[RunGaDa]

Awesome. Have read this and earlier posts. It’s a great ownership, man machine at its best. Wishing you many more kms. Keep writing and driving.

[ABHI_1512]

1,80,000 kms Service Update:



Baahon just crossed the 1.8L mark and is now better than ever after some of the work that cropped up during the last month have been addressed and rectified.



During the first week of June, went for an impromptu drive to Kalimpong with some fellow BHpians for a day. During the entire drive, there was this constant noise coming from the underside. The noise was prominent enough to all of us and it was more prominent whenever there was a change of gear. Anyways, turned out, it was the left side shaft/axle that was the culprit.

Kalimpong drive mates in one frame, one night is all what we needed to add some drive miles to our belt.


Some of the other things also needed to be changed. The windshield cowl vent gave away after nine years and needed replacement and so did the heat shield insulator. During the fuel
filter replacement, it was found out that the O ring inside the fuel filter assembly was in bad shape and needed to be replaced as well. One more small thing that needed replacement was the vanity mirror lamp assembly on the passenger side. It had broken some time back and I had pre ordered the part two days before my service was scheduled. The most heartening part of the whole exercise was that some of the replacement parts had manufacturing dates as recent as March 2024. This whole talk of availability of spare parts becoming an issue is so over rated. I haven’t faced any issue regarding spare parts till date.

Hood insulator after the fitment.


This vanity mirror lamp assembly was fully imported and its cost reflected that.


The clutch is doing on fine as of now and is still going strong after almost 90k kms. The tyres have good life remaining still and needs no attention as of now.

Some cosmetic changes were also done to freshen up the proceedings inside the car. The earlier seat covers were changed and new ones were put on. Must say, quality of seat covers have come a long way and I am enjoying a little more comfort for sure. These were pre ordered and took around twelve days to arrive.



Pocket pinch for the whole service and parts replacement are as follows-

1. Shaft/ Axle replacement- ₹10,200
2. Hood insulator - ₹2012
3. Cowl top vent & top- ₹ 2730
4. Vanity mirror lens assembly- ₹ 1615
5. Fuel filter assembly- ₹ 2750
6. A/C filter - ₹160
7. Air filter- ₹350
8. Oil filter- ₹145
9. Engine Oil- ₹1150
10. Transmission oil - ₹ 600
11. Retainer Axle- ₹850
12. Labour charges including service- ₹ 4000

So total pocket pinch came to around 26k which is fairly reasonable in my view considering the number of replacements. The car is good for the upcoming monsoons. Let’s see how that pans out in the coming months. A small plan to refurbish the alloys and give them a new look has now entered the mind. Will give that a try soon. Meanwhile, sharing some pictures as well for some colour to the post.

The first two pictures were from Ramsai where few of the BHPIans and their families went for a weekender and it was crazy fun.




These next pictures were just randomly clicked near the famed Calcutta Maidan.









This picture is from a recent highway drive.


Leaving the post with a sunset shot from Baahon some time back. The Kolkata Gate is visible in the picture.



Until the next, drive safe all

[extramile]

Great to see your steed is munching miles and thanks for keeping the thread active through regular updates. New seat covers are a perfect match to interiors. Wish you much more exciting miles.

[boniver]

A great write-up that only goes on to show that vehicles, if taken care of, remain as good as new despite racking up lakhs of kms. Finding capable and honest service centres is an issue but thankfully that is also sorted in your case. I've only been a passenger in Baahon a couple of times, and love how comfortable the car feels despite being almost a decade old now. Looking forward to reading many more updates on this thread for years to come.

Signing off with a couple of pictures of Baahon that I took a year ago:

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

1,80,000 kms Service Update:

Attachment 2616275

Baahon just crossed the 1.8L mark and is now better than ever after some of the work that cropped up during the last month have been addressed and rectified.

It's always a pleasure to read your updates on Baahon. You should run a contest for folks who are not on this forum to guess the number of kms she has run. I can bet none of them will get it right. The way you maintain Baahon is impeccable. I am also happy to see that Ford service is still working like it should - I think they made a mistake by leaving India and now that they are returning you should get parts for Baahon even after the 10 year support period ends.

