10,000 Km Update:
Its been 8 months and 10,000km on the ODO. The ownership experience has been smooth so far fortunately without any major issues.
Second Service experience:
I completed the second service at around 7350kms at
Gokulam Motors, Iyyapanthangal, Chennai
The service center is just coming up and new and there was hardly any rush there. Mine was the one of the 5 or 6 cars that had come for service. Most of the other cars were the new ones for PDI. This gave me enough time to walk around and monitor the work being done.
It was the routine second service checks that was required to be carried out and I had asked the car to be delivered by noon. Off late I seemed to observe slight left pull on my highway hauls and had mentioned it to the service advisor. To this they just swapped the front tyres as I did mention that I had done wheel alignment only recently. That hasn't really worked but at the same time the left pull has not been so evident in my car anyway.
While the front tyres were being swapped
As you can see, the expenses were mostly consumables and DEF refill. I am planning to do my own DEF refill in the coming days as they have charged for more quantity of DEF than I expected. The DEF tank indicator was hardly a quarter empty and so it should have been around 4 litres of top up but they had charged me 6 litres. Also, they didn't have the facility to update the software which was a bummer.
The quality and speed of the work was just average. The general service was completed by 1130 (i gave the car by 9AM). However, they washed the car and delivered it to be only at around 2PM. They did a shabby job and dirtied the white seats which I had polished and kept clean. I asked them to clean it up. Also, the exterior was not wiped with a good cloth and it looked lot worse than it was before service. I didn't have the time to ask them to clean it up and also didnt want to make it worse.
Lesson learnt: I am not going to ask them to do the water wash after service. I will take it to a dedicated Car wash place. Highway Drives:
Did a few highway trips in the last couple of months and I can tell you that it has been the time I really enjoyed the car to the fullest. It is a mile muncher and I love to be on the wheel. Even after 10 - 12 hours you still dont feel too tired and you can ride with confidence. I normally maintain the speed at around 90 - 100 kmph.
Broken Roads:
I had to go over some broken roads and very steep and narrow inclines when we went to Parunthumpara near Thekady (via Manjumalai - Graby Estate Route). Roads were non existent at most places but I enjoyed being on this car. Also, we went to Ottakathalamedu viewpoint where we maneuvered through narrow roads and it was a breeze in the Safari. The ride was not plush as in the Hexa but with 6 people onboard didnt feel bumpy either.
Fuel Efficiency:
My average so far as been 12.76kmpl. The fuel consumption increases with more idle. if you are able to keep the average speed above 30 kmph, then you can get the 12+kmpl mileage. But if you drive in stop - go traffic, the efficiency drops to 10.5+kmpl. Overall, for a 2L diesel automatic, I feel the mileage is ok. I use the Fuelio app to keep track of mileage and use the tank fill method to calculate the efficiency.
Fuel log - Summary:
Fuel log:
Niggles: - The harsh sound while releasing the brakes as you start moving is there. I have read about Tata performing warranty replacement of brake pads for a few customers. Will take it to the service center to do the checks.
- While I did the long drives, I noticed that the infotainment shutdown after continuous use for more than 6 to 7 hours. It was not observed all the time but a few times.
Fortunately, nothing serious so far and it has been running well.
Car wash:
Since I did some travel through slushy routes wanted to do a car wash to clear the underbody. Took it to a nearby place and they did a decent job. But that said, nothing can come close to you doing the cleaning yourself. Though they did a good job at getting the underbody clean, the cleaning of the painted surface was just ok. The bug marks were still there and I could also see swirl marks post the wash.
However, since it was a few months since I waxed the car, did a waxing with Collinite 845 and viola the car was shining again.
You can see the gloss of the car from this aerial pic.
Overall, it has been a pleasant experience so far with the car. I am yet to find out the right service center and the technician. Hopefully, will be able to zero-in on one soon. The things that always delight me are
- Smooth AT and easy to drive; my wife loves it too. Surprisingly, I haven't had issues with maneuvering the mammoth in narrow streets (though the steering is still heavy at low speeds)
- Ample power and practical features like automatic dimming IRVM, auto hold, hill hold assist and hill descent control (i actually used it well on my way back from Ottakathalamedu viewpoint
- The true SUV looks and road presence; people give way
- Fairly decent ride quality and low NVH
- Decent fuel efficiency
And finally, whenever I see another Safari, I feel excited