish to cancel my existing policy. They asked for the reason and the new policy's copy and deducted some amount on a pro-rata basis. The remaining amount was refunded to me which was appx. 70 to 80% of the premium paid by me towards policy renewal.

So, yes, there is a way. You can get another policy with zero dep and cancel the existing one after issuance of the new policy. Better to confirm the same from the existing insurer to avoid any issues later on.

Here's the solution BHPian vattyboy found and shared with other enthusiasts:

UPDATE (SOLUTION FOUND)

I put a lot of effort into this matter and did a lot of research. I called every Insurance company's toll-free helpline and also contacted nearby insurance agents.

The answer is quite easy. You just have to buy New Insurance with suitable add-ons like Zero depp. Etc from a different company or the same company whatever you like and then inform the previous insurer to cancel the previous policy. The previous insurer also refunds the money according to how many days we have used it. When the previous policy is cancelled by the previous insurer then the new policy is updated automatically on the Vahan portal, if not then ask the current insurer to update it on the vahaan portal.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

At around 4,000 kms the DEF warning lights came on and the Jeep life app had also stopped updating. Got both done at the service centre.

BHPian AW1972 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My Jeep Compass:

It is almost a year since I bought my Jeep Compass.

• Variant : 2.0 Limited diesel manual 4x2
• Colour : Red
• Kms driven : 23,000.

History:

• My first car was a white Alto bought in 2003. Used it for 8 years about 97,000 kms.
• Second car was a used grey colour Swift diesel 2008 model bought in 2011. Odometer reading was 36,500 kms at the time of purchase and used it till 1,65,000 kms.
• Third car was again a used one. Fiat Linea mjd Emotion Tuscon Wine colour 2013 model bought in 2015. At the time of purchase it was used for just 6,500 kms. It has been my most exhilarating ride till date and still have it at 1,92,000 kms.
• Finally in March end 2022, booked Jeep Compass diesel manual. Got delivery in approx 10-12 days.

Ever since Jeep was introduced in India in 2017, I had my eyes on it, but my means did not permit. I did not consider any other SUV, nor did test dive any. Around mid of 2021, I decided to check out used Jeep compass. Why Used? – My past experiences with the used Swift and Linea were very good. For about 8 months I searched the used market, but could not find the right colour or variant or the condition. Moreover, the asking price was a bit too much. 2017/18 models asking price was in the range of 16-19 lakhs and driven around 35-50k kms. During a few of my car inspections, I took my wife along. She was Ok with whichever model I picked up. Then around Feb 2022, I took her to the showroom to see the new Jeep Compass. She was very impressed with the new interiors and the sun roof. The decision was made then to go for the new Compass. However, there some inhibitions regarding the price. A lot of people saying that it is overpriced. Before taking a final decision, went to check out the Tata Harrier. The top end manual was around 25 lakhs. Difference of around 3 lakhs. Harrier looks great on the outside, but the interiors were not as good as the compass.

The new Compass Limited variant was coming around 28 lakhs on road. This is what it exactly cost me:

• Ex-showroom price : 23,39,000/-
• TCS @ 1% : 23,390/-
• RTO + handling : 3,77,850/-
• Insurance : 53,599/-
• Extended warranty : 38,000/-
• TOTAL :28,31,839/-

There were no discounts offered and the only money I could save was from taking insurance independently. Since there was a chance of price increase from April, I made the Ex showroom payment on 29th March. Vin No. was provide on 1st April. Vehicle arrived on th April. Did PDI on 7th April at the showroom. Paid the balance RTO and handling charges. Got delivery on 9th April. Got the number plates fixed on 12th April. RC card received on 20th May.

Experience so far:

Showroom – Showroom experience has been good. Only issue was that we were made to wait for around 2 hours for the delivery. Seems the vehicle was getting washed and cleaned. I did not purchse any accessories from the showroom. Mud flaps and floor mats were purchased online.

Service centre – Nothing to complain about as such. The first inspection was scheduled at 1,500 kms. I had driven the jeep within 80-90 kmph for the intial 500 kms and later picked up to 100-110 kmph. Did a highway trip from Chennai to Bangalore and back. During the 1,500 kms inspection, I requested the service centre to change the engine oil. They said that change is only required at 15,000 kms. However, I insisted that since it is new engine and I would like to get the oil changed to get rid of any metal debris. Finally they agreed and charged me for the same. Next service was scheduled for 15,000 kms. However, I did another oil change at 6,500 kms and to my surprise found some metals shavings in the discarded oil.

At around 4,000 kms the DEF warning lights came on and the Jeep life app had also stopped updating. Got both done at the service centre. Had to leave the Jeep overnight for the Jeep life app. Ever since, DEF top up has been done at BP bunk.

15,000 km service cost me around 12K. Did the wheel alignment and balancing outside. The service centre charges around 2.5k, which is too high. Did not opt for the car washing, only inside cleaning. I was not happy with the quality of the wash at the time of taking delivery, hence opted out of it. Even when they clean the inside windshield, you can see streaks during night drive and had to clean it myself.

Likes & Dislikes:

• Good highway manners. Very stable at high speeds too, although I would rate it below my Linea.
• Excellent braking.
• Comfortable ride. I have done numerous 12-15 hour drives. Better than the Linea.
• Decent mileage – I get around 16-17 kmpl for consistently on hhighways at speed between 100- 120 kmph. City mileage is around 11 kmpl.The MID display of fuel efficiency is very accurate when compared with tank full to full method.
• Headlights – Decent. Could have been better. But an absolute nightmare in heavy fog. I think it’s a problem with all the modern day white lights.
• Infotainment – very good. Plays music for hours together, wired or wireless. No hanging issues.

The Jeep is at 23,000 kms and it has been wonderful till date. No issues so far. Hope it stays that way.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

By the time we finally purchased the Compass, there were 3 Ford EcoSports in our family.

BHPian knightfurry recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I’ve been lurking around the t-bhp forum for a very very long time. 13 years to be precise. Bought my Silver Tallboy (Ritz Vdi) after reading the review on T-bhp. I think it was the 1st official review.

I’m not a petrol (diesel) head but I love automobiles, and I love bikes and cars equally. It is more than a machine for me. I feel they live and breathe with us, they are our companions. I’m very particular about maintaining my vehicles and everyone in the family (including the all-powerful and supreme Wifey) is scared of using my cars, scooters or bikes.

From 2011 to 2017 Ritz served me well. The FIAT DDIS 1.2 was the best I could buy for my fresher's salary. I loved the car for its aerodynamic shape and roomy design. It was a love-it-or-hate shape.

