[Transmission]

Originally Posted by thugz_doge

So I booked Grand Vitara base edition from Kalyani Motors Banaswadi. But they're saying they can't let me do PDI before payment.

I haggled a bit and now they're saying that I can do PDI before registration but I'll still need to pay ex-showroom and insurance first. Suggestions?

Talk to another dealer that agrees for a PDI and then just call them up and tell them you're cancelling your booking. Also drop an email to Maruti customer care. I read elsewhere that they are not too happy with these dealer shenanigans.

Even if you continue with the same dealer, drop the mail to Maruti anyways. Its your right as a customer to do a PDI. We check our Rs. 1000 trousers before we buy - so how does an item a 1000x more expensive get away without any checks?

[thugz_doge]

Originally Posted by Transmission

Talk to another dealer that agrees for a PDI and then just call them up and tell them you're cancelling your booking. Also drop an email to Maruti customer care. I read elsewhere that they are not too happy with these dealer shenanigans.

Even if you continue with the same dealer, drop the mail to Maruti anyways. Its your right as a customer to do a PDI. We check our Rs. 1000 trousers before we buy - so how does an item a 1000x more expensive get away without any checks?

So, a whatsapp group was created with the sales guy, showroom manager, senior general manager etc etc. This was done after I had done the booking. I just wrote a message there asking politely why PDI is not allowed. Let's see what reply they come up with.

If they try to make excuses, I'll write a mail to regional manager.

[Transmission]

Originally Posted by thugz_doge

So, a whatsapp group was created with the sales guy, showroom manager, senior general manager etc etc. This was done after I had done the booking. I just wrote a message there asking politely why PDI is not allowed. Let's see what reply they come up with.

If they try to make excuses, I'll write a mail to regional manager.

There is a quote I sometimes remember - Don't ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.

I'm not saying what you did isn't reasonable - but if I were in your place, I'd first drag in Maruti in an email thread (add a few choice words about premium customer and what not) alongside the folks from the showroom and then do everything else.

I mean, I wasn't this way - I too would have done what you just did ask gently ask the branch folks etc. But I just learnt with practice that in India it works better the other way. If they dont want your 20L, then someone else will - each customer that stands up for themselves teaches them to push the next one a little less

[RijuC]

I would like to remind those friends who are considering/ expecting good safety rating and structural build of Grand Vitara that the wheel well is just a thin plastic and exposed in the engine bay. Hence please understand the cost cutting MSIL/ Toyota did for this car! Is this a standard structure in all other cars of similar category or price ranges?

For the tall persons, please check the rounded central console and dashboard joining corner in the co-passenger area. My knee was hitting this rounded corner and I had to push the seat to extreme end, still I was not comfortable.

Request all who booked GV/ HR to check all features and understand the cars entirely, and then go ahead with purchase. Buyers from north India, just imagine what will happen while driving in the summertime and stuck in traffic jam- whether the thin "gamcha" beneath the sun roof would suffice to protect from 46 deg C outside?

For new Brezza buyers- the ICE screen size in ZXI and VXI is 17.78 cm (7 inches). Only ZXI+ gets 22.86 cm (9 inches) screen size.

In Hyryder, S gets 7 inches, V and G get 9 inches. I guess these will be similar for the equivalent variants of GV.

[vvrchandra]

Here is a video of Grand Vitara in white with dual tone finish. Looks like this is a strong hybrid variant with AWD.

https://youtu.be/M0xUrjvAxvk

[ajayc123]

Originally Posted by vvrchandra

Here is a video of Grand Vitara in white with dual tone finish. Looks like this is a strong hybrid variant with AWD.

https://Youtu.be/M0xUrjvAxvk

As per my understanding only weak hybrid is available as an AWD variant. Did I get it wrong? Only the last 2 variants are strong hybrid.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by vvrchandra

Here is a video of Grand Vitara in white with dual tone finish. Looks like this is a strong hybrid variant with AWD.

https://Youtu.be/M0xUrjvAxvk

1. That car is from the South African unveil. Was discussed earlier in this thread as well.

2. Has All Grip system available with a K15C mild hybrid automatic option, whereas we get it only with the manual.

[shivmarwaha]

Originally Posted by Transmission

There is a quote I sometimes remember - Don't ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.

