[Swanand Inamdar]

Wow! Congrats on the 1st succesful year with the Admiral. Thats some lovely report too.

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.

[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.

[Guderian]

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 !

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.

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.

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.

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 ?

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.

[AlphaKilo]

Hail General,

AK reporting sir. Great! One year with the Admiral!! Party? Sir, how is your back? What about the rusting or anti-rusting precautions you have taken? Would be helpful for all of us, if you can just plot down your experience in a few points.(positives and negatives, things you want to be improved and so on) just like a collation of your experiences in the past one year of ownership.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Originally Posted by Guderian

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.

..sitting in it you don't have to do that - others do it for you, if you get my drift !

...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.

Spot on! I miss this character a lot in my current ride. I mean every one out on the road takes small cars for granted Larger vehicles coming from opposite side block the oncoming way in the process of taking pass from the vehicle ahead to them. You honk and flash your lights to hell, but they wont stop and you have to leave the road and fall in the ditch on the left to save your life! People cross the roads and children play as if they are in their courtyard, least bothered about the traffic! And this does not happen with the vehicles which are large and butch

[Manuuj]

Congratulations on the Admirals 1st birthday and how appropriate that the 20k mark should roll up right about then.

The service cost remain low for the next few services also..25k is under 700/- if i remember correctly. 30,000 is around Rs.6,500. So its going to be another inexpensive 6 months.

My Fortuner as you know just completed 50,000 kms and if you are looking for some excitement in terms of breakdowns and niggles that we lovingly referred to as "character" in our previous rides , you will be disappointed.

Its going to be plain sailing I'm afraid..no rough seas here!

I will still say that you should get a Music System upgrade with a Reverse Camera. It makes parking the Fortuner easier than any Alto on the roads today.

Besides the stiff ride and paint quality i have no complaints with my vehicle.

(I wish i could have had a sunroof installed but the AC vent design for the rear makes it impossible)

In the future when i upgrade to something else i am going to give my Fortuner one mean makeover. A flat military green paint, Safari Snorkel, Winch in Rear and Front with the ARB bumpers, Raised suspension kit with a matching tyre and alloy upgrade. Will get the Engine "Peted" and the obligatory K&N Filter upgrade also. All the interior carpeting will be removed and a waterproof easy to clean substitute installed over lots of Dynamat to keep the interiors nice and quiet. All the chrome except for the Front Grill and Rear Door Strip is gonna go. I can picture it in my mind.

For now its just wishful thinking...Sighhhh..

In the meantime the flashy city slicker version will keep me more than happy!

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Would be helpful for all of us, if you can just plot down your experience in a few points.(positives and negatives, things you want to be improved and so on) just like a collation of your experiences in the past one year of ownership.

Hi AK...Come in...
Thanks for all the good wishes.
Now what you are asking of me, like a stern headmaster, is a synopsis of all the reports of last one year ! Well will take me some time to trawl through all the pages as I think initially I had jotted down many points here.
But yes will make an attempt as soon as one can.

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

And this does not happen with the vehicles which are large and butch

Hi BHO, Though I have mentioned ORD, On Road Dadagiri, as a plus point of the vehicle believe you me that I am not at all proud of this fact and in fact hate it. It's not an easy feeling when people on the roads eye you half with curiosity, the other half with revulsion and wonder as to what kind of a shady business you are involved in, besides personally disliking the fact that one can bully other drivers on the road just by menacing looks (of the vehicle and driver) & sheer size (again of both !). Points to terrible driving sense/style. Not at all suited to urbane thinking and driving. Yes all said and done it does ease the craziness of driving on Indian roads but then yes that's the way I feel about this ORD business and don't resort to it consciously at all.

Funny but even my previous ride generated these kinds of feelings among the general populace on the roads. So I guess there must be some issue with me for selecting such wheels ultimately. Gotta see my shrink sometime soon. Wonder whether I should show his charges here in the total cost of ownership ? And put up some snaps of the couch etc and the driver undergoing regular mental service !

Originally Posted by Manuuj

1. So its going to be another inexpensive 6 months.
2. My Fortuner as you know just completed 50,000 kms and if you are looking for some excitement in terms of breakdowns and niggles that we lovingly referred to as "character" in our previous rides , you will be disappointed.
3. Its going to be plain sailing I'm afraid..no rough seas here!