THE UPGRADE

I was about to get married in the summer of 2017 and the family impromptu decided to upgrade my car along with my marital status. Out of all the options (read Brezza), we finalised Ecosport. We didn’t retire the tallboy yet and it served my brother for another 2 years before we bid him goodbye.

Why Ecosport? Well, it was love at first sight for both of us. During our courtship period with my then-girlfriend and now wife, we always hired Ecosport from Zoomcar for our trips in and around Bangalore. We wanted Ecosport for a long time but couldn’t afford it. Brezza didn’t feel anything different from Ritz. Ecosport aka WhiteFire is a driver's car in and out, definitely well built than puny Brezza (no offence to Brezza owners).

Likes

• Strong build
• Well put together cabin
• Black interiors
• Factory-fitted leather seats
• 6 airbags
• Reverse parking camera and touch screen infotainment
• Well-sorted dynamics and good high-speed manners
• Fuss-free and low cost of ownership

Dislikes

• Suspension. You can feel everything at low speeds
• No Android auto / Apple car play
• Front and rear armrest missing
• Tailgate opens on the wrong side

It was difficult to find an Ecosport in ready stock as the facelift was around the corner so dealers had very limited inventory. We finally found a diamond white Titanium (O) at Talera Ford. Immediately booked, got the loan process done and the vehicle was home within 3 days. I have very special memories with this car. Got my wife home and this is our baby’s 1st car too. It took good care of us and carried us wherever we wanted to go. It is still in very good shape and it can last for another 10-15 years for sure.

FAUDA - December 2018 - Bangalore

Jeep Compass was launched in the month of August 2017. We loved the design but didn’t think of it much as we had just got Ecosport in April + it was way out of budget. In mid-2018 Jeep launched Limited Plus and oh boy! We (I & wife) fell head over heels. We were seriously thinking of buying it. We approached PPS Jeep, Bangalore (oh yes we had shifted from Pune to Bangalore soon after marriage) and they were kind enough to get the vehicle from Hosur Road to Bellandur.

Jeep dealerships have one of the best sales guys. We test drove the Manual Diesel in Bangalore rush hours and that's when we realised, WE NEED AN AUTOMATIC. An auto would also be easy for wifey to drive around. We tried Petrol Auto and I wasn’t particularly impressed with the engine + I was unsure about the DCT gearbox’s reliability. A few months later PPS SA called to inform about the launch of Trailhawk in Diesel auto avatar. I was crazy excited and nervous. I wasn't able to sleep at night and every minute felt like a burden. All this anxiety, and excitement were shattered when Jeep announced the pricing.

No way we could afford it and it had some glaring omissions. I was so upset with Jeep that I wrote a very nasty email to their top management for putting out an unrealistic product. They were killing a very desirable product with a very poor lineup. Few days after recovering from my heartache we closed the Jeep topic for good.

Fauda - June 2019 - Pune

My Father in Law was looking to upgrade from his i20 to an automatic. He wasn’t sure which vehicle or class he wanted. We tried everything from 3 Big Germans to Hyundai to Mini. Around the same time, Kia launched SELTOS and it looked like a value-for-money product. There was a crazy rush once the vehicles arrived in the showroom. We didn’t like the HT (top-end variant of diesel auto at launch I guess). Kia was quick to launch HTX within a month and after the madness subsided we took a proper long test drive. Although it was a good package we decided against buying it, reasons if you may ask?

• The suspensions maxed out easily on full load.
• Jack of all trades, master of none.
• Not so impressive safety ratings.
• Too many copies on the road.

While returning from Kia’s showroom we decided to ‘peep’ in the Jeep showroom which was on the way home. By this time my Father in Law was clear he wanted a petrol automatic with all bells and whistles, a safe car with minimum tantrums and a service centre within 5-7 kms from his house.

We test drove the Compass Petrol Auto and he felt the performance was adequate for his usage. Build quality and rest was impressive in the limited plus variant. We had our apprehension regarding the engine + DCT combo. After a lot of discussions and a parking test we booked a Limited Plus petrol auto. That night my father-in-law saw a lot of videos, and read tons of stuff and the next morning he cancelled. We finally bought Ecosport Petrol Auto. Sasta, Sundar, Tikau.

LHS is my Ecosport and RHS is my FIL's Ecosport

Fauda - September- 2019

Remember our Tallboy? It was with my brother and had started showing signs of ageing. With 1.5L on odo he didn’t want to stretch the car any further in the meantime he got a good hike too. Ritz had zero airbags, no ABS and so safety was another concern. He was looking for an upgrade and we zeroed down on Nexon. Just then we started seeing spy shots of facelift Nexon and decided against Nexon.

Enter - Jeep Compass! Since he was tight on the budget we zeroed down on the Sport variant. At 18L it was devoid of any creature comforts and the small 5-inch touch screen made matters worse. Out goes the Jeep compass, comes in Ecosport S Diesel Manual.

With 3 hit and miss Compass was written off as unreachable. All our cars were now safe, updated and good for another 5 years.

THE COMPASS SAGA

2020-2021 were uneventful. All of us were in Pune and all Ecosports were doing well. After Ford announced its exit we tried to get our hands on Endy but most of them were sold out. Dealers were quoting well above the average price on the few that were in stock with them. I also stopped servicing whitefire after horrible experiences at Talera as well as Shivalik Ford.

My WhiteFire’s odo at the end of 2022 stood at 75K and it was up for some major repairs. Replaced the following parts at my Brother-in-Law’s garage:

• Steering rack replaced
• Engine mounts
• Gearbox mounts
• Front Shocks bushing
• Battery

We had no plans to let WhiteFire go as it was in good shape and with the above repairs it was back in all its glory. We did a couple of long drives after Covid restrictions eased down. Longest after Covid was Pune - Bengaluru - Madhurai - Kodai - Bengaluru - Pune.

Since Covid had disappeared, by mid of 2022 my wife got called back to her office. In between, I had quit my job and started my own business in Pune so this time she was going to shift alone with my 4 years old son. 2022 saw Bengaluru drowning in rains and we heard / saw all sorts of horror stories. This is when we decided to buy a car for my wife. She had three main criteria:

• SUV
• Safe
• Auto

Good to have was a sizeable upgrade from Ecosport

After some research, we found none of the cars in C-SUV / neo SUV had good Diesel auto options. We steered clear from Kushaq due to 1000s of quality and failure issues reported by our members. We liked the Nexon EV Max but the rear seat comfort was disappointing. Also since it was going to be the only car in Bengaluru we thought of holding on to Petrol / Diesel for anxiety-free long drives.

