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Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok What's your take on the ride quality and brakes after munching 20k kms? IMO, If someone nitpicks the negatives in a T fort, he would chose these two. |
Hi BHO,
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, it's been great fun with the Ol' Boy around !
To me the ride quality is much better than my earlier ride - Scorpio CRDe which had leaf springs in the rear and the rear frankly had its own mind. But then I enjoyed the Scorpio years very much indeed. The ride on Admiral may be perceived as stiff thanks to the nature/design of the suspension - meaning rather firm - but to my mind and back (!) it is extremely well poised and controlled. Adding another element, though distantly connected, here is the steering which to me is very, very accurate and spot on. Yes, owing to the suspension the ride is a little bouncy - but something that you can live with easily. Bear in mind the fact that Admiral does 80% of his runs on smooth roads & highways and 15% on bad/lousy roads esp during monsoons and possibly 5% during adventure trips -OTR. Also over the days I have got totally used to the nature of the ride and... well, sort of like the taut, slightly bouncy, absolutely controlled ride on some of the rough roads.
Brakes - As I have mentioned before - is adequate and I have had a few nasty situations wherein it performed very well. ABS etc kicked in and overall the system responded well. It is likely that the 'bite' of a sedan's brakes might be missing but then as long as it does its job well when the bullets are flying then to me everything is tickety boo !
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Originally Posted by amitwlele How much had your Scorpio done in the first year? |
Hi Amit,
Many thanks !
In the first year the Scorpio had done about the same. In fact Admiral would have done more - touched 25/27K KMs by now but for the fact that the daily usage KM-wise is low these days for the past 5 odd months and likely to be so for the next couple of months before it picks up again, hopefully.
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Originally Posted by mandheers Love dropping airspeed and altitude for a low pass over your thread sir!! |
Thank you mandheers. Great to have you flying over and watching the goings on down below !
Sorry to hear about your Cedia - yes have been reading about it.
If you get a chance to take your Aunt's Fortuner to the dunes and try it out - do so ! And let us know your experience. Good luck and have a great time with the black charger.
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Originally Posted by Monaro CV8 That 20K Service report is spot on. |
Hi Monaro,
Thanks !
How much has your Grey Monster done ? Do let us know of your experiences too. We need to meet sometime and compare the vehicles point by point for cross verification of some of the running experiences.
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Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar What caught my eye, was the 66XX amount spent on Admiral, in 1 year! Thats pretty much peanuts, if you ask me! Agreed, the 1st coupla ones were free servicing, but still, for a butch that size, the amount is quite negligible. EDIT: HG, always wanted to ask you this; how do you find it as a daily drive? Clogged roads, small roads, insane people around? Is it hassle free to drive around town? Shall update you later, on the reasons. |
Hi SI,
Mucho gracias !
Yes the service charges and the quality of service had me also a little surprised. But then that is keeping within the trendline of all the other Fortuner owners and boy am I glad. At the point of taking a decision - this was one aspect which was bothering me. Glad it has turned out moderately otherwise and hope it continues along the same path (touchwood !).
Coming to your query. Believe you me when I tell you that I find it much easier to manoeuvre than my earlier ride despite the size. I have not laid a finger on the reason exactly. Could be the precise steering or easier turning radius or whatever. But it is fairly easy to manoeuvre even in the narrowest of places. And mind you in Mumbai and Thane and elsewhere - boy have I been to some heart stoppingly narrow lanes with the Admiral and emerged happy, albeit with a few litres of sweat less. Also take into account that a larger, menacing vehicle is much better and easier to drive around on our clogged roads thanks to the dictum prevalent here that might is right or jiski lathi uski bhains or whatever. Even on this count I was a little apprehensive -but time has proved that fear unfounded as well.
Yes parking at times could be a pain but then when you get used to it you plan it out well and then it is all sorted out. And you certainly can't do an Alto/i10 in it - in terms of a twist and turn or a Foxtrot but then sitting in it you don't have to do that - others do it for you, if you get my drift !
The only issue I have with is leaving it unattended in public places and morons & pesky kids or intersecting sets fingering its skin. Paint quality though very pleasing to look at it a little weak in terms of ruggedness. Scuffs easily. So I always take precautions. But then owing to the perception the vehicle carries on the roads ( that of belonging to only goons or the rotten political class) few chaps mess with it ! So no major issues as of now - touch wood again.
Hmmm - SI, do I smell another menacing beast on wheels round these parts ?
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Originally Posted by dkaile Congratulations Herr' Generale' on reaching the landmark. The 'low' amount spend maintaining it, is in line as with all Toyota vehicles. Keep up the good work with the excellent thread. |
Thank you sir ! Keeping a keen eye on your thread as well and am picking up quite a few DiYs ! Thanks for all those useful tips.