[Guderian]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Quite a few makes have them.
The bmw x1 just noticed the other day. As some bugger had them on within the city.
Mitsu outlander if i am not mistaken.
Among the more mortal cars.
some of the wagon r, some of the swifts. The ANHV too i believe. On the ANHC they are available as an optional accessory

Hi mdsaab,
Thanks. Need to spot one in action and see its usefulness. But I think with the amount of lights already on the TFort including the top mounted brake lamps - wonder whether it would be of any value add. But no harm examining the possiblity. Only thing is that where does one mount it ?

Originally Posted by Monaro CV8

They have them on the Safari too!
@Guderian saab,
That was one good drive. Refreshed for the week ahead.
Thanks for the space.
Cheers.

Hi Monaro,
Any visits to Mumbai ? Would be great if the two TForts were to head off somewhere for a drive and mud splashing. Let me know.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Jai also have them - the rear fog lights. The fog lamps are red and brighter than the tail lamps - they are located on RHS of Jai. Rear foggies are a warning to those who drives behind you so that they don't rear end you.

Thanks Jai. Is there a separate switch for that or does it get activated along with the front fog lamps ?

Originally Posted by amitwlele

1. While on the topic of rear lights the funny part is my Vista has the button for the lights but nothing at the rear to light up.

2. General - I report back to duty after absconding from the TOGO channel for a while.

Hi Amit,
2. Welcome back though I was almost going to declare you AWOL and issue an APB...All Points Bulletin.

1. Did the Tatas slime you out of a fog lamp ? Nope, guess not. That would have been a dummy switch to be used in case you install a front/rear fogs. But then in other vehicles there is only space for the switch and a hard case/point rather than a working switch to save costs.

And what other rear were you expecting to light up ?!!

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

And do you know of any aftermarket rear fogs for the Toyotas?

Hi Nils,
The only after market installations I have seen on rear fogs have been some lousy looking ones on some Sumos and the like.
The real issue as I see as far as the TFort is concerned - where do you install them ? There is no space if you see the rear design. Unless you think of putting them on the roof with a strip to attach which would make it look like a giant spaceship or a Christmas tree when it lights up. Or cut the bumper (no way !).

Here's a pic of Admiral...where is the space ?


Ideas folks ?

[mdsaab]

Ok let me add one more to the list, the i20 too has rear fog lights.
Most of the rear fog lights are integrated into the tail light unit itself.
While very few have them as a separate unit in itself.
I would not really recommended adding them now onto the T-Fort.
Either they are integrated by the manufacturer themselves or let it slide.
But if you must.
Then the location of the reflector seems like a perfect place to install the rear fogs. But you will need to get one of perfect fit. Else i do not see any other location for them.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Then the location of the reflector seems like a perfect place to install the rear fogs. But you will need to get one of perfect fit. Else i do not see any other location for them.

Hi mdsaab,
Thought of that. Two issues though - that is too small a space for a standard fog lamp and that small a fog lamp would be of no use at all if one exists.
Secondly behind the reflector is solid bumper with the reflector just stuck or with a tiny aperture for a bolt to pass and secured from the other side by a nut. So to fit even a same sized fog lamp the bumper would need to be hacked (physically and not 'cyberally'. Folks have forgotten these days the original meaning of the word hack !) - something at least I am not going to do !

Another idea is a loony one - to have a free hanging fog lamp - like the ones truckwallahs hang by a wire when carrying long rods at the rear of the rods with a red can on the naked bulb !!!
That should give the TFort a look to die for and an attitude to match.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

While on the topic of rear lights the funny part is my Vista has the button for the lights but nothing at the rear to light up.

Hi Amit, - for all that matter, you might be missing only the bulbs. Tata might have done even the wiring - so, check if you can just plonk in a bulb.

I have never tried it on my Vista - will check.

Originally Posted by Guderian

Thanks Jai. Is there a separate switch for that or does it get activated along with the front fog lamps ?

The rear fog light of Jai


The switch to turn on the rear fog light.


Now,If you can get the rear fog behind the reflector, it will be a neat fit. The down side is - you have to hack the bumper.

Please do not consider ordinary front fog lights - they are yellow\white in color and the driver behind you might take it for your reverse light and think that you are reversing. It is better to go with red fog lights for rear.

[mdsaab]

Your looney idea, is going to give take the raw appeal of the T-fort even further!
I can just imagine the look! Bravo!

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

It is better to go with red fog lights for rear.