[Yogi..Reeturaj]

Always look forward to your write ups, more so because it goes with some awesome locales with it.
Baahon is looking better than ever. You have maintained it with the love it deserves.
Keep trippin bro and looking forward to seeing you soon.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by extramile

Great to see your steed is munching miles and thanks for keeping the thread active through regular updates. New seat covers are a perfect match to interiors. Wish you much more exciting miles.

Thank you !

Originally Posted by boniver

A great write-up that only goes on to show that vehicles, if taken care of, remain as good as new despite racking up lakhs of kms. Finding capable and honest service centres is an issue but thankfully that is also sorted in your case.

Thanks boniver, when I was buying the car, my intention always was to keep the car for as long as possible. That I am able to do so, is my good fortune, specially after the announcement from Ford when they decided to stop selling their cars. Ford service has been terrific till now and I hope it remains that way.

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

It's always a pleasure to read your updates on Baahon. I am also happy to see that Ford service is still working like it should - I think they made a mistake by leaving India and now that they are returning you should get parts for Baahon even after the 10 year support period ends.

You are always so good with your words Sumanta Da, thanks again. Yes, Ford Service has been very good till date and with the chatter of them coming back has certainly given a fillip to us existing owners. This car is built to last and I hope I can maintain the way it has been till now. With some refurbishments and replacements, the car is as good as it gets now. Waiting for the next trip with your new acquisition again

Originally Posted by Yogi..Reeturaj

Baahon is looking better than ever. You have maintained it with the love it deserves.
Keep trippin bro and looking forward to seeing you soon.

Many thanks for the good words Reetu, you are fabulous as always. No wonder the love that every car receives from you, is always so encouraging and inspiring. See you soon

[shourya_lahiri]

Such a heart warming Long term ownership write up. Baahon is really your true friend, silently standing by your side through times thick and thin. Its a gem of a car actually. Very purposely built. The real fiesta here actually.
The Ecosport has always been synonymous to great handling and steering response/feedback. Something very few automobiles can achieve to convey to their drivers. It hits the right balance.
Although I agree with most of your nitty-gritties, I really cannot stand to take one bad word for the car's ride!. Its fabulous to say the least, be it bad roads or good. You should drive the last gen figo over bad roads to really appreciate how good the ecosport handles undulations in spite of being stiffly sprung.
Here's to more miles to you and your friend and hoping to see another long term ownership post soon from you two!

Here's one from me with Hachiko sharing the frame with Baahon. Boy Hachiko had a tough time keeping up with Baahon on the highway...

[BeastLoading]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

1,80,000 kms Service Update:

Attachment 2616275

Baahon just crossed the 1.8L mark

Hi ABHI,

I am in market for the SUV. I am looking for upgrade and this "Itch" is there from year 2022, But due to Job change and shifting to cities made me to wait. Things are settled now.

I was closely following the Ecosport and was a potential customer of ecosport if it was available today.

So question to you is if you are in same boat as that of me and considering your long term association with great car is- Which SUV/ CSUV you will consider today if wanted to keep for years to come?

or in other words if you want to replace the ecosport, which vehicle you would consider in todays world?

I know there are multiple websites who recommends the cars/ SUV but since I was closely following ecosport and after fords exit could not digest or not able to convince myself for any other product till date.

Kindly do not think is as personal question, you answer will definitely help the community here to look up and associate with the great car in years to come.

So whats up next?

Thanks!

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by BeastLoading

So question to you is if you are in same boat as that of me and considering your long term association with great car is- Which SUV/ CSUV you will consider today if wanted to keep for years to come?

or in other words if you want to replace the ecosport, which vehicle you would consider in todays world?

I was closely following ecosport and after fords exit could not digest or not able to convince myself for any other product till date.

Hi,
Firstly, welcome to the forum. As for the questions, there are no easy answers. However, I will try to answer as objectively I can.

See, after driving the Ecosport for this long, it is very easy to be biased. But truth be told, I am yet find a proper replacement for it. I am not very convinced about the present line up of cars on sale in India from the price bracket of 15-25lacs. Having said that, in terms of what I love about the Ecosport, probably a Jeep Compass would come close to being a good replacement. I say good but not great and that’s because I have my reasons.

Compass is now priced outrageously and as much as I like the car, it’s almost similar to the Ecosport in many aspects. Be it the driving dynamics or the build quality or the lovely diesel engine or even the interiors which can seat four adults only ! The future of Jeep is still up for a debate in India and that’s a big concern. So as much as I like the car, I am yet to convince myself for the Compass.