Almost all cars felt dated compared to Ecosport nor did it feel like a significant upgrade. We test-drove the following:

• Nexon EV Max. - good vehicle with permanent range anxiety.
• Harrier - we could have bought it if the steering was lighter. Wifey, a 1st-time driver, felt it was too huge for her comfort. Harrier also felt a bit dated and many essential missing features like 360 cameras, led projector headlights and Infotainment system was a huge turn-off. My 2017 Ecosport has a better touch screen. Inconsistent fit and finish was also another issue.
• C5 AirCross - we came out with a huge smile on our faces after driving it on a bad patch of road. The engine gearbox combo was perfect but the interiors were B O R I N G. The car felt dated and we were ready to adjust but the pricing was way off. We dropped C5.
• XUV 7OO - didn’t want it / didn’t like it but had to check it out due to social pressure. Family and friends would have shamed us for not even checking it out.
• Thar - we flirted with the idea for a couple of hours and then came back to our senses.
• Tucson (pre facelift) : It was ok and that’s it.

Y. O. L. O.

Compass launched a facelift 2021 and I was glued to the YouTube channel for its launch presentation. I loved the looks and oh boy the interiors looked and felt like a proper luxury car. Jeep had thrown everything they could think of in the Compass. It looked much better and the S variant was properly loaded and most important it had black interiors. To my disappointment they didn’t launch a 4X2 version in Diesel auto nor did they upgrade the petrol mill. The pricing screamed premium!

We took a test drive at PPS Jeep HSR, full marks to PPS guys. They were very courteous and arranged a very well-maintained S Diesel AT. We saw the pricing and it was…I don’t know how to explain it. I even contemplated selling my kidney. Premium pricing + Coupled with high road tax in Karnataka made it a really expensive proposition. We decided to check the prices in Pune and still the pricing was eye-watering. My Father-in-Law shot down our plans to break some FDs and then (drumroll) enter pricing with BH registration. It felt so much more affordable!

After multiple discussions regarding colours and personally checking it out at a dealer stockyard we decided to go with Minimal Grey S 4X4. After 2-3 rounds of negotiations with the dealer, they only offered to waive the PDI/Handling charges and match the insurance quote. That’s it! No accessories free, not even matting or mudflaps.

We immediately booked and started to look for financing options. Some offered fixed and some floating. Thank God we went with a fixed interest rate from SBI. Now the disadvantage of going with Government Banks is they take a lot of time and require tons of documents. Since I had a business, the list of documents kept on increasing. This dealer wanted us to bill the vehicle by month's end which wasn’t possible as SBI started the approval process on 28th of July @ 8:30 pm.

When I went to sign the agreement on 02/08/2022 I saw they had revised the quote, added 15K of PDI which they had initially ‘discounted’ and submitted it to the bank without informing me. I was really furious and came back home without signing the agreement with the bank. We decided to cancel the booking with this dealer. We started toying with the idea of getting the vehicle from a showroom in Mumbai.

To my utter disappointment, they were the worst! SA wasn’t interested in selling and they were not ready to match any insurance quote too! Around the same time, my friend who stays in Kankavli (Sindhdurg) got his Compass from Aaron Jeep, Kolhapur. Got the manager’s number and with my friend’s reference got a handsome discount on the vehicle + tons of free Mopar accessories + discount on extended warranty too. We sent them the complete down payment on the same day and came to an agreement to make the remaining payment post-PDI.

There was a lot of drama in between with the dealer adamant on us paying 50% of the ex-showroom as advance but writing about it will extend this already long post. After a couple of trips to Kolhapur and 5 cups of tea, they agreed to balance payment once the PDI is complete.

15 days after booking our silver hawk arrived. Except for some paint defects in the bonnet which I let go, the vehicle cleared all the points in the team bhp checklist. We asked the bank to disburse the remaining payment. 4 days after that we got our Silver Hawk. Since our baby fell ill the previous night, everyone in the family dropped out of travelling to Kolhapur. Me and wifey took an early morning state transport bus from Pune to Kolhpaur. It was raining cats and dogs so we had to cut our delivery ceremony short. We took the delivery and drove straight to Mahalaxmi temple and then to Pune.

And this is how we bought the Jeep Compass.

Observations and overall experience

Compass is the true successor of Ecopsort, I wish Ford instead of exiting India got some of their global products. Fords are truly built to last.

We love the car! Highway is where Compass feels truly at home. The car is very calm and composed even at maddening triple-digit speeds. Suspension setup is amazing without any lateral movements. We have covered 15,000 kms till date (August to March) and have done multiple long trips.

• Pune - Bangalore - Pune - thrice
• Pune - Bangalore - Kozhikode - Bangalore - Pune
• Pune - Baroda - Pune

Since many points have been discussed already in various threads, I will refrain from writing any sort of review. Compass till now has been very reliable with no breakdowns or any squeaking sounds from the interiors.

Thank you Bhpians for reading this long write-up. I'll post a few more updates and experiences regarding service and places we have travelled to.

Signing off with some pics of our silver hawk.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

When I need to travel within the city & our Jeep Compass is unavailable, I take a cab but lately, I've been facing multiple issues with Uber/Ola.

BHPian aayusht recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi everyone

I am exploring whether I should buy a beater car or not (and if yes, which option). I could use a few suggestions from this community. My wife and I currently have a Jeep Compass Petrol Automatic for about 1.5 years now and are very happy with it. She drives to work 3-4 days a week, and the remaining weekdays I drive to work (1-2 /week). At weekends we mostly travel together.

Whenever I need to travel within the city and the Jeep is not available, I take Uber/Ola and if I am able to preplan, I prefer BluSmart. However, lately, I have been facing frequent issues with Uber/Ola and it gets frustrating. I know it's not a new trend and social media is plagued with complaints about Uber/Ola. I had almost stopped using Uber/Ola because of the poor conditions of the cars, the driver behaviour and their whimsical cancellation requests, often high wait time and at times the atrocious prices for short distances.

I have done a rough assessment and financially it does not make sense to buy a new or used car, given that the usage will be very low. Uber/Ola/Blusmart will turn out to be cheaper. However, the above-listed issues sometimes just boil your blood and financial logic gives way to preferences for convenience.

I wouldn't mind buying a bicycle for short distances, however staying in Gurgaon, I can confirm that the dust and bad traffic sense will really discourage you from riding bicycles on the roads.