Hi teh,
Thanks. That is very neat indeed.
Also brings me to the point that to fit the rear FL (Fog Lamp and nothing else !) I'll need a matching switch (or it can be integrated with the current stem combination switch - which would light up the front and rear FLs), wiring and need to hack the bumper.
All in all - no way then !

[Monaro CV8]

Good Morning Guderian!

Lets start from clearing the perspective of the Rear End Fog Lamps.
1. Conditions such as Thick Fog, Heavy Rains or Thick Smoke call for the use of REFLs.
2.They can be switched on or off independent of the front fogs.
3.They serve the purpose of making aware/warning the traffic following from behind or overtaking vehicles. Unlike the Front Fogs, they do not serve the purpose of illuminating the surface/ road behind the car, at any point of time.
4. They are independent of the Brake lights or Tail lights & are high luminous intensity (Red Colour). So intense that during normal driving conditions, if turned on at night time, they can irritate/ temporarily impair the vision of the person driving behind such a vehicle (mostly on Highways)
5. Most of the cars have them as OE. I have not seen any aftermarket Rear Foggers, though front ones are aplenty.
6. In some cars they are integrated in the tail light assembly (for e.g. I can see them in my Octavia & the Suzuki SX4).
Some cars have them way down, in the middle of the rear Bumper (for e.g. I can see them in my Suzuki Ritz & erstwhile owned Swift & Wagon R). Apart from the car I own/have owned one can see them on most of the cars running on our roads.
7. The REFLs are generally placed on the low side - rear end or the tail end of the vehicle. The reasoning behind their location being that generally Fog/Smoke tends to dilute near the ground level. Hence it becomes easy for the traffic behind to spot the light and perceive the vehicle ahead & the distance.
8. In Europe DRLs (Day time running lights) & REFLs are mandatory OE fitments.

Now comes the tricky part. Surprisingly the T-fort does not have REFLs! We cant find a probable spot for them either!.
I was agreeing with mdsaab regarding the placement on the rear bumper - reflector spots, but that possibility seems to be ruled out by Guderian. I think that seems to be the reason why the R&D guys at Fortuner Camp must have gotton away with 2 reflectors, due to space constraints in the rear bumper.


Ok enough of REFLs, one of these days lets do the T-Fort drive together. The forests of Thane (Karnala) seems to be a good place nearby where u are. And if you are coming down to Pune side - the options are endless!
You wouldn't believe it, I've been doing these road trips on most of the Sundays eversince the monsoons have started this season
To name a few - Mahabaleshwar (twice), Mulshi (twice), Tamhini, Bhor - Varanda..

@ Amitwlele: check with the AS guys. The switch must be for something else.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Your looney idea, is going to give take the raw appeal of the T-fort even further!
I can just imagine the look! Bravo!

Hi mdsaab,
That should get the Admiral to look something like this:

Ummm...does that take the looks any further ?

Though one thing is sure - it'll certainly give the guy behind, a poke in the eye if he tries to get too friendly.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Monaro CV8

1. Good Morning Guderian!
2. one of these days lets do the T-Fort drive together.

Hi Monaro,
1. Good morning indeed. Though its a lil' soggy in Mumbai.
Thanks for the note on the rear FLs...errr...fog lamps. Well I am sure it has its own usefulness and would be great to have during foggy and rainy days/nights.
I have seen though some crude fogs fitted as after market additions on some of the vehicles. Notably the Sumos etc - that rules it out for the TFort both by way of crude factor and space. And there is no way I would tamper with the bumper.
That only leaves me/us with one possiblity. Getting an exact replacement of the rear lights assembly unit with integrated fog lamp. Or a roof spoiler integrated fog lamp along with the roof spoiler brake light.

2. So when is the Mumbai chukker. Or shall we make it Pune ?

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Hi Amit, - for all that matter, you might be missing only the bulbs. Tata might have done even the wiring - so, check if you can just plonk in a bulb.

I have never tried it on my Vista - will check.

The switch to turn on the rear fog light.

Originally Posted by Monaro CV8

@ Amitwlele: check with the AS guys. The switch must be for something else.

@experthand/Monaro - The same switch is present in the Vista as well. I would now have to check it properly today evening if it does anything different. I had checked it when i had got the car 2 years back and did not follow it up with ASC as it was not really a issue. Not that it is a issue now, but its only curiousity that is getting the better of me.

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi mdsaab,
That should get the Admiral to look something like this:
Ummm...does that take the looks any further ?

