[sand-dune96]

Originally Posted by vredesbyrd

Thanks for the heads up. The snorkel and exhaust sound right up my ally. I will speak to them as well.
Just waiting for my annual bonus.

Hitting up just to update all. The fully functional bull bar with OEM fog-lamp+drl assembly and sensors and winch support is in production by Prad4x4. As per info from manufacturer it starts from around 29k.

I am in no way associated with the company. Just hitting up to update all regarding the above info.

[wooka]

Originally Posted by sand-dune96

Hitting up just to update all. The fully functional bull bar with OEM fog-lamp+drl assembly and sensors and winch support is in production by Prad4x4. As per info from manufacturer it starts from around 29k.

Appreciate your update.
The only two things I really want word on is as below :
1. Getting a front camera with a Z8 (that custom harness that was spoken of.)
2. Metal bumpers and cars! What does one do about accountability? There's a reason why I went with a stock bumper Arka winch plate (that turned out to be utter crap that Raj Kapoor had to sort out for me) on the Thar - that changing a bumper to metal may massively change the liability stakes against the owner of said vehicle. Any legal judgements/ references for or against?

[sand-dune96]

Originally Posted by wooka

Appreciate your update.
The only two things I really want word on is as below :
1. Getting a front camera with a Z8 (that custom harness that was spoken of.)
2. Metal bumpers and cars! What does one do about accountability? There's a reason why I went with a stock bumper Arka winch plate (that turned out to be utter crap that Raj Kapoor had to sort out for me) on the Thar - that changing a bumper to metal may massively change the liability stakes against the owner of said vehicle. Any legal judgements/ references for or against?

1. Shall be on the lookout.
2. Exactly my thought. What would be the legal consequences for the same? Given that they are illegal.
3. Any other options for increasing the departure angle on the vehicle?

[wooka]

Well in a way I've moved to 30.5 inch tyres and await further instruction. The rear bumper is rather stuck due to the DEF tank. The front is fine but the departure angle holds the vehicle back. No point of having a great approach angle but a horrid departure angle?

So the better tyres give me about 1/2 of 0.5 inch increased GC. About 6mm increase over stock.

[FAIAAA]

Did a longish test drive of the Scorpio-N with my better half. It was a diesel automatic. They expect to receive price list for new Z8 select variant in March first week and stock around mid/end March. It is now the most VFM variant in the line up. Mahindra has smartly increased the price, nudging buyers to move to Z8 select from Z6.

Coming to the car - First, the positives -

1. Commanding position and front/side visibility
2. Excellent front seats and bolstering
3. Lumbar support (though manual) is effective
4. Smooth diesel engine
5. Great engine-gearbox combo.

Coming to the negatives -

1. The biggest issue was the vertical pitching and side roll. We sat in the 2nd row and it was definitely worse. Checked with the SA and he confirmed Tyre pressure was set for comfort.
2. Space management (2nd and 3rd row) could have been definitely better. For a tourer, cargo capacity is low with 3 rows up and mediocre with 3rd row folded.

For us the poor ride comfort is a showstopper and hence have crossed this out. It's definitely a significant step up from previous generation but not for us.

[ghtg1]

Today I received a call from Shital Motors Ahmedabad that your car (Z6) has a recall for EMS ECU software update and it needs to be done in next 3-4 days. The car recently went for 2nd service early Feb and they said update was not available that time but it's essential for your safety to have it done asap. Has anyone else received such call and if they can shed more light on what the update is for?

[sand-dune96]

Originally Posted by FAIAAA

Coming to the negatives -

1. The biggest issue was the vertical pitching and side roll. We sat in the 2nd row and it was definitely worse. Checked with the SA and he confirmed Tyre pressure was set for comfort.
2. Space management (2nd and 3rd row) could have been definitely better. For a tourer, cargo capacity is low with 3 rows up and mediocre with 3rd row folded.

For us the poor ride comfort is a showstopper and hence have crossed this out. It's definitely a significant step up from previous generation but not for us.

Upgraded from an Alto k10 to S-N. What I understood after test driving a BOF first time that the sway will definitely be worse than a monocoque like xuv700/safari. Initially since I was in the driver’s seat I could not understand most of the rolls and sways. However, recently had an opportunity to explore the 2nd rows and 3rd on a long drive and I do get where you are coming from. What helped me and the other rear passengers were buckling up. Not only is it additional safety on road but it ensures that you’re swaying with your vehicle and not getting tossed around. Buckling up on the 2nd and 3rd row had drastically improved our experience on trails and broken patches.