I am eligible for a car lease program from my office but don't want to commit to the cash outflow (or another loan).

Constraints & requirements

• Usage is less than 300KM/month; I just need the car for running errands, and go for playing tennis, all within 5 KM from my home, and for barely 3-4 days a week.
• Budget < 3.5/4 Lacs (lower, the better); I already have a loan for the Jeep Compass and my house.
• Petrol (Delhi NCR 15-year rule). will prefer to use the beater for as long as possible.
• Wife is against manual since she says she won't be comfortable driving a manual now that she is used to automatic. However she and I have driven manual cars all our life and since it's a car for running errands, and going for tennis, I believe I will be the only one using it. Manual options fit my budget.
• Not worried about fuel efficiency, but need the car to be mechanically sound.
• I strongly prefer a car with decent suspension but might need to stretch my budget.
• Wife and I have decided to not go for 2-wheelers - never ridden in our life nor does it make sense in Gurgaon's dust-filled and poor traffic-infested roads.
• Used EVs (such as that of Bhpian SS-Traveller) seem interesting but there are charging limitations in our society. However not dismissing such options.
• If we end up with a used car, then will prefer to buy from someone we know (directly or indirectly or via Team-Bhp) or from reliable(ish) used car brands. Don't want to go via OLX. Recently someone I know bought a Jeep Compass Petrol from Spinny and was happy with the experience.

Options being explored

• 2016 Tata Tiago XZ petrol manual; has served my dad without any headaches in the last 7 years and easily fits in my budget. Problem - it's a manual and my wife is not comfortable with manual. I have driven the car and think it's just right for my requirements. Estimated price 4.2Lacs as per online valuation.
• 2013 VW Polo Trendline manual for about 3.5Lacs being sold by an acquaintance. I have not seen the car but I am told it is maintained fairly alright. I like the Polo but it's almost 10 years old now and my wife is against Manual.
• Spinny; came across a 2015 Alto automatic for 3.12Lacs; I am not keen on an Alto since the suspension is poor. I don't mind the AMT (not a fan of AMT, but need to look at the budget).

What options have I not explored?

Thanks to Bhpian Ninjatalli who patiently listened to me crib today and helped me explore a few options and direct me to some of the interesting threads.

Here's what BHPian Aroy had to say about the matter:

As there is the 10/15 year rule in NCR, second-hand cars will have limited road life.

I have an Alto K10 and its run is less than 1000 km/year (20k in 13 years) which I use for short-distance travel - markets, friends etc.

Get a new K10 and enjoy it for the next 15 years. In the past 13 years, I have rarely faced any problems. The tyres lasted 10 years so I am on the second set. Battery changed twice and brake pads once. The service costs are less than 3K from MASS (includes oil, fluids, washing etc)

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

When I'm pressing the clutch in first gear quickly after taking foot off the accelerator I'm hearing a loud metallic clunk sound.

BHPian nvt2090 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I recently bought a used compass 4x4 MT Diesel 2017 mfd, last month clutch and flywheel was replaced.
When I'm pressing the clutch in first gear quickly after taking foot off the accelerator I'm hearing a loud metallic clunk sound. When I'm pressing the clutch gradually without taking my foot entirely off the accelerator there is no sound.

Checked with technicians in psp jeep Bangalore, they are saying "it's normal all Jeeps have it , it's due to the torque from the 1st gear and the dmf is making the sound , i have to gradually press the clutch." They also told the engine mounts are fine. Also opened up the clutch and re torqued the flywheel and clutch on my request. Not sure since I never had issues with other cars. First time using a jeep compass and engine with high torque.

Here's the video of the sound

Video when did a check from code6

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan had to say on the matter:

Ask them to check the propeller shaft couplings and the front and rear differentials once.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Will be driving our Jeep Compass diesel throughout the journey.

BHPian Tipsy rovers recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all, we are planning a trip from Jammu to Kerala and maybe a bit of Tamil Nadu and back.

Proposed route plan:

• Jammu - Chandigarh (some personal work there)
• Chandigarh - Jhansi
• Jhansi - Nagpur
• Nagpur - Hyderabad
• Hyderabad - Bangalore
• Bangalore - Munnar
• Return via Goa - Mumbai - Udaipur - Jaipur.

Any suggestions or tips are welcome.

We will be travelling in our Jeep Compass Limited diesel manual; our four-and-a-half-year-old daughter will be travelling alone. We have about 30 days in hand and plan to travel from 18th March onwards.

Thanks!

Here's what BHPian raptor_diwan had to say on the matter:

Congrats on your big trip, buddy! Instead of taking the Hyderabad to Bangalore route, you can take a detour through Tamil Nadu by going from Hyderabad to Chennai via Pondicherry, which will give you the chance to touch another state. From there, you can head to Munnar and visit some hill stations in Chennai along the way, such as Kodaikanal. If you're interested in temple buildings and structures, the temple city can also be touched.

On your return journey, you can take the Bangalore-Goa route and cover three states in one go!

4-and-a-half-year-old daughter on a 30-day road trip may be safe and enjoyable if you plan well and take the necessary precautions. Additionally, you may want to plan frequent stops and breaks during the trip to allow your child to stretch, play, and attend to their needs. If required consult with your paediatrician before embarking on such a journey to ensure that your child is healthy and safe to travel.

Here's what BHPian chandrda had to say on the matter:

Congrats and All the Best on your journey.

Few Points:

1. It will be extremely hot in places. Prepare well.
2. List of Pediatrician in the cities you will be visiting
3. Plan for Break/rest days in between
4. On the South Leg - I would do Hyderabad - Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Pondy - Tirchy or Madurai - Thekkady/Munnar. This way you get to cover some parts of TN and Pondy as well.

South Return Leg - Depending on your interest and time you can do several routes:

• Thekkady/Munnar - Cochin - Kozhikode - Mangalore - Udupi - Gokarna - Goa. This will be mostly a coastal road with some stunning scenery. But you will miss Bangalore
• Thekkady/Munnar - Coimbatore - Coonoor - Ooty - Mysore - Bangalore - Gokarna - Karwar - Goa. You can cover Ooty and Mysore and excellent drive for your Compass
• Thekkady/Munnar - Coimbatore - Bhavani - Salem - Hosur - Bangalore. Boring highway, with nothing much to do

Depending on where you will stay in Munnar and if you plan to visit Thekkady, then the route will change accordingly.