That look would be worthy of a truck.

[Guderian]

Some connected gup-shup:

Have a friend who has a TFort and lives in MP and is a member of TBHP (a strong, silent type) and is an ardent driver and is...oh well...a little shy, a little this and a little that and doesn't believe in posting any of his wonderful experiences with the TFort despite having assured me, very recently, that he would !
So I thought of doing it myself in a very detached sort of way.
Now let's call him by his initials - RG.
RG has a TFort which is about 5 months old and has done about 12 K KMs.
He related to me on the phone the fantastic trip he had, to Leh, a couple of weeks ago.

- The trip lasted for about 20 days.

- The Fortuner was magnificient even in the toughest of terrains. There was no power loss or anything even at the sharpest of inclines - if you rode the torque curve well, the torque came into good use and there was no altitude related impact on the TFort.

- If all of you remember there was a bunch of tourists stranded at Khardungla couple of weeks ago. He was one of them but was able to move out in 8 hours thanks to the TFort. There was a nullah there called Rani Nullah which none of the vehicles could cross without a friendly push from behind by a BRO dumper and dozer. Of course causing dents and broken lamps etc.
His TFort was the only vehicle which cleared the nullah in great style without any support under its own steam and with ample power to spare. And with BRO guys and mango public staring balefully.

- Even over 2 feet thick slush/snow mix was no issue at all. Rode through everything with great aplomb.

- Had only one flat/puncture during the entire trip. Replaced the tyre, didn't bother fixing the flat and drove back and fixed it at the home port.
Now that's chutzpah !
The OE jack worked well of course. Only thing was that the rarified atmosphere made the effort of changing the tyres a killer. Now good ol' Toyota can't do anything about that I guess ! Unless they strap and oxygen cylinder and mask along with the stepney with an instruction sticker "Use at high altitudes - only when tlavelling with oul ploduct !".

- Now here comes the zapper. On the plains RG got a FE of 14.2 KMPL at a steady 70-90 KMPH. And in the tortuous mountains routes/passes which he measured from the start of the ruote to the end at a particular point it returned a FE of 10.7. Great figures if you ask me.

- The engine and transmission - fantastic.

- Just one negative feedback - was that some of the parts were squeaking/rattling like the windows/seats which at times proved to be an irritant more than anything else.

What more can one ask for asks RG. And I responded I didn't ask for anything more in the first place.

Thanks RG for that great feedback on your trip and TFort.

And...I spoke to Hiroji Onishi the Regional Head A-Pac of Toyota Motors and he was mentioning that...OK, OK I didn't but ET did and I read it.

What he mentioned in the piece was that Toyota was looking at introducing a compact SUV for India. Now that product should set the markets on fire like the TFort and there would be many chaps who would pick it up. Chaps who love the T badge but were intimidated by the TFort's size for city driving, didn't like the price etc.
If the price is around 15 Ls, with all the SUV bells and whistles it would be a smasher indeed.

Just hope they don't pick up the Liva, put an intuitive 4X4 system, give it larger tyres and say Compacto SUV fol India !

[dot]

Originally Posted by Guderian

There was a nullah there called Rani Nullah which none of the vehicles could cross without a friendly push from behind by a BRO dumper and dozer. Of course causing dents and broken lamps etc.
His TFort was the only vehicle which cleared the nullah in great style without any support under its own steam and with ample power to spare. And with BRO guys and mango public staring balefully.

Now this is the stuff legends are made of. What a dramatic scene it would have been when it was actually happening in real time. I can only imagine the faces of the hapless onlookers.

Originally Posted by Guderian

- Just one negative feedback - was that some of the parts were squeaking/rattling like the windows/seats which at times proved to be an irritant more than anything else.

Would WD40 help in such cases?

Originally Posted by Guderian

What he mentioned in the piece was that Toyota was looking at introducing a compact SUV for India. Now that product should set the markets on fire like the TFort and there would be many chaps who would pick it up. Chaps who love the T badge but were intimidated by the TFort's size for city driving, didn't like the price etc.
If the price is around 15 Ls, with all the SUV bells and whistles it would be a smasher indeed.

Thats some news. Hope it is something like the Rav4. I think the market is starving for a real SUV in this price range.

BTW, I have not received any feedback on the reverse thing.

