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Wonderful updates as usual Debuda. Besides the ring flashing RM, Ramandeep Kaur & XUV-trained mechanic Abhay I could also notice the "NAVY" sticker on your windshield. By any chance you were/are in Indian Navy or Merchant Navy?

Hi Debu-da,
PM'ed you route/road conditions. Drove down to the North Bengal - Sikkim side between mid to end November 2012.
Hope it helps.
Drive safe and have a very, very Merry X-Mas

best,
arjab

I am sure you have been taking the RM's permissions to post her pics in the forum. In case you have not done that then you must do that at the earliest. Everyone does not like their pics to be posted on the forums.

Apart from the 2nd gear, all other gears have always been butter-smooth. The 2nd gear seems to be slightly better now. It will be put to the acid test during my forthcoming drive to Sikkim. Will report its performance after that trip.

The gear selector, as far as I know, is inside the gearbox and its replacement would be a major job. Personally, I would be averse to opening up of my gearbox in my brand new XUV.

I was in the Indian Navy for 2 decades and left it in the rank of Commander way back in 1994. I work in the Merchant Navy (Indian coastal vessels) once in a blue moon as Chief Engineer.

Thanks a million for your most useful inputs.

Wishing you and all other Team-BHPians a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My wife and I intend celebrating the New Year at Gangtok.

Debuda wish you and your wife a safe trip to Sikkim and a great New Year in Gangtok. Look forward to reading your travelogue. Cheers!

Dada left Purnea @ 11am yesterday for Siliguri & further ahead.

On his way from Jamshedpur, they took a halt @ Deoghar, started from Deoghar @ 5am & reached here by close to 10, despite dense fog.

It was a real pleasure to meet him & the other passive Team BHPian. Mrs. Debu Da. It never occurred that we were meeting for the first time.

(Had gone to sleep @ 4 am (due to a wedding) & forgot to carry my cam, hence no pics from my end)

It was wonderful meeting Sheel at Purnea. Though he was very tired, he still took the trouble of meeting us. Incidentally, he is the first TBHPian I met in person. Posting a pic with Sheel. Adding a few other pics too.


Sheel and I posing in front of our respective wheels.




Crossing a shallow river bed in Bihar (bridge is under construction).




There was dense fog in North Bihar on our way to Purnea.




Camels passing by the Cheetah on a foggy morning.

Where was that bridge located at? And that 3rd pic is awesome to say the least. Beautiful.

So you guys are currently at...?

That river was about 50 KM south of Purnea.


Where are we? Maybe this pic holds a clue!




Wishing all esteemed TBHPians (and their WHEELS) a fantastic New Year. Looking for'd to more enjoyable and educative interactions with all you beautiful people in the new year 2013.

Wow ! Some beautiful pics. Did not expect to see camels in Bihar! That too so many of them.

All the best for your New Year trip and the new year itself. Would be looking forward for the updates.

ODO : 6500 KM; Drive to Nathu La

My wife and I celebrated 01 Jan 2013 by driving to Nathu La from Gangtok. It was an awesome experience. Over a distance of 55 KM we climbed about 8000 feet (altitude of Nathu La is 14,200 ft). And the road is quite bad at present.

The key takeaway from the drive was this : For the first time after buying the XUV a couple of months ago, I fully realized the true capability of a SUV (this is my first SUV). The XUV worked wonderfully. Both the suspension and steering performed admirably under pretty adverse conditions, and the engine is a gem.

Over this 110 KM long arduous trip there were only 2 or 3 occasions where I wished for a bit higher power-to-weight ratio and AWD.


The road to Nathu La. Out of 55 KM, only about 15 KM are satisfactory.




At Nathu La (14,200 ft). This year snowfall has been delayed and we did not find any snow. Most of the lakes are either fully or partially frozen though.

What a way to celebrate the new year. Even I had a chance on two occasions to celebrate the new year behind the wheels. Which other cars/UVs did you come across during your 55 km sojourn to Nathu La?

agree: we understand the true potential of SUVs only on such roads. In our normal city usage the SUV is mainly used as a bullying machine, but only when you come across such terrain, you realize what else the SUV is capable of doing.

Why do you think so? Was there any wheel spinning or were you stuck up somewhere? Also the power-to-weight ratio of XUV is one of the best in class (if not the best one). Only the Yeti & Fortuner scores over it. Refer the Specs sheet below from official TBHP review.



Never mind, the pristine clear skies make up for that.

That pic of the terrain is pretty tame if you ask me. I have been there & at some places, any hatch will scrape its belly away to glory, its that bad.

You wanted AWD in slush?

And interested to know as to how the permit was obtained?

Thanks :)

P.s - When can I see you on the way back?

What a thread ! What an ownership review ! One of the best I have come across so far.clap:

Your attention to details is fantastic.Thanks for sharing those informative technical details. Fantastic write up coupled with wonderful photography.
Dada, Is there any trip to south on the cards in future as well?

1) Only SUVs / MUVs are apparently allowed on the Nathu La road. I saw Boleros, Marshals, Scorpios, Innovas, Sumos, Gypsies (Army), Safaris (very few) and Xylos (few). Of course, there were quite a few Army trucks (all 4x4). Mine was the only XUV (that too with a non-Sikkim, non-commercial licence plate) on that day.

2) There were a couple of occasions when I had to come to a dead stop on steep inclines and the front wheels started spinning while trying to move. But it happened because of thick dust or loose gravel on the road which hampered traction. AWD would have helped in those situations. A higher power-to-weight ratio could also have helped, theoretically. But as you have rightly pointed out, the power-to-weight ratio of XUV is not bad.

1) You are right -- the pic posted by me does not show the extremely treacherous nature of some of the stretches on the Nathu La road. BTW, I encountered far more horrible stretches during my subsequent drive to Lachung and Yumthang in North Sikkim.

2) As far as the two permits (Nathu La and North Sikkim) are concerned, my personal perseverance (meeting police officials personally) and being an ex-serviceman helped. Immediately after reaching Gangtok I drove into the Army base and got the Nathu La permit (Army). Based on this permit, getting the Police permit was easy. The Army is not involved with the North Sikkim permit -- I got it by smooth-talking a senior police officer. Total cost for both the permits was Rs 30 only (the official fees).

3) I drove down to Siliguri from Lachung in North Sikkim today. Maybe we could meet tomorrow. I'll let you know.

My next long drive is likely to be towards Visakhapatnam.