Also being an FSD, it is beneficial to maintain a little speed over rough broken patches of roads. The suspension just negates all rough patches that way. If you are at crawling speeds then you are ought to sway more being a BOF. Of course one must always judge the road conditions and maintain safe speed. I just wanted to convey that this a characteristic of a BOF. Maybe you could give Big Daddy another chance if your heart yearns for it . Else, the better option for comfort would be the 700.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by sand-dune96

Upgraded from an Alto k10 to S-N. What I understood after test driving a BOF first time that the sway will definitely be worse than a monocoque like xuv700/safari.

What you have penned down is right. BOFs love to be loaded, unlike the monocoques where it just squats down. With a loaded BOF, you can just hammer the throttle on bad roads, been doing that on my Gurkha. Roads, no roads and depending on the conditions, the Gurkha just glides over bad patches where others slow down.

[Akshat_46]

Hello everyone
This is my first post on this fantastic platform . A platform which connects all the dieselheads and petrolheads together.
Have read so many posts , discussions since years and i take full responsibility while saying this “team-bhp” is the best platform to connect with like minded people, to gain knowledge, experience of fellow riders and not to forget every little detail that we get here is just awesome. Even google should take a bow .

I have been a rider as well just like majority of you and every kilometre which i have covered while riding is an experience which is etched forever in my heart.
I have done most of my rides on RE thunderbird,RE classic 500, Vw Polo & Skoda Rapid.
I have recently booked Scorpio N and cant wait to get my hands on it. Have read so many posts of you guys on Scorpio N .
As i have already booked it i had some queries , and i think there is no platform better than team-bhp to ask and gain some insights
1. As i have booked Z8 manual diesel , what would be the cost of replacing/upgrading my 17 inch alloys and 245/65 section tyres to Z8 L
Which comes with 255/60 r18 tyres and alloys.
Does mahindra give this option at their showroom itself ?
2.As mahindra has just launched Z8 select which is 1.1 lakh cheaper to my diesel manual model, although it lacks certain features which i am getting in z8 but is it worth?
3.What is the cost of sony centre speaker (z8L) if i want to get it installed in my Z8

Sorry for lengthy post my friends as i said earlier this is my first thread . Please forgive me for mistakes if any, i will get better with time.
Jai Hind

[Amrit@wheels]

Originally Posted by Akshat_46

I have recently booked Scorpio N and cant wait to get my hands on it. Have read so many posts of you guys on Scorpio N.

Hello Akshat.
1 - You can upgrade to OEM alloys at the showroom itself. Your dealership should be able to give you an estimate of the upgrade. I have heard it costs roughly 60k or so. Some members here have upsized to 265/60/18 tyres as they are more commonly available.
2 - It is totally up to you. If you feel those features are worth the 1.1L premium then yes, otherwise no.
3 - I am quite certain that the 12-speaker Sony system is only available only in the Z8L variant from the factory and can not be upgraded to from the lower variants at the dealership. But you can get a similar or even better-sounding setup in the aftermarket.

[Akshat_46]

Originally Posted by Amrit@wheels

Hello Akshat.

Thank you. Yes, I will ask the leadership again for estimate. Problem is Mahindra is selling so many cars that they don't even care to revert. Its been 3-4 days i have asked them to give me an estimate but to no avail.

[ask99]

Had a wonderful trip through some unpaved forest trails in North Bengal a few weeks back. It turned out to be fuss free travel due to the absolute ease with which the Scorpio N tackled the terrain.
We enjoyed a relaxing and mostly comfortable drive through some scenic forest roads. Drove through Senchal forest from Baghgora to Chatakpur (10km in around 1 hour), then from Chatakpur we took the forest track to 3rd Mile (11km in around 50 minutes) on our way to Mulkarkha via Kalimpong. Drove up a steep newly stone covered section from Aritar to Mulkarkha Lake . Followed by a drive through some more broken forest roads while driving from Mulkarkha to Lava via Kolakham. Anyone familiar with the above routes will realise a big part of the route planning was to find some difficult as well as less trodden roads to enjoy while testing myself and the Scorpio N. A test the Scorpio N passed with flying colours.

A few notes and observations from the trip (Z8 4x4 AT) -

1. For the mileage enthusiasts - Got between 12.6 and 13kmpl on the Kolkata - Siliguri stretch both ways. Got about 8.5kmpl on the Siliguri to Siliguri stretch (about 370kms covered, mostly on hilly roads and decent stretches of broken/stone roads)

2. Faced the Android Auto issue where it refuses to reconnect to your phone either wired or wireless, both while driving to Siliguri (after about 8 hours driving) and again on the return leg (after about 4 hours driving). Tried the turn off and turn on trick with a toilet break in between but that didn't help, second step was to reconnect the negative on the battery terminal, which did the trick. Side effect of the same was that it also resets some of the momentary trip meter data such as driving time, average speed, fuel efficiency. Have never faced this issue previously (driven only 9000km over the last 10 months of ownership).