Here's what BHPian matchvan had to say on the matter:

Greetings,

Kudos on deciding on a pan-India trip. My 2 cents:

I will address the way to do Hyderabad - Bengaluru section, in a true BHPian style.

Hyderabad to Chennai/Pondicherry - Beach stop for 1 night.

From Pondicherry via Villupuram, Trichy reaches Madurai - Temple stops for 1 night.

You have option of Kodaikanal/ Munnar.

From Madurai, you can go to Munnar - 1 night stop.

From Munnar, you can go to Ooty via Udumalpet, Coimbatore - 1 night at Ooty.

From Ooty, you can add Masinagudi or the Bandipur ghat ride to reach Mysore - 1 night at Mysuru.

From Mysuru reach Bengaluru -

Plan your return from here.

Roads in these parts are excellent with numerous food stops and this can be done in 6 to 8 days.

I have done this in 2 parts with my daughter and wife.

You will have a nice time exploring.

Drive Safe.

Here's what BHPian kovilkalai had to say on the matter:

I would agree with the suggestion that you drive through TN on the way down and up the Malabar coast on the way back. Here are a few suggestions:

1. When I was planning my cross-country drive, I heard from several people that Chandigarh to Jhansi may be tough for one day. Too many cities to drive around and some stretches of undivided, busy roads. This is a really long 700+ km
2. Instead of stopping at Nagpur, stop at Tadoba. You may be able to squeeze in a morning safari before you head on. Who says you can't see a few things during a marathon drive
3. Here is an itinerary for TN. Stay in Chennai or Mahabalipuram after you drive in from Hyderabad. Chennai/Mahabs -> Pondicherry (via ECR) -> Pichavaram Mangrove forest (do the boat ride) -> Tranquebar. You can stay here. The next day, drive to Rameswaram/Dhanushkodi via Velankanni. The beaches on the mainland near Rameswaram are great and there are places to do snorkelling or take a glass-bottom boat to see some corals. From Rameswaram, you can go to Kanyakumari along the TN coast.
4. From Kanyakumari, you can drive to Munnar. On the way back north, drive up the Malabar coast. The drive will be slow until you get to Mangalore, but there are a lot of wonderful stops along the way. Consider a houseboat ride in Kumarakom (or near Bekal). Also check out Fort Kochi, Bekal, Malpe and Gokarna on the way to Goa.
5. I chose to stop in Dungarpur in Rajasthan instead of Udaipur. The palace of the erstwhile prince there was great and definitely more affordable than any of the fancy hotels in Udaipur (not to mention less crowded)
6. If you are spending this much time in the south, I hope you are okay eating south Indian food for lunch. You can find dhabas along major highways, but if you are driving down the East Coast Road in TN, you will have to deal with south Indian meals. Stopping at Pondicherry for lunch is a good idea (great restaurants), but it gets a little dicey after that. Don't get me wrong... the food is good as long as you are fine with rice, sambar and rasam. I am not a big fan of highway food in Kerala, but it gets better in Karnataka. Stop in Kundapur and Karwar for lunch.
7. You will notice that I am not recommending Bangalore. Don't drive through Bangalore. It is horrible. I live here.

One more recommendation... If you plan on doing 11-13 hour marathon stretches, make sure you have expressways or divided highways for most of that time. Doing 11-13 hours on undivided highways is asking for trouble. Take more stops. So what if you take a few more days? This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Do it with less stress

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Looking at the Compass parked next to the lake gave me a sense of utter satisfaction. We had made this trip and this was by far the most challenging and grisly drive since we bought it.

BHPian shashrash recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello and a Very Happy Holi to you all,

Super thrilled to be a part of this community and it will be my first post to share and I will be little greedy and take this opportunity to also share something I cherished and completed during the last winters.

Little about myself:

I am based off Bangalore, married, have 3 kids (4 legged ones with a tail) and I will call myself a kid within who is as enthusiastic and eager about cars and bikes as a 10 year old would be. I had been an avid driver/rider, very fond of long distance travel, whenever time allows.

I have been riding/driving for 25 yrs now.

Currently, I have a Jeep Compass Ltd diesel, 2022 MY to cater my 4 wheeler duties. Alongside, I have my hooters, an Aprilia RSV4, a Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and the very reliable, a Honda CBR250RR, who all, completes my garage.

Hopping back to my story telling.

This trip of mine had been long overdue now and today I decided to spare and spend some time to give it some words. Its one of the most exhilarating and exciting road trips that I have made recently. I was also able to meet some very exciting people, make new friends and took away wonderful memories of this lovely part of our country.

The trip planned was from Bangalore to Sikkim, with stops at Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata, Siliguri. My return journey was to my hometown, Delhi and further to Jaipur. Once back, we had planned to stay at Jaipur for another short halt and return to Bangalore eventually.

Car driven – Jeep Compass diesel 2.0 MT:

*Nowhere throughout the journey, the car was driven above 120 kmph, also due to the speed limit buzzer, which helped me to keep my right foot under check throughout. On an average, I tried to maintain between 100 – 110 kmph. Also, I am not someone who keeps a track of mileage and average on trips, so I was able to note from the instrument console, an average of ~17 kmpl, give and take throughout.

The Itinerary:

Day 1, November 19th:

Bangalore(Whitefield) – Vizag(Treebo Trend Sriz Cozy Seethamadhara), ~ 1006 kms

Bangalore > Vellore > Tirupati > Nellore > Guntur > Vijayawada > Kakinada > Vizag

Pit stop at Shell, Whitefield, and important supplies for the long trip:

Stay at – Treebo Trend Sriz Cozy Seethamadhara

The route is quite well laid and without any major diversions, discomfort and issues. Started very early in the morning from Whitefield, 5 AM and was able to manage to check in at Vizag at 8 PM IST.
The overall route as shared is the best one to my experience and should work for other travelers if planning without any issues.

Spent the evening at RK Beach, nice weather, cool breeze and lot of hawkers to munch upon:

Day 2:

Spent local, roaming around and catching up with some friends.

Day 3, November 21st:

Vizag(Treebo Trend Sriz Cozy Seethamadhara) – Kolkata, ~880 kms

Vizag > Srikakulam > Brahmapur > Bhubaneshwar > Cuttack > Balasore > Belda > Kharagpur > Kolaghat > Howrah > Kolkata

The roads, I must admit were little trying, especially as soon as I entered West Bengal. They do not appear to be as fluent as that in Orissa or Andhra Pradesh especially in the border areas. There were large stretches where the widening of the highway task was going on and hence one can observe, many speed breakers and diversions. Another thing that I immediately noticed was that the border checks were strict while entering and exiting WB and huge queue of heavy vehicles an Orissa WB Border, Sonakania (Laxmannath Toll Plaza). One must be careful to not get stuck within the traffic of heavy vehicles enroute.