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Some connected gup-shup:

Have a friend who has a TFort and lives in MP and is a member of TBHP (a strong, silent type) and is an ardent driver and is...oh well...a little shy, a little this and a little that and doesn't believe in posting any of his wonderful experiences with the TFort despite having assured me, very recently, that he would !

- If all of you remember there was a bunch of tourists stranded at Khardungla couple of weeks ago. He was one of them but was able to move out in 8 hours thanks to the TFort. There was a nullah there called Rani Nullah which none of the vehicles could cross without a friendly push from behind by a BRO dumper and dozer. Of course causing dents and broken lamps etc.
His TFort was the only vehicle which cleared the nullah in great style without any support under its own steam and with ample power to spare. And with BRO guys and mango public staring balefully.

- Even over 2 feet thick slush/snow mix was no issue at all. Rode through everything with great aplomb.

- Now here comes the zapper. On the plains RG got a FE of 14.2 KMPL at a steady 70-90 KMPH. And in the tortuous mountains routes/passes which he measured from the start of the ruote to the end at a particular point it returned a FE of 10.7. Great figures if you ask me.

Thanks RG for that great feedback on your trip and TFort.

First my "Royal Salute" to the Admiral and the broadcaster of the Togo Channel. Its has become a ritual to put on the Togo channel first thing in
the morning at office.!!
In fact caught the Toyota ASC with their pants down on the issue of greasing of propeller shafts during the third service... some great info about the T Fort being aired on this channel .


Thanks for putting up a great review of my Fort in Leh on the channel.

Two small corrections

1. We were stranded at Rohtang 9th July and not Khardugla.

2. The FE returned on Faridabad to Mathura stretch with a very sedate
driving in 5th gear 80-90 kmph was 15.2. Please don't jump from the
seat. There were very few braking and overtaking manuvers. There
were cops with speed guns hence thought of testing the Fort for FE
runs.


Here is the video of what was happening there..enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IGRBr9hvbc

Egged on by you i am in the process of writing my initial ownership experiences. Will up the review by next week.

Thanks for making me Live again on T-BHP.

RG

[mdsaab]

Yeah it takes the look further, looks like a fishing rod with some bait hanging over.
Looks like the perfect out doors vehicle. Remember those jeeps with the shovel, and assorted accessories to lift the character. Well you got this fishing pole thingie.
What's say, you need any help implementing it? you let me know okay.

Wow, that was an awesome read. and i watched the little youtube video there. Fantastic. The T-Fort is one solid, rugged almost All terrain vehicle. Bravo!
Look forward to reading your initial ownership experience too.
Drive Safe!

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by dot

1. Now this is the stuff legends are made of.
2. Would WD40 help in such cases?
3. Thats some news. Hope it is something like the Rav4. I think the market is starving for a real SUV in this price range.
4. BTW, I have not received any feedback on the reverse thing.

Hi dot,
1. Truly so. And gives one goosebumps/pimples just thinking about it. True blood and guts kind of action. Hope to do it sometime with the Admiral. Next year perhaps a Leh trip is on the cards.

2. I think the issue is more with the seating of the glass on the holder below and the beading. Besides the rear most seat has to be lowered to stay quiet !

3. Quite right umpteen friends I know who are waiting for such an offering.

4. Yes sir - read the clipping and found it rather amusing. Especially the 'Champian' bit !

Originally Posted by columbus

1. First my "Royal Salute" to the Admiral and the broadcaster of the Togo Channel. Its has become a ritual to put on the Togo channel first thing in
the morning at office.!!!

2. Two small corrections

3. Egged on by you i am in the process of writing my initial ownership experiences. Will up the review by next week.

Thanks for making me Live again on T-BHP.

RG

Hi RG/Columbus,
Finally, finally I see you here ! Shukar hai bhagwan ka.

1. Thank you very much sir for the kind words.

2. Extremely sorry about the mistakes. Apologies. Yeah should have realised - Rani Nallah and Rohtang connection. And that 15.2 KMPL figures is something that is truly phenomenal. Gets my heart thumping fast, real fast. Were the figures from the MID or your tank to tank calculation ?

3. Excellent. That would indeed be a much awaited report from a person who truly uses the TFort for what it should be used for !

Thanks for coming by and the video - gave a good idea of the conditions.
And... welcome back to TBHP.

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Well you got this fishing pole thingie.
What's say, you need any help implementing it? you let me know okay.

Hi mdsaab,
Thanks for the offer.

And going by your words do I again sense a TFort of a companion for Chicca ? Or is it going to be another Chicca and Egg story ?