Just as you said above, I am also yet to convince myself for another car as replacement to Ecosport. The car has spoiled me with what it offers and it is to the credit of Ford as well that they have continued to offer brilliant service through out.

I am hopeful of Ford’s return to selling cars in India again. And that hope will keep me interested, the hope that I might be able to drive another Ford SUV in future since Ecosport is not going anywhere for the years to come.

Other than the Compass, I recently drove the Tata Harrier and came out very impressed. The Harrier uses the same engine as Compass but in a different tune. The new facelift of Harrier is a revelation to me and Tata must be commended for it. If one can look past the skepticism regarding a Tata Car, Harrier can be a very good option.

I hope you get to buy the car that fits into your requirements. People have different expectations while buying a car, I am sure you know what to look for, in your car.

Regards,
Abhi.

[ABHI_1512]

1,87,000 Update :



Baahon is gleefully munching miles without any fuss. Just that the clutch assembly needed its second replacement after running close to a lakh kilometres. The Earth 1 tyres were almost at the end of their cycle and needed replacement as well. So in came Continental UC 6 as replacement and I am driving with more comfort as well as silence these days. Wet grip is very good and is confidence inspiring. The tyres costed me ₹7,800 a piece.







So the clutch replacement job included replacing the clutch assembly and the slave cylinder. The brake fluid and transmission oil was also replaced as per protocol. The whole exercise costed around ₹14k including labour charges.



But one strange thing happened in the Ford ASC while the clutch replacement work was taking place and which I would like to share here. All thanks to BHPian dip27in and his technical expertise that something of this sort came to light while I was having a telephonic conversation with him.







According to the Ford Ecosport manual, the transmission oil should be of SAE 75W-85 grade for a manual transmission car. The specification mentioned in the manual clearly stated this. BHPian dip27in casually asked me about the transmission oil grade and I happily told him that it is the SAE 75W-85 since that is what was mentioned in the manual as well.



But while the work was going on, I had a good look at the oil they were replacing and it clearly stated FE 75W !! Stopped them from using the oil until I was convinced. Asked for the technical service head and he promptly told me that the oil is recommended by Ford only and there is no discrepancy as such. I showed them the manual and that confused them a little too. They then went back to their own manual and rechecked the whole thing. To my surprise, the grade was changed and the specification was altered.



The specification mentioned in the above picture matches with the one provided in the manual of the ASC, which is reproduced below.



The Ford Ecosport Customer Service manual though says otherwise but then according to this the specification should be for an automatic transmission and not manual transmission. The bottle clearly states that it is to be used a manual transmission car but the specification matches with the one used for an automatic !!



According to my Ecosport service manual, the oil used by them was meant for cars with Automatic transmission but somehow, the service center manual showed the same to be used for manual cars. The ASC guys were pretty sure that they were only using what was recommended by Ford to them. After much deliberation, I finally relented and agreed to the oil change but only after going through their manual myself and only after the ASC guys took full responsibility. Now, I if anything, I know Ford guys will have to take the blame, should something goes amiss.



I am not experiencing anything just yet. The gear shifts are smooth and nothing that is bothering me currently and I hope it stays this way. But this alteration does sowed some seeds of doubts in my mind. Took two long weekend trips after the change and everything is okay, as of now.



Baahon is now nearing into its next service and with no major work pending, I am thinking of giving some cosmetic updates to the car. Let’s see how that pans out. Until the next update, happy driving.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

1,87,000 Update :

Baahon is gleefully munching miles without any fuss.

Baahon is undoubtedly the most well maintained Ecosport I have ever seen in my life. Just by looking at her, it is impossible to tell that Baahon has almost done 2 lakh kms. The old BS4 Ford diesels are pure gold and you have maintained your car with the care that pure gold deserves. Wish you thousands of kms more with your trusted steed.

[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

I am not very convinced about the present line up of cars on sale in India from the price bracket of 15-25lacs. Having said that, in terms of what I love about the Ecosport, probably a Jeep Compass would come close to being a good replacement. I say good but not great and that’s because I have my reasons.

While Compass seems to be a logical choice, I will choose a preowned Endeavour any day if its in good condition.