Another key thing to remember while we are driving in Orissa State NH is to keep a tap on your speed that your are doing. I was alarmed purposefully about this in advance as there are several speed traps/cameras on NH monitoring the limit of 80kmph. This feels too slow for the quality of highways you find but still, one must keep calm and not get carried away.

Beautiful roads on the way from Vizag:

At Kolkata, I stayed at a friend's, Arnab's, place who is settled at Ruby Park.

The original plan was to meet up with my friend at Debra Toll Plaza. As this was a good excuse for him also to hit out for some drive and have some fun outside the city. However, we could not meet at the set location and later planned to meet up at Azad Hind Dhaba at BP, Uluberia.

The much needed Chai at Azad Hind Dhaba, life savior no matter what.

Day 3 – Day 7, November 21st – 25th:

Stayed at Kolkata, enjoying the amazing history, heritage, and yummiest food that you can ever have. Thanks to Arnab, who took pain in showing me around even on working days, and helped me experience this city like never before. This was my first time to Kolkata and was a journey down the memory lane and history for me.

On one side, visiting places like Victoria Memorial, Fort William took me back to the rich history that is associated with our Pre Independence era, and on the other hand likes of Howrah Bridge, Prinsep Ghats, took me to journey of all those locations which I had only seen and heard of in movies and songs.

This is not all, I think, it goes without saying, roaming around Park Street, relishing the street side eateries, College street, Chowringhee, Central Park and many others was pure bliss and satisfying. For Also for foodies, please do enjoy, Mocambo Restaurant, Peter Cat, Arsalan’s Biryanis, and late night Balwant Singh Dhabas Awesome Chai.

Day 8 , November 26th:

Kolkata – Silguri, ~ 580kms

Kolkata > Baranagar > Dankuni > Delhi Road > STKKRd/SH6 > Krishnanagar > Berhampore > Farakka > Malda > Raiganj > Islampur > Bagdora > Siliguri
Via NH12/SH6/NH27

I stayed at my brother’s place who is posted in Siliguri.

As I had been driving ~1000 kms in a day to cover earlier parts of my trip, the numbers baffle me as to how this 600 kms distance can take close up to 15hrs of travel. And to my surprise, this was actually the most tiring stretch that we had to cover. Especially the Farakka Bridge had its own share of pain staking tales. And I had no idea what I will encounter till I was there. The magnitude and size of the Ganga here is nothing that you will often see. It’s worth a sight to galore. The bridge was under a renovation phase, so the traffic is mostly allowed to proceed one way while the other side moves. This can eat into all your time that you may have covered otherwise. But other than this hurdle, rest of the journey was fine and nothing special or astonishing stands out.

Day 9 , November 27th:

Siliguri – Gangtok, ~ 115 kms

Stay at Airbnb - Zimchung 101

There are some amazing Airbnb homestays that we booked and stayed over at, so I will completely endorse the ideas of rather booking the local Airbnb homestays instead of going in for the hotels/lounges. They provide the best local ethnic experience, food and comfort of a home. This was just such an amazing stay. More you can find on my review for the space on the listing.

For our onward journey, beyond Gangtok, we required permits to complete our itinerary. For all Permits which are required, and documentation, can refer to this useful link from Govt Of Sikkim.

Please be mindful, for Nathula, permits are NOT issued for Monday and Tuesdays as there are some Military activities planned in those protected regions. Hence plan your travel sparing these 2 days from the week.
Also, try to mark your entry to all Restricted Zones as early as possible. The permit checkpoints will close ~12:00 Noon and you may have to return for some another day. Start early is the key here.

No pvt registered vehicles are allowed to Nathu La, so one has to book a taxi and travel. 2 wheelers, with proper permit can still travel on their own.

Since we came to know of this only post we reached Siliguri, via our agent, we have to make an early hr dash to Gangtok on 27th which was Sunday and wanted to cover the region the same day itself. We started around 4:30 AM in morning from Siliguri and were able to check in conveniently ~9:00 AM. So we were able to reach the destination on time.

Day 9 – Day 11 , November 27th – 29th:

Local stay in Gangtok, Sightseeing. Nathu La, Tsomgo Lake

Travel to Nathu La and Tsomgo Lake is pure bliss wrt scenic beauty. Roads are a mix of being great to no roads, but who’s bothered. You must be there to appreciate the love gods have showered over this region. This even aggregates for the entire Sikkim State and I am certainly short of words to elaborate. Fe pictures may not do justice, nonetheless.

Gangtok as a city is something I adored completely. The very care and compassion towards nature, keeping it clean, lovable is the essence of this city. The MG Marg is the hangout spot if you wish to step out. I will recommend, The Local Café, located on the same, which serves god send pies and cakes. It’s a small cozy café, and I wdnt want to step out once I grab a corner there. Totally a Fan now.

Since we had a couple of days, and the biker in my was tingling all the way, I cdnt stop myself than getting a rental Himalayan for a day. I guess, its something one should try as mobility locally is much easier instead of taking the car out every time.

We also opted to do a Paragliding is another attraction that we opted to do. They take you to the top of a cliff and you get to glide around for 10-15 mins, depending on the weather and wind. Worth it, if you wish to have a bird’s eye view of the city.

Day 11 , November 29th:

Gangtok – Lachung, ~120 kms

Gangtok > Mangan > Lachung, via Singtam – Chungthang Road.

**Important to note – There are 2 gas stations on your way to Lachung from Gangtok:

• Rang Rang BP
• Mangan Indian Oil

The Mangan gas station does not have the narrow nozzle which a few of the latest make vehicles require, like the Compass. So, if you want to refill and have a narrow fuel inlet, then make a stop at the Rang Rang BP station instead which falls before Mangan. This is also important as you will not find any more gas station on your way up North after Mangan, so plan this out in advance. The distance is not far from Lachung to Mangan/Rang Rang, but it’s a hassle to drive back all the way for a refill when you already passed the spot before.

There are several protected areas in each direction where in one require to acquire a permit to access. And the same reason why you will find several Army settlements throughout your journey, with no photography/videography allowed, due to understandable reasons.

Please be mindful of the defense conveys that keep moving for their errands throughout this stretch. The roads are not wide enough to breeze through and one has to be super patient to allow others to pass or get an opportunity to overtake themselves. So word of caution for everyone to be very very careful around the entire stretch of Gangtok to Lachung/Lachen and nearby places.