3. Another random Android Auto issue cropped up where Google Maps would repeatedly exit navigation mode by itself. Since Music and other normal Google Maps/GPS still worked normally, I initially thought it might be a phone/Google issue, but rebooting the phone didn't help. An ignition cycle helped resolve the issue and things were back to normal. Again, this issue was new having never previously occurred or since.

4. Noticed tyre pressure drop due to lower temperatures once we reached Chatakpur. No TPMS warning due to it being within normal range at those temperatures. Could definitely feel the extra sponginess while driving over the stone/rutted forest roads. Topped up a couple psi the next morning and did notice the ride be slightly more jittery while leaving Chatakpur, but felt it was better to have good pressure for the tarmac sections that were to follow.

5. Drove through some narrow-steep-winding rutted roads and never felt the vehicle struggle. Some stretches I pre-emptively switched to 4H just to avoid the little bit of wheel spin while taking sharp hairpins over lose terrain. Both ascents to Chatakpur and later Mulkarkha (via the narrow winding climb) seemed like a cakewalk for the N. All done at very conservative speeds without having to worry about maintaining momentum. The 4Low came in handy while descending from Upper Chatakpur. One button press and I was able to easily crawl down a twisty steep descent over undulatated stony roads without the need for brakes. One of the few occasions where I felt justified in my decision to go with a 4x4.

6. The gearbox tuning that befuddled me on city and Highway drives for its propensity to hold on to gears for what seemed to be far too long, came into its own when driving through winding mountain roads. The added engine braking was just so useful during the quicker descents on the tarmac sections, that most times no manual intervention was required. When needed manual mode was easy to work. Slow down under twenty, shifter to the left, tug down and you're locked in 1st even when the decline pushes you to 4k rpm the transmission holds onto the gear in manual mode. Reach a gentler slope and nudge it up to get onto 2nd and smooth out the revs. The whole setup just made hill driving so easy, maybe too easy.

7. The suspension setup definitely needs praise. Yes there's sideways bobbing (physics has not been defied), yes when alternating ruts creep up on you it can give you quite the shake as you quickly step on the brakes to turn off the chaos, but when the deeper ruts are absent you can maintain a reasonable pace even over broken stony forest roads. The stock tires (Wanderer A/S) too never seemed to struggle or come across as a weak point. Let's see how they age, as there have been reports of premature tread disintegration from a few owners.

Some pictures of the Bruiser, which turned out to be a cruiser, in some of its natural habitats.

[blogslogger]

Originally Posted by ask99

5. Drove through some narrow-steep-winding rutted roads and never felt the vehicle struggle. Some stretches I pre-emptively switched to 4H just to avoid the little bit of wheel spin while taking sharp hairpins over lose terrain. Both ascents to Chatakpur and later Mulkarkha (via the narrow winding climb) seemed like a cakewalk for the N. All done at very conservative speeds without having to worry about maintaining momentum. The 4Low came in handy while descending from Upper Chatakpur. One button press and I was able to easily crawl down a twisty steep descent over undulatated stony roads without the need for brakes. One of the few occasions where I felt justified in my decision to go with a 4x4.

Please do not activate 4H or 4L on roads. . They are sealed surfaces and will damage the transmission/low range gearbox. Mahindra's 4WD system is not rated for sealed surface activation. During descent, please use engine braking instead.

Traction control and diff lock will help you get out low grip situations most of the time.

[ask99]

Originally Posted by blogslogger

Please do not activate 4H or 4L on roads. . They are sealed surfaces and will damage the transmission/low range gearbox. Mahindra's 4WD system is not rated for sealed surface activation. During descent, please use engine braking instead.

Traction control and diff lock will help you get out low grip situations most of the time.

Thank you for highlghting when to use 4H/4L. Maybe I was not clear, but I used 4H/4L specifically on stony trails and not on tarmac.

Also, to clarify further, there are limitations to engine braking when the incline is excessively steep. You will need to occasionally use the brakes to timely kill momentum and once again let the engine braking do its job. Not doing so would have you hurtling down at some very uncomfortable speeds. 4L comes handy when descent is over rough terrain and you can't even afford to be going down at 10kph without being jostled around, it can help bring the vehicle down to a crawl as you gently shuffle down over the stones and rocks.

[blogslogger]

Originally Posted by ask99

Thank you for highlighting when to use 4H/4L. Maybe I was not clear, but I used 4H/4L specifically on stony trails and not on tarmac.

Yea. I missed the part about ruts. Sorry about that. And using 4L for crawl is something new for me. Thank you for sharing. Just when I thought i was an off-roading 'expert'.