I will still say that you should get a Music System upgrade with a Reverse Camera. It makes parking the Fortuner easier than any Alto on the roads today.


(I wish i could have had a sunroof installed but the AC vent design for the rear makes it impossible)

In the future when i upgrade to something else i am going to give my Fortuner one mean makeover.

Hi Manuuj,
Thanks for all the warm words !
1,2 & 3 - May your mouth be stuffed with clarified butter & sugar...ghee, shakkar ! Touchwood and may all our vehicles run their lives like this, on an even keel.
I am not looking at a music system upgrade - quite satisfied with the OE system. With a little bit of twidling with the knobs it churns out fairly decent notes and bars. Yes will look at the reverse camera seriously after some time. However I have now sort of mastered the art of squeezing in the old chap quite dexterously in the reverse gear with the beeps of the current sensors. The act of parking/guiding/backing up the behemoth into my stamp sized stilt parking is trickier than landing a F/A-18E on a bobbing carrier deck in rough seas, at night, with blackout rules being enforced and deck crew on strike.

Good thing that you didn't install the sunroof, even if the rear AC vents could be worked around. Have heard of enough horror stories of after market SRs givung way just after few months of installation - leaks, malfunctions and whatnot. Would have been great if it was a factory fitted OE.
And you know with all those mean mods you are contemplating - you should also look at putting in the compressed air operated ARB differential locks - front and rear. Wonder whether it is technically feasible to put those in with the central diff lock system of the Fortuner ? If that can be done then you would have taken the capabilities of your wheels to a different level - esp OTR. Check this out and let us know manuuj. Would love to see your vehicle after all those mods.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Trust me, the feeling of receiving the ORD is even worse. In fact few hours ago it was repeated again. A bolero coming from the opposite direction, driven by a young & extra lean chap trying to act smart bullying into my way in the process of taking pass. I didn't budge.. flash lights, honk and made a killer eye to eye contact and he was back into his lane.

Even if you try hard to maintain decency on road, most of the people will provoke you to lose it. + the care free attitude of commercial/passenger vehicles adds to the problem.

[Guderian]

Before I forget...
Yesterday I saw for the first time the Fortuner 2012 on the roads, during a chukker of the city.
Had a chance to see it first in motion, approaching me and departing, later the same one stationary. Had a good look at it and here are a few impressions:
- This was a white behemoth. But somehow I felt that this white was a little different shade-wise compared to the white on the Classic Fortuners. Hope they have made the coat a little tougher.
- Externally - Chrome ! Almost blinded in the harsh noon sunlight. Every where you can think of, I guess.
- While approaching you the wide grill (chrome) makes it resemble a grinning apparition advancing at you - the earlier hard look has given way to a soft-ish countenance grinning away to glory. The characteristic look has changed certainly. The stance and gait still remain good and purposeful as ever. The wider scoop resembling flaring nostrils tries to give it some of its old menacing looks though.
- To me the rear wasn't appealing at all with the clear lens and shape. The old world charm replaced by new age slickness.
- Though there are changes in the shape of the lights (front and back) bumpers etc - but nothing very discernible except the black strip in the front in which the fog lamps are embedded. Gives it a different look.

Hopefully should be driving one soon.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Thanks for a detailed explanation to my query HG! Yeah, though a bit too early to tell, the plans seem to be put in place. Thanks to guys like you and Monaro. You sure are a bad influence, I tell .

I so agree on that review of the new Fort there. I've said this before, and I say it again - I much prefer the now classic Forts looks any given day. The one you and many other on the forum have, is much more butch looking. The new one looks like a tamed down mosnter.

[yaji]

Hi Guderian,

I have been a regular visitor to TOGO channel for quite sometime now (since the time i have been thinking of upgrading from my Scorpio CRDE) and I' am a big fan of the channel Reading your posts lighten up my day along with giving me lots of info on the T-Fortuner.

I have finally come to the point where i have decided to go for a T-Fortuner but the dilemma about the Classic model and the New model has cropped up. I know you have been partial towards the Classic model but the major selling point of the new model as per the Toyota sales guy has been the "Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)" which is supposedly not present on the Classic model. The price difference is quite significant and hence my dilemma has become bigger !

Does this feature alone justify the price difference of 2+ lakhs ? Rest of the features are all cosmetic (atleast to me) and hence the price difference is not justified except that its a new and supposedly facelifted model.