Stay at Airbnb - OurGuest Homestay, Lachung

Stay was at another amazingly beautiful Airbnb Homestay. And this house is literally the topmost spot in entire Lachung, which gives you a beautiful Sunrise/Sunset Photo Ops. You could also observe the Army choppers doing drills from there atop the valley. Its an amazing sight.

One thing I would have to call out for the entire Sikkimese people, they are one of the best hosts you will find. Their warmth, excitements and inclusion into their lives makes your home stay a treat. I was undergoing severely bad throat on this trip and I was helped at each and every stay we made. From doing some rare local herbs, to a solid Brandy + Herbs mix, I had it all. Great hospitality and people all around.
For the dog lovers, this stay has Rocky, who is the boss of the town. He is super adorable, friendly dog, who owns this part of the hill. We are a dog lover, and it was a beautiful add on to our comfortable stay.
The reach to the stay, is further up the climb through, little patchy broken road, atop the village and there is a DRDO Guest house also located few mtrs ahead, before the road hits a dead end. Its quite literally the most private road you will find here. But the view is awesome !!!

Day 12, November 30th:

Lachung – Yumthang Valley – Zero Point, ~50kms one way.

Start early, again, as called out before. The Permit Checkposts will close ~12 PM, also, the sun starts setting up pretty quickly and temperature dips faster than you will thing. I would suggest visiting these places in morning bright sunlight as those are the best photo op times to capture. Also, if you stay there longer, there are small tapris, which serve the typical Maggie, chai, coffee and some beverages, start closing.
One thing that locals shared as a valuable tip is to not have items like Maggie, Alcohol/Spirited drinks at such higher altitudes. They rather advised to carry corn-flour, and if you feel dizziness or difficulty in breathing, have the corn-flour mixed with hot water. Consumables like spirited drinks, maida will make your travel more uncomfortable with the bowl movement and all. See if this tip helps you guys out.
The roads to Yumthang and to Zero Point, are a mix of all sort of terrain one can throw. Properly laid to no roads at all. And this stretch justifies as to why the permits are not provided to sedans and hatchbacks. Terrain can be harsh, be very patient, and just dont get inspired by the local taxies, who run their Boleros, Armadas and Scorpios like a ship. They know this terrain a lot better that you do and are more prepared to handle the brutality.

Driving my Compass so far on this trip had been an absolute pleasure, with whatever kind of roads we encountered since I left from Banglore. But this part testifies the capability of this awesome machine. Till this far, I nowhere missed the 4x4 capability of the car and I reckon, if you are careful, and slightly patient, you should be able to complete this circuit in your 4x2 front wheel drive SUV with ease. I have no complaints about how capable Jeep Compass is in its 4x2 avatar, I know things will be different when we get to matter of Snow and intense Offroading, but for my driving endeavors, it checks in all boxes.

Day 13, December 1st:

Lachung - Lachen, ~50 kms, Via Lachen Road.

Stay at Airbnb - OurGuest Lhakhim Homestay, Lachen

Nothing new to add, as the stay was another beautiful family, with lots of warmth and welcome. Lachung appears bigger in size or from the sight of development, as there are some nicely built cozy cafes and home stays in Lachung where you can spend your evenings. Lachen on the other hand appears smaller, less buzzing with cafes and hotels but nothing taken away from its typical Himalayan village charm.

The dishes cooked and served at all these homestays is the yummiest you will have in the entire trip. My Dilli wali taste buds were completely satisfied throughout my journey, without having any Butter Chicken or Tandoori to add. If you are a foodie, try their local servings, they are super delicious.

Day 13, December 1st:

Lachen > Gurudongmar Lake, ~70 kms, Via Gurudongmar Road

We planned to continue our journey to Gurudongmar lake on the same day we checked in. So we left the luggage at the stay and carried on to Gurudongmar lake.

The roads here are quite challenging, single lane. These are mostly under BRO maintenance and during this stretch, you will encounter numerous outposts, barracks and defense settlements, where photography and videography are not allowed for understandable security reasons. The BRO’s were at task to re-do a considerable stretch of this distance between Lachen to Gurudongmar lake and take my words for it, there is just nothing to drive upon at few sections. We had an opportunity to carry one of the Jawans from Lachen till one of the outposts. And we happen to talk some on our way. The Jawaan was in BRO, tasked to maintain the roads for the oncoming winters. I observed that their repair work was only been done on one half of the road while the other half was left all untouched and rocky to say the least. On asking, why, the jawan explained, that side will not be worked upon as that is the route for the tanks. And that made complete sense. If they let run the Tanks on the tarmac roads, the roads will be in tatters in just no time. So, to give them their natural habitat, half of the road will not be worked upon. This was amazing to know and by any means, this is not a comfortable life for all of these Jawaans and Officers deputed there. My Salute to each one of you out there. This is enormous service to the Nation.

Well we continued in our tank, and last 12-13 kms before Gurudongmar lake is just fantastic wrt everything nature offers. The roads are beautifully done, though single lane, open vast Ladakhi landscape, all stones and shades of it. Its so much fun to drive on this stretch and I just loved it.

And then you make a right turn at one of the check posts into the nearby hills. There are no proper board, direction markers there and one can easily miss this turn and continue going straight. So just keep an eye out.

This reach from the road and then you climb up the hill is again a proper offroad stretch, as there is no proper road or trail made. You can see the clouds of dust and continue following in the same direction, up the hill.

Gurudongmar Lake:

Once at the hilltop, and you will have the view of one of the most amazing sight of your life. The Gurdongmar Lake, shines, like a diamond, under bright sunlight and its water is as pure and crystal and pious as Gangotri in Himalayas. This is just beautiful and all the memories of the treacherous drive, bad roads, rocks n stones you passed on your way, will be gone in a puff.

There is a lot on internet to search and read about the lake, so not delving into the details there.

However, looking at the Compass, parked next to the lake, gave me a sense of utter satisfaction and wholesomeness. We had made this trip and this was by far the most challenging and grisly drive since the time this baby had come home in March on 2022.

Parikrama, or walk around the Gurudongmar lake is once in your lifetime moment. As we were told, if you do 3, in your lifetime, you are closest to pay your homage to the Gods. We cdnt honestly as its huge and we were all busy with the pictures and all.

