[viXit]

Congratulations Graaja, Visceral experiences are awesome, but apparently peace of mind is better.

Reading your thread was a funny experience, made the draft of my thread redundant. What I'm saying is that I related to your car buying experience a lot. The Kodiaq was on top of the list but the Skoda experience is what pushed it off the list.

Congratulations on the Fortuner. It looks lovely in Black. More so with the big silver contrasting wheels. Mine's just a month younger than yours.

[padmrajravi]

Congratulations, My car is exactly the same colour combination as you have. It is 3 years old now and has been a fill it, forget it experience. The suspension is the achilles heal, but it does ease out after few thousand kms. You will also learn the optimal amount of speed that you need to carry on different kinds of potholes after some practice .

About wireless android auto, I use the AAWireless dongle for the last three years. It has been a hassle free experience so far. It gets connected by the time, I reverse out of my parking. The only downside is that there is no way to prevent wireless AA from connecting when you are near the car. My service centre has the waiting room overlooking the service area and I have a hard time preventing it from connecting to the car while the car is getting serviced. The app has permission to enable bluetooth and wifi in the background, so even if you disable these, it will switch on automatically. So at times, I have had to remove the car manually from the AAWireless app and add it back again after the service. Fortunately they finish everything under 2 hours and I have never had a visit other than the yearly ones.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by graaja

When the DPF regeneration button is pressed (located in the panel on the right side of the steering), the MID displays the below. I have tried several times and always see this menu. I am not sure at what point manual regeneration option will be available and when visiting places of high altitude, when to perform a manual regeneration. I need to do more research on this.
Attachment 2671980

Congratulations on the car. Manual regen by default is available only after 7-8 bars. Toyota has a custom map which lets you regen even as low as 1 bar. However I have heard that for 2022 or later models this may not be available. Best to have this checked with an experienced technician. Once you connect a Toyota diagnostic tool, this option pops up.

I have found this custom map very useful, while at high altitudes Auto regen worked flawlessly, manual regen helped to clean the DPF before ascending high passes.

[athray9]

Mighty Congratulations on the Fortuner !!!

I have been following your 3GT story since the beginning and I was amazed as to how you had taken the car to such remote places and that gave me lot of confidence on BMW's reliability and I completely agree with you on BMW's reliability. Having owned Audi A4, Mercedes GLA and a BMW 320d currently in Chennai by my parents, BMW has not given a single issue in the ownership of 3 years and 30K kms while the Audi and the Mercedes had mechanical and electronic issues within the first 3 years of ownership itself.

I agree with your service experience with Skoda and Audi since it is also really bad in Chennai. Currently my dad owns a Kodiaq in Chennai, he loves the product, but Skoda management is terrible. As my dad is inching towards his retirement, he wants a reliable trouble free car and is considering the next gen Foruner hybrid as his replacement to the Kodiaq in few years.

I had seen your post sometime back and was surprised to see your shift from the 3GT to the Fortuner, but I realized that for your usage, the Fortuner makes the best sense. I am really looking forward to your ownership stories and adventures and many wish you happy 2,00,000 kms at-least.

[arjab]

Originally Posted by graaja

• Budget: 65L, can stretch to 75L

Any reasons for not considering the Land Rover Discovery Sport or the Range Rover Evoque?
Both, would have been in the above indicative price range with some good discounts thrown in.

[dearchichi]

Congratulations on the car!

What is your washing routine: washes after drives in rainy conditions, and general maintenance washes? It would be helpful if you could specify the products and procedures used.

[gowriary]

Congratulations on your new Fortuner. Black looks majestic & truly impressive. The car review was fantastic, highlighting vehicle excellence in all aspects.

[Utopian]

This is such a big change from a sleek sedan to a black monster. However, given your requirements, it perfectly fits the bill. As all your other threads, this one is bound to be an interesting and educating thread. Wish you loads of happy miles with the Fortuner.