I also see that the last post on TOGO channel has been more than a month ago...i hope your sights will turn back here and i will get an opinion on my dilema

[dot]

Originally Posted by yaji

i have decided to go for a T-Fortuner but the dilemma about the Classic model and the New model has cropped up. I know you have been partial towards the Classic model but the major selling point of the new model as per the Toyota sales guy has been the "Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)" which is supposedly not present on the Classic model. The price difference is quite significant and hence my dilemma has become bigger !

Does this feature alone justify the price difference of 2+ lakhs ?

Before HG comments, let me quip in quickly!

Are both the models (old and new) on sale simultaneously? Wow, didnt know that.

We happened to drive the new Fortuner on a rocky off road area with and without the VSC. Frankly there was no real difference. Unless you plan to drive on slush roads very often or have plans of serious off roading, lack of VSC may not be apparent.
Now lets the experts comment!

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by dot

Before HG comments, let me quip in quickly!

Are both the models (old and new) on sale simultaneously? Wow, didnt know that.

We happened to drive the new Fortuner on a rocky off road area with and without the VSC. Frankly there was no real difference. Unless you plan to drive on slush roads very often or have plans of serious off roading, lack of VSC may not be apparent.
Now lets the experts comment!

Dot IMO VSC is much more useful on the road, so your off road test might not have shown you much about it. At higher speeds, especially while taking turns it can be a lifesaver considering the Fortuner is not as stable as a sedan. It will also give the driver a little more confidence knowing there is one more electronic aid looking after his every move.

[yaji]

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another!

Originally Posted by dot

Are both the models (old and new) on sale simultaneously? Wow, didnt know that.

We happened to drive the new Fortuner on a rocky off road area with and without the VSC. Frankly there was no real difference. Unless you plan to drive on slush roads very often or have plans of serious off roading, lack of VSC may not be apparent.
Now lets the experts comment!

Yes both models are selling simultaneously probably because of the reason that Toyota still has stock of the old model and they want to clear the inventory.

Thanks for your input on the VSC

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Dot IMO VSC is much more useful on the road, so your off road test might not have shown you much about it. At higher speeds, especially while taking turns it can be a lifesaver considering the Fortuner is not as stable as a sedan. It will also give the driver a little more confidence knowing there is one more electronic aid looking after his every move.

Thanks for your input.

I have had a very bad experience with an earlier scoprio of mine which had turned turtle whilst going down the tarmac and coming back up (going down happened because of an ST bus coming in the wrong lane from opposite side in a near blind turning and i had to get down from the road to avoid a head on collission). I consider myself very lucky to have survived that accident !
At that time i was probably at about 100 Kms speed (cant recall the actual figures till date as things were happening too fast and i did not have the time to glance at the speedometer).

One of the main reasons for going for a Fortuner now is this reason as i often see and hear Scorpios turning turtle on highways with fatal consequences for passengers.

I also happen to drive in slush once in a while during monsoons when i visit my farm which only has a kachha road for approach and can be a mess in the monsoons.

So where does that leave me ?
More dilemma because of that big cost difference between the old and the new model

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by yaji

Thanks for your input.

I have had a very bad experience with an earlier scoprio of mine which had turned turtle whilst going down the tarmac and coming back up (going down happened because of an ST bus coming in the wrong lane from opposite side in a near blind turning and i had to get down from the road to avoid a head on collission). I consider myself very lucky to have survived that accident !
At that time i was probably at about 100 Kms speed (cant recall the actual figures till date as things were happening too fast and i did not have the time to glance at the speedometer).

One of the main reasons for going for a Fortuner now is this reason as i often see and hear Scorpios turning turtle on highways with fatal consequences for passengers.

I also happen to drive in slush once in a while during monsoons when i visit my farm which only has a kachha road for approach and can be a mess in the monsoons.

So where does that leave me ?
More dilemma because of that big cost difference between the old and the new model

The Fortuner is more stable than the Scorpio, and VSC would help you in an emergency move like you had to make with the Scorpio. It will add to your peace of mind too. Another suggestion, if you don't need a vehicle the size of a Scorpio, and your offroading is limited to the slush near your farmhouse then look at the Yeti. It is much more stable than the Fortuner and has ESP too.