This is a dialogue from a Hollywood movie on afganistan war, The Sniper. Actually it is slightly different. He says “it is easy to ask for forgiveness than permission”

[RijuC]

Originally Posted by Carzilla

No it’s not the Made in India battery from TDS Gujarat but an imported battery pack. It’s imported by Toyota and is the same battery Toyota uses in its Japan made strong hybrids. This is confirmed by Toyota tech folks that I know personally. I wonder though why you would be more keen to book if it was made in India ?

Any idea from where Toyota is sourcing the battery pack for the strong hybrid model? For India make battery, I have a special interest since products of a majority stakeholder are usually better in quality, longevity and efficiency (and hence costlier).

[Carma2017]

The conversation in this thread has been very absorbing. The GV is surely polarizing opinions more towards the negative side it seems after reading the thread. It should be amply clear to Suzuki now that it still does not have the Brand power to draw comparitively bigger bucks.
On a side note, just replaced my trusted i10 grand with the Seltos for lack of decent SUV options in the price range. Had a look at the Creta as well but found it to be hideous exterior looks wise and bland interiors. The 1st gen Creta, overpriced as it was, was still a mature looking Car.
We were considering GV / Hyryder as well but availability of the car was an issue as per my sources in Suzuki-Toyota and that too of my select variant.

[sumeethaldankar]

The offroad track does not seem very challenging. The car at best is a soft roader even with AWD. It will be great to drive it on crappy Mumbai roads which has craters, flood prone lanes and abominations called speed breakers. All in all the All grip probably is not for seriour offroaders who can wait and see how the to be launched Jimny fairs.

[volkman10]

Media drive pics:























Link

[thugz_doge]

Originally Posted by RijuC

I would like to remind those friends who are considering/ expecting good safety rating and structural build of Grand Vitara that the wheel well is just a thin plastic and exposed in the engine bay. Hence please understand the cost cutting MSIL/ Toyota did for this car! Is this a standard structure in all other cars of similar category or price ranges?

For the tall persons, please check the rounded central console and dashboard joining corner in the co-passenger area. My knee was hitting this rounded corner and I had to push the seat to extreme end, still I was not comfortable.

Request all who booked GV/ HR to check all features and understand the cars entirely, and then go ahead with purchase. Buyers from north India, just imagine what will happen while driving in the summertime and stuck in traffic jam- whether the thin "gamcha" beneath the sun roof would suffice to protect from 46 deg C outside?
.

Wow, this is bad. Initially, I had booked Nissan Magnite CVT. It looked a very good VFM car but the corresponding thread on team-bhp also suggests that Nissan cut a lot of corners for it. Seemingly, there's lot of quality control issues and people have to visit service center quite often.

So, I went ahead and booked Grand Vitara. And now, if Maruti has also cheaped out on materials, what am I supposed to do?

[yashg]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

But the Mild Hybrid top variant is given a very step motherly treatment. No ventilated seats, TPMS, HUD offered for the mild hybrid top variant.

Precisely. Big disappointment. It seems Toyota and Maruti want to force people to go for the strong hybrid if they want top features. I'd have gone for Mild hybrid for the bigger boot space if it had the features.

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by yashg

Precisely. Big disappointment. It seems Toyota and Maruti want to force people to go for the strong hybrid if they want top features. I'd have gone for Mild hybrid for the bigger boot space if it had the features.

I think even NEXA guys out here are a bit worried about Grand Vitara cancellation because since last few days, I am getting msgs and calls from the Nexa Dealership asking for email id or any changes required in the variant etc.
Nexa guys surely underestimated the prices of the Grand Vitara I believe because as per the manager, Alpha AT would have been between 17 lakh onroad

I firmly said, I want to see a Grand Vitara for real and I want a test drive. If not possible, keep my booking on hold or even sent it to the back of the queue, no issues. Also, I will wait for the full price reveal. If not priced well, cancellation is imminent.