[Aditya]

Exceptional, unbiased & detailed ownership reviews of cars have started going to our homepage reviews box. It's the ultimate stamp of trust from Team-BHP (as a platform) because lakhs of visitors every month check out reviews from there & make purchase decisions.

Your review has also been included here. Thank you so much for sharing .

[Rajith]

Originally Posted by graaja

Interiors:

The neatly laid-out center console.

What is that round knob found near the gear lever?

Bangalore on road price i paid for 4x4 - AT Super white this month is 50Lacs including special number & 360deg camera.

[SithDefender]

Originally Posted by graaja

This is the reason why, in my initial list, I had the Kodiaq, Tiguan, and Q5 and not the Fortuner or the Hilux.

Congrats on your new car! It looks menacing in black. Between the three variants, the 4x4 base version is value for money too.

I assume reliability was the reason you did not look at the Jeep Meridian? With rear seats folded, it should have enough space for your astrophotography equipment, besides offering the luxury and gizmos you like, and a car-like feel when driving. Still, was it part of your consideration at any point ?

[graaja]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Hearty congratulations and happy motoring with this mighty mammoth of a go-anywhere SUV. It is indeed a very refreshing change from driving a fast (3GT) sedan to this beast which can practically go anywhere. Knowing you and your travel patterns, I am sure you will find this to be a way more capable tool in your future roadtripping adventures.

Thank you so much for the kind words KK! I am sure we will do many more drives together in the beast in the future

Originally Posted by viXit

Congratulations Graaja, Visceral experiences are awesome, but apparently peace of mind is better.
...
Congratulations on the Fortuner. It looks lovely in Black. More so with the big silver contrasting wheels. Mine's just a month younger than yours.

Thank you so much for the kind words! And Congratulations with your beast as well. Wishing you tens of thousands of miles and smiles!

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Congratulations, My car is exactly the same colour combination as you have. It is 3 years old now and has been a fill it, forget it experience. The suspension is the achilles heal, but it does ease out after few thousand kms. You will also learn the optimal amount of speed that you need to carry on different kinds of potholes after some practice .

About wireless android auto, I use the AAWireless dongle for the last three years. It has been a hassle free experience so far...

Thank you so much for the kind words. As you pointed out, I may slowly get used to the suspensions.

For wireless CarPlay, I have purchased a Carlinkit wireless adapter. I haven't had the chance to test this as I had to travel. Will test this adapter soon and update the thread.

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Congratulations on the car. Manual regen by default is available only after 7-8 bars. Toyota has a custom map which lets you regen even as low as 1 bar. However I have heard that for 2022 or later models this may not be available. Best to have this checked with an experienced technician. Once you connect a Toyota diagnostic tool, this option pops up.

I have found this custom map very useful, while at high altitudes Auto regen worked flawlessly, manual regen helped to clean the DPF before ascending high passes.

Thank you for the kind words. And thank you for this very useful information on manual regeneration. I will check with the technician next time when I take the car for the 10,000 kilometer service. It will be useful to have the manual generation option available at an earlier stage itself so that we can perform the regeneration before hitting high passes.

Can you share some more information about the high altitudes where automatic regeneration has worked for you? I am thinking of doing a drive to Hanle next year and would like to understand how to manage regeneration. Will automatic regeneration work at 14000 feet in Hanle? Should I do manual regeneration in Hanle (provided I get this custom map enabled) before ascending to Umling La etc.

Originally Posted by athray9

Mighty Congratulations on the Fortuner !!!
...
I had seen your post sometime back and was surprised to see your shift from the 3GT to the Fortuner, but I realized that for your usage, the Fortuner makes the best sense. I am really looking forward to your ownership stories and adventures and many wish you happy 2,00,000 kms at-least.

Thank you so much for the kind words and wishes!

Originally Posted by arjab

Any reasons for not considering the Land Rover Discovery Sport or the Range Rover Evoque?
Both, would have been in the above indicative price range with some good discounts thrown in.