There is a pleasing calm, and the sound of wind breeze makes this walk divine. You can also hear ice breaking and joining under temperature variations. It sounds like a Sci Fi messages, coming in from distant galaxies . Sit next to the lake and just hear it out. Quite phenomenal.

Day 14, December 2nd:

Lachen - Kewzing, Via Singtham – Chungthang Road, NH510, ~150 kms.

Lachen > Chungthang > Mangan > Rangrang > Singtam Teesta Bridge > Ravangla > Kewzing

Word of extreme caution, NH510 may sound like a National Highway, but its nothing better than the path for the Tanks that we encountered on way to Gurudongmar lake.

Its in such a terrible state with traffic both ways that its horrifying by any standards of an NH. I am not sure if this is like this for how ling, but, Jaypee are coming up with a 490MW hydroelectric power plant under construction by NHPC LTD and it has messed up this stretch.

Not restricted here, NH510 is in terrible state, in patches ahead as well, so this will really leave you with a bitter taste when it comes to pleasurable driving.

The stretch from Teesta River Bridge, Singtam, till Ravangla will be a mix of great to no roads, and since it’s a NH, it caters to heavy traffic, both ways around which adds to the slow movement.

You will also encounter sections of NH710, which is a stark contrast to NH510. Broader, better and faster, but this pleasure is short-lived.

Stay t Airbnb – Mountain View 2,Sosing Homestay, Kewzing, Ravangla

Take my words for it, this is the place you surely want to spend atleast a couple of nights. This house is right at the edge of the cliff, has astounding view on 3 of its sides. All our fatigue, frustration was taken away in a flash as soon as you park your car and step out. We got late due to bad patches on our way so I could capture only the last few glimpses of the golden peaks sparkling under the fading sunlight. This is everything I wanted to from a photographer’s need. I will be honest when I say I immediately declared my unwillingness to go anywhere else, but just to remain there, in my front yard, few ft away from my cottage, and enjoy this special special spectacle. The snowcapped Himalayas, uninterrupted view, of Ravangla Buddah Park never ending landscape are the star here.

The family who owns the house are again a fabulous host, making your stay as pleasant as possible. I am not just preaching about any of the stays we stayed throughout, but for a person like me who thrives to mingle with the locals, talk about their experience, stories and share some from my end, all these locations had been the highlight of our entire journey.

Day 14 – Day 17, December 2nd – 5th:

Stay at Kewzing, visit local attractions, Buddha Park in Ravangla, and some other explorations.

Day 17, December 5th:

Kewzing - Behrampore, Via NH12, ~ 510 kms

Return leg back to Kolkata had a halt at Berhampore.

Stay at The Golder Retreat, one of the premium hotels in the city, not very far away from the main Highway. Our experience was very comfortable, and it can be a great option to stay almost midway in Berhampore.

Day 18, December 6th:

Berhampore > Kolkata, Via NH12/STKK/SH6, ~220 kms

Berhampore > Krishnagar > Hematpur > Kalna > Amodghata > Dankuni > Baranagar > Kolkata

The route return, was again picked up avoiding NH 12 which is in quite bad state with repair works and though may appear shorter in distance, will consume a lot more time with bad road conditions.

Day 18 – Day 21, December 6th – 9th:

Kolkata and local.

Again, continuing enjoying the hospitality and cherish the flavors of the City of Joy. Loved every outing and moment spent during this time and met some super awesome people as well during this entire stay. Will love to visit again some time in future for sure.

Day 22, December 10th:

Kolkata - Lucknow, Via NH19/Purvanchal Expressway, ~1020 kms

Kolkata > Durgapur > Asansol > Dhanbad > Aurangabad > Nasriganj > Bikramganj > Nawanagar > Bhojpur > Buxar > Fakhanpura (Exit to Purvanchal Expressway) > Azamgarh > Lucknow

Purvanchal Expressway is the star throughout this route. This is, and NHs like this are a boon for us making long distance highway mile munches. One we took the exit to Purvanchal Expressway, it was much relaxing and suitable drive. And you wish to have better highways, comfortable to drive and relaxing, which you already had been on road for so many days. One deserves an easy drive when the sun is setting at the horizon.

Stay at Treebo Trend Sunrise By City Culture, Swatika City Ahmamau

Only idea was to stay as close and outside as possible from the city, that makes your exit the next day morning a hassle free one. This location suited as the best and its was very close to the Agra-Lucknow Expresssway. And this one fit the bill perfectly.

Day 23, December 11th:

Lucknow - Jaipur, Via Agra Lucknow Expressway/Bikaner – Agra Road, ~ 600kms

Lucknow > Narona > Fatehabad > Exit, Left at Delhi Lucknow Interchange, Inner Ring Road > Agra - Fatehabad Road > Tajganj > Subrata Road > The Mall Road > Mala Road > Mahatmagandhi Marg > Bikaner - Agra Road > Bhogipura > Kiraoli > Bharatpur > Madoli > Mahwa > Dausa > Entry to Jaipur from Transport nagar Side

The only Pain throughout this journey is that one must cross Agra, hustling through the city traffic. There is no Agra Bypass AFAIK. And this slows down your time and distance advantage that one has covered all the way on Agra – Lucknow Expressway.

Also, once you hit Bikaner – Agra Road, for some distance it’s a single broad lane highway, soon after leaving Agra, so that also, keeps your speed and travel in check, not saying to break any land speed record. But after driving on Purvanchal and Agra – Lucknow Highway, they appear little disappointing. The road conditions are top notch however, and there are no diversions or hurdles otherwise.

We entered Jaipur at around 4 PM, which was good decent time to reach without rushing and a heavy right foot.

We planned to cover longer distance while we started from Kolkata, till Lucknow, so that we have easy distance to cover for 2nd and last day of the trip.

And with this we concluded our fantasy road trip from Banglore to Kolkata to Sikkim and return to Lucknow and to Jaipur eventually. I would always remember this trip for a very very long time to come in future. The car, Jeep Compass, performed fantastically well, much beyond what I thought of from a capability and comfort POV. There are several horror stories on the internet about the ownership experiences around the Compass, and I will not justify or deny them. I say, which brand or manufacturer have their fair share of sorry and happy tales.

But for my experience, till today, this car is tough, rock solid to perform on all kind of terrains and travel long highway miles. And now I am much more confident in planning my next trip, whenever that happens.

I hope someone, somewhere, might be benefited by this travelogue, which is crude at places, but I have tried to share my experiences on and off the road as candid as possible.

Cheers to all and quite thrilled to keep sharing and knowing of your travel stories.

Until next time. Ciao.

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