Nice to see you maintaining this thread diligently all these times

[ABHI_1512]

2,00,000 KMs Update

Baahon recently reached the two lakh mark on the odometer without much drama. The required service was done at the ASS that has seen the car from the very start. The servicing cost came to around two thousand and six hundred with all the regular essentials like fuel filter, air filter, engine oil changed. Now before anybody asks about such low costs, let me tell all that Ford has a Happy Pocket Service which helps in keeping the servicing costs low.

A little niggle has somehow cropped up though. While the car was being serviced, it was found that the engine oil was little depleted than usual. They ASS guys have replenished the oil anyways during the service and asked me to keep an eye. There is no leakage per se and it remains to be seen how it behaves in the coming days. After the service, I went for a drive to a hitherto unknown place in Odisha and oil level has remained the same as of now. With another drive coming up in some days, will keep an eye for the oil level. I am hoping that it stays this way though and doesn’t surprise me.

Also, one clip from the console which covers the boot door from the inside came loose and was making irritating sound while driving. The boot door is anyways heavy and that one failed clip was making annoying rattling sounds on bad roads. The clip was replaced and voila, no more rattling sound. Even after a decade, the car is free is any rattle or niggle and that’s a testament to the quality of the car, I would think. With Ford service being as consistent as it was before the sales were stopped and some hope floating by, I would like to keep the vehicle for as long as I can.

With the servicing done already, a few days after, an impromptu plan to take Baahon for a drive to an unknown part of Odisha happened. Sharing some pictures from the drive to Phulbani, the place is a hidden gem in Odisha. The roads are wonderful and it’s a three hour drive from the capital city of Bhubaneswar. The place is surrounded by many waterfalls although we only found water in one of them. I suppose, a visit after or during the monsoons will have a completely different story.

We stayed at one of the Eco tourism nature camps run completely by the local self help group of ladies and I must say, after Tensa, this one was also an equally enriching experience.

The drive was through the night and we started off the next day with a delightful morning breakfast at a non-descript hotel which served the staple Odiya breakfast found on the state highways.



We took a right turn from Khorda after crossing a Bhubaneswar and the state highways are very picturesque, to say the least. In fact, the roads were empty for most part of our journey.









The road passes through a tiny portion of Satkosia Tiger Reserve as well.







And somewhere on the way, this milestone happened as well.



The nature camp was situated just outside the town of Phulbani and was surrounded by trees of various kinds. In fact, as we later found out, the nature camp was just beside an airstrip as well.



As I mentioned, the camp is run by a self help group and they really took care of us like one of their own. The meals were simple home style but fulfilling nevertheless. We served hot plates of food during our stay and I have only good things to say about the hospitality.

Since it was a weekend trip, we ventured out to some places of interest nearby in the evening. Places like Putudi falls and Katramala falls, we went to. The roads leading up to both the places are dirt tracks and in the case of Putudi falls, the road was narrow and little steep at some places as well. Fair bit of walking is involved and which is expected in case of reaching any waterfalls anyways.



Putudi waterfalls was good to look at and there was good amount of water as well. The topography is almost similar to Lodh falls near Ranchi. Katramala though was disappointing since the water has died down completely.









The Katramala falls can be seen devoid of any water in the picture below.



The evening drive back to the nature camp presented the opportunity of some really good views.









Got one unique thing to taste in the evening. While this dish is called Chicken Momo in Phulbani but it was anything but the Momo. The filing stuffed was chicken alright but it was mixed with so much of masala that it really took us to forget the original taste of a Momo to get over the dish !!



The next day was spent in leisure and we spent two wonderful days in Phulbani before returning back to Calcutta.



While returning, went to see the Gudari airstrip just beside the nature camp. Some boys were playing cricket inside on the runway and it made for a good viewing.





While returning we stopped for buying wone local vegetables from a roadside vendor. The farmer was himself selling his produce and also agreed to pose for a picture. Simple joys of life I say when you see the smile on their faces.



And thereafter, the uninterrupted drive back home with the mandatory lunch at Odianee Restaurant. Our fill of Palash blooming was also fulfilled on the way.









And here are the rest of the members from the trip. BHPian Rdas81 and his wife along with Sanchita- my better half.



So there it was, an update on Baahon reaching a small milestone and which came up during what it does best- munching miles. Until the next update, drive safe.

[SID131]

Great Machine to own. I have one in my stable since 2013. Titanium TDCi. Batman has never failed me in any trip. I hope to keep it as long as possible.

Sharing few pictures of Batman from our past roadtrips.