I did not consider Land Rover for the reliability. I have heard so many bad experiences where Land Rovers have to remain in service centers for weeks expecting spare parts from Europe.

Originally Posted by dearchichi

Congratulations on the car!

What is your washing routine: washes after drives in rainy conditions, and general maintenance washes? It would be helpful if you could specify the products and procedures used.

Thank you so much for the kind words. I don't have a set washing schedule. I get it washed when it gets too dirty. Time between washes can be as short as a couple of weeks and as long as 2 to 3 months. I don't was the car myself. I use a washing service where a team comes to my home and washes the car. They bring all the equipment and materials needed for the wash, and I am not sure which products they use.

Originally Posted by gowriary

Congratulations on your new Fortuner. Black looks majestic & truly impressive. The car review was fantastic, highlighting vehicle excellence in all aspects.

Thank you so much for the kind words!

Originally Posted by Utopian

This is such a big change from a sleek sedan to a black monster. However, given your requirements, it perfectly fits the bill. As all your other threads, this one is bound to be an interesting and educating thread. Wish you loads of happy miles with the Fortuner.

Thank you so much for the kind words and wishes!

Originally Posted by Aditya

Exceptional, unbiased & detailed ownership reviews of cars have started going to our homepage reviews box. It's the ultimate stamp of trust from Team-BHP (as a platform) because lakhs of visitors every month check out reviews from there & make purchase decisions.

Your review has also been included here. Thank you so much for sharing .

Thank you so much for the gesture Aditya!

Originally Posted by Rajith

What is that round knob found near the gear lever?

That is the remote control for the 360-degree camera system.

[abirnale]

Congratulations, Graaja! Wishing you many more happy (s)miles on this behemoth of a SUV! I can already see this thread turning into one of those legendary reads like your 3GT!

Having witnessed your driving in 3GT earlier and now in this "Tofo" (or Tofu as we tease sometimes), noticed the change in your driving style too! Your estroil blue 3GT was babied like never before and yet taken to places where many don't even think of. With this go-anywhere attitude SUV, I can already visualise you with your astro-stuff and my car's spare parts reaching in Hanle to rescue my #TheRedSparkle stuck somewhere in some slush

Jokes apart, loving your transition from fast-sedan to mean-cruiser and go anywhere fuss-free vehicle!

A couple of pictures for the records that I would be happy to contribute to this already awesome thread:





Have a great time with Tofu!

[Jack Sparrow]

Congratulations GRaaja on the new car and wishing you many miles of happy and safe driving.

On the USB drive to play songs - Did you try connecting the drive to the USB port next to the power socket ? What does it say? Also selecting the Source of Audio from the menu in the display to Auto Kit, what does it do?

My car has an option to select as USB or BT or FM etc., Its an year old and is 4x2 version.

On the cruise control usage, its best to use the thumb between the steering spokes to increase or decrease the acceleration. I have found that tactic to be useful to effectively use the cruise button.

Just the way you pointed out, the Headlights are very average and doesn't illuminate the roads properly. if you plan to upgrade the bulbs alone, kindly post it here. i will also try them. I'm trying to figure out a good installer who can just change the bulbs rather than the whole projector assembly. Mine is still stock.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by graaja

Can you share some more information about the high altitudes where automatic regeneration has worked for you? I am thinking of doing a drive to Hanle next year and would like to understand how to manage regeneration. Will automatic regeneration work at 14000 feet in Hanle? Should I do manual regeneration in Hanle (provided I get this custom map enabled) before ascending to Umling La etc.

Auto regen worked in area around Tawang. While ascending Sela/Bumla pass, DPF in MID was at 1 bar, I stopped few KM's before the pass and did a manual regen, may be it was not needed but got it done to be on the safer side. Unless you are clocking 100+KM/or idling for long at high altitude location, auto regen should work most of the time. Risk is when your DPF has reached threshold, needs regen and you are at high altitude area. Another aspect that helps is avoiding